A/N: A lot of you missed the fact that Edward and Bella were out in public, not at Edward's new apartment. A lot of reviewers seem to think that Makenna and Embry are working together. That's not the case. Carry on, carry on.

Makenna is everything I'm not: flashy, polished, well-dressed, and made up like she's a contestant in a beauty contest. Her sheer white top is at least two sizes too small for her oversized breasts. Her skin is bordering on orange, and I wonder if people still get spray tans. She looks like one of the "Girls Next Door" from the early 2000s, and it takes everything in me not to laugh in her face.

She whips her sunglasses off her face and sticks them in her hair; it's clearly been bleached within an inch of its life, and I can see dark roots starting to show. "So, Edward, how have you been?" She purrs—PURRS—licking her lips and smiling at him.

"Fine, Makenna. Good to see you." He turns to open my door to help me inside when Makenna interrupts us again.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

"No because she's important and you're not." Edward smiles at me, shutting my door and walking around to the driver's side. When he climbs in next to me, he takes a deep breath before starting the truck and backing slowly out of the space. I can see Makenna standing there, staring at us as we leave, but Edward doesn't say anything.

It's not until we're on the freeway that the silence is broken. I reach over to lace my fingers with Edward's right hand that's resting on the center console. "Did you mean what you said?"

He doesn't glance my way, but his hand tightens around mine. "Yes, I did."

**BoU**

One week from the day that Edward and I ran into Makenna, Rose calls me up to share some good news.

"You may have already guessed, but Emmett proposed!"

I excitedly chat with her about the proposal in the mountains, the engagement party coming up, and I get a little teary when she asks me to be her maid of honor. "Don't you think you should ask Alice?" I wonder, but she calms my nerves.

"Alice and I spoke about it. She's going to be a bridesmaid, and I want her to work with you, but she understands. We've also made sure that we're going to spend some more time together … just the two of us."

"I'm honored, Rose. I'm really happy for you and Em," I tell her as I start to write down some ideas for her bachelorette party. "I'll call your mom this week to help her out."

"Thanks, girl. There is one more thing." When she's quiet for more than a moment, I laugh.

"Spit it out, Rose."

"Emmett is asking Edward to be his best man. I don't want things to be weird or an—"

"You really shouldn't go radio silent on me," I say with a snicker. "Edward and I have been … seeing each other? I'm not sure if that's how I'd describe it, but it's fine. I appreciate it, but it's fine."

She presses me for a few details, but I have to hustle her off the line when I see the time and realize I need to call in for a work meeting. When I log into the video chat, Ben is there waiting, and he smiles warmly.

We chat for a few minutes while everyone else logs in, but just after an hour and as we're all wrapping up, I get a text from Ben asking if I'm free for a drink this weekend. I tell him I need to let him know, and I promise to get back to him this evening.

I'm seeing Edward tonight for dinner. We've talked every day since we last saw each other, but maybe it's too soon to ask for clarification. I'm stuck in that revolving thought process for hours until a soft knock at my door jolts me from my thoughts.

I open it to find Edward in his uniform, looking tired but smiling broadly at me. He's holding a small bouquet of flowers and removes his cover as he steps inside my condo. "Hey." He hands me the flowers as he looks around curiously. "Is it okay if I take my blouse off? It's been a long day."

"Yeah, you can take your boots off if you want, too." I head into the kitchen and set up the flowers. I feel his strong hands come around my shoulders. "You okay?"

"It was a long day. It was exam day." His chin is resting on my shoulder, and the weight of him sinks into me. Leaving the vase on the counter, I turn in his arms, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"Why don't we go veg on the couch. I'll order some food, and you can tell me all about it." I squeeze him, and he sighs. When I pull away, I see his eyes shining. "What is it?"

"I just really wanted to see you all day. I needed this." He pulls me into his arms again. The rough cotton of his blouse rubs against my cheek, and his Velcro name tag gets a little tangled in my hair.

I take the time to deliberately unbutton his top and drag it down his arms. It isn't sexual, but there is a sensual element to this act. His sculpted arms flex as I undress him, his chest tightening under the dark blue T-shirt. "Go sit down," I tell him gently. He walks away from me, backward, never breaking eye contact until he rounds the corner, and I take a moment to catch my breath.

I don't want to rush into anything again with him. We owe it to each other to do this right this time; I don't want to ruin this. I think about Ben and make the decision that I'm not free. Regardless of what Edward says, I'm in this, and I'll wait. I grab two bottles of water for us and walk to the living room to find Edward scrolling on his phone.

"Have you talked to Rose lately?" he asks, slightly cryptically. I hand over a bottle.

