A/N: This chapter has been edited to correct some decisions I made that weren't sitting well me. In short, I made him too much of an asshole in the first draft.

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2

Edward

"As we make our approach into Asheville, please make sure your tables are in an upright and locked position, with seat belts fastened. Thank you for flying Delta and do enjoy your stay in Asheville." One of the flight attendants' voices said over the intercom of the plane, and I sighed in relief. After being stuck in Baltimore for three extra hours, I was happy to finally be making it into Asheville. Only one hour separated me from Copper Creek, and I was more than ready for this travel day from hell to come to end.

This wasn't exactly how I saw myself coming home.

I'd spent the last few years in New York building my company. I started Skyscape with Tia, my best friend from college, fifteen years ago in Copper Creek. It had been a small startup, housed on the second floor above the post office. We'd been fresh faced and excited, with dreams of making it big. We'd both been in the corporate world, working for other people and were ready to do something new. She knew about sales, and I knew about tech. Those two things combined make for a very lucrative business. Tech sales wasn't something that many people thought of, but it made Tia and I our first million.

Once it became clear that Skyscape was going somewhere, we knew that we had outgrown our small office, and started looking toward making the transition to New York, where most of our clients were based anyway. It had been hard to leave the small town where we'd gotten our start, but it had been a necessary transition for the good of the company.

Moving to New York after living almost my entire life in a town as small as Copper Creek had been an adjustment. That first year had been filled with a lot of growing pains for me personally. Getting used to the hustle and bustle of the city was surprisingly hard. I wasn't used to hearing sirens and car horns at all hours of the night. There was a part of me that thought that I wasn't cut out for New York, then I'd met Tanya.

Tanya Denali was a friend of Tia's from childhood who'd moved to New York about a year later. She didn't know anyone, and we'd hit it off after going out for drinks one night. Our relationship was rocky from the start, both of us were so different and butted heads on too many things to count. Right before I'd come home for my sister's wedding, we'd broken up again, and I thought that was it.

Coming home for those few weeks had been good for me, a time to regroup, and focusing on my sister's upcoming nuptials was a good distraction. One night close to the day of the wedding, I'd ventured downstairs in the middle of the night to sneak some of mom's peach pie. Alice had insisted that the entire wedding party stay at our parent's house, giving us no choice in the matter, not that I minded. Being surrounded by family and friends was exactly what the doctor ordered at the time.

When I'd turned on the light and found my sister's best friend standing at the kitchen island, digging into the pie was I seeking, had been a surprise. She'd startled, yelping loudly when I turned the light on. Obviously, she wasn't expecting anyone else to be us either.

I said something along the lines of: "I see we both had the same idea."

She nodded, the fork hanging limply between her fingers. "I can leave."

I waved my hand at her. "You only need to leave if you don't plan on sharing that pie."

She looked at the pie, then back to me, like she was contemplating. "I mean, it is my favorite."

"Mine, too." I replied, walking over to where she was standing, sticking my finger into some of the peach filling that was stuck to the pan.

She pursed her lips, "Fine. I'll share."

I smiled, grabbing a fork as we stood there in the quiet of my parent's house eating pie. Over the course of those few days leading up to the wedding, we meant up in the middle of the night, indulging in whatever sweet treat that my mother had decided to make that day.

Bella and Alice had been best friends since they started school, so I was used to her being around when I would come home to visit. They'd both been attached to at the hip growing up. But somewhere along the way, my view of her had started to shift. As we got to know each other during those late night encounters, she started to no longer be my little sister's best friend, but a woman who was funny, smart, and bold. She had dreams and was ambitious.

I still remember the night I'd looked at her beautiful brown eyes and knew that I'd fallen for her.

"What?" she asked, taking a bite of the slice of chocolate cake we'd been sharing. She was wearing a UNC sweatshirt with mahogany hair in braid. She'd been the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen in that moment, that it actually took my breath away.

