A/N: Hi everyone! This has been a hectic week, but I found a few minutes to post this today! We broke the 600 comment mark (eventually after some... technical glitches), and im so overwhelmed by all of you! Thank you for your ongoing support! This week, it's time for BBQs and getaways, amd we may meet a new face or two. If you'd like teasers, BTS details, and more, come join my FB group hmerdan's fiction spot! As always, thanks to Kneon for keeping my commas in check (and so much more haha)
EPOV
As I pulled into the circular driveway in front of the Brownrig family home, I could see Bella getting nervous in the seat beside me. I grabbed her hand, prompting her to look at me. "Hey, you okay?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" She laughed nervously. "I'm ju-just about to walk into a mansion for a barbecue with a professional sports team. Of course, I'm okay!"
"Bella, it's just a house," I replied soothingly. "And it's just a bunch of idiots in a pool."
"Just a house?" she snorted. "My parents' home is just a house. You know, the four-bedroom house in the middle of nowhere?"
"I like your parents' place," I shrugged. "It's peaceful. Especially out on the lake." We'd spent Canada Day in Keene with Bella's family, where Charlie had taken us all out on his boat for the afternoon before going back to their house for a barbecue and fireworks. For the first time in my life, I'd slept over at my girlfriend's parents' home in her childhood bedroom. A fact Bella reminded me of more than once when the many beers Charlie had plied me with over dinner made me frisky.
After treating our hosts to breakfast this morning, Bella and I made the hour-and-a-half drive to Thornhill to join my teammates and their families for the annual Great British Breakup Bash, celebrating both Canada and America becoming independent from the United Kingdom long before any of us were ever born. It was always casual and fun, and I knew Bella had nothing to worry about.
"It'll be great," I promised. "Alice and Rose are here, and you like both of them." Thank God for Rosalie's change in attitude after the shopping spree! "And Kate's really excited to get to know you, as are the rest of the girls."
She glared at me like I was an idiot. "Not all of them. Jane already said she'll be here."
"Yeah, but Heidi and Irina won't be here." Another thing to be thankful for. Heidi and Afton were back in Sweden for the summer, while Irina hated anything as casual as a barbecue, and always insisted on some lavish vacation at the same time. This year, she and Laurent were in Thailand. "You're in the WAG chat, I'm sure you know better than me who's here and who isn't. Just be yourself, and it'll be great."
She looked unconvinced, but Bella nodded and gathered her phone and purse while I hopped out of the car and ran to her side, opening the door for her. Taking her hand, I gave it a gentle squeeze before leading her down the stone path that would take us to the backyard of Kate and Garrett's mid-century modern home. I could feel some of the tension melt away as she took in the sight around us. Other than the home in the background and the large fountain pool, it could have been any other gathering of friends. Okay, maybe not exactly the same; the catering company barbecuing on the deck and a professional bartender may not be something most gatherings have, but between players, coaches, and family, there were close to sixty people here. A caterer just made sense. Still, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary in front of us - children running around, Outkast playing through the sound system, and drunken idiots who thought they could dance.
"I was wondering when you'd make it!" Emmett yelled at us as he tried to shake it like a Polaroid picture.
"Dude, put that away before you get hurt!" I laughed.
"I'm so glad you guys made it!" Kate greeted us, making sure to give each of us a warm hug before turning to me. "Edward, you know where everything is, and I think Gar and Jas are about to get a round of volleyball started in a few minutes with the kids. Maybe you can keep Em from scaring the little ones with his moves. Bella, we've got cocktails started on the other side of the pool. Want to join us?"
"I'd love to," Bella answered, still looking nervous, but giving Kate as warm a smile as possible. The pair linked arms and headed towards the bar, and I had a feeling I wouldn't see much of my girl that day.
"God damn, pregnancy's done amazing things to my wife's body," Emmett groaned as we wrapped up the volleyball game, leaving the kids to their own devices, staring in the direction of the pool.
Instinctively, I looked over and saw my own bathing beauty sharing a two-person floatie with Victoria chatting with the rest of the girls, all signs of her earlier nerves gone as she threw her head back in laughter. It also didn't escape my notice that she'd lost her light blue sundress and was now only clad in a sinfully tiny black bikini. I had to hold back my own appreciative sounds at the sight.
"Feel like cooling down?" I asked with a smirk.
"Always, dude." He smiled at me evilly, pulled off his t-shirt, kicked off his sandals, and made a beeline for the pool. I quickly joined him, and made it in time for a synchronized cannonball, splashing all the girls and making them squeal.
"Emmett!" Alice squealed. "You soaked me!"
"You're wearing a bathing suit!" He laughed, pulling himself out of the pool to kiss his faux-angry wife.
"Hey, baby," I greeted Bella, leaning up to kiss her on the cheek. "How's everything going here?"
"Well, we were discussing Alice's bridal shower and bachelorette before you decided to interrupt." She shot me a glare, but I could tell she wasn't angry.
"I'm sorry, Bella." I gave her my best puppy dog look, hoping to make her laugh. "Any big plans set? Strippers and debauchery?"
