Seven

BELLA

I sat perched on the edge of my bed, watching as Rose expertly curled another section of my hair. The smell of the curling wand lingered in the air as she hummed to herself, narrowing her eyes in concentration.

"Smokier," she muttered, stepping back and inspecting my eyeshadow. "We want sultry."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Rose, it's not a date."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes as she reached for her makeup brush. "Sure, it's not. And I'm not holding out hope that you're finally going to get laid."

"Rose!" I exclaimed, my cheeks heating up.

"What?" she said with a shrug. "I'm just saying. You're young, gorgeous, and for some insane reason, you're still prioritizing other people's love lives over your own."

I sighed, smoothing the fabric of the red dress I'd chosen—if only to avoid her pointed look. She wasn't wrong. My entire life revolved around connecting others, finding their spark, mending their relationships. Somewhere along the way, I'd stopped prioritizing myself.

"For the record," I said firmly, "I'm not having sex tonight."

Rose laughed, setting the brush down and placing her hands on her hips. "That's adorable. But if you keep wearing dresses like this," she gestured toward me dramatically, "you're going to send the poor man into cardiac arrest."

I rolled my eyes, biting back a smile.

A knock at the door echoed through the apartment. My heart skipped a beat.

"That's him," Rose said, a sly grin spreading across her face. She grabbed her phone and practically skipped toward the door, muttering, "Let me go see this not-date of yours."

I stood, smoothing down my dress one last time and stealing a glance at my reflection. The red silk clung perfectly to my frame, the lace neckline just toeing the line between classy and dangerous. My heart was still racing as I stepped into the living room.

Edward stood in the doorway, a bouquet of flowers in his hands. His crisp white shirt was tucked into dark slacks, and he looked…

Well, he looked good.

He was staring at me, his green eyes widening slightly as they roamed over my dress.

"You look…" he began, his voice faltering.

Rose leaned against the doorway, smirking. "Say sexy."

Edward glanced at her, amused, before returning his gaze to me. "Well, that, but also stunning."

I felt heat rush to my cheeks, the sincerity in his voice catching me off guard.

Rose swooped in, snatching the flowers from his hand. "I've got these," she said, her grin borderline wicked. "You two kids go get fucking—I mean, fraternising."

"Rose!" I hissed, mortified.

Edward chuckled, shaking his head. "Nice to see you, too, Rose."

She winked at him before disappearing into the kitchen, leaving us standing there in the awkward yet strangely charged silence.

"You really do look incredible," Edward said, his voice soft as he offered me his arm.

"Thank you," I said, slipping my arm through his and letting him lead me toward the door.

And just like that, the "non-date" began.

As we stepped out of the apartment, he glanced at me and said, "I made reservations at the restaurant you texted me."

I blinked, surprised. "You actually went with my suggestion?"

He gave me a half-smile, his green eyes glinting under the hallway lights. "Why wouldn't I? You seemed pretty confident it was worth it."

"Well, yeah," I said, stepping into the elevator with him. "It's one of my favorites, but most people in your… position don't take suggestions lightly."

He raised an eyebrow. "In my position?"

I shrugged, leaning back against the elevator wall. "You know, CEO. Important. Ruler of the skies. Whatever you want to call it."

He let out a low chuckle, the sound sending a small shiver down my spine. "If you're expecting me to be some kind of dictator when it comes to dinner, I'll have to disappoint you. I like good food, and you clearly know your stuff."

I smiled, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction that he'd listened to me.

As the elevator doors slid open, he offered me his arm, and I slipped mine through his without hesitation.

"Lead the way, then," I teased.

"With pleasure," he said, his voice softer now.

Maybe this wasn't a date, but it was certainly starting to feel like one.

The family-run Italian restaurant I picked wasn't flashy, but it was warm and inviting. The low hum of conversation and the clinking of glasses created an intimate atmosphere, and the smell of garlic and fresh bread wafted through the air, instantly putting me at ease.

Edward sat across from me, pouring us each a glass of red wine. His movements were so effortless, so refined, like he belonged here even in the simplest of settings.

I took the glass he offered, letting my fingers brush his briefly. "Thanks," I said, watching as he settled back into his seat.

"So," he said, his green eyes sparkling under the warm light, "tell me about your family."

I took a sip of wine, the rich flavor lingering on my tongue as I thought about how to answer. "Well, my dad's probably the sweetest person alive. He's kind, patient, and way too forgiving for his own good."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "And your mom?"

