Chapter 1 - Part Two

Winter

But it might just have been you

Passing by unbeknownst to me

~ Taylor Swift feat. Lana Del Rey, Snow On The Beach

BPOV

Perhaps I should have felt guilty for curling up on the porch, tea in one hand and phone in the other, while Edward was out front chopping wood. It's not like there was much I could do to help. I had muscle on me, from dancing and keeping a decent workout routine, but I wasn't sure if it was enough to be more of a help or a hindrance to the project.

Besides, then I'd miss what had become my favorite winter activity of all, which was watching him chop wood. It had no business being as engrossing of an activity as it was, but I loved every minute of it.

The snow from a few nights before had melted away. It was warmer today, by Forks' standards at least. It meant he had worked up enough of a sweat to only need a t-shirt as he worked and I got to watch his muscles flex with every chop.

I hadn't realized how handy Edward was until I moved in. Handsy, yes, but he was surprisingly good at everything. Making things for the house, fixing things, chopping firewood. All of it.

He and Emmett, Rosalie's husband, were quite the duo whenever anything needed to be done.

I tucked my feet underneath me, tucking my blanket around my waist and dialing Alice for the tenth time this morning. It rang until her peppy little voicemail greeted me.

It's Alice! Leave a message. I'll get back to you. Maybe. Why are you even calling me? Just text.

It had been two full days since Edward proposed to me, and two full days of me trying to reach her. She was halfway across the world on a tour, so I understood why she hadn't gotten back to me. Tour schedules were brutal. But it was only a matter of time before someone other than myself told her.

Mom and Esme were practically bursting at the seams. I had to have a firm talk with them that nothing could go on Facebook and nothing could be said too loudly at the diner. Or anywhere in town before I told Alice.

It was only a few minutes later that her face finally lit up my phone screen. I answered before the first ring ended.

"Fina–"

"Bitch!" she shouted.

I groaned. "How'd you find out?"

"A photo of our mothers grinning ear to ear on Facebook. She tagged me in it like a dozen times trying to untag me I think. I don't know. I never even get on Facebook anymore but I had like thirty notifications."

Facebook, I grumbled to myself. Always the heart of the problem.

"In my defense, I've tried to call you about a hundred times since it happened."

My phone beeped, signaling Alice's request to switch from an audio to video call. I turned it around, smiling as I saw her grinning back at me.

"Let me see it!" she squeaked.

I held up my hand, my engagement ring sparkling in the minimal sunlight. Alice squeal died off as soon as I felt the weight of Edward settle on the porch swing beside me.

"Asshole!" she snapped, frowning over at him. "Why didn't you tell me you were proposing? As best friend and sister I had the right to know!"

"You can't sit there and honestly tell me if I had told you I was going to propose you wouldn't have told her the second we finished talking."

"Well of course I would have. It's my duty as the best friend."

Edward shrugged, his arm casually draped over my shoulder with warm fingers gently brushing through my hair. "I wanted it to be a surprise."

Alice sighed dramatically. "It's annoying how cute you two are together."

I smiled at the tiny, grainy image of my best friend. "Thank you."

Edward leaned down and kissed my cheek. "I'll leave you two alone now. Goodbye, Alice," he sighed, exasperated with his sister even over the phone. In a good way, though. The kind that would have had him ruffling her hair were she here in person.

He went back to chopping wood, and I was momentarily distracted by the view.

"Please stop lusting after my brother. It's disgusting."

"Sorry," I sighed, feeling my cheeks heat up even with the slight chill in the air. By the time I looked back down at my phone, Alice had readjusted herself. She sat in the middle of a fluffy hotel bed, the white comforter swallowing her as she grabbed her tablet and propped her phone up on some pillows so I could still see her.

"Okay. Wedding. Do you know when?"

My eyes widened. "We've been engaged for two days. Of course I don't know when."

"Bella," she sighed, giving me that same exasperated look Edward just gave her. "Two days and you haven't made a single plan?"

