A/N: Thank you everyone for all of your love on this story! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Thanks, as always, to my lovely pre-reader and ficwife, EternallyCullen, and to y fantabulous beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar.
"Well," Edward said as he drove through the Olympic Peninsula back to Forks, "when should I pick you up?"
Bella stared out the windshield at the rain drops splattering on the clear glass. "For what?"
He looked over and smirked at her, hearing her audible gasp. He was actually enjoying the give and take between them, and truth be told, he was quite proud of himself that he could have that type of effect on her. "For our date, Bella."
She swallowed. She turned slowly to look at his profile, the strong jaw and straight nose giving her pause. Why in the hell does someone like him care so much about going out with someone like me? "Oh, um… let's see, shall we? I need to make sure Matt does all right once he gets home…"
Edward shook his head, his damp, bronze hair moving along with him. "Bella, don't use Matt for an excuse," he said quietly, looking at the sleeping boy in the back seat through the rearview mirror. "I think we've played enough games with each other."
She arched a brow at him. "Excuse me?"
He laughed lightly. "Games. We've played around the edges enough, and you promised me you'd go out with me."
Bella sighed, and before she could stop her verbal diarrhea, she spoke again. "Why do you care so much about going out with me?" She was instantly mortified to have spoken her private thoughts and concerns out loud.
He glanced at her. "And why are so you so damned determined to stop me?"
She pulled her lower lip in between her teeth. "I asked first."
He nodded. "So you did. All right, I'll tell you."
She waited in the passenger seat with bated breath. "Well?" she finally asked.
Edward blew his breath out hard. "I'm not exactly sure why, if you want me to be fully honest. There's just something there that's pulling me to you, and I can't fight it anymore. I feel drawn to you, and very protective of you and Matt. Honestly… you are the most intriguing and beautiful woman I've ever met."
She gawped at him. "Wh-what?"
He shrugged. "That's the truth. I've never met anyone like you before, and the idea of not having you in my life is just… painful… to think about." He had never been as open and honest with anyone in his life – especially when that someone had the power to crush his heart in an instant. My, how the tables have turned…
She scoffed, her breath shaky. "Oh, come on, Edward. Look at me. I'm not beautiful, and I'm certainly not interesting."
He shook his head. "Now, see, you are completely wrong,"—he held up his hand when she opened her mouth—"as you don't know who I know and how beautiful and interesting they are."
"But I'm just a poor, single mom, who's trying to make ends meet. You've probably never worried about a bill in your life. We're just too different."
"Opposites attract."
"Not that opposite," she said, shaking her head. "You can have any girl you want… You're rich, you're smart, you're gonna be a doctor… I just don't understand. And besides, I'm sure there's some girl just like you that your parents would rather see you with."
Edward smiled at her crookedly. "Nope. You haven't met my mother, Esme, yet, but when you do meet her and hear the story of how she and my dad met, you'll see that they understand. They just want me to be happy. And you make me happy, Bella," he said, turning the full power of his emerald green eyes on her.
"Oh," was her brilliant reply.
"So, when do you want me to pick you up?" he asked again, his face split into a huge smile.
She groaned. "Let me see when I can get a babysitter, and I'll let you know."
"Excellent."
xXx
"So, tell me about this boy you're seeing," Charlie said the moment Bella walked into his house, Matt in tow. His face was a light shade of pink, so Bella knew he was embarrassed. But she also was aware that no conversation could have been worse than the one when she'd had to tell him she was pregnant.
"Bells, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Charlie asked, distress evident on his face at his teenage daughter's tears.
She had just known that he would shoot James or her – or both.
She took a few shuddering breaths and wiped the tears off her face, as more continued to leak from her brown eyes. "I-I need to talk to you," she whispered, wishing James had been there with her. She could have really used his strength and support, but he had told her things would most likely go better if she broke the news to her father alone.
He sat down heavily in his recliner, his police uniform still on. "Okay," he said softly.
Bella sniffed again. "Dad… I-I don't know how to tell you this," she said, crying again.
Charlie was getting worried. Bella had always been down to earth and didn't show emotion – just like him. So, for her to be so hysterical, he was becoming scared."Just tell me, Bells."
"I-I'm pregnant," she whispered, curling up into a ball and wrapping her arms around her knees. She had found out a few days prior and had been working up the nerve to tell her father.
Charlie didn't speak.
Bella was suddenly worried about Charlie, as his face turned from white to red to purple.
"Dad?" she whispered timidly.
"YOU'RE WHAT?" he bellowed, causing her to jump.
She hunkered down into the sofa even farther. "Pregnant," she said in a small voice.
"WHO THE HELL IS HE? IT'S THAT DAMN JAMES PUNK, ISN'T IT?"
Bella nodded mutely. She could almost see the steam coming from his ears.
Charlie stood up and began strapping his gun belt on again. "I'm gonna fucking kill him," he growled.
Bella jumped up and latched onto his arm. "Dad, no! It's not all his fault."
"Bella, I'm sure he pressured you into it. I'll have his ass in jail before the night's over!"
She begged and pleaded, trying to reassure Charlie that James was going to take full responsibility and marry her. They'd get married and have their baby while she finished school. Things would work out fine.
So, she was in complete shock when Charlie arrived home the following day, informing her that the bastard was gone from Forks – vanished into thin air.
She cried and tried calling his cell phone multiple times. She even jumped in her older model Chevy truck and drove to his apartment, which she found vacated, except for a few pictures of her.
Everything else was gone.
James was gone.
"Bella? You there?" Charlie asked again, pulling her from her reverie.
