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not beta'd

storyline - Heart/Crystal Beachin'

prompt - petty

Jess glanced at Edward and then grabbed Bella's arm, dragging her out to the alley in the back.

"Okay. So. I know it looks pretty bad, but I really don't think Edward was doing anything."

Bella folded her arms. "But why were they back there? Why – "

"Tanya used to work here," Jessica interrupted. "Before she left. So she knows everyone and all the little spots and things. Edward…well…the only reason he was even in the supply room was because it got super busy and he and Jasper were helping me bring out a couple of cases of that new beer we just started serving. You know the McApples? From that micro-brewery down the street? Ohmygod did you see the guy who delivered it yesterday? He had a tattoo of a – "

"So they were helping you guys carry beer," Bella said flatly, frowning.

"Yeah. I guess Tanya saw him go in there and she followed him…she's cray-cray, yo. To the max."

"But why the hell did she have her hand down his pants?" Bella shrieked.

Edward must've been eavesdropping, because right then he stepped out in to the alley, his hands still out like he was dealing with a skittish animal.

Bella gave him a dirty look and turned back to Jess.

"Probably because she could," Jess said, shrugging. "I mean, he had a case of beer in his arms, ya know?" She snapped her gum. "It's all good; I got her with the dressing and beer. Now she smells the same way she acts."

Bella wasn't fully sure what that meant, but whatever. "Well… thanks, Jess."

"Oh, it's totes fine. I hate her anyway." Jess started making her way back inside. "And she shouldn't have been back there in the first place."

Now that they were alone, Edward grabbed Bella's hand. "I'm really sorry you had to see that, baby."

"Don't baby me," Bella sniffed. She didn't take her hand back, though.

"I don't even know why she's back in town…she doesn't live here. I mean, I turn around and she's like right there! Jess had only been gone for a second."

Bella sighed heavily, the adrenaline slowly ebbing out of her body. Secretly, she knew that Edward had likely been ambushed – just like he and Jess said –but it had still hurt to see him with another girl. Especially when that girl was the ex he had been so upset about at one point.

"Do you hate me?" Edward asked mournfully, tugging at his hair.

"No," Bella said quietly, leaning against the wall.

A poignant wave of rotting shellfish swooned past them from the dumpsters.

"Wanna get out of here?" Edward asked. He was done for the day, and he'd actually stopped by the Sea Shack to see if Bella could get off early, too. There was a quiet little beach he'd wanted to take her to, but now he felt like his super romantic plans had been squashed by that petty bitch Tanya.

"I don't know if I can," Bella said. "It's pretty busy right now. Maybe in a little while?"

"I can wait," he said.

"Damn right you'll wait," she snapped. "You might get attacked by another ex girlfriend if you leave." She pushed off the wall and marched back inside, leaving Edward to flounder after her.

Once the lunch time rush had passed, Rose, Alice and Jess gave Bella the go-ahead to leave early. She would have only had a couple of hours left anyway; a fresh set of servers came in to handle the dinner crowd around three.

Bella was still feeling a little wounded, but she figured she might as well get over it. It wasn't Edward's fault he was so cute, or that he had a tawdry past littered with trashy exes. Well, maybe the second one was his fault, but that was neither here nor there.

Also, Bella hated that expression; if something was neither here nor there then where the hell was it?

Edward was beginning to get annoyed. He knew his woman had every right to be pissed but today's mess up hadn't even been his fault. If there was gonna be drama, he'd just avoid the stupid Sea Shack altogether.

No, he wouldn't. They had the best shrimp in Destin.

"Where're we going?" Bella asked softly, finally breaking the silence.

"This little beach I think you'll like. It's pretty deserted, so we'll be alone."

A smidge of horniness shot through Bella, threatening to annihilate all traces of residual pissyness.

"Oh, really?"

Edward recognized the husky timbre of Bella's voice. "Really," he said, resting his hand on her naked knee. He loved when she wore little jean skirts to work.

After driving for a while, they finally made it to the special beach. Just as Edward had said, it was completely quiet, with not a soul in sight save a couple of pelicans down the shore.

"This is nice," Bella said, carrying her shoes in her hand. "But you know I have nothing to swim in."

"Neither do I," Edward said, halting so he could drop trou right where he stood. "Coming?"

Hopefully, thought Bella. She smirked and started to get naked, enjoying Edward's striptease as much as he was enjoying hers.

They joined hands and frolicked down to the water's edge. The water was calm and tepid, having been warmed by the blazing sun all day long.

Once in, Edward wrapped Bella around him, loving the feel of her toasty goodness all up on his junk.

"Damn, girl. You feel good," he groaned, holding her close.

"Promise me you'll never cheat," Bella whispered, trying not to rock against Edward's suddenly hard boy parts.

"Promise," he said. "And promise you'll never dump me for no reason."

"Promise."

They sealed their commitment with a passionate kiss as the pelicans, fish, and even a wild boar off in the cut, watched on.

this has been written and ready since about 2pm. gotta love ffnet's shenanigans.