THIRTY

Rosalie beams at my ring proudly.

"He did good, babe," she smiles, "I can't believe you're going to marry Edward Cullen."

"Not without you as my maid of honour," I take her hand, "would you?"

"Are you for real?" She gasps smiling at me.

I nod. There was no way I'd offer that role to anyone else.

"Of course," she squeals pulling her arms around me, "I love you both and I couldn't think of a better honour."

Things with her and Emmett hadn't gotten better. They'd struggled to find equal footing. Constantly arguing - then sneakily sleeping together after late night texts. She was in love with him. We all knew that. She just was struggling to forgive him for the harsh words, even though she'd said some pretty horrible things to that he'd completely forgiven.

"So what's happening with Emmett? He's likely best man," I say.

Rosalie's smile falters for a moment, but she quickly composes herself. "I can handle it," she says with forced nonchalance. "It's your big day, Bella. I won't let my drama with Emmett ruin it."

I squeeze her hand reassuringly. "You know, maybe this is an opportunity for you two to work things out. Being part of the wedding party, you'll have to spend time together."

She sighs, running a hand through her golden locks. "I don't know, Bella. Every time I think we're making progress, something happens and we're back to square one."

"Have you tried talking to him? Really talking, I mean. Without the anger and accusations?"

Rosalie looks down, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm scared. What if he doesn't want to fix things? What if I've pushed him away for good?"

"Rosalie Hale. He is obsessed with you," I laugh, "There's no way he won't want to fix things. You need to just put your differences aside and let him in."

Rosalie bites her lip, considering my words. "Maybe you're right," she admits reluctantly. "I just... I miss him, Bella. I miss us. But every time I think about reaching out, I remember all the hurt and I freeze up."

I wrap an arm around her shoulders. "I know it's scary, but think about how much scarier it would be to let him go completely. You two have something special. Don't throw it away over pride."

She nods slowly, her eyes distant. "I'll think about it. Maybe... maybe I'll talk to him at the engagement party next week."

"That's my girl," I grin, giving her a playful nudge. "Now, let's talk about more important things. Like what kind of hideous bridesmaid dress I'm going to make you wear."

Rosalie gasps in mock horror. "Don't you dare!"

"I was thinking lime green?" I giggle.

She punches my arm as Edward waltzes into our new dining room, holding two cocktails.

"Someone's making use of their bar area," Rosalie grins as he hands them a cosmo each.

"It's hot isn't it?" I grin.

"Not as hot as you," Edward winks, leaning in to kiss my cheek. His cool lips send a shiver down my spine, even after all this time.

Rosalie rolls her eyes, but I can see the hint of a smile playing at her lips. "You two are disgustingly cute, you know that?"

"We try," I laugh, taking a sip of my cosmo. The tart sweetness dances on my tongue.

Edward settles into the chair beside me, his arm draping casually over my shoulders. "So, what were you ladies gossiping about before I rudely interrupted?"

"Oh, just wedding plans," I say casually, exchanging a knowing glance with Rosalie. "Speaking of which, have you asked Emmett to be your best man yet?"

Edward's golden eyes flick briefly to Rosalie before he answers. "Not officially. It's on the to do list. I was going to take him out for a round of golf."

"He sucks at golf," Rosalie scoffs.

"Why do you think he's in the goal," Edward shrugs, "but I figured it'd be nice."

"He'd love that," I nod.

"Has he said anything about me?" Rosalie asks.

Edward hesitates, his eyes darting between Rosalie and me. I give him a subtle nod, encouraging him to be honest.

"He has," Edward admits carefully. "He misses you, Rose. A lot. He's been pretty down lately, actually."

Rosalie's face softens, a mix of hope and guilt flashing across her features. "Really?"

Edward nods. "He's been throwing himself into work, staying late at the rink. I think he's trying to keep busy, to avoid thinking about... well, everything."

"Oh," Rosalie says softly, twirling a strand of hair around her finger – a nervous habit she's had since high school. "I didn't realise..."

I squeeze her hand. "Maybe this is a sign, Rose. You both clearly still care about each other."

She bites her lip, conflicted. "But what if—"

"Stop with the what ifs," I interrupt her, "call him right now."

