"I know, I know- I'm late." I said as soon as I saw Rose and Alice sitting on the benches in our gym's women's locker room. I ran up to my locker and started throwing stuff in and getting my workout clothes out.
"You better hurry up and get dressed, class starts in exactly five minutes." Alice told me.
I changed quickly into a long tank top, a pair of leggings and my sneakers.
"Damn it, I forgot my water bottle." I said, sighing in frustration as I pulled my hair into a ponytail.
"I have an extra." Rose said, opening her locker and handing it to me. "What is up with you? You are so distracted lately."
Rose's blue eyes squinted at me with curiosity. Tall, slender with blond hair and perfect features, Rose could have easily been a model. But, to the utter surprise of most people, she works at an auto body repair shop as a technician. And it wasn't just to pretty the place up, she knew her shit.
"I know why she's so distracted." Alice said, giggling impishly.
"Alice…" I warned.
"Can you clue me in?" Rose asked.
"Miss Swan has finally discovered the big O!" Alice screeched.
"Shut up, Alice!" I whisper-shouted, looking around to see if anyone heard us.
"Oh relax, no one's in here." Alice told me.
"Big Em finally figured it out, huh?" Rose wanted to know.
"No, she used the gift that I gave her…"
"What gift? Oh…ohhhhhhhh." Rose said. "Have you left the apartment at all?"
"Shut up, both of you. Come on." I said, turning on my heels. They both followed me into the spinning studio. Since we were late, we couldn't get bikes next to each other so I took a bike in the corner. Rose was right; I had been off the whole week. On Wednesday morning, I'd gotten all the way to work before realizing that I'd left my laptop at home. Wednesday night, I left my keys inside when I went to put my trash in the dumpster. I had to walk all the way around to the front of my building in my slippers and sleep shorts that were probably a size too small. And just that morning, I realized at lunch that I'd left my wallet at home. Tyler took pity on me and bought me a sandwich.
Our spin instructor Bree took us through an intense hour. My thighs were on fire halfway through and my calves were ready to give out by the forty five minute mark. When we finished, I was drenched in sweat, but I felt victorious for getting through a tough workout. Alice, Rose and I gathered our things from the locker room and left. We never showered at the gym; it was 'groty' as Alice would say.
"Izzy, your birthday is next month, what do you want to do?" Alice asked as we walked outside to Rose's tricked out black Mustang.
"Vegas!" Rose cried.
"Vegas would be awesome…" Alice agreed.
Rose unlocked the car and we all got in, Alice in the back seat since she was so small.
"How about a nice dinner somewhere?" I suggested.
"Vegas…Vegas…Vegas!" Rose and Alice chanted. I had to admit to myself that Vegas would be fun. But I knew that Emmett would never go and he would be angry if I went anyway without him.
"Maybe we can do Vegas when I turn thirty. This year I want something low key."
"Is 'low key' code for 'something Emmett will agree to'?" Rose asked from the driver's seat. Damn Rose, being all perceptive and shit. There was definitely no love lost between Rose and Emmett. He thought she was conceited and trashy. She felt I was settling-which I didn't understand. He was a successful, intelligent man who was financially stable and wasn't scared of a serious relationship. I mean, he wasn't perfect- no one was- but that didn't mean that I was settling.
"Oh stop, Rose." Alice said, saving me from having to respond to Rose. Alice, the romantic, was certain that Emmett and I were destined to be, just like her and her husband, Jasper. She made me promise, on a weekly basis, that when Emmett proposed I would let her be our wedding planner. "They're still in that early stage of love when you just don't want the other person out of your sight."
"What's your excuse? You and Jasper have been together five years and you're still joined at the hip." Rose asked.
"Just because you like to share your man with other women…" Alice mumbled.
"That was one time! Once!" Rose cried, banging on the steering wheel for emphasis. Rose had made the mistake of telling me and Alice that one time she and her boyfriend of three years Jake had engaged in a ménage a trios. Alice lectured her about the danger of letting another person into their relationship and swore their relationship was doomed. That was two years ago and they were as in love as ever, but Alice wouldn't let it go.
"Guys, stop. Seriously, I just want something small. Maybe we can go to that new spa across the street from the gym?"
Alice and Rose both made enthusiastic sounds about my suggestion. Crisis averted. Rose pulled the car to a stop in front of my building.
"I miss this building. Does Mrs. Santrini still make those Italian cookies?" Alice wanted to know.
