No big time jump this time. Anyways, still don't own twilight. Getting close to end who's excited. I am. Thank you for the reviews and the adds. It means the world to me and is what keeps me from watching ten hours of the neverland pirates.
Her hands were bouncing on her knee so I wrapped my hand around them. I kissed her temple and smiled.
"Why are you so nervous?"
"How are you not?" She was always snippy when she was nervous.
"Way I see it darlin, you have already been nominated. No reason to worry, if you win, awesome. If you don't we got a trip to Vegas out of the deal and you'll still get a lot of publicity." She smiled and laid her head on my shoulder
"What about the investors?" Her voiced seemed tired.
"They should be so lucky to go into business with you. If it doesn't pan out then we'll figure something out. Relax and try to enjoy yourself."
She smiled softly then closed her eyes to sleep. I held her hand and spun her engagement ring around her finger. We landed and rejoined our siblings.
"I'm going to call and check on the kids, y'all get the bags and a cab." Rose instructed us as her and Bella headed towards a bathroom.
"So we have to work for a couple day then we play." Emmett asked pulling Rose giant luggage off the belt. I picked up Bella and mine single large case.
"Yeah, we already had the wine sent to Caesars palace." We hailed a cab down right ad loaded it up as the girls came out. As soon as we arrived Bella and Rose disappeared again to check out the booth.
"So brother you going to talk to her." Sometime I swear he just likes to gossip.
"I don't know, everything has been so weird since Jack. She's so volatile. I think she's having second thoughts. We've been avoiding talking since the reading of the will."
He shook his head and patted my back. They were on a different floor then us so we parted ways and I got settled into the room.
I'm hungry, take me to dinner.-bella
please-bella.
Yeah be down in a minute, what do you want?- Jas.
I waited for an answer but didn't get one. I made it into the room where she was. There were hundreds of other booths set up so it took awhile to find hers. She was hugging a woman with caramel colored hair. I joined them as they were laughing.
"Jas, guess who I found." She then presented me with Esme Cullen. I smiled and nodded politely.
"You ready to go eat?" I really had no desire to spend any time with a Cullen. My phone went off a second later.
Be nice, her brothers are the Volturi we're meeting with later.-bells
I looked at her and she was still smiling like she hadn't sent that message.
"Esme invited us to dinner with them." She wrapped her arm in mine and leaned against my shoulder.
"Oh that's nice. I thought we were having dinner with your brother." I really didn't want to.
"No, apparently Emmett surprised Rose with Meatloaf tickets." I gave her a look of confusion then realized it was Emmett and Rose and they are odd.
"Well then it's settled, we'll meet you at The Palm in thirty." Esme waved as she scurried off.
"Don't" Bella warned as she walked towards an elevator to go to our room.
"I didn't say anything."
"You were going to." She angrily pushed the button.
"Yeah I was, I don't want to have anything to do with that family. I think you should look for different partners."
"The Volturi brother are some of the best in the business. Partnering with them is the best thing for the winery." We got into the elevator and stood on opposite sides not touching. I lead her to our room and open the door for her. She was getting some things out of the suitcase. After a few minutes of silence I touched her elbow.
"Darlin, are we okay?" Maybe Rose was right, maybe I had waited to long to push the marriage issue.
She took a deep breath and exhaled out her nose while looking at the ground.
"I love you, darlin. I just want you to be happy." I had opened the door and was ready to leave when she closed it.
"We're fine. I've just been stressed out."
I touched her cheek with my thumb and kissed her head.
"About what my love?" I pulled her into a hug and held her tight hug.
"Just, Jack made me a partner in your family's legacy. I don't want to let you down." She sounded so defeated.
"Darlin." I used my hand to make her look at me. "You could never let me down. If you think the Volturi are the best thing for your winery, then I support that decision." She smiled weakly. "Now lets go kiss butt." I kissed her again.
"I love you Jas." She kissed me softly and went to get me some clothes. She disappeared into the bathroom while got dressed. She came out in some dark tight jeans, black sweater and heels.
"You sure you want to wear heels?"