Rosalie's eyes widen in panic. "Right now? I can't just—"

"Yes, you can," I insist, pulling out my phone and scrolling to Emmett's number. "Here. I'll even dial for you."

"Bella, wait—" Rosalie protests, but I've already hit the call button and thrust the phone into her hands.

For a moment, she looks like she might hang up, but then Emmett's voice comes through the speaker. "Hello?"

Rosalie freezes, her eyes locked on mine in a silent plea for help. I mouth "talk to him" and give her an encouraging nod.

"H-hi, Emmett," she finally manages, her voice shaky. "It's me. Rosalie."

There's a pause on the other end, and I can practically feel the tension radiating through the phone. Then he speaks.

"Hey baby," he sounds relieved, "I was just thinking about you."

Rosalie's breath catches at Emmett's words, and I can see the mix of emotions playing across her face – hope, longing, and a touch of fear.

"You were?" she asks softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah," Emmett replies, his tone warm. "I was actually thinking about calling you, but I... I wasn't sure if you'd want to hear from me."

Rosalie closes her eyes, taking a deep breath. "I always want to hear from you, Em. I just... I've been scared, I guess."

"Scared of what, babe?"

She glances at me, and I give her an encouraging nod. "Scared of getting hurt again. Scared of hurting you. Scared of... of how much I still love you."

There's a sharp intake of breath on Emmett's end. "Dinner? Have dinner with me tonight?"

"I'd love that," she nods.

"I love you," he says teasingly, "we'll come out of this. I promise."

Taking Edward's hand beneath the table I squeeze.

Rosalie's eyes well up with tears as she clutches the phone. "I love you too, Em. So much." She pauses, taking a shaky breath. "Where should we meet?"

"How about that little Italian place we used to go to? The one with the amazing tiramisu?" Emmett suggests, his voice hopeful.

A smile spreads across Rosalie's face. "Bella Italia? That sounds perfect. Eight o'clock?"

"I'll be there," Emmett promises. "And Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for calling. I've missed you like crazy."

Rosalie's smile widens. "I've missed you too. See you soon."

As she ends the call, she looks up at Edward and me, her eyes shining with a mixture of tears and joy. "I can't believe I just did that," she laughs.

"I'm proud of you," I grin, "he's your person babe. I just know it."

Rosalie beams at me, her eyes sparkling with renewed hope. "You really think so?"

"I know so," I affirm, squeezing her hand. "You two are meant to be together. Sometimes love just needs a little nudge in the right direction."

Edward nods in agreement. "Emmett's been miserable without you, Rose. He tries to hide it, but we can all see it. This dinner could be the fresh start you both need."

Rosalie takes a deep breath, her smile widening. "You're right. I'm nervous, but... excited too. It feels like we're getting a second chance."

"That's exactly what it is," I say encouragingly. "Just be honest with each other. Talk about your fears, your hopes. You've both made mistakes, but that doesn't mean you can't move forward together."

Once Rosalie has gone, I stand in the kitchen washing up the plate from the cheese platter we'd demolished, our cocktail glasses. Edward's arms snake around my waist.

"My beautiful, gorgeous wife to be," he kisses my neck sending shivers up my spine, "I was thinking about wedding plans. What if we got married overseas?"

I turn in Edward's arms, raising an eyebrow. "Overseas? That's quite a big change from what we've been planning. What did you have in mind?"

Edward's golden eyes sparkle with excitement. "Well, I was thinking... how about Italy? We could have a small, intimate ceremony in Tuscany. Just our closest family and friends."

My heart flutters at the idea. "Italy? That sounds... amazing, actually. But what about all the plans we've already made?"

He shrugs, a crooked smile playing on his lips. "We haven't really finalized anything yet. And I thought, why not make it truly special? Plus, it would give us a built-in honeymoon location."

I bite my lip, considering. "It does sound romantic. But what about the cost? And getting everyone there?"

"Don't worry about that," Edward says, brushing my hair back, "I want it to be perfect."

"It will be because I'm marrying you," I turn to grab a dish towel, drying my hands, "doesn't matter where we say I do."

Edward's eyes soften at my words, and he pulls me closer. "You're right, of course. But I still want to give you the wedding of your dreams. And if that means whisking you away to a Tuscan villa, surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards, then so be it."

