On February 12, the five-week impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton comes to an end.
Computer programers scramble to rectify the Y2K glitch, which many thought would severely disrupt the world's financial institutions.
…
"Bella! We need to leave now or we're going to be late." I check my hair in the mirror once more and wipe a smudge of lipstick from the edge of my lower lip. I don't know why I even need to go to this thing, it's not like I was involved in this decision. My cat, Otis, weaves around my legs and I bend down to scratch his head as he purrs in appreciation.
My dad found a buyer for the marina. He actually found a couple buyers and it took him a while to decide which offer he wanted to accept. He and Jenks, who's handling the appraisal and this commercial Real Estate agent, Carmen Flores from Las Vegas, make the decision together and I'm completely left out of it. It's highly irritating.
I step out of the bathroom and I'm wearing my nicest dress. It's blue and flows like liquid. My dad has to sign the papers here in Vegas and he wants me to go with him, so I can meet this investor. He's waiting in the living room of my small apartment and I give him a scowl as I fasten my sandals.
"This is what you wanted, right? To be free of the marina?" He's messing with me because I'm so bent out of shape.
"What does this Carmen chick even know?" I said. "And what kind of name is Carmen? It reminds me of Baywatch. Nothing but boobs on a beach. I have no respect for that name."
"Bella, stop being mean," my dad says and his mustache twitches. "It's not cute."
"I'm not trying to be cute, Dad. I just hope you're making the right decision," I say. "I mean, does this person even know anything about the river? Does he- wait, is it a he?"
Just then the phone rings and I run to the kitchen to answer it.
"Hi, is Bennie there?" The low voice says over the receiver and I recognize him immediately.
"Bennie?" I ask, confused.
"Yeah, B-B-B-Bennie and the Jetts," Edward sings.
"Oh my God, you are such a dork," I laugh.
"It's not my fault you don't appreciate the classics," he says, sounding far away.
"Where are you?" I ask.
"I'm driving into the city," he says. "Are you getting ready to go sign the papers?"
"Yeah, my dad's giving me the stink-eye right now. He doesn't want to be late."
"Are you okay?" he asks quietly and I sigh.
"Yeah, I guess. I just don't want it to be some suit who doesn't know shit about running a marina. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not partial to change." Edward laughs and my dad motions to the door. "Alright, I'll call you when we get home."
"Good luck."
"Let's hope I don't offend anyone," I say and Edward laughs again.
"I love you," he says and my cheeks twitch. It always gives me goosebumps when he says this.
"I love you too," I say and he's gone.
My dad drives his truck and we listen to oldies on the radio. He's quiet and thinking and I know this is melancholy for him. This is his life's work, everything he's ever known and he has to give a part of it up. I feel like shit. I have been nothing but sullen through this whole process and he's been suffering too. No wonder he's kept all the details to himself. He doesn't want to hear me bitching about it.
I look over at him and he looks at me apprehensively. I smile with the hope of offering him some relief. He smiles back and squeezes my shoulder and we drive the rest of the way in silence. It's not far from my apartment. I transferred to UNLV this year and decided to get my own place by the school. I love living on my own, it's just me and Otis and I was even able to set up a nine month lease so I could move home during the summer to help with the marina. Well, Jenks set it up for me. I swear, that man has his hand in everything.
We park at the large corporate building and my heart is beating in my throat. Jenks is waiting by the door and I can see little Miss Baywatch in her starched suit next to him. It's March and the weather in Vegas isn't bad, slightly overcast and low clouds hover in the city.
"Wait, Dad," I say and he looks over at me. "Don't do this. I'll help you. I can move back home, work at the marina and still go to school. We can hire people if we need to. You don't have to do this."
My dad takes a deep breath and he smiles. "Bella, it's done. Now, come on, let's go meet my new partner."
"He better not be wearing a suit," I say and my dad chuckles. Dad shakes hands with Jenks and Carmen and I do too, because I'm trying not to offend people today. Carmen is all plastic smiles, I assume because she's anticipating the fat commission she's going to make off this merger. She leads us into a large room with an oval table and we sit in padded rolling chairs. He's late. Whoever this partner is, he's late and I'm already judging him. Maybe he changed his mind. Maybe he's not coming. I start to get hopeful.
The door opens and the first thing I see is red. His tie is red, a sharp contrast to his navy suit and striped collared shirt. I grit my teeth as my eyes follow the familiar lines of his jaw and lips and freckled nose. And there they are, feathered lashes and glowing green circles. Motherfucker.
He's wary as enters the room with two other suits he's brought with him, and I glare at him. I feel like I've been punched in the gut - betrayed, lied to, kept in the dark - by the one person who I thought I could trust. Why wouldn't he tell me about this? How is this even possible?
"Carmen, it's good to see you," Edward says, shaking plastic lady's hand like they've met before, and my mouth drops open. He gives Jenks a friendly hand shake and then he shakes my dad's hand and his face is calm but intense. What the hell is going on here? Who the hell is this man in this blue suit?
