First, I have to apologize for a couple of things—taking so long to update and for not replying to your reviews this time around. Life unexpectedly threw me a big curve ball that left me sad and heart broken, and I just wasn't in the right mind to post or reply to reviews. So, I am very sorry for that.
Thank you to my partner in crime, My-Bella, for always making sure all those dang commas go where they are supposed to, and for helping me keep my sanity when the plot bunnies get out of control. I couldn't do this without you.
Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. I just like to play with their lives every once in a while.
I bet you still think about me
Yeah I bet you still think about me
Like I think about you
Even when I don't want to
There's just something about you baby
There's nothing that I can do
I think about you, you were always wild and free
I know we couldn't hold on forever, but baby
I bet you still think about me
Bet You Still Think About Me ~ Blake Shelton
~Bella~
I woke up groaning from the ache in my neck from having slept in the backseat of Emmett's truck. Thankfully my brother had a blanket he kept in here because the rain that had continued most of the night had kept the normally warm June temperature down overnight. I'd sent Emmett a quick text to tell him I was safe and to please just let me be for the night. He'd replied he didn't like it, but hadn't pushed me to tell him where I was.
I stretched as much as the confines of the truck would allow me too. "Jeebus, Emmett, couldn't you get a truck with the back doors," I mumbled as I threw my leg over the front seat to climb out. Somehow getting back here had been much easier. I'd have slept in the front if it hadn't been for the storage console in the middle of the front seats. As I sat in the front seat putting my shoes on, I was startled by a scratching and whimpering sound coming from just outside of the cab. Rolling down the window I was greeted by a gorgeous German Shepard wagging her tail and pawing at the truck door as if she was asking me to let her in.
"Are you lost, girl?" I asked her as I slowly opened the truck door and squatted down to let her sniff my hand and show her I meant her no harm.
I was instantly rewarded with wet doggie kisses. "Hi, girl," I said to her as I sat on the ground. She was quickly in my lap soaking up the attention I was giving her. I knew she had to belong to someone because she was clean and healthy looking, well fed too.
When she started panting like she was thirsty I decided to go get her a bowl of water. I knew my brother would be busy with farm chores and was pretty sure Rose had said Emma had a checkup with the doctor this morning. So that left Aunt Mae and Uncle Carlisle, maybe one of them would know who she belonged to.
"You wait here and I'll go get you some water," I told her and gave her another scratch behind the ears.
The dog whimpered when I turned to walk towards the house. "What?" I asked her. She gave me one quick bark. "Does that mean you want to come with me?" She danced around excitedly, turning in a circle and then wagging her tail at me furiously. I patted my leg and gave in to her. "Well come on, I suppose it can't hurt for you to wait on the porch. But you can't go in the house. Deal?" I swear when she tilted her head and looked up at me, she was giving me a look as if to ask, "Why not?"
She walked right beside me up to the door. "Stay," I ordered her as I pulled the screen door open and she tried to dart in.
Mae wasn't in the kitchen like I expected she'd be so I headed into the living room. I found her there but she was on the phone. She must have heard me come in because she turned and held up one finger, silently asking me to wait a minute for her. I nodded and pointed towards the kitchen, letting her know I'd wait there for her. She gave me a thumbs up to say okay.
While waiting for Mae to finish her phone call, I went ahead and got my new canine friend a bowl of water. Taking the bowl outside I sat down on the top step of the porch and the dog was instantly at my side and lapping up her cool drink. While petting her I heard a light crunch of gravel and looked up to see Edward walking up the driveway towards the house.
And damn, what a sight to see it was.
Even if I was still incredibly frustrated about how our conversation ended last night.
He moved with a sexy air of confidence as he took long steady strides this way. Dressed casually in a pair of well fitted jeans and a simple black v-neck t-shirt that he made look so good, I realized he was getting too close for me to keep watching him.
Damn he looked so damn good.
I mentally slapped myself out of the Edward induced haze I was in in order to keep him from catching me drooling, and turned my attention back to my new furry friend.
I did my best to try and pull off trying to hide the fact I'd seen him coming and fought the urge to look up at him once he was right in front of me. Out of the corner of my eye I could see his black work boot clad feet while I tried to keep my focus on the dog.
"So that's where you've run off to," Edward said as he stopped at the bottom of the porch steps.
Not really sure what he meant, my mouth opened and closed a couple of times with nothing coming out before I finally managed to mutter, "Huh?"
What did he mean? I really didn't want to get into it with him again. Did he think when I'd left last night I was not coming back?
Can you blame him?
Looking up at him I saw he was standing there with his arms crossed over his chest like some sort of drill sergeant waiting for his men to fall in line. There was no smile and his eyes were hidden behind his sunglasses so I couldn't tell what kind of mood he was in or if he was about to start in on me again.
