Edward

As luck would have it, one of the cameramen just happened to have a car that hadn't run in several years and was interested in finding it a good home. Familiar with Rosalie's talent with cars, he'd approached Edward about it, telling him that if Edward had it towed, then they could have it.

Rosalie was inside on the computer and on the phone with her agent, hustling. Desperate about her situation, she believed she had to earn money. She'd already expressed she would not accept cash from Edward. The show had given her selections from their wardrobe and stipends, and affiliates had become interested in her story. They engaged her in auditions for voice-overs and other gigs.

Rosalie was already ahead of the game, but beating herself up over not having transportation and having to rely on Edward. So, when he approached her about a surprise, her brow shot up.

"There's something you need to see in the driveway," he told her.

"What?" She dropped her face into her hands. "Edward, I told you I'm not a charity case. You better not have bought me a car," she said, making her way out along the sidewalk. "Seriously, I don't need or want you to buy me a new vehicle. I can get one myself. It's just going to take time." It sounded like she said that last part as a reminder for herself.

A charity case? She wouldn't think so when she got outside. Jim, the man who was filming, followed them. Rosalie's expression was blank until she saw the older vehicle and then clapped her hand to her mouth.

"A 65 Chevy Chevelle. Who's is it?" she asked.

"It's yours," Edward told her.

"No way! Seriously, Edward, this is a classic car! Where did it come from?" She slowly nodded as her hand ran along the faded red exterior of the mid-sized body.

"It doesn't run very well, so it will require some repairs."

Clapping, she actually began jumping up and down as her ponytail flapped. She gasped. "I get to fix a classic car! Oh my God. It's like a dream come true!"

First, she hugged the car, then she hugged Edward, then she hugged Jim, thanking him endlessly. Next, she went back to the vehicle, eyed the tires, the rims, the weathered body, scratches here and there and peered through the window at the interior.

"Do you know how much you could get for this?" she asked Jim.

Jim blushed, and Edward was sure this camera man, if not a few of the staff, were enamored with his wife. They knew her story now—all that she'd given up and her determination for independence inspired motivation to help her. "It was my great grandfather's and my great grandmother left it to me, God knows why. I held onto it, but I know it needs work, and it's sat for at least 15 years. My great grandfather would have wanted someone who appreciates it to have it."

Rosalie pointed to her chest. "That's me!" she squealed. "I'm so excited! I love this car!"

Shortly after, a call from her agent came in that an auto parts store offered to give her unlimited parts in exchange for her to do a commercial spot.

Edward watched Rosalie in her element, glowing behind the camera inside a studio representing the national chain store. In the days that followed, he'd had to fetch her to come inside to eat after long hours of working on the car. Outfitted in custom overalls and busy at work on Edward's driveway for a number of days, Rosalie was in her happy place as neighbors took notice and began taking pictures and filming her. Edward spied Facebook posts and when a neighbor came to talk to her about the car and what she was doing, another neighbor filmed her from their phone. The producer agreed, made sure all consents were in place, and before they knew it, a video of Rosalie explaining how to replace the spark plugs had gone viral. Meanwhile, she'd lived and breathed the repairs and restoration of this vehicle, and except for the paint job, she'd giggled when the engine roared to life as Edward sat beside her, her grin wide as though she'd just won the Miss America pageant, and Jim filming them from the outside and another camera inside the car capturing them more closely.

"Do you love it?" Rosalie gushed.

Edward wasn't as in love with it as she was, clearly, but she took him for a drive and a picnic to the beach. He'd gotten so used to seeing her in overalls for the past weeks that it was refreshing to see her back in a dress again without grease marks on her chin, cheeks, and hands.

"Edward, I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me."

"What did I do?"

"You made it possible for me to do all this. Honestly, I have never felt more accepted…and like myself. Like I'm good at something…like my existence isn't based on how much I can earn to live."

He whistled. She'd just paid him the biggest compliment he'd ever received. He'd saved lives in a literal sense for many years, but this was his first time being thanked for helping figure out a person's identity. He couldn't say it had intensified their attraction as she'd dedicated most of her time to the car, but he imagined that was typical of a couple's life. Rosalie wasn't going to just sit around and wait for him, and once he returned to his own long hours, he would hardly notice her absence. But, of course, this wasn't what he had in mind for a marriage, what he signed up for. Sure, he and Rosalie had things in common, but still they were only a fraction closer physically than they had been. Would that change? Did he want it to?

"I will never forget this, Edward. It means so much to me. So do you."

"It makes me happy to see you happy, Rosalie."

"Now, we have to talk about us."

He looked into her eyes, and she smiled and took his hand in hers. The ocean roared in the background. They'd been advised to turn up their microphones. "What are you thinking, Rosalie?"

She looked down and back up at him. "You have been so amazing, Edward. Because of you, I'm really figuring myself out—what I want, but I have a long way to go."

"So, what are you saying?" he asked, because he didn't want to be the one to say it.

"I..don't know if I'm ready for such a commitment."

He knew this and that she wasn't attracted to Edward. But it was a nice way of saying that this marriage would not work. Still, he felt the sting that went with it…with the effort he'd put in…with the idea that he wasn't attractive or worthy of being her husband. There were doctors he worked with who had been married for decades but had lesser relationships with their spouses…and sex was non-existent. But, again, this wasn't what Edward signed up for. And the thought came to him as it did most days of Bella. How would that go if she were sitting here instead of Rosalie?

"Like I'm not saying we should call it quits...yet. Like maybe we should see it through, you know. We still have this weekend, and then we make our final decision."

This weekend. As though he'd not been thinking/anticipating seeing Bella again. He wondered if Rosalie thought of Emmett as well, or if he'd just been another one of her fans that she appreciated.