"Bella," he says quietly. I want to throw a fit, right there in that room, but that would just make me look like an idiot so I clench my jaw and remain silent as his eyes become worried.
Carmen lays out the paperwork and Edward's lawyers look over it and all the while his eyes are on me. I fold my arms over my chest and cross my legs, but I can't stop my knee from bouncing. I just talked to him thirty minutes ago, and he lied to me. There are so many questions filing through my brain, most of them interrupted by profanities, and I can't focus on any of them. The suits move around me in slow motion, joking and making small talk, and still he just stares. He signs and then he stares. And then it's done. And I bolt.
"Bella!" he calls after me. He clutches my arm and I shake him off until I can get outside.
"I can't believe you!" I shove him in the chest. "Liar!"
"I never lied. I omitted, there's a difference," he says, cautiously.
"You said you were driving into town!" I yell, waving my arms.
"I was. I just didn't say which town," he says and he's smug. He's proud of that one.
"Whatever, Clinton," I say sarcastically. "Fraud, then. Manipulator. Defiler of truth."
"Oh come on, I wanted it to be a surprise. I thought it would be kinda romantic," he shrugs and his hands are in his pockets. I sigh, my anger dissipating slightly at his words.
"You could have told me. We're supposed to be a team, you know. Partners, and shit. Partners don't keep secrets. Partners don't lie to each other about major life changes and decisions. I feel like an idiot Edward! Like I don't even know you. How is this even possible?" The anger is back, my mind spinning as my dad walks out the door, followed by Jenks and I glare at my father. This is his fault too. Both of them are liars. They should go to a liar convention or something, have liar t-shirts made.
"You!" I point at my father and he rolls his eyes.
"Stop being so melodramatic," my dad says as he gets into his truck. I can't believe I'm being dismissed like this.
"Look, I'll explain everything," Edward says and he kisses my cheek and I soften.
"That suit is ridiculous," I say bitterly. He chuckles and walks over to his Volvo parked next to my dad's truck and unlocks the door. I take a closer look and I can see it's filled to the roof with his stuff, piles and piles of polo shirts and boxes of books and again, my mouth gapes open.
"Edward?" I ask and I'm flabbergasted. He winks at me and I'm furious.
"Let's talk about this when we get home."
He slides into the driver's seat and with a soft click of the car door, he's pulling out of the parking spot. I hope Edward remembers how to get to my apartment. He was here for Christmas break, just a couple months ago. He didn't say anything then about buying the marina.
I jump into my dad's truck and he smiles over at me. I shake my head and narrow my eyes, and he laughs.
"It's not funny, Dad," I say and tears fill my eyes. I'm not exactly sure why. I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this whole thing. Edward owns half the marina, and his car is filled with his stuff. He's moving here, for good. He didn't even tell me. I wasn't part of the decision, and that hurts. It's everything I've ever wanted and I didn't even get to plan for it. I just feel left out, I guess. "How could you do this?"
"He loves you and he wants to take care of you. He had the best offer," my dad smirks and I can't stop the tears from spilling onto my cheeks.
"That's not what I meant," I whisper, wiping at my face and my dad chuckles.
"I know," he winks and I'm speechless. He drives to my apartment, and the whole way there my mind is racing. Edward's standing outside his parked car in front of my building, still wearing his dark sunglasses and the stupid suit. God damn, it looks good. It fits precisely, like it was made for him. His hair is neat around his ears and neck and his hands are shoved in his pockets. I hope he's sweating bullets.
My dad pulls up beside him and looks over at me, expectantly. He's not coming in. He's just going to drop me off and high-tail it out of here. What a pansy ass!
"Fine, but we're so not done here," I say as I get out of the truck and slam the door shut. I take a deep breath and turn around to face Edward as my dad's truck roars down the street. Edward grins at me, the corner of his lips pulled up into an uneven smirk and I try my damnedest not to smile back. I mean it, I am fighting the muscles in my cheeks with all my heart.
But my heart is a traitor too. It surrenders. My lips twitch and Edward sees it. He laughs and he pulls me against his chest and I wrap my arms around his waist.
"I missed you," he whispers into my ear and he kisses my lips. It's soft, hesitant, like he's testing the waters to make sure I'm not going to bite his lip off.
"I'm still mad at you," I scowl but it's halfhearted. I lead him to my apartment and he follows behind. His hand grazes my hip as we walk the stairs, and I let myself smile fully because he can't see my face.
"I know." His hand rests on my back as I unlock the door. Otis rubs against my legs as I walk into the kitchen. Edward closes the door behind him and I throw my keys on the counter. I pull the rubber band from my wrist and wrap my hair into a bun before turning to face him. He takes off his sunglasses and shrugs out of his suit jacket and I frown.
"Lose the tie too," I say and his fingers pull the knot loose, but he doesn't take it off.
