Disclaimer: you know I don't own anything – blah blah blah

"So apparently what I had been planning to wear to the dance is too fancy!" Alice dropped her tray down on our lunch table.

Edward and I were sitting alone today because Angela and Ben were working on homework in the library. But I was happy to have Alice as a distraction and put off having to ask Edward to officially meet my dad.

"I asked some other girls what they were wearing and I got a bunch of jean skirt and cute top answers," she huffed, sitting down next to Edward.

"Um no," Edward shook his head, scooting her tray two seats down.

"At least Jessica is wearing a dress. Though she called it a club outfit so it'll probably be skanky. What is wrong with this town?"

"Well it's a small town, Alice, and they have a billion dances a year, and not everyone can afford to buy a billion dresses," Edward rolled his eyes at her.

"Don't pull that recession crap on me. We're coming out of it now – I watch the news," she pouted.

"No… no no, no, nonononono no….." Edward stared as the rest of his family joined us, sitting down at our table.

I was definitely with Edward on this one. Alice I liked. Rosalie I could take. But his brothers Japer and Emmett? And all together at once? Please no…

"Oh Bella, this is Jasper," Alice flipped a switch, instantly cheerful.

"Hi," I blushed as he gave me a small nod.

"So why are you sitting here?" Edward looked from Jasper to Emmett, who sat beside me.

"What?" Emmett laughed, throwing an arm on the back of my chair. "I can't have lunch with my little brother and his girlfriend?"

I definitely blushed when he called me Edward's girlfriend.

"No," he deadpanned.

"So Bella tell me," Emmett started, completely ignoring him. "Is Ed a good kisser? I mean girls are always falling all over him. I just want to know if he's got the moves to back it up."

"No," my face burned. "I mean! I mean no, I wouldn't know," I quickly corrected myself.

"Edward…" Jasper tssked with a surprising Southern accent.

Any answer would have been a bad answer. Edward crossed his arms and bowed his head down as Emmett gaped at us.

"Kiss her. Edward, kiss her right now," Emmett waved his hand at me before Edward thumped his head on the table.

"I'm never ever going to kiss her because you tell me to," he groaned into the table top.

"Bella, you're gonna have to take charge here," Emmett turned to me.

"No, I'm good. Thanks," I bit my lip. My face had to be a severe tomato red by now with all of this talk about Edward kissing me.

"They've had enough Emmett," Rosalie spoke looking at me before rolling her eyes.

"Alright, but seriously Bella, we're having dinner in your honor tonight. So be there at 6:30," he grinned.

"No, we're not," Edward quickly sat up in his chair. No they were not….

"We are. Mom asked us to invite her for dinner," Alice nodded.

"Then we should get to have lunch all by ourselves," he jumped up, grabbing his tray and waving me over.

I followed him, happy to leave the rest of the Cullens to themselves – not that I didn't like them or find them entertaining. But being a tool for embarrassing Edward was getting old and a little uncomfortable…

"I'm so sorry. You don't have to come tonight," he quickly apologized as we found an empty table. "I'm so so sorry."

"Well actually, I better go because I'm supposed to ask you to come over to my house. My dad wants to meet you."

"Really"? he grinned.

"You wantto meet him?" I gaped.

"Well..." he winced. "He does have a gun, but yeah I do because he wants to meet me which means he'll let me take you out."

"I don't know if he'll like you," I frowned. He definitely won't receive the same kind of attention that I do from the Cullen's.

"What?" he laughed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Sorry... I didn't mean to be so blunt."

"It's okay because I know he won't like me. He's not supposed to. I remember this guy came over to hang out with Rosalie - this was before Emmett joined us - and I'd never seen Carlisle like that. The guy's name was Robbie and he kept calling him Royce and every time he asked if he wanted something to drink he'd give him a diet coke when he asked for water."

"Oh..."

"But don't worry. He'll like you," he reassured when he saw how nervous I gotten.

I just hope he was right.

...

"Dad, Edwards about to pick me up," I reminded him as his head snapped up in my direction.

"You're not driving there?"

"No, Edward wanted to meet you."

"I don't know if I like you riding in cars with boys," he frowned, twitching his mustache.

"It's just one car Dad and it's Edward. You wanted to meet him so be nice."

"Right," he nodded turning back to the television.

I sat on the couch, watching out for Edward's car through the front window. My knee bounced in anticipation. I wasn't so sure at the moment if I was more nervous about me meeting Edward's parents or him meeting my Dad.

I jumped up when I saw the silver car turn onto our street and was surprised that Dad stood up as well. I watched as he slipped on his gun belt and checked his appearance in the mirror with a finger swipe to his mustache.

"Dad..." I whined as he opened the door. He leaned against the door way with a hand on his gun.

"What?" he smirked.

Edward smiled as he walked up the driveway and he stuck out his hand to greet my dad.

"Good evening chief swan, I'm Edward Cullen. My dad wanted me to say hello for him and that you're more than welcome to join us for dinner. My mother made lasagna," Edward smiled - differently. It was very different. He was... confident?

"No, thank you, but I have to go in to work for a little while."

"Well next time then. Dinner should be over by eight. It is a school night."

"Right," my dad nodded with a puzzled expression - one that probably matched the one on my face. "Well, be back before nine Bella. I should be home before then."

"Okay..." I was completely aware of my dad as he watched Edward open my car door for me. As soon as Edward turned off of my street, I spoke, "What was that?"

"What?"

"What? You were totally schmoozing my dad."

"I was not schmoozing."

"Yes you were with your confidence and dazzling smile."

"Dazzling?"

"Yep, it was all very impressive."

"Well that's what I was going for, actually."

"You never schmooze me," I teased.

