Emmett

Edward? What the f…? Here, Bella was having a hot sex dream, and it was about Edward? Was it Edward, the lucky jerk who was now married to Rose, the amazing goddess? This couldn't be the same guy Bella mentioned meeting…

He couldn't sleep after that. After she'd finally reached her conclusion, she slept soundly, and Emmett tossed and turned. He imagined she must've gotten up when he finally fell asleep after dawn and had barely heard the shower.

Once his eyes opened, the memory of last night came flooding back. She'd called out Edward's name in the heat of a very sexy dream! And now she seemed to harbor some sort of lust towards him. Emmett needed answers, but then he'd have to admit to having watched her display…or maybe he didn't have to give the details about how she was moving her hips and shaking the bed. Despite his initial enthusiasm and the idea of participating, hearing that man's name had been like having a bucket of ice cold water poured down his pants.

Damn.

The aroma of coffee drew him into the kitchen after 8. He found Bella busy at work and even humming as she fried up some eggs and the tempting smell of bacon filled the entire space.

"Good morning, Emmett."

Groggily, he rubbed his eyes, and she gestured to the pot full of coffee on the counter. "Morning."

"How did you sleep?"

"Not well."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I slept like a baby. It must have been all that wine."

Emmett grabbed a cup from the cupboard and nearly filled it to the brim. "Yeah. Sure."

"You're quiet this morning."

"Rough night."

She tilted her chin down and set the spatula on a ceramic spoon. "Look. I'm sorry. I came on too strong, and I shouldn't have done that. You were right. It was the wine."

He sat down, thankful for the camera's absence. Sipping the black liquid, he contemplated whether to discuss her nighttime activity or leave it.

"So, I've decided I'm going to stop worrying about it and just see what happens."

"Good."

"What time are we meeting your parents and brothers?"

"Six."

"Great."

After a moment, she set down a plate of three fried eggs, six slices of bacon, and two large pieces of toast in front of him. His stomach growled at the sight, and though he was hungry, he couldn't help himself. How long could he go without bringing this up? As they ate in silence, his mind traced back to the night of Rose's surprise party. What had happened between Bella and Edward? Like a dummy, he couldn't recall anything because he'd been so enamored with Rosalie! It was like he'd forgotten he had taken a vow to his own wife. Could he truly be upset with her? For something that happened before they got married? Someday, he'd have to watch the footage to see if the cameras picked up anything about them. He showered attention on the birthday girl, but the rest of the night felt ordinary, as if they were just going through the motions. From what he remembered, it seemed Rose and Edward lacked any connection. Married in ceremony only, like himself and Bella. Certainly not like the lovebirds—Jasper and Alice.

"What's going on, Emmett? Why are you so quiet?"

"Just thinking."

"Uh oh. Look, I already said I was sorry, but I'm going to try harder."

"You don't have to do that." He tried reasoning it out in his head. Did he want to let this go? He couldn't honestly say that Rosalie didn't sneak into his shower fantasies. Daily. Was that being fair to Bella? Shoot. If Rose's vibe was accurate, he pictured them locked in the bedroom.

"Sean will be here any minute, so if you have something to say to me, then please say it, Emmett. Or soon, it's going to be America's business."

He poked at his eggs with a fork, and the yellow liquid flowed out, saturating the edge of a slice of bacon. "I was wondering if… maybe we should just divorce."

"What? Why? I just told you…"

"Look, Bella, I don't know. You aren't into me, and that's okay. We really aren't into each other, if we're being honest. Why don't we just chalk it up to a learning experience?"

"Why, Emmett? Why are you saying this now?"

"Because you have feelings for someone else."

She shook her head. "I am over Jacob. You know that."

"That's not who I'm talking about."

"Uhhh…what?"

"You were saying Edward's name last night. While you slept."

Her face flushed. "Oh…oh…ohhhhh…"

"Yeah, there were a lot of ohs."

"Ohhhh." Her hand clapped over her eyes. "Oh my God."

"Yeah, a few of those, too."

Her other hand covered the rest of her face, and she sat across the table, enveloped in her own horror.

"So, I'm assuming that it's the same Edward that is one of the other grooms …and you've been hung up on him since we got married? Am I right?"

With hands still covering her face, she nodded.

"And obviously, I'm no Edward."

She uncovered her eyes and cleared her throat. "True, and I'm no Rosalie."

So, now Bella was bringing her up. This led to his memory of their conversation in the elevator—how Bella hadn't been angry or jealous that Emmett had been flirting with her. Why would she, given her attraction to Edward? What a mess!

The producer instructed Emmett to never mention Rosalie's name, and he complied. But they hadn't been able to access his thoughts. In a perverse way, he looked forward to the upcoming overnight getaway with the couples…and seeing the blonde beauty again. Now, what would that be like? With Bella harboring a secret longing for Edward and Emmett trying to keep himself away from the very desirable and magnetic Rosalie. Worse yet, what if Rosalie and Edward developed a connection, and he had to witness them kissing and being all couple-y together? No, he didn't want that.

