E-POV

There was no reason for me to be concerned. Bella made it abundantly clear that she had no prolonged feelings for her old beaux.

From the way Bella's friends eagerly welcomed him into their group, I feared the worst. They adored Bella and shied away from me, meaning they had decent taste in character. Theoretically, their new friend would be as charming, outgoing, and friendly as Bella. Those traits, paired with the acceptance of Bella's friends and romantic history with Bella, made for a formidable adversary.

Then, I heard his thoughts.

During our first encounter, his thoughts had been so innocent. Filled with ecstasy that he had actually found his girl, hope for a future with her, and, of course, love. Jealousy for me inspired the hateful words that hurt poor Bella's feelings—he hoped to embarrass her out of our relationship. Shockingly enough, he was close to the mark. He hit an insecurity I didn't know Bella had.

As his thoughts painted his portrait with his true colors, my fears shifted but did not fade.

His horror when I placed my hand on my girlfriend's waist, wondering how I could stand to touch her. His disgust when I bought Bella her favorite coffee order, knowing it was filled with dairy and sugar. As much as he loved her, he hated her. And he hated himself for loving her. A dangerous internal battle that would leave no survivors. It wasn't my heart I feared for if Bella chose to leave the life of monsters behind for a human—it was hers. After all, she had fallen victim to him once before. It could happen again.

At lunch, I struggled not to backhand the boy as Jacob watched Bella's mouth with delight and disgust while she sipped on a free smoothie gifted to her by Mike. He had ruined an order and she was the first to accept.

With my and Jacob's addition to the lunch gang, the small table beside the smoothie shop was always overcrowded. I leaned on the wall behind where Bella sat. Similarly, Angela stood behind Ben, teasing him for his messy choice of lunch while pinching his cheek.

Like most days, I ignored most of the chatter, until I heard Bella's name in Jessica's thoughts. Jessica commented that Bella's smoothie looked good, and Bella agreed that it was.

"I can only drink the Green Machine—everything else has too much sugar. Lauren and I are eating really healthy now," she said, proudly, "Instead of gaining the Freshman Fifteen, we're going to lose fifteen pounds instead. Isn't that clever?"

Bella nodded, absentmindedly.

Uninterested in the conversation, I dulled the voices around me until they because a low buzz. The dining hall was so crowded it sounded like I stuck my head in a beehive.

The sound of my name pulled me back. When I glanced at Jessica's lips to read what she said, they were spread into a smile much too seductive for the public. Especially while my hand was draped over my girlfriend's shoulder, fingers laced through hers. "I'm sure you have excellent routines."

"Edward likes to work out in the morning," Bella said on my behalf, for she knew I missed whatever the question was. "He has a routine with his brothers."

"Maybe if you joined, he'll be more inclined to come with us." Jessica raised her eyebrows, expectantly.

Bella took a long sip of smoothie. "No. The last two times I went to the gym I broke my foot."

Mike laughed, loud and full, demanding the full stories. Bella promised to recount them for him at another time.

"That's more of an incentive. Then, Edward will come to protect your feet," Jessica pointed out, correctly.

"I think I'm okay."

"Well, I think you should come."

"Seriously, Jess. I'm a yoga-doing, hiking on a trail, walking on the beach kind of girl."

"Come on, Bella! We're going to make it fun! Jake is coming too," Jessica continued, elbowing their friend lightly, "he's going to do the free weights with us to intimidate boys, so they won't look at our butts."

At the mention of Jacob's name, Bella's fingers slid from mine. As his head turned in our direction, she shook my hand from my shoulder and made herself as small as possible on her chair, as if she could hide from his attention.

Jacob thought of a response I rather he didn't say. My empty hand still stung from my girlfriend's withdrawal, and I didn't need any more of his interference. I never spoke around Bella's friends at my own behest but to spare Bella from his comment, I brought the conversation back to an earlier point, "After tonight, you'll add dancing to your list."

The diversion worked. Jessica's hand flew up to her heart. "You're taking her dancing?" Poor Mike was going to get an earful of good boyfriend behavior later that night.

"We're going to my sister's favorite dance hall."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Bella grumbled.

"Bella!" Jessica shook her friend's arm. "Don't tell me you're not thrilled to go. I would be thrilled!"

"How many siblings do you have, Edward?" Angela asked.

It was easy to warm up to Angela. I held up four fingers. She delighted in that, eager to tell me about her two younger brothers when she had the chance. It would have to wait because Jessica was in the middle of a story about the dance she performed as Prom Queen.

