Hello, Riptide fam! I'm back with another chapter for y'all.
As usual, thank you for your continued support. I appreciate all of the reviews, favorites, and follows! I can't believe we are almost 100 reviews! I truly thank each and every reader!
Let me know your thoughts and guesses about what will happen next. I have some twists and turns up my sleeves.
Edward walked me to my door, carrying everything I had packed for me. We exchanged numbers (finally!) and I watched him as he left.
Inside, I laid on the end of the bed, with my arms spread out wide.
Edward had asked me to dinner.
I felt giddy, and just perfectly happy. I had never felt this way before. I had dated one guy before, but he never made me feel so utterly perfect. It never became serious, because he didn't understand my need for creativity or my career choice. Our breakup was filled with drama...
I felt my phone buzz next to me, bringing me out of my thoughts.
"Hey Ange," I couldn't help but smile, my excitement leaking through.
"Bella! I haven't seen you in a while! What have you been up to?"
"I've been organizing the annual Clear Lake show. Just been busy working on a commission as well."
"Bella, what's really up? You sound so...happy."
The jig is up.
"Well...I've met someone." I sat up and crossed my legs on the bed.
"Bell-ahh!" She whined, "How come I'm only hearing this now?"
"I'm sorry!" I laughed. "I've been a bit distracted." I twisted and toyed with the end of my braid.
"Well, yeah, I see that now. What's his name?"
"Edward," I smiled.
"Hm, I don't think I know him."
"He moved here a few weeks ago. He was at The Cove that night...when we went to celebrate. The one Lauren was gushing about?"
"That's him? The guy that defended you?" Angela gasped.
"That's him. Ange, I've never felt this way before. He is so amazing." I gushed.
"You will have to introduce him to me. To all of us. Lauren might be pissed…"
"He is so worth her wrath," I replied seriously.
She chuckled, "Oh, the reason I'm calling...I am planning to go to the bridal shop to start looking at dresses! Ben and I picked a date. August 18th. I know it's so soon...I just wanted to get married before school starts again!"
"That is so soon." I gasped. "What day were you thinking to go dress shopping?"
"Monday?"
"The show opens on Thursday...if I go in tomorrow and start hanging, I think I'll be fine." I typically don't go into the studio on Sundays, but I could make an exception for Angela. She was getting married!
"Oh, perfect!" She said with a sigh of relief. "If I don't find a dress at the shop here, I'm thinking of going to Orlando, since they have a wider variety of shops."
"Hopefully you will find one here! Actually, Edward's sister works there. She's a fashion designer. She is so sweet, she would love to help you out, I'm sure! I'll contact her and set up an appointment. How does 5 sound? Are Jessica, Kate, and Lauren going?"
"Yeah, all three of them said they could make it. Lauren said her last appointment is at three-thirty, so she should be able to make it by five. Five sounds great!"
"I'll talk with Alice! Talk to you later!"
"Thanks, Bella, you're the best!" She hung up, and I began to text Alice, only realizing I didn't have her number.
I shot a text to Edward.
Can I have Alice's number?
I sat up from the bed and realized I should change for dinner. I wasn't too sure if this was considered a date since he didn't actually use those words. My phone buzzed.
She's not invited to dinner. 347-239-5647
I laughed. Was this confirmation of the status of whether or not this was a date?
Don't think I can go then :( I responded, smirking. Five seconds later, I received a response.
Don't know if you're joking or not. If Alice comes, that means Jasper is coming as well. I didn't plan for a double date.
I almost dropped my phone. My eyes went wide and butterflies began dancing around in my stomach. He does consider it a date! I had a date with Edward. His name sent my heart soaring.
Maybe some other time? I was joking, silly. Where are we going? I would like to be dressed appropriately.
Each word sent excitement through me.
I seriously needed to calm down. I took a couple of deep breaths, but they couldn't ease my elation. Moving to the closet, I began taking in my options. Another text.
Dockside Grill. See you soon.
Holy shit! Dockside Grill? Known for its seaside location, and fresh seafood, Dockside Grill is the most elegant restaurant in Clear Lake. Angela and I went there once, not knowing about how swanky it was. After looking at the prices, we promptly left and went to a more affordable place.
I pushed all of my clothes to one side of the closet, isolating my dresses. I don't own too many fancier dresses, so I was limited. After thoroughly examining each dress, I decided on a royal blue lace dress. The lining of the dress was a soft cream color, the royal blue lace overlay complemented the cream quite nicely. The dress featured a sweetheart neckline, fit and flare silhouette and had wide straps. The back of the dress dipped down to a reasonable point at the small of my back. The hem fell right above my knees. Putting it on, I felt pretty. Hopefully, Edward thought so too.