"Yeah, I have to look like an adult sometimes." She laughed as she took her hair out of the braid she normally keeps it in. "You ready to go babe?"
"Yes, ma'am." I opened the door for her and escorted her to the restaurant.
"I hope they let us in, I don't think we're dressed fancy enough." She whispered as we entered the restaurant.
"It'll be fine. You're pretty enough to get away with jeans." I kissed her cheek and she hit me softly.
"Flattery will get you everywhere." She waggled her eyebrows at me.
"This way please." The waiter said as he picked up a couple of menus. He took us to Esme table where she was laughing and smiling with Carlisle.
"Bella, dear. Thank you for joining us." Carlisle said as he stood up while Bella took her seat.
"I just couldn't believe that it was you. You've grown up so much sweetie. Congratulations again on the nomination. Carlisle, did I tell Marcus is wanting to go into business with Miss Bella here."
"Really, I didn't know he was looking to partner with anyone." Carlisle was adjusting his seat and looking at the menu.
"Yeah you remember, him and Aro got into that fight because of what he said to Caius." She was giving him the you better remember or I'm going to kick you look.
"Oh yeah. Little advice my dear. Always be nice to Caius." He winked at us and called the waiter over.
He ordered some wine for the table and asked if anyone wanted something. I asked for a beer.
"Jasper doesn't really care for wine." Bella tried to excuse me but she was right. The winery was her baby. She could taste the subtle oak or whatever. It all tasted like bad grape juice to me.
"Beer sound good actually, bring me one too." Carlisle was an okay guy. "I should warn you all Edward may join us." I take back him being an okay guy.
"Oh, it'll be nice to catch up, won't it my love." She squeezed my leg and mouthed an apology.
"It'll be weird dear, trust me." Esme countered as she gulped down a glass of wine. "He decided to come last minute and I forgot to cancel dinner plans with him. Please forgive me."
"It's fine Mrs. Cullen. We're all adults now, no reason we shouldn't all get along." I said then started biting the inside of my mouth.
"We've always liked you Jasper, you're such a gentlemen. Now call me Esme please." She smiled at me as she poured another glass.
"Mother sorry I'm late. Marcus wanted me to look over some contracts for him." He had a faint english accent that I wanted smack out of his mouth.
"Oh it's okay love, look who we ran into." He turned to look at us and a smile crept across his face.
"Isabella dear it's great to see you. Jasper." He looked like he had been hit by lighting."Whitlock ranch, of course. That's why the name sounded so familiar."
"Bella has been nominated for best new pink wine, Edward dear. I sampled it, it is pretty amazing." Esme went on giving a big smile towards her.
"Oh how long have you two been married." He asked as he took a seat still grinning at Bella like a lion about to pounce.
"We're not married, his grandfather wanted to start a winery and he left it to me." She offered explaining how she was part of the Whitlock ranch. I'd rather her lie and say eight years.
"He sounds like a very nice man."
"He was. How have you been?" Why is she continuing talking to him. I ordered another beer while we waited for our food.
"Pretty good, went to school in England. Even competed in some sports of my fraternity house. Passed the bar a couple years ago, been working mostly for my uncles and other family members. Enough to keep me busy but not enough to control my life." His accent was still annoying the hell out of me. I finished another beer as the waiter came by to say it would be a few more minutes so I ordered another one.
"That nice, we've been so busy lately. Getting the winery up and running, then maintaining the ranch. The shop and the kids. Seems like there isn't enough time in the day."
"Kids, you didn't tell me about kids. I want to see pictures." Esme almost squealed.
"Oh, they're not our, I meant my niece and nephew." She still showed her the picture she had on her phone.
"Oh they are gorgeous. They're Rose and Emmett's right. Sue told me they got married."
"Yeah, Emmalie is four and Jameson is six."
"And a half." I added with a laugh that cause Bella to laugh and kiss my cheek. Take that Eddie boy.
"Yes and a half he is always really clear he is six and a half." She continued with stories on how cute they are. Esme laughed and Edward pretended to be listening but I noticed his eyes shifting down a few times. Our food was brought to us, the steak was passable, pretty good but our were better.
"I forgot how bad restaurant steak is. Babe give them our card a place this nice deserves better steak."