I let out a small laugh. "Oh, she's the complete opposite. Renee's a free spirit. She's all about chakras, energy alignment, and tantric yoga—whatever that even means. She's engaged to fiancé number fifty-two, or at least it feels that way. Honestly, she's probably planning her next wedding as we speak."

Edward smirked, swirling the wine in his glass. "Sounds like quite the dynamic."

"You have no idea," I said, shaking my head with a wry smile. "And then there's Bash—my brother. He's a pain in the ass, but, you know, in that annoying-yet-weirdly-protective way siblings tend to be. He thrives on stirring up chaos. I think it's his life's mission."

Edward chuckled, leaning forward slightly. "Sounds… colorful."

"That's one way to put it," I said, smirking as I rested my chin in my hand. "What about you? What's the Cullen family like?"

He set his glass down and leaned back in his chair, his expression softening just a touch. "Well, there's Alice, my sister. She's married to Jasper, and together, they've somehow managed to be the most annoyingly perfect couple you've ever met. She's stubborn, endlessly optimistic, and has this terrifying ability to know exactly what you're thinking before you even say it."

I smiled at the fondness in his voice. "Sounds like a good sister to have."

"She's a pain, but yeah," he admitted, a small smile tugging at his lips. "And then there's Emmett, my brother. He's… big, loud, and basically a human golden retriever. He never takes anything too seriously, but he's the guy you want in your corner when things get rough."

"Sounds like you've got a solid family," I said, tilting my head as I studied him. "You're lucky."

His smile faltered slightly, and for a brief moment, something unreadable flickered across his face. "Yeah," he said, his voice quieter now. "I guess I am."

I wanted to ask more, to dig a little deeper, but our waiter appeared just then, setting down a basket of fresh bread and taking our order.

As Edward reached for a slice of bread and offered it to me, his smile returned, and I decided to let the moment pass. After all, we had plenty of time to get to know each other—if I let myself believe this wasn't just a "non-date."

I took a slow sip of my wine, savoring the rich, bold flavor, before setting the glass down. "So," I said, tilting my head curiously, "what about your business? Did you always know you wanted to run an airline, or did that just… happen?"

Edward leaned back in his chair, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "It was handed to me, actually. My dad ran it before I did."

I gasped dramatically, placing a hand over my chest. "Oh my god, you're a nepo baby?"

He chuckled, the sound low and warm. "Not exactly."

I arched a brow. "How's that? Sounds pretty nepo to me."

His smirk softened into something more thoughtful. "Carlisle—my dad—and my mom, Esme, aren't my biological parents. They adopted me when I was six."

"Oh," I said, caught off guard. "I didn't know that."

"They actually adopted all three of us," Edward continued, leaning forward slightly, his green eyes flickering with something softer. "Me, Alice, and Emmett. We're not related by blood, but we might as well be."

I smiled, resting my chin in my hand. "That's… kind of amazing."

"It is," he said, his voice quieter now. "They're incredible people. My dad ran the airline for years, built it up from the ground, and when he retired, he handed it over to me. We all thought he'd spend more time with my mom, traveling, relaxing—you know, the usual retirement stuff."

"And did he?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Edward shook his head, a small chuckle escaping him. "Not even close. He found other ways to keep busy. Consulting, mentoring, sitting on boards—basically anything to stay occupied."

I smiled, swirling the wine in my glass. "Sounds like he struggled with being still."

Edward nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Yeah, that's exactly it. He thrives on having something to do. Sitting around isn't in his DNA. Or mine, apparently."

I tilted my head, studying him. "Do you think you're like him in that way?"

"Maybe," he admitted, his gaze flickering to the glass in his hand. "But sometimes… I wonder if I'm just keeping myself busy to avoid something else. Something bigger."

"Like what?" I prompted gently.

He hesitated, his green eyes meeting mine for a moment before he shrugged. "I don't know. That's the million-dollar question, isn't it?"

I smiled softly, leaning forward. "Well, if you ever figure it out, let me know. I'm great at unsolicited advice."

He laughed, the sound warm and genuine, and for a moment, it felt like we weren't just two people sharing dinner—we were two people starting to understand each other.

Edward's gaze flickered over me, his green eyes lingering for just a moment too long on the neckline of my dress. I bit my lip, trying to suppress the sudden flutter in my chest.

