Thank you to everyone for the alerts, favourites, and reviews on the last chapter! Y'all rock!

Had some requests for an EPOV, and while I don't have plans for one, I do love this idea! So far, I have up to Chapter 22 written, and it's all from Bella's view.

Thanks to Pattinlethr, Iris, MidnightCougar, and SparklyMeg for their help. I couldn't do this without them.

Chapter 7

The following day, against my better judgment, I find myself at a bar-type bistro around the corner from Edward's office.

It took me hours to reply to his email yesterday, but I soon realized I couldn't plan this wedding without him, so I "manned up" — as Jess put it — and arranged our lunch appointment.

After a pep talk from Jess, I leave the office, making sure I arrive before him. I pick a booth toward the back of the bar and sit facing the door so I can see when he arrives. I contemplate ordering a wine with lunch for some courage, but I settle on a water instead.

While I wait for him to arrive, I get myself into work mode. I pull out my tablet and all the paperwork I have on the suppliers we have to choose from. I put marks next to the ones I'd personally recommend and set them out next to me.

Finished with my preparation, I look up just in time to see him enter. He scours the tables looking for me, and while I'm still unnoticed, I use the opportunity to take in the sight. I let myself appreciate how good he looks in his charcoal suit and white shirt. It looks like it was made specifically for him. The man is just pure temptation.

My eyes are drawn to where he's left the top few buttons open. I want to lick the sliver of skin on show, imagining how he tastes and maybe how he would groan in appreciation. Shaking my head, I close my eyes briefly —and sternly remind myself he's marrying another woman — picking up my water just as he makes his way to the table.

"Bella." He grins at me, and his smile does things to my heart. He has the sort of smile that could easily light up a room. He has cute dimples, and his smile reaches his eyes, giving them a sort of sparkle. "Sorry to keep you waiting." He takes off his suit jacket, placing it on the back of his chair before sitting down.

I return the smile. "It's okay. I haven't been waiting long."

The waitress comes over to take Edward's drink order, and I take the opportunity to pull myself together. I've worked with plenty of handsome grooms before. This is no different.

I look up to find him staring intently at me.

"What?"

"I… uh…" He clears his throat and looks down. He doesn't speak again for a few seconds. I almost ask again when he looks up, but the spark in his eyes is now gone.

"So, Tan left us a lot of work?"

Ugh. Tan.

I nod and put the paperwork between us. "Yes. This is a list of the details we need to confirm and the suppliers who were free the last time I spoke with them. I've marked those I've worked with before. A number of them are high profile and have worked large weddings before, which is why I'd suggest them. They'll be prepared for the scrutiny and publicity that'll come with yours."

He picks up the papers, and I people-watch out the window behind him, making myself focus on anything but him. My attention's already been drawn to his scruffy jawline more than once, and I'm fighting the urge to run my lips over the frown lines that form whenever he's confused with something he's reading. I smile, loving how his lips move slowly as he focuses on the words in front of him, knowing he's really taking this seriously.

"There's so much…" he mumbles, and I have to smile. Most of the grooms don't even know the half of it. "She wants us to do all of this while she's away?"

"Well, yes. I mean, you just have to help confirm everything. I'm here to put it all together for you both. You pay me to stress for you," I joke, making him smile softly.

He nods and looks back down as the waitress comes over to take our order. I keep it simple, ordering a club sandwich, hoping to keep the meeting brief, and grimace when he orders two courses.

"You're not in a rush are you?"

Yes. "Not at all."

ooOoo

Our lunch arrives quickly, not giving us a chance to discuss much of the wedding. We put the paperwork to the side, and a tense silence falls between us.

Minutes pass before Edward breaks the silence.

"So… How long have you been a wedding planner?"

"I've owned my company about a year, but I've worked in weddings since I had my first job. I've worked in hotels, kitchens, bars. You name it and I've probably done it."

He leans back in his chair, his eyes focused on me. I fidget in my seat, not used to such scrutiny.

"So if you've done it all, why weddings?"