"I don't like putting on a fake smile, and I especially wouldn't for you. You don't deserve the lie."

"And what's that?"

"That I'm good enough..."

"What makes you think you aren't? Maybe I'm not good enough for you..." I frowned. This was getting way too deep and intense too fast. I mean we weren't even technically dating yet, right?

"No dad will ever think a guy is good enough for their daughter, and my parents already love you."

"Because I like you. They haven't even met me."

"They like you because Ilike you and it's a bonus that you like me back. Oh remind me to tell you something next week."

"Why not just tell me now?"

"I'd rather tell you later, and it's not exactly the greatest time to do it."

"Okay..." I glanced around as we turned onto a long driveway hidden in the trees. Knowing how big Edward's family was, I should have expected that his house was going to be big. But it wasn't very extravagant. It was a lot of glass and wood and looked as if it was a part of nature.

"Ready?" he parked his car, starring at the front door and struggling with the keys in the ignition.

"Are asking yourself or me?"

"That's a good question," he grinned, opening his door.

I took a step back when Alice opened the front door. His whole family was lined up waiting for us to come in.

"Bella hi!" Alice wrapped an arm around mine and led me inside. "Come meet everyone! Well you know almost everyone, but this is my mom and dad." She stopped in front of the most perfect looking couple ever.

"Alllice," Edward hissed, separating us with clapped hands.

"Welcome Bella," Dr. Cullen smiled.

"It's nice to finally meet you Bella," Mrs. Cullen nodded.

"Nice to meet you too," I breathed as Edward tried to shuffle Alice away.

"Come on, I'll show you to Edward's room!" Alice tugged on my hand, jerking me down a hallway.

"She's a person Alice! You're going to yank her arm off," Edward whine following right behind us.

"You're welcome," she stuck her tongue out at him before closing the door behind her.

Everything had happened so fast that I didn't have the chance to panic. But my heart was starting to make up for it now. I was in Edward's room. Edward's bedroom. Edward's bedroom with giant shelves filled with books and music. Edward's bedroom with a fancy piano? and no… bed. No bed?

"God, I'm sorry about that," he winced. "I'm sorry is going to become my mantra. You're probably going to hear it every second when you're around my family."

"Where's your bed?"

"What?" he stammered, taking a step back. "Upstairs. In my room. Upstairs."

"Sorry." I knew I was blushing. I didn't mean to insinuate… I mean, again, we haven't even kissed. "Alice said this was your room…"

"Um, this is actually the music room," he grinned. "Um, but I do spend a lot of time in here though."

"Oh, so you play the piano?"

"Yes."

"And guitar?" I noticed a large stack of guitar cases in the corner.

"Yes."

"Anything else? French horn? Flute? The harp?"

"Actually I'm teaching Jasper how to play the ukulele, and Rosalie tried to teach me how to play the violin, but she's a terrible teacher. And Alice thinks she knows how to play the flute," he winced.

"Wow… I played the recorder in fourth grade."

"Me too! I still have mine," he picked up a thin plastic container. "Except the only thing I can play is Mary had a Little Lamb."

"More than I could ever do. I was that kid who was asked to be sick on concert days."

"You couldn't have been that bad."

"Um, you've heard me sing. I was bad," I laughed.

"I find your singing endearing," he slipped onto the piano bench.

"Endearing, right."

"I do," he smiled, striking a few keys. "Sit, please?" he patted the spot next to him.

"I'm sure if I ever find out something embarrassing about you, I'll find it endearing," I blushed.

"I really hope you do," the smile fell off his face. "Here, play these notes like this," he demonstrated.

I'd obviously said something wrong. I decided to stay quiet and slowly fumbled the pattern he showed me as he started to play. I glanced at his fingers as they swiftly tapped away noticing his clean cut nails, and he turned to look at me as I missed a key. I blushed starring down at what I was supposed to be doing, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny over there?"

"I just remembered there is something totally endearingabout you."

"Oh?"

"Oh yes, you're lovely manicure," I grinned as he stopped playing an balled his fists up.

"Bella!" he gave me a fake gasp.

"Come on, let's see them."

"No, I'd hoped you forgotten about that," he twisted his arms behind his back.

"I did," I leaned over reaching an arm around him. "Can I see one hand, please?"

"Fine," he gave a dramatic sigh, releasing his right hand to me.

"Thank you," I held his hand inspecting his nails. They were still clean and trimmed evenly. His skin was soft and even his nails were smooth.

"Hmm that feels good," he hummed and I looked up to see his eyes closed. I hadn't realized how... sensual this was, and now I was silently begging him to open his eyes and kiss me.

Or I could just kiss him…

"Bella?" he whispered.

"Yes?" I held my breath.

"Horse bite!" he pinched my leg with his other hand, sending me backward and off the piano bench.

I flailed on the floor thinking what the hell just happened.

"Oh god, Bella are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good," I tried covering my face.

"I'm sorry," I felt a thud next to me on the carpet. "I didn't mean for you to fall."

"Don't worry I'll get you back somehow."

"Okay, but just not in front of my brothers and sisters please," he pleaded as he turned on his side with his elbow propping him up.

"Deal," I nodded.

We both looked up when the door squeaked open, and Emmett stuck his head in with a frown.

"Gah lee, Ed, you still haven't kissed here?"

AN: Miss me? No? okay sooo quick explanation for my absence… I'm in nursing school. Basically that's it. School has to come first, plus I don't even have time to think about fanfic. School, clinicals, studying and all the stress takes up all of my time. I'm on spring break so I'm going to try and finish this story. I'm hoping one or two chapters left. : )

I really am sorry though. I hate when people don't update for TWO whole months. It really kills me.

Thanks for reading!