It took him a second, but he eventually responded. "I was referring to Dottie, but I wasn't expecting to find you here this morning either."
"Dottie?" I asked.
"Yeah, the dog. She's mine."
"Oh," I replied, surprised that he'd gotten a dog. But it certainly explained why she'd been so eager to get in the house. "She seems like a great dog. I ran into her in the driveway this morning. I didn't know who she belonged to," I explained, willing to talk about anything other than our past.
"She is a great dog. I found her out on a chase last year. She was still just a pup."
"Did she belong to someone?" I asked, somewhat surprised we were actually having a normal conversation.
It's because you aren't talking about the two of you.
He started to tell me the story about how he'd found her when we were interrupted by my cell phone ringing.
"Shit," I cursed when I couldn't find it in any of my pockets.
"Looking for this?" Edward asked, reaching into his back pocket and pulling my phone from it.
"Yes. Thanks, I must have dropped it."
I reached out to take the phone from him, but at the last second he pulled it back out of my grasp.
"Wha—give me my phone!" I demanded holding my hand out for it.
"Not so fast there. First tell me why I found it in my truck," he shot back at me.
"What do you mean you found it in your truck. That's impossible," I told him.
"Apparently it's very possible because that's exactly where I found it. I was putting some of my gear in the truck for the chase I'm heading out on tomorrow and I heard it ringing and found it on the backseat floor board," he explained with a slight edge of cockiness in his voice and a smirk on his face.
I rolled my eyes at him. He could take his attitude and stuff it where the sun doesn't shine.
"Quit messing with me. There's no frickin' way my phone was in your truck, Edward. The only truck I've been anywhere near is Emmett's," I insisted, being snarky right back at him.
I could see the gears turning in his head. It was like he knew something I didn't and was gonna use it to his advantage.
"Tell me, when Emmett picked you up from the airport, did he have his truck?" he asked curiously.
"What the hell does that matter?"
"It's important evidence."
Rolling my eyes again and letting out an agitated huff, I said, "Well he sure as shit didn't get me here on a band of flying monkeys. But if you really must know he had Rose's SUV, though I still don't see why that matters."
"Oh it matters. It matters a lot."
He had a snarky smirk on his face that amped up his level of sexiness. That smirk used to get me every time, and I'd be lying if it was giving me tingles at the moment. But I refused to let him get to me right now.
"Well then since you seem to be the one full of all the knowledge, why don't you clue me in, 'cause you're talking in circles and it's giving me a headache."
He started chuckling.
"Oh sweet Jesus, Edward. Just tell me already."
"Fine, but you have to answer one more question first," he demanded.
I sighed in frustration. "What?"
"What were you doing in ah, Emmett's truck anyways?" he asked sounding a little nervous for some unknown reason, again making me wonder what he knew that I didn't.
"What's it to you?" Something was off with him. I didn't get why it mattered to him. But I'd always been able to tell if he was hiding something and he definitely was now.
"Just curious," was all he gave me.
"Why?"
"Why what?" he asked.
"Why are you curious what I was doing in my brother's truck?"
"I don't know, just am. Anyways, you said you'd answer my question, so if you want your phone back, then you best get to it," he insisted, sounding like he was getting a tad frustrated with me.
"Sleeping."
"What?" He sounded shocked and amused at the same time if that was possible.
"I was sleeping. Are you satisfied?" He looked even more shocked than he had the first time I'd said it. But I really needed my phone and didn't want to play games to get it. "And can I have my phone now?" I held out my hand waiting for him to hand it over.
Without a word he started up the porch steps next to me. When he got past me and still hadn't given me the phone back, I stood and turned around.
"Hey, Coppertop. Forget something?" I called out to him, using the nickname his aunt had given him when we were much younger.
Pulling his sunglasses from his face, he spun around and looked at me for a minute. He was trying to keep his face neutral, not letting me see his surprise that I'd remember his childhood nickname, but I could see in his eyes that not only was he surprised, but maybe even a little happy that I did. Then quickly he glanced down at the phone, either trying to hide what he was feeling or contemplating something in his head. Which, I had no idea.
Silently he tossed it to me and turned back to the door to the house. Ignoring him I quickly sat down and tapped the screen to scroll through my missed calls to see who had been trying to reach me.
While doing so I heard the screen door squeak as Edward opened it. Not hearing it shut told me he was still standing there. I could feel his eyes on me. It was like they were boring holes into me from the weight of their gaze.
I was about to turn around and ask him what was going on, when I heard a truck coming up the drive. Just then I could have sworn I heard Edward let out what sounded like a cross between a snort and a chuckle before the screen door slapped shut against the wooden frame.
I saw that both the calls I'd missed were from the agency where I'd hoped to be receiving the internship I'd applied for, which could possibly lead to a full time job. I was really excited about what I could accomplish with the team they were assembling. There was always a need to make houses and other buildings stronger—more storm resistant—and I really wanted to be chosen.
