A/N Thank you so much for your lovely reviews! I hope I replied to all of them!

I also want to thank whomever recommended TPB for The Lemonade Stand. I really appreciate it :)

Sigvard Oscar and Michael Sigvard are both real; I just took some liberties with their lives…

Chapter 10

Isabella Pov

~ December 17th, 2011 ~

~~ 0 ~~

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~~ 0 ~~

I was happy.

No, actually, I was beyond happy. Happiness was for mere mortals. I, on the other hand was floating on cloud nine, a deep feeling of euphoria lifting my spirit off the terrestrial Earth and guiding it towards the infinite sky. My elation had taken Aphroditian proportions. Just like the famous Greek Goddess of love, I felt invincible in my recently rediscovered sexuality. And it was all thanks to the man walking next to me. Edward not only made me feel beautiful, but he had also succeeded –intentionally or not- to awaken the long time dormant dragon of lust and eroticism.

His nearness made me weak in the knees. A single glance of his forest-green eyes spared in my direction, and I suddenly found it difficult to breathe. His soft lips wrapping around mine for even a brief second had the power to make me forget my own name. And when he was holding my hand like that… so carefree and yet so secretively intimate, the smoldering fire burning quietly inside of me was growing to arson amplitude.

It had been a long time since I had felt that way about a man. Truthfully, I couldn't even remember if I had ever had similar feelings in the past. Not even for Jake who had been my boyfriend for over two years.

Edward was just… different. I could feel it deep in my bones. It was as if my entire being was aware of the significance of this man's appearance in my life. He was going to make a difference. He was going to change the smooth, habitual course of my existence, and I was okay with that. I now trusted him implicitly. I was ready to offer him my heart on a silver platter and let him do whatever he wished with it.

My light, dreamy pace was abruptly brought to an end by Edward. I staggered, taking a step back to regain my balance, and glanced at him over my shoulder confused. He had stopped in the middle of the busy floor, staring at something with a displeased frown.

I was about to open my mouth and ask him what was wrong, but instead I opted for letting my gaze follow his. There, a few feet ahead, a blond man wearing the same expression as Edward was pinning him down with his eyes. He was tall, even taller than Edward, had a lean body structure and a thick stack of curly hair. His intense stare moved from Edward to me, where it lingered. After a long moment he started moving, and I noticed the silhouette of a petite woman next to him. As expected, they stopped in front of us.

"Hello, Edward," the woman said, smiling cordially.

Even in high heels, she was visibly much smaller than me. Her dark hair was cut into a sleek bob, accentuating her large hazel eyes. She was thin, almost model-like, while her skin had a slightly tan complexion, evidenced by the coral shade of lipstick she was boldly wearing on a gloomy winter evening.

"Alice," Edward replied, nodding curtly.

He was clearly tense, and I tried to extract my hand from his pocket to give him some space, but he gripped it tighter in response, not letting go. In fact, he was gripping my hand so hard, at some point it started hurting. I quietly nudged him with my elbow in protest, and he seemed to understand the message because he loosened his fingers around mine immediately.

Risking a peek to my right, I noticed that the blond guy was still gaping at me, as if he had just discovered the world's eighth wonder. It made me feel extremely self-conscious, and I decided to focus on his companion instead.

"I haven't seen you in a while," she said, still addressing Edward, but studying me curiously from head to toe.

"Well, yes…" Edward started with sudden vigor, but trailed off abruptly.

I glanced at him questioningly, wondering what he had intended to say. He was staring at the man facing him, both seeming to be carrying a silent conversation with their eyes. At a closer look, I realized that Blondie – yes, I had already nicknamed him in my mind- had facial features similar to Edward. And then it dawned on me like a momentous revelation. They were related.

"And who's this?" the feminine voice brought me out of the state of shock I had fallen into at the realization that I was about to be introduced to one of Edward's brothers.

Edward cleared his throat, letting go of my hand and moving his to the small of my back. "This is my friend, Isabella."