"Every Sunday night." I told her, opening the passenger side door. Alice and I lived across the hall from each other until Alice and Jasper got married a year ago. She was the first person I met when I moved in and we had been inseparable ever since. I'd met Rose through Alice- Rose and Jasper were sister and brother. The three of us were very very different, but somehow we balanced each other out.
"Tell her I said hi." Alice said as she got into the front seat.
"I will!" I waved good bye and walked toward my building.
"And put the vibrator down! You'll get desensitized!" I heard Rose call. I turned around, my mouth gaping open in shock, to see Alice and Rose doubled over in laughter.
"Toodles!" Alice yelled and Rose pulled the car into traffic.
Desensitizing? Was that really a thing? I needed to google that.
~SD~
Friday again. I was standing outside of Wings and Things again. It was still over ninety degrees, even in the early evening hours. The traffic was noisy, the people were animated all around me-everything seemed the same as the previous Friday but I was different. I was shaking, literally trembling, wondering if Edward would show up for our weekly dinner. Would I be able to look him in the eye? Would Emmett be able to feel the shift in the energy between us? Would Edward act the same as before? Would I? I could barely concentrate at work as these thoughts swirled around in my mind.
I spotted Emmett sauntering down the street toward the restaurant, talking on his phone. He was wearing a white shirt, a pair of navy pants and a striped tie and looked every bit the go-getter that he was.
"Hey babe." He said, kissing me lightly on the lips in greeting. "That was Edward. He's stuck at work so he's not coming."
"Oh, okay." I said, keeping the relief out of my voice and trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. I followed Emmett inside to the hostess stand.
"Two?" She said and we both nodded. We were seated in Lauren's section again. When she came over to take our drink orders she noticed that Edward was missing.
"Where's your brother?" she cooed.
"He had to work late." Emmett explained.
"Awww, too bad. I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries, but is he seeing anyone?" she asked hopefully, looking between me and Emmett, waiting for one of us to throw her a bone.
"I don't know, but I don't think so. He hasn't said anything to me about a girlfriend." Emmett said.
"Can you give him my number?" She said, writing her number on a napkin and handing it to Emmett.
"Sure." He said, folding the napkin and putting it in his pocket.
"So what can I get you to drink? And how about an order of loaded potato skins, on the house?"
"Sure!" Emmett said, excitedly. Of course it was just a ploy to get us to convince Edward to give her a chance but all Emmett heard was potato skins and free. We both ordered our beers and she went on to her next table.
"Are you going to give him her number?" I asked, feeling a little pang in the pit of my stomach. I wouldn't call it full blown jealousy but maybe a little tiny miniscule jealousy-lite.
"Yeah, but I don't know why she's interested in him. He's so lazy."
"Lazy? He's an attorney. I don't think a lazy person goes to law school and passes the bar on the first attempt."
"I guess, but he is pretty complacent. There is no way I would settle for being an associate. I would bust my ass to make partner."
"Mmmm." I said, noncommittally. "So how's the project going? Do the developers think that they can get the testing done in time?" I asked, changing the subject.
He launched into a play by play of their latest meeting and I only half-listened, nodding at all the right places, when actually my mind was a million miles away. I thought I would only feel relief since Edward was keeping his promise and keeping his distance. And I was relieved, but I also missed him.
~SD~
"Where is this party at again?" Alice was asking as she plugged her curling iron into my bathroom electrical socket. I had asked her to come over to do something with my hair.
"The Brazilian steakhouse. I forget the name."
"So kind of casual…" she mused. I sat down on the toilet in my robe and she began winding my long locks into loose curls, giving it a lot of movement.
"You should wear your black jumpsuit, the one with the halter top and the pants."
"Heels?"
"Definitely heels. Light makeup, just mascara and a red lip."
She finished curling my hair and I ran across the hallway into my bedroom and put on the jumpsuit. It was five minutes before seven and Emmett would be there any minute. I went into the living room and modeled it for Alice.
"You need a thong. The material is thin and your panty line is noticeable."
I went back into my bedroom and changed my panties. I added heels and went back for Alice's inspection.
"Open toe heels, more summery." she suggested.
Once Alice was satisfied with my shoe choice, I added a couple coats of black mascara and my favorite red lipstick from MAC.
I did a little spin for Alice in the living room and she applauded.
"Magnifique!" she said in her fake French accent. She snapped a pic with her iPhone and sent it to Rose.
"Rose said that you look hot and that she would do you." Alice read me Rose's text and we both cracked up.
I went into my bedroom to get my purse and the door buzzed.