Hearing the truck stop and the door open I glanced up, shocked to see none other than my brother getting out of it.
"Hey, Baby Bird," he said as he walked up.
"Hey, Em," I replied, wondering who's truck he had. "The Cullens buy a new truck for the ranch?" I asked him.
"No why?" he returned, then added, as he pointed over his shoulder at the truck with his thumb. "Oh that?"
"Yeah. Looks pretty new."
"'Cause it is. Rosie finally let me get a new one. Especially once we had a buyer for my old one," he supplied.
"Uh…a buyer for your old one?" I asked hesitantly, slowly trying to process what that could mean.
"Yeah, that's a really funny story," he told me with a laugh.
"Oh, I bet it is," I said, trying to hide the sarcasm in my voice, already piecing together who was most likely the proud new owner of his old truck.
"You'll crack up when you hear it," he went on.
"Mmm, hmm." Yeah, the sarcasm was flowing like a river today.
"So you remember Edward's old truck? Well of course you do," he snickered, answering his own question as he wagged his eyebrows suggestively at me.
I wanted to smack him upside the head.
"So anyways, Edward was down by the river fishing about a month ago, caught himself a real nice bunch of catfish too."
"Cut to the funny part, Emmett," I insisted. "Edward fishing is nothing new."
"Well you know how old that truck was, it was a miracle it hadn't turned into a pile of dust. So either the brake gave out or something, but Ed had just loaded his cooler into the back and when he slammed the tailgate closed, the force of it sent the damn truck rolling down the bank and didn't stop 'til it was filling with water."
"No!" I gasped, unable to deny the fact it was a hilarious story.
"Oh yeah. He had to have it pulled from the river. Nearly lost his cooler of fish too. It had started floating down the river."
"Heaven forbid Edward lose his fish," I retorted and rolled my eyes. He had always loved fishing and it seemed that hadn't changed any.
"Right. So the truck was toast. Waterlogged. He had it towed to the barn, but I doubt it ever runs again," my brother told me.
The loss of that truck was actually a bit sad, I had many memories associated with it. Many of them involving Edward and me being less than fully clothed.
"Wow. So it was Edward that bought your old truck?" I looked down at the ground as I waited for his answer, already knowing what it was, but praying that somehow maybe it wasn't.
Edward's smug attitude over finding my phone all made sense now.
"Yep, he sure did. Why? What's the big deal?" he asked curiously. I could see the gears in his head turning with how bad he wanted to know. Knowing my brother, his head was in the gutter.
He's going to be sorely disappointed.
So are you.
Where the hell did that come from?
"Because," I replied, my brain still trying to process what my subconscious was thinking.
"Not buying it, Baby Bird, you're hiding something. So spill. Or should I go ask Edward? I saw him going in the house when I pulled up."
"You wouldn't."
"Oh, little sister, you should know better by now than to leave me with a dare like that," he taunted.
"Shit," I muttered to myself.
"What was that? I didn't quite hear you."
"You just can't ever let anything go, can you?" I asked in annoyance.
"Not in my nature."
"Fine. I slept in it," I spit out as fast as I could.
"Woah! You what?"
"You heard me, you ass. When I texted you last night, I was in that truck. I thought it was yours. Now leave me alone."
I stood to go inside and return the missed calls I had on my phone.
"Nope. Not so fast," Emmett called as he grabbed the back of my shirt to stop me from leaving.
"What?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest and raising my eyebrow at him to show my annoyance.
"So you slept in the truck. I don't get why you got your panties all in a twist over it. More than that, I don't get why you slept in it in the first place," he said.
"Really?"
Boys!
Sighing in frustration because I knew he'd never let this go now, I caved. "First of all, I didn't mean to sleep in it. When I sent you that text I wanted someplace quiet to clear my head. I had every intention of coming in the house once I'd had some time to myself to think. But I fell asleep on accident."
"Go on," he urged.
"Second, I thought it was your truck! I'd never have even gotten in it if I'd known it was Edward's now."
"Okay, I understand falling asleep and needing someplace quiet. It was pretty obvious some heavy shit went down between you and Edward last night. But I still don't see what the big deal is," he admitted.
"You don't?"
"No."
"Well…that's just…Why do I bother?" I sputtered, raising my hands in the air and letting them drop and smack my hips in exasperation. Clearly, he wasn't getting it.
"Look," he told me. "I don't see it because there's nothing to see. We used to pass out in each other's trucks, cars, houses, the barn, or wherever in high school. I'd be shocked if Edward even cared. And that's if he even knows."
"Oh, he knows," I quipped.
"Even so, Edward is still Edward, Bella. Yes, I know there's some shit to work out between the two of you. But he's the same guy. A good guy. Give him a chance. You might just like what you see."