She was making me out to be the insane one, when I really thought it had to be the other way around. "Two days and you think I should have a plan already?"

To be brutally honest, I had spent a majority of that time in bed. With my fiancé. But I couldn't tell her that.

"Okay, we'll start easy then. When do you think you want to have the wedding?"

"What do you have booked for the next year?" I asked. "I can't have a wedding without my maid of honor, so–"

Her squeal was impressive, even through the phone. She recovered quickly, though, tapping away at her tablet with a serious frown on her face. "I got your messages about that summer camp in Forks, so I'll be in town for a few weeks in June. I also kept Thanksgiving through New Years clear to spend some time at home."

"December," I said confidently, surprising myself. "We like the winter."

Alice beamed at me through the phone. "December. Okay. We can work with that. A year is usually cutting it close, but I think we can swing it in Forks."

"We could have it here. Edward owns a lot of the land around the house. I don't necessarily want to invite the whole town. Just family and a couple friends."

A slightly guilty purse of her lips had me frowning. "What?"

A notification popped up on my phone. An invite on Pinterest from one Alice Cullen. To collaborate on a board titled B+E Wedding. All of the photos were of winter weddings, with plenty of pictures in snow covered forests, too.

I sighed, eying the date on the page. "You created this page six months ago."

She shrugged. "I got bored. How on the nose was I, though?"

~snow on the beach~

I was a big fan of the whole engaged thing. Realistically, life was nearly identical to how it was before I had a beautiful new accessory on my finger. But there was an undercurrent of excitement that followed me around wherever I went. Spurred on by the unrelenting congratulations both Edward and I got on a daily basis.

The people of Forks were beside themselves. News traveled quickly, that picture of my mother and Esme beaming on Facebook had been easily interpreted not only by Alice but by everyone else. I was too blissed out to even be upset about the photo.

Whenever the diamond on my finger caught the sunlight my heart skipped a beat. Every congratulations I had gotten, from the staff at the diner to the officers at Dad's department to every student and their parent at the studio, made me insurmountably happy. And every night that I ended up back home curled up on the couch beside my fiancé that unparalleled sense of contentment flooded my veins.

The idea of planning a wedding made me slightly nauseous with anxiety. I had been able to push it to the side for the last few weeks after deciding that Alice and her infinite wisdom and unrelenting ability to plan the hell out of a party would translate well to our wedding.

I let myself into Edward's office, assuming he was in with a patient. I froze when I saw him sitting behind his desk with another man opposite of him.

"Oh," I gasped. "I'm sorry. Kate told me you were busy and I just assumed you were with a patient in an exam room. I–"

Edward shook his head with a smile. "It's alright. This is Doctor Jasper Whitlock, our newest addition to the clinic," he said with a proud smile before walking over to my side. "Jasper, this is my fiancé, Bella."

I tried to fight against the urge to swoon when he called me his fiancé and instead focused on the new doctor. Edward's clinic was quite the success story. Forks was small, but there were still plenty of people who needed looking after that didn't have the time or money to go all the way to Seattle for a decent doctor. And after a few years in business, he was already needing to add an extra set of hands.

I smiled over at the man, now standing and holding out his hand to me. "Pleasure to meet you, Bella," he said politely, a thick southern accent rolling off his tongue.

He looked oddly familiar, but I couldn't place my finger on why. I was certain I had never met him before. He was a memorable guy with brown eyes that seemed to see more that meets the eye and honey blonde hair that flopped ever so perfectly into his face. He felt familiar. Like I should have already known him.

I shook his hand. "You, too. You're not from town?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

Jasper shook his head. "No, ma'am. Born and raised in Houston."

"Oh, wow," I gasped. I knew from the accent he was from the south, but I figured it would be a small town, not a big city. Making the jump from a place like Houston to Forks was drastic. "Big change for you, Houston to Forks."

I was well aware of the hypocrisy.

He smiled, but it didn't exactly meet his eyes and I mentally kicked myself for butting into his business.