I can't help but laugh, wrapping my arms around his neck. "When you put it like that, how can I resist? But we should probably run it by Alice first. You know how much she's been looking forward to planning this wedding."

Edward groans playfully. "You're right. She'll probably see it coming anyway. But maybe we can convince her to be our wedding planner in Italy instead?"

"I'm sure she'd love that," I agree. "And it would be amazing to have everyone together in such a beautiful place. Plus, I've always wanted to see Italy."

Edward's face lights up. She leans in kissing him, melting into his arms.

"Why don't we head upstairs for the night," I whisper, "and you know…"

Edward's eyes darken with desire, and a mischievous grin spreads across his face. "Mrs. Cullen-to-be, are you trying to seduce me?"

I giggle, trailing my fingers down his chest. "Yep. Is it working?"

In response, Edward scoops me up into his arms, eliciting a surprised squeal from me. "What do you think?" he murmurs, his cool breath tickling my ear as he carries me towards the stairs.

As we ascend, I can't help but marvel at how effortlessly he moves, as if I weigh nothing at all.

Once in our bedroom, Edward gently sets me down on the edge of the bed. His eyes smoulder as he looks at me, and I feel my heart rate quicken.

Our clothes shed at a hasty speed before he lies me down and begins his worship. Between my legs, he nestles himself, before pushing himself into the hilt at an unforgiving depth.

I gasp at the sensation, my body arching to meet his. Edward's eyes lock with mine, filled with love and desire. He begins to move, slowly at first, building a rhythm that has us both panting.

"I love you," I whisper, running my hands through his tousled hair.

"I love you too, Bella," he murmurs against my skin, his cool lips trailing kisses along my collarbone. "Forever."

Our bodies move together in perfect synchronisation, the pleasure building with each thrust. I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him closer, wanting to feel every inch of him.

Edward's pace quickens, and I can feel myself getting close to the edge. His hand slips between us, finding that sensitive spot that makes me see stars.

"Edward," I moan, my fingers digging into his shoulders, "don't stop. Right there."

Edward's movements become more urgent, his breathing ragged as he drives us both toward our release. I can feel the tension building within me, a coiling spring ready to snap.

"Come for me, Bella," Edward whispers, his voice husky with desire.

His words, combined with the exquisite sensations coursing through my body, push me over the edge. I cry out his name as waves of pleasure wash over me, my body trembling beneath him.

Edward follows soon after, his body tensing as he finds his own release. He collapses beside me, pulling me close against his chest as we both catch our breath.

For a while, we lie there in contented silence, basking in the afterglow. Edward's cool fingers trace lazy patterns on my skin, sending little shivers through me.

"So," I say eventually, propping myself up on one arm, "Italy?"

Edward chuckles, pulling me closer. "Italy," he confirms, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "I can already picture it. You, in a flowing white dress, walking towards me in a sun-drenched vineyard. Our closest friends and family gathered around us. The scent of lavender and olive groves in the air..."

I close my eyes, imagining the scene he's painting. "It does sound perfect," I admit, snuggling into his chest. "But what about my parents? Will they be able to make it?"

"We'll make sure of it," Edward assures me. "We can arrange everything for them. First-class tickets, accommodations, the works. I want everyone important to us to be there."

I nod, my mind already racing with possibilities. "And we could have a small reception afterwards. Maybe in a rustic villa, with twinkling lights strung up and long tables filed with Italian delicacies."

I nod, my mind already racing with possibilities. "And we could have a small reception afterwards. Maybe in a rustic villa, with twinkling lights strung up and long tables filled with Italian delicacies."

Edward's eyes light up. "Exactly. We could hire a local chef to prepare an authentic Tuscan feast. Imagine the wine, the pasta, the gelato..."

"Stop," I groan playfully, "you're making me hungry again."

He laughs, pulling me closer. "We'll have plenty of time to sample all the local cuisine. Maybe we could even extend our stay after the wedding, take a little tour of the country."

"That sounds amazing," I sigh contentedly, tracing patterns on his chest. "Venice, Rome, the Amalfi Coast..."

"Anywhere you want to go," Edward promises, kissing the top of my head. "I'll follow you."