Right Here All Along
Chapter 2
I sat down at the table and started talking to Emmett about what he did.
He told me he was the football coach at Forks High and the Guidance Counselor.
We talked about what we'd been up to over the years and he asked if I had a serious boyfriend in New York and I told him I'd been single for about a year. He said he'd been single for almost 9 months, he'd caught her cheating.
I could feel Edward's stare on me, but ignored it. Emmett was much more interesting to me.
"So, why did you choose photography? I always thought you'd be an English teacher." Emmett inquired.
"Well, I do have an English degree as well as my B.S. in Photography." I smiled.
"Wow! Did you have any fun in college?" Emmett smiled.
"Well, after my sophomore year, I dove into school. I took online classes and finished high school a year early and took my basic classes at FCC, that way when I went NYU all I had left were my classes for English and Photography. I just worked hard, that's why I was home only for Thanksgiving and Christmas, because the school closed." I smiled.
"Wow! That's awesome dedication. I know your parents are proud of you and Alice both." He smiled back.
"Yeah, I know. I just feel bad now that I didn't get home more. What if something would've happed to them and I was half way around the world?" he leaned forward and brushed the tears off my face that I didn't ever realized had started falling.
"What the hell Emmett?" Edward growled. "Why are you making her cry?" he snapped.
"Excuse me Edward? When did I become your concern? I think that ended 9 years ago." I spat and got up to walk out.
"Bella, wait!" It was Emmett, but I was so pissed I kept walking.
"Bella, please! You can't walk home." Emmett pleaded, so I stopped.
"Emmett, I don't' want to come between you and Edward. I can walk." I turned to keep walking.
"I told Jasper I would drive you. Please!" he begged.
"OK." I relented.
We drove home quietly.
"Can I take you to lunch tomorrow?" he asked as we pulled into my parent's driveway.
"Emmett, I really don't want complications." I sighed.
"What's complicated about lunch?" he shrugged.
"Your brother will be pissed." I stated matter of factly.
"Do you still care about Edward?" he asked with a hurt look.
"NO! I did at first, but by the time I started the next school year, I was over it. I had everyone staring at me and talking about me because of what he'd done and how he'd done it, but I just ignored them. Alice and I pretty much kept to ourselves. I want nothing to do with him." I said with the confidence I felt.
"Good. Because then I couldn't do this." He pulled me close to him and crashed his lips to mine.
"Emmett. Don't do this to get Edward jealous." I shook my head.
"That was so not for Edward. That was for me and something I wanted to do a long time ago." He smiled sincerely. "So, lunch tomorrow?" he smiled.
"OK. Sounds good." I relented.
"I'll be here at 11:00, we'll go to Port Angeles, there's a great new restaurant there." He kissed my cheek as he helped me out of his Hummer.
"OK. See you then." He smiled and watched me until I walked inside.
I'm lying in bed, trying to sleep when my phone beeps.
Thanks for telling me where you went!~J
Sorry J, Edward just pissed me off.~B
Well, thank Emmett for texting Me.~J
OK.~B
Ah Ha! So you are going to see him again! :p ~J
Ugh! You're such a brat! Yes, we're going to lunch.~B
He likes you. I can tell.~J
Are we really going to have this conversation through text?~B
Hell yeah! I can't very well drive over there drunk!~J
Then get some sleep and come take me to breakfast.~B
Will do sis! See you at 7!~J
Ugh! OK! Love ya!~B
Finally around 2am I fell asleep.
My alarm blared at 6am.
I groaned and got up. I showered and threw on a pair of yoga pants and a tank top along with the matching jacket and my sneakers.
I heard Jasper and my parents in the kitchen talking, dad was dressed for work as was Jasper.
"I thought you were off today bro." I smiled.
"No, I just go in late, gotta take my sister to breakfast." He wiggled his eyebrows.
"So, who brought you home last night?" my dad raised his eyebrows and I shot Jasper a dirty look.
"Emmett Cullen." I sighed.
"Oh? He's a wonderful man Bell. He loves kids too!" my mom all but squealed.
"It was a ride home, not a marriage proposal." I huffed.
"Pretty damn close for Emmett." Jasper laughed and I rolled my eyes, trying to drag him out of the house before my mom was calling Esme and planning a damn wedding.
"Really? You had to go there." I asked.
"What?" he tried to play innocent.
"You had to do the whole Emmett thing." I snarked.
"The whole Emmett thing?" he asked innocently.
"Jasper, seriously. I don't need anything serious." I said somewhat convincing.
Breakfast was fun with Jasper we talked and laughed, saw a few people I knew from school and promised to catch up with them later on.
Jasper dropped me off at home on the way to the station.
I dressed and got ready for lunch with Emmett.
I wore a pair of skinny jeans, a deep purple, long sleeve Henley shirt and my purple Converse. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and added some lip gloss, and I was ready to go. I grabbed my house key and cell phone and was ready, just as Emmett knocked on the door.
"Wow! You look great." He smiled.
"Thanks? It's just jeans and a shirt." I shrugged as he opened the door.
"Yeah, but you can pull it off and still look good." He smiled at me.
We drove in relative silence, I didn't know Emmett to well, I'd seen him when I dated Edward and around Jasper, but he was always pretty nice.
"I hope you like Thai food." He smiled.
"Yeah, I do. I ate it often in New York." I smiled back.
We arrived at the little restaurant and Emmett ordered the daily special for us to share.
We talked for a bit and when our food came we ate with little conversation, due to the food was so delicious.
"So, how long are you here?" Emmett questioned.
"Oh, um for good, or until my mom is better. I might just make this my home base." I shrugged.
"That would be great. I'd like to get to know you better." Emmett smiled his dimpled smile at me.
"Look, you're a great guy Emmett, but I don't want to cause problems with you and your brother." I sighed.
"Bella, I don't give a shit what Edward thinks! We're adults, he was an ass to you and I want you to know that I will never be like that." Emmett declared.
'Can we just take it day by day then? I mean we don't really know each other." I caved.
"Of course. It'd be crazy to rush into anything." He held my hand across the table.
"That and I will be back and forth to New York and California, some small side trips here and there." I informed him.
"That's cool. Jasper told me what you did, as far as who you worked for and such. What would you say to taking pictures for the sports teams at the high school?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm sure we can work something out. It might take a few more dinners on your part though." I smiled at him.
"Hey, I'm a pretty good cook." He boasted.
"Well then. We'll just have to see about that." I teased.
We arrived back at my parent's house and he stopped me before I could get out.
"Thanks for coming today. I had a great time. And I do want to get to know you better. And if you're looking for your own place. I know of a cabin for rent." He shrugged.
"OK. Thanks. I might take you up on that." I kissed his cheek before sliding out of the car and waking goodbye.
AN:
Hope you enjoyed this chapter…
It's another long one.
Bella just likes to ramble!
Reviews=Love