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 Twenty: Alice?

Wednesday morning I went down to breakfast only to find Carmen taking clean dishes out of the cabinets and piling them next to the sink.

"You know I washed those yesterday, right?" I said as I prepared my cereal.

"In the dishwasher," Carmen said with the same tone one would use talking about cockroaches. "They're all spotty."

I frowned. "Does Edward make you rewash them?"

"No, no." Carmen waved her sponge at me in dismissal. "Mr. Cullen says the dishwasher is perfectly adequate, but I take pride in my work, and there will not be spotty dishes in this house!"

I smiled down into my Cheerios and left her to it. It was nice to know the problem was Carmen being a perfectionist rather than Edward being an obsessive compulsive tyrant.

After I ate, showered and dressed, I prepared to go out. I had plans, plans that required supplies.

I didn't want to take my truck and get a lecture again, even though my purchases would probably be better off in the bed of my truck, so I reluctantly took the keys to the Volvo from the foyer and stepped into the garage.

It was just so...shiny. What if I got it dirty, or someone dinged it in the parking lot? And then there were the cushy leather seats and the spotless interior with more buttons than I'd ever seen in a vehicle.

Was it normal to be this nervous to drive a car?

I forced myself to get behind the wheel. Getting out of the garage was a little shaky. The car was a lot more sensitive than I was used to. By the time I was out of Edward's neighborhood, though, I had gotten the hang of it.

My first stop was a bookstore. There were a few novels I'd been wanting to read for ages, and I picked up some books on gardening, too.

After that, I made my way to a home improvement store to buy some plants. I was fortunate enough to find an older man named Peter working in the gardening department who helped me pick out some easy herbs, vegetables and flowers to start with. He was even kind enough to find a piece of cardboard I could put down in Edward's trunk to keep it from getting dirty.

I felt a great sense of accomplishment from this alone, but there was still one more thing I wanted to do.

My last stop was a trip to the grocery store for supplies. I wanted to do some cooking for Charlie in the next couple days so that I'd have plenty of meals to take to him on Sunday. I needed to call him tonight, too. I'd talked to him Monday night, but I felt like I should be checking on him daily.

When I got home with all my purchases, I was tired but satisfied. It took some time, but I got all the groceries into the kitchen and hauled the plants into the greenhouse where they'd stay until I had more time to devote to them.

Still, I watered them for good measure.

When I went back inside, I ate lunch and rested a while before starting on dinner.

Carmen left around 4:00 and shortly after that, I was able to pack up the meal I'd made, along with some of last night's cookies, and hit the road.

The Cullen Enterprises office building was near the heart of Seattle, and while I'd expected the drive to be crazy, I hadn't realized just what I was getting into.

There were hills, lots of them, and I was driving a stick.

I resolved after stalling the second time to get an automatic as soon as possible.

Beyond repeatedly coming to involuntary stops and getting angry honks and birds flipped at me, I also had to deal with rain and the traffic.

It was like these people had never driven in rain before. Were they all from out of town?

The one blessing was that the building had a garage. Still, by the time I made it to the Cullen Enterprises lobby, I was cranky and regretting my brilliant idea.

The man behind the desk stopped me before I could get to the elevator bank.

"Excuse me, miss, where do you think you're going?"

I turned around. The man wore a suit and tie and a name tag that read 'James.' He also wore a very unattractive sneer.

"I'm visiting...my boyfriend," I told him.

His eyes narrowed. "All visitors must be registered through the front desk. What's your name and who are you visiting?"

I narrowed my eyes right back. "I'm Isabella Swan and I'm here to see Edward Cullen," I told him, bristling.

James looked me up and down and snorted. "Don't waste your time. You're not the first girl to try that. He's not interested in being pestered by some coed."

I gaped at him. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Move it along before I call security."

I stood taller and leveled him with the fiercest glare I could muster. "I will not move it along. I'm Edward's girlfriend. You can confirm it with his assistant."

He rolled his eyes, and I knew I'd have to call in the big guns. I pulled out my phone and found the number Alice had called me from weeks ago. This uppity little shit was not going to ruin my surprise.

Fortunately, the number went directly to Alice and not a switchboard.

"Cullen Enterprises, Alice speaking. How may I help you?"

"Hi, Alice, this is Bella Swan. I don't know if you remember me, but -"

"Of course I remember! What can I do for you, Bella?"

"Well, I'm kind of stuck in the lobby. Edward said he'd be working late tonight, so I wanted to bring him some dinner, but this guy at the main desk won't let me up."

Alice was quiet for a moment. "I'll come right down to bring you up myself. Pass the phone to the man at the desk, will you?"

"Okay." I held out the phone to James. "She wants to talk to you."

He took the phone skeptically. "This is James."

I couldn't hear what Alice said to him, but whatever it was made him go pale.

By the time he handed me the phone back, his entire demeanor had changed.

"Forgive me, Miss Swan. I - I didn't realize. Please, make yourself comfortable. Ms. Brandon is on her way down."

