How are we feeling? Do we like shorter chapters? Longer? Or no chapters? LOL I know ffn isn't sending alerts so it's hard for me to gauge interest. I know mysteries are frustrating to read as WIP, and also prob too difficult for me to execute honestly, so I'm torn about moving forward. Can you tell I'm an overthinker? Woo happy fuckin' 4th lollll

(I updated yesterday 7/3, so make sure to read it if you missed it thanks to FFn's fail)

.
nine
fortnight
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"So?" my boss Heidi asks, sitting on the edge of my desk.

We're the only two at the office right now, which is why she's cornering me like the annoyingly supportive, lovely woman she is.

I know what she's asking.

And I know my answer.

"So… no," I say, chancing a look at her.

She raises a microbladed brow at me. "You said to give you a week. I gave you a week and three days because I knew you'd need a little extra time."

"That was generous of you, as is the offer. Thank you. But no. I can't do it."

"Why not?"

"Why can't I move to Italy and oversee the expansion of your business?" I ask.

"Yes. Humor me."

"My family needs me here," I reply. "And it's not an excuse. It's a valid reason."

I refuse to leave Jasper and Dad, and I doubt I could convince them to move with me. Their lives are here. And so is mine.

Heidi doesn't look concerned by my rejection. "You're not married. You have no children."

"Ouch. Thanks for the reminder," I mutter, and she cracks a smile.

"I'm also not married and don't have any children. I likely never will, so I wasn't saying it as an insult." She's forty-six but looks thirty-six. If she wanted a husband and kids, I'm sure she would make it happen because that's the kind of driven woman she is.

"It's fine, I'm not that easily offended," I reply. "I know you didn't mean it in a bad way."

"Of course not. I just meant now is the time for you to be reckless."

If only she knew how reckless I was with Edward two weeks ago when she was out of the country.

"So even you admit it'd be reckless to up and leave," I point out instead of confessing what I was up to.

"No! It's a wonderful opportunity. You'd be there for six months, a year tops. And it's not like I'm asking you to hop on a plane tomorrow. You have time to adjust to the idea."

"Yeah, three measly months," I mumble.

She smiles warmly. "Bella."

"What?"

"I want to see you succeed."

"I am succeeding. I have a solid clientele. And I'm alive." Okay, it's the bare minimum so I add, "And I love America. Big fan."

"You're in a rut," Heidi accuses.

I scoff but don't deny it.

Things do feel at a standstill right now. But if I'm being honest, that's just how my entire life has felt. That's a product of losing a loved one and never receiving closure. I'm always waiting, it seems. For what? I have no idea.

"I just think with the podcast happening, it's not a good time. Even if I didn't leave for another three months, there might be a new development with the case." I can't help but think of the anonymous tip Jackson still has yet to share. "And I don't want to be distracted more than I have to with work. I owe it to my dad and Jasper to be present. They need me."

Not to mention, leaving would interrupt any plans I have for Edward. I'm unsure how long it will take to get anything out of him, and delaying all of this for another nine months to a year isn't ideal because I need our run-in to be fresh for him. I can't show up in a year and be like, "Hey, remember me? The clumsy, jaywalking woman you saved a year ago? How ya doing?" I'm not even delusional enough to think that wouldn't be strange.

"Chelsea would love to go," I offer up, even though she's a textile expert, not an interior designer, and hasn't worked here as long as I have. "I know she'd do an amazing job."

"I'm sure she would. But I haven't mentioned it to her yet," Heidi says. "And you weren't supposed to, either."

"I didn't say anything," I promise, meaning it. "I just meant, who wouldn't love Italy?" I ask rhetorically, and Heidi gives me a pointed look. "Okay, okay, me. I get it. To be fair, I'd love to go. I would. It's just not a good time."

"Well…" She sighs and pushes off my desk to stand. "I'm not going to ask anyone else. So if it's a no, then I guess I'll just lose out on a great investment."

"Guilt trip. Nice. And I don't believe you for one second. You'll find the right person for it, and you'll continue being the glamorous, badass businesswoman you are."

Her eyes twinkle. "Buttering me up?"

"No, no. Just telling the truth." I stand from my desk, moving toward the door. "Buttering you up would be going to your favorite coffee shop and buying you an espresso."

Heidi laughs. "Make it a double. And by the way, you're fired."

She tries to fire me every other week and it never quite sticks, so I'm not worried.

"Sorry, all I heard is that you want a croissant, too!" I holler before stepping out into the rare mid-March sun.

On my walk to Cafe Allegro, I push Heidi's offer far, far out of my mind. I'm flattered, but it's not happening, so there's no use even considering it.

In another life, I could do it. Move to Italy. Start fresh. But I just can't see myself doing that right now.

My phone buzzes in my hand, and I pause on the sidewalk to read it instead of walking and texting like I used to because safety. Also, my screen is still cracked because I've yet to replace my phone, so reading takes a little more effort than a mere glance.

Chelsea: Happy hour tonight? It's been a rough week.

Bella: It's Monday and you didn't even make it to work yet.

Chelsea: Don't judge me! lol

Bella: I'd love to, but can't. It's Jasper's birthday. Having dinner with him and Dad later.

It's always a bittersweet day to celebrate since it's Rosalie's birthday, too.

The actual day isn't until tomorrow, but we're celebrating early since Jasper likes to spend his birthday alone in a cabin where he likely broods and drinks to his heart's content for a couple of days. I don't like it, and hate the idea of him being alone and depressed. But he lost his other half, so I've come to terms that this is how he needs to spend the day.

I wait to cross the road until the signal tells me to, and diligently look both ways before crossing.

Up ahead, I see Starbucks.

I walk a little faster as I pass by, avoiding looking inside.

I don't know if Edward is in there or not. I haven't kept up with my extracurricular activities so I'm not sure what he's been up to at all. Maybe his entire schedule has changed. But if it hasn't, then he would've left an hour ago.

I have to admit, it's been nice not… stalking. I've started to feel like myself again. Or as much as I can considering.

I walk five more blocks until I reach Cafe Allegro. Their coffee is tastier, yet less convenient to get to, especially in a pinch. But I've consistently come here for the last two weeks to avoid running into Edward at Starbucks.

I stand in a short line, then order two double espressos and two croissants. The coffee shop has a small courtyard-style space in the alley, so I head out there and sit at a wrought iron table to wait.

But when I hear my name being said a minute later, it's not from the barista.

It's Edward.