Chapter 21

Peter was opening the bookshop for the day. It was 8 am, and people were already lining up for their morning coffees. It looked like a busy day ahead; luckily, Bella was coming in today.

He was extra happy that he got Bella working for him. She was a very smart young woman, and her love for books was a great asset to him. He had shamelessly advertised her reviews on his Facebook and Instagram. It had brought people in to talk with her about the books, not only the ones she had reviewed but about other books too. The customers asked for the recommendations and wanted to know what she thought about the books they loved. It seemed that she was filling the void his late wife Stella left when she had died five years ago. She had been the same as Bella, loving books and reading, and book lovers around had come to talk with her about books.

He was deeply impressed by how often Bella had read the books the customers wanted to talk about with her. She read more than he did, and that was saying something. It was a great shame she would be leaving soon. He would make sure she knew he always would have a place for her here. The lady hiring her in Seattle was fortunate to have her. He had said that to her when he had called her. Peter would visit the store next time in Seattle.

He especially loved those little notes Bella wrote about the books she had read. She wrote down a few lines about the book on the pretty bookmark-shaped cardboard with doodle flowers and hearts and put them between the book pages around the shop. They had drawn interest from the customers too. Apart from the bestsellers, those books were bought more often than the others. He had sold more classics in the last four weeks than he did last year.

It was a perfect win-win situation: Bella loved to talk about the books with people, and customers got what they came to look for, and he got more paying customers. And those who didn't buy books bought coffee and muffins. Bella had been right that flat white she had learned from her kiwi-friend would be a hit here. It really was. He just needed to find a replacement for the Swedish brand oat milk; it was excellent but a bit too pricey. Surely, they had good brands here in the US too.

All this in four short weeks she had worked here. She had been working more than they originally had agreed to, it was what she wanted, and it was beneficial for the business, and he loved having her around.

There was one quite surprising aspect too; there were more young male customers than before. It was obvious that they came because of Bella. Some she knew from her time in the high school in Forks, and others were just random guys, but they could not get their eyes off her. Of course, it was hilarious to show that not much happened in Forks, and when a new attractive face showed up, it drew in males like honey did bees.

But he couldn't blame them. Bella was a very captivating young woman who was attentive to all the customers and willing to chat and joke around. They didn't buy books as often as other customers, but they drank a lot of coffee. The coffee she prepared for them.

Bella had changed quite a bit in those years she had lived in Hawaii. He remembered her when she came here to read and do her homework. She was shyer then and didn't smile as much. Even then, she was a pretty sort of a girl, but now she was a breathtaking young woman. If he was younger, he would fall in love with her. But at his age, 55 years in total, he was luckily protected from the dangers of falling in love. He felt very fatherly over her, and he was very protective of her. And he wasn't the only one; there was also this boyfriend of hers, Paul.

Paul came in from time to time when Bella was working. He was a severe-looking young man who watched over her like a hawk. If Peter was honest, he was pretty intimidating. But goddamn, that boy could bake; those pecan pie muffins Bella had brought him a few weeks back were the best damn muffins he had ever tasted. He should ask Bella if Paul would be willing to bake them to be sold in the café. That would be another hit for sure.

And there she came. "Morning, Peter," Bella called out on her way in.

"Good morning Bella. You came early, and I wasn't expecting you until around midday."

"Yeah, I was going to, but I'm happy to make a longer day today if it's ok with you. Paul left for work earlier, and I have to finish one review today. I thought about finishing it quickly before starting my shift," Bella smiled.

"Yes, of course, it is ok. It is good for business when people see you writing your reviews. I should make a Facebook post about you writing here today," he teased her a little; it was quite a good idea, but it wouldn't help her concentrate on her work.

"But are you able to concentrate here? It looks like it will be quite busy for a while."

"Sure, I can. I know already what I'm going to write. And I was thinking about coming tomorrow as well. I made a date with my old high school friend Jessica, and I'm meeting her here after my shift," Bella told him and took her regular table on the corner of the café.

Bella was finishing her shift in the bookshop. Jessica would come soon, and she had asked Paul to come too if he had time. She and Jessica had been good friends in high school, and she wanted to introduce Paul to her. And if she was honest, she was tempted to show him off a bit. Paul was so outrageously sexy and good-looking that she wanted to see Jessicas face when she saw him. She was still a little skeptical herself why an earth a man like that wanted to be with her.