I released my hair from its loose braid and straightened it. The humidity would not allow it to fall perfectly straight, the ends usually curled a bit. I put on my usual makeup, only adding winged eyeliner (you would think an artist would be good at it, but you're mistaken) and my favorite mauve liquid lipstick, usually only reserved for opening receptions and fancy occasions. I picked out my cream ballet flats. I didn't own any heels because I knew I would be more of a walking disaster than I already am. By the time I was finished getting ready, the clock read six thirty. I sat at my computer to work on the show some more.
I was lost in the world of art when I heard three raps at the door. Just as this morning, I sprang from my seat, nearly running to the door.
I opened the door revealing a stunning Edward. He wore a light grey two-piece suit with a pale blue dress shirt and brown dress shoes. The look was complete with a light blue paisley bow tie and his usual disheveled hair. One hand was in his pocket, and the other was holding three sunflowers.
He looked me over, then held my gaze.
"You are breathtaking, Bella." His words triggered another typical blush episode.
"Thanks, but do you even know how handsome you are?" He chuckled. I opened the door wider, inviting him in.
"These are for you, Bella." He offered the flowers to me.
"Nobody has ever brought me flowers before. They're beautiful, thank you, Edward." I smiled shyly at him and moved to the kitchen, retrieving a vase.
"It's not too much?" He asked, shrugging.
"No, Edward. I love them." Once the flowers were displayed in a vase, I moved back over to him. My answer seemed to boost his confidence. "Let me grab my purse and I'll be ready to go," I said, adjusting his bowtie. I grabbed the clutch from the kitchen table and rejoined Edward at the door.
He offered his arm, and I slid my arm through his, gently holding his forearm. He opened the door, and I locked it behind us. He led us to his car, releasing my arm only to open the door for me. When I was seated, he gently shut the door and moved to his side of the car.
I was not used to having such close attention to me. Edward opens doors for me, actually knocks on the door instead of texting of his arrival, and brings me flowers. I've never felt so special.
The drive to the restaurant was filled with small talk, maybe he was nervous too? I had a hard time reading him clearly. We pulled up to the swanky restaurant, and he parked quickly. He got out of the car, and I was stuffing my keys into my small clutch. When I looked up, he was at my door, opening it and offering his hand to help me out.
Ugh, my heart!
I once again grabbed his forearm as we walked to the entrance. The sea breeze gently blew, stirring that constant saltiness into the air. He held the door open for me and quickly rejoined my side.
"Reservation?" The host asked.
"Cullen," Edward replied smoothly.
"This way." The host leads us to a table in the corner, just facing the back wall, made of floor to ceiling glass windows. I realized we would be able to see the sunset from our table.
"Thank you," Edward said to the host, pulling out my chair for me. "I hope you like seafood," He smiled. "Or if you don't they have steak or we could go somewhere else if you prefer," He added nervously.
"No, seafood is good." he looked relieved. "I usually only eat fish or shrimp," I added.
"Have you had crab, lobster?" He asked.
"Maybe when I was younger, I usually cook for myself at home."
"That settles it then, you have to try them."
"Okay," I laughed and opened the menu. I barely understood anything in the menu. Norwegian Salmon with Shallots? Misoyaki Halibut? "I have no idea what to order," I muttered, eyes wide.
"My dad is a seafood fanatic, I can help you," He chuckled. "Champagne?" He asked.
"Wow, sure," I smiled.
The server came up to us and asked us what we wanted to drink.
"Two glasses of Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial, and the Steak and Lobster Tartare, please," Edward said eloquently. The server nodded, eyes wide, and left.
"You really know what you're doing, huh?"
"What can I say? My parents have expensive tastes when it comes to dining." He smirked. I laughed.
"I'm not familiar," I said, motioning around the room, "with all of this," I finished. "My mom is a take-out or pizza kind of person. I usually had to cook for myself, she was rarely ever home. My dad is a fried fish and a diner guy. He loves to grill, but only really did it when I visited."
"I fended for myself in college, making pasta and easy meals until my sophomore year. I actually took a cooking class as an elective. You would think it would be easy, but I had to study my butt off to maintain my grade. And practice. Seth, my best friend, and roommate, always complained when I had to be in the kitchen. I interrupted his video games with my banging around, he would say."
"Is there anything you're not good at?" I asked, grinning.
"I'm not the best at surfing," he chuckled.
I smiled gently, "Riley used to surf all the time. He would go out almost every day when we would spend our summers here."
"Can you tell me more about him?" he asked delicately.
"He had this shaggy brown hair, he never brushed. I told you already that we would fight sometimes but most of the time we got along. I remember he was very protective of me and kept me out of trouble. He was full of jokes and full of life. He always danced on the edge of my Mom's nerves with his reckless stunts. When he turned 16, he was so excited he was able to drive a boat. He would take me out on the ocean and on the lake. He sometimes would let me steer the boat. I don't think that was the safest choice," I laughed.
