AN: Bella gets down to business. Jasper and Bella argue. Alice shares news with friend, and James plots a new lesson.

Chapter forty: I Can Do This

Bella, March, 2011…

I left Jasper over at the main house and headed home. I felt a little tired, but mostly, I wanted to be alone. I needed a moment to think.

Did I make the right decision? Should I take on this task? Will it be too stressful?

"Hey, where are you?" Jasper asked, waving his hand in front of my face, and honestly, if he hadn't done it, I wouldn't have known he was in house, much less in the same room as me.

I was seating on the bottom steps that led to upstairs, deep in thought.

"You still aren't saying anything, darlin'," Jasper smiled. He came and sat down beside me.

"I was out there for a minute," I chuckled while waving my hand around in the air to explain me being lost in thought. "I was thinking about a couple of things."

He chuckled and started listing what was on my mind like it was his own thoughts. "Is this the right thing to do? Are you nuts for taking this on? Are you going to be stressed by it?"

I laughed and shook my head at him. "Yeah, exactly! How did you know?"

Jasper took my hand in his, kissing the back of it. "I know you. So can I calm some of those thoughts for you?"

I nodded. "Please."

"I think it's crazy that you want to be sous chef right now, but I can't wait to see you succeed in it because I believe in you. As a precaution, I just spent the last couple of minutes warning Emily not to stress you out, so she'll be appointing two of her chefs to work with you, Liam and Siobhan. Even though things might get crazy, please remember that I'm here for you."

I looked at him long and hard, weighing the meaning his last words. "You're here for me." I sighed and smiled, because I knew I could trust Jasper's word. He would be here for me no matter what. I would be fine. I had a loving and caring partner who wouldn't let me spiral out of control.

"Bella, I'm here for whatever," Jasper vowed. "You can come to me for anything. I'll be your rational thought. I'll be your masseuse when your back or your feet hurt. I'll be here to listen to you rant if something pisses you off. And I'll keep Alice away from you."

The mention of her made me sick. She was going to be all over this. It was her way back into Jasper's life. Or so she thought. "You're going to protect me from your ex?" I teased with a grin. While Jasper didn't want me stressing about Alice, I didn't want him blowing his lid over her. He should be nothing but happy. Weddings should be happy occasions, and I know Jasper is happy for Rose and Emmett.

"You bet I am," he said proudly, puffing out his chest like a superhero and making me break out in guffaws.

Jasper continued to feed me words of encouragement until I started to share a few ideas with him. He liked them and thought we should call Emily and Rose over to the house.

When we did, Emily was impressed with what I was thinking, Rose was thrilled and my boyfriend couldn't be prouder of me.

The next morning started out great. I met Liam and Siobhan and had my first meeting with Emily's team. They were warm, welcoming, and very encouraging. They wanted me to pursue a career in catering.

From Emily's estimates, I realized the wedding was going to be huge. Although between Liam and Siobhan along with Emily, it sounded like a breeze. Liam said it would be a piece of cake for the team. He held up his fist for me to bump it and I did, making him laugh. Liam looked more like a male model than a chef. He was tall and slender with the prettiest green eyes I had ever seen. Siobhan was no different. She was equivalent to Liam in beauty. The only difference between them was that she had gray eyes. They seemed to be a little more than friends, but I didn't ask.

In the past, I would have been intimidated by their beauty. I would have felt like a troll in their presence, but not now. Not with Jasper in my life. Because of him, I loved me and I proudly think that I have a beauty of my own. Jasper has forced me to see and accept it.

I placed a protective hand over my flat tummy and smiled when I thought about him while Liam talked to me during Emily's rundown of Emmett's and Rose's tastes. I didn't really need to listen anyways. I knew their palates like the back of my hand. Emmett's taste stuck to comfort food, while Rose will experiment with cuisine.

"It'll be good, Bella," Liam whispered while Emily spoke.

"I know."

"Bella knows Rose and Emmett's taste," Siobhan said to Liam with a smile in my direction.

Liam's specialty was salads and sauces while Siobhan was exceptionally with desserts. Emily had given me a rundown on them before we met with the team.

We broke for lunch and Siobhan, Liam and I made lunch for one another. They raved over their lunch. And I complimented them on the salad and delectable dessert they made me. I left like I could eat that chocolate cake all day.

Tanya joined us, greeting Liam and Siobhan like old friends. Alice came around to snoop but Emily wasn't giving up anything and she got pissed and left with a scowl in my direction. I returned it because that bitch wasn't about to scare me. That would not happen again.

"Don't worry about her," Tanya said, bringing my attention to her. "I can't wait for the wedding."

