Edward and I are up around seven and find Carlisle and Esme on their back deck with the firepit going and coffee in hand. Edward tells me to get settled and goes to get two cups of coffee for us.
"How'd you sleep, Bella?" Esme asks.
"Good. The bed was very comfortable."
She smiles. "I'm sure it was just the bed." She winks. "Rose isn't an early riser if she has a choice, so we probably won't see her for breakfast. I'm thinking eggs and bacon."
"I can help."
She nods. "I would appreciate it."
"How's your face?" Carlisle asks. "Edward came down for ice last night."
"It's sore, but I'm managing. I just need to keep on top of the Advil."
He nods. "Absolutely do. You know, Edward worries endlessly about you."
I smile softly. "I know, but overall, my job isn't that dangerous. It was worse in Seattle. The only thing I've been shot with recently is a paintball. And a teenager fired it."
He chuckles. "They can leave quite a welt."
"Yeah, that kid got what we deserved though. A month in juvie and a trip to live with his grandma in bumfuck West Virginia. Honestly, I put myself in more danger than I should, but I want to save everyone. I don't think sometimes. I just do."
"I think my son needs you to start thinking," he says. "Not to, you know, tell you what to do or anything. I just know he cares about you and worries about losing you."
I nod. "I need to settle down some," I agree as Edward comes back with our coffees.
He sits down beside me, putting his feet up on the table by the fire. "How are you doing, gorgeous?"
"Wonderful, handsome." I smile. "Sleep well?"
He nods. "I did with you by my side."
"Oh, you're so cute together!" Esme squeals. "I love seeing this. Edward has waited so long for the perfect woman."
"And I found her," he says, leaning across his chair to kiss me.
We finish our coffee in comfortable silence, and then Esme and I go make breakfast. I'm on bacon duty, which is simple, while she scrambles the eggs and seasons them. I'm more of a floppy bacon girl, so I ask Esme how done she wants it. She says to do half floppy and half crispy, so that's what I do.
Eventually, Rosalie moseys on down, her blonde hair in a mess of a bun, wearing shorts and a shirt. "Need any help?" she asks.
Esme puts her on toast, so she puts pieces in as she sips her coffee. Emmett isn't far behind and goes to find Edward and Carlisle. They both look like they had a little fun this morning, but that's none of my business.
"Bacon is done," I say, plating the last of the crispy pieces on paper towels over a plate.
"Eggs are ready too," Esme says. "Just toast."
"The last of the pieces are in the toaster," Rose says. "We make a good team."
Esme smiles. "We sure do. Let's just take everything to the table. People can butter their own toast."
I carry my two plates of bacon behind Esme with her eggs and place them on opposite sides of the eggs. Rose puts two pieces of toast on everyone's plate, and then Esme calls the guys in.
"Smells heavenly," Carlisle says, kissing his wife.
"Delicious, gorgeous," Edward says, kissing me.
"God, I'm starving. Good job, Rose," Emmett says, kissing Rose's neck.
We sit down and devour the food. It's delicious, and I get plenty of floppy bacon. Edward goes for it too, but everyone else focuses on the crispy pieces. Floppy bacon is by far better.
Later, I help Esme in the kitchen for Thanksgiving dinner, but she burns the pumpkin pie and freaks out. Edward and I calm her down, promising to come up with a good dessert for the evening. I tell her I'll keep an eye on everything and send her out of the kitchen. The turkey still has three hours, and the sides don't go in for another hour.
"What do we make?" Edward asks as I go through the pantry.
"Well, we've got pecans and chocolate, so I say chocolate pecan cupcakes. They're easy."
He nods. "Put me to work, chef."
And so I do, getting him to mix the ingredients together while I find a cupcake tin and sleeves.
"This is why I prefer a mixer. Really get in there." I put my hand over his, stirring as fast as possible. He looks back at me with a cheeky smile.
"You want me to beat it?"
"Beat it hard."
"Oh my god, you're making this sexual," Rose says, popping her head in. "I came to see if you need help, but I see you have it under control."
"Yeah, we're good," I say. "Come on. Really get in there, Edward."
"I'm getting in as hard as I can," he says with a laugh.
"I'm out!" Rose yells, running from the kitchen.
Once I'm satisfied the batter has been beaten enough, I pour it into the cupcake tins. I'm going to finish it off with a chocolate swirl frosting and a few pecans on top. They'll look and taste delicious.
I put them in the oven along with some of Esme's sides and set a timer. Her turkey is looking tasty but still needs a while.
Edward and I pull off our aprons and head into the living room where Carlisle is two beers in, and Esme has had at least two glasses of wine.
"How does the food look?" she asks me.
I nod. "It's coming along well. I put your broccoli and rice casserole in the oven, and your green beans in the crock pot. All should be ready in about an hour and a half."
She nods. "Maybe we'll have Bella do Thanksgiving from now on, Carlisle. We can drink and watch football."
"Do you want a drink, Bella?" Edward asks.
"Um, a rum and Coke would be nice."
"I'll make it," Emmett says. "I like the same thing."
"Get me a glass of red, please?" Rosalie asks, and he nods.
He heads into the kitchen to make the drinks as Edward and I settle on the loveseat. The Cowboys are playing the Commanders, which I couldn't care less about. The Seahawks and Ravens are my boys, but I'm still entertained by the game. Edward holds me close and cheers when the Commanders score.
I get up after a half hour and check on things in the kitchen. My cupcakes should be done, so I pull them out and check them with a toothpick. Clean as a whistle. I take them out and let them cool as I get the icing ready.
I whip the chocolate cream cheese icing together, and then put it in a bag and cut the tip off. I make perfect swirls on each cupcake, and then add two pecans on top of all of them. They look delicious. I put them in the fridge to chill, and then check on the sides for Esme.