"Make me," he smirks and I roll my eyes and walk into my bedroom. I pull the stupid dress over my head. I dig through my drawer, looking for my sweatpants and Edward is standing in the doorway.
"It's my mom's money," he says quietly. I face him and he moves into the room. "She set up this trust fund before she died but there was a stipulation. I had to finish school. I had to go all the way, Ph.D., M.D. it didn't matter as long as I finished. I finished, Bella."
"Wait, what?" I ask him, thoroughly confused. "I don't understand. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I don't know, it seemed kind of shallow, to do all this just for money," he says. "I didn't want you to think I'm just some spoiled, trust fund dick. Growing up a Cullen, that's all I've ever been: money. You always saw more in me. I didn't want to mess that up. But I needed that money, so I could make sure you were taken care of. No matter what."
"When? How long have you known about this? Like forever or…"
"No. Um, when I failed that class. My dad found out about it from one of his colleagues. He told me about the money then. He thought I might need the incentive, as if the constant pressure wasn't incentive enough."
"And that's why you were so upset about not getting into medical school? Because you wanted to take care of me?" I ask and he sits on my bed.
"Yeah. You've kind of been my purpose for everything." He picks at the threads of my quilt and I collapse onto the bed, my knees feeling like jello. "After you told me about your dad needing a partner, I went to see him. I asked him to wait one year, and I would have the money. I could pay cash and I would take care of you. I know I don't know all that much about running a marina, but you can teach me. I don't have to leave and we don't have to be apart anymore. I wasn't trying to trick you, or lie to you or anything deceitful, I promise. I just wanted everything to be perfect, so you wouldn't have any way to say no to this. I'm staying, whether you like it or not."
"So you just spent all that time, put in a massive amount of effort to finish school, so you could give it all up to stay here?" I murmur and he shakes his head.
"Doesn't matter, I just want to be with you. I don't care where it is, just as long and we're together." He traces the three freckles on my thigh that form an equilateral triangle and I let my hands fall from their crossed position.
Otis jumps onto the bed and stretches out between us and Edward rubs his head and along his ears. I scratch his neck and his purring makes the whole bed vibrate. I look up, into Edward's green and our fingers find each other. He took a risk, made a sacrifice so he could get what he wants... and he wants me.
"Where do you think you're going to live?" I tease, because it's obvious he's going to live with me. Right?
"Oh, yeah, that. I bought my dad's unit, at the marina. I can live there," he smirks and I scoff and give him a light shove. He laughs and grabs my wrist and I let him pull me into his chest. Otis whines and acts annoyed as he jumps to the floor.
"See, even Otis thinks you're an ass," I say and I climb onto his lap. His hands clutch my hips and I quickly free the stupid tie from his neck, the silky red material falling to the floor.
"He's just jealous another man's going to be sleeping in your bed from now on," he murmurs against my neck, his lips moving over my skin.
"I still haven't forgiven you," I mutter and my eyes close because his lips can be very persuasive. "I wish you would have told me."
"I wish I would have done a lot of things," he says, and his hands slide along my thighs and over my hips and back as my fingers thread through his hair. "I wish I would have told you how much I love you every day. I wish I would have made you mine that first summer."
His arms wrap around my waist, his fingers pressing into my sides and there isn't an ounce of space between us. The buttons of his stiff shirt press circles into my skin and he sighs against my neck. I let my cheek rest on his and I breathe. He smells like cologne and aftershave and laundry detergent. He's still tingles and sparks, like the warm sun prickling my skin after being inside all day, or the first whisper of a cool breeze off the water. He's relief. He's comfort. He's home.
"But then we wouldn't have much of a love story, now would we?"
…
"You have to do this every year?" Edward asks as he moves the cloth over the bottom of the boat. We pulled my dad's boat out of the water and are currently trying to remove the insane amount of lime that has accumulated over the year.
"Yep, it makes the bottom of the boat rough, which means you have to burn more gas to get it up to a decent speed." I watch the tan muscles of his arms and shoulders flex in the radiating sun. A tiny trail of sweat slides down his back and I lick my lips. I love the shapes his body makes when he thinks I'm not looking.
We moved back to the marina for the summer as soon as my lease was up at the apartment. I have one more year of school and I'll officially be a college graduate. I'm still working on getting more of my work published, but photography is a highly competitive industry. I take pictures for the magazine and I put the money I earned from the book into a high yield savings account, so I can earn interest. Yeah, I know about interest rates. I even have a life insurance policy. Edward and I split the bills and, I have to admit, it's nice not having to worry about rent. Last week he bought a new car and practically cried when he had to get rid of his old Volvo. He got a sedan. A family car.
He helps my dad out with repairs and convinced him to hire some help for the maintenance issues. Leah can pretty much handle the office on her own now that she's done with school. It's easy, the way Edward seamlessly affixes himself to the marina. He works hard, like he's craving the physical exertion, or desperate to prove that he can do this.