"Why?"

"I'm gonna pour fondue down her dress."

Liam, Siobhan and I laughed. But something told me Tanya wasn't kidding. Even though the image of Alice in my head with fondue all over her dress was funny as shit.

"Jasper would want you to behave," I reminded her. "I don't think your aunt would appreciate you embarrassing them."

Tanya looked at me like I was crazy. "Bella, Maria would laugh her ass off at that!"

I kind of saw that happening too.

"Bella, the Whitlocks, especially Jasper and the ladies of this house are the coolest people you'll ever meet," Liam said. "They're the strangest rich people I know."

"What do you mean strange?"

Tanya chuckled at my question. She didn't seem bothered by Liam's description.

And he went on like it was nothing. "They're kind, nice and try the help with respect. You hardly get that anywhere. Maria sees everyone as people and she teaches her kids to do the same. Jasper treats us with dignity. He's always polite and jovial with us no matter what crowd or setting we're in. And you'll never find Rose or Tanya here trying us like shit, not even on a bad day."

"You're very lucky," Siobhan said sincerely. "Jasper really loves you. We've been working with the family for a while, and I gotta say, he looks at you like the sun rises and sets on your ass."

Lunch was pretty much the same with a ton of laughter. Tanya and Siobhan gossiped about Alice and former parties where she treated everyone like shit, and Siobhan shared the way they exacted revenge on Alice when Tanya got up and left.

Siobhan said we, the cooks, couldn't share all secrets with the employers. Then she went to tell me about what she did with Alice's lemon tart after a particular event when Alice treated her like shit. It made me cringe, but Liam reminded me of the golden rule.

"Don't fuck with the people that make your food."

While we spoke of the devil, she showed up in the kitchen. Liam and Siobhan quieted and I switched the conversation to Emily and one of her recipes. Siobhan caught on and smiled, "Emily's a great boss, Bella. You're gonna like working with her."

When Alice left the kitchen again, Liam gave her a middle finger behind her back. "Snooping spoiled brat," he chuckled darkly. "Don't let her intimidate you, Bella."

"I won't."

"Hey, if this works out for you, maybe Emily will take you on staff and you can travel with us, cooking and catering after you've had your baby."

My eyes widened in shock and Siobhan smacked his arm hard. "Liam, you shit! You can't say that crap around the little witch. Jasper and Bella aren't ready to tell everyone yet. Plus, Alice is after Jasper."

I was shocked but I wanted to know what they knew. "How much do you two know?"

They exchanged a cunning smile. "Enough to know that the Brandon chick is wasting her time," Liam told me.

"Jasper's over her. It's done. That guy's yours for as long as you'll have him, Bella," Siobhan added. "Now come on, let's get you familiar with the stuff we work with."

Siobhan and Liam and I chatted while going over equipment, technique and trading a few secrets. They told me about the juicy stuff they have learned while working for the rich folks as Liam liked to call them. I learned a lot about who to talk to, who was approachable and who to avoid.

I was surprised that it wasn't until early evening that I was going back home and I didn't feel tired. Today was a good day.

Jasper met me at the side door that led to the kitchen. "How was your day?"

"Sent Tanya to check up on me?"

"Yes," he said without one ounce of shame. "I was worried but I didn't want the Bella demon snapping at me for caring. I figured Tanya would have it easy."

"She did," I smiled smugly and chose to let the Bella demon comment slide.

Jasper laughed. "Come on, let's go eat."

He was heaven sent, and had made a mean casserole for an early dinner. I was starving and Jasper was more than willing to pack my plate with his delicious casserole. I couldn't stop eating. He was a proud of himself. "My babies love my cooking," he said, referring to me and the baby.

"We do," I smiled ruefully, taking his hand in mine and placing it on my stomach.

But things took a turn when Tanya and Edward came over. We were barely watching the movie on the screen. Tanya and I were talking instead of watching and Jasper and Edward were doing the same. Talks of James crept in, and Jasper dismissed it immediately and harshly. I felt unsettled about it, especially since I was answering Edward when he snapped. It was felt like I shouldn't talk and I didn't like how that felt. I don't know why I said it, but I brought up divorcing James from early again, and Jasper wasn't having it. It pushed him over the edge.

"Bella, we're not talking about this!" he snapped at me and it pissed me off.

"He's my burden! Mine! And I want to get rid of him. You're being unreasonable for fuck's sake!"

I didn't know why I was saying this to him. He really wasn't. He was being concerned about me and the baby and the stress the divorce proceedings would bring. But I couldn't stop.

