Author's Note:

I can't say it enough…Thank you for reading and for the reviews! Even if I don't respond, I read and appreciate them all!

Seems like we are all in agreement that Alice is terrible, and there's lots more to come on that front. Most of you also agree that Edward needs to tell everyone the truth about Tanya, and he totally should, but he's stubborn and thinks he's being noble or some shit by keeping it quiet. More to come there, as well, so just hang tight and give our guy a little grace. :-)

Now, let's get back to Bella and see how she's feeling after the latest crap from Malice.

As always, I don't own Twilight.

Chapter 9

BPOV

I wiped away a stray tear as I drove away from the Cullens' house. I couldn't believe Alice had said the things she'd said. Last night had been upsetting enough, and though I'd hesitated to go to lunch today, I had assumed Alice would at least be civil in front of her parents. Clearly, I'd been wrong. As with any longtime friends, Alice and I had had our ups and downs over the years, but this was on a whole new level. She'd made it abundantly clear that she didn't agree with Edward and I spending time together, but we were truly just friends. I may have had deeper feelings for him, but he didn't return those feelings and I'd never act on them, so what did it matter? I was confident that Alice did not know how I felt. I loved her like a sister, but Alice had always been fairly self-absorbed. Even if she was observant enough to know I had real feelings for her brother, it wouldn't soften her attitude regarding what she thought was going on with Edward. Sadly, I had no doubt that her problem with Edward and I becoming close in any way stemmed from her blind loyalty to Tanya.

I did my best to not dwell on the state of my relationship with Alice the rest of the evening, but that was easier said than done, so instead, I tried to keep myself busy by cleaning the house. I'd sent Esme a text apologizing again for causing the drama earlier, and she'd reassured me that it wasn't my fault. I still felt bad, though. I'd known my being there would provoke Alice, but I'd let my desire to see Edward and the rest of the family override my caution. My thoughts circled this same pattern for the rest of the day, and I'd nearly convinced myself that it was best to steer clear of the entire Cullen family for a while and let the dust settle. My resolve didn't last long though when I received a goodnight text from Edward that evening. I'm in big trouble, I thought as my heart fluttered when I saw his name on my phone screen.

Sunday morning dawned clear and cool, and I stretched lazily as I awoke. I smiled a little when the lingering dream of green eyes and a crooked grin floated through my mind, and I wished I could wake up in his arms instead of my empty bed. Refusing to let myself dwell on a wish that would never come true, I climbed out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. I had no plans for the day, so I decided to pamper myself a little and opted for a bubble bath instead of a shower. I'd washed my hair the day before, so I piled it on top of my head in a messy bun before I sank down in the water, where the lavender scent of the bubbles nearly lulled me back to sleep. I was dozing lightly, mind pleasantly blank, when I was roused by my phone signaling an incoming text message. Since the water had cooled, I pulled the plug and reached for my towel. I dried off and wrapped myself in a plush robe before looking at my phone. I was pleasantly surprised to see a message from Edward.

Good morning, Bella. What are you up to today? – E

Good morning. Nothing much, you? – B

Well, your presence has been requested by her royal highness, Princess Maggie, for dinner tonight. – E

I laughed out loud at the mock formality of the invitation. Will this be a black-tie affair? I've never dined with royalty before. – B

Considering the princess has requested a cheeseburger from Henry's Diner, I don't think formal wear is necessary. Lol – E

Sounds good. Let me know what time to meet you. – B

I knew I should have said no. Although I stood behind my belief that Edward and I were allowed to be friends, I couldn't help but wonder what Alice would have to say if she knew I was having dinner with her brother and niece. I took a moment to acknowledge the sadness I felt at the thought of my best friend. An occasional disagreement between the two of us wasn't anything new, but we'd always made up and gone forward without any hard feelings. I'd learned to deal with the occasional disappointment where she was concerned a long time ago, but this felt different. I could only hope that she would let it go and we could move past this soon.

I spent the rest of the day doing what I'd originally intended. Absolutely nothing. I curled up on the couch with my battered copy of Wuthering Heights, choosing to read for pleasure instead of work like I usually did these days. About an hour before I was due to meet Edward and Maggie, I headed back upstairs to make myself presentable. I tossed on a pair of jeans, a black fitted sweater, and an old pair of faded red chucks, then headed to the diner for my audience with the princess and her daddy.