"Your dad probably paid the Blacks to do this for him, so you wouldn't get your pretty hands dirty," I tease and Edward gives me a look. He doesn't like it when I tease him about how pretty his hands are. "Oh, come on, I'm only teasing."
I reach over and kiss his shoulder and I see his face soften. I pick up the Lime Away and soak my cloth, buffing along the rough mineral and sloughing away at the layers caked to the fiberglass. The heat saturates my skin and I use my shirt to wipe the sweat from my forehead. Edward's hands work over the gunk, his hip bumping into me. I elbow him back and he kisses my cheek.
"I talked to my dad this morning. He bought a trailer. He's driving down for the summer," he says. "He'll be here for my birthday."
I stop and straighten, the thought slamming into my brain like a freight train. "You're gonna be here for your birthday," I blurt, and Edward grins. I drop my rag and I jump into him. My legs wrap around his waist and my arms clutch his neck and I lay one on him, a big, fat smooch right on his lips. He's surprised at first, and stumbles backwards before catching his balance, thank God. He kisses me back, his mouth gently tugging on my lips and holds my body to his.
"What was that for?" he murmurs, his nose nudging against mine.
"I just remembered. You're not leaving," I let my face rest against his. This is the best thing, feeling his sun soaked skin on mine. It's like we can meld together when our skin is heated and connected like this. Like chocolate and marshmallows.
Dr. Cullen rolls into town the day before Edward's birthday. He parks his trailer at the campground and I'm relieved he's not staying with us. Not that I don't like Dr. Cullen, it's just a little early in this new full-time relationship thing. Edward and I have only been living at the marina for three months. Everything is still new and kind of surreal. I live with Edward. He's around, all the time. We stay up late and sleep in sometimes, and Otis whines for food at five in the morning. Edward gets up to feed him and lets me stay in bed. When he comes back to me, I curl my body around him and his hands push underneath my sleep shirt and we feel each other. We make love and take showers together and walk around in our underwear and it's comfort.
I sometimes wonder if Edward's a little homesick. He seems happy, but I remember the vibrancy that glowed around him in Seattle. He is the city, big and bright and beautiful and he's out of his element here. I ask my brother how he and Rose did it, how they adjusted, how they decided it would work and he gives a simple answer that makes all the difference in the world.
"Bella, turn your brain off for just one minute, will you? Stop thinking about love and just start loving. It's a shitload easier. Jesus, you're like your own personal prosecutor. Maybe you should go to law school."
"Since when did thinking become a crime?" I ask him.
"When it's used for self destruction," he says sarcastically.
"Okay, I get it. I'm just scared, Emmett. I don't want to mess this up," I say quietly.
"You've already messed this up, like tons of times. You both have. Just let go," and the words pulse through my veins, like these three words are the missing elements in all my disorganized bonds. I feel it happen, the elements reorganizing themselves, a hovering awareness, an epiphany, a click. Whatever you want to call it, I feel the hairs on the back of my neck prickle.
Just let go.
We drive into Vegas for Edward's birthday, and Dr. Cullen makes me call him Carlisle and he asks me tons of questions about photography. We drink wine and order steak and Edward sits with his elbows on the table. His fingers are folded at his lips while Carlisle questions me and his eyes are creased and shining. Edward misses his dad.
That night, as I crawl into our bed, Edward pulls me against is chest. I kiss his chin and his collarbone and his shoulder and his hands slide under the hem of my cotton cover and drag across my back.
"So, I got you a birthday present, but it won't be finished for a couple weeks," I say and Edward looks at me, confused. "We're gonna put in a basketball court, by the swing set. So you can teach me how to shoot hoops or whatever."
"Really? That is really fucking cool!" he says and I smile. I knew he'd like this present. "So, you wanna be a baller?"
"Yeah, why not? We can play one on one or whatever it's called." Edward grins and I scrunch my nose. "Isn't that what it's called?"
"Yeah, that's what it's called, but I don't think you realize what you're up against. I got game." He raises his eyebrows and I can't help but kiss his cocky lips.
"I think with a little practice, I could hold my own." My arrogance is completely unjustified. I've only played a handful of times, in high school, against other people who sucked just as bad as I did.
"You're on, pretty girl," he says, his fingers brushing the hair from my face.
"Well, someone has to put you in your place around here. Might as well be me." I kiss his nose.
"Bella, you are my place," his whispers against my skin and my stomach flutters.
"Am I?" I ask quietly.
"Of course, there's no question." His answer is immediate.
"Do you miss Seattle?" I ask and his fingers dance across my spine in swirling patterns. I know the answer before he even says a word.
"I do. But it's nothing compared to living without you. It's like a paper cut, it stings, it gets irritated once in a while, but it's nothing. Don't even need a bandaid." His smile is small and sad.
"What do you miss the most?" The words are quiet and my fingers trace the lines of his bare chest. He just showered and he smells like soap.
He takes a deep breath, like he doesn't want the discussion and I prop up on my elbow expectantly.
