Chapter 36
~Last Word~
I wake up alone. Last night comes back to me in tantalizing bits and pieces. I might think it was all a fantasy, except the sexy-as-fuck burgundy dress is draped over the chair where I dropped it after peeling it off Bella. I sit on the edge of the bed and stretch. As soon as I open the door, I smell breakfast.
Bella dances around in the kitchen, singing off-key while she cooks. It looks like she's having a great time, and her joy brings a smile to my face. I walk across the floor slowly, not wanting to startle her. She sees me out of the corner of her eye and pulls out the earbuds.
"Hi," she says with a breathtaking smile.
"Good morning, beautiful. Can I help with anything?"
"I have it under control. Coffee?"
"Yes, please."
Bella places a mug of coffee on the breakfast bar, and I sit on a stool, leaning my forearms on the marble top. The counter is loaded with platters of food: scrambled eggs, a tower of pancakes, and strips of crispy bacon. My mind snaps back to the day she made breakfast and fed me bacon in my bed. I was attracted to her then, but she was an emotional mess, the guilt was overwhelming, and I didn't know who she was. We've come a long way, but she still harbors secrets about Phoenix and Jimmy. At least she admitted there are secrets. I'm hoping she feels comfortable enough to share them with me soon.
"You made a lot of food."
Bella surveys the platters and giggles. "Maybe we can offer some to Ali and Jasper."
"Sure, but maybe after we eat? I want you all to myself. Does that sound incredibly selfish?"
Bella's cheeks pinken. "I want you to myself too." She places her mug of tea on the counter and sets our places before joining me. Resting her hand on my arm, she waits for me to look at her. "Edward, last night was so special. Nobody has ever taken such care with me or worried about my needs." Tears well up in her eyes.
I rest my hand over hers. "You deserve to be treated like a queen. Expect good things from now on because I intend to spoil you."
Bella looks at our joined hands, almost shy. "You've already done so much. I could never repay—"
"Stop." I cup her cheek and wait for our eyes to meet. "There is nothing to repay. You're free now to be whoever you want, to realize your dreams."
Hopeful dread fills her cinnamon gaze. "I'm not free yet. Phoenix is still looking for me."
"We're going to get him. Do you believe me?"
"Yes." Bella nods with a sweet smile. "Let's eat." There's still a touch of worry in her expression, but Rome wasn't built in a day.
We dig into the delicious breakfast and talk and laugh. We forget all about the danger for a little while. After breakfast, we put a few plates away for dinner and bring the rest across the hall. Jasper answers the door, his eyes widening in appreciation.
"Ali left already, and I was just wondering what to eat. This looks killer!" Jasper happily accepts the food and starts making himself a plate.
"Enjoy! See you at work, man."
He mouths, "How was your date?"
I wink at him behind Bella's back, and he gives me a thumbs-up.
On the drive to work, I hold Bella's hand. "Is it okay with you if the rest of the crew knows about us, or should we keep it under wraps for now?"
"They can know. I think they see it anyway." Bella covers her mouth and giggles.
I bring her hand to my lips and kiss her knuckles. I don't feel guilty at all.
~*oOo*~
As I finish up my first client, Seth hovers by my door with a concerned expression.
"Okay, Veronica. You know the drill, but if you have questions, give me a ring. Stop and see Bella up front for your next appointment."
"Thanks, Edward! I can't wait until this piece is finished. It's going to look so good!" Veronica leaves with a wave.
"What's up, Seth?"
"There's some official looking guy waiting to see you. Whitmer?"
My heart races, and my throat constricts. "Bring him back. Tell Jason I apologize for the delay. Give him a discount if he's pissed."
"You got it!" Seth hurries up front.
I busy myself with sanitizing and setting up my station and try not to worry. After all, I have an ironclad alibi for the night of the fire.
The fire marshal knocks on the doorframe. "Hello, Mr. Cullen. Thank you for seeing me."
"No problem. What can I do for you?"
"We found some DNA at The Vault crime scene." He holds a hand up. "I know we verified your alibi, but Aro Volturi is accusing us of concealing evidence. It would be a huge help if you'd do a voluntary swab just to rule you out. You can say no, but Mr. Volturi has retained a shark of a lawyer, and I expect he'll just subpoena you." The fire marshal's face is red, and his blue eyes spark with annoyance. Clearly, he doesn't appreciate having his ethics questioned.