Alice's smile got wider as she extended her elegant, long fingers to meet mine in a delicate touch. "Nice to meet you, Isabella."

I couldn't help but respond with a smile of the same caliber. She seemed nice. "You can call me Bella."

As if awaken out of a reverie, Blondie hurried to shake my hand in acknowledgement. "I'm Jasper," he introduced himself. "Edward's younger brother. This is my girlfriend Alice. It's nice to finally meet you."

"You, too," I murmured with a slight nod, wondering what he had meant by 'finally'.

Had Edward talked about me? That simple thought pleased me more than it should have.

A long, pregnant pause followed. Jasper and Alice were both studying me like some sort of fascinating experiment, while Edward's anxiety seemed to be growing by the second.

Eventually, Edward's palm slid from the small of my back to my left side as he circled my waist. "We were just leaving the mall," he announced, starting to drag me away. "I'll see you next Saturday."

"Wait," Alice called, making us stop in our tracks. "We were just leaving, also." Jasper gave her a strange look, which she completely ignored. "Do you guys want to go some place and have a hot drink?"

Edward sighed, running his right hand through his neatly combed hair and ruining the effort he'd put into styling it in a matter of seconds. He was obviously aggravated.

"Maybe some other time, Alice," he replied, doing his best to sound calm, but I could hear the edge in his tone.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, come on. Don't be such a stuck-up. What do you say, Bella?" She turned her attention on me expectantly. "Do you feel like having a nice hot cappuccino?"

I glanced up at Edward inquisitively, but he wasn't looking at me, so I knew it was solely up to me. He was letting me decide for the both of us.

"I guess…" I agreed apprehensively, my curiosity to find out more about Edward's family pushing me to accept Alice's offer.

"Great." She grinned pleased. "How about Café des Architectes?"

"We'll see you there," Edward stated dryly, guiding me towards the mall's garage.

Alice and Jasper followed close behind, remaining quiet for the entire five minute walk. We left them on the garage's first floor, while we headed towards the second floor where Edward's BMW was parked.

"Are you okay?" I asked sometime later, turning in the passenger seat to face him. He looked very distracted, and it kind of made me feel anxious.

"Hmmm?" he hummed absentmindedly, his eyes on the traffic ahead, before glancing at me sideways. "Yes, I'm fine."

"We don't have to go if you don't want to. I understand if you don't want me to spend time with your family…"

"It's not that," he cut me off with a sigh, resting his palm on my thigh. "Alice is a nice girl."

I couldn't help but notice how he only referred to Alice, not including Jasper.

"Alice is nice?" I asked softly, my leg left bouncing nervously. "How about your brother? He didn't seem too happy to see you with me."

He shook his head before grabbing the steering wheel with both hands and making a right. "I think he was just… taken by surprise," he confessed cryptically. "But… can we talk about this some other time?"

My response was complete silence. It bugged me that his reluctance to share things with me was affecting me more than I cared to admit.

The car finally came to a stop. Edward put it in reverse and parked it expertly between a black Mercedes and a red Convertible. He killed the engine, angling his body towards me. I looked out the window and away from him, seeing that a few light snowflakes had started to fall.

All of a sudden a warm hand covered my stomach. Instinctively, I turned my head, only to meet Edward's face a few inches away from mine.

"Please don't be mad," he whispered, closing the distance between us and capturing my lips with a soft kiss.

I didn't need to think about it as I let myself feel it. His lips were moving gently yet insistently against my own, and I felt his hand abandon my stomach and grab my chin to tilt my face up towards him. Everything he was doing to me was sensitory overload, and I soon realized I had never been kissed in such a way before. So gentle and caring yet so possessive and domeering.

Edward deepened the kiss after a while, making it last. He then added in the same whispered voice into my mouth, "I promise we'll talk."

All I could do was nod numbly in agreement and hold him to his promise.

~~ 0 ~~

"So, Bella," Alice started the conversation from across the table. "How did you and Edward meet?"

