A/N: Hi, this is my first like serious Twilight fanfic. Reviews and crit are appreciated, but please be kind. I love reviews and comments. If you like the story, please let me know! That way, I'll get the next chapter up faster ;)
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Chapter 1
Bella
It was a new year, time for a new start, time for changes. I always looked forward to a new year, thinking that maybe this one will be life-changing. What a load of crap.
I went to the mailbox and opened it, knowing exactly what I would find. Another baby shower invitation. Did everyone in the world have to be getting married and then popping out a kid about nine months later? Did everyone have to invite me to their baby showers? I mean, hello, I was twenty-nine years old. All of my friends were married and had either had kids or were going to have kids. Now, it was my best friend Alice's turn. She had just married the love of her life, Jasper Hale, only months earlier and now she was six months pregnant.
It wasn't that I wasn't happy for her—because I was—it was just a depressing realization every time I got another wedding invitation or baby shower invitation. I wasn't married yet and I wasn't pregnant yet. And they were both on my list. My list had started when I was seventeen years old, planning my life for the years ahead…
"Bella, you have another college acceptance letter!" my mother said, poking her head into my room.
"Mom, I'm going to a small college. I'm already planning on going to that little community college near Forks," I groaned, preparing myself for the speech I had grown to hear every day.
"Isabella Marie Swan, this acceptance letter is from Yale, for Christ's sake! You could get into any college in the country and you're going to some dopey ass community college just out of one of the smallest towns in the whole state of Washington?!" She said, fuming.
"Mom, you're not supposed to pressure me to go anywhere. It's my choice and it's my life and my future." I said, closing the subject.
She was definitely thinking of a comeback, I could see it in her eyes. Instead, she turned on her heel and slammed my door behind her.
I glanced at my list.
1. Graduate high school top 10% of class.
2. Go to college at the college of my choice.
3. Graduate college and finish degree to become a chef.
4. Advance career.
5. Fall in love.
6. Get married, maybe.
7. Beautiful farmhouse.
8. Beautiful babies with the love of my life.
I still had that dumb list. I had easily fulfilled 1-4. And now I was stuck on 5. There had been guys, of course. But none of them were worthy of my acceptance. They were all a bunch of stuck up idiots and I couldn't marry an idiot. My babies would be idiots, too! I was still undecided on marriage though. I mean, what's the point? If you love someone, you don't need a stupid piece of paper to prove it. I wanted it though. Every five year old plans her wedding, and I wasn't an exception. The floofy dress, the ring, the ceremony, the people, the party… I wanted it all, so for that reason, I was planning on getting married someday. As for the beautiful farmhouse, that wasn't happening anytime soon. I lived in the downtown area of a small town in California. I lived in an apartment. It wasn't anywhere near a farmhouse. And since I wasn't married or even dating anyone, I definitely wasn't pregnant.
My life had always been so organized. I had planned out every little detail. My high school career, my college career, my future after college, the list goes on; however, there were always flaws in my plans. I hadn't expected to lose my mom so early in life.
She was supposed to be there to watch me graduate from college, she was supposed to be here guiding me on men, and later on helping me plan my wedding but that wasn't happening. My mother died in a tragic car accident in my second year of college. She was hit by a drunk driver and the car was completely demolished. It's a part of my past I don't like to talk about, it hurts too much. It has always made me regret how much of a bitch I was to may mother and how rebellious I was as a teenager. I always made great grades in school, but I was a troublemaker; however, I can't take that back now, it's just a part of me that will always haunt my memories.
I sat down on my couch and laid the baby shower invitation on my coffee table, sighing. Another baby shower, another single and hopeless year for love.
I picked up my cell phone and dialed Alice's number.
"Hello?" she said, her musical voice ringing in my ears.
"Alice, it's Bella. I just got your shower invite."
"Oh, good!" she squealed.
I cringed a little. Alice was always a little too exuberant.
"Bella, Jasper's two brothers are coming into town. We're having dinner at my place tomorrow and I want you to come and keep us company. It's going to be Jasper, me, Emmett and his wife Rosalie, and Edward. Edward's a loner like you, so maybe you two can talk," she suggested.
"Alice, you're not trying to set me up again are you? I'm so tired of men," I said, thinking how much I was lying in the back of my head. I wanted to meet this Edward. If all else failed, maybe I'd end up doing him and getting some.
I chuckled into the phone.
"Bella, are you even listening to me?"
"Oh, sorry Alice. I was sort of, distracted."
"Well, you're going to talk to Edward. He's moving here to California from Alaska, so now Jasper will have both of his brothers closer to him."