"It's fine. I'm happy to." I blow a breath out, relieved because I know this will clear me. While he pulls out his kit and preps the swab, I ask, "Has there been any progress in the case?"
Whitmer nods. "A fair amount. We have the DNA, a scrap of fabric, and the charges used were unique enough for us to narrow down where they were obtained. That's all I can really say, but I'm confident we'll get this guy."
"Sounds like you're close."
He shrugs. "You would think so, but I've learned after many years doing this, it ain't over until a guilty verdict is handed down." He dons a pair of gloves and peels open a long, thin package. "I'm just going to swab the inside of your cheek. Open nice and wide for me."
After he labels the sample and packs up his kit, we shake hands. He thanks me again for my cooperation, and then he's on his way.
Tonight, Rose is performing at Denali's. As we're leaving the shop, I ask Bella if she'd rather skip it and go somewhere else.
Her eyes sparkle as she shakes her head. "Since you explained that Rose enjoys performing, I'm not bothered by it anymore. Dr. Boyan said I'm making great progress with my triggers."
"That's wonderful, Bella!" I sling an arm around her and kiss the top of her head.
"Um, there's somewhere I'd like to stop first." She gazes up at me nervously.
"Sure. Where to?"
"Well, the florist shop two blocks down is for sale." Bella presses her face into my shoulder. "I've been trying to work up the nerve to ask about it all week."
I tighten my hold around her. "Never be afraid to ask me anything, Bella. Nothing is off-limits to you, okay?"
"Really?" she asks, throwing her arms around my waist.
"Really. The shop is that way?" I point to the right.
"Yeah. Can we go see it?"
"Of course we can."
We hold hands and stroll along the sidewalk, passing many open shops. A few have their doors propped open with racks of sale merchandise out front. Old-fashioned street lamps create a cozy feel to the downtown area.
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. I rarely take the time to enjoy the atmosphere; I'm usually running from Inkspiration across to Denali's or jumping in my car to go somewhere. It would be nice if Bella had a business right up the street. We could still see each other, but she would have something of her own, and I could enjoy the area more.
Jerry's Florist is small, but they've used the space well with a nice balance between merchandise and space for customers to walk through the aisles.
"Can I help you folks?" An older man with salt and pepper hair greets us from behind the counter. He tilts his head, eyeing me up. "Edward?"
"Sorry, do we know each other?"
"I'm Jerry Madison. My daughter Lori used to babysit you and your sister! We're going back a ways."
"I remember Lori! Ali and I always begged our parents to hire her because she'd play games with us. How is she?"
"Works in the big city now, but she comes home to see her old man here and there. What can I do for you, Edward?"
"Well, this is Bella." I put my arm around her shoulders. "She's interested in buying your store."
"Oh! That's great news! I've had a few nibbles, but nothing promising. Would you like a tour, Bella?"
"I would love that!"
I step back and allow Bella to take the lead, following a few steps behind as Jerry guides her through the shop. She's animated and enthusiastic as he points out all the features. They start talking about inventory, and my mind goes numb, but I enjoy seeing how alive and happy Bella is and have a feeling this place would do her a world of good.
"Well, I'd love to buy the store, Jerry. It's so perfect. What's your timetable for selling?"
"I'm looking for the right person. My wife and I opened this place many moons ago. Since Nina got Parkinson's, it's too much for an old goat like me to run this place alone. Instead of blowing half the profits on aides, I figure getting out and taking care of my love makes more sense."
"I'm sorry your wife isn't well. She'd probably be much happier with you there though."
"Exactly! I don't want to sell our life's work to just anyone. You seem like the perfect person, so you tell me when you can buy the place. I'll work with you."
"Thanks, Jerry! That's so nice of you." Bella shoots a huge smile my way and raises her brows, a question in her eyes.
I give her a thumbs-up. "Go for it, beautiful. This place was made for you."