Café des Architectes was definitely one of those places that intimidated through its grandor and select clientele. It was extremely modern, cleverly designed and tastefully decorated; making its name justifiable. A single peek at the menu and the little numbers written next to each pretentious course had the effect of an ice cold shower.

Since it was dinner time and everyone was having something to eat, including Edward, I had no other choice but to do the same. I settled on a Grilled Baby Octopus Niçoise salad and Muscovy Duck Breast; mostly at Edward's insistences. I would have been fine with just the salad. He ordered the same for himself, plus a glass of Sauvignon Blanc for each of us.

Alice was smiling politely, waiting for my answer.

I didn't want to bore her with details, so I said succinctly, "Long story short, he purchased a book from the bookstore I work at."

"Oh," she exhaled, her eyebrows rising in surprise. "So, you sell… books."

"Yeah," I confirmed, glancing at Edward. He was looking at Alice without seeing her, his mind seeming to have left the perimeter of the spacious room. I would have given anything to know what was really going on in his head; what he was thinking about.

"That's nice," Alice continued exchanging pleasantries, not giving any indication whether my humble condition bothered her or not. "Are you a student?"

I nodded. "Journalism."

Our waiter showed up holding some sort of wine glass support that looked more like a clothes hanger. He put our wine in front of us, scurrying back to the bar to deliver another order.

Alice took a sip of her sparkly water with a slice of lime. "I guess your job kind of fits you in that case. A journalist has to be a well-read person."

"Yeah," I assented, reaching for my glass of wine at the same time Edward reached for his. The hint of a smirk colored his somber expression as he clinked his glass with mine. I drank, my eyes never leaving his face then turned my attention back to Alice. "How about you?"

"I majored in economics and now I work for my father's company," she said, placing her hand atop Jasper's on the table. He turned his palm up so that he could link his fingers with hers. It was such a loving, romantic gesture that I actually felt a pang of jealousy at the beautiful relationship they obviously had.

"That's great." I smiled.

"Yeah."

Jasper's voice, which up until that moment hadn't been heard, startled me. "Can I ask how old you are, Bella?" he inquired softly, his head tilted to the side as he stared at me as if trying to guess for himself.

"Um… twenty-two?" I replied nervously, making it sound more like a question.

He nodded as if he had been expecting that answer. "I must confess I haven't heard much about you," he said, throwing his brother a pointed look. "Edward doesn't really mention you."

"We haven't known each other that long," I said in Edward's defense.

We weren't even in a relationship yet, so I couldn't expect that he would start chatting with his family or close ones about me. Besides, from what I had witnessed, Edward seemed to be trying to put up a wall between his personal life and everyone who attempted to mingle into it.

Seeing I was on Edward's side, Jasper deftly changed the subject. "I did hear that you met our Jess."

"Yes." I offered him a smile, moving my hand from the table to Edward's thigh.

He startled, not expecting the contact, and I realized just how tense his entire body was. I gave him a light, reassuring squeeze, to which he responded by placing his arm on the back of my chair and running the back of his fingers over the nape of my neck. His touch was sensual, and a wave of spasmic shivers rocked my being to the very core. I fought the urge to let out a moan, grabbing my glass instead and taking a large gulp of wine.

"Lovely kid, isn't she?" Jasper inquired, his stare now fixed on Edward's hand. He then looked at me with the same intensity, and I sensed that what seemed like a simple, informative question was actually more than that.

"She is," I agreed wholeheartedly.

Alice chimed in, "Her father, Emmett told us she's grown very attached to you."

"I've grown attached to her also. She's smart and fun, and she shares my passion for books."

She winked conspiratorially. "I have a feeling she's going to follow your career path, too. Jess would make a heck of a journalist."

I chuckled and was surprised to hear an echo coming from Edward. "I couldn't agree more."

After that, the dinner went on uneventfully. Jasper loosened up and ended up telling jokes, but I couldn't say the same about Edward. He remained stiff and uncomfortable, giving only a few monosyllabic answers here and there.

