Thank you to Iris, Midnight Cougar, ifyouweremine and SparklyMeg, as always – they make this worth reading. Seriously.

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Chapter 24

Upstairs, my room resembles the aftermath of a small hurricane. I'm standing in front of my mirror cursing every item of clothing I brought with me. I hadn't planned on going on anything remotely resembling a date, and Edward told me he wants to surprise me, which makes it even more difficult.

"Bella?" My mom knocks on the door before coming in. "He's pacing like a lion downstairs. You almost ready?"

"No." I sigh. "I have no idea what to wear."

"I don't think he cares, honey. He's just glad you said yes."

"I care, Mom."

Her chuckle's low, and she comes to stand next to me, looking at the bed. "What about those jeans?" She points to my favorite pair of black, skinny jeans. I'd already considered them and then disregarded them. Twice.

"You think?"

"Yeah. They'd look cute with the ankle boots you bought in Seattle the other day, and you know you have plenty of tops that'll go with them."

I nod. "Okay. Tell him I'll be down soon."

I quickly change, choosing a fitted long-sleeved, V-neck, plum-colored sweater to go with the jeans. It's not the dressiest of outfits, but I look good and feel comfortable. And I know my mom wouldn't have suggested jeans if Edward had planned something fancy. Since Edward's mostly seen me at work or after work, where I tend to wear my hair up, I decide to straighten it and wear it down.

By the time I get to the bottom of the stairs, Edward's there waiting for me. His smile almost knocks the breath out of me, and he offers me his arm. I loop my arm in his as I reach the bottom.

His eyes never leave me, and I know I shouldn't have spent the time worrying about what to wear. Right now, I feel like I could've chosen a black sack and he'd still look at me the same way.

"You're stunning."

"Thank you." I notice a basket by the door with a red blanket over it. "Are you going to tell me where we're going, yet?"

He leads me through the house and picks up the basket. I'm barely aware of my parents, who are watching from the couch.

Edward opens the door and gestures for me to go first. "Nope. But this is your turf, so you'll probably figure it out."

Once outside, we go to the rental car, and I huff when Edward tells me to get into the passenger side. I do as I'm told and watch as Edward puts the basket in the back seat before he climbs into the front.

"You look nervous," I note.

He briefly glances at me. "It's a big deal. I don't want to mess it up."

I think back to the few times I've been alone with Edward and how much fun we had. I remember the tingling feeling on my cheeks when he kissed me goodbye, the swooping feeling in my stomach when I got home from the diner, and the butterflies I get whenever he smiles at me.

"I don't know if you could."

ooOoo

It doesn't take long for me to figure out we're going to Port Angeles, and I try to work out what he has planned.

"Stop trying to figure it out."

"I'm not."

"Liar."

I shrug. "I can't help it. Planning's in my nature. It feels… weird to not know what's going on."

"Well, just try." He grins at me, and my stomach does that fluttery thing again.

I roll my eyes and make a gesture of zipping my mouth closed.

As the sky dims and the streetlights begin to come on, the town passes us in a blur of oranges and yellows. Traffic increases, but only slightly, and then dwindles completely as we head out of town. I fidget in my seat, looking for a hint of anything, when Edward slows down before turning onto a small dirt track.

The track is surrounded by trees on either side, and small lantern-type lights dot as far as we can see. In the distance, I can see a bright light, which is obviously our destination. I've never been this way out of town before, so I admit to Edward that he has me stumped. He simply smiles, and I can almost see him relax.

We drive for a short time before the sign "Olympic Cellars Winery"comes into view.

"A winery?"

He shrugs and keeps on driving. Farther up ahead, I can see more cars, and we join a line of cars as attendants direct us where to park. The fact that it's this busy and in the evening makes me think it's more than a winery.

We park and get out of the car. Edward collects the basket from the back seat before coming around to the passenger side. He looks like he's about to take my hand but changes his mind at the last minute.

I don't know whether I'm relieved or frustrated.

"There's a music festival going on," he says, gesturing for me to follow the crowd. I do, getting lost in the feel of his hand on the bottom of my back.

"Sounds fun." I smile to reassure him. "I've never even heard of this place. How did you find it?"

"Your parents helped," he admits. "Your dad mostly, which surprised me. He mentioned how stressed you'd been recently, and I knew it was mostly because of me. He heard the guys at his work talking about this and suggested I look into it." He hands me a flyer, which I briefly glance at. "I don't know how good the bands are, but I thought it'd be entertaining. It's not… It's not something I've been to before."

This time, I take his hand in mine. "It sounds great." I don't know why, but I instantly feel better knowing he hasn't spent a date like this with Tanya.