She nodded, noticing that Matt was already on the couch, ready to watch the Mariners game with his grandfather. "Yeah, sorry. Kind of spaced out there for a moment."
He grunted in reply. "So, like I said, tell me about this wannabe doctor you're seeing."
Bella practically choked. "I'm not seeing him, Dad. He's working on a class assignment that involves Matt, that's all."
"Mmhmm. Well, then, who are you going out with tonight?" he asked shrewdly.
She sighed in defeat. "Edward," she whispered.
"Ah. Well, Bells, he seems like a nice guy."
She nodded. "Yeah, he is."
"So… what can you tell me about him?" Charlie tried again. "He must be pretty special for you to agree to go out with him."
Bella thought again about the past and knew that her father was correct. After she had been abandoned by James, she had not dated anyone. After Matt had been born, she had focused solely on taking care of her son and finishing high school. She had sworn off men – for good.
No, you haven't. If you have, then why are you going out with Edward Cullen?
"Well," she started, "he's in medical school and wants to be a surgeon, like his dad. Matt already really likes him. If it hadn't been for him, I don't know what would have happened to Matt this time around."
"Is that why you're going out with him? You feel you owe it to him?" Charlie asked, concern evident in his tone.
"Of course not," she denied quickly. "I-I just… want to," she finished lamely. Shit. She had just disclosed her feelings about Edward to her father.
He grinned at her. "Good. I think he'd be good for you, Bella. Matt's gonna spend the night, and we're going fishing in the morning, so call before you come pick him up tomorrow. That way, you have all night for your date."
She looked at him, mortified. "I'm not gonna take all night!"
Charlie shook his head. "That wasn't what I meant, Bells. I only meant that you didn't need to rush. Just go and enjoy yourself."
Bella nodded and went to hug Matt before she left. She then left Charlie the new insulin and dietary instructions and told him to call if he needed her.
"Just go, Bells," he said, shooing her out of the door. "I want to spend the night with my grandson and the ballgame. Don't worry."
She wasn't worried about leaving Matt in Charlie's care. Next to her, Charlie and Angela knew all they needed to about taking care of Matt. That was why she was comfortable leaving Matt in their care.
"Okay. Bye, Matt! Bye, Dad. Love you," she said quickly, and then dashed through the rain to her truck. Angela was meeting her at her apartment with some clothes for her to try on. She always had bills to pay, and thus, her wardrobe was lacking.
As she drove the familiar streets, she thought about the upcoming evening she was about to spend in the company of Edward Cullen. She shivered at the thought.
She wondered what he had planned for the two of them. Once she began thinking, she realized she had never been on a proper date in her life. What she'd had with James had been different. He would pick her up in his car, and they'd go somewhere and make out, eventually actually having sex a few times until she'd found out she was pregnant. He had always said he didn't have the money to take her out properly, but that once he found a good job, he would.
And she had believed it all – hook, line, and sinker.
She sent up a little prayer that Edward was not playing her. She didn't think she could handle it again.
Bella pulled into the parking lot and saw Angela sitting in her car, waving enthusiastically. Bella groaned and opened the creaking door, slamming it hard and watching as rust particles fluttered to the ground. She was unsure what she would do when her truck finally reached its end.
"Hey, Ang!" she called.
Angela flung herself from the car and wrapped Bella in her embrace. "Oh, I'm so excited for you! A real date with Dr. Edward Cullen," she said, waggling her eyebrows.
"He's not a doctor yet," she mumbled, embarrassed at Angela's enthusiasm.
Angela opened her trunk and pulled out a pile of clothes that were on hangers. "Yet… but he will be," she said.
They chatted on the way up to Bella's apartment about how Angela planned to style her hair, the make-up scheme she had decided on, and ideas of outfits Bella could wear.
Bella's stomach was in knots. "What if I say something stupid?" she blurted out as Angela painted her eyelids with eye shadow.
Angela shook her head, intent on her work. "You won't. And even if you do, he obviously doesn't care. I mean, you threw him out of your apartment at the beginning, and he keeps coming back. I'd say he's definitely smitten."
"Smitten?" Bella asked sarcastically. "Who the hell talks like that anymore?"
"I do, Ms. Grouchy Pants. Where's your sense of romance?"
She scowled. "It's dead."
Angela shook her head, a grin on her face as she traced Bella's eyes with dark eyeliner. "No, it's not, or we wouldn't be here right now. You believe in love; admit it."
"Of course I do. I love Matt and my dad and you and Jake."
"Different love, Bella. This is romance between a man and woman. And it's about time."
Bella sighed. Angela was the eternal romantic. "Well, it may turn out to be a disaster."
Angela sighed. "Bella, it will be if you go into it with that attitude. Like I said, the guy's obviously interested in you. He's hot… is in med school… What more could you want?"
"I don't know. I-I guess I'm just scared of getting hurt again," Bella admitted softly.
Angela wrapped an arm around her friend. "Bella, life is always a chance, but you'll never know if you don't take it."
She nodded silently, allowing Angela to dress her as if she were a life-sized Barbie doll. When she was finished, Bella was dressed in a soft purple, gauzy dress, with a black wrap to go with it. Her hair was loose around her shoulders, falling in soft waves and framing her face that was painted with more make-up than she usually wore.
"Angela, this is too much."
"No, it's not. He'll most likely take you to a classy restaurant, and the lighting will be low. You need the darker make-up to accentuate your features," she said, fluttering her eyes.
"Oh, Lord," Bella said with a sigh. "So, I look all right?"
Angela just grinned at her. "Bella, after tonight, he'll never let you go, for sure."