Thank you to Iris, MidnightCougar, Ifyouweremine and SparklyMeg as always.

Sorry for the lack of review replies – it's been a tough week. Hopefully back to normal this week.

Chapter 17

The following evening, Jess and I are in my office, finalizing the details for the appointment with Tanya and Edward. It's been a long day, with a mixture of appointments, meetings with suppliers, and a few new inquiries. Both our tablets are open, and the paperwork for their wedding is spread across my desk. Jess adds notes as we go through every detail to make sure we haven't missed anything.

Tanya replied to me late yesterday with the answers to my questions, confirming the last of the details we need at this stage. Anything else is better left out until closer to the wedding date, as so many of the finer details are subject to change.

Jess sighs and sits back in her chair. She kicks off her shoes and rests her feet on my desk.

"Um, Jess?" I point to my desk. "Feet."

"But I'm tired."

"I don't care. You know I have a thing about feet. I don't let you do that when you're at my apartment. What makes you think work's different?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she grumbles, putting her shoes back on. "So when are Mr. and Mrs. Perfect due?"

I glance at my watch. "Thirty minutes. Although, I'm fully prepared for them to be late."

"Do you think they'll be here long?"

"No. It's just a run-through of the day. Normally I'd say an hour, but knowing Tanya, I'd say an hour and a half."

I tidy up the papers, putting them in order and leaving them in a neat pile in front of me. I set my tablet next to them and pull my small makeup bag out from my purse. I can feel Jess watching me as I top up my mascara and lip gloss. When I bring out my concealer, I catch her grinning.

"What?"

"Making yourself presentable?"

I roll my eyes. "Of course. Have you seen the bags under my eyes?"

The grin falls. "You're not sleeping."

I shrug. "It's just stress."

"Sweetie, you know—"

I hold my hand up to silence her. "I know I can talk to you. I do." I smile softly. "I... uh… I'm going home!" I blurt out.

"Now?" she squeals. "You can't leave me to do this appointment—"

"Not now." I chuckle. "I mean I'm going home home. To Forks. Next week."

She opens her mouth but closes it before saying anything. When she does this for a third time, I continue.

"The details for the wedding are done, and we shouldn't need to speak to Edward or Tanya for a few weeks at least. I just… need to get away. No wedding talk and definitely no unattainable man taking up my thoughts. I just need to recharge, you know?"

She nods but doesn't look like she understands.

"I know it's sudden—"

"Sudden? Bella you haven't taken a vacation the entire time you've worked here."

"I know. It's about time, don't you think?"

She smiles softly. "Well, yeah. If anyone deserves a vacation, it's you. But you really think running home's the answer to everything?"

"I'm not running." Lies. "I just haven't seen my parents in a while, and I need a break. Tell me you understand."

"I do… But what about work?"

"I'll stay and do the appointments I have on my calendar, but any new requests for appointments will be scheduled for when I return. I'll have my laptop, so we'll email and I'll have my cell if you need me."

She rolls her eyes. "Some vacation."

I grin. "You know I can't give it up completely."

"Never. Okay, so I'll just send any new inquiries that come in to you?"

I lean back in my chair and watch her, preparing for her reaction. "About that… How do you feel about doing them?"

A smile immediately falls on her lips, quickly becoming a full grin. "You're serious?"

I nod. "Of course."

She squeals and jumps up from her seat. "That would be amazing!" She turns to me and then goes back to her seat, trying to regain her composure, which just makes me laugh. "You really want me to start doing weddings?"

"Yes. I thought that's what you wanted."

"It is. Definitely. I just didn't see this coming." She mock scowls at me. "I thought I knew you so well."

I sigh dramatically. "That's what you're taking from this?"

She giggles. "I can't believe this. I'm so excited."

"There's one more thing I'm going to need your help with while I'm away."

"What's that?"

"We need to find a new assistant."

ooOoo

Jess meets Tanya after buzzing her in. "Hi, Tanya. Follow me. We're just in Bella's office."

I've moved from my desk to sit at one of the chairs in the corner. I had a small sofa, which I left for the couple to sit at, leaving separate chairs for myself and Jess. I placed a jug of water and four glasses on the coffee table earlier.

Tanya's arrived on time and alone, a surprise to me and Jess. I'm part relieved and part disappointed Edward isn't with her, because I haven't seen or spoken to him since he arrived at my home drunk.

"Tanya." I stand as she and Jess enter. She hugs me and does the air kiss thing on each cheek. "Take a seat." I point to the couch. "No Edward today?" I want to say again but don't.

She shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "No. He's meeting me here when he can get away from work." She huffs. "He's supposed to be the boss soon. He should be barking out the orders, not taking them."

"Hopefully it's not for long," I say, smiling through my teeth.

She smiles back. "Hopefully. I mean, I go on shoot again in a few days, and I've not seen much of him, if you know what I mean."

She winks at me, and I want to barf.

Jess intervenes and directs Tanya to her copy of the paperwork. "This is your copy of your schedule as it currently stands. We'll be doing a run-through of the day from start to finish, covering everything: makeup, hair, cars, etcetera. Bella and I will run through it from our point of view, and you can ask us any questions if you have any."

Tanya's gaze is on the paperwork. "Sure. Let's start now."

"You don't want to wait for Edward?" I ask.

