So here we go again, the next chapter in the story. Like always I do not own the rights to Twilight characters, but I do own a hell of a lot of Twilight books and memorabilia. The wonderful and talented AWayWithWords worked her magic on this chapter, but mistakes would be mine, because I cannot help but dabble.
Chapter 6
Edward's face pales slightly, and I can tell Emmett's question made him look at the offer differently than it was intended.
"What do you mean shack up with your sister?" I glare at Emmett.
"I was just kidding, Bellsy, you know what I mean," Emmett states as Rose glares at him too.
"Yeah, you're so funny, we all forgot to laugh, and clearly the way you said that, you even offended Edward," I say with gritted teeth.
"No, I'm not offended, just … I never expected to find people who I would be so comfortable around and feel like I fit in with. The offer of a chair and working here is honestly more than I expected … I already think of you guys as friends. Bella, you are so kind, and I don't want to take advantage of that, ever."
"Edward, I think we are all in agreement, you are our friend and we are honored to have met you. We want you to work with us, and Bella, Alice and I talked on the way over here about offering you a place to stay until you find a place you want. Don't let this jackasses comments which he thought would be funny," Rose turns to face Emmett and grits her teeth. "I'm sure," she snarls, before turning back to Edward and smiling, "dissuade you from using the basement at Bella's for the time being."
"If you want, you are welcome to use the basement apartment at my place. You wouldn't be a bother at all," I clarify my offer.
"Only if I can pay rent. I just feel like I'm taking advantage otherwise," Edward says looking at me. Then he looks around at everyone. "I also expect to pay for all my supplies and shirts and things that are needed for my use here at the shop."
"Oh, you will. One of Alice's jobs is inventory, she keeps track of things used, we place orders for supplies once a month, and she also rotates and puts away all stock. The bill for stock is split evenly between artists based on the number of tattoos they did in the time frame. The computer does all the work, I just put in the numbers. Anything special you want bills directly to you. For example, Jasper is the only artist here that does permanent makeup applications, and he will only use certain pigments, and equipment for that type of work. So all the special stuff he needs is billed only to him, and all of those types of tattoos are not a part of the breakdown for normal supplies," Rose explains.
"Sounds fair," Edward says.
"Each artist pays the shop's general fund seven hundred and fifty dollars a month. Alice pays five hundred, and I don't technically work here, so my services are free. Each artist is responsible for paying their own social security, Medicare, state and federal taxes. The computer program we use will tell you what you owe each month and I will assist you in learning the program. The money put in the general fund each month goes to pay all the utilities, insurance, taxes on the property and maintenance. Whatever is left we roll over to the next month, and use it for updates and such when they are needed. We also do a grocery fund. We each, including me, put in fifty a week to stock up on things like water, juice, soda, snacks, basically anything you want. Don't worry the people who eat more," Rose stops and looks at each Alice and Emmett. "Pay a little more each week. We also do lunch once a week at the shop which we take turns buying. I'm not here at the shop every day, but I try to always be here at lunch and after work. I square up anything that needs to be handled here. I deal with all state paperwork, and if there is ever an issue with anything. I know you probably think I am sweet and laid back, but trust me you will meet Rose, the ball buster at some point."
"Can't wait," Edward laughs. "Seriously, you guys seem to have this down to a science, I already love the organization, and I think I will thrive here."
"I thought the shop I worked at in California was organized, but Rose has a knack for keeping things straight, and the program she designed for us to use is amazing. I wouldn't expect less, since she was raised here," Jasper says.
"So let's start setting Edward up," Alice says, setting down her laptop.
We work at setting up the room Edward will use. Us girls start cleaning, while Edward, Jasper and Emmett take Rose's Escalade over to the hotel Edward has been staying at, to get his equipment and flash designs he has. It's around ten, when we all sit down again and are looking through Edward's work for pictures to share for the article. I insist that the Full body suit and full back koi are pictures to share. Edward agrees with my choices, and says he doesn't care as long as it is he get's final say in the other choices. So it's up to us as long as he can veto the final choices we make. In the end Alice and I pick six pictures, four of which are Japanese, one traditional, and one new school. Rose has been throwing questions at Edward left and right between him doing other things and has been typing away on the computer.
It's almost midnight, when Rose stops typing and smiles. "I think I have the article written. Of course Aro will want to read through it, but I'm sure it is pretty perfect."
I move over to sit beside Rose and read the article. I can't help but smile, it is great and with the pictures we are putting with it, I am sure he will have a ton of people calling soon to get appointments.
"Hey, we got all the flash hung in Edward's room, and everything moved here that Edward will need. The rest of his stuff except a suitcase of clothes is in the Escalade now. Rosie, you take the girls home in my Jeep. Edward is going to grab his car when we get home and stay at the hotel tonight, and tomorrow. We will get Edward unpacked and settled at Bella's on Wednesday, until then his stuff can stay in the Escalade in the garage," Emmett says.