"I wish he was still around, I think you two would get along so well. My Aunt Irina loved the two of us like we were her own. She never had kids of her own. She also never married."
Edward placed his hand over mine on the table. "Thanks for telling me, I would have loved to have met both of them."
As he finished, the server brought our glasses of champagne and our appetizer.
"Thank you for the champagne," I said.
This is a date, after all, it wouldn't be complete without a nice glass of alcohol." He smiled crookedly.
"So what exactly is our appetizer," I questioned. He was so used to the wealthier things in life. I was so unfamiliar. Growing up, we didn't have too much. This is why our summers in Clear Lake were so important to Riley and I. It was our only vacations.
"It's steak and chilled lobster with toasted baguette slices."
"This is a dumb question, but how do you exactly eat it properly?" I asked, attempting to hide my embarrassment.
"Typically people spoon the mixture on top of the toasted baguette. Here," he said as he scooped the steak and lobster mixture onto a toasted baguette slice. "Try it." I gingerly accepted his food offering and brought it to my mouth, eyes locked with his. I took a bite and almost moaned because of the taste.
"This is absolutely delicious!" I exclaimed. He chuckled and served himself.
"So is there anything on the menu that you want to try? You could always try the lobster tail." Looking at the prices on the menu, I felt uncomfortable for asking him to try anything. "Don't be afraid to order anything you want, I'm paying, and I don't have a budget."
"You don't have to," I began.
"Bella, I want to pay for you. Don't worry about it, it's not a big deal."
"I'm not used to people spending money on me." I shared.
"I would prefer if you could become comfortable with someone spending money on you. You're worth it." He winked. My cheeks instantly reddened. His green eyes searched mine. I looked out the window and took a sip of my champagne to break our intense eye contact.
"This view is absolutely stunning."
" I might have pulled a few strings in order to sit here."
Our server came back to take our main course order.
"We will both have the Cold Water Spiny Lobster Tails as well as two cups of the Crab and Corn Chowder, please."
"Yes sir," she responded and returned to the kitchen.
"I wanted to ask you a question that has been in the back of my mind since I've met your mother. She said that she knew my great-aunt. Has she told you anything about her?"
"I'm assuming she knew her when my Mother lived here. She doesn't speak much of her time living here. I can ask her if you'd like?"
"No," I responded, "It's okay I think I will ask her sometime. Thanks though." I smiled. "How old are your parents?" I asked.
"They are both 46."
"Oh, they look so young. My Mom is 51 and my Dad is 53. How did your parents meet?"
"They both met in high school when they were 16. they married at 19 and within the first year of their marriage, they had my brother Emmett. When they married, they were still in college. My mom finished as soon as she could so she could stay home with Emmett and then Alice. We are all pretty close in age. Emmett is three years older than me and Alice is one and a half. We were all close growing up. Emmett and I would always mess around together, wrestling and playing video games. Alice was very feminine, a trait she still possesses. She liked to hang out with us, but once we did anything remotely 'boyish', she would retreat to her room."
"How long has Emmett been married to Rosalie?"
"Three years. Alice and Jasper plan on marrying in November."
Our server returned then with our meals, taking the empty tartare plate.
Two lobster tails sat on my plate. I looked up at Edward, waiting to see how he ate the meat. I didn't want to embarrass myself.
"The meat should come right off the top of the tail. See?" He cut into the meat protruding from the tail. He then separated the meat from the shell.
"Thanks," I smiled.
We fell into an easy conversation, sipping champagne and eating our dinner. After the sun had disappeared from the sky, the server came and delivered the check. Edward grabbed it quickly and slid a card inside.
After signing the receipt, Edward stood and offered his hand. I accepted eagerly, and we left the restaurant. My hand seemed to fit perfectly in his.
"Would you like to walk the pier?" He asked.
"Sure," I responded, smiling.
The temperature had cooled outside, the sea breeze felt nice. Still walking hand in hand, we moved along the pier, passing other couples.
"So, I know you are a doctor, but what exactly do you do?"
"I'm in residency at the Clear Lake Hospital, under my Dad. I'm pretty much shadow him and take care of checkups and simpler jobs right now. He is a family physician, and he opened a practice at the hospital." He explained.
"How long are you going to be doing your residency?"
"Three years, although some programs can be up to seven years."
"Wow," I breathed. "Are you going to stay in Clear Lake after your three years are up?"
"Yes, I like it here. I like the people here too." He said, nudging my shoulder.
"I like the people here too," I smiled as blush flooded my cheeks.
I think he admitted he liked me!