"I don't know, there's no one thing. But it doesn't matter. I like where I am." His persistent hands pull me in and I almost forget to be stubborn.
"Paper cuts hurt like a bitch, you know," I tell him and again, he sighs. "And they take forever to stop bleeding."
"This is exactly why I didn't tell you I was moving here."
I know exactly what he means so I kiss him instead of arguing, basking in the sacrifice he's made and partaking in all its glory. But as I lay there, wrapped in weighted arms and legs, Edward's breath tickling my neck and the naked skin between us heated, guilt begins to invade. I haven't sacrificed shit. I know I'm not responsible for Edward's choices, but the whole point is that he had to make the choice without me. What does that mean? Is that how Edward sees me, unwilling to compromise? Why did he think the only way for us to be together was for him to move here? In all honesty, I was a little excited at the prospect of living in Seattle. I love the Arizona heat but I'm ready for a change. I could move to Seattle and it wouldn't even feel like a sacrifice.
My brother and his family drive down for the Fourth and we go out on the cove, just like always. My dad's boat is getting old and he and my brother discuss buying a new one. Dr. Cu- I mean Carlisle - didn't haul his boat down because he brought the trailer. With my brother's dogs and the ice chests, and all the people, one boat just isn't enough. Edward and I take a WaveRunner instead and he lets me drive while he kisses the back of my neck and plays with the ties of my bathing suit bottoms.
"Look, Captain Distraction, do you think you could keep your groping to a minimum?" I murmur over my shoulder. I follow slowly in the low wake of my dad's old boat as we pull into Home Cove. It only spurs him on. His hands move from my hips to my thighs, dangerously close to the point of no return, his fingers sneaking under the elastic and I can't do one thing about it. And he knows it.
"I'm gonna toss you off this WaveRunner." I try to sound threatening but I can hardly control my breathing.
"Hmm, I don't think you really want me to stop," Edward whispers into my ear and I gasp because now those fingers are rubbing places that I can't find the strength to oppose. Then, with a kiss on my neck, his hands are gone and he's jumping off the back of the WaveRunner as we idle up to the cove. I follow him into the water and it's sweet relief to the heat now rushing through my body. We drag the WaveRunner up to the shore and Emmett anchors off the boat. Scully and Mulder traipse around in the bushes and sniff out their surroundings. I keep an eye on Vanessa while the rest of the group sets up the canopy and drag the chairs and ice chests to the shore.
We go for a ski ride downriver, where the bend opens up a bit and I sit with Vanessa in the tube while Emmett pulls us, very slowly. I can see Rose sitting on the bench, her forehead creased and her lips pursed behind her big dark sunglasses.
"Why are we going like a turtle?" Vanessa asks, her big blue eyes gazing up at me under her damp blond bangs and I kiss her nose.
"Because your daddy's a Nancy-pants," I say and her laugh sounds like a wind chime. "Give him a thumbs-up, like this."
I show her what to do and she mimics the movement, her tiny thumb moving through the air and Rose shakes her head. But I can see Emmett grin from where I am and he pushes the throttle forward and we speed up. Rose whips her head around and I'm sure she's bitching Emmett out but he just shrugs. The wind whips through my hair and Vanessa squeals, ducking down into the tube as we bounce lightly across the water.
We have sandwiches for lunch and the heat seeps into my skin as we lay in the sun and eat sunflower seeds and beef jerky. Leah and Jenks pull into the cove in their brand new boat and Leah has her mom with her. My dad and Carlisle perk up at the site of the beautiful, older woman and I roll my eyes. I hope to God they can control themselves. My dad rushes to help her out of the boat and I'm a little bit in awe of his concern. It's a side of him I've never, ever seen before.
We play football in the water and we watch Carlisle build sand castles with Vanessa. I realize she's not his granddaughter anymore and my heart feels thick. I think he feels it too, because he spends the day entertaining her every whim. My dad and Sue and Carlisle talk about the Y2K thing and the possibility of the end of the world in just six months. This sends Emmett into an uproar and he spends an hour explaining it just to have my dad start in on the Clinton impeachment, and the debates start all over again.
We put down the canopy early and cover our belongings with a tarp, rocks placed at the edges to hold it down, and the others take their boats back to the marina. Edward and I go for a ride up the river to the dam on the WaveRunner and we meander through the shallow water surrounded by high, slate cliffs.
It's a gorgeous night, hot and clear. I look up as we streak across the water and the sky swirls around and makes me dizzy. The moon is low, a Cheshire cat smile in the sky and I tighten my hold around Edward's waist and kiss his exposed shoulder.
"Pull into that cove over there," I say, and Edward looks over his shoulder and smirks. I can't help but smile because he knows what I have in mind and I'm not even embarrassed. I press my teeth into his bicep and he laughs as we idle and secure the WaveRunner ashore. It's dark and Edward's mouth is on mine before we can even take off the life vests.
Click, click, click and they're gone. Then, so are our suits. His hands are everywhere, my lips nipping at his jaw, and he pulls me to the ground.