"I think we should call it quits now before we make fools of ourselves."

"That will bring up attention we don't want, Emmett."

"Did you have sex with him?"

"No, of course not!"

"Then what happened?" Was he entitled to these answers? Despite his curiosity, he truly didn't want to know. Plus, this had happened before they got married. Now the outcome depended on her reply.

"We met the night before the wedding in the hotel bar. I assumed he was here for a conference. He wouldn't even tell me his name…"

"Oh…this sounds sleazy."

"It wasn't sleazy! We strolled in the garden, and he kissed me. Then I went back to my room. That was it."

"Just a kiss. Just one kiss." He sounded doubtful.

"Yes."

"And you were into him."

"Yes."

"Let me guess, you wanted him to be your spouse?"

She draped her face with her hands. "Well, if I'm being honest…I hoped."

"So, I never had a chance."

"I'm so sorry, Emmett. I never meant to hurt you. This is all…so…I don't know what to do. You've been so nice to me, and I never gave you a chance. It's my fault."

And Edward's. What was he doing macking on some other guy's fiancee? Though Bella told him Edward wasn't aware she was on the show. He vaguely remembered two other conferences at the hotel, but his focus was on enjoying his last night in town.

"Well, we have a decision to make, Bella."

"Why now?"

"What do you mean, why now? Before, I didn't know you had feelings for someone else! It's no good pretending."

"Look. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but if we call it quits now, then the experts will be all over us. Dr. Saltz and Pastor Ray will be involved, we'll have to give interviews…" He was quiet as he considered her words. "And let's not forget, Emmett, that you're not exactly innocent! There was that interaction between you and Rosalie."

"I haven't even brought her up since that happened!"

"True, but tell me to my face that you haven't thought of her!"

He threw his hands up. "Oh, well, that's perfect timing, Bella. You choose this moment to act jealous!" He shot up from the chair and checked the camera lights. Usually, they had a little time in the morning before they lit up, but Sean was already due to be there.

Bella sat with her fist against her forehead. "Please tell me it's not green."

"It's red. So we need to figure this out unless we want the show involved. We got a couple weeks left before the decision. We can bow out now, or go through the motions."

Emmett stiffened as he heard the door open and click shut. Their "friend" had just arrived and gave them a wave, and apologized for his late arrival, having hit some traffic. He seemed clueless enough, not that they ever really saw his expressions. He took his time, adjusted some knobs and peeked through the viewfinder.

"I just need a minute, guys." He pulled a small square cloth from a bag that hung from his shoulder. "I've got to clean the lens. So, how's it going? Don't tell anyone this, but you two are my favorite couple."

"Thanks," Bella said.

They stayed quiet as Sean made his adjustments and then peeked over at them. "Whoa. Some tension here. Did I miss something?"

He'd missed so much. Thank God. "No," Bella said. "Just finishing up breakfast."

Sean nodded, set the camera on his shoulder, and reminded them to turn on their mikes. Then he gave the signal with his finger that the camera was rolling.

Bella

She wondered if they had been the most dramatic of the couples. With Emmett's storming off, and with the way they were coming onto each other, it was nothing short of ridiculous. She'd always wondered why people acted the way they did on reality tv. Now she understood so much better.

Despite their conversation, they acted normally and even stopped at the store to pick up some wine and a pie to bring to his parent's house. Now, it seemed absurd to her to play act a role she'd been faking all along. But she'd been honest with him. Almost. She'd told him there had been a man the night before…but she hadn't told him who it was. That was for everybody's good.

Then, since they were continuing, a scheduled meetup with the others overnight at some undisclosed location was coming soon—their last trip before delivering their final decision to the experts. Bella would have to face Edward again, with Rosalie present, aware of Emmett's unspoken feelings. How could he not be crazy about her? The worst part was that so much time had passed that Edward might be interested in Rosalie, and she had two men wanting her.

Bella tried not to think of it. Emmett's mother, Sandra, opened the door, and Bella remembered her from the wedding. Like Bella, she was slender, but taller than the average woman. Lines of grey streaked the roots of her light brown hair, and she wore a big smile for them both. "Hey ya'll!"

Sandra McCarty gave Bella the biggest hug she'd ever received from a woman—the same signature embrace typical for the McCarty's, including his brothers Tyler, Henry, and Sam, and their respective mates.

Emmett squeezed her hand, and Bella appreciated how considerate he was, despite the situation. He knew she didn't prefer being around many people, but still tried to help her feel at ease. Emmett had already warned her that although they were a warm bunch, they were also straight shooters. They told it as they saw it, so prepare yourself.

The McCarty boys, mostly, resembled one another. Henry, who was just a few inches shy of Emmett, held that air about him—the eldest, and though he looked most like his dad, Emmett was the handsomest of the bunch, she thought, whereas, Sam resembled his mother with his lanky frame and towered above all of them. Though he was also not nearly as confident as the older three or as outspoken.