Dinner was a lively affair. Maggie was hyped up and spent the entire evening chatting away while she ate her cheeseburger and fries. After she'd demolished a chocolate shake for dessert, Maggie climbed in Edward's lap and promptly passed out. I laughed softly as her head lolled on his shoulder and he smiled apologetically.

"Sorry," he said as we settled the bill, "she's been wound up all day long. I'm not surprised she crashed. I guess I better get her home."

I nodded in agreement and grabbed my purse and climbed out of the booth. Outside, I opened the door to Edward's truck so he could buckle Maggie in. Once she was settled, Edward closed the door quietly and turned back to me.

"Thanks for coming with us, we had a good time," Edward said.

"Me too. I always enjoy Maggie's company and I guess you're not too bad, either" I teased.

He chuckled and then his expression turned serious. "Really, Bella, you're great with her and you have no idea how much I appreciate that."

"She makes it easy, Edward," I said softly and laid a hand on his arm. He looked down at my hand and I started to pull it back, thinking I had made him uncomfortable. Before I could move though, Edward laid his hand over mine and gave it a squeeze.

"Well, I guess I better get going," he said. "Do you want to get lunch sometime this week?"

"Yeah, I do," I said, then snorted a rueful laugh. "I'm sure your sister will be thrilled if she finds out."

"My sister can kiss my ass," Edward retorted. "I refuse to feel bad for spending time with a friend who also happens to be great with my kid. Alice's feelings on the subject aren't even on my radar."

I smiled a little at his earnest declaration and told myself that if Edward wasn't going to worry about Alice, then I wouldn't either. With a final squeeze to my hand, Edward released me and watched as I got into my car. Once I was safely inside, he climbed in his truck, and we parted ways until we met for lunch later in the week.

The next couple of days were pretty routine. Edward and I texted regularly, as we'd been doing the last couple of weeks, and we'd decided to meet for lunch on Wednesday. I had lunch with Rosalie on Tuesday, and it was nice to spend time with her. We largely avoided the topic of Alice and Edward as I didn't want to put Rose in a difficult position. Rose and I were close, but Alice was her sister-in-law, and I wasn't about to make her choose a side. Finally, Wednesday rolled around, and I was headed to meet Edward. We'd chosen Mexican today and were enjoying the chips and salsa as we waited for our entrees. As usual, the conversation flowed effortlessly. We talked about work and Maggie, and it felt almost like we were a couple, stealing a little time in the middle of a busy week, just the two of us. It felt so natural, and I pretended for just a moment that it was real. I didn't allow myself to indulge that fantasy for long, though, before I mentally chastised myself to keep my feelings in check.

Just as I was shaking off my daydream, my phone pinged with an incoming text. I glanced down at the display and sighed as I saw who it was. As much as I wanted to ignore it, I found myself picking it up and swiping the screen to read the message. I dropped my head back for a moment and groaned softly, immediately wishing I'd gone with my first instinct and ignored it.

"What's wrong?" Edward asked with a concerned look on his face.

"Oh, it's nothing, just Alice," I said.

"Is she giving you a hard time? Did you tell her we were having lunch? Not that we have anything to hide, but I haven't talked to her, so I didn't figure she knew."

"No, this is the first I've heard from her since Saturday, so I haven't told her anything. She's just wanting me to go visit Tanya this afternoon, and frankly, I really don't want to. I know that's awful, but…" I trailed off.

"So, tell her no," Edward said. "You guys just went last weekend. Don't you usually only go once a month?"

"Yeah, but I think she thinks that throwing Tanya in my face will keep me away from you," I said and rolled my eyes.

"There's no reason to stay away from me," Edward said. "Alice can go by herself if she wants to go that badly."

"I know, but she's always been adamant that I go with her. I know I'm a terrible friend, but to be honest, I've always just felt sort of awkward visiting her."

"Bella, you are not a terrible friend. Tanya doesn't know if you're there or not, and let's be honest, she and Alice were closer anyway. But you've gone above and beyond for six years. Hell, all of her other so-called friends practically vanished after it became apparent she wasn't going to wake up."