Even though it was clear he wanted to leave as soon as the meal was over, he insisted I had dessert -the best crème brûlée in Chicago, as he put it- and a hot latte macchiato to go with it. By the time we were heading out of the restaurant, I was full. Add the warm and fuzzy feeling given by the second glass of wine I'd had, and I was more than ready to collapse on a bed and fall into a dreamless coma.

Once outside, Alice and Jasper walked over to the red convertible parked behind Edward's BMW. Alice pulled out a pair of keys from her bag, while Jasper circled the car to get in the passenger seat.

"It was a real pleasure meeting you, Bella," she said with a genuine smile, standing in front of me. "Can I get your number? Maybe we can meet again sometime."

I hesitated, not knowing if it was a good idea. Edward was standing behind me, so I couldn't see his expression. Alice was looking at me expectantly, while Jasper regarded me impassively from where he was standing with one elbow on top of the car and the other on the open door.

With a sigh, I relented. "Sure."

I dictated the number to her, and a brief, friendly peck on the cheek later, she was behind the wheel, turning on the engine with a sleek purr.

"Bella." Jasper nodded, giving me a playful two-finger salute. "I'll see you."

"Bye." I waved as he slid into his seat and closed the door.

~~ 0 ~~

Approximately twenty minutes later, Edward was dropping me off in front of my apartment building. The drive had been silent; only the CD playing a jazzy song acting like a cheerful third companion, singing his plastic lungs out in a desperate attempt to defuse the tension.

Leaving the engine on, Edward unbuckled his seat belt and turned to face me. He regarded me cautiously, his brow furrowed. A deep line I had never seen before appeared at the corner of his mouth, and I reached up, smoothing my thumb over it.

He sighed, closing his eyes momentarily as he leaned into my touch. "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" I murmured.

He took my hand into his, kissing my palm. "My family is… difficult, to put it mildly."

I chuckled quietly. "Jasper doesn't seem that difficult to me. Neither does Alice. She's really easy to talk to."

He leaned back into his seat, looking out the windshield. "Yes, Alice is… well, she's Alice. And Jasper doesn't really care…" he let the rest of the sentence hanging in the air, as if he was talking to himself.

"Care about what?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

"Isabella, trust me when I tell you, you don't want to get to know the rest of my family. Especially my mother."

"Yeah, I know," I blurted out stupidly.

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "How do you know?"

Uh oh.

Nice way of letting the cat out of the bag, Bella, I scolded myself mentally.

I couldn't exactly tell him I had been trying to extract information from his niece, so I gave him an answer as close to the truth as I could.

"Uh… Jess said something similar," I said vaguely.

"What did Jess say?" he asked suspiciously, and I cringed on the inside.

Here goes nothing…

"That your mother wasn't very nice."

I expected him to get upset over the comment, but to my complete amazement, he let out a loud snort. "That's an understatement."

I blinked at him, not believing what I was hearing. So, she was that bad…

Edward sighed again, this time almost sufferingly. His voice softened significantly as he went on, "What you need to understand is that my mother adored Tanya. She'll never accept you." He said the last sentence with such finality and conviction that I instantly believed him.

"But, why?" I demanded, my voice rising to an alarming pitch. "She doesn't even know me."

"It doesn't matter," he said sadly, shaking his head.

I scoffed a little. "I don't get it. Can you please stop beating around the bush and tell me the truth? What is it that your family won't accept? My age?"

"Yes." He looked away, adding as an afterthought, "… in part."

"In part?" I repeated, starting to get frustrated and maybe a bit panicked. "Edward…"

"It's irrelevant," he cut me off with an irritated wave of his hand. "I don't care what my family thinks. I'll see whomever I want to see. And I want to see you." He then turned to me with pleading eyes. "Let's not talk about it anymore, okay? Please?"

I was tempted to insist on the subject, but I didn't. If he thought the Cullen clan wasn't going to accept me, I was going to prove him wrong. Jasper came around pretty quickly, so I saw no reason why the others wouldn't. Edward was probably overreacting.

With that thought in mind, I offered him a pacifist smile. "Fine."

