Jack and Leah were sitting in the rental car - but only talking.

Bella waited for the ambulance to take Angela away before saying goodnight to everyone else. Mike and Jessica never reappeared. Someone from the reunion committee fetched a janitor on hand for the event. Bella could still smell the sawdust as she left.

Paul had waited outside, leaning against Bella's rental car, watching the chaos unfold as Angela got taken away and Quil followed behind them. Turning on the lights and letting in the EMTs had prompted a few other people to leave. The parking lot was still thinning out as Bella walked toward him.

"Well…" she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's been one hell of a night."

From the open window, Leah hollered, "Bitch, you never drank with me!"

"I never got the chance to slow down!"

Paul teased, "Well, there were about ten whole minutes at the beginning…" She playfully backhanded his chest. Paul caught her wrist and tugged her toward him, grinning. "I want you to stay with me."

Bella groaned, "Paul…"

"I know, I know," he interrupted. "I'm not trying to start another argument right now. Just listen."

She sighed and leaned into his chest, closing her eyes, and he draped his arms around her back. Her words got muffled against his tie as she said, "Fine. Tell me."

His quiet laughter shook her, and she couldn't help but smile. "When Jack returns to Florida Monday morning, I want you to pack up your stuff at the hotel, then stay with me and Jamie until you leave."

"And do what? Drive to our divorce hearing together?"

"I'm serious, Bella. Come stay with us for a couple of days. See what it could be like… if we could tolerate being around each other for that long. If you can tolerate being around Jamie that long. We can discuss things if you want, but if between now and next Friday is all the time I have with you, then I want as much of that time as possible."

She sighed. "I… will consider it. Let me get through tomorrow first. There are other things I have promised to do while I'm here that I still need to do. Speaking of which…"

Bella pulled out of his arms but grabbed his hand to pull him toward the driver's window, where Jack sat behind the wheel. "I need to go out to First Beach."

Jack grinned and said, "In this suit? No, ma'am. This fucker cost more than my rent."

Bella said, "Well then, I guess I'll drop you off with Leah or at the hotel, but I promised myself I'd do something tonight, and I'm doing it."

Leah smirked as Paul asked, "And what would that be, exactly?"

Bella pointed to herself and said, "Burn this fucking dress."

Leah scoffed and asked, "Why? It's cute."

"Because Alice Cullen bought it, and it's the last tie I still have to the Cullens. I wore this dress for senior prom. I promised myself I'd wear it this one time because I wanted to and not because I was being forced to - and then I'd burn the sonofabitch. And that's what I'm gonna do."

Leah clapped her hands and said, "Yes! Do it!"

Bella said, "Does that mean you'll come with me?"

Leah laughed again and said, "Hell, no. I've had to burn enough cheap polyester in my life. I refuse."

Bella tried not to laugh at Jack's curious expression and said, "This is silk. Alice would never buy polyester. Trust me, she forced me into a thirty-five thousand dollar wedding gown I wore for four hours and never saw again."

Jack said, "That's three years worth of rent at our place."

Bella said, "Precisely. If I remember correctly, this blue monstrosity was like thirteen hundred. Can we please go fucking burn it?"

Paul laughed as he pulled her from the window to hug her from behind. "I think those two want to continue their date, Bella. How about you let them take your car, and I take you out to the beach? You can burn the dress, and I'll drop you off at the hotel. I won't even walk you upstairs if you don't want me to."

Bella nodded. "That can work, as long as someone remembers to pick me up by eight in the morning. I have to go to the store to get shit for the lasagnas first thing."

Jack's head whipped toward Bella as he asked, "Your lasagna? Seriously?"

Leah said, "Yeah, apparently it's amazing. If you hear a story about Bella around here, chances are, she cooked something amazing to go with all the chaos. But, her lasagna is Jacob's favorite, so it's referenced a lot."

Jack grinned. "So, you're saying I get to meet the infamous Jacob tomorrow?"