I smile. "I just love them. Work-wise? The fact that no day's ever the same. I don't think I'm built for a job where it's repetitive work day after day. Personally, I love it when it all comes together and you see two people so in love enjoying their special day…" I trail off, embarrassed by my rambling. The romantic in me always comes out whenever I'm asked about my work.

"Sorry," I mumble, picking up my sandwich.

He shakes his head. "Don't be. It's nice to see that you enjoy your job." He sighs. "Not everyone has that luxury." His smile falters briefly.

"You don't enjoy your work?"

"No, it's not that. It's just… not what I thought I'd end up doing."

"How do you mean?"

He shrugs. "What did you want to be when you were younger?" he asks instead.

"Um…" I think back. "Does a ballerina count?" I laugh a little, grinning when I'm rewarded with his laugh.

"Seriously? I wanted to write," I say with a sigh.

"And why aren't you?"

I shrug. "I enjoy it enough as a hobby, although I don't get much time to write now. I love what I do. I can't imagine changing it for anything."

He watches me intently, again making me squirm.

"I wanted to teach music," he says almost wistfully. "My mom was a piano teacher. I think I caught the music bug from her." He smiles and looks down at his plate, toying with his lunch. "I was adamant I'd be a music teacher and teach piano lessons like her."

He continues to play with his food, looking so sad.

"What changed?"

He shrugs and goes to say something, but stops and sighs. "Life, I suppose."

The awkward silence falls between us again; I don't ask any questions,and Edward doesn't offer any further information. I have the feeling he's not truly happy working with Mr. Turner, but I don't want to push too much. We're here to discuss the wedding and nothing more.

We make small talk as we finish our lunch, avoiding anything too heavy before focusing back on the wedding.

"I have to admit, Bella. I'm stuck. Would you point out the suppliers you'd recommend again?"

I take the paperwork from him and sort out the pages I had marked. "Here." I pass them over the table to him.

He raises his hands. "Hold on."

I watch as he pulls his chair around the table so he's now sitting next to me. His close proximity shocks me into pushing my chair back.

"What are you doing?"

He chuckles. "It makes more sense to be able to look over this together." He leans forward slightly, and my traitorous heart skips a beat.

His eyes meet mine, and neither of us is able to look away. "You don't mind, do you?"

"I… I… No, of course not." The sudden heat of his body next to mine makes me gasp, his thigh brushing against mine under the table. I want to run my hand over it to feel the muscles I know his suit hides. It takes all I have to fight the urge to remain professional and keep my hands above the table.

ooOoo

Finalizing the details takes longer than I'd originally planned. I was expecting Edward to practically agree with everything, but he questioned all of my choices instead. Finally, after a few hours of deliberating, he agrees with me and confirm the details.

Eager to escape and head home to a hot bath and a very large glass of wine, I begin packing up. Opposite me, Edward stands and stretches, groaning as he does. That noise, coupled with how close we've been all afternoon, does something to my stomach, and I begin just throwing things into my purse so I can make a quick exit.

"Bella?"

I look up as Edward puts his jacket on. He's watching me and opens his mouth a few times without actually saying anything.

"Yes?" I prompt.

"I… uh… Would you like to grab some dinner with me?" He steps back around the table so he's directly in front of me.

"I don't think that'd be a good idea."

He frowns. "But I thought... after today—"

"Today was a business lunch to discuss your wedding."

"We can't have dinner as friends?"

I shake my head, knowing how bad the idea is — if not for both of us, then definitely for me. "No, we can't."

A brief look of pain flashes across of his face, and as much as I hate being the cause of that hurt, I know it's for the best.

He steps closer. "We could be good friends, Bella. We had fun that night at O'Neills." He smiles softly, and he's right; we did have fun.

"And that's exactly why we shouldn't have dinner."

ooOoo

Thank you for reading – see you next Sunday!

Fic Rec: Jilted by Vampiregirl93 - Jail time, first loves, bittersweet moments and kisses through the phone. She waits for his call because she's jilted, her heart still sings for the boy who only ever smiled for her. He committed crimes and she told lies. She loves him on accident, and he loves her forever. They didn't choose their secrets, they were born into this. AH-AU.