What he said made sense, but I didn't really know what to say so I just nodded.
"Now I gotta get some shit done." He pulled me to him for a hug. "I love you, Baby Bird."
"Love you too, Em."
He released me and headed up the stairs, turning around once he'd reached the door. "If you need anything give me a call or come find me, okay?"
"Okay."
After that he slipped into the house and I could hear him calling out for Mae. He really was a great guy.
Great big brother too.
"I understand, thanks for considering me," I told the director of the internship in Miami.
I hung up the phone and growled in frustration.
What the fuck was I supposed to do now?
First thing I needed to do was find Emmett. I was going to have to head back to Miami sooner than expected so I could start looking for a job. The internship was a rare one in that those on the team were being paid to be a part of the program. But now that I hadn't been chosen, I had to find another way to support myself.
Heading back into the house I came across Aunt Mae in the family room.
Seeing me enter the room, she asked, "Everything ok? You look a bit flustered, dear."
I sighed not wanting to upset her over my issues, but at the same time knowing I had to give her something. "Things just aren't going like I thought they would. Do you know where Emmett is?"
"I think he's upstairs helping Rose get Emma down for a nap. Rose isn't feeling well today. This pregnancy has been a bit harder on her than the last. She swears it must be a mini Emmett inside her causing so much trouble." We both laughed at her comment and then she went on. "But anyways, Emmett should be down soon. How about you help me rustle up some lunch while we wait?"
"Sure."
We made our way into the kitchen and she asked me to get the stuff out to make a salad.
As I pulled the lettuce apart and rinsed it, Emmett found us.
"Emma finally asleep?" Aunt Mae asked.
"Yeah, so is Rose. She didn't sleep well last night." Emmett replied. "Hopefully she's feeling better after her nap."
"Well I'll be sure to set aside a plate for her in case she's hungry when she wakes up."
"Thanks," Emmett told Aunt Mae as he came around the kitchen island and planted a big kiss on her cheek.
"I can finish this up, Bella. Why don't you go talk to your brother now," Aunt Mae suggested and didn't leave me any choice to argue with her when she came over and took away the cucumber I was slicing.
"What's up, Baby Bird?" Emmett asked as we made our way out the back door.
I hesitated for a second and then blew out a long whoosh of air. "I've got a big problem."
"First calm down. I can see whatever it is, is nagging you, and then tell me what it is and we'll go from there. Okay?"
I nodded and took a deep breath and told him. "I didn't get the internship."
"Okay. So you're disappointed, I get that, but it's not the end of the world."
"No, not the end of the world, but what am I supposed to do now, Emmett? The only option I can see is that I need to head back to Miami as soon as possible so I can search for a job. I was led to believe I was practically a shoe-in for this internship so I didn't apply for any jobs. My small savings won't last much longer. I have a roommate who is counting on me to help pay my fair share of things," I explained, hoping he'd get a better grasp on the situation I was in.
He was quiet at first and I could practically see the wheels in his head spinning. My brother was thinking hard about something.
Finally he clued me in. "Yes, you could hop on a plane tomorrow and go back to the life you had in Miami. But what if that's not where you're meant to be anymore?"
"What are you talking about, Em?"
"Just listen and give me a minute and I'll tell ya," he requested while sitting down on the step and patting the spot next to him for me to sit as well.
"I'm listening."
"For whatever reason, four years ago things lined up for you to leave here. No matter why you left, maybe it was meant to be, because things worked out just right in order for you to do so. But now you're back here and for whatever reason the things that once worked there aren't any longer. Now I know you obviously just found out about the internship, but think about it for a minute, Bella. Maybe you aren't supposed to be there anymore, maybe it's time to come home," he implored.
"I…I don't know, Em. I've burnt so many bridges here. What's here for me other than you and Rose?"
"Isn't that enough? We're your family."
I could tell instantly that I'd hurt his feelings with my comment and that wasn't what I'd meant to do.
"Yes you are my family. And I love you all so very much."
All of you.
"I didn't mean it like it sounded. I just don't know…. It's…It's more…" My heart was about to fly out of my chest it was beating so fast as I struggled to come up with something my brother wouldn't know was complete bullshit. "It's more about here than who's here."
"Oh I think it's completely about who's here. Bella, if you're worried about Edward, don't be. He's not going to go on some tirade or whatever if you decide to move back. He doesn't hate you. I think it's actually quite the opposite if I'm being completely honest with you."
"What are you saying?" I asked.
"Look leave Edward out of this, okay? You need to do what is right for you no matter what Edward wants. That's what you said you did when you left. So now you are at another crossroads and the way I see it you have two choices.
"You can go back to Miami, hide where you think you won't be found, and maybe you can even pretend you'll be alright. But if you ask me it will just be a lie. Look around, Bella, I mean really look around and really see things. If you are going to have to start over, looking for a job and such, why not do it here? Here where you have a place to stay, rent free I might add. And where you have a support system of people who love you. Just take some time and think about it. I know it's not an easy decision. Well, actually I do think it is," he teased, causing me to shove him.