We follow the crowd until we reach a marquee. Lanterns hang from the top, setting off a low glow inside and instantly making it feel warmer. Edward explains it's normally an open-air event, but with the time of year and cooler weather, they put this up. The stage is right at the front, with the space in front of it and to the side already full. Guests can still sit on the ground and have their picnics as if they're outside, but they're braced against the weather. There seems to be a mix of people here: couples our age, groups of teenagers, and couples who would match my parents' ages. There's a chilled and relaxed atmosphere, and I already love it.

We find a spot in the middle not too far from the stage but not close enough that we wouldn't be able to hear each other. Edward spreads out a blanket for us to sit on and begins to bring out the food he's packed. I think my mom may have actually packed it, but I don't call him on it.

"This looks amazing," I say as I sit on our blanket. He's pretty much thought of everything. There are some sandwiches, salad, fruit, a meat platter thing — which I know my mom made — and some chicken pieces.

"Oh, good. I wasn't sure what you'd like."

I laugh. "Edward, we went to a diner where I had a hot dog covered in chili cheese, mustard, and onions. Do you really think I'm a picky eater?"

He grins. "I didn't want to assume."

"Well, now you know. Most foods are okay with me. And this—" I gesture to the spread in front of us. "—is definitely okay."

He sighs in relief and sits next to me. He crosses his legs and turns so he's facing me. "Well, dig in. I think I have something to drink, too." He fumbles in the basket before pulling out a bottle of champagne and two flutes. "Here."

I take the two glasses while he opens the bottle. "My parents let you have this when they knew you'd be driving me home?"

He grins sheepishly while pouring. "Non-alcoholic. I got the safety speech from your dad."

I giggle, squealing as the champagne bubbles over, almost landing on my leg.

"So... I think we should toast."

"You do, huh?"

He shuffles closer and tips his glass toward me. I mirror his action. "And what exactly are we toasting to?"

He smiles as his eyes meet mine. "To second chances."

ooOoo

Unlike the night at the diner, I'm left with no questions about tonight; Edward talks to me, with his eyes intense and always on me, smiles softly when he links his fingers with mine, and grins widely when I blush as he kisses the back of my hand.

Our life in Chicago's forgotten for tonight. All the what-ifs and the thought of what'll happen when I return are at the very back of my mind. Tonight, I simply want to be able to enjoy this time alone with Edward. For a night, I allow myself to forget about Tanya and the phone call I know I' have to make to Jess.

We've finished our small picnic just as the band comes on the stage. Edward admits he doesn't really know much about who's playing, only that they have a good following and play mostly covers.

"I just wanted to do something different," he explains.

"You don't need to justify it, Edward," I say softly. "I'm already enjoying myself."

Relief washes over him as he takes my hand again, and we turn to face the stage. Instead of focusing on the band, I look down at our entwined fingers and smile. Weeks ago, even just days ago, I'd resigned myself to the fact I'd never have any of this with Edward. Yet, in the space of a few hours, he's proved me wrong and turned my world upside down.

In the best way possible.

He leans over, his lips at my ear, making me shiver. "What are you smiling at?"

I look up, caught off guard at his close proximity. "You."

"Me?"

I nod. "You make me smile."

ooOoo

After a quick break, the band just starts again, and Edward asks me to dance.

I glance around the crowd. "Nobody else is dancing."

He shrugs and stands, offering me his hand. "So? I'm not asking them, Bella." He pauses, waiting until I look up at him. "I'm asking you."

I look at his hand, and I know he's asking me for more than a dance. It's a chance to start putting the past behind us and to take a step forward together. The familiar quiet hum takes over the audience as the song begins, and I decide I want to take this step with him.

I wouldn't be here otherwise.

I take the hand he's offering, and the audience around us just fades away. I don't care about the people around us, whether they're watching or we look out of place dancing. All I care about is being in his arms.

The familiar sounds of Tom Odell begin to play, making me smile. I fell in love with his album, his soothing voice a perfect background while I worked, but this particular song is one I had to stop listening to; to me, it was about lost love. I began to hate it and had even cried over it a few times. Now, as I listen, I hear hope. Instead of him having another love, we have another love. Another chance.

On another love, another love

All my tears have been used up

On another love, another love

All my tears have been used up

On another love, another love

All my tears have been used up

I wrap my arms around his neck, my fingers toying with the short curls they find. His hands are on my hips as he pulls me close, the heat searing through my jeans. His body feels exactly how I remember it: hard and warm. I fit against him perfectly, like I was meant to all along.

Softly, soft enough I almost miss it, Edward kisses my forehead.

"This dance is much better," he murmurs quietly.

ooOoo

Thank you for reading!

Fic Rec: No Strings Attached by JiffyKate - I got the rundown before I ever stepped through the doors: everyone is anonymous, no strings attached, no questions asked, and what happens in the club stays in the club. I got it. I thought it wasn't going to be a problem, but then I saw her. AH, ExB, M for lemons and language.