Bella shook her head with a coy smile. "Sorry, no boys allowed to know the details." She just shrugged, and pushed my head underwater, letting out another laugh with the girls.
I knew I wanted Bella to be friends with the other WAGs, but I didn't realize how much it would warm my heart to see her bond with the people closest to me. She really was a huge part of my life in such a short time.
"Keep your head up, boys!" I yelled out at the group of teenage players on the ice in front of me, all trying to impress me more than their teammates.
"You're good with them," Coach Earnest said with a grin. "You ever think of coaching?"
"Maybe when my playing career's over. I'd like to think I've got a lot of good years left in me."
"You ever think of spending some of those years helping out the Hawks?" He winked.
"They'd have to make quite the offer," I laughed. As much as I loved my hometown of Chicago, I found that Toronto had been feeling more and more like the place I should be. It would take a lot for the Blackhawks to lure me back here. Especially after the last few months thanks to a certain beautiful brunette.
Still, it had been rewarding to give back to my old triple-A league. Bella and I had arrived Tuesday night, and I'd spent the last three days working as many of the boys' and girls' teams as I could. We had a skills challenge with all the players on Wednesday, followed by each group playing a period for the last two days. Bella had been nothing but supportive of me being gone all day, and I hoped I had shown her my gratitude when taking her out at night. We had dinner with a few of my high school friends on Wednesday and went to a White Sox game on Thursday. Other than a few boos of Bella in her Blue Jays jersey, we both had a fun night. She was adorable when she gloated over the Jays' five-to-four win. Tonight I had reservations at a restaurant I knew she was excited to try. As long as I made it back across town in time.
Thankfully, the timer was merciful and the end-of-game alarm blared out the arena sound system, signalling all the teens to make their way to the bleachers where the coaching staff and I were waiting to speak. After Coach Ernest gave his talk to the players, he threw it over to me.
"Great job out there today, everyone! You all showed incredible determination and teamwork. It's not just about winning, it's about pushing yourselves to be the best you can be every single game." I went on with some advice I had after watching their games and skills, all eyes giving me their full attention. "Keep pushing yourselves, stay positive, and remember that every challenge is an opportunity to grow. Each and every one of you makes me proud to be a Coyote. Great work, everyone!"
The kids all cheered before making their way to the respective changing rooms, leaving me with the coaching staff.
"Thanks for doing this again, Cullen," Earnest said with a smile. "It really means a lot to us and the kids to have you come out for this."
"It's my pleasure," I grinned. "I wish I'd had this when I was their age. Who knows? My future teammate could be out there!"
"You never know," he shrugged. "Any big plans for the rest of the weekend?"
"Other than dinner tomorrow?" I asked with a smirk. "I promised Bella that we'd play tourist. I'm taking her to Girl & The Goat tonight. As long as traffic doesn't keep me from getting to the hotel."
"Get out of here, Masen!" he replied with a laugh. "Carine and I can't wait to see you two tomorrow night."
"See you then!" I called out, grabbing my bag and heading out to the Audi I'd rented for the week.
Growing up here, I knew people loved to complain about the traffic in Chicago, however, I took solace in knowing that this same drive would take me twice as long back home in Toronto. Within twenty minutes, I had passed off my keys to the valet and made it to our floor, trying not to run down the hallway.
"Honey, I'm home!" I trilled sarcastically, despite how good it felt to say. I was in desperate need of a shower, so I made my way to the bedroom where Bella was seated at the vanity, running a brush through her hair. Damn, even when she was still getting ready, she looked beautiful.
She turned to me and shot me a smirk. "How was your day, dear?"
"Oh, you know. Sweaty teens, lots of hormones and aggression," I teased, leaning down to kiss her gently. "How was yours?"
"Interesting," she sighed with a playful glint in her eyes. "Since I was off, I was trying to figure out what to do this morning and suddenly there was a knock on the door." Even though I knew exactly where this was going, I made sure to give her my most innocent look. "There was a very friendly server with breakfast and a note telling me my massage and mani-pedi were scheduled for one. Now, who do you think could have planned all that?"
"Someone who loves you very much?" I suggested with a playful smile. "You worked hard the last couple of days. I thought you deserved a little pampering."
"Well, as over-the-top as it was, I really enjoyed it." She stood up and placed a kiss on my lips. "Thank you."
"Anything for you," I smiled at her. "Now, I'm sure I smell disgusting. You mind if I take a quick shower?"
"I wouldn't say disgusting, but go ahead," she giggled with a wink. "I'll just finish up out here." She sat back at the vanity, once again grabbing her brush. I had to watch her for a couple of seconds before pulling off my black hoodie and tossing it along with my hat in the bed before heading to the shower.
Within an hour, I was dressed in my grey suit, opting to skip the tie, while Bella was wearing a sexy-as-hell short tan dress, trying not to skip once I opened the door to Girl & the Goat. "I don't think I've ever met someone so excited for dinner," I chuckled.
"Clearly, you never met anyone who loves Iron Chef like I do," she giggled. "Allez cuisine!"
I couldn't help but laugh at her unbridled joy. I pulled her into my arms and dropped a kiss on her head. "How can someone be so adorable and so sexy all at the same time?"