But then - an idea not so far from being a possibility came into her mind - what if Jessica was one of his past hookups. That would be awkward. No, that would make it even better; she got him, not Jessica.

Wow, where did that petty thinking come from?

Not very mature bitch, she scolded herself.

But of course, she knew what had caused it; she had always been jealous of Jessica. In high school, Jessica had many boyfriends when she had none. And all those boys were lining up to take her to the prom. She had been this awkward bookworm nerd who couldn't spike interest in any guy, well, except in one; Mike Newton had shown interest in her, but she hadn't found Mike attractive. It hadn't stopped him from trying, though. It had been quite embarrassing when he just hadn't been able to take a hint, no matter how much she wanted to tell him that she wasn't interested.

And there was Jessica. She was as beautiful as she'd always been and so very trendy. Well, she had always been trendy too.

"Oh My God, Bella! I can't believe it's you!" Jessica shrieked at the door.

She ran at her and hugged her tightly.

"Hi, Jessica. It is so nice to see you! How are you? You look great." Bella hugged her back. She was so happy to see her.

"Speak for yourself, miss Swan. You have changed quite a bit. Your hair is so much longer, and that color is divine. Was it always so reddish-brown?"

Peter cleared his throat and looked at them, smiling behind the counter.

"Peter, this is my good friend from high school, Jessica Stanley," Bella introduced her friend to Peter.

Peter came to say hi. They ordered coffees, and Bella told Peter she had saved them chocolate muffins, and they were behind the coffee bags.

Peter chuckled, "do you have more hiding places I should be aware of?"

"No, just that one," Bella laughed.

They sat down, and there was a short moment they were only looking at each other.

So much had happened in the last three years that it was impossible to know where to start.

"You really have changed quite a bit, Bella. I mean, you were always pretty and all, but now you are just gorgeous. Your hair is amazing, your face looks more open, you smile more, and there is just this... I don't know how to express it, but it seems that Hawaii suits you well. It is like you've emerged into this stunning butterfly."

"Gee, thanks, Jessica, so I was a caterpillar before," Bella laughed.

Jessica laughed, "No, I didn't mean that you know it. I love your pearls. They are black pearls, aren't they?"

Bella started to fiddle with the pearl on her neck.

"Yeah, they are Tahitian black pearls. I love them too. But yeah, Hawaii did suit me well, but I'm happy to be back," Bella told her. "I love your hair color too; it suits you so well," Bella said honestly. Jessica had always dyed her hair, now it was ash blond, and it was tied up in a sleek ponytail. It seemed no matter what her hair color was, it always suited her.

Bella told her about Honolulu and her friends, her field of study, the scholarship, and Bane. It was strange how little they knew each other, even though they'd been such good friends in high school. But it was mainly because Bella wasn't active on social media, and it was how people kept in touch these days.

She had tried Instagram for a while, but her photos were so bad she'd given up. Having a brilliant photographer as a friend had its downsides, too, she just couldn't not compare her shots with Ailani's amazing photos, and it had killed the little enthusiasm she'd been able to muster to show her photos around.

But it felt like she and Jessica had never been apart. Being friends with Jessica had always been easy. By the time they had finished their second cup of coffee, Bella had heard everything of any importance in Jessica's life in the past three years. Jessica was just telling her what she loved about her fiancé Mark when Paul entered the store.

Bella couldn't help it, but she looked at Jessica to see her reaction. And it didn't disappoint. Paul looked precisely the same as when she'd seen him walking through that door for the first time. Jessica's mouth hung open. She did compose herself quickly, though, but Bella had seen what she'd wanted. And she felt a bit smug. She could admit that. Yeah, she was that petty.

Paul came to them and sat beside her.

"Hi baby," he said with his husky voice she loved so much, and he kissed her the way he probably shouldn't, considering her friend was sitting next to them. She was a bit embarrassed; she was still learning Paul's passionate ways around other people, which meant he didn't give a damn if someone saw them kissing.

Bella cleared her throat, "Jessica, this is Paul, and Paul, this is Jessica, my friend from the high school." She didn't know why she didn't introduce Paul as her boyfriend. I guess it was because they hadn't exactly talked about being a girlfriend and a boyfriend, which they quite obviously were. Oh well, Jessica got the idea from that kiss.