"Wait," I say, the thought popping into my head and causing me to panic. "Don't touch the sand."
"What?" Edward laughs and I realize how ridiculous I must sound.
"It'll be like getting fucked with sandpaper," I try to explain, and Edward just laughs.
"Okay, I'll be very careful to be sand free." He pulls me on top of him and I wrap my thighs around his hips and he's inside me. I grind against him, heat pulses around our bodies and there's sand everywhere, sticking to my legs and my hands. Edward pulls me close and I taste sweat and sunblock on his neck. I wipe at my mouth, and now the sand is in my mouth and I can't get it out.
"Hold on, I've got sand in my mouth," I say and Edward groans. I roll off him and stand up, trying to get the sand out of my mouth while he just lays there naked and I can't help but laugh. Edward grabs me around the waist and yanks me into the water and we wash each other free from the grainy deposits. Our hands graze and clutch and rub and Edward presses into me in the shallow water of the shore and we don't have to worry about sand or being quiet because there isn't a soul to be seen in the dark stillness of the desert. We unravel together, connected under the diamond stars and the smiling moon.
Edward rests his head between my breasts and he rubs the sand into my skin as we lay on the shore, the water lapping at our legs and feet.
"You know some women pay big money for this type of exfoliant," I say. "I read about it in Cosmo."
"Cosmo is a wealth of useful information, it seems," Edward murmurs, his jaw bobbing against my chest and he moves his hand over my hip. His fingers adore the hollow and curve of skin and bone and I close my eyes and relish his gentle hands on me. My fingers pull through his damp hair and trace the outline of his earlobe and jaw.
"Hey, everything I know about sex, I learned from Cosmo," I say and he circles my belly button and then grazes my side and my breast, his fingers like feathers and I squirm.
"Didn't it say in Cosmo that an orgasm is like fireworks shooting out of your who-ha?" he says and I snort. I can't believe he remembers that.
"Your heart pounds faster when I do this," he says and he grazes my breast again and I inhale sharply.
"Slower," he says as he lightly touches my stomach. He moves his hand back over my breast, more forcefully now, his fingers rolling over my nipple. "And then fast."
"My heart has always been on your side, you know that right? Like even when my brain was rationalizing and second guessing and misunderstanding, my heart always had your back, or whatever the saying is," I add, because Edward's looking at me like I'm crazy.
"I think your heart and my heart have been conspiring this whole time," he says and his murmuring lips tremble against the flush of my chest. He pulls himself between my legs and then we tremble together again, our hearts racing in unison, one monumental beat.
Over the next two weeks, I spend as much time with Vanessa as possible. I'm sick to death at the thought of not being able to see her every day. Rose even lets her spend the night with us and we do girly things. I put her long hair in French braids and we eat ice cream and I paint her nails. We color and draw pictures and read books and she falls asleep on the bed between me and Edward, and cuddled up to Otis. I kiss her little pointy nose and Edward pulls the sheet up around her and he grins at me over her tiny frame.
When she comes back next year, she'll almost be five. She'll be so much bigger, able to do so many new things, and I'm going to miss it all. The thought literally makes my chest ache and I clutch at my pajama shirt in an attempt to keep it all inside. I wish they could stay forever but, when their vacation is up, they disappear down the road. Back to their reality.
Edward teaches me some moves on the new basketball court. He sweats and pants and impresses me with his form. Every time he jumps, I see the slick span of stomach above the waistband of his basketball shorts and I wonder why we didn't put in a court earlier. Edward is just so damn sexy when he moves. No matter what he does, he moves with purpose, and his determination is so fucking hot. It's confidence and sometimes it's a show, but damn if it doesn't put him in the right frame of mind. He can do anything with his swagger and, even when he feels insecure, he straightens his shoulders and lifts his head and he gets to work. It's one of the most commendable traits that Edward has, the ability to shrug into his positive mental attitude. It's so different from the boy I once new, and is just further proof of the man he has become. The man that I call mine.
Just before my birthday, I get a call from Alice. She wishes me a happy birthday and tells me she's sorry she couldn't make it this summer.
"I'm going to start fertility treatments," she says and I gasp. I had no idea she was having such a problem getting pregnant. I just thought that maybe she didn't want to.
"Oh shit, Alice, I'm sorry!" I say and she chuckles.
"Don't be sorry until it doesn't work," she says, her voice strong and clear. "But I think it will. I think I just need to think positively about this whole situation and relax. The doctor said that might be part of it, that I'm too worried about getting pregnant and the stress prevents it from happening. So I'm doing yoga, for beginners. I have a really good feeling about it." Her voice is like a bubble, pretty and whimsical, but very delicate.
"I do too," I say, hopefully, because I really don't know what else to say.
"Did Edward give you your birthday present, yet?" she asks and I pause. I still can't get used to the fact that Edward's going to be here for my birthday.