Maybe I was spending too much time with my mother and Esme.

"One I'm eager for," Jasper said kindly. "If you'll excuse me, I've got a good twenty boxes to unpack still. It was lovely to meet you, Bella," he told me with a smile before turning to Edward. "And I'll see you Monday."

Edward nodded, a kind smile in place. "Offer still stands for tonight if you need any help."

Jasper politely declined and I heard him muttering something about small town kindness under his breath, with a look of bewilderment at what I could only assume was Edward's offer to help him unpack. Something most near strangers, especially in a big city, would never offer.

"He seems nice," I said, turning toward Edward. "How did you find him?"

"Friend of a friend from med school. I guess he's been looking for a quiet place to settle for a while and Peter sent him my way."

"When did he get to town?"

"Last night. Why?"

I shrugged. "He just seems… familiar. Like I've met him before but I know I haven't." I shook off the feeling. "Sorry for interrupting. I thought Kate was just being petty when she said you were busy."

Edward chuckled, though the amusement didn't meet his eyes. His receptionist, for the most part, butted out of our business once she realized we were together. In the months since Edward first moved back she had harbored a crush, and most likely a plan to win over the new town doctor and live happily ever after with him.

I could hardly blame her. He was quite the package and I would be more than disappointed if I had ever missed my chance with him.

Since our engagement she had gotten a little sullen again. And I figured when she told me Edward was too busy to see me, she was just in one of her moods.

After spending so long in Los Angeles and posting my life on the internet for all the world to judge, I was used to shrugging it off. Edward took it more personally than I did.

"It's okay. She probably was. I'll talk to her again."

I sighed, palms coming to rest on the lapels of his white coat. I got distracted by the simple embroidered name on his chest, Doctor Cullen.

Mrs. Edward Cullen. Doctor and Mrs. Cullen. Doctor Edward Cullen and Mrs?

"I believe the most common is Doctor and Mrs. Cullen," he said softly, even as his hands tightened on my hips.

I didn't have it in me to be embarrassed about my unintentional mumbling, not when I was slowly backed up against his desk until he plopped me down on the edge. I swallowed back the lump in my throat and gripped the lapels of his jacket between my fingers.

I didn't care about the Doctor part. I knew, unfortunately, that title had been more important to his ex-fiancé, Tanya, than anything. I cared very much about the Mrs. Cullen part.

My head fell against his chest and I breathed in his woodsy and amber scent that never failed to comfort me. My legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him indecently close. In the weeks since our engagement I rarely went more than a few hours without him in some capacity. Whether it was a quick kiss as he dropped off lunch for me on a busy afternoon or a quick rendezvous at home when there was no time for anything other than greedy hands and quick release as he bent me over–

"You're going to need to stop looking at me like that if you want to make it to Seattle on time," he breathed out, his lips brushing against my ear.

It took me a good thirty seconds to weigh my options.

I let out an uneven sigh as I blindly reached for the keys I had seen on the corner. "You sure you don't mind?" I asked, attempting to clear my head as he backed up a step.

His lips twitched with a crooked smirk as I shook my own head free of very distracting memories. "I'm sure. Ben, Emmett and I are meeting for drinks tonight. I would have walked home anyway."

I nodded, pocketing the keys and reaching up on my toes to press a disappointingly chaste kiss to his lips. "Does it make me a little pathetic to say I'll miss you?"

I would be gone for less than twenty-four hours. After a year of long-distance you would think I could handle it.

The crooked smile I liked to think he saved just for me spread across his face. "I'll miss you, too."

~snow on the beach~

I didn't care about the sideways glances or rolled eyes as Alice nearly tackled me to the ground in the middle of SeaTac airport. It had been going on eight months since I had seen her, and that was far too long for my liking. Still, as soon as she was here it was like no time had passed at all. She immediately dove into the tale of her and her seatmate on the flight over, who joined forces against the woman across from them who tried to put the poor stewardess through hell the entire flight.