We reached the end of the pier, and he guided us to one of the benches. He sat down, and I sat very close to him, our knees almost touching.
"You are unlike anyone I have ever met, Bella." He said, staring at the dark horizon. "I have a hard time staying away from you."
"You don't have to," I spoke up. He turned his head and met my eyes. "I like spending time with you. No one I know can compare to you." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder, and I leaned into him. "I have an idea," I said smiling.
We arrived back at my house, and he parked against the curb. He followed me into the house, never letting go of my hand. I grabbed the towels from earlier today. "You're probably going to want to take your jacket and shoes off," I said, slipping my own shoes off. "Here," I said, tossing a box of matches to him, "Carry this. I'm going to need help starting the fire." I smiled.
"A beach bonfire?" He asked, his crooked smile making its appearance.
"You guessed it. The lighter fluid is out back." He proceeded to remove his suit jacket, bow tie, socks, and shoes. He unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves.
My own personal Roman marble statue.
He grabbed my free hand and slipped the matchbox in his pocket. I lead him through the back door, and he grabbed the lighter fluid as we passed it.
"You like to garden?" He asked, looking at my garden beds.
"I do. The veggies just taste so much better, and Aunt Irina taught me the basics. It's another way I feel close to her."
"Another thing I didn't know about you."
I pushed open the gate, leading us to the beach. Finding a spot on the near empty beach, I let go of his hand to spread out the beach towels as I did at the lake.
"First, we need to dig a shallow hole," I said, picking up a nearby piece of driftwood. I offered it to Edward and said, "Do you want to make the hole while I find some driftwood? Use this so you don't have to use your hands."
"Sure," He said, amused. He began digging, and once finished, he joined me in the search for driftwood. Between both of us, we collected enough to start the fire. We placed the pieces into the hole, and Edward squirted some lighter fluid. He grabbed the matchbox from his pocket, struck it, and tossed it into the driftwood. It immediately caught fire and we sat down on the towels, close to one another.
"My Dad would tell me about the stars," I said, looking up into the night sky. "He would tell me the stories of the constellations, and we would make up our own stories too."
I laid down gazing up at the sky. Edward laid down beside me, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me to his side.
"These stars could shine forever, but they would never outshine you, Bella."
"Edward," I whispered, looking up at him. I brought my hand up to his face, touching his jaw. He brought his free hand and placed his hand on mine.
"What are we doing, Edward?" My voice barely above a whisper.
"I know my intentions, and I'm trying to figure out yours." He responded, voice quiet.
"Are mine not easily seen?"
"I want you, Bella. I want you by my side. I crave your company."
"I'll be there," I said, affirming his hidden question. "I'll be there because I crave your company too. I can't imagine my life now without you." I moved my hand from his face to his hair, gently playing with the tousled waves.
He brought his forehead to mine, looking deep into my eyes. My eyes flitted to his lips, so close to mine.
I felt drops descend upon us, growing in volume quickly. I squealed and sat up. Edward stood up and pulled me to my feet. We grabbed the towels and lighter fluid. Edward threw sand into the dwindling fire.
We ran back to the house, his arm draped over my shoulders. I opened the gate and lead him into the house.
"I should leave," He said regretfully once we were safe inside. "I have a twelve-hour shift tomorrow."
Disappointed, I agreed with him. "I don't want you to be too tired on the job." He collected his suit jacket and socks, slipping on his shoes.
"I'll call you?" He said, grabbing my hands.
"Sure," I said. We stood by the front door.
"I had a great time," He said, grinning. "Thank you for spending time with me."
"I had a great time too," I responded. My eyes darted to his lips and back up to his eyes. His eyes seemed to darken and looked below my eyes. He stepped closer to me and raised his hand up to my face, cupping my cheek. I leaned into his hand, studying how his hand felt against my cheek. I tilted my face towards his and stared into his eyes. His face slowly moved closer to mine. My heart beat so fast, I thought for sure he could hear it. He paused an inch or so away, and I felt his breath sweep over my face. He began to move, to fill the small space between his lips and mine.
Suddenly, my cell phone started ringing, interrupting our moment. He pulled away, still grasping my hands. The harsh ring sounded again.
"Are you going to answer that?" He asked. He let go of my hands.
Who the hell ruined this moment?
I cleared my throat and retrieved the damn phone from the kitchen counter.
Mom the caller ID read. Why was she calling at 11:15 at night?
"It's my mom, I should take this." I groaned. I answered the phone and told my mom to hold on. Edward still stood by the door.
"Goodnight, Bella. Thank you for a lovely day." He said smoothly.
"Goodnight, Edward. Drive safe." He picked up my hand and kissed the back of it. He gave one last parting smile, opened the door and left.
He almost kissed me.
I groaned and picked up my phone.