"No, why? What is it? Do you know what it is?" I say, and then change my mind. "No, wait, don't tell me. Just give me a hint. I want to try to guess."
"A hint? Oh Christ, hold on, let me think of one," she says and I wait patiently. "Oh, I know. You'll have a whole new image after tomorrow."
I frown. Image. Like a makeover or something?
"I need more," I say and Alice laughs.
"Um, I think Edward will capture the moment excellently."
Jesus, this could be anything. Capture is the word of importance. Maybe it has something to do with photography.
"One more," I say.
"Ugh, no. I've already said too much," Alice says and I shamelessly beg.
"Come on, one more. Alice please!"
"Alright, your dad may have had a hand in it." I can practically hear her smiling like an idiot over the receiver. My dad, hand?
"Alice, what did Edward buy?" I ask, petrified, because the clues are all coming together in my head and I think I might pass out.
"It'll leave a lasting impression," Alice says before she hangs up, and I sit on the line, completely stunned.
Image, like a bridal image.
Capture, like death do us part.
My dad's hand.
Lasting impression, like forever.
Oh God. Edward bought me an engagement ring. For my birthday. Tomorrow.
Shit, what am I going to say? I mean, I think it's pretty much a given that we will be together, you know, for good. But now that I know it's coming, I'm going to be anxious as all hell. I hope to God he doesn't do it in front of a bunch of people. I know I want to say yes, but I can't control my stupid mouth sometimes. What if I don't say yes with enough enthusiasm? What if my tone is all wrong? Shit! What if I hesitate? Edward told me once that when I know, I won't hesitate or worry about looking like an idiot, but he was so incredibly wrong. I know with every fiber of my being that I want to be with Edward forever. But I don't think I'll be able to breathe until it happens.
He'll probably take me out for dinner or something and then do it afterward. You know, something typical. And he has no idea that I know, which is great, because it gives me a chance to prepare, and he still gets to surprise me. Win, win.
In the morning, I roll over and all I feel are cold sheets. I slide my hand along the cotton looking for the body I know best but he's already up. I rub my eyes and look around the room and there he is. He's still in his pj's and wearing a huge smile, as he stands by the door with coffee and an ice cream sundae.
"Oh my God, you brought me ice cream for breakfast. In bed. I am now the poster child for gluttony," I say and he laughs.
"Happy Birthday, Bella," he says and he hands me the coffee first and I cross my legs and sip the steaming sweet liquid. He sits next to me and I look at the sundae. Shit, what if the ring is in the sundae? What if I swallow it? I would totally do something like that, and then have to spend the evening in the emergency room chowing down laxatives so I can shit out my engagement ring. That would be a great tale for our grandchildren.
Shit, grandchildren. Oh Jesus, this is it. This is for the rest of my life.
My heart is pounding as I set my coffee on the nightstand and he hands me the sundae and I give him a bite first, just to see if he hesitates. He squints his eyes and tilts his head to the side, like he's confused. I carefully wrap my lips around the spoon, and I probably look ridiculous trying to feel around the cream and cold with my tongue. Edward grins and kisses my cheek and then relaxes back on the bed. Otis jumps to the comforter and curls up beside him, and it makes me giggle. Otis is pretty much Edward's cat now. He's completely abandoned me, and the two of them watch me eat with matching smug expressions. I eat the whole sundae and feel sick, and I do not find a ring.
"You remember that segment on the news about people that look like their pets?" I say as I set my empty bowl on the nightstand and pick up my coffee. "You guys could be famous."
Edward picks up Otis, holding his head up to his own and with their matching brownish red and their cocky, uneven smirks, it's a match. I try not to choke on my coffee but end up snorting and getting a bit right up the nose. I cover my mouth and Edward laughs as he gives me a little nudge. I put my coffee down and shove him back, but he grabs my ankle and tickles my foot and I'm laughing so hard, I have tears as I try to kick my foot free. Edward pulls me towards him and hovers over me. I grab his shirt and pull his mouth to mine. He licks at my lips and his hands move to the waistband of my cotton shorts. He worships me, in every way possible, with sweet kisses and licks and caresses that make my entire body tingle.
We have plans with Leah, Jenks and my dad to go to Vegas for dinner, and we spend the day being lazy and watching movies, because we can. It's my twenty-eighth birthday today and I spend it in my pajamas, watching the Star Wars trilogy, eating candy and kissing Edward and it is the best lazy day ever. I keep anticipating Edward to pull out a ring and it's driving me insane with anxiety as to when he's actually going to do this. I keep thinking of the most ridiculous scenarios where he will pop the questions but still, he doesn't. I nap on Edward's chest and then we get ready for dinner.
I put on something special, because I'm pretty sure this is when it's going to happen. Leah or my dad will probably take pictures and I need to look my best. So I blow dry my hair, something I never do, and it's straight and thick down my back. I put on mascara and lipstick and wear my prettiest dress, the blue slinky one that makes my boobs look great and I feel like my mom. I miss her but her voice is in my head, it's okay, Bella, and I know that it is.
