Chapter Thirteen

Charlie

I was glad to see Bella, it had been too long but I wasn't pleased to see her boyfriend and I was even less pleased when he introduced himself as her fiancé. I looked down at her hand and saw the ruby and diamond ring sitting on her wedding finger.

"I'm sorry I didn't ask your permission for Bella's hand first Chief Swan but Bella gave me her permission instead and these days that is enough."

"Yeah so I hear Jasper. A lot of things have changed over the years and not all for the better."

"Oh I agree but I hope once you've had time to get to know me that you will give us your blessing."

"Do you now? Isn't that old fashioned too?"

"Yes sir but I know it would make Bella very happy if she knew you approved."

I glanced at Bella who was looking apprehensively at me, she knew I wasn't happy, but then she'd known I wouldn't be before she agreed to his proposal.

"Well I guess you'd better come inside and tell me a little about yourself Jasper."

We went inside and Bella made coffee while Jasper and I took seats opposite each other at the dining table.

"Perhaps I should fill you in on a little of my background first sir."

I wasn't sure if he was sincere in calling me sir or like a lot of young people these days taking the piss but I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt for Bella's sake. So I listened as he explained about the car crash that took his parents and the doctor who had fostered him and his sister Rosalie.

"It must have been very hard for you to lose your parents so young."

"It was but at least Rose and I had each other."

"Don't you have any other family at all?"

"No sir, there's just my sister and myself but we look on Dr and Mrs Cullen as our parents and the other foster kids as our kin too."

He told me about his hopes for the future and the money he was to inherit on his twenty first birthday that would enable him to start up the ranch.

"What about Bella? I'm pretty sure running a ranch wasn't on her list of things she wanted to do with her life."

Bella tried to butt in then but Jasper stopped her very gently,

"It's OK Bella, your father has every right to question me as his daughters choice of life partner."

"Life partner? Is that what you call it these days? Most marriages don't seem to last longer than a few years let alone a life time."

"I understand your caution but I can assure you Chief Swan that I will love Bella and look after her, do everything in my power to make her happy for as long as she lives."

There was something about this young man that made me uneasy which was odd because I also believed he meant every word he was saying. He seemed far older than his years, looking at me as if to say, you and I both want the same thing, Bella's happiness and I will give her that. I knew well that it didn't matter a fig what I said or thought at the end of the day. Bella would do what she decided irrespective of my feelings on the matter. When Bella set a mug of coffee down before me then sat next to her "fiancé" with her own I noticed there wasn't one for him. He smiled as he recognized my puzzled expression,

"I have a genetic disorder Chief Swan, its not life threatening but it means I have to follow a very strict diet."

"I see, is it responsible for your pallor too?"

He nodded,

"Yes and the cold feel of my skin and strange color of my eyes, I'm used to being looked at now and explaining."

"Does your sister have the same problem? I guess having a doctor as a foster father is useful under the circumstances."

"Yes she does and it is. As I say it makes no difference to me except my diet. Bella's used to my oddities by now."

"Sue Clearwater was gonna get the bedrooms ready for you but with Harry sick she didn't have time so Emily Uley gave me a hand. I put you in your old room Bella and Jasper's got the attic room. Its not the best of places but it's all I got."

I waited to be challenged but Jasper just nodded,

"That's fine Chief Swan, thank you for putting yourself to so much trouble for me."

Curse it, this guy was harder to rile than a dead rattler, I had hoped to get a rise out of him somewhere along the line but he was the most polite and courteous young guy I'd ever met and it seemed natural not forced at all. I was even beginning to like the guy and that upset me most of all because I wanted to hate the guy who stole my little girls heart and I found myself unable to.

"We've been invited to the Res tomorrow night for a barbecue. I think Billy and the others were hoping to see you Bella, and meet your young man of course."

Now I got a reaction out of Jasper... about time.

"I'm sorry Chief but I have someone to see tomorrow and I was hoping you would forgive me. It will give you some time with Bella and I know you don't see that much of her."

Bella looked at him frowning, so he hadn't told her about his little side visit? Well he was right, I would enjoy the time alone with Bella so I wasn't going to complain.

"That's a shame Jasper, still like you said I'll have Bella to myself. Maybe you'd like her to show you to your room?"

He grabbed their bags and followed her upstairs while I went to finish up in the garden and ponder my prospective son in law.

Bella

I was relieved that Jasper held his own with my dad and I thought Charlie was coming round, he might even like Jazz by the time we left. What did surprise me was Jasper's announcement he had somewhere to go tomorrow. Why hadn't he mentioned this before? As soon as we got up to the attic room he took me in his arms and held me close kissing me hungrily,

"Its going to be a lonely night up here without you."

"You could sneak down when dad goes to sleep."

He shook his head with a grin,

"I think he's mellowing, if he catches me trying that he'll throw me out on my ear. Bella I know I didn't say anything about leaving you tomorrow but I can't go to the Reservation and please can you trust me on this and not ask me to explain. I will in time I promise but it would be much better if I just found somewhere else to be tomorrow. Besides it gives your dad time with you and once we leave I have you all to myself again."

I was curious but decided he'd never asked me to trust him before so I would, at least for the time being although I would miss him like crazy.

We spent the rest of the day on a walking tour of the town and then I met my dad for dinner in the diner, his favorite eatery while Jazz went back to the house for his medication. I didn't even know if he took medicine or tablets, I'd never seen them even at his place but maybe he kept them on him. One day I would have to know, and what he could eat, but for now it didn't matter. Except of course that Charlie started with the questions as soon as our meals arrived and some questions like his medical condition I couldn't answer.

"Well? What do you think of him dad?"

He grunted but I could see my dad was softening,

"As guys go he's OK Bella, I just think you're too young to be tying yourself down to one guy. I also know there's nothing to be gained by trying to dissuade you, you're too much like your mother, stubborn when you get the bit between your teeth but I'm glad you're still going away with your mum, I think a little space might be a good thing for both of you."