"No. He said just to get started and he'll call me when he's on his way."

I start by running through the wedding morning. Tanya, her parents, and her bridesmaids will be staying at the hotel the night before the wedding. They reserved a couple of large suites to get ready in the next day. Both hair and makeup will be coming to them — of course — and are set to arrive first thing. Edward's set to stay at their apartment and will be arriving at the hotel with his brother.

"Can the car have roses in it?"

I look up. Stumped. "Roses? In the car?"

Tanya grins. "Yes. It'll be really pretty."

"Sure, if you want. You know nobody will see the car apart from Edward and Emmett, right? Some photos will be taken, but at an earlier request, you asked for the car to only be in the background."

"Oh." She looks back to the schedule. "Let's just leave it, then."

She almost starts vibrating when we begin discussing the ceremony taking place in the grand ballroom, which will then be turned around during the cocktail reception. Tanya mentions that her father has worries about the time frame, so we both reassure her. The operational team is used to doing this and is fully aware of the time frame given. As we've pushed the ceremony back to have it earlier in the day, we've allowed them more time than normal.

"This sounds really good. My father will be happy with that."

"Now, the suppliers will all deliver on the morning of the wedding. Maggie and her team usually arrive around ten to do the ceremony flowers, and will also get as many of the tables set as they can."

"They can't do all of them?"

"Since the room's being used for a ceremony first, no," Jess says, intervening. "The event company will have set up the partitions so the hotel can set some of them up, but there isn't room for all of them."

"Oh, right. Sorry. I didn't even think."

We shush her. "That's why we're here, Tanya."

She grins. "Thankfully. Right… So, the cocktail reception?"

We cover the cocktail reception, which will be held at the rooftop bar and lounge. This is normally open to the public and other guests, but on this occasion, the hotel's making an exception. Weather permitting, the retractable roof will be down and guests will be able to enjoy views of the city. The roof can be put back up at the couple's discretion.

"And we agreed on an open bar, right?"

"Yes," Jess says without even looking down at her notes. "Your father agreed on an open bar, but servers will be going around with champagne, wine, and scotch. Any other drinks, and guests will have to go to the bar themselves."

"Tanya." I frown, looking back to my notes. "Do you want to add beer to this list?"

She makes a face. "Ew. No. I don't know anyone that drinks beer."

I think back to the night I met Edward in O'Neills and how he was drinking beer with his brother and friends.

I hesitate before deciding to speak up. This is his day as well as hers. "Okay. Um... I wasn't sure what Edward drinks."

"Oh. Well, he normally drinks beer, but I don't really want it served. He'll just have to get it from the bar or drink scotch."

I look at Jess, who's scribbling on her notes. Good girl, making a note of what the groom will drink so they'll bring the beer to him instead of making him go to the bar. Whether Tanya agrees or not, her fiancé's drink requests are just as important as hers.

As we discuss the finer requests of the open bar, Tanya's phone rings. "That'll be Edward. Excuse me." She stands and walks a short distance away from us. "Eddie?"

I cringe. What is it with the nicknames?

"You're outside? Sure. Bella'll let you in."

I glance at Jess, who shrugs. I know she would've gone if Tanya hadn't specified me. If I don't go, it'll look suspicious.

Tanya hangs up and looks at me. "He's just trying to park the car."

"I'll go buzz him in." Normally, customers can just enter the building, but due to the appointment being later than normal working hours, we've locked the door for security. I wait by Jess' desk for a few minutes until Edward buzzes.

I fidget nervously as I wait, hating that he affects me this way. The sooner I get to Forks, the better.

"Bella." He smiles as he approaches, and my traitorous heart goes into overdrive. The time apart from him hasn't lessened the effect he has on me, and if possible, he's even better looking than I remember.

"Hi," I murmur, avoiding his stare. "We're through here." I turn to show him the way to my office, when he leans forward and grabs my wrist.

"Bella. I… We need… There are some things I need to tell you." His voice is low but urgent.

"Now? You're doing this now? Do I have to remind you that your fiancée is sitting in there? That we're about to run through the final details of your wedding?"

He rightfully looks ashamed. "I just have to explain—"

"I'm not doing this now. You've had days to contact me − to text, email, anything − yet I haven't heard from you at all."

"Bella, I had to think. I needed to clear my head." He closes the distance between us, and every nerve on my body tingles.

I sigh. "I know. But it's clear you've made your choice. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here and I would've lost the biggest wedding of the year."

His hand trails down to squeeze mine softly. "We really need to talk. Tell me you'll meet me this week."

I want to. I want to say yes to him.

But right at that moment, I hear Tanya laugh; it cuts through me like glass.

"I can't."

"Bella, please—"

"I've got back-to-back appointments this week, and then I'm going home to visit my parents."

"You're going home?" The look in his eyes pains me, but I have to stay strong. I can't continue to run around in circles like this.

I nod. "You're not the only one who needs to get away." I pull my hand from his, instantly missing the contact.

"How long are you going for? When will you be back?"

I look up, hating the hurt look on his face. "I don't know."

ooOoo

Thank you for reading – see you next Sunday!

Fic Rec: A Louder Light by ifyouweremine - A girl, damaged and lost. A boy, scarred and rejected. "You are confined only by the walls you build yourself." - Anonymous