We split sometime later after a heated make out session. He waited until I was inside the building to drive off, and I took the elevator to the fifth floor with a wide grin on my face. My lips were swollen in the most delicious way, and I bit down on them, still tasting Edward's breath. Digging into my bag for the keys, I pulled them out and unlocked the front door, stepping inside. I took off my coat and boots, heading straight for the living room where the light was still on. Angela was lying on the couch with a decorative pillow snuggled to her chest.

"Hey," she said hoarsely, trying to smile but failing horribly. "How was the movie?"

"It was okay," I replied apprehensively, sitting on the edge of the couch. "Is something wrong? Have you been crying?"

"No," she lied, averting her puffy eyes.

"Ang…"

"Ben called."

A bitter tear slid down her cheek, and my heart broke at the sight.

"Why won't you talk to the poor guy?" I admonished gently, wiping the tear away with the tips of my fingers. "Maybe he's really changed."

She sniffed, lifting herself into a sitting position. "You know as well as I do that jealousy is a disease that's not easily cured," she cleared her throat, wiping furiously at the tears that wouldn't stop falling. "I just couldn't possibly take the fights anymore. The last months of our relationship caused havoc on my mind. He almost brought me to the brink of insanity. You know that."

"But he loves you so much," I tried again. "Maybe if you gave him a second chance…"

"I don't know." Her voice broke. "He does seem different, but… I just don't know. I'm afraid."

"You may one day regret you didn't give him the chance to fix it."

She looked down at her lap, a deep frown adorning her tormented expression. I knew it was hard for her. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she was still in love with him.

After a long minute, she grabbed a tissue from the coffee table, blew her nose noisily then glanced at me. "So, how was your date with Edward?"

I shrugged. "We ran into his younger brother and his girlfriend."

"That's nice," she said absently.

"Yeah," I said, my mind flying back to Edward and our earlier conversation.

I was going to prove him wrong. At least, I hoped I would.

~~ 0 ~~

A few days later, I got an unexpected call. I was at work, arranging a stack of newly received books, when the familiar ringtone made me abandon what I was doing. I hurried towards the sales counter where Kate was standing. She was hunched over a poetry volume, her hand outstretched with my cell phone in it. I grabbed it from her, frowning when I saw the unknown number.

"Yes?" I answered, leaning against the counter.

"Bella?" the feminine voice said. "This is Alice. Jasper's girlfriend."

"Oh," I breathed, straightening up. "Hey, Alice. How are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks," she sounded like she was in the hurry. "Are you free this evening?"

No need bothering with small talk…

"Yeah, why?"

I heard a muffled greeting in the background to which she replied hastily before continuing, "I was thinking we could have dinner together. I would like to get to know you better."

I sensed this was not exactly a social meeting. She wanted something from me, but that was okay with me because I wanted something from her too. "Okay, sure."

"Is my place alright? I feel like cooking tonight."

Well, I certainly hadn't expected that. She barely knew me, so the fact that she was inviting me to her place demonstrated that my previous thought wasn't ill-founded.

"Yeah," I said, miming that I needed a pen and paper. "Let me get something to write down the address."

Kate produced a sharp pencil from one of the drawers, handing it to me along with a notebook. I jotted down the address, having a general idea about where it was.

"You know where that is?" Alice wanted to make sure.

"Mmhmm," I hummed affirmatively, cradling the phone between my ear and shoulder blade. "When should I be there?"

"Around six?"

"I get off work at seven."

"Seven-thirty then. Call me if you get lost or anything."

"Who's Alice?" Kate inquired as soon as I hung up.

"A girl," I stated, doodling tiny flowers around Alice's address.

She rolled her eyes, closing the poetry volume. "I figured as much."

I shrugged nonchalantly, making one daisy's stem spread like ivy along the margins of the page. "She's a new friend I made."

As if intuiting that the recently ended phone conversation had something to do with Edward, she asked, "How are things with that boyfriend of yours?"

"He's not my boyfriend," I clarified, but it came out more like a frustrated mutter. "We're just… seeing each other."