"Whatever you say darlin." I kissed her knuckles as she decided to eat the half lobster instead.
"I have to say Isabella that is a beautiful necklace you have." His voice was starting to grate my nerves.
Her hands went to her neck and she smiled at the touch of the necklace Jack gave her.
"It was a gift from Jack, it matches the ring I have. I think you've seen it before." She played with it and grabbed my hand.
"You're right, I' m sorry. So What have you two been up to, these last few years?" He asked about the both us but his eyes never left Bella.
"I took some online classes, volunteer at local schools for a few a years, then Jack asked me to help him start the winery. Jas, has been running the ranch, he got a business degree and a cpa." She loved to brag bout me.
He just nodded and finished his wine.
"So is Alice here to?" Bella question made me question how much she had to drink.
"Um, hopefully not." Edward said as he cut into his steak.
" What does that mean?"
" It means, dear that well we don't associate with her any more."
"Oh. Can I ask why?" She didn't want to pry but I was curious myself.
"It comes down to she didn't know who the father was. After you left she admitted you weren't the father and that is was someone name Newton I think."
"That's not a reason to disown someone." Bella always saw the good in people.
"No but the selling the child to five different couples and not telling anyone about it until said couples showed up at the hospital to pick up the kid is." Carlisle sounded angry and almost violent.
"Yeah, the Newton kid was broken heart-ed when he found out he wasn't the dad. We made her give all the money back to the couple, she had already spent a lot on frivolous things. So we gave her trust and told her to pay them back. We tried to adopt the baby but one of couples had a very good lawyer. Since they were the first couple and she signed the contract legally the child was theirs. After that we washed our hands of her."
Our jaws must have been on the ground. Because Edward continued where Esme left off.
"She follows us around, using whatever wealthy guy she's with at the time to find us and try to get more money from mom and dad. She went though her trust in the first year. But let's talk of more pleasant things shall we." He poured another glass of wine and the waitress brought the checks and said they were closing soon.
"It's been great catching up but I think we're going to head to our room. Bella, Jasper I hope we spend some more time together. I am sorry for everything that happened before." Esme gave Bella another hug and Carlisle took her to their room leaving us with Edward.
"We mean it. Mostly I hope you can forgive me for not putting your safety ahead of my sister." He seemed sincere but I still didn't like it.
"It's fine, Jack told me once you have to keep on going after the hurt. We've all made mistakes." Her voice was soft and I was mad she was so forgiving. "Besides it's been a million years and everything worked out for the best." She leaned into my arms and kissed my cheek.
"Good, how about we go to that nightclub they have and get some drinks." He suggested and I immediately wanted to say no.
"That sound great, Rose and Emmett said they'd take the first shift tomorrow. Let's go Jas." She kissed my cheek again, she sounded so excited I couldn't say no. We got up and headed towards the club when Edward mention he started watching that doctor show she liked. They started talking about it and he was telling her how he met a couple of the actors when he was over there for school. We made it to the club and I found a table. He put his jacket on one of the seat.
"Jasper would you mind if I had a dance with Bella." I started to growl when Bella started laughing.
"No he doesn't mind, you have to tell me about meeting Matt." they walked off to the dance floor and I watched them like a hawk.
"This seat saved." a think Russian accent asked. I turned and saw a gorgeous blond sitting where Edward put his jacket.
"Yes" I stammered out and she crossed her long leg and moved closer to me.
"Would like something to drink miss Denali? It's on the house." It must have been the owner.
"Vodka, lot of vodka. I make new friend here." I tried to understand what she was saying but the accent was so thick.
"You don't know who I am." I looked at her but I couldn't place her.
"Sorry ma'am unless you sell or buy cattle I don't know ya." I was trying to be polite but she kept moving closer to me and her dress was a little short and way to low cut.
"Oh good." She paused and eyed me like I was her prey. "You talk weird."
"I talk weird?" Was this woman for real I scanned the floor for Bella, she was in his arms laughing. I felt another growl erupt in my chest.
"You talk rough like cowboy. I like rough." She was purring and was way to close to me. "Are you real cowboy?"