The oldest brother, Henry, took Emmett off to the side. The producer pulled them away, leaving her to wonder what it was all about.

Tyler approached Bella and elbowed her. "So, the show really did you good."

Bella wasn't sure if she was reading his tone correctly. "Yes. Emmett's amazing."

"Yeah, he doesn't look how I expected."

"What does that mean?"

"He's smiling, but I don't know if it's the cameras, but he just doesn't look happy."

"It's a process," Bella said.

A baby cooed from behind—Henry and Shay's daughter, and Shay rounded on Tyler and bumped him with her hip. "Go away, you! You don't know what goes on behind closed doors."

"From the looks of my brother, nothing!"

"Shoo!" Shay said, and Bella was so grateful for her presence. "Don't let them intimidate you. Please don't take offense. They just love Emmett so much and they're being protective."

"Thanks. I'm kind of an introvert…so large groups are…"

"No explanation needed! Especially this lot! Anyway, how are things going for the two of you?"

"It's been a struggle, if I'm being honest."

The absence of judgment on her face amazed Bella. "I've been watching the earlier seasons of the show, and boy, it's not easy marrying a stranger! Henry and I knew each other for two years before we got married! And believe me, it wasn't easy for me either." She put her hand up to her mouth in a stage whisper. "Emmett might have mentioned that I was once with Tyler, but we realized we weren't a good match. But if I hadn't met Tyler, I'd never have met Henry. It was weird for a while, but it all worked out, so don't fret. Things will work out as they're meant to."

"Thanks, Shay."

The other ladies seemed to prefer talking amongst themselves, and Bella felt much like she had in school, hogging the company of one friend instead of trying to assert herself with the others. She stayed where she was comfortable. Until Emmett's dad, the tallest and roundest of the bunch, came to her, hands in his pockets.

"How's my son been treating you?" he asked, rocking on his heels.

"Oh! Emmett is such a good man. You should be proud."

"I am. Very proud. He's made some decisions I don't agree with, but I'm still proud of him. Like this show…this isn't how you find a wife. Camera people in my house, I mean, what the heck was he thinking!" He stopped and took a breath. "Right, I'm supposed to be genial, sorry! Sandy usually keeps me in check."

Sandra's attention shifted from baby Sheila to Tyler's 2-year-old son, Mason, who had thrown himself onto the floor, screaming over an action figure in the baby's grasp.

To be heard, Bella had to raise her voice above the tantruming toddler. "You're right. This isn't the traditional way."

"How are you and my son getting along?"

Bella considered what to say, though she didn't want to mislead him. Because of her dream, the likelihood of divorce shot up about 100 percent."We get along pretty well. We have a lot of fun together. Emmett's easy to talk to, very supportive."

"Haha…maybe you two will start painting each other's fingernails!" He followed this with a raucous laugh.

With baby on her hip, Sandra made her way towards them. "Now, what nonsense are you telling your new daughter-in-law, Skip?"

Bella's skin had flushed, and she wondered how long Emmett would be gone, how she'd gotten herself into this situation, and how much longer they would have to be there. She stayed quiet, and Sandra took her by the hand and led her away. "I can see my husband made you very uncomfortable, but just ignore him. I do."

Emmett's mom was being very kind. Would she still be this way if she'd known the truth? "Can I be honest with you, Bella?"

"Of course."

"I just want to take the pressure off. None of us really believed this would work out, so none of us will be shocked when you two decide to split.

Bella's eyes widened. "Why do you say that?"

"Come on. We were at the wedding, we got eyes. Emmett never had to work to get a girl's attention. We're not blaming either of you. Sometimes things just don't work out, so the best I can hope for you and Emmett is that you enjoy the experience for what it is."

Emmett joined Bella and must have heard what his mother said. "Awww, Ma. Now, why do you gotta say that to her?"

"I'm just telling the truth."

"It's okay, Emmett," Bella said.

"No, it's not okay. I've had it with you and with Dad and with Henry over there. It's my life. And you don't get to choose how I live it."

"Of course it is, Son," Sandra said.

Bella felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned to find the producer by her side. "I think right now would be a good time to do an interview."

The room grew louder, boys shouting over one another. She hoped it wouldn't come to blows. Whatever happened, it was all being captured on film. Now, what was worse? Standing there awkwardly as Emmett defended his right to have a fake marriage or doing an interview about their fake marriage with America?

Bella nodded, knowing there would not be any other escape, but for now, she was choosing the lesser of the two evils. "Okay. Let's go."

A/N: Emmett now knows the truth! Will that affect their upcoming interactions with Edward and Rosalie? The alerts still aren't working, but I did reply to the reviewers from last chapter. I thank you all for reading, following, and especially to those who leave feedback. :) Up next, we have a reunion, so stay tuned for more!