Eleven

Over the next few weeks, Bella and Edward went on seven more dates. They went roller skating at the Fun Warehouse, spent an afternoon at Ripley's Aquarium, watched movies, and hung out on the beach. He held her hand, kissed her knuckles, and made her laugh with corny jokes.

When they couldn't hang out, he would text her stupid memes, and they talked for hours, sometimes about their mothers and other times about nothing important. He was becoming the most important person in her life, making her smile and laugh for the first time in forever.

But she couldn't help wondering why he hadn't introduced her to his mother or his brother, who she'd heard in the background during their phone calls. Was she setting herself up for more heartbreak? To be thrown away when his brother found out about their . . . relationship? Did they have a relationship?

"Birdie, are you awake?"

Sighing, Bella climbed off her bed and opened the door, finding her uncle leaning against the frame. He was wearing a dark suit and had combed his hair. Leaning forward, she sniffed. "Did you put on cologne?"

"Yeah," he said nervously. "I, um, I kind of have a date."

"You do?"

Carlisle nodded.

"What's her name?"

"Esme."

"What does she look like?"

"She's beautiful."

"Beautiful, how?"

"Just . . . You know. Hey, I didn't interrogate you like this when you went out with that boy."

"That boy, Carlisle? He has a name."

Her uncle smiled. "I know."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Where are you taking her?"

"Actually, she's cooking me dinner."

"Ah."

"Are you going to be okay alone? I should have asked you first, shouldn't I? Damn, I'm fucking this up."

Bella laughed. "I'm not a little kid, Carlisle. I've been alone at night before."

"You're barely sixteen, Birdie."

She shrugged. "Mom and Phil used to leave me alone a lot."

"They did?"

She nodded. "Especially right after she got sick, when she would beg him to take her on an adventure. She had a list of things she wanted to do before she died, and he promised they would do them, so they did."

Carlisle frowned. "I'll call her and cancel. We can hang out."

"Why?"

"You need me."

"And that means you can't go on a date?"

"Doesn't it?"

"No!" Bella exclaimed, reaching for his hand. "I know I'm not the easiest person to be around."

"That's not true."

"It is," she admitted. "Maybe that's why he sent me away."

"No, it's not, Birdie. Phil loves you."

She nodded, but he hadn't reached out to her once in the six weeks since he put her on a plane in order to get himself straightened out. To his credit, he would call Carlisle, even text him to check on her, but never reached out personally.

"Yeah, I'm going to call and cancel." Carlisle turned to walk away, but Bella grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Birdie."

"Don't. Don't cancel your date because of me. Please?"

"But you need me," he whispered.

"Of course I do, but . . . but I don't want you to resent me just because you got saddled with raising me."

"Is that what you think? Birdie? No, that's not how I feel. Have I made you think that?"

Biting the inside of her lip, she shrugged.

Carlisle groaned. "I have." He slid his hand onto the back of her neck, pulling her against him. "Your mom called me the night before she died, crying about leaving you. She worried about you, about Phil, too, but mostly you. She fought so hard to be here for you, but the cancer just . . . it was just too much for her body to handle Birdie. When Phil called, when he asked me to take you in, I didn't hesitate for a second."

"You didn't?"

"Of course not," he insisted, and a moment later, she felt his lips on the top of her head. "I should have been there more. For you, for her. I should have done more."

"You did what you could," she whispered. "I just miss her so much."

"Me too. So fucking much it hurts. She would like that boy you're dating."

"You think so?"

She felt him nod.

"Would she like Esme?"

Carlisle laughed. "I think so. I don't know her that well yet, but she's so funny and beautiful. The first time I saw her, I kept laughing awkwardly. It was embarrassing."

"How'd you meet her?"

"Um, she owns that smoothie shop up the block from my store. And, um, I stopped by, welcoming her to the neighborhood, and she just smiled, and I . . . I felt like an idiot."

"Why?"

"Because she's so beautiful."

"You've said that like three times," she snickered. "What does she look like?"

"Um, she has dark hair and blue eyes. A smile that lights up the room."

Bella grinned.

"Ugh, don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Get all weird about it," Carlisle muttered. "She's just . . . I wake up every morning thinking about her, and then I find myself stopping by her shop. I don't even like smoothies, but I get one every fucking morning."

Belled giggled at her uncle being smitten . . .

"What made you ask her out?"

"I, um, I didn't ask her. She asked me."

Bella's eyes widened.

"I mean, I wanted to, but . . . she intimidates me."

"How?"

"I don't know," he grumbled. "She just does."

"And you just what? Stopped by for your daily smoothie and she asked you to come over for dinner?"

"No, when I came by this morning, there was a guy being a real asshole because he said she'd fucked up on his smoothie. She offered to remake it, even offered a refund, but he wasn't listening. Then he threw the smoothie on her."

"What?"

"Yeah, I kind of grabbed the back of his shirt and slammed him against the wall, demanding he apologize. He stammered that he was sorry before he ran out like a coward, and I helped her clean behind the counter. Then she asked me to dinner as repayment."

"You're her knight in board shorts."

"I should have known you'd make fun of me."

"I'm not," she exclaimed, laughing. "I think it's sweet."

"You do?"

She nodded.

"And you're okay? I mean, if you need me to stay . . ."

"I'm fine, Carlisle. I promise. Just going to hang around here."

Carlisle nodded. "That boy coming over?"

"No," she murmured, feeling her skin warm.

"Hmm," Carlisle hummed. "Okay, well, if you're sure."

"I am." She placed her hand on his chest. "But thanks for asking."

"You're welcome, Birdie. I won't be late."

"Just be safe," she said with a smirk. "You have protection, right?"

"I am not discussing that with you," Carlisle laughed before walking to the front door.

He pulled it open but stopped and looked back at her before stepping sideways, allowing her access to what was hindering his exit.

. . . Blinking, Bella was shocked to see Jasper standing in the doorway with a bouquet of wildflowers.

Thank you for all the AMAZING reviews! Huge thank you to Sunflower Fran for being an awesome beta.