Bella nodded. "And his wife, kids, and father."

Leah leaned down to see Paul through the window and added, "I'm pretty sure Mom assumes you and Jamie are coming, so feel free."

Feeling put on the spot again, Bella blushed as she looked at Paul. "Did I ask you about Sunday? You were there when we planned it, right? I've seen you so much in the last few days that it's all blending. I think I just assumed you and Jamie would be there."

Paul chuckled and said, "It's okay. I knew about Sunday. Not that we were invited, but I wasn't offended, either. That's a lot of people in Charlie's house. Is there gonna be enough room?"

"I was worried bout that too," Leah said, grimacing. "Mom, Bells, and I will trip over each other in that kitchen. And mine isn't much bigger."

Paul said, "Well… you know, my kitchen is pretty big. And it's already clean because I don't cook much, so it's easy to maintain. I also have a pretty nice flatscreen and a couch that rarely gets used, just going to waste…"

Leah asked, "Do you want us to have this little soiree at your house? Is that what you're saying? Because I'll call Mom like… right now. If she and Charlie can sleep in a little, he might arrive in a good mood later."

"Do it," Bella said, then looked at Paul. "As long as you're absolutely sure."

"If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have offered. Plus, Jake and Sanna's kids are coming, right? They can play with Jamie in his room. He's got too many fucking toys, anyway."

"That would be great," Leah said. "Mom and Charlie don't have little ones at the house much. There isn't anything for them to do."

Bella nodded and said, "I guess that settles it, then. Call Sue, and then you two have fun, and I'll see you both in the morning?"

Jack and Leah winked at Bella simultaneously and grinned. Paul leaned down to whisper, "That's scary."

Bella muttered, "Tell me about it."

She opened the driver's side passenger door to grab the garment bag, her purse, and the bottle of Merlot she'd hidden under the back seat specifically for this occasion.

Jack spotted the bottle and said, "Hey! Holding out on me, wench ."

Bella laughed and waved it at them. "I bought this for my dress-burning celebration specifically. You're welcome to come to the beach and share. Otherwise, I don't know what to tell you… Oh, and if you guys go to a bar - Let Leah drive, Jack."

"Why?"

Leah said, "Because I'm the chief of police's step-daughter? Duh."

Bella giggled, knowing Leah's tolerance was much higher than Jack's, but they couldn't tell him that.

"I'll let you two figure your shit out. See you later. Be safe. Please don't wreck my rental or hotel room. Thanks!"

Bella snorted at Paul's surprised expression as she grabbed his hand and tugged him toward his truck.

He opened the passenger door for her and asked, "Was that aimed at me? The hotel comment?"

Bella tried not to laugh as she shook her head. "I swear that never even came to mind. I just don't want to sleep where they had sex if they have sex."

Sincerely, he said, "I am sorry about that. The hotel? God… I was so… just so mad, Bella. Mostly at myself for all the shit I said. I don't know if you were ever told how much damage there was."

"You phased in the room," Bella said, nodding. "I know. They sent pictures along with the bill. I didn't even contest anything. I know some things I said were to blame for that. I never expected you to pay for it or anything."

Tentatively, Paul asked… "H-how much was it? The bill?"

Bella climbed into the passenger seat and said, "I'm about to burn less, honestly. It doesn't matter, though. Okay? I promise. Water under the bridge."

Paul nodded and waited for her to finish getting situated before shutting her door and running to the driver's side. He removed his suit jacket and tossed it into the back seat before climbing in. Bella leaned away somewhat to appraise his appearance again and grinned.

As he started his truck, he asked, "What? Is something wrong?"

"Do you know that you kind of look like a mobster in all black?"

He laughed as he put the truck into gear and backed out of the parking space. "Is that something you like? Seemed an awful lot like you like it to me."

Bella fluttered her eyelashes at him and said, "Maybe."

Paul laughed and reached for her hand, threading their fingers together. Bella held tight to it the entire way to First Beach.