"Nothing." I said, unable to take my eyes off her. "You're just beautiful."

She blushed then, swallowing slowly, looking at me with eyes the size of saucers.

"Did I scare you?" I'd asked because she was just sitting there not saying anything.

She shook her head. "No. Just processing."

I set my fork down on the plate, sliding my hand across the table, my fingers meeting her hand on top of the table. "What if I told you I wanted to kiss you? What about then?"

Her answer to the question was the lean over and press her lips against mine.

That's when everything changed and I knew that I wanted to make her mine, and that night I did, our bodies coming together in the dark of my childhood bedroom. Falling for her had been so sudden and unexpected, but felt so fucking right.

I spent a few weeks at home after the wedding. Weeks that were filled with slipping out of my parents house to meet her. Sometimes we'd just talk, getting to know each other on a deeper level than I'd known anyone else. She shared her fears of not knowing what to do with the rest of her life, and I shared mine of having my company crumble, putting so many people out of work, that it left me paralyzed in the middle of the night. She told me that's what she liked most about me, that I cared deeply about people. Then she kissed me, and all conversation that night ended.

When I left to come back to New York, I'd promised her that I'd come for Christmas and if we still wanted this, we'd tell our families.

When I got back to New York, Tanya was waiting for me at my apartment, begging me to try again. I'd insisted that we were over and never getting back together. I didn't tell her about Bella, because that was none of her business. I was happy, and that's all that mattered. I had no intention of going there again with her, we were too different.

Things with Bella were great at first. We talked all the time and I was so proud of her when she got her position at Safe Haven. Then the distance started to take its toll. Things at work were busier than ever and Bella's days were crazy as she went through training and started taking on more responsibilities. We decided to break things off and see where things stood when I came home for Christmas, and that if either of us had a chance at happiness, we'd take it.

A few months after the break up, I'd had a bad day at work, which resulted in Tia and I ending up in a bar in upper Manhattan. Tanya had been there, lending me an ear as I told her what had happened that day. It started out so slowly at first, that I didn't see that she was worming her way back into my life. She and I started spending time together as just friends, it never was meant to be more than that, until one night at my apartment when we'd drunk too much wine and ended up in bed together.

Looking back, I'd fallen right back into our old familiar pattern. At the time I thought it was love and got down one knee to ask her to be my wife.

When we flew back to Copper Creek for the holiday, I'd been a nervous wreck, because I knew I had to tell Bella before she heard it from anyone else. So, that first day back, I asked her to meet me for coffee and I told her that I'd gotten engaged. She congratulated me, but the look of devastation that momentarily spread across her features, was something that still haunted me in my dreams five years later.

My marriage to Tanya hadn't been easy from the start. She changed after the wedding, started caring more about our status in society, than about our actual relationship. The more parties and charity events she dragged me to, the more distant I became. We fought a lot, not that was anything new, we'd always fought, but these were angry and mean, going for each other's jugular. I called her money hungry and a gold digger. She called me cold and distant. Even still, when I told her I wanted a divorce a year ago, she'd refused. It took months to get her to sign the papers, and when it was all said and done, I didn't feel any relief, because she was talking shit about me to all of her well connected friends, making it difficult for Skyscape to get any new clients. She was killing my business that Tia and I had worked so hard to build. It didn't matter how much I'd given her in the divorce, she didn't have the status my name gave her anymore, and that's all that had ever really mattered to her.

All the bullshit that she was putting me through was taking it's toll on me, so when Tia suggested I take some much needed R & R, I'd purchased the ticket to Asheville that night.

As I walk off the plane, I feel lighter than I have in months.

-SH-

Copper Creek didn't look any different, but as I drove through the streets in my rental car to Wal-Mart, it looked beautiful, a sight for sore eyes. The flags on the lamp posts lining the streets of down town were advertising the spring carnival, which I always loved going to when I was a kid. The town hadn't changed in the years I'd been away, even though I'd changed so much in that time.