We exchange contact information with Jerry, and happy tears shine in Bella's eyes as we walk the few blocks to Denali's. My heart clenches painfully as she chatters away about her ideas for change and some of the features she wants to keep because every so often, she looks to me for approval. And I know it's not just because she values my opinion—she's never been allowed to make her own choices. Bella's entire existence has consisted of following directions from the alpha males in her life. I'm determined to keep reinforcing that she is at the helm of her own ship now.
Rose's show is in full swing as we thread our way through the packed crowd. Emmett hovers at the end of the bar with his massive arms crossed and a scowl on his face, watching closely for handsy men. When he spots us, he smiles wide. "Hey, guys! Come on over." He walks toward us, and the wall of people naturally parts for him. "Let them through. Thank you!" He ushers us back to the bar where we have a great view of the action.
There are two contestants left: a mousy brunette with a big personality, and an arrogant guy with a cut jaw and piercing eyes who thinks he's all that. I immediately root for the brunette, gleeful when she creams Mr. Arrogant on the trivia questions.
Rose looks out over the crowd. "We have a tie! This next task will decide it. Brian and Megan, I challenge you to get up here and dance. Audience applause decides the winner!"
Everyone goes wild, clapping and hooting. Once the contestants are up on the bar, Rose gets in between, holding hands with each of them. Music with a driving beat pulses around them. Brian is self-absorbed, running his fingers over his partially bared chest and gyrating his hips in a suggestive way. Megan dances in a sexy, hypnotic fashion, bending down to interact with the audience, smiling and looking them in the eye. In the end, Megan wins over the women as well as the men and ends up the new champion.
Brian gestures to his body. "You didn't vote for this? Are you crazy?"
Rose stares him down. "The crowd has spoken! Thank you all for participating. Remember, Ace the hardware queen is now at Inkspiration, the hottest tattoo shop in the area! Mention Ace for a special discount on tats or piercings! Thanks for coming out. Enjoy the rest of your evening."
Emmett steps forward and catches Rose in his arms. "That was hot, baby!" He glares at Brian, daring him to come near his woman.
The four of us make our way to the back and snag a table, ordering food and drinks. A song plays that Rose loves, and she jumps up and grabs Bella's hand, pulling her out to the dance floor. The two of them dance together, a contrast of fair and dark-haired beauty.
Emmett leans forward, watching them with interest. "Damn, E! We have some hot girlfriends, don't we?"
"We sure do."
When they come back to the table, Bella looks so alive. I cup the back of her neck and kiss her long and slow. "That was so hot," I whisper in her ear.
"I can do a private dance just for you later," she whispers back and curls her tongue around my earlobe.
Cue raging hard-on. "That sounds erotic. I'd love that."
The waitress comes to the table with a new round of drinks. "I have a drink especially for Bella."
Bella's forehead wrinkles. "From who?"
She shrugs. "From over by the bar. He didn't give his name, honey. Actually, the bartender had to ask him about the ingredients because it was an obscure cocktail."
When the waitress puts the glass down in front of Bella, she pales. "Um, thank you."
"Sure thing. You guys need anything else right now?"
After she leaves, all eyes are on Bella. I put my arm around her, massaging her shoulder. "What's wrong?"
She picks up the cocktail glass with a trembling hand and sniffs the pale green concoction. "It's from him," she whispers. "Phoenix."
"Are you certain?"
"This is what he always ordered." Bella grabs my arm, digging her nails into my skin. "It's called Last Word, and he laughed and said, 'This is my theme drink because I always get the last word.' Edward, he found us, and now he's playing games before he comes for me."
~*oOo*~
A/N: They've come so far, and many dreams are about to come true. Unfortunately, so are the nightmares. Are you ready for what comes next?
To those of you who wait patiently for updates and send me messages of encouragement, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Fanfic is spotty with email alerts. Maybe they will never be fully funtional again. The fanfic app seems to post updates. I post teasers and links to updates on Facebook in the No Rules Twilight Fan Fiction, The Twilight Fanfiction Finders, and It All Started With Twilight groups.
Thanks and gratefulness as always to my awesome betas, SassySue (chayasara) and Wendy (wmr1601) and prereader extraordinaire Aleea (Aleeab4u). These ladies make my stuff much more presentable! (Translation: save me from sounding like a blathering fool)