"You know," he said, his voice smooth and low, "you really do look stunning tonight."

I felt the heat creep up my cheeks, but I managed to keep my voice steady. "You mentioned that already."

"Did I?" He leaned back in his chair, a small, knowing smirk playing on his lips. "Must mean I really mean it."

I rolled my eyes, but the corners of my mouth betrayed me with a slight smile. "Are you always this charming, or is it just the wine talking?"

"Neither," he said, his smirk softening into something more genuine. "It's just you."

I ducked my head slightly, the compliment hitting me harder than I expected. It wasn't just the words—it was the way he said them, like he actually meant them.

I leaned forward, resting my chin in my hand as I watched him with curiosity. "So, how come you're seriously single? I mean, a guy like you… surely you've dated?"

Edward let out a short laugh, the sound more bitter than amused. "Yeah, I've dated. Once, seriously."

I tilted my head, sensing there was more to the story. "Tell me about her. Your last girlfriend."

His jaw tightened slightly as he swirled the wine in his glass, staring into it like it held the answers. "Her name was Tanya," he said finally, his voice measured. "We dated for about two years. At first, I thought I loved her. I really did. But…" He trailed off, exhaling deeply.

"But?" I prompted gently.

He looked up at me, his expression guarded but honest. "She cheated on me. Repeatedly. And I was stupid enough to forgive her the first few times. I thought if I just tried harder, if I did more, I could fix it. Like it was somehow my fault she couldn't keep her pants on."

My heart clenched at the pain in his voice.

"The worst part?" he continued, his lips curling into a grimace. "After I finally started pulling away, she faked a pregnancy to try to keep me. She even went as far as buying an ultrasound photo online and claiming it was ours. I almost fell for it, too, until I realized some of the details didn't add up."

My eyes widened, and I reached across the table, placing my hand over his. "Edward…"

He glanced down at our hands, his expression softening slightly at my touch.

"She wanted me to stay," he said quietly. "And for a moment, I actually considered it. Even after all the lies and the betrayal, I thought maybe I owed it to her. But then I realized… I didn't love her. Not really. I think I was more in love with the idea of being in love. The idea of having someone. That's long gone."

I squeezed his hand, watching him carefully. "I'm so sorry that happened to you. You didn't deserve that, Edward."

He met my gaze, his green eyes flickering with something unreadable. "Thanks," he said softly, his voice losing some of its earlier tension.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. The din of the restaurant faded into the background as we sat there, connected by the quiet understanding of shared vulnerability.

"You're too good for someone like that," I said finally, giving his hand one last squeeze before pulling back.

He smiled faintly, the corners of his mouth lifting just enough to make my heart ache a little. "Maybe," he said. "But after that, I decided relationships weren't worth the risk."

I leaned back, my gaze still locked on his. "Or maybe you just haven't found the right person yet."

His smirk returned, but it was softer this time, almost wistful. "Maybe."

Bella leaned back in her chair, sipping her wine as a wry smile tugged at her lips. "I had a boyfriend once who told me I ate too many carbs."

Edward raised an eyebrow, his smirk faltering as he stared at me. "He what?"

I shrugged, trying to play it off, though the memory still stung a little. "Yep. Said it during dinner while I was eating pasta, no less. Class act."

Edward let out a low scoff, shaking his head. "What an idiot."

I laughed softly, twirling the stem of my wineglass between my fingers. "Yeah, well, turns out the bad ones are just arrowheads to the right ones. At least that's what I tell myself when I'm elbow-deep in a bowl of carbonara."

He chuckled, his green eyes softening as he looked at me. "For what it's worth, I think carbs look great on you."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. "Careful, Cullen, or I might start thinking you're flirting with me."

He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table. "And if I was?"

The playful tone of his voice made my stomach flutter, but I raised an eyebrow, refusing to give him the satisfaction. "Well, I'd probably tell you that your flirting could use some work."

Edward laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "Noted. I'll up my game next time."

I grinned, feeling the tension in the conversation lighten. "Good. I'd hate for you to embarrass yourself."

"For you?" he said, his voice dropping just slightly. "Worth it."

I froze for a split second, caught off guard by the sincerity in his voice, but I quickly masked it with another sip of wine, hoping he didn't notice the blush creeping up my cheeks. Maybe the bad ones did lead to the right ones