I don't bother with a cart when I walk into the store, I only need a few items that I forgot in my rush to leave New York, and head straight to find razors and shaving cream.

"Holy shit!" A booming voice calls to me as I'm examining my razor options.

I turn to find Emmett, my buddy from high school, coming down the aisle toward me, pushing a cart with a little girl that has his curls sitting inside.

"What the hell man," he walks toward me, giving me a hug and clap on the back. "When did you get back in town?"

"A few minutes ago. It was a spur of the moment decision."

"I heard about your divorce." Of course he had, it had been all over the tabloids for months "I'm sorry, man."

I shrug, trying to act like it didn't bother me. "It was for the best."

"Well, if you're not doing anything later, you should come to Mod Olive and have dinner with me and Rosie. I know she would love to see you." Rosalie Hale was Emmett's wife. They'd been high school sweethearts and married right after graduation. From my understanding, she'd become a very successful lawyer, enabling Emmett to be a stay at home dad. A job that he loved if all of the pictures of their brood of three kids on his Instagram were any indication.

"I'd like that." After all the hell I'd gone through the last several months, getting together with old friends sounded like paradise.

"Well," he backed toward the cart, where his daughter was watching me with her big, violet eyes, not sure of what to make of me. "I'll see you then. I have to get this one home," he ruffled her hair. "It's almost nap time. Taylor, can you say goodbye to Edward."

She gave me a shy little wave that melted me right into a puddle.

"I'll see you later, man."

Once I'm finished at the store, I head in the direction of my parent's house. They live on the outskirts of town in an old farmhouse that they'd been slowly remodeling over the last few years. The property was surrounded by forest on all sides, with a long drive that led from the main road. Both of my parent's cars were in the driveway. My mom worked from home, her office based in a converted shed in the backyard. Dad had retired last year, and had been driving my mom crazy ever since.

My dad was coming out the front door with their two golden retrievers, who bounded down the stairs of the front porch, ignoring me to run around the front yard.

"Hey," my dad comes down the stairs to greet me with a large smile on his face, hugging me tightly. "How was the trip?"

I sighed wearily. "Long."

"I bet." The smile slipped a little, his blue eyes turning serious, when he asked: "How are you doing?"

"Hanging in there." I admit truthfully for the first time, and it feels good. "It's been rough, but I'm making it."

"Well," he puts his hand on my shoulder, leading toward the house. "I know your mother can't wait to see you. Maybe it will finally get her off the phone with your sister."

"She still trying to get Alice to know the gender of the baby?"

Alice was six months along at this point, and our mom had been pestering her about the gender of the baby for months at this point, but my sister was still holding strong. She and Jasper were still determined to be surprised at the birth. Much to our mom's chagrin.

Alice and I were sixteen years apart in age. Our parents were twenty when they had me and struggled for years to conceive again. They'd pretty much given up when they found out they were pregnant with Alice.

"You know your mother, of course she is." He called over the dogs, who bolted up the stairs and through the still open door, their nails tapping against the gleaming hardwood floors.

Walking into the house, I'm greeted with one of my favorite scents in the entire world: my mom's peach pie. Following my nose down the hall to the kitchen at the back of the house, I find my mom taking the pie out of the oven and my mouth instantly starts watering.

"Hi, mom." I say after she's placed the hot pan on the counter.

She startles, her hand going to her chest over her heart, as she turns to look at me. The years have been good to both of my parents, but especially my mom. She looks at least twenty years younger than she is, barely any wrinkles cover her skin, just a few around her mouth and eyes from nights spent laughing at the dinner table. Her caramel hair is still long and thick, falling around her shoulders in soft waves that match Alice's. When I was little, I thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world, and I think she still is.

Her green eyes become slits as she glares at me. "Edward," she scolds. "You know better than to startle me."