The truth was, I really wanted to call Edward my boyfriend. Or… whatever it is that you call a 34 year old man you're in a relationship with. I was well aware of the fact that we weren't quite dating yet, but that didn't stop me from dreaming and wishing.

"Right." Kate nodded, reminding herself of my single status.

"Things are well with Edward. We're taking it one step at a time," I explained, mostly to reassure myself that even though we were taking it easy, we were also making progress.

Kate was silent. I glanced at her after a while and saw that she was staring at me with a strange look on her face. "You really like him, don't you?"

I sighed heavily. She could read me like an open book, and it kind of bothered me that I was that obvious.

"I do," I confessed quietly. "He's a good man."

"Not to mention he's extremely handsome," she teased with a playful wink.

"Garrett's good looking," I pointed out, referring to her love interest of three months; the one she'd met online.

"He is." She beamed, and it lifted my mood to see her truly happy as she deserved. "I'm lucky to have him."

"Yes, you are," I reinforced, smiling at her.

~~ 0 ~~

As soon as the work day was over, I hurried to the bathroom to fix my hair and apply a bit of make up. I put on mascara and some nude lip gloss, taking out the bottle of perfume from my bag and spritzing myself behind my ears and on the wrists.

Yes, since I had started seeing Edward, I began carrying perfume with me everywhere I went. Sue me.

I called for a taxi which arrived shortly. I bid Kate good bye and made my way outside, making sure to wrap the scarf I was wearing more securely around my neck. Giving the young driver the address, I leaned back into my seat and relaxed, basking in the cab's warmth.

I tried to empty my mind and not think about the inevitable conversation Alice and I will be having, but it was easier said than done. I was nervous because I really wanted her to like me. In my mind, if I had her approval, it meant I had Jasper's approval. One brother down; one left to win on my side.

All too soon, the car stopped and the driver announced we were there. I startled, as if brought out of a deep reverie and leaned over to glance out the window. We were in front of an imposing building, at least fifty stories high. I paid for the cab and got out into the freezing air, heading towards the front entrance with small steps.

Once inside, I was greeted by an amiable doorman. He asked who I was looking for, and I realized I had no idea what Alice's last name was. Pulling my phone out, I dialed her number and quickly learned that her full name was Alice Brandon.

"48th floor, door 270," the man informed me, and I thanked him, heading towards the elevator.

As I stepped out, a couple of minutes later, I saw Alice waiting for me in the hallway. She was dresses casualy in a pair of jeans and a beige knitted sweater, her feet concealed by a pair of comfortable slippers.

"Hey!" she said with a smile. "Come on in."

I stepped inside, starting to unbutton my coat. My eyes roamed the foreign surroundings, taking in the strong, vibrant colors of the walls and the large living area that seemed decorated by Queen Scheherazade herself. The furniture was all inspired by the Arabian culture, including a few intricate ottomans, a brass tray table, oversized iron lanterns, a rug with a very interesting pattern and a beautiful tangier sofa that looked like it had fallen out of the pages of Arabian Nights. It reminded me of The Oriental, the bookstore, and I found myself smiling at the passion for the Eastern culture that both Kate and Alice seemed to share.

"Nice place," I observed, removing my scarf.

"Thanks," she beamed proudly. "I decorated it myself." She took the coat, bag and scarf from me, placing them in a nearby closet. "I just started dinner, so it's going to be a while until it's ready. Can I get you something to drink?"

"Sure," I accepted as she guided me towards the kitchen. Just like the living area, this room followed the same theme. It was spacious, with stools resembling the ottomans I had seen earlier and dark ebony counters paired with some sort of golden metal countertops.

"Wow," I breathed in awe. "Your kitchen is amazing."

"I know, right? Too bad I don't get to use it very often," she lamented. "So, what can I get you? Wine, beer, vodka…"

"Whatever you're having," I said, running my palm over the smooth surface of the unique counters to feel the texture.

"I was thinking about making some mulled wine."

I shrugged unknowingly. "I've never had it."