"Alice, can you buzz him in?" I yelled from my closet. I heard Alice let Emmett into the apartment while I searched for the silver clutch that I had bought a few months ago. I finally found it, underneath my red sweater in the corner of the closet.
I joined them in the living room a minute later, purse in hand.
"Ah, the piece de resistance." Alice said, eying the clutch.
"So Madame approves?"
"She does." Alice giggled.
"You ready to go, babe?" Emmett said, standing up from the sofa, his broad shoulders filling out his crisp blue shirt very nicely.
"Yep, all set."
"Okay, I'll see you guys later. I'm going to stop by Mrs. Santrini's before I go home to say hi." Alice told us.
"Thanks, Alice." I said as she walked to the door.
"Bye, shorty." Emmett said.
She waved as she slipped out of the apartment.
"Do I look okay?" I asked Emmett.
"You look fine. Come on, I'm double parked."
"Emmett!"
"Well, you told me not to park on the sidewalk!" He said, ushering me out the door.
"What's the name of the person who is retiring?" I asked as we drove toward the restaurant.
"His name is Felix. He is the other executive vice president."
"Do we need to stop for a card?"
"No, the office did a group card and everyone put in money for a gift."
"That's nice…what's the gift?"
"I didn't ask." Of course he didn't.
"Like how many people are going to be there?"
"I have no idea, thirty or forty?"
I sighed.
We walked into the restaurant thirty minutes later, after Emmett complained over and over about how impossible it was to find parking. The hostess ushered us into a large private room and introductions were made. Everyone was really nice and welcoming, but so many names and titles were being thrown at me and I knew I'd never remember it all. We sat at a table with people from Emmett's department. The only other people I recognized were Alec and his wife Jane-I had met them at the company barbeque in July. We chatted together for a few minutes while Emmett made his rounds. I felt a hand on my shoulder.
"Isabella, it's so nice to see you again."
"Hello Aro, very nice to see you as well."
He pointed to the chair to my right. "Is this seat taken?"
I shook my head. "No, feel free."
He sat down and was quiet as Alec, Jane and I resumed our conversation. Emmett returned to his seat as soon as the food began arriving. Everything that I tasted was marvelous. We were all discussing how delicious each dish was when I felt something bump my right knee. I looked over at Aro, thinking that maybe I had accidentally bumped him under the table, but he was talking to the man across from him so I let it go. A couple minutes later, I felt it again, this time it lingered for a few seconds. Five minutes after that, I could clearly feel Aro's hand on my knee and this time he wasn't removing it. He slid it higher, one centimeter at a time. I looked at him and he was still in deep conversation. I discreetly moved his hand away.
"Everything okay?" Jane asked me, her eyes looking concerned.
"Yeah, why?"
"For a second you had a grimace on your face."
"Yeah, that last piece of chicken was a little too spicy for me." I told her, laughing. And lying.
"Babe, you love spicy food." Emmett said.
"Yeah, but that was a bit much even for me. The habaneros." I said, sipping from my water glass for added effect.
Aro placed his hand on my knee yet again, moving higher until he was grazing my thigh. This time I looked at Emmett to see if he noticed what was going on. He was busy arguing with Alec about something work related. Aro squeezed my thigh and I abruptly stood up. Everyone at the table stopped talking and looked up at me.
"Excuse me, I am going to the ladies room." I announced. I hastily made my way to the restroom and only breathed once the door was closed and I was alone. I splashed some water on my flushed face. I just had to get through this stupid dinner and I probably would never have to see Aro again. Yeah right. Well, even if I saw him again, I would make sure I was never alone with him and that he was never ever seated next to me. I can do this. I can do this.
I pushed the door open and the first face I saw was Aro's
"You know what I want." He growled, his face shadowed in the darkened alcove where the restrooms were located.
I pushed past him and he grabbed my arm.
"Let go of me!" I said, shrugging him off.
"Just one night. And I can guarantee that your boyfriend gets the vice president position that I know he wants so desperately."
"Emmett is very good at his job. He will get the promotion, with or without you."
"One word from me and it's a done deal." He said arrogantly.
"I'm willing to take the chance that he'll get it without your help." I spat. He chuckled and cupped my breast. I slapped his hand away but he held onto my hand, squeezing it so hard that it brought tears to my eyes.
"I will have you. And if you ever tell Emmett, I will ruin him." He let go of my hand and pushed me aside, striding assuredly into the men's room as I stumbled into the wall from the force of his shove.
My eyes filled with tears again, but for a different reason this time. What the fuck was I going to do?