She has the ingredients for a spinach dip, so I whip that together and let it chill. Eventually, Esme comes in to check on the turkey and declares he's almost done. The meat timer is starting to poke out, and he smells amazing.
She checks her sides and declares the broccoli and rice casserole done as well as the green beans. She pops open a can of cranberry sauce and cuts it up, and everything looks so good. Once the turkey is done, she makes her gravy and pulls the stuffing out of it. I'm starving by the time we're putting everything on the table.
"Would you be a dear and grab the Hawaiian rolls from the cabinet?" Esme asks me, and I nod, heading back for them and some butter.
We each take turns saying what we're thankful for instead of a prayer. Carlisle and Esme are thankful they can keep their clinic running for another year, Rose is thankful she met Emmett, Emmett's thankful he was accepted into the family, Edward is thankful for me, and I'm thankful for him. We all share sweet words, and I love it.
The food is amazing, and I can't get enough. Esme outdid herself. When it's time for dessert, I bring out the cupcakes to oohs and ahhs, and everyone digs in. Edward and I get plenty of compliments, and he tries to say it's mostly my doing.
We retire out back around the firepit with drinks and jovial conversation. I tell a story of one of my first experiences as a cop—a purse stealer nabbed one right in front of me. I chased him for four blocks before finally tackling him. Turns out, he grabbed a diaper bag and not a purse, so there was no money but an abundance of diapers and wipes. He went to jail over butt ointment.
"The mom was super happy to have the bag back at least," I say as everyone chuckles.
"Anyone want to know the first time Bella and I met?" Edward asks.
"Oh no," I mumble with my face in my hands.
"You'd think being neighbors we'd have met that way, but nope. Ms. Danger Magnet here got herself into a fist fight with one of the town drunks during my first shift. I was warned by the nurses that she was a handful, but I didn't listen. I walked in all proud like—a dignified doctor—and she read me the riot act. Her nose was broken, and her knuckles were bruised. I wasn't allowed to look for any other injuries."
"Well, my nose was broken, and my knuckles were bruised. I knew what was wrong with me."
He laughs. "I wanted a CT of her head, and she flipped out, saying she wasn't going to pay for a useless test. She was stubborn as hell and still is. She refused the CT and took the prescription for pain meds and went home, driving herself. It was that evening I realized she was my neighbor. I knocked on her door, and she opened it, flipping me off."
"You are pigheaded, Bella," Emmett says as we both sip our drinks.
"I'm a little feisty, that's all. The next morning, he left me a note about the pine needles on my sidewalk and how I needed to clean them up."
"They're very easy to trip on," Edward defends.
"You're anal. But … it's grown on me."
"And you're a danger magnet, which has grown on me." He smiles, lifting his glass for a toast. "Now, let's hear about Rose and Emmett. You've been sneaking around on me, sister."
And she downs the last of her wine and grins. "I wanted to be sure it was real. I met him three months ago, and we hit it off. So, when I'd come visit you, I'd stay an extra day and spend it with him."
"I can't believe you never slipped up at poker," I say to Emmett. "You guys really hid this well."
Rose nods. "But now, that's over. Sure, it's a bit of a long distance relationship, but my schedule is flexible, and I don't mind the drive. We'll figure things out as it goes."
"Ashbury is a small hospital, but I'm sure they could use your skills," Edward says.
She shrugs. "We'll see how it goes. I need another drink."
"Me too," I say, holding up my glass. Emmett takes both as well as his own and gives us refills. I really shouldn't have much more, but even Carlisle and Esme are getting a little drunk.
Before the night is over, we get to hear their meet-cute story, which is adorable. Esme fell from a tree the day before her wedding to a man she barely knew and broke her leg. Instead of postponing, she canceled it because she met Carlisle and was head over heels in love with him at first sight. They dated for about six months, and then tied the knot. Her parents didn't understand her infatuation with the good doctor, but marrying their daughter off to the doctor was good enough for them. Carlisle wasn't as rich as Charles, her former fiancé, but he loved Esme dearly.
Once we got all the meet-cutes out of the way, someone suggested Spades. Carlisle and Esme bowed out, so it was Edward and me against Emmett and Rose. I may not be great at poker, but Spades is my forte. Edward and I beat the crap out of them four times before they give up. We're all drunk and decide it's bedtime, so we go our separate ways.
I barely make it up the stairs without falling on my ass, and Edward isn't much better. We fall into bed in our clothes, and he's trying to take mine off.
"Oh my god, no, we're at your parents' house," I say with a laugh. "We can't do that here."
He kisses my neck and fumbles with the buttons on my flannel. "No one will know."
He flicks a few buttons open, and I wonder if he's right. If we're quiet, no one will know. But quiet is difficult for me.
"You can't let me scream," I say, undoing his own flannel shirt. "You have to be gentle, okay?"
He nods, breathless, as he goes back to kissing my skin. It takes a lot of finagling, but we finally manage to get our clothes off, and he gets on his knees above me, pulling me toward him.
"You're my everything, my beautiful Bella," he whispers, swiftly entering me.
I clamp my hand over my mouth as he moves within me. It's pure fucking ecstasy. He fucks me hard and fast, and I lose myself in him. He knows exactly where to hit inside of me, and I'm coming fast. It takes everything in me not to scream out in pleasure. I bite my fucking tongue to keep the scream in. When I come again, he comes with me and stalls inside my body, hands on my hips.
"Jesus, Bella." He moans.
"Holy shit," I say between gasps. "I like drunk sex."
He just laughs.
I don't own Twilight.
Thanks to Ashley, May, and Mary prereading and Sally for beta'ing.
Hopefully this long chapter makes up for my absence. My husband took an out of state job for a year so we're in the middle of figuring out logistics and it's just been a lot. Thank you for reading!