"Yeah, she called today." I extend my hand to shake his. "Hi, I'm the maid of honor."

He grabs my hand. "Best man. I have no idea what to do."

"I'll fill you in but, basically, make sure Emmett doesn't do anything stupid between now and when he says 'I do'." I wake up my phone to find some food for us to order, and Edward laughs.

"I'll do my best. How was your day?" He settles back into the cushions and smiles my way.

"It was fine. Do you want to talk about the exam?" I curl up next to him, placing my phone on the end table and turning my attention fully on him.

"There's not much to say." He's playing with my fingers, but his eyes are closed with his head nestled against the back of the couch. "It's four hours of my life that I won't get back. Three hundred questions about my rate and Navy regulations and practices."

"How do you think it went? You know your stuff. You're not worried, right?" Lacing my fingers with his, I lean my head on his shoulder.

"No," he whispers, and in this moment, everything I thought I knew about Edward leaves me. He's just a scared kid, waiting for his shot at a bigger, brighter future. I know how desperately he wants this. In all the time I've known him, almost three years, he's always been focused on this moment.

"When will you know?"

"We'll get results in late June or early July. Could be sooner; could be later." He sighs, sitting up, shaking his head a little. "I can't dwell. My record's clean, and I know my shit."

"Then let's have dinner and not think about it." I press a kiss to his cheek and grab my phone again. "How does sushi sound?"

We eat at my coffee table, watching reruns of some prime time sitcom and talking as it starts to get late. Edward's already said a few times that he should get going, but he hasn't made a move to leave yet; I'm relieved. Tonight, like the last few times, feels different, and I don't want it to end.

I'm throwing away all the trash from dinner when I hear him call my name. "Bella? Your phone is ringing."

I walk back into the living room just in time to see Ben's smiling face flash across my screen, and Edward is looking down at his feet. I let the call go to voicemail, sighing. "What do you want to ask me?"

"Nothing." He sighs, running his hands over his face and standing. "I should go home."

He makes a move for his blouse, but I block his path. "Don't do this. Don't shut me out. Talk to me."

"Ben is the guy from your work, right? The one you went out with … before?" I nod, and he sits back down. "Are you still seeing him?"

When I tell him that it's been several months since Ben and I have gone out, he visibly relaxes. "He actually asked me to go for a drink this week. I think he wanted to see where I was with everything …"

"You mean, with us?" Edward pales slightly, and I don't know if it's due to the topic or just the fact that we're discussing this without fighting.

"He basically told me to figure my shit out. So, I'm trying to." I shrug, leaving this completely in his court. This hasn't been easy, and we've haven't been the most open or honest with each other in the past, but it's time for something different.

"I'd like to take things easy," Edward finally says, but his brow is glistening, and I worry that maybe this is too much pressure on him. "I want to give us a fair shot. I don't want to jump the gun again."

"I respect that." I take a step closer. "Are you okay?" Edward's eyes go wide, and he bolts upright and into my guest bathroom where I hear his retching echo off the walls.

I rush in and try to comfort him, but he waves me away. I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and search in my dresser for the lone pair of oversized sweats I have. I'm not sending Edward home like this. I hear him quiet down, the toilet flush, and water running in the sink.

When I walk back out, I find him leaning against the vanity, shaking and pale. "I brought you some pants to change into. They'll probably be too short, but they'll be better than your uniform."

Handing them over, he takes them without making eye-contact. "Thanks. I, uh …"

"I'm not good with puke, but I'm here. Are you okay?" I keep my distance but watch him closely.

"I'm not sure what's left, but I don't think I'm done," he says finally.

Nodding, I reach out to touch his shoulder. "Two options. Stay on the couch and use this bathroom all night. Or stay in my bed and be closer to my bathroom. It's up to you."

"I have to go home," he says sadly. Shaking my head, I gently pull him out of the bathroom.

"Edward, I'm not letting you drive. If you left, I would follow you. I know where you live. You don't have duty this weekend. Just sleep it off here." When he nods weakly, I smile. "Good. I'll get your boots off. Where are you sleeping?"

He chooses the couch, but after two more rounds, he wanders down the hall to my room where I'm up late into the night reading. "Can I come in?"

Patting the bed next to me, he gingerly climbs up, laying his head in my lap. I rub circles on his back, and he sighs. "I think I'm finally done."

"Good. I'll never order sushi from that place again."

He chuckles lightly. "I have to tell you something." He swivels his head to look at me. "I don't like sushi. I never have."

"Oh no." I start to laugh, and just when he starts to join in, he hops off the bed and runs into my bathroom. "It's going to be a long night."