Maybe it was petty, but I didn't thank him when I sat on the couch against the wall. I hugged my Tupperware container against my chest and watched the elevators for my rescuer.

When the doors opened and an extremely petite woman with short black hair stepped out, I hesitated. Was this really Alice? I'd pictured her being...well, taller, for one thing. But she walked right up to me.

"Bella?"

I stood. "Yeah...hi."

She grinned at me and stuck out her hand. "I'm Alice. It's so good to meet you!"

I shifted my container under my arm and took her tiny hand. "Likewise."

"Come on up," she said, steering me to the elevator. "Edward's in a meeting, but you can wait in his office."

"Oh, maybe I should have called ahead," I said sheepishly as the doors shut us in. "I just...wanted to surprise him."

Alice shushed me. "Don't be silly. He'll be thrilled. And for what it's worth, I think it's super sweet of you. No one's ever done anything like this for him before."

I turned my head toward her. "No one? Not his family, or his past girlfriends?"

Alice shook her head sadly. "This is a first. It's nice to see someone looking out for him. And hey, I don't have to find him dinner before I leave for the night!" she finished cheerily.

"That happens a lot, huh? How long have you worked for Edward?"

"About...three years now, I think."

We were about halfway to the top floor. "Is he a good boss?"

"The best," Alice said with a grin. I felt a flicker of uneasiness. This woman seemed as charmed by Edward as I was...and she was pretty, and she spent more time with Edward than I did.

And Edward and I had never talked about exclusivity. I'd just assumed that since he was looking for the convenience of a girl at home, he wouldn't be looking for anything more on the side...but he'd never promised that.

The elevator chimed and the doors open, and I followed Alice quietly through an immaculate waiting area, past a tidy desk that I assumed belonged to Alice, to a set of double doors. Alice opened one and peeked in before gesturing me to go through.

"He's still in his meeting, but I'm guessing it won't last much longer. He gets cranky when he has to spend too much time with accountants. Make yourself comfortable, and let me know if you need anything, okay?"

"Okay." I forced myself to smile in spite of my dark thoughts. It wasn't Alice's fault I was suddenly and irrationally jealous, and she'd been nothing but nice to me. "Thank you."

Alice winked. "Any time."

She left me alone in Edward's office, and I stood there looking at the large space. There was a desk, of course, a sleek, modern thing that I could easily see Edward sitting behind in his suit and tie. There were a few other doors off the office, but I didn't look to see where they went. He had bookshelves, some filing cabinets, a table in the center of the room surrounded by chairs, and a black leather couch by the windows overlooking the Sound.

Seeing Edward's office made me realize for the first time just how larger than life he really was. When he'd offered to solve all my financial woes, I'd been awed and baffled, but he was so down-to-earth and normal all the time. Here, he was very much a CEO.

I set my container with dinner on the table and wandered over to the couch. The view from his office was just amazing. I wondered how often he took the time to really appreciate it.

I'd only been waiting a minute or two when I heard Edward's voice outside, growing louder as he approached.

"Alice, remind me tomorrow to look at those job applications." I heard the door handle turn. "And if you wouldn't mind, before you leave tonight could you find me – "

Edward stopped in his tracks when he opened his office door and saw me there.

"Hi," I said lamely. "I brought you dinner."

A smile slowly brightened his face. "You did?"

I nodded and gestured toward the table. Edward grinned and stuck his head back outside the office.

"Never mind, Alice, you can go. Have a good night."

"You too, Boss," I heard her say. Then Edward returned and shut the door, and it was just the two of us. I felt silly in my jeans and hoodie. Even after a full day of work, Edward looked crisp and perfect in his tailored grey suit.

"This is a pleasant surprise," Edward said, striding over to me. He deposited a stack of files on his desk along the way. "Please tell me you didn't drive your truck here."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "No, I drove the Volvo, which wasn't necessarily helpful considering it's a lot more sensitive than I'm used to. But I do think it's time to get an automatic."

Edward grinned. "Yeah, driving a stick in Seattle is an acquired skill." He was in front of me now, close enough that I could smell his aftershave. I had to look up to maintain eye contact, and he surprised me by leaning down to kiss me.

I didn't realize how tense I'd been until I sagged against him, giving into the comfort of his lips and his arms.

He ended the kiss but kept me close. "You said you brought dinner?"

I nodded. "I made Mexican."

His eyes lit up at that. "Will you stay and eat with me?"

"Sure," I agreed readily. I'd expected him to take the food and run off to his next meeting. Instead, Edward went out to Alice's work space where she had a mini-fridge and microwave tucked into the corner, and he reheated the food. I lingered in the doorway watching him.

When we finally sat down at his table to eat, I asked him about his day.

He groaned. "It's been one fiasco after another. Sometimes I don't know how this company keeps running."

I didn't know what to say to that. "Do you have more meetings tonight?"

He shook his head and chewed up a forkful of beans and rice. "No, I just finished my last one. I do have some work that has to be finished tonight, though, and it's something I can't work on at home."