I bite the inside of my lip to hide the smile that wants to break free. She was always so easily startled, my dad and I made it a game to see who could startle her the most times on any given day. It was usually me. Dad tried too hard, and she usually saw him coming.

"I'm sorry." I try to sound sincere, but I must not succeed because she lifts her brow at me like she would when I was little and gave an insincere apology for making a mess.

"You're lucky I missed you too much to stay angry." She puts the potholders on the counter, coming over to me to give me a hug. I close my eyes as I inhale her perfume, letting it soothe a part of my soul that only my mom can.

"Is there any chance that I might get a slice of that pie?" I ask after a moment, looking over at the pie on the counter.

Mom pulls away, swatting my chest. "You're supposed to be focused on spending time with your parents, not on pie."

"But can I?" I laugh when she hits my chest again, just like I knew she would.

"I did make it for you, but now I don't know if you deserve it."

"What doesn't he deserve?" Dad walks into the kitchen then carrying an empty coffee cup. Even though it's close to eighty degrees today, he's wearing a brown cardigan that's definitely seen better days. Dad always did run cold. Alice and I joked that it was because he spent so much time in hospitals.

"Pie." Mom answers, still giving me a stern look, but I can see a spark of mischief in her eyes.

"Well, shit, son." Dad goes over to the Keurig on the counter and starts another cup of coffee. "You really fucked up this time. Getting your mom to withhold pie."

"Carlisle." My mom fusses. She's never been one for vulgarity, especially in the house.

"Esme, he's a grown man. I'm he's heard those words before." Dad replies, putting sweetener in his coffee.

"What am I going to do with the two of you?" Mom asks, placing her hands on her hips as she looks between the two of us. Damn, I forgot how much I missed being home.

Dad comes over and kisses the side of her head. "Love us."

She rolls her eyes, trying to make it seem like she's still annoyed, but she melts into my dad's chest, shattering the illusion. Their love is so pure that it makes your teeth hurt. It's the kind of love I want to find.

I stay at my parents house for a few hours catching up, and mom does give in and gives me a slice of pie, complete with whipped cream, even though she acted like it was killing her the entire time to do it.

After slices of pie and several cups of coffee are consumed, one with a splay of Bailey's, I leave to get to the Airbnb as the sun was setting. The place I found wasn't too far from my parents house, maybe a few miles. It was a modern tiny home I'd found on the site. When I showed it to Tia, she thought I'd lost my mind, stating that she'd need more space just for her shoes, but it was enough for me. I didn't need much, especially since I knew I wouldn't spending much time here anyway, with my parents so close, and Emmett and Rosalie not being far, either. I wanted to enjoy the town I grew up in and get reacquainted with myself in the process.

Emmett texts around seven as I'm stepping out of the shower, to say that he and Rose were headed to the restaurant. I hadn't been to Mod Olive before, but I knew that it was the place that my dad took my mom on their anniversary last year, so it had to be on the nicer side, so I threw on a lightweight blue sweater and jeans, before grabbing my keys and heading out the door.

The town streets were basically empty, which was to be expected for a Monday night. It was so different from New York, and I loved every second of it.

The public parking lot around the corner was full, so I parallel park in front of the restaurant. As I'm getting out of the car, I text Emmett to let him know I'm here, and he texts back that he and Rose are sitting in a booth near the bar.

When I enter, I tell the hostess that I'm meeting someone and she waves me on. I walk toward the bar, Emmett waving to me from the booth at the far end of the bar, Rose giving me a smile. I give them a wave in greeting and start making my way toward them.

I don't know how it happens, but the next second, I'm colliding with someone. The woman's friend, who's still sitting in the booth, is asking the woman if she's okay, but I don't think she hears her.

I look down to make sure the woman is alright, but I freeze when I'm met with a pair of brown eyes that I know too well.

For some reason, posting this chapter makes me nervous. I hope I did it justice and what I wanted to come across, came across :).

Let me know what you think.

See you next Monday!