"No?" She frowned playfully. "It's delicious. I have a Serbian recipe with nutmeg, cinnamon and orange slices that's simply mouthwatering."

She took out a bottle of red wine and a kettle, setting to work.

"Can I help with dinner?" I asked, gesturing towards the ingredients lying on the kitchen island.

"But of course. I'm making coq-au-vin. You can start by peeling the carrots."

A long, kind of awkward silence fell over the room as each of us focused on our respective tasks. When I was finished with the carrots I moved on to the onions.

Alice was the one to break the silence. "So, how was work?"

I looked up, surprised by the question. "Tiring. I had classes in the morning, and after that I went straight to work."

She nodded sympathetically, slicing an orange. "Luckily for me, I never had to work during college."

"Can I ask where you went to school?" I went on with the chit chat.

"UC. I wanted to be close to my family. And Jasper, of course."

"How did you two meet?"

"We've known each other since we were kids, but the first time he started taking an interest in me was about eight years ago," she explained, staring off into space. "I was a high school senior, and he was in his second year at med school. I had a huge party for my eighteenth birthday, and he was invited. I was wearing a skimpy dress… we were both tipsy…" she chuckled sheepishly, glancing at me with twinkling eyes, "…you can imagine the rest."

I replied with a chuckle of my own. "So, he's a doctor?"

"Neurosurgeon," she corrected, pouring the steaming wine into mugs and adding the orange slices. "Well, he's still a resident."

"Wow, that's a hard job." I was actually a bit impressed.

"It is. But he loves it. He could have been an attorney like his father and brothers, but he just didn't feel inclined to follow in their footsteps. He has wanted to have a medical career since I can remember."

The adoration in her voice only reinforced my belief that they had a really strong relationship. I found myself blurting out, "You guys make a great couple."

"Really?" She walked over to where I was standing, handing me a mug. I nodded, taking it from her and bringing it to my lips. It tasted wonderful; a perfect combination of sweetness and spices.

"Thanks. I would say the same about you and Edward, but…"

"…we're not together," I completed the sentence for her.

"Yet," she added, giving me a meaningful look. "Can I be honest?"

"Sure," I assented, a bit nervous about what she was about to say. The alcohol from the wine was rising in thick steams towards my face, invading my nostrils. I took another sip, inhaling the delicious smell, and I could actually feel my cheeks coloring from the heat.

"I wanted you to come here so we could talk. About you and Edward and whatever it is that you two have. A public place wouldn't have been as… intimate, and I think that kind of conversation requires for a more privy setting."

I sighed, placing the mug on the counter and bracing myself. "What is it that you want to know?"

"Do you care for him?"

"Of course I do," I said immediately. "Edward is a great man."

"He is," she said, her expression becoming very serious. "He's also very devoted, romantic and has a sensitive soul. He may not show it. In front of everyone else, he parades that hard exterior he uses as a shield, but once you managed to make your way into his heart, you'll discover the real him. And trust me when I tell you that if you ever win his love, you'll be the happiest woman alive."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked weakly, her words affecting me more than it should.

She inched closer to me, crossing her arms over her chest. "Because I have a feeling this is not a simple friendship. He's grown attached to you. I could see it in his eyes… in the way he looked at you; the way he touched you."

"Alice…"

"Please don't ever hurt him," she begged. "He's been through a lot and he deserves to be happy."

"I know." My throat suddenly became very dry. "I promise I'll never intentionally hurt him."

My answer seemed to put her at ease. "Good," she rubbed my upper arm in a friendly manner. "That's all I needed to hear." She grabbed the poultry and a long knife, starting to carve it.

"Can I now ask you something?" I said tentatively, going back to my previous task of chopping parsley.

She encouraged me with a smile. "Shoot."

I took a deep breath, debating on how to pose the question that had been plaguing my mind since the night I had met her. "Why do I have the feeling the rest of the Cullen family isn't going to like me very much?"

The smile she was wearing morphed into a knowing smirk. "By the rest of the family you mean Esme?"

"Well… yeah."