"Seriously, though. Pay your roommate the rent for the next month, tell her what's going on so she can look for a new roommate just in case, and take that month to just give this place a chance. Can you do that?"
Could I do that?
Could I make a fresh start here?
What would Edward think?
Does it even really matter what he thinks?
You know it does.
Deep down inside if I was honest with myself and my brother, being back here hadn't been nearly as bad as I'd imagined it would be. I could even hold a conversation with Edward and not fight with him. Maybe I could do it.
But then it hit me.
"One problem with that," I informed him.
"What's that?" he asked like he was ready to immediately dismiss whatever it was.
"I know you said to leave Edward out of this, but how can I completely do that when I'd be living in the same house as him? Not to mention in a room right across the hall from his? He's already made himself scarce around the house because of me."
"What do you mean made himself scarce?"
I was a bit surprised when Emmett truly looked as if he didn't know what I meant.
"He's never at breakfast or lunch at the house and has rarely been there for dinner," I answered. "Are you going to tell me it was like that before I came back?"
"Yeah, actually I am," he replied.
"What? Don't play games, Emmett. That won't get me to stay here. I need to know what's real and what's not if there's any chance of that happening."
"Just chill, okay? There's a very good reason why Edward isn't around the main house much," he insisted.
"Well since you seem to be full of all the answers, Einstein, why don't you clue me in?"
What was with the men in this family today?
"Sure didn't lose that sarcasm down in Miami, did ya?"
"Nope." I flashed him a wide innocent smile that was anything but.
"Edward's absence has nothing to do with you."
"Not buying it, Em. You're gonna have to give me more than that."
"He doesn't live in the main house anymore," he said, like he was telling me the sun was shining or some other mundane fact.
"Since when? Really?" I asked, shocked.
"About a year ago. He just wanted a place of his own, but since he's always heading out on a chase half the year and by himself, he really didn't want to invest a lot of money into buying a place. Not that he couldn't afford to, he just didn't want to," Emmett returned.
"Oh," was all I could think to say. I'd had no idea.
Well why would you? You've been gone for four years.
"Yeah, Jasper and me helped him close in and fix up the loft space in the barn. He's got a pretty cool place up there, but he's still close, which Mae loves," he added.
"So see, it won't be any trouble for you to stick around. And hell, I know Dad left the house to both of us, but, Bella, if you decide to stick around, you can have it."
"What?" I wasn't sure I'd heard him right. My mind was still way back to the part about Edward having his own place in the barn loft. I couldn't help but wonder what it was like, and if he really lived there all the time, or if he was just staying there while I was here and Emmett didn't want me to have my feelings hurt.
"You heard me," he said, drawing my focus back on him. "I don't see Rose and me leaving here any time soon, if ever. With me working here on the ranch it just doesn't make sense and it's her family home, which will be passed on to her someday. I'd never take that away from her. So I don't have any use for our old house. I'm sure I can get the guys to help me fix it up for ya if that's something you'd want. And it's paid for, so you wouldn't have to worry about a house payment or rent. So what do ya say? Will you just give it some serious thought?" he pleaded.
I could see in my brother's eyes just how badly he wanted me to give his idea a real chance. And honestly being back around family was nice.
"Okay," I whispered, hoping that sticking around here didn't end badly.
"Okay?"
"Okay," I said again.
"Okay you'll think about it? Okay you'll stay? Okay you'll clean the horse stalls? Okay what, Baby Bird?"
"You can be an ass sometimes, you know?" I told him, giving him another shove with my shoulder.
He laughed. "Runs in the family, little sister. Now what are ya gonna do?"
"I will stay. For now. I will give staying here permanently some serious thought. But that's all I can promise for now. Okay?"
"Okay," he returned and pulled me into a crushing bear hug.
I couldn't believe I'd let Alice talk me into this. But I was eager to fix my friendship with her. Leaving Edward hadn't just hurt him, his sister had been my best friend since the day I'd met her. So when earlier this afternoon she'd come by to see if Rose and I wanted to go out with her to hang out and catch up a bit, I'd found myself unable to say no to her. Grown up girl bonding time was what I think she called it.
We'd been at The Bar for all of twenty minutes quietly chatting about me possibly staying back here for good before trouble walked through the door.
Alice nudged my arm and pointed her out.
"Yeah, I see her," I replied, as I took in the overly made up woman who had been my arch nemesis in high school. "How does she walk with her jeans so tight?"
Alice started snickering and whispered, "Probably why she's on her back so much."
"Who?" Rose asked craning her neck around to look behind her and see who Alice and I were talking about.
"Slut," Rose muttered after popping a pretzel in her mouth.