Edward looked as bummed about that as I felt.

"So, Alice seems great," I ventured.

Edward smiled to himself. "She's something."

I picked at my food, trying to muster up the courage to ask him what I really wanted to know. "She said she's been working with you for three years."

Edward nodded. "I guess it would be three years now."

"She's really pretty."

Edward's brow furrowed. "I suppose so."

"You must spend a lot of time with her." I really, really tried to sound casual, but when I glanced up at Edward, his expression showed high amusement.

"Bella…are you jealous? Of Alice?"

My face grew hot and I stared down at my food. "I'm not jealous. I was just curious. And, you know, we never talked about the possibility of you having someone else…I was concerned. You know, for health and safety reasons."

Edward looked as if he were trying very hard not to laugh, biting the inside of his cheek even, and I felt mortified. He could see right through me.

"First of all, Bella, I expect our relationship to be completely exclusive. Secondly, there has never been anything between Alice and me, and there never will be, partly because she's in a serious relationship with a good friend of mine and partly because she's like a sister to me. And finally, you should know that you're the only woman I've wanted since I first laid eyes on you."

My face flushed even further. Was it embarrassment making me feel light-headed, or a rush of relief?

"Is that okay with you?" Edward asked.

"Which part?" If he was asking if I was okay with him wanting me and me alone, yes, that was very much okay.

"Exclusivity."

"Of course. I assumed that was part of the deal all along," I said, baffled.

"But if at some point you should decide that you want...someone else, I hope you'll tell me."

His face was an open book – a sad, lonely, vulnerable book – and I couldn't be anything less than completely honest with him.

"I don't see that happening any time soon."

His bashful smile made my day.

A/N: I want to say a quick thank you to The Lemonade Stand and all of you who nominated this story for the fic of the week poll. A lot of new readers have shown up, and I am so happy you've enjoyed this story enough to want to share it with others.

Here's the long-awaited return to Q&A. Please feel free to skip.

Q: But then you said there won't be a traditional HEA? Or don't expect marriage yeah? We can expect togetherness with happy feelings though?

A: Mainly, I'm saying there probably won't be any mention of babies. But this story will end in a happy place, I promise.

Q: Do you update on a certain day?

A: Nope. I update as often as I can. I try to update every day, but it usually depends on how crazy work gets and how tired I am when I get home.

Q: Had a case of writer's block, huh?

A: I always have writer's block. Or as I call it, Minesweeper.

Q: Can we please have an EPOV again?

A: I'm sure it will happen again.

Q: Where is the story line going? What's the plan Stan?

A: I'm not much of a planner, not gonna lie.

Q; Are you okay? Because I can be patient for updates, but I hope nothing bad happened to you to cause your lack of update!

A: Lol, don't panic until I stop tweeting.

Q: Are there any majors Bella Swan hasn't studied in one story or another?

A: You know, that's gonna be my challenge. My favorites are the fics where she studies medicine. How can she be a doctor/nurse/surgeon if she can't stand the sight of blood?

Q: Did you know, if you put a slice of bread in a container with cookies, it keeps them from eating hard?

A: Handy tip! I'll try that next time I bake.

Q: Do you think another book in the Twilight series would ruin it, or clear things up?

A: I don't think another book would ruin it, but I think it would have to be drastically different from the other books which all escalate up to some major confrontation (against James, the Volturi, the newborn army, the Volturi again) and I don't think there's another big conflict to have in the series without introducing something completely new.

Q: So you started in the Harry Potter fandom, what was your ship?

A: For the most part, Harry/Hermione. I still get sad about what might have been...

Q: I have had a story in my had for a long time, but I can't seem to get it down on paper. How do you get your inspiration?

A: In my experience, genuine inspiration is hard to come by. So much of writing is just a matter of discipline and forcing yourself to write even when you'd rather be doing anything else. The more often you sit down and make yourself write, the easier it gets. Or so I hope, lol.

Q: Does Bill Self wear a hairpiece?

A: Not to my knowledge. Looks real to me.

Q: "edward and bella are operating on the premise that their arrangement is by mutual agreement, and it is, but it's kind of obvious that they're both thinking they want more or for it to be "real" as edward was thinking. will it be a while down the road in the story before they confess their true feelilngs to each other or do you anticipate getting to that sooner rather than later?"

A: At the pace I'm going...it could be a while. But they're going to have fun getting there.

Q: What's your favorite place at Legends to shop? Also, what year did you graduate and what school (if you don't mind my asking)?

A: Charming Charlie has some really cute stuff. But I spend most shopping time at the Legends in Books-A-Million. As for your second question, I graduated from Baker University in 2011.

Q: Do you like poptarts and peanut butter?

A: I can't say I've ever tried that combination. I suppose it would depend on the flavor of poptart.

Regarding the ongoing question of good post-BD fics, another reviewer rec'd Morning by Carson-Dyle.

Just want to leave off by saying thank you. Just...thanks. And if I missed a question, please feel free to ask again. I go through my reviews looking for them, but alas, I am fallible.