I nodded slowly, knowing Edward was right, but I still felt guilty. Despite my guilt though, I shot a quick response to Alice, telling her I wouldn't be joining her. I wasn't in the mood for another fight, and I knew it would turn into one if I saw Alice so soon after the blow up over the weekend. Not to mention that if I caved and gave in to her demand to visit Tanya, she'd be even more determined to get her way in all aspects of my life. I wasn't willing to lose the small amount of ground I'd gained in standing up to her. Shortly after the text from Alice, Edward and I finished our lunch and went back to work, parting ways in the parking lot with a quick hug. I ignored a handful of texts from Alice throughout the afternoon, not willing to engage her. Apparently, she had finally gotten the hint, because the texts and calls had tapered off by the time I left the office.

The next afternoon, I had just finished up a meeting with an author when my phone rang. I knew something was wrong when I saw it was Edward calling, since he always texted me when he knew I was working. I grabbed the phone and answered quickly.

"Hey, Edward, what's up?" I asked in greeting.

"Bella, I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time, but I need a favor," he said. I could tell he was in his truck, and he sounded stressed.

"Of course. What do you need. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, we just have an issue with some permits on one of our jobs and I have to go deal with it. The problem is that Rosalie, Emmett, and my parents are all tied up and I'm not going to be finished in time to pick up Maggie from school. I tried to get ahold of her friend Emma's mom, but I couldn't reach her. I also tried Jasper, but he has a late class this afternoon, and frankly, I don't want to ask Alice. Is there any way you could pick her up?" he asked.

"Absolutely. Just tell me what time I need to be there." I told him as I glanced at the clock. It was nearly three o'clock, so I assumed I'd need to leave soon.

"She gets out at three thirty. I'll call the school as soon as I hang up with you and let them know you'll be picking her up. You'll have to go inside the office and show them your I.D., since you aren't on the list of people she can go with."

"Ok, not a problem. I'll leave my office in a few minutes and head that way. And since you may be tied up a while, I'll just take her home with me and we'll do dinner there when you're done." I told him and started gathering my things to leave the office.

"Thank you so much, Bella. I owe you, big time." He told me.

"It's nothing, Edward. We'll see you later." I said before hanging up and heading out to let Angela know I was leaving a little early. She could spread the word and if anyone else needed me, they could send me an email.

An hour later, I pulled up in my garage and looked back at Maggie in my backseat. She'd been thrilled when she'd been called to the office and found me there to pick her up. She'd talked non-stop on the way home, telling me all about her day.

Once we were in the house, I got Maggie settled at the dining table to work on her homework and after she'd finished her math worksheet, we settled on the couch together to watch the Disney channel until I needed to start dinner. I hadn't heard from Edward yet, so I'd decided to put together a salad and throw some chicken on the indoor grill and bake some potatoes when I knew he was on his way. I had just finished putting the salad together and stored it in the fridge when Edward sent a text saying he was on his way, so I pulled the chicken out and got it started.

When Edward arrived about twenty minutes later, Maggie greeted him at the door and pulled him into the kitchen, telling him about our afternoon. I was checking on the chicken when he walked in, and I noticed he looked tired when I turned to say hello.

"Rough day?" I asked, then reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a beer and offered it to him.

"Thanks," he said as he took the bottle and twisted the cap off. "And yeah, it was a mess, but we got it straightened out, I think."

"That's good. Sorry you had to deal with the trouble, though." I said as I poured myself a glass of wine and grabbed a glass for Maggie as well, giving her the option of juice or milk.

"Eh, it's just part of it unfortunately. Luckily, I don't have to deal with this type of thing much. It's usually Emmett's domain, but he was tied up on another job site today and couldn't get free and this really couldn't wait until tomorrow. Anyway, thank you again. You were really a lifesaver today," he said with a tired smile.

"I told you before, it's no problem. Maggie and I had a good afternoon. Now, I'll let you two set the table if you don't mind, and I'll be right behind you with the food," I said then turned to pull the chicken from the grill.

After we ate, Maggie went back to the living room to watch TV while Edward helped me clean up the kitchen. We talked while we worked and then joined Maggie in the other room. Edward and I sat on the couch, while Maggie was sprawled on the loveseat. I sipped a glass of wine while Edward drank a soda since he had to drive home. Sitting on the couch with Edward, even with a cushion between us, I was very aware of his presence. It was almost like a magnetic field was pulling me toward him, and I had to consciously force myself to remain seated and not lean or scoot over toward him. After the show Maggie was watching ended, Edward announced that they needed to get home since it was a school night. I felt an irrational sense of loss at the thought of them leaving, but I knew he and Maggie had a routine that he needed to keep, so I walked them to the door after Maggie had gotten her shoes on.