The three of us watched as Tanya sauntered into the place like she was the homecoming queen, accepting her praise for winning.
Wrong, I was the homecoming queen our senior year.
She looked around the room as if she was searching for something or someone. Must have been me because the second her eyes landed on me, they didn't budge.
"Here she comes," Alice mumbled while taking a drink of her beer.
"How the hell did she know you were here?" Rose asked.
I shrugged.
"What the hell does she want is a better question," Alice quipped.
"Guess we're about to find out," I added, seeing that Tanya wasn't wasting any time making her way over to us.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't little Bella Swan. The girl who left, too high and mighty for the likes of us unless there's some tragedy to get attention from. It must be so hard on you to have to tolerate the company of us lowly country folk." She had her hand perched on her hip and a look of disgust on her face, like she'd just stepped in a pile of horse shit.
"Yep, living and breathing, just as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow. Although I'm sure you were thinking it was just a crazy rumor," I threw back at her with a smile as wide as the Grand Canyon on my face.
Kill 'em with kindness my momma always used to say.
"Nightmare is more like it," Tanya said through the fake smile she had plastered on her overly made up face.
"Awe come on now, Tan," I said, using her high school nickname. "It's been four years, surely we can let the past stay in the past. I doubt either of us are the same people we were back in high school. A lot has changed, no reason for you to be all pissy. We're adults now, right? Why don't you sit down and have a beer with us for old time's sake?" I tapped the table on Rose's side of the booth and grinned widely at Tanya.
I wanted to laugh as Rose fought to keep from laughing as she took a sip of her soda.
Tanya must not have taken my invitation too kindly. I could see her hackles raise and sparks of hatred blaze in her eyes that had previously been filled with distaste as if she'd swallowed a bitter pill and the flavor of it was lingering in her mouth. She was so worked up that if she were a cat her tail and the fur on her back would be standing straight up and her claws would be bared, ready to scratch my eyes out.
The fact she was so bent out of shape told me she was still chasing after Edward and my sudden reappearance was seen as a threat to her efforts. So for the hell of it I goaded her a little more.
Seeing her so fired up over my return, I just couldn't stop myself from riling her up even more. "Well, Tan, what's it gonna be? You gonna plunk yourself down here and have a beer? Hell I'll even buy it."
"No. I'm. Not," she spit out at me. "But I do have a piece of advice for you, Bella Swan, and if your half as smart as that valedictorian title you wore back in high school says you are, then you will listen to it."
I fought the urge to laugh at her. Although I had to admit that her being so riled up had me wondering if there was anything going on between her and Edward.
"What advice could you possibly have for me, Tanya?" I raised my beer to my lips, and took a long pull of it as I waited for her to enlighten me.
Please don't tell me you and Edward are together!
She leaned forward, planting both of her hands flat on the table until her face was just a few inches from mine and she was glaring at me.
"You finish up whatever business you have here concerning that no good drunken daddy of yours and then you high tail your ass back on out of here and crawl back to wherever you were and you stay there. There's nothing left in this town for you, so there's no need for you to stick around any longer. Everyone here has been just fine without you and we will be just fine once you're gone again," she seethed in anger, causing her country accent to be more pronounced than it had been a moment ago.
Without another word and before I could reply, she spun on the sole of her boot and stomped all the way back to the door, letting it bang loudly behind her.
"You know one of these days she's gonna do that, and that door is gonna smack her in the ass on her way out," Alice mused.
I looked over to her, and then to Rose and the three of us burst into a fit of giggles. "Bless her heart, she wants to be queen so bad," I told them, causing another round of laughter to erupt from the three of us.
"Everything okay over here, ladies?" the tall blonde hunk from behind the bar asked as he walked over to where we were sitting. I wasn't one to usually be attracted to men with long hair and ponytails, but damn this man could pull it off.
"Yeah, Bella is just catching up with some old friends, Jack," Rose said to him.
"I don't believe I've had the pleasure, ma'am. I knew Emmett had a little sister, but he sure never mentioned just how pretty you are," he said with a wink and holding his hand out for me to shake. "Must be his way of thinking he's keeping ya safe from guys like me."
"Well, now wouldn't that be for me to decide?" I asked, garnering raised eyebrows from my sister-in-law and friend. As I slipped my hand in his to introduce myself to him properly, Alice beat me to it.
"Jack Sheppard, this is Bella Swan, Emmett's little sister. Bella, this is Jack Sheppard the owner of this bar."
"Must be my lucky night, finally meeting the Bella Swan," he said with a mischievous grin on his face.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked. I felt like I was missing something.
"Oh, nothing, I had, uh just heard Emmett's little sister was back in town. You know, for the uh, funeral and all."
Something told me that was not how he'd heard of me. But before I could question him he was making his escape.