"That'll be you, Bella," Ben teased, knowing Bella's distaste for attention. "Right in the spotlight. Every eye on you."

"I'll make sure to bring her a crown," I smiled.

"Don't be so sure. I still have a few hours to get out of this."

"You can go to the gym and break your foot," Mike suggested.

Bella smiled wryly. "You know, that doesn't sound too bad…"

"I'm on your side, Bella," Angela confided. "I wouldn't know what to do on a dance floor."

I shook my head, "You wouldn't need to know how to do anything. It's all in the leading." Angela still stood beside me, so I took her hand, gave her a delicate twirl, and dipped her low. When I pulled her back up, there was a blush on her cheeks. We received a small round of applause from our table, and the one next to ours.

"N-n-nevermind, Bella," she stammered. She adjusted her glasses. "You should go."

I raised my eyebrows to ask, see what I mean?

Bella was unimpressed. She remained unimpressed through our afternoon classes, all the way until I helped her into the car.

"If you don't think I can break my foot as easily in a dance hall as I can in a gym, you're delusional."

I responded with a gentle kiss on her brow.

The first stop of the night was to a local vintage shop, where everyone in the family would select outfits for their partners. I thought Bella would be thrilled to pick out a suit for me, but apparently, she was determined to stay in her bad mood for the entire week, because the only thing she said was, "You're going to have a tough time finding something for me."

"It'll be fine."

"I'm serious, Edward. I've struck out at these places before. I hope Alice stole something from my closet to be a backup. Otherwise, I'll be wearing a muumuu, a men's flannel, and a Porkpie hat."

"And yet, you'll be the most beautiful girl in the room. You always are."

At the compliment, she shifted in her seat. Thanks to that game night with her friends, I now knew her fidgeting was attributed to disbelief, rather than the coyness I always mistook it for. My chest tightened.

Enough cruel thoughts plagued my mind to know that Bella's particular body type was out of current fashion, but I didn't think modern trends mattered to Bella. After all, she loved old things: old stories, old clothes, old vampires. It was a shock that Jacob's toothless attack affected her as much as it did.

After I learned how sensitive my lovely girl was about her appearance, I was determined to show her the truth. Little did she know, instead of tracking a Hunter, Alice and I tracked down every piece of vintage clothes close to Bella's size. Alice spent the wee hours of the morning tailoring each piece to Bella's precise measurements. Then, we donated them all to the very shop we were driving to.

My smile widened. Her frown deepened.

The family was already at the vintage store when we pulled up, stuffed under the awning to stay out of the drizzle. Considerate as ever, Bella reigned back her sour mood to not tarnish the revelry that awaited her. She bounded up to the group, giving hugs to each, including—which would never cease to amaze me—Rosalie.

Eager to begin the night's festivities, the family skipped the proper greetings and shuffled through the door. The shop had the same dusty, mothball scent as our attic. Racks of clothing, rigorously sorted and organized by style, size, and color, transformed the open layout into a literal maze. Emmett was barely able to squeeze through due to his bulk. An old song from the Fifties barely creaked out of an old speaker. Esme and I shared a smile as we mouthed the lyrics to ourselves. The entire ceiling was a mirror, presumably so only a few staff members could keep an eye on the entire store.

I met Bella's gaze in the mirror as we both looked up. A ghost of a smile touched the edges of her lips. I silently vowed to get the whole smile. I kissed her cheek and followed my brothers and father into the woman's section of the shop, while she followed the others in the opposite direction.

It only took a few minutes of browsing to collect the pieces I bought and donated for Bella to choose from. I found her sadly flipping through men's pants. I cleared my throat but had to call her name to get her to look at me. Her eyes widened at the stack of dresses in my arm.

"Would you mind trying these on for me, Love?"

She eyed the stack warily.

"Please?"

Biting her lip, she reluctantly agreed.

It was hard not to pat myself on the back when she stepped out of the dressing room in her first dress. She was the most beautiful creature in my world, and it had nothing to do with the purple dress that hugged and emphasized all the right places. Her face shone with the smile that adorned it.

I motioned for her to twirl. She complied, eagerly.

"Beautiful," I grinned, "but let's see the next."

"Okay!"

Alice and Jasper joined me outside the dressing rooms, which were two curtains draped over what were once storage closets. Alice tried on Jasper's selection first. She still wore all black all the time, so my sister looked like an entirely different person when she emerged in a hot pink dress covered in frills. She giggled manically and revealed the orange tuxedo she had picked for Jasper, equally bright and frilly.