"Sounds good, I'm tired," Jasper states.
"Me too," I add.
"Can we stop at Taco Bell before we go home?" Alice asks.
"We're running' for the border!" Emmett yells.
"How are either of you hungry?" I ask.
"If you eat that shit, you are sleeping your stinky ass on the sofa," Rose threatens, but she is right he is always stinking up the place after he eats there.
"Ah, Rosie, I have my Beano pills, we are a-okay," Emmett grins.
"I'm not eating there, I will go home and have the last bowl of the snicker salad," I say and Edward pouts.
"There's only one bowl left?" he asks.
"Yeah, but I guess I will share," I say with a smile and he grins.
"I have another bowl at home, you guys can have more," Jasper laughs.
"Hey!" both Emmett and Alice yell at the same time, clearly for different reasons. Alice, I am sure doesn't want to share what she thought would be her secret stash, and Emmett, because he wants some too. The rest of us all burst out in laughter.
"Rose, give me the keys to the Escalade, I'll drive. Edward, you ride with Bella and Rose in the Jeep. I will take Emmett and Alice to Taco Bell and make sure they don't go overboard on ordering. Rose, the snicker salad is in the big green bowl in my fridge, just take it to Bella's house for me, please," Jasper says.
"I guess," Emmett says as he hands the keys to Jasper, "But, I want some snicker salad too."
We all laugh again.
Rose flips off the lights and locks up the shop.
"I'll climb in the back," I say as Edward opens the door.
On the way to the house we make small talk. Rose pulls into the driveway at her place, and parks in Emmett's spot in the garage. As we get out of the Jeep, Edward lets out a whistle.
"Is that a sixty-four GTO?" he asks, and I smile because if Rose didn't like him before she will now.
"Oh, yeah, that is my baby. Isn't she pretty?" Rose asks.
"Wow, that is in pristine condition," Edward states.
"It better be, she only has eleven hundred original miles on it, and I have fully restored her from the frame up."
"Eleven hundred original miles? Where did you find a steal like that?"
"In a salvage yard's machine shed when I was ten. My grandpa used to rebuild cars, and I was with him when he was looking for a part. We stumbled upon this car, it had been wrecked pretty badly, but the frame was solid and intact. I told my grandpa I wanted it, and he made a deal to buy it. The owner was going to restore it but it sat for years, and when Grandpa offered to buy it, he sold it. I started working on it and it took me until I was legal to drive to finish it, but I did about ninety-nine percent of the work myself."
"Are you serious, that is amazing, Rose, you are very talented," Edward tells her.
"She is, and you should see the other collector cars she has at her shop and her mom's house," I add.
"Bella said you were an ASE certified mechanic, and you are also an accountant. Plus, you do all the stuff at the shop, are you a vampire? I mean when do you sleep?" Edward asks with a laugh.
"Nope, not a vampire. I co-own a small accounting firm, with my mother. She works there Monday through Friday, and runs the day to day most of the time. I work there on Mondays and Fridays. I work at my Shop, Rosie's Rides, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Saturdays I work wherever I am most needed, and Sundays are to hang with my peeps."
"That's a lot," Edward says.
"Yeah, I don't intend to slow down until after Emmett and I are married, and decide to start a family."
We walk out of the garage, and head toward my house.
"Edward, let me show you the Basement apartment," I say.
"You guys do that. I am going to grab the snicker salad, and get us each a dish before they are back," Rose states.
"Sounds good to me," Edward says.
"Me too," I say as I take him around to the back and down the steps. Okay, Edward, this is the private entrance to the basement from outside, and this is the key," I say handing it to him.
"The alarm code for the basement is the same as the code for my part of the house," I tell him, punching in the code for him to see.
We go in and I flip on the lights, and Edward lets out another whistle.
"This room off the mudroom is a laundry room, there is a washer and dryer in there, and a small bathroom with a stand up shower. If you go to the back wall it takes you to steps for the ground level entrance to the four seasons attached room where there is a large hot tub."
We turn and head the other direction. "This is the living room, and yes that is a built-in bar. There is a small sink, fridge and microwave back there, as well. As you can see the sectional is huge and on that wall is the big screen. This doorway leads to the bedroom, and full bathroom."
"This is bigger than I thought it would be," Edward states.
"Yeah, we loved that it was a four bedroom home, but when Emmett seen this huge basement, he got really excited. Jerry and Emmett did a lot of work down here."
"Here is the bedroom," I say, flipping on the lights.
"Holy shit that is a huge bed," Edward states.