"Well it was nice to meet you, I best be getting back on over to the bar. Don't be a stranger now, I look forward to seeing you again real soon," he said, with a wink, as he quickly left us.
~Edward~
Before we'd even made it to the bar, I'd had a feeling it was going to be a bad idea. But when Emmett and Jasper wouldn't let up, I'd caved and came along with them. As I walked in the door and saw Jack talking to Bella with his "let me take you home with me" smile on his face, I knew it was a much worse idea then I'd ever imagined.
As if sensing my growing urge to turn and bolt out the door, Jasper clasped his hands on my shoulders and turned me in the direction of the other side of the bar.
"Come on, man, it's just a couple of beers," he said, giving me a slight shove.
I nodded and made my way over the end of the bar farthest away from where Bella was and sat down on a stool.
"Hey, what's up, guys?" Jack called as he made his way back behind the bar. "Ya'll want a round of beers? And will you be staying at the bar or heading over to the booth with the ladies?"
I glanced back and forth between Emmett and Jasper for an answer to our seating options and when they both just shrugged, I made the decision for us. "We'll be staying here."
"How's it going, Jack?" Emmett asked as he stopped the bottle of beer Jack had slid down the bar-top to him.
"It's good. Can't complain at all. You?" he replied sending Jasper and me our beers like he had Emmett's. "Just met your little sister, you never told me what a looker she was."
Jack's eyes met mine after his comment as if he was waiting for a reaction from me. However, I wasn't going to play that game with him, and instead took a long pull of my beer. It would only get him fired up even more if I got all defensive over him talking to Bella.
He spent the next few minutes catching up with Jasper and Emmett before a small crowd of people came and he had to go take their drink orders.
By the time Jack had made his way back down to the end of the bar where we were, I was sitting alone, while Jasper and Emmett had gone to say hello to their wives. I had a sneaky suspicion Emmett also wanted to make sure his wife was feeling ok. Being pregnant with their second little one had been hitting her a bit harder than it had with Emma.
Without warning my mind went off in a direction I didn't really want it to—would Bella and me have kids by now?
"What's got you looking like you're lost in that thick head of yours?" Jack asked, keeping me from traveling any further down the road my mind was taking me.
"Just thinking about the chase I leave for tomorrow," I lied, then chugged the rest of my beer in a single swallow.
"Sure, sure."
He grabbed another beer and handed it to me after twisting the cap off.
"What?" I asked. He was looking at me as if he was studying me, trying to figure something out.
"I met Emmett's sister tonight," he stated like he was waiting for my reaction.
"Yeah, so?"
"You keep glancing over there which I can't say I blame you. You never told me what a sweet little beauty she was."
"Why would I?"
"Why not?" he returned. "Unless you're trying to hide her?"
"I didn't know it mattered so much to you what she looked like," I told him. "And why would I be trying to hide her?"
Was he trying to piss me off?
"So no one else can have her," he said matter-of-factly. "She used to be pretty important to you. Some think she still is."
"She used to be a lot of things to me. I used to think she was the one, the love of my life, but the key word here is used to. She left and took any chance of that with her."
"Huh. You're getting mighty damn defensive for someone who is claiming that she used to be anything," he taunted. "And if she's really in your past, then she's fair game for anyone right?"
Was he trying to tell me someone was interested in Bella? Was he? The smile he'd had on his face as I'd walked in tonight flashed through my head.
Awe, fuck no, I thought. I'd be damned if I let her become one of his playthings.
Jack was a great guy and was a good friend of mine, but he sometimes changed women like the weather changed and I wouldn't let Bella be his latest conquest no matter what. I'd get Emmett involved if I had to.
"What are you really asking me, Jack?"
"Not really asking anything, bro, just making an observation. That's all."
I looked at him for a long minute to see if there was any hint of him trying to bullshit me. When I was as certain as I could be there was none, I let out a long breath and told him, "What Bella does is her business, but she's not like the girls you usually mess around with."
"Maybe I'd like something a little different for a change?" he suggested.
"Don't do it, Jack," I told him.
He just quirked a curious eyebrow at me and when I just stared he finally nodded in acceptance of my request.
Knowing I had an early morning drive ahead of me, I was about to say fuck it and leave when I heard a loud whistle and Emmett shouting my name. Seeing it was only him and Rose in the booth I decided to head over and see what he wanted.
I sat down in the booth on the opposite side from Rose and Emmett. Unfortunately, that put Bella right in my line of sight. She was out on the dance floor with Alice and Jasper doing some sort of line dance to a Luke Bryan song.
I couldn't take my eyes off of her.
"Hello, Earth to, Edward," Rose chimed, waving her hand in front of my face to get my attention.
Turning around to see what I was so focused on, Rose turned back to me with a huge smile on her face. "She looks good out there. About time she let loose and had some fun."