"Hi Paul, it's nice to meet you," Jessica said and was clearly trying her best not to stare at him.

"You too," Paul said and wound an arm around her waist. It didn't look like they had hooked up in the past. Of course, she was happy about it; it would've been a very awkward situation if they had. She wondered how she would have reacted to Lauren when they had seen her here if she'd known she and Paul had a past. It was good she hadn't. Bella still thought about that moment often, their first kiss.

"I think I remember you from some bar night a couple of years back," Jessica said.

Oh, there was something after all.

Paul stiffened on her side. She grabbed his hand and squeezed. She wanted him to know that she didn't care whatever Jessica was going to say. Paul squeezed back and kissed her shoulder.

"Oh yeah?"

Jessica was staring at Paul and didn't say anything for a while. Then she seemed to snap out of whatever it was she was thinking and said, "I think you were with Lauren at the time."

"I was never with her, hooked up once, that's all," Paul told Jessica.

"Oh, she told quite a different story. She told me you two were dating."

"Well, it was bullshit," Paul said.

Just then, Mike came into the shop. Jessica had told her he might come to meet her too. Jessica had met him at Newton's Outgear store yesterday and told him she was in town. Bella had actually expected to see him earlier, but Jessica had told her that Mike was studying in LA and had just come back for the summer.

Bella stood up to greet him. Mike grabbed her into his arms and hugged her. She hugged him back. It was nice to see him.

"It is great to see you, Bella!" Mike said.

"It's great to see you too, Mike."

Mike really seemed excited to see her; he tightened his hug, and then she felt his hand on her ass. What the...

She couldn't finish the thought before Mike was grabbed away from the embrace, and Paul was fuming at him.

"What the fuck were you thinking about grabbing her ass!"

And he punched him in the face. Mike fell to the floor, stunned.

"What the hell, Paul?" Bella gasped. "Why did you hit him for?"

She was worried Mike was hurt, but she was also concerned that Paul could get into trouble hitting him.

She knelt beside Mike "are you ok?"

"What the fuck do you mean? He grabbed your ass! Do you think I should just sit and watch him doing so?" Paul shouted.

He was pissed off. Bella was starting to get acquainted with Paul's temper, and she didn't like it, not one bit.

Fortunately, there weren't any other customers in the shop, but this was too much.

"You just can't go around hitting people. That's insane. And I can take care of myself; I don't need you defending me," Bella exclaimed.

She took Mike's chin and turned his head to see where Paul had hit him.

"Yeah. I'm ok. It didn't hurt. I was more surprised than anything else. He sure doesn't ask questions before acting, does he?"

Bella shrugged her shoulders. What was there to say. She was as astonished as Mike was.

It looked like he wasn't hurt. There wasn't any blood or cuts on his face, only slight redness, if even that. Mike had a complexion that blushed easily; maybe he was just embarrassed, as he should be.

She was relieved. Paul was really looking for trouble with that temper of his. It was unacceptable that he thought he could hit others just because this moron had grabbed her ass. She had been quite surprised to see him so vivid a week ago at the bonfire. And that Rayef idiot had only held her arm. He was an ass, but she didn't need Paul to take care of her.

Paul had told her he was having issues with his anger, and how he had been working on it for years. Well, obviously there was still much work to be done with it.

When she rose to talk to Paul, she saw him leaving the shop.

"Hey Paul, where are you going?" Bella shouted after him, but he didn't turn. He just left.

"What an ass," she huffed and turned to Mike."Hey, sorry, Mike. That was uncalled for. But you did grab my ass."

"Did I?" Mike tried, "I didn't notice. It must have been an accident."

"Don't pull that bullshit on us. You SO grabbed her ass," Jessica was finally able to speak. She had also been taken by surprise by Paul's violent behavior.

"What's going on here?" Peter came to them. He had been outside taking the trash, and he hadn't seen what had happened.

Mike stood up and felt his face. He really seemed to be unharmed. That was a huge relief.

"Paul lost his temper with Mike and punched him," Bella told Peter.

"Why? Are you ok?" he asked Mike.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Where is Paul now?" Peter asked.

"He left. He's an ass." Bella sighed; all men were asses.

She decided that Paul had to cool off by himself. She wasn't going to go after him.