"Okay. I agree."

Since her video had gone viral, hundreds of women commented for her to make more videos, some that showed tutorials, and Rosalie and Edward discovered she had a talent for teaching as well. Sponsors had been contacting her agent about appearing in more commercials, and by the time they left for Palm Springs, Edward and Rosalie were driving the Chevelle, and its engine purred as it tackled the miles, and its shiny new cherry paint job glimmered in the sun.

They pulled up to the mansion where they were about to reunite with the two other couples, and Edward did not know what he would say to Bella, but he wanted to talk to her this time…if he could just score some time away from the cameras. They were the first of the couples to arrive, since the others had to fly in. Since they got first choice, they took the master bedroom on the 2nd floor on the far end of the west wing, and Rosalie stood out on the balcony, overlooking the immense oval-shaped pool with rock waterfalls with water that cascaded down from the sides. A lazy river bordered the other side of the sidewalk, and a jacuzzi sat to the left of it, bubbling and steaming just feet away.

Edward considered telling her about Bella—about his encounter with her prior to their wedding, but Rosalie turned and hugged him.

"I can't believe we made it to this point," she said. "These past 5 weeks have just flown by. And everything in my life is different…and so much better than I could've imagined. I mean, I just couldn't have pictured things working out the way they have…and it's because of you, Edward. I'm so grateful." She gave him a big kiss on the cheek, and at that moment, their eyes met, and he thought he saw something there—something he'd never seen. Was it more than just gratitude? As if that tilt to her head was an invitation… but voices downstairs jostled them away from one another. "They're here," she said, taking his hand in hers. "Let's go see our friends."

Rosalie

She'd heard Emmett's voice booming from below. The hunk, the other husband she'd talked to from her party was there, and though Rosalie wouldn't dare mention it to Edward and kept her thoughts tightly locked away, she'd looked forward to seeing him again. Emmett was all man, and when his eyes met hers, she remembered the way her knees had wanted to give. Meeting him and that brilliant smile was like a shock to her system. He openly flirted with her, and she wasn't mistaken about that, since Rosalie knew herself to be the unapproachable type, yet this man showed no intimidation by her at all. In fact, he was married to Bella—the nice enough, though somewhat plain bride of the bunch, and Rosalie wondered how in hell that happened? No wonder he ventured away from her. Not that Rosalie meant to be conceited, and she wished Bella all the best, but why did she get to be matched with him? It made no sense if she thought of it in terms of attraction. As nice and sweet and helpful as Edward was, he wasn't the type Rosalie would have dated. She knew as well that it worked both ways.

Her heart beat a little faster as she and Edward descended the curved staircase, and she held back in her rush to see Emmett again. Edward was her husband, and even though Emmett and Rosalie had been lectured about appropriate behavior, that hadn't lessened the degree of anticipation she'd had about seeing him. To her dismay, more cameras and boom operators and grips surrounded them, all angling to catch their reactions. This, she also knew, was a reminder that she, that they were being watched and they had to act accordingly.

As soon as they met the other couple downstairs, Rosalie's hand slipped away from Edward, and the camera's presence reminded her to resist the urge to give Emmett the hug he was reaching for. She wanted to feel his arms around her, to feel that warm bear's presence engulf her. But was that fair to Edward?

Instead, Rosalie embraced Bella, patting her lightly on her back and turned to Emmett to do the same, so it didn't look incriminating.

Once she met his eyes, she could hardly look away, and those dimples of his captivated her, and she'd seriously underestimated how difficult it was going to be to be around him.

"It's hotter than Hell out there!" Emmett said, with a tote bag hung around his shoulder.. "I hope there's a pool in this place."

Rosalie curled a lock of hair around her finger, imagining the little black bikini just waiting to be unearthed from a bag the show had provided for her. And thank the heavens. Nothing sounded better than dipping into a nice, cool pool.

"There is. I can hardly wait." Oh, she thought. That came out a little more sultry than she meant and shot a look to Edward. "What I mean is, we should all take a dip."

Bella spoke up this time, "I'm a little tired. We had a long trip. Are Alice and Jasper here yet?"

Of course, the besties. She admired that about Bella. That she had a good friend; Rosalie had never had that. And it seemed all that she had in common with these two ladies were that they were female and also brides on the show.

"Do you mind if I hit the pool?" Emmett asked Bella.

Bella shrugged. "Feel free."

Bella's gaze stayed trained on the floor. Though its checkered marble surface was gorgeous and shiny, Rosalie didn't think it deserved as much attention as Bella was giving it.

"I'm sure they'll be here any moment. And what about you, Edward? How does the pool sound?"

Edward looked like he needed a little more time to think about this question. "I think I'll join you. Later."

"Well, it looks like it's just the two of us," Emmett said to Rosalie. "I will meet you down there once Bella and I get our room and as soon as I find my swim trunks."

Imagining Emmett bare-chested was already sounding like the most delightful prospect to her. She smiled and turned to head back up towards their room.

When Rosalie turned around, she found Edward stuck in place, and realized she shouldn't have been so inconsiderate. "Edward, I'm sorry. I'm being selfish. What do you want to do?"

"I'm…don't worry about me. There are all kinds of things to see here — the art, I saw a piano in one room, a library…I might even see what they're serving in the kitchen."

Rosalie smiled and placed a kiss on Edward's cheek. She really was so very fortunate to be paired with someone as considerate as him. But it looked like he had no intention of meeting her in the pool. And that was just fine with her.

A/N: Okay, so part 2 coming from Alice and Jasper next week, so stay tuned for more! So, so many thanks to you all for reading and for the reviews! I appreciate you all!