"Maggie, tell Ms. Bella thank you for picking you up and for dinner," Edward prompted his daughter.

"Thank you, Ms. Bella, I had lots of fun!" she exclaimed as she threw her arms around my waist.

I laughed and hugged her back. "I had lots of fun, too, sweet girl. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Alright, Mags, let's head out!" Edward said.

"Wait! I forgot my backpack!" Maggie announced and then ran off toward the kitchen.

"I guess she might need that," Edward said with a laugh. He then turned to look at me and something flickered in his green eyes. Before I could figure out what it was, he stepped closer to me and brushed a lock of hair behind my ear. "Thanks for everything, Bella," he said softly just before he leaned down and gently placed his lips on mine.

I gasped softly, and Edward pressed into me a little harder. The kiss was chaste and brief, but I still found myself melting against him. Edward pulled back slightly, and I looked up to see his eyes half closed and a small, crooked smile on his face. A split second later, we heard the patter of Maggie's footsteps returning so Edward released my shoulders. Before I could step back though, he brushed another kiss across my mouth. I raised my hand to my lips, completely in a daze, and the next thing I knew, Edward and Maggie had slipped out the door and I was alone wondering what the hell had just happened.

I snapped out of my Edward induced fog long enough to lock up the house and turn off the television. It was still early, but I headed upstairs and floated through my nightly routine. I climbed into bed and tried to read a manuscript I'd brought home from the office with me, but I gave up after I'd attempted to read the same page four times. The only thoughts my brain could register were Edward and how my lips still tingled, as if they were still connected to his. The feeling of his lips as they brushed over mine played through my mind in a continuous loop. I felt a little like my teenage self, right after Riley Biers had planted my first kiss on me behind the concession stand at a junior high football game. Only, being kissed by Edward Cullen was a hundred times more potent. I couldn't even imagine how it would feel if he ever kissed me for real or actually touched me. I'd probably spontaneously combust. I giggled out loud at my absurd thoughts and tried to pull myself together and act my age. It was hard though since I'd never really felt like this after such a chaste kiss. Not even the best of times with the man I'd married could compare to this.

A little while later, I was somewhat settled and doing my best to pay attention to the manuscript in my lap when my phone rang. My heart fluttered when I saw it was Edward calling.

"Hey," I answered quietly, somewhat nervous to talk to him.

"Hey, yourself," he said. We were quiet for a moment before he spoke again. "Look, Bella, I just called to uh…well, I guess I should apologize for, well, for kissing you earlier," he stammered.

I felt irrationally deflated at his words. I really didn't want him to regret it, even if it couldn't happen again. "Are you apologizing, or do you just think you should?" I asked.

He laughed softly, then said, "Well, I know I should, but I don't really want to."

"Then don't. I don't want you to apologize. I know that it probably shouldn't have happened, but I'm not going to deny that I liked it, Edward," I said softly. I was partly thrilled that he seemed to feel the same way, but also resigned to it being a one-time thing.

"Okay, I won't then. I liked it, too. Too much to regret it, but…" he said then trailed off.

"But it probably shouldn't happen again," I finished for him. "As much as I enjoyed it, and wish things could be different, I think we're playing with fire."

He was quiet for a minute, then said, "Yeah, you're probably right. I guess we need to be careful. I really don't want to lose you, though, Bella. I don't want to lose your friendship."

"Me either, that's the last thing I want," I said. I could feel my throat closing and knew I wouldn't be able to hold back the tears much longer, so I quickly added, "We'll talk soon, Edward. Good night."

I barely got the call disconnected before the tears started to fall. I knew it was ridiculous to feel like I was losing something, but that was the only way I could describe what I was feeling. Even though I knew we'd find a way to remain friends and move on the way we had been, I felt like I was losing a little piece of my heart. I didn't want to put those feelings into words, though, so I turned out the light and stared into the darkness, willing myself to let it go and pretend it never happened. Eventually, I fell into a restless sleep and dreamed of Edward.

Author's Note:

Well, there you have it. Bella is definitely fed up with Alice, and there's a small development. Getting harder to ignore their feelings, but they're still fighting it. But come on, it's Edward. Resistance is futile, right?!

Let me know what you think! Next chapter will be posted soon! I had actually intended to post this one over the weekend, but life happened…