Happy Saturday!
First of all, thank you for all the reviews and alerts. I love how y'all are getting jumping right in with our two lovebirds. Also, thank you for your patience with the update schedule. My writing plate is still a bit full, so posting every other week will be the name of the game until either of my WIPs (this one and RockerWard) is complete.

Reminder on chapters: odd-numbered chapters are in EPOV, even-numbered ones are in BPOV.
Today we hear from Bella.

Usual disclaimer applies - I still don't own any of it.
Team Momo wouldn't exist without Midnight Cougar and Alice's White Rabbit with their red pens, or without AGoodWitch, Driving Edward, Mel, Maplestyle, and Eternally Addicted who pre-read and tell me if I'm off my rocker or not.
Enjoy!

Chapter 2 - BPOV

"A fondue restaurant?" I asked Edward.

Clearly, he'd given careful instructions with his reservation. The hostess had led us to a table toward the back of the establishment, in a corner behind a partition. The place was too relaxed to have a VIP dining room, but this came close.

He'd held out my chair and pushed it in after I sat. He'd been a perfect gentleman so far, and I'd expected nothing less. His manners and his attentiveness weren't just a polite façade he trotted out at work. They were part of him. He wasn't faking any of that—this was the real Edward Cullen.

"I've never tried this, and my intelligence said you'd like this," he said with a small smile.

"Who was your source? Em?"

He nodded, smirking. "He has his uses, doesn't he?"

"Don't let him hear that! Yeah, I've wanted to try this place for a while, but—"

"Then I'm glad we're trying it together." He pushed his outstretched hand across the table, palm up. Inviting. Never demanding.

I twined my fingers with his and squeezed.

"Why do I have the feeling that you're hinting at more than cheese and chocolate fondue?"

The tender smile he gifted me in response dissipated a lot of the questions and anxieties I'd cultivated in my head about this relationship.

"In a way, I know a lot of things about you. In other ways, I don't. I'm supposing it must feel the same to you?"

Smart, smart man indeed. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around this, around us. I never contemplated the possibility of you, being with you. You were so professional, so detached all the time. I've worked my ass off the last few years to make it through my master's, to keep afloat at work. I've never allowed myself time to date. Never wanted it badly enough to try."

"But you'll try with me?" he asked.

The tender smile from before wavered for a second as the expression in his eyes turned insecure. Did he have as many hang-ups about us together as I did? Possibly more, considering his position relative to mine. I didn't have to worry about my name on the door, about the firm's reputation, about conflicts of interest.

"I'm here, aren't I? But yes. I want to try."

The server arrived then, interrupting our conversation. After we rattled off our orders, it took us a few minutes to rally the open, relaxed atmosphere we'd enjoyed so far.

Before long, Edward broke the uneasy, crackling silence between us. "Maybe we should ask each other questions. Maybe that'll make things easier? There must be things you want to know. I know I do."

I nodded, taking a sip of my ice water. I declined cocktails when offered. Because he was driving, Edward also declined. We must have had the same thought—we needed a clear head for this conversation.

"I'll start. I was wondering about Cornell. How is that going to work?"

With a minute shake of his head, he chuckled before answering. "Cut right to the chase. Such a Bella thing to do."

I shrugged. "Why waste your time and mine? How well we communicate with each other will determine how and if this works, don't you think?"

"Yes, darling. I agree." He'd not let go of my hand the whole time, and now he squeezed it again. "So, Cornell. I'll be a visiting professor for the semester. I have two lectures a week for their L1 and L2 students."

"Are you going to move to Ithaca?"

He shook his head vigorously. "No. They've been gracious in allowing me to schedule the lectures on the same day of the week. I can fly back and forth for a few months. I don't need to be there all the time."

"Makes sense."

"Bella, love. I want to be very clear from the start. My life is in Atlanta. My family is in Atlanta. My job is here, and so are you. I wouldn't make such a drastic change without talking to you first."

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a second. Focus. I needed to focus. "But that's a big decision. We're on our first date, Edward. First. Date. I can't … You can't …" I didn't know what I was trying to convey exactly.

With a swift, graceful movement, Edward dropped my hand and slid his chair around the table to be closer to mine. Then he grasped my hand again, circling his other arm around my shoulders.

"Am I coming on too strong, too fast? Please tell me."

He deserved honesty. After all, I'd proclaimed as much not one minute ago. "This all feels too big, too soon. How can I be on a par with your family, with your career among your priorities?"

"I've had years to get used to this in my head. I've cherished you and cared about you for a long time. From afar. My head is caught up with my heart, that's what I'm saying."

"Will you give me time for that? For my head to get caught up, too?"

I felt his long, elegant fingers on my cheek before I saw him caress me. I leaned my forehead to his and snuck a chaste kiss.

"All the time you need."

He didn't move his chair back until it was time to leave the restaurant.

How did we like their date?
The restaurant where they went is inspired by an actual fondue restaurant that used to exist in Atlanta, and was owned by the brother of a dear family friend. It used to be called "Dante's Down the Hatch" and it was in a boat on the river. There are still pics out there on the Google. It was a VERY unusual place, owned and operated by one very peculiar, incredible gentleman who is sadly no longer with us.

Two things:
1. Next update will be on Christmas Eve.
2. I'm writing a Christmas short story set in the Business Class Girl universe. It will be titled "A Clueless Christmas" and will debut hopefully between Christmas and New Year's. Put me on alert and maybe catch up on Business Class Girl in the meantime? The Christmas story will be a futuretake 7 years down the road from BCG's epilogue, with an updated peek on AwkWard and his B.

See y'all in a couple weeks!