"I could ask you the same question."
"Guys aren't adorable," I deadpanned. "We're tough, rugged. Not adorable."
"You clearly haven't seen yourself pout," she laughed, snuggling into my side as the hostess approached us.
Despite the busy crowd, we were seated quickly at a table towards the back of the restaurant where we could have some privacy. "So, what looks good?"
"I've heard great things about the goat empanadas and the pig face," she offered. I shot her a skeptical look at the second item, but she waved me off. "Don't knock it 'til you try it. Oh, and the green beans?"
"Pig face? Really?" I chuckled. "I wouldn't try it for anyone other than you."
"Thank you," she grinned at me with a blush. "And it's not like they bring out the whole pig head… I hope."
I laughed at her worry, but also hoped she was right. I'm willing to try strange things, but if they brought out a head? Not sure I could do it.
Once our server arrived, we easily placed our order for Bella's requests, as well as a few other items on the menu and drinks before diving into a conversation about the sights Bella wanted to see.
"Definitely want to see The Bean and Navy Pier," she counted off with a giddy smile. "And The Willis Tower."
"Sears Tower," I corrected with a smirk. Still had some Chicago boy left in me. "And there's a lot more to Millenium Park than just The Bean."
"Fine," she rolled her eyes, but I could see the hint of a smile. "Would it be too touristy to take a river cruise?"
"Nothing is too touristy for you," I assured her. "It's your first time here! I want you to enjoy it. Did you want to check out that Speakeasy Archie mentioned at dinner last night?" Even if I didn't stay in contact with a ton of people from my youth, there were still a few guys I was friendly with, and we made sure to spend some time with them.
"Sounds like it could be fun," she shrugged, beaming. "But it has to be tomorrow. I don't want to risk flying back to Toronto hungover."
"Not a problem," I promised as the server dropped off our beer brioche. The conversation slowed down as more food came to the table since Bella was busy savouring all the flavours, but I didn't mind at all. I loved watching the pure joy on her face when something made her giddy. By the time we got to the end of the meal, she was having trouble choosing between the yuzu coconut milk cake and the hazelnut praline sundae for dessert, so I made the decision easier for her and ordered both, offering to split them. Despite growing up here and coming back every year for a short time, I had never tried Girl & The Goat before, but I could see this becoming a regular stop as long as Bella made the trip with me.
As we left the restaurant, the happy bubble that had been surrounding us all night was suddenly popped on the walk to the car. "Edward?" A prim voice called out from in front of us. A voice I hadn't heard in years. "Is that you?"
Standing in front of us were Edward Senior and Elizabeth Masen. Even though she had never seen them before, I was sure Bella could tell instantly. I was almost an exact replica of my father, only with the unique colouring of my mother. "Mother, father," I greeted with a solemn nod. "Didn't expect to see you here."
"We were just at Nia for Cheryl's birthday," my mother explained cautiously. "You remember Cheryl? She and Dennis lived next door to us? You and their son Timothy played hockey together."
"I remember them," I answered shortly.
"Why didn't you tell us you were in town?" My father piped up accusatorially, eyeing Bella. "Don't you think we would have liked to see you and your… friend."
I ignored the jibe at Bella and rolled my eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh as I tugged her in closer to me. "Father, I've been in town this time of year for the last five years straight. If I didn't get in touch with before, why would I get in touch with you now?"
"The last five years?" My mother looked almost tearful at the thought. "Why wouldn't you let us know?"
I let out a humourless barking laugh. "You both made it quite clear that I wasn't worth your time and energy when I left college. I'm guessing I'm worth it now that I'm a success?"
"Son, we all said things we didn't mean, but-" my father started, but I interrupted him.
"I meant everything I said that night," I sneered. "You told me I wouldn't amount to anything, and made sure to throw all the money you'd spent on my education and hockey in my face. You never once apologized for any of it."
"How do you expect us to make things right if you don't let us?" My mother weeped.
"I don't think this is the best time and place to discuss anything," Bella interjected. "Clearly, you're making Edward more upset. Now, has your number changed at all from when Edward was a kid?" My mother shook her head, letting us know it was the same. "Edward, do you still remember your childhood phone number?" I nodded, still glaring at my father who looked satisfyingly contrite. "Okay, You've been able to let Edward know where you stand. If he wants to speak with you, he knows how to get in touch with you. Mr. and Mrs. Masen, it was… an experience meeting both of you." If I wasn't so pissed at my parents, I would have laughed at Bella's attempt at politeness.
"Thank you…" My mother started, taking Bella's hand, but trailing off as I hadn't introduced her.
"Isabella. Bella," she replied.
"Thank you, Bella. Truly." My mother gave us one last watery smile before she and my father left for his car, and we climbed into our rental.
"Well," Bella exhaled once I started the engine. "That was…"
"An experience?" I offered with a smirk, making Bella roll her eyes. "Thank you for standing up for me like that."
"Edward, I'd stand up for you any time," she smiled at me. "And if you want to talk about this more, I'm here for you."
"I know," I nodded. "And I do. Back home."