They would be quite the pair.

Meanwhile, Bella emerged in the yellow dress, grinning from ear to ear. Alice and Bella showered one another with compliments. Then, Alice shoved Bella back through the curtain, demanding more. Bella came out in her emerald green dress next. While she and Alice compared it to the last two, Jasper took the opportunity to put on his hideous tuxedo.

Esme and Carlisle were the next pair to meet us at the dressing rooms. They changed in the same one, laughing from behind the curtain. Carlisle emerged wearing a full denim suit. Esme leaped out after him in a matching denim dress. Even dressed as they were, my adoptive parents managed to look poised and elegant.

Carlisle smoothed his denim collar. "If I'm not mistaken, you threw out this exact outfit thirty years ago, Dear."

"You don't look any better in it now than you did back then," Esme teased. Then, gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Nice Daddy-o." As it often did, Emmett's voice arrived before he did. He slapped Carlisle on the back. "All denim all day!"

Rosalie appeared behind Emmett. She laughed and ironically complimented Alice and Esme both, in their silly dresses. She turned to me, raised a skeptical eyebrow, and said "Oh, Edward. Don't you think that's a bit too tacky?"

I looked down at the outfit I had worn all day—a respectable pair of slacks and a sweater vest.

Rose's comment brought the biggest laugh out of Bella I'd heard all week. Much to Rosalie's dismay, she got along wonderfully with Bella. I assumed it was standard for sisters and girlfriends to bond by ribbing their brother and boyfriend. And if there was one opportunity Rosalie would never miss, it was making fun of me.

I didn't mind. Their jokes brought a smile to both Bella's and Emmett's faces. And it wasn't like they ever came up with something I wasn't already painfully aware of.

Rosalie rubbed her hands together, "Let's see what you got me, baby."

With a wolfish grin, Emmett held up the smallest, most revealing scrap of fabric he could find. When Rosalie's smile faded, the entire family felt the sting. Jasper winced. Unsmiling, Rosalie plucked it from his hand and went to try it on in the dressing rooms at the opposite side of the store, away from everyone else.

"Fuck," Emmett mumbled once she was out of hearing range. He grabbed me by the elbow and pulled me close. "I don't know what I did. She loves to be hot."

It wasn't my place, and Rosalie would bite my head off for revealing her private thoughts, but for the good of the night, I told her husband, "She wants to be part of the fun. You gave her something she would normally wear."

Emmett nodded, speculatively. He mussed my hair before he set off again, "Thanks, kid. Love that little noggin of yours."

I frowned.

He certainly didn't love my noggin when Rosalie screamed in horror and shame when they learned I knew their intimate secrets from the bedroom. He didn't love my noggin when he had to force himself to keep songs out of his head while I was around, otherwise, I could never pay attention. He didn't love my noggin when he couldn't keep his last slip a secret from the family, for I already knew about it.

As if she could sense my distress, Bella wrapped her arms around me and nuzzled her cheek against my chest. "I think this is the dress."

I fluffed the many ruffles of her emerald green dress. It was a classic sixties-style dress, with puffed sleeves, a dropped waist, and a big bow that made her look like a present. It was the silliest of the dresses Alice tailored for her, but I supposed that was the name of the game. There was a low-cut, form-fitting blue dress I still wanted to see her in, but if she was content, I would be the last person to argue.

For good measure, I plopped a Porkpie hat on her head. "And now it's perfect."

She giggled, then returned to the men's section with Alice and Esme in tow. I was sure between the three of them, I would look ridiculous for the remainder of the night. They managed to find a white dress shirt with maire sleeves and a pair of men's boots that went above the knee. They encouraged me to keep on the sweater vest with a bout of laughter.

Rosalie and Emmett met us in line to pay for the clothes we would wear out of the shop. Emmett found them a matching set of sequined shorts and tuxedo jackets. Rosalie smiled brightly as she and Emmett received the most enthusiastic reaction yet. She fluffed her hair, proud of herself for being the best at yet another thing.

The teenage cashier rang up our clothes, her thoughts so preoccupied with Alice toying with her flouncy hem to even notice the rest of us dressed just as silly. When we were settled in the car, preparing for our next destination, Bella leaned over and kissed my jaw. "I don't want to know what you did or how much money you spent," she said between kisses, "Thank you."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

She smiled ruefully, "I'm sure you don't."

"You're welcome."

The plan was to head to a nearby restaurant next where Bella could eat dinner. Apparently, the idea of seven people watching her eat was abhorrent, so we drove past the restaurant for the cleanest thing for her to eat in her new dress, which turned out to be a turkey wrap.

Dressed, fed, and happier than she'd been all week, Bella was reluctantly ready to dance. The family could have gotten into the most exclusive clubs in the city and paid our way to the private rooms, but our preferred venue was in the opposite direction of Seattle. We drove through the small port city of Port Angeles to a country club along the water. The family never golfed nor enjoyed the restaurant members raved about. We weren't even members ourselves—each couple brought the necessary twenty-dollar guest fee. We utilized the country club for its monthly ballroom dancing club.

Dressed in our ridiculous vintage outfits, my family joined the throng of older folk filing into the dining hall. Bella giggled and rested her head against my arm.

"I told you this wasn't going to be a serious affair."

The country club's reception hall had large, arched windows that overlooked the Pacific Ocean and a stage for the live band. My family melted into the dancing couples, twirling and laughing. Any thoughts in their direction were spent on their unusual outfits, rather than our beauty or grace. For a last-minute whim, the vintage clothes were a sufficient distraction.

Bella lingered on at the edge of the dance floor, swaying slightly.

"Come," I moved my hand down toward her lower back, gently coaxing her towards the dance floor.

"Edward," she whispered her low warming, "I'm really not a good dancer."

"I don't care. I'm good enough for the both of us."

Bella didn't look entirely convinced, but she allowed me to lead her onto the floor, nonetheless. I took her hand in mine and wound my arms around her waist, pulling her close.

She wasn't wrong—Bella was an awful dancer. She couldn't find the beat if it smacked her over the head. I constantly missed steps to prevent her from stomping on my foot and breaking hers. The music didn't seem to have the same control over me as it had before. I found myself falling off the beat, joining hers. For my body was more attuned to her than anything else.

I smiled at the thought of becoming a worse dancer because of her, rather than helping her improve.

For even though we would never impress a crowd or even catch a beat, I was dancing with my partner. My perfect partner, who the universe crafted just for me. This beautiful, graceless creature was mine to dance badly with for the rest of eternity. No more would I steal a dance from another out of pity or hide behind the keys of my piano while the world danced around me. I found my forever dance partner.

Heedless of the crowd around us and the dance of which we were in the middle, I crushed my mouth to hers.

B-POV

I watched Edward's expression melt into one of unwavering, unapologetic adoration. Startled, I began to tease him, but then he fisted the fabric at the back of my dress and crushed me to him, mouth hard and unrelenting. Sensibility deserted me. Right in the middle of the dance floor, I molded my body to the hard shape of him—to the broad expanse of his chest, his stomach, his legs. A low, breathless sound escaped the back of my throat.

Suddenly, my hands were in Alice's as she spun us around in a circle. The breeze felt hot on my burning cheeks.

"Partner swap!" she sang over the music. Sure enough, Carlisle and Rosalie were twirling around us. Beyond them, Jasper and Esme fell into a rhythmic step. I turned just in time to see Emmett plant a kiss right on Edward's lips.

"Jesus Christ, Emmett!" Edward pushed him away and dramatically wiped his mouth.

"That's what you were doing." Emmett winked at me. "I thought it was how you danced."

Unamused with his brother's antics, Edward held out his hands for Emmett to take and the two began their dance. Edward readjusted his hands. "There is no way you are trying to lead while wearing those," he griped, referring to Emmett's sparkly shorts.

"Au contraire, Ducky. Only a leader would dress like this."

Partners switched again, and I was handed off to Carlisle. Alice squealed with delight as Edward took her hands, swung her under his legs, and tossed her into the air. My dance with Carlisle wasn't nearly as impressive. His hand was on my waist, mine on his shoulder as we stepped back and forth to the beat.

Out of the entire family, Carlisle intimidated me the most. I wasn't sure if it was because of his antiquity, his timeless charm, or the fact that Charlie would be in stitches if he knew I was dancing with his favorite doctor. We chatted amicably over the music during our awkward, little dance. He told me about work, and I tried my best to come up with interesting stories of my own. Edward was the most entertaining thing about my life, so the conversation turned to him again and again.

"He's never been so happy," Carlisle commented.

I followed his gaze to where Alice and Edward were bounding about with impossible grace. "I didn't realize he enjoyed dancing so much."

"I'm referring to you."

"Oh." The ever-present blush I wore in Carlisle's presence deepened. I looked down in a vain attempt to hide my awkwardness. "He makes me just as happy."