"Fine, Alice, I'll talk to him… But it's just going to be like the other ones you've set me up with."
"After you see Edward, your mind will be screaming do me, trust me. Check your picture messages."
And with that, she hung up.
I looked at the picture message icon and went into my inbox.
The picture downloaded.
There, staring at me on my cell phone screen, was the most beautiful man I had ever seen in my life. His eyes were emerald green and his hair was a disarray of bronze perfection. I only began to imagine his body if his face looked like this.
I sighed aloud and then reality hit me. There was no way someone this beautiful wouldn't be a superficial asshole.
I was already dreading this dinner, but I was going to go anyway, just to show Alice that no matter how many guys she set me up with, I was doomed to fail.
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Edward
The plane sloped down onto the runway. I looked at my watch. 9:30 pm, already? It had just felt like we took off from the airport. I grabbed my laptop bag from the overhead compartment and stepped off of the plane.
Alice was standing in the middle of the airport, waving at my frantically. Oh boy.
"Edward! I'm so glad you're here. Jasper and I are so excited to have you move in nearby. We're having dinner tomorrow and my best friend, Bella Swan is coming. You guys are going to get along great," she squealed.
"Alice, please tell me you're not trying to set me up. I just broke up with my girlfriend in Alaska and I'm not ready to start another relationship—"
She pushed her Blackberry's screen into my face, showing me a picture of a chocolate-eyed, brown-haired girl. I had to admit, she was beautiful. She was a lot prettier than my last girlfriend.
"Edward, she's fabulous. You're going to adore her."
"Alice, I'll talk to her, but I'm not ready to start another relationship."
Oh, the things this woman thought of.
I wasn't happy being single, I had always had a girlfriend since the time I was fourteen. It was probably because I was apparently good-looking, but I didn't get it. I was thirty years old and I had never been married. It was most likely because of my job. I was a doctor and it wasn't the easiest profession to date in. I had managed in Alaska, but I was much happier to be in California. It was ten million times warmer and the hospitals weren't out in the middle of nowhere.
I had watched all of my friends get married and have children, but it hadn't happened for me yet. I hadn't found the right woman. I hadn't had time to find the right woman. Things were finally settling down in my life though and now I was prepared to find her and begin the real rest of my life.
Alice blabbered on and on as she drove down the highway towards home. I was moving my things into Alice and Jasper's over the weekend as soon as they arrived from Alaska, and for now I was staying with them. I glanced over at Alice; she had one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting lovingly on her bloated belly. She and Jasper had been so happy to find out they were having a baby. I was happy for them, even though I was a little sad that my little brother was already married and going to be a father.
I just kept telling myself that the right woman was out there and I would find her soon enough.
We pulled Alice's car into the garage and she hopped out. I didn't understand how this tiny pixie of a woman was still so exuberant and agile even while pregnant. I never would, I suppose.
She touched the yellow hood of the car and clicked the button on her keys to lock the door before she took me inside.
"Alice, is that you?" I heard my brother call from upstairs.
"Yes, babe, it's me! And I brought your big brother!"
Jasper appeared a few minutes later, coming towards me and hugging me tightly.
"Edward, how have you been? It's been so long since you've been here."
"I know, sorry about that… Your little wife here is trying to set me up, I've heard."
"Isn't she always up to something mischievous?" he said, laughing.
She playfully punched him in the arm and he pulled her into an embrace, kissing her softly.
I sighed, looking away so as not to invade their privacy.
They stopped their kissing and turned to look at me. Jasper still had his arms wrapped around Alice's waist, their hands resting on her belly.
"Um… Where am I going to be staying?" I asked, gesturing to my suitcases and laptop bag out in the garage.
"In the guest bedroom," they both said, laughing at their unison.
I smiled as Alice tossed me her keys so I could go back to the car and get my things. When I returned, they were gone. I suspected they were in the living room or their bedroom, so I walked up the stairs and found the guest bedroom, settling myself in.
I had thought moving back here was the best option, but now I didn't know how I was going to handle all of the couple-like emotion around me. I was the only one in the family who wasn't easily married off and I felt like the odd one out.
Maybe moving back hadn't been such a great idea after all.
--
Bella
Alice's dinner was tonight. I wanted to look nice, so I decided to go buy a new outfit for the occasion.
I wanted something casual, but something flattering since I was meeting Edward. I shouldn't have been worrying about an outfit at all. I was just talking to him. I wasn't supposed to want to talk to him. He was way out of my league.
I pulled into my favorite clothing store and went to the racks.
I found three pairs of jeans I liked, so I decided to buy those for later. