Title: The Cullen Enterprise

Author: Amethyst Jackson

Rating: M

Summary: Bella has no idea how she's going to continue supporting herself and her recovering father on her meager income…until a certain CEO waltzes in with an offer she can't refuse.

Disclaimer: The characters in this story are in no way mine, and that is why I am making absolutely ZERO dollars off this story. And the idea isn't all that original, either, so I'm really not making any claims here.

Chapter Eighteen: Cookies

Tuesday I woke again to find Edward already gone. I wasn't surprised, exactly, but it made me miss Lazy Sunday and how it felt to nap and wake up in his arms.

He gave really good cuddle. It was sort of baffling that he couldn't sustain a relationship.

Carmen came on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so the house was empty and quiet when I went down for breakfast. I didn't mind. I had plans for the day.

After I ate, I showered and dressed, then sat down at my new laptop.

I loved that - my new laptop.

After taking a moment to update my blog and let everyone know that all was well, I returned to my mission for the day.

College.

I was applying to a community college. Why I needed to apply was beyond me - shouldn't anyone be able to take a class at a community college? - but I would jump through their hoops. Today I was going to finish and submit all the admissions paperwork and call old Forks High to get them to mail in a copy of my transcripts.

I was done with the paperwork by lunchtime, and I took a break to make a sandwich and watch a little TV.

Edward was right about me needing something to fill my days. Daytime TV was awful.

Wandering back into the kitchen through the empty downstairs, I felt a pang of loneliness. I missed my dad. We didn't necessarily spend much time talking, but I was used to his presence.

Edward's house was too quiet sometimes.

I shook it off and went back to my room. This was a time of transition. I wouldn't be lonely once I was taking classes during the day, and if I was lucky, I could start those next month in the second summer session. I'd probably be glad for the quiet once I had homework to do.

Still, I couldn't help wondering if Edward would mind me getting a dog or something.

I forced myself to concentrate on my next task and picked up my cell phone. I looked at it contemplatively. It was probably time for a real one, with a real plan.

Dialing the number to Forks High had me a little nervous. I knew who would answer, and she was a polite but nosy woman.

"Forks High School, this is Shelly. How may I help you?"

"Um, hi, Mrs. Cope, it's Bella Swan."

"Oh, Bella, dear! How is your father? We've hardly seen the Chief since he retired."

She meant "since he got cancer," but I appreciated her effort. "He's doing really well, thanks."

"And how are you? I heard you left Newton's for some big job in Seattle."

"Yeah, I did." I paced before my window. "It's going really well. I'm actually calling because I'm trying to start some college classes and they want my transcripts."

Mrs. Cope got down to business then, effusively happy for me, and I gave her the address where she needed to mail the transcripts. I had to answer a barrage of questions about my job and what I planned to study before she let me go, and I let out a sigh of relief when I finally ended the call.

There was one thing done.

Once again, I had time on my hands before Edward got home. I decided to busy myself in the kitchen. My intent was to make some things to take to Charlie on Sunday, but I ended up baking cookies instead.

I hadn't had a homemade chocolate chip cookie in ages. When I saw the chips in the pantry, I couldn't resist.

This was where Edward found me when he got home around seven-thirty. I was taking my last tray out of the oven when Edward walked in with a bag of what looked like Chinese takeout. His eyes lit up like a kid's on Christmas morning when he saw the mountain of treats I was amassing.

I may have made a triple batch.

"Cookies?" he said with glee. He set his takeout on the island counter and snatched up a cookie. I watched him take a big bite out of it and close his eyes. His hum of pleasure hit me right in the knees, and I couldn't tear my eyes away from his jaw flexing as he chewed. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, and he opened his eyes in my direction.

"Delicious," he grinned. He had a dab of chocolate on the corner of his mouth, and his tongue darted out to catch it. "I love warm cookies."

I laughed, turning to hide the flush creeping up my neck and face. "Me too."

"Have you eaten?" Edward asked from behind me. I heard a bag rustling. "I brought plenty."

"So I see," I replied, turning around to take in the array of styrofoam containers he set out on the counter.

I turned off the oven and sat with Edward on the stools at the island. He'd opened all the containers and we spooned up whatever we wanted.

"So how was your day?" I asked Edward before chomping into an egg roll.

"Long, but a significant improvement on yesterday. And now there are cookies, so it's looking like a banner day now." He grinned at me. "What did you do today?"

"Aside from the cookies? I finished the admissions paperwork for Seattle Community College."

"That's fantastic," Edward said, and he sounded like he meant it. "Have you given any thought to what you want to study?"

"Not really. I was just going to take the prerequisite stuff and go from there. I haven't given a whole lot of thought to what I want to do."

"Well, now you have plenty of time to figure it out," Edward said with an easy smile.

"Yeah, I guess so," I agreed. When he smiled at me like that, it was hard to think.

We finished our dinner, stowing away the leftovers, and Edward helped me clean up the kitchen. I put the cookies away in a container Edward retrieved for me, and then we stood in awkward silence.

"Do you want to go upstairs?" Edward finally asked.

I guessed he probably wasn't looking to play a game of Scrabble up there.

I nodded, and he gestured for me to lead the way.

A/N: Will resume Q&A tomorrow with probably a much longer update.