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A/N- Capricorn75 has bullied me into posting the rest of it. Thanks.
I should have cancelled on Edward, knowing the truth, but it was kind of nice to getting a chance to get out of the house and away from the store. I gave Emmett hell about it the next day at work. "You cheated and made him lose! What was the wager!" I cried.
"That he had to ask you out," Emmett said.
"Emmett!" I cried.
"He's been wanting to do it for a while, we could all tell," Emmett said. "Like he really needed a hiking coat in Chicago. That was complete BS. He just came here to see you and Jeannie. I've seen that Vovlo parked outside our store for weeks, just parked for like, an hour at a time. He just needed a push. You said you'd go out if asked."
"I know," I said. "But I didn't know you'd do something this devious."
"We love you, Bella," Emmett said. "It's almost been a year. Maybe it's time to start seeing people."
I found a winter dress I hadn't worn in almost two years in my things. Alice called me and asked if I wanted her help picking out an outfit. I said no, but she told me to wear matching panties and a bra and no Spanx if I wanted to have sex with him. "Not on the first date!" I cried. "I'm not a whore!"
"Hey, two men in twenty-six years wouldn't make you a whore!" Alice cried.
"I wouldn't want him to think I'm fast," I said, picking out a pair of shoes. I put on my make up while Jeannie and Charlie watched Sports Center. I made sure my hair was super-straight from the ceramic straightening iron so I didn't have fuzz-ball hair. While I was getting dressed, I heard the doorbell ring. I heard Edward downstairs talking to Charlie.
"… No trash-talking the Cubbies in front of me," Edward was saying.
"I can't promise anything," Charlie said. I stopped and slipped my pearls on and down the stairs.
"Hi," I said. Edward did a double-take. I usually never wore make up since I had been pregnant. I'm sure I looked different.
"Hi, Bella. You look… uh, nice," he said.
"Are you ready to go?" Charlie asked.
"Yes," I said.
"Got your cell phone?" Charlie asked.
"Yes, Dad, I do," I said.
"Good," he said. "I'll put her down at eight-thirty."
"Don't wait up," I said, truly hoping he wouldn't.
"I can't promise I won't," Charlie said. "Have a good time, Bells."
"Thanks."
Edward's house was indeed a cottage- a beautiful, rustic cottage, closer to La Push than Forks. It was on the beach as he had said. It was made of redwood and was covered in ferns and surrounded by trees and was lit up, waiting for us. I could see inside. A light house was across the bay.
"I didn't want to flatter you in front of your father, but, really, Bella, you look, amazing right now," Edward said, turning the engine off. "I didn't know you were going to dress like that."
"I just got excited about going out for once," I said.
"I see," he said, getting out of the car. I went to get out, but he came around and assisted me and helped me into the house.
Most everything was already cooked and ready on the stove. The kitchen table was set out. His house was much better put together and more modern looking than Charlie and mine. "Do you want something to drink?" he asked. "I've got a bottle of Sauvignon. '99."
"Oh," I said. "Sure."
"Have a seat in the living room," he said. "I'm just going to finish up in the kitchen."
"OK," I said. I sat down in the living room on the long, black leather couch. It was such a beautiful room, it looked like a professional decorator had put it together. Edward came back into the living room with a red wine. He handed me the glass of the burgundy liquid. I took a sip. It was good wine.
"What do you think?" he asked, sitting down beside me.
"It's good," I said. "So, I know that you lost at poker, that's why you asked me out."
He cringed. "Bella, that's not why I asked you out," he said. "I just wasn't sure you were ready. Emmett and Jasper made me do it."
"They cheat, you know," I said, smiling.
"I thought so," he grumbled.
"But, you asked, and I'm here," I said.
"I wouldn't say it was a total loss, then," he said.
We had discussions about the Jeannie and the winters in Washington and his job. It was almost eight thirty before we decided to eat dinner. After dinner, we walked down the beach to the lighthouse. He put his coat on my shoulders to keep me warm.
I had never been on the beach after dark in La Push.
The ocean was dark, except for a few boats in the distance, blinking lights.
"So, were you on a scholarship on the sailing team?" I asked as we walked back.
"No, it was more intramural," he said. "I had a good time, though."
"Did you drink a lot in college?" I asked.
"Only in undergrad," he said. "That's just what people did. I partied a lot. We all did."
"Same here," I said. We walked a few more paces. "So, what made you become a doctor?" I asked.
"I liked medicine," he said. "It just made sense. My Dad's a doctor, too."
"So, many doctors do you have in your family?"
"So far, five," he said. "Since we came to America."
"Do you like it, here?" I asked, looking out to the sea.
"I love it, here," he said. "Did you ever want to stay when you first moved out here?"
"Not at first," I said. "I don't know. Plans change. Especially when you fall in love with someone."
"So… do you ever talk about your late husband?" he asked, picking up a flat pebble and skipping it across the ocean in the moonlight.
"Not really," I said. "I try to avoid it."
"Do you ever want to?"
"Sometimes," I said. He picked up another stone to skip. I had never figured out how to skip stones. "When I start talking about him… I don't know, I just can't stop thinking about him. And then… then, I can't do anything else. And Jeannie's inheritance is on the line. If I can't do anything but think about him, I lose the store. That's the last piece of her father's family I've got left, aside from pictures."
"I understand," he said, quietly. He stroked a lock of my hair out of my face, tucking it behind my ear. The way he touched me was so tender, I realized that I had missed that over the past year. His hand was cold from the air, but it was hot on my skin. I sighed and closed my eyes as he faced me. I could feel his breath on my face. Before even thinking about it, I felt his lips on mine. If his fingers felt good, his lips were incredible. He tasted sweet, like the wine we had had for dinner. He caught my lower lip between his. It felt so good to be kissed that my legs almost gave out from under me.
We kissed again.
His hands found their way into the nape of my neck, pulling me towards him and I rested my hands on his abdomen. The feeling of the yarn in his sweater brushed against my fingers. Maybe it was too soon to kiss him- I didn't want to compare him to my late husband.
I pulled away.
"I'm sorry," I said. "I should know you better before I kiss you. I guess it's a little late for that."
"I guess it is," he said. His hand was still in my hair. "Maybe it would be best if I took you home now."
"Yeah, I think so, too," I said.
A/N- By now, you should know reviews are like cookies to writers! Leave me some!