"It was a meet cute if I've ever had one," Alice sighed happily as we walked through the parking lot. "Then he said his girlfriend was picking him up. Good for her, though. He was a nice guy. Oh. Ha. Weird."

I frowned at the silver volvo we had come to a stop in front of. I clicked the keyfob and everything to make sure I hadn't accidentally tried to break into someone else's car. "What's weird?"

Alice chuckled, dropping her bag in the trunk and sliding into the car beside me. "You. Driving Edward's car. With that gorgeous diamond on your finger. You are marrying Edward. I mean, I know you guys have been together for two years now but I hardly see you enough for it to be real in my mind."

I frowned, biting the inside of my cheek as we made our way out of the busy airport parking garage. "Is it a bad weird?"

"No!" Alice exclaimed. "It's just… surreal, maybe. Amazing," she clarified. "But surreal. It's also surreal that you're getting married in general. Like a real adult."

I scoffed. "I think being twenty-seven qualifies me as an adult already."

Alice shook her head. "No. We're both precious little twenty-seven-year-old teenagers in my mind."

I smiled over at Alice as I pulled to a stop at a red light. She was always the more carefree one of the two of us. Her lightheartedness counteracted my ability to overthink a situation to death. Her ability to make friends wherever she went balanced out my desire to make myself disappear in a crowd.

While I had absolutely no regrets moving back to Forks, I had missed Alice. Terribly.

"I've missed you, Alice," I sighed.

She beamed over at me. "I've missed you, too."

~snow on the beach~

We sat in the middle of the king sized bed, surrounded by trays of room service. Alice was just getting back from the end of a European tour, and her job was paying her way home, including her hotel for the night in Seattle before we headed back to Forks. Something we decided to take full advantage of.

Well, something Alice was taking full advantage of. I nibbled on a few fries while she tried to explain to me the reasoning behind a save-the-date card and an invitation.

"But… they're the same thing," I argued, eyes darting between the templates she had pulled up on her laptop as it sat on the bed between the two of us.

"No," Alice said gently. "Save-the-date is just a cute little 'hey we're getting married don't do anything on December second this year' and an invitation is 'hey we're getting married December second at 3pm and we're registered at this website and please wear formal attire and let us know if you're bringing a guest.'"

I had to stare at her for a good thirty seconds to process that she wasn't joking.

"But why don't we just put it all in one?"

"Because we need to get the save-the-dates out like, yesterday. Then once we've ironed out the rest of the details we'll send out invitations."

I sighed, pulling a fluffy pillow into my lap and letting my head fall back against the headboard. I knew weddings weren't easy to plan, but I thought that was usually because women went overboard with ice sculptures and swans and a hundred other pretentious things that weren't necessary.

I had no idea even a simple invitation could be so complicated.

"Don't worry about it. I'm home for two weeks. You, me, mom, and Renee can get a lot done together. Do you have a list?"

"A list?"

"Of people to invite."

My eyes widened as I stared over at her and those big innocent hazel eyes that expected me to already have a guest list. "Of course I don't have a list!" I squeaked.

I didn't get a minute of sleep that night. Alice slept like a baby beside me while my mind raced through every little thing I had once thought was a ridiculous part of wedding planning and realized how important they all were.

I knew I had Alice and Esme and Mom to help, and I knew Edward would help with whatever I asked, but it was still a lot. An overwhelming amount of decisions to make and money to spend and I wanted it to be perfect. I wanted a memory to look back on and love and cherish in five years and in fifty years.

Mostly, I just wanted Edward. The idea of going to a courthouse in Seattle had crossed my mind a dozen times tonight, but I wanted the wedding. I wanted to put on a pretty white dress and have my dad walk me down the aisle. I wanted to dance with my husband under the stars and drink too much champagne with Alice.

I just didn't want to plan it, apparently.

~snow on the beach~

Alice's first night in Forks called for an evening of Harry's spiked hot chocolates. Despite the growing ball of anxiety in my gut over the prospect of planning a wedding, I smiled to myself as I sat down beside Edward at the same table from that first night. It was two years ago, nearly to the day, when he sat across from me instead of beside me.