I'm sitting in the living room, waiting for Edward to finish getting ready when I notice there's a little black box sitting on the kitchen counter.
Holy moral dilemmas, Edward just left it on the counter like that?
I want to look at it. I wonder if I have time to sneak a peek.
I sit there staring at the box in shock when Edward walks out of the bathroom in one of his polo shirts and slacks. I can't even look at him, he's going to take one look at my face and he's going to know. But he just walks over to the box, casually, like it's no fricking big deal he's about to propose to me and sits on the couch.
"So, I want to give you your present, before we go to dinner." And my heart is pounding in my throat. Oh my God, this is really happening!
"Okay." I can barely say the word and then Edward's lips are on my cheek and he's holding the box out for me to take. It's closed, the lid heavily hinged and I crack it open with a creak.
I stare. I hesitate. I tilt my head and narrow my eyes because I don't know what the fuck this is that I'm looking at.
"It's a memory card," Edward says as he pulls the little black rectangle from the box. "It's for your other present."
He leaves the room and my heart sinks. I can't help but feel disappointed. I thought I was getting a ring, dammit. Edward returns with another box, a much larger one and I quickly unwrap it to find a camera. It's a Nikon, and it's digital.
"I don't understand," I tell Edward and he takes the box from my fingers.
"It's a digital camera," he explains and I don't have the heart to tell him that's not what I don't understand. I know I was freaking out about this whole ring business, but now that I'm not getting one, I'm kind of devastated. We don't have much time, you know? Not if I want to have kids without any science-fiction experiments involving needles. I thought this was it. I thought it was time.
"It's awesome," I say as he puts the card into the slot and snaps the battery into place.
"It's all charged up and everything," he says as he looks through the lens and snaps my picture. I cock my head and roll my eyes and he just laughs and keeps taking my picture. There's hardly even a click, just a beep to let us know a picture has been taken, and I find it hard to smile in any of them.
"And see, you can view the pictures right after taking them so you can delete the ones you hate and keep the ones you like," he says as he scrolls through the pictures. "Oh, now that's a keeper."
He hands me the camera and I look at the little screen and filling the picture is a black box with a ring, a square diamond, surrounded by dozens of tiny stones on a thin band. I squint, confused and I'm thinking this picture must have came with the camera. You know, like when you buy a picture frame. When I look up at Edward, he's kneeling before me and in his hand is an open box, holding a ring, the very same square diamond, surrounded by tiny stones on a thin band. And it all makes sense. I look at his face and he winks at me. He winks!
I'm completely shocked, my body frozen and I don't know what to do. I can't breathe and I can't believe Edward tricked me. He did that shit on purpose. He knew I was waiting and still, he made me agonize all day! He is such an ass! So I do what I always do when Edward acts like an ass.
I punch him in the gut.
I don't hit him hard because it's difficult to get a proper swing when you're sitting down, but it's enough to get my point across and he laughs, his head falling to my knees.
"You knew I was waiting all day for this, didn't you?" I stand and he's still kneeling on the floor, his hands clutching my dress and he's laughing so hard he can hardly speak.
"So, is that a no?" he chokes out and I smile. This is exactly what I thought would happen. Edward trying to make a fool of me and my snotty attitude rearing its ugly head. So completely typical.
And kind of completely perfect. For us, anyway.
"No," I say and kneel in front of him on the floor, my hands resting on the top of his thighs.
"Wait, no yes, or no no?" he says and he holds the ring in front of me again. He raises his eyebrows, his lips part and I bring my finger to trace the stone.
"It was my mom's. I had the diamond set into something more your style. Which is hard to do, you know, since you don't ever wear jewelry. Alice and Rose helped a little," he rambles, and I grin. I crawl into his lap and I kiss his lips and then his nose and his cheeks and his eyelids. His hands wrap around my back, and he lets me adore him.
"So is that a yes?" he murmurs.
"Yes to what?" I tease, because he didn't really ask me yet. He grins, his lips pressing into my neck and along my jaw, and then his mouth is at my ear.
"Will you wear this ring, Bella? Will you be mine for always? My friend, my love, my match?" I close my eyes as the tears slip from my lids and all I feel are his lips quivering against my skin, his heart beating with mine, and his whispered words are like the splashed sky at sunset.
"Will you be my wife?"
I nod, my cheek rubbing against his before the words are even out of his mouth. His hand is on mine and there's metal and stone slipping along my finger.
And it's done.
...
A/N:
Epilogue will post next week.
Words fail me. I offer The Beatles instead.
Pools of sorrow, waves of joy,
Are drifting through my open mind,
Possessing and caressing me.
Thank you for reading.
SubtlePen and Miztrezboo are epic, like the fab four. I am the eggman.
Cam's judging! Details 
1 comments:
So love this fic! After reading some truly horrid crap the last few weeks I have been absolutely enthralled with this.
Thankyou!
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