Alice put down the knife, staring at the result of her work so far. "Esme's a complicated woman," she offered unsatisfactorily.

I stared at her, waiting for the completion.

"How do I put this so it doesn't sound as harsh as I know it will?" she said, tapping her chin pensively. "She'll think you're a gold-digging tramp."

I gasped, my bugged eyes rivaling those of Jim Carrey's in the Mask. "What?"

"Esme's obsessed with social status," she said apologetically. "She'll never accept a woman who doesn't rank at least as high as her on the social hierarchy."

"But why?" I insisted, not understanding. "It's not like I'm a beggar. I'm studying hard to make something of myself."

Alice shook her head sadly. "That's irrelevant to her. You don't come from a good family; you're not good enough for her precious son."

A wave of revolted anger lit me on fire. Who did that woman think she was? What right did she have telling me I wasn't good enough? I worked my ass off to see my biggest dream come true; to make a career for myself.

Alice must have noticed my murderous expression, because she grabbed my hand, squeezing it comfortingly. "I'm only telling you this so you can know what to expect in the future."

Swallowing my discontent and humiliation like a bitter pill, I asked the next question, almost afraid to hear the answer. "Is she really that bad?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Esme didn't like Tanya much in the beginning either. That's until she found out that royal blood ran through her veins."

"Royal blood?" I said confused.

"It's kind of complicated," Alice replied with furrowed eyebrows, leaning against the kitchen island. "Tanya's –or better said Tatiana's- great-grandfather was Sigvard Oscar Fredrik Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg. He was the second son of King Gustaf VI of Sweden and his first wife, Princess Margaret. He was originally known as Prince Sigvard, Duke of Uppland, but lost his royal titles in 1927 when he married a commoner. Count Michael Sigvard Bernadotte of Wisborg, Tanya's grandfather made the same 'mistake' as his father by marrying Tatiana Abakumov, a Russian industrial worker. You can imagine the disgrace he brought in the family by marrying someone so inferior to him. It's a long story, but they ended up in New York where Tanya's mother Elsa was born. Later, she met Mr. Denali, a wealthy American businessman, and that's how Tanya was concieved. The thing is... Elsa's heritage has deep roots in the Swedish and Russian royal families. Get this... Tanya's great-great-great-grandmother was second degree cousin to Tsar Nicholas II."

I gaped at her. "As in... the Romanovs? The famous Anastasia's father?"

"Exactly."

"I'm... speechless," I breathed increduously. "So, unless I'm royalty, I'm not good enough in Esme's eyes."

"Something like that. Besides, you're so much younger than Edward, there's no way in hell you're going to convince her you're not after his money."

"Great," I muttered with a huff. "Just… great."

Seeing my desolation, Alice walked over to the fridge, pulled out a bottle of vodka and poured two shots. She handed one to me, clinking her glass with mine. Grateful, I didn't waste any time in downing the content. Strangely, the strong alcohol actually made me feel a little better.

Alice poured another shot, and I downed that one too. Then another followed. Usually, I wasn't that big of a drinker, but at that moment I felt the need to numb my mind.

"If Edward ends up loving you, he won't care about his mother's opinion," she said consolingly, making a face after her third shot.

"How about Mr. Cullen?" I asked, snickering hoarsely.

Yeah, I was starting to get tipsy. Apparently, Alice was too.

"Carlisle?" she said loudly, her voice getting high pitched. She laughed. "He's a sweetheart. I honestly don't get how he was able to fall in love with that horrible woman."

We clinked another glass, and she added almost like a toast, "Bella, I can already tell you have a lovely personality. I'm sure in time you're going to eventually get everyone in the Cullen clan on your side."

"Even Esme?"

"Who knows? Maybe even her. But you'll have to work hard for it."

We drank for the fourth time that evening. As the alcohol trailed down my throat, I thought about Alice's words.

She said I would have to work for Esme's acceptance.

The question was…

Was it even worth it?

A/N Alcohol + an empty stomach = ?

Yeah, Edward's going to be pretty pissed off… lol

~ Andreea ~