Chapter 21

"And that's the story of my biggest heartbreak," she ended with tears prickling her eyes.

His arms tightened around her and she felt his lips on her forehead.

"I can tell he is still really important to you, Bella. There is nothing wrong with that," he smiled gently.

"I just want you to understand that a small part of me will always be connected to him. But that doesn't mean I love you any less."

His smile got bigger.

"Good, because there is no way I am letting you go. I do think he still needs you, though. Don't be so quick to shut him down when he tries to contact you. He needs his friend," Dimitri explained lovingly.

"How did I get so lucky?" she laughed snuggling up to him.

"I should be asking that question," he said looking at the ring on her finger.

It had been a tense morning and having to deal with a 9-year-old's tooth had not improved my mood. The rest of the school day felt like a pressure cooker, and I couldn't shake the growing annoyance at the misunderstanding. To clear my head and get to the bottom of the situation, I knew I had to talk to Jake and Edward. The thought of playing detective wasn't appealing, but I had no other choice. After work, I headed to Jake's place, hoping to unravel the mess.

I walked up the path leading to his door and knocked.

"Bella!" he said happily but his smile faded when he saw my face. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"What did you tell Edward and why the hell did you kiss me?" I asked bluntly. I wasn't playing around.

"That I like you a lot and want to make things work, and because you looked so cute" he explained crossing his arms over his chest.

"You broke up with me," I reminded him getting more frustrated.

"Because you're still thinking about him, Bella. But that doesn't mean I am going to make things easier for him."

"Easier? It's always been distance, fiances, death, anger. This thing with Edward has always been hard and annoying and frustrating and that kills me. Don't talk to me about easy because that word does not describe our situation at all," I argued.

"I can see that," he said smiling. "However, at risk of being egotistic, I only care about you and me. I have been really honest with you regarding my feelings and that I would not yield to a rival and I have only kept that promise."

"Don't you go all lawyer on me," I yelled. "You can't go and break up with me and then tell someone that is not me that we are going to keep trying."

"I don't mean to be that person, Bella," he said leaning against his doorframe. "But if he really cared, he would have done something besides running the opposite direction."

"Well, you know what, you charming asshole? I don't like that response. I will go right now and yell at him just like I am doing you. I am not some pawn in your guys' chess game. I love him and… and…."

As soon as the words left my lips, my eyes went wide with realization. Jake gave me a sad smile.

"I figured you did. I am more than just a charming asshole, I am your friend. I have been your friend since that date when we talked about how empty we felt. I want you to be happy." His voice was gentle, and a pang of guilt shot through me.

"Jake… I'm so sorry," I stammered, my frustration evaporating. "I don't mean to hurt you."

"You could never, Bella. Now go and get that stubborn asshole you've chosen over me. Don't know what you see in him when I'm right here but, what the hell, you do you."

"I said I need his address. He's not answering my calls," I said turning on my blinker to turn to the right.

"What are you going to do?" Rosalie asked through the speakerphone.

"I don't even know. Can you just text me the address? I am going to let Max out and head there."

"You got it, boss!" exclaimed Emmett.

"Rosalie, I swear to god if you keep putting me on speaker phone…"

"Sorry! I will send it over. Love you!" she almost sang.

I turned to my street to, once again, find a familiar car parked in front and Edward waiting for me on the steps. I got out of my car and walked over to him.

"What are you doing here?" I was glad he was there, but surprised nonetheless.

"Not hiding," he said in a quiet voice.

"I have to let Max out, if you want to talk you can come in," I said walking past him toward the door.

The weight of the day settled on my shoulders as I let Max into the backyard. I heard the familiar click of the front door, a sound that usually brought a sense of comfort now tinged with dread. Keeping my back to the entrance, I took a deep breath, my mind racing as I rehearsed the difficult conversation that lay ahead.

"We broke up. Two days ago, the night we, you know. We broke up before any of that happened," I confessed.

I didn't dare look back. He had called it a mistake. What if it was a mistake to him even with this new information?

"It wasn't Naomi's idea for us not to talk anymore. It was mine."

That made me turn.

"What?" I asked confused.

"She didn't like our relationship and, yeah, she suggested that I distance myself from you a bit," he said finally looking at me. "But I am the one that decided that we had to cut contact."

"Why?" it came out in a whisper, treacherous tears forming in the corners of my eyes.