I wrapped my arm through his, leaning over to press a quick kiss to his cheek.

He shot me a smile that had my heart happily skipping a beat.

"Well, aren't you two adorable," Alice said, plopping herself down across from us. She unwrapped my scarf from around her neck after happily accepting the offering as soon as we got to Forks this morning.

"Alice," Edward sighed in the way only an older brother could, with a perfect mixture of adoration and annoyance.

I wrapped my palms around the warm mug of hot chocolate and took a careful sip. "How was your tour?"

Alice sighed, relaxing into her chair. "Exhausting. More than usual. Grant says hi. And also, I quote, fuck you for moving away."

I snorted. Despite living there for nine years, I didn't make many lasting friendships in Los Angeles. It was a brutal city and the dance community was incredibly competitive. But there were a few good, kind people thrown in the mix. Grant was one of them. He was on the last tour I booked, and we had sporadic jobs together over the years. I made a point to see him whenever I ended up back in LA the last year. Kyle, too. Another one of the few friends I actually made.

Grant always ended every conversation we had with fuck you for moving away.

"Tell him I said hello. And that he is more than welcome to visit Forks whenever he likes."

Alice chuckled. "Can you imagine Grant in Forks? Ooh, is he invited to the wedding?"

My wedding sized ball of lead returned to my gut. "I already told you I don't have a guest list yet, Alice."

Alice shot me a patient smile. "You're just overthinking it, Bella. You–"

Mike snorted as he walked by and mumbled, "I doubt Bella has ever overthought anything."

"I've been to medical school since the last time I kicked your ass, Newton. I know all of the best ways to break bones, now," Edward snapped.

Mike's eyes widened, landing on Edward as if he hadn't realized he was with Alice and I. "I–sorry," he murmured, scurrying off to his table in the back corner.

"Why did you get into that fight with him in high school?" Alice asked, taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

Edward shrugged. "Same thing. He was talking shit and I didn't like it."

"About me?" I frowned.

Edward's face softened. "Yes."

My anxiety disappeared, for the most part, as I leaned against his side. The wedding planning would be stressful and confusing and hard, but worth it. With him, it was worth it.

"Okay, I feel like we need to set some ground rules now that I'm in town," Alice interrupted, eyes darting between the two of us. "Number one, no making out in front of me, please."

"You think we would just–"

"You were about thirty seconds from it, Bella. I already know far too much about my brother."

"Oh my God you asked," I squealed.

~snow on the beach~

"I've resisted asking for two years," Edward said as soon as we walked through the front door later that night. "But what did you tell her about me?"

The mortification that I had worked so hard to drown with one too many of Harry's spiked hot chocolates resurfaced far too quickly. "You don't want to know."

I might have dumped a few too many details in the heat of the moment when I opened up to Alice about Edward. I didn't know she knew I was talking about him. I thought we had been sneaky and clever and hid our relationship from our family perfectly. Little did I know our parents had a running bet about it and Alice had been quietly letting me confide in her because she knew I needed to talk to someone.

Unfortunately for her, I babble.

Edward nodded, sliding a glass of water to me across from the island in the kitchen where I had plopped myself down on a stool. "I've thought long and hard about it for two years. Now I have to know."

My lips rolled together and my eyes fell to the glass of water in front of me. I took a big gulp, cheeks burning as I mumbled, "I told her, you know, a few things. One specifically about how good you are at, I mean, you know. How good you are with, um, your tongue."

In any other situation I would have been able to say it without stuttering over every word. When admitting to telling his sister how much I enjoyed it when her brother went down on me, it was another story.

When I finally got the nerve to look over at Edward, he had a grin that put the cheshire cats to shame on his face. "Always happy to be of service."

A/N: thank you for the love on this story so far. I struggled a lot while writing it, but seeing you guys love being back with these two make me SO happy! Hope you enjoyed this one and I'll see you next week!