"It's a great relief to me that allows you make to him happy." Carlisle's gold eyes ached with ancient wisdom too old for his youthful face, "He tends to make that decision on other's behalf."

I looked back at Edward, laughing and smiling with his sister. I recalled the moments early in our relationship when he admitted what burden he was on his family—how everyone was better off without him. I felt for him and his loneliness. For I, too, struggled to fit in. It stung to learn that Edward's pain was self-inflicted. There was no reason for Edward's isolation. The only person who perceived Edward as a burden was Edward.

Carlisle gave me one, final twirl at the end of the song, stopping me in Emmett's direction. He bowed low for Esme, who rolled her eyes and patted his head. Emmett stalked towards me like I was prey—an intimidating gesture to receive from a vampire. Made significantly less intimidating by the tongue sticking out of his goofy grin and his wiggling gimme-gimme-gimme fingers.

"Emmett!" Edward warned, sensing what was to come. "You have to be careful with her."

Emmett brushed away his brother's warning with a sweep of his hand. "We'll be fine."

"I mean it, Emmett. You will rip her arm off."

Emmett jutted his thumb behind his shoulder, "Then it's a good thing Carlisle's right there."

It was difficult not to laugh at Edward's appalled expression. Before Edward could have the very first vampire aneurysm, Esme swept him away for a dance. Emmett lifted me up and around and had me in stitches as we traipsed around Edward and Esme, who were trying their best to have a serious dance between them.

For the next song, I was back in Edward's arms. I clung to him gratefully, for I missed him. He clutched my arm and pulled me out of the way before I could be knocked over by Emmett and Rosalie, viciously making out. He gripped her thigh where it was hiked up high upon his waist. Edward made a face at me as we distanced ourselves from them.

We left the dance floor entirely and joined several other older couples enjoying the view of the sea from the massive windows. A storm raged miles away, its perilous proximity captivating, much like the vampire beside me.

Edward pushed his hair out of his eyes, "It's terrifying to know that's what we look like."

I laughed. Emmett and Rosalie were sweet in their throes of passion, if not a bit rough. "You have only yourself to thank for that," I said, referring to the couple's brief spat in the vintage store.

Edward chuckled. "I suppose I do."

I wrapped my hands around his bicep. "Your gift isn't nearly the burden you think it is."

"For every one problem my gift solves, it causes a dozen more."

"I don't see how that's true. You're always helping people. You're kind and thoughtful and…"

He patted my hand, dismissively. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, Love, but I am kindly asking you to stop. You'll only end up disappointed."

I bristled at his negativity. So eager to see himself as less than he was. No one cared about his diet or his gift while they were dancing with him or poking at his easily-sparked temper with a stick. More than that, I loved those things about him. I loved my mind-reading vampire for all his quirks.

"You know, the things you see as faults could very well be the things people love about you."

"That's rich coming from you."

Offended by his clipped tone, I tore my hands from his arm. My cruel rebuttal fizzled on my lips when Edward's golden gaze met mine, desperate and pleading. "Let me be attracted to you, Bella."

I blinked, head spinning from his abrupt mood swing.

"I already know you love me no matter what."

He smiled, then sighed. He took me by the hand and led me out a rear door we probably weren't allowed to use. He pulled me around the corner into a hallway adorned with tacky wallpaper and traditional cherry furniture. Before I could ask where we were going, he pressed me against the wall—one arm wrapped around my waist, the other hand caressing my cheek. I thought he would kiss me, but he just shook his head, regarding me as if I were some great wonder of the world to behold. "Do you understand how beautiful you are to me?"

Not nearly as beautiful as he was to me, for he was the most glorious creature to grace the Earth. His mouth was so close, I tilted my chin up to kiss him, but he wasn't done speaking. His thumb brushed along my cheekbone—my lip quivered with want.

"Love is not all I feel for you, Isabella," my full name on his lips was a sweeter song than the music drifting from the stage. Again, I tried to kiss him. Again, he backed off gently to keep speaking. "I pine over you. I lust after you."

I ran my fingers through his hair, mussing it out of its slicked-back style into the disarray I loved best. I tried to pull his face back down to my mine for another kiss, which he swiftly dodged.

"Are you even listening to me?" There was a smile on his angel's face, but I could still hear the frustration in his voice. "Do you hear what I'm saying?"

I nodded, pulling his face down. That time, he let me have my way and kissed me back.

Too soon he broke the kiss. He leaned his forehead against mine. His knuckles slowly stroked my jaw on either side. "Why do I have the feeling you don't believe me?"

Instead of answering, I kissed him again.