"I knew you would wait, Bella. I knew you would wait for me forever and I didn't want that for you. I wanted you to have everything you deserved. Even if it wasn't with me."

I could see tears in his eyes as well, mine turning into tears of rage.

"You chose for me. It wasn't your right! I wanted you. I loved you. I wanted to wait and be with you, Edward. Why were you so selfish to assume you knew what was better for me? What if you were wrong? What if I had been unhappy because of you chose for me?" My voice rose, a mixture of anger and hurt. Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized the depth of my betrayal.

He looked at the floor with nostalgia.

"I knew it wasn't one when you told me about him."

We stood there for a moment and I saw him turn to look at the beach picture on the table.

"He was a great man, Bella. When you talked to me about him, I knew I had made the right decision. You were happy, that's all I've ever wanted," he looked at me again. His eyes held a profound sincerity. "From the first moment I ever made you smile when we were just kids, I knew that's what I wanted to do for the rest of my life." His voice was gentle, yet resolute, carrying a weight of emotion that seemed to hang heavy in the air.

"Edward," I began, my voice trembling slightly as the walls I'd so carefully constructed crumbled around me.

The resentment, anger, and misunderstanding that had plagued me were finally dissipating. In that moment, it was just the two of us, alone in the quiet sanctuary of my living room. My feelings for him were clear, intense, and undeniable. Yet, as I turned to face him, I was met with the lingering shadow of his belief that he still believed he knew what was best for me.

"I'm sorry for breaking your heart," he began, his voice laced with regret. "For not being strong enough, patient enough to wait. If it makes you feel any better, it killed me to see you get married." A bitter smile tugged at his lips. "I later realized how grateful for making you happy, giving you a beautiful family."

I stood there for a while processing his words.

"You're still trying to make decisions for me," I said upset.

"I have known you for a very long time, you know?" he half smiled. "Jake is the better choice, Bella. He cares about you and he brought happiness back to your life before I ever showed up to mess things up. He is the one for you."

"It's not your job to decide what's better for me," I countered walking toward him with a newfound bravery.

"I wasn't wrong the first time, I'm sure he'll make you happy too," he said nervously.

As I got closed to him, our breaths mingled in the still air. His eyes, once a familiar harbor, had weathered storms, but the depth I found there was undeniable. Memories flooded my mind: the warmth of his embrace when I'd fainted, the sweet shock of our first kiss, the shy sparkle in his eyes when he confessed his feelings, and the raw vulnerability he'd shown that fateful day. The ache of his absence had been a constant companion, a dull throb beneath the surface of my anger and resentment. Yet, in this moment, as our gazes locked, I saw beyond the pain, recognizing the love that had always been there, a resilient flame burning beneath the ashes.

"Bella," he whispered.

"You ARE an stubborn asshole," I said before I closed the distance between us and kissed him.

It was as if every cell in my body had been waiting for this moment, for this connection. His kiss was a tentative exploration, a question mark hanging in the air. But then, as if surrendering to an irresistible force, he claimed my lips with a possessiveness I'd yearned for. It was a whirlwind of emotions, a tempest of desire and fear and hope, all swirling together in a dizzying vortex.

His kiss deepened, a storm of its own, pulling me closer. My hands found their way into his hair, a familiar comfort. The taste of him was intoxicating, a blend of coffee and something uniquely him. I felt a surge of vulnerability, a reckless abandon I hadn't allowed myself in years. The world narrowed down to just us, our bodies melding together in a way that felt both ancient and entirely new. It was a promise, a declaration, a silent vow in the language of touch.

With each passing moment, the kiss intensified drawing me deeper into it. My mind was a hurricane of sensations. But as I surrendered to the moment, I realized that this was where I belonged, in his arms, lost in the intensity of his kiss.

When we pulled apart, his cheeks were flushed and his eyes sparkled just the way I had always remembered. This wasn't like our last night together, I was sober now, in a way, I knew exactly what was happening and why I was doing it; it wasn't a heat of the moment thing. I knew I wanted him despite everything that had always kept us apart. He would never be my sun and moon, but he was my stars.

"Well, if you keep kissing me like that, you'll have a hard time convincing me to choose someone else," I joked.

"Did you call me an stubborn asshole?" he smirked in that way that always drove me crazy.

"You were acting like one," I laughed, my arms around his neck still.

"You brat," he said before kissing me again.