"Aren't you worried about what others will think about your child's mother being another man's wife when they find out I'm pregnant?!"

Jasper's eyes were on fire then. Tanya tried to calm us down and Edward was trying to squash things but we weren't listening.

"I don't give a shit what anybody thinks, Bella!" Jasper screamed at me and I momentarily trembled. He was so powerful when he was angry. "I care about you and the baby!"

I hit him with that. "What am I baby factory? What? You care because I'm having your first born. How are you so sure I'm having your first kid with all the fun you had in college?"

When I heard Edward and Tanya's collective gasp and saw the hurt on Jasper's face, I knew I had gone too far. What the fuck was wrong with me? I hurt him.

He got up without an answer and before I could apologize, he walked out.

"I didn't mean that," I plopped down on the couch and said, tears springing from my eyes. "I went too far." I cried and Tanya and Edward consoled me.

I didn't see Jasper until the next morning. He didn't come to the bedroom. He left me alone. The next morning, Tanya told me that he slept on the couch downstairs and showered and snuck into the room for clothes while I slept. Then he left for work on the ranch. I didn't see him until late morning when I built up enough courage to seek him out and found him out in the stables, feeding Thunder and Mystery. Sam was by the doors and nodded at me with a smile and left us to talk when Jasper acknowledged me.

"Bella, I don't want to argue," Jasper said quietly, turning back to Mystery.

"I didn't come here for that."

"Then why are you here?"

"To say that I'm sorry."

He stopped and turned to me so I took it as an opportunity to tell him that all I said was bullshit. "I fucked up. I shouldn't have said those things to you. It was unfair of me to use your past against you and you're welcome to mine in retaliation. I said some dumb things. I'm fucked in the head," I chuckled nervously while the tears threatened to fall. "I'm sure you know that. So you can use it. You say things about James and me. I can take it."

Jasper sighed and came over to me. The tears had fallen and I was full blown crying by the time his arms were wrapped around me. I breathed him in, enjoying the way his mere scent calmed me. "I know you're mad at me, Jasper, and I'm so sorry!"

He held me while I cried. "Bella, I'm sorry too for pressuring you. I shouldn't have. I'll admit, it did hurt a little, when you asked if I was sure about you being the first to have a kid for me, but you had a point. I left because I needed to think."

"About possibly some other woman having a child by you?"

"Hell no!" Jasper chuckled and pulled away, looking deep into my eyes, willing me to see the truth of his words. "You are having my firstborn, Bella. But don't let me hear you insult yourself ever again. I won't stand for it. You're an amazingly strong person who's beautiful, both inside and out. I don't want to hear such shit fly out of your mouth again."

I looked up into his eyes and smiled at the stern expression on his face. He smiled back.

"I won't say it again, Jasper. I'm sorry."

He hugged me again, laughing. "We had our first real fight."

"Was it all you thought it would be?" I joked.

"You were scary," he laughed. "I'll try not to piss you off too much, ma'am."

I smacked his arm and giggled against his chest.

Alice, March, 2011..

"That bitch walks in, Vicky, and suddenly my chef is fired and Emily is making her work with her as a fucking sous chef!"

Vicky laughed. "Oh, things in Henderson are heating up. What are you going to do about this Bella?"

"I'm going to run her over with my car."

"No, you're not," Vicky scoffed. "How are you going to get Jasper from behind bars?"

"You're right," I said with a pout. "But this tramp just won't go away."

"All things in due time, Alice."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I'm going to help you get rid of this Bella," Vicky said.

"You are?" I was so excited. "How?"

"Well, you'll have to follow my rules no questions asked."

"Done."

"Good. When we're through with Jasper, he'll see her for what she is and come running back to you."

"I can't wait!"

Victoria, March, 2011..

"How are you going to achieve that?" James asked, sitting across from me over lunch. We were at a little café when Alice called with her annoying yet juicy gossip about the country hick who won't return her affections because he's sleeping with James' slutty little slave, Bella.

"I have my ways," I smiled.

"And what will that entail?"

"Some planning."

"What do you know?" James asked.

"Jasper's sister is getting married and Be…Marie will be working on the head chef's team. Alice is pissed off about it."

James' face lit up. "That's good news."

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "How so?"

"I think my plan is better than yours. All you have to do is make your little annoying friend do as I say."

"Why?"

"Because I want to send my Marie a message."

"What message is that?" What was James planning? I tingled all over from how devious he sounded.

"It's simple really. The message will be, there's nowhere to hide."

"You're going to hurt Whitlock?"

"I'm going to teach Marie a little lesson from afar."

Next: Getting in the groove of things.