"It is," Emmett added. "I guess it's true that you can take the girl out of the country, but not the country out of the girl. But after the day she's had, I'm sure a little fun is what she needed."
I took a long drink of my beer, trying to decide if I wanted to ask. I'd tried so hard to remain neutral since Bella had come back, but the more I saw her the harder it was getting.
To hell with it.
"What do you mean, the kind of day she's had? Something happen?"'
I couldn't tell if Emmett had wanted me to ask or if he didn't want me to know. He was usually pretty easy to read, but not this time, and that only made me wonder if he was purposefully hiding something from me. And that only made me want to know what he was talking about all that much more.
"Should I tell him?" he asked Rose.
"Mmm I don't know," she teased, flashing me a sarcastic smile.
"Whatever." I downed the rest of my beer and started to get up.
"Wait," Emmett said.
"What?" I asked, sitting back down.
"Bella, got really bad news today. She wasn't chosen for the internship she was hoping to get," Emmett told me.
"I'm sorry to hear that." And I honestly was. No matter what'd happened between Bella and me, I didn't wish bad things for her. "What is she going to do now?"
"Well," Emmet said, "she's got two choices. She can head back to Miami and try to find another internship or job and go on as she has."
"Or?" I asked.
"Or she can stay here," Rose declared.
"Yeah, like she's really going to do that," I growled lowly. I really should have just stayed home tonight.
"Actually for now that's exactly what she's doing," Emmett shot back at me.
"For now? What does that mean?"
My head started spinning faster than a tornado with the thought that Bella might actually stay here. But then that little voice snuck back in and told me that it would only be temporary.
Or would it?
Her really staying was a thought I couldn't give life to right now. I just wasn't ready yet.
I don't know why I was even asking. It wouldn't matter because as soon as she got her fill of small town life again, Bella would be running back to the big city.
Was it really the big city that she left for? A voice in my head asked.
"What it means is that I've asked her to take some time and really consider staying for good. I know things aren't great between the two of you," Emmett explained, "but she is my baby sister and I hate her being halfway across the country. I'd like for her to stick around. She promised me she'd really think about it. So she's got a month to figure things out before she has to make any permanent choices."
I nodded, being too shocked to really know what to say.
"Look, cousin," Rose said, reaching over and placing her hand on my arm in a consoling way. "I know there's lots of hurt feelings still flowing between the two of you. Personally I think it's because there's still a lot of love left between the two of you, even if you are both too damn pig headed to admit it. I don't see how either of you can still be so hurt and not care. If you didn't care, it wouldn't hurt. But that's not the point here. We told you so you were aware that she might be staying for good. We didn't want you to be blindsided by it. And we also hope you can be okay with that no matter what happens between the two of you."
I sat there and thought about what the two of them had said. I'd be an ass to want to deny Emmett a chance to be closer to his sister. They had always been very close before she'd left. I was sure the rest of the family would love to have her here too.
So where did that leave me?
I wasn't sure.
"Well I appreciate you telling me. I just hope you guys aren't disappointed. I have a hard time believing she'll stay," I admitted.
"Maybe she won't. But maybe all she needs is a good enough reason," Rose proposed.
"Look at her, Edward," Emmett told me. "Really look at her. See that smile that's on her face?"
"Yeah."
"Well that might be the smile of the Bella you always knew. But I can promise you that isn't the smile of the Bella we saw in Miami when we'd visit her. The smiles we got were few and far between and they weren't real, they were a cover. A cover to make us think she was happy there. But I don't believe she really was. If you ask me, I think she'd have come home a long time ago if she'd thought she'd be welcomed back."
"Are you trying to put whether she stays or goes on me? 'Cause if so, that's fucked up man. I thought you knew me better than that."
"No. That's not at all what I'm saying."
"Well sure sounds like it to me."
"All I am asking is that you not go out of your way to make her want to leave," he said.
"I can do that," I promised.
I got up to go get another beer when Rose grabbed my arm.
"We all know she hurt you, Edward. She hurt us too. If you say you don't have any feelings for her anymore and that's genuinely how you feel, fine. But if it's not, don't let her walk away again. Fight for her if you want her. Maybe all she needs is a good enough reason to stay. Not saying her family isn't one. But if she's still as deep under your skin as I think she is…well a love like that is worth fighting for. Don't you think?" she asked with her eyebrow cocked as if she was challenging me to finally see what they did.
However, I wasn't going to give anyone that answer today. Instead I just told her we'd see and made my way back over to the bar. I was thinking I needed something stronger than a beer to get me through what was heading my way.
I can't wait to see what ya'll think! Oh, and just one other little tidbit, It's Chris Hemsworth that I imagine as Jack. There's this black and white pic of him you could find if you google, and well, it's he's just drop dead gorgeous. If I can find the pic again, I will post it to my blog.
Thanks for reading! See ya soon,
~EA