"Yeah, a California king," I say. "There are several sets of sheets and comforters in that linen closet," I say pointing. "That door is the full bathroom and that door is the walk-in closet," I continue.
"So the way to get upstairs is through the four-season room?" Edward asks.
"Yeah, you can go that way, or you can go up the steps that are off the living room. Over by the bar, there is a door and it leads you upstairs. Follow me, and I will show you."
After all the lights are off except in the living room, I open the slide panel door, which you don't notice unless you're looking for it, and start up the steps. At the top I open the door, which comes out in the hallway by my dining room.
"This panel controls the lights downstairs," I say, as I flip the switch, and then close the door.
"That is a really cool set up," Edward states.
"Thank you," I say. "So what are you thinking?"
"I think it is perfect, but I do worry that you never seem to have any time to yourself, I mean I don't want to encroach on your entire life."
"Edward, the thing is, I don't really spend much time alone, and if I want that, I have an entire upstairs in which I can find solace. I enjoy talking with you, and I think you are going to be a perfect fit into the shop and our lives. I really think we will be great friends."
"Me too," Edward says, as Rose comes in the back door.
"Remind me to never go to Jasper and Alice's place again, without them," Rose states as she places the bowl on the counter.
"Do I want to know why?" I ask.
"Let's suffice to say that they may have forgotten what they were watching on the tv in their living room. I saw flickering light, so I walked to the doorway to see what the deal was and it was a homemade video playing. Do you get my drift?"
"Ewe, yeah, no thank you. I tend to not go over there often, they like to get their freak on," I laugh.
"At least they keep that shit behind closed doors most of the time," Rose adds.
"Thankfully," I say, turning to see Edward is standing there looking shocked. Unsure what to say, I shrug. "Don't worry, Edward, they will keep shit PG-13 at the shop. We already told them no more tantric shit goes on there."
"You should make Jasper and Alice tell Edward all about the rules of the shop when they get here. That way they can explain why it was made into a rule that no one was allowed to have sex at the shop," Rose says, before bursting out in laughter.
"Thank you, I will pass on that story for the time being," Edward chuckles and I laugh.
"Good choice, now let's each get a bowl of snicker salad before the gluttons get here," I say with a smile.
We sit at the table and chat as we eat our midnight snack. I can't help but smile at Edward who is clearly enjoying the snicker salad.
"You really like that, huh?" I say with a giggle.
Edward stops scraping the sides of his bowl with his spoon and looks up innocently.
Rose and I both burst out laughing.
"I never had it before, and I love it," he shrugs.
"It is good, but it is really sweet and after having some with dinner, the pie, and now eating some more, I will have to work out like a machine," Rose states.
"At least one of the main ingredients is green apples," I smile at Rose.
"Yeah, covered in cream cheese, powdered sugar, and hella chopped Snicker candy bars!" she snarks.
"We're back! I ate one more quesadilla than Alice, I won!" Emmett shouts excitedly.
Rose glares at Jasper, and I shake my head.
"I tried to curb them, but Emmett said he needed to run inside to use the bathroom while we were in the drive through line. When we got the food they ordered, we pulled around to wait for him to come out, and when he did, he had another huge bag of food. They ate in the car. They are both going to be miserable because they both ate five quesadillas, well except Emmett, who ate a sixth one," Jasper says.
"Un-fucking-believable, Emmett. You know damn well you are going to be sick. Let's go home," Rose states. "Jasper, next time you send me to your house to get something make sure you're not looping a homemade sex video for me to have to see, I now need brain bleach!"
"I think we better go too," Jasper says while Alice giggles.
As they walk out the back door, I raise my brow and look at Edward. "Sure you can handle this crazy in your life? Because I would totally understand if you ran for the border too … the border of the state of Washington to get the hell away from the crazy you're surrounding yourself in right now."
"At least this crazy is the good kind," Edward smiles. "I'm going to head out. I will see you at the shop around ten?" he says but it sounds like a question.
"Yep, I will probably be there around nine. Before you go though, let's check that back and make sure it is good for the night."
I make quick work of checking the tattoo and cleaning it. I put a light layer of ointment on it and place a piece of cling wrap over it so his shirt won't stick.
"As long as you don't sleep on your back, I'd uncover it and let it get more air, it looks like it is healing perfectly," I say.
"Thanks, for everything, Bella," Edward says.
"You're welcome, see you in the morning," I say as I walk him to the door.
A/N: So Edward's moving in. What are your thoughts? Only a couple of guesses in the reviews as to what drama is coming and what the source of the drama is. Some private messages have hit on some ideas. I will say this, Jane is not a bad person in this story, nor will she cause or become drama. Love to hear your thoughts, and of course look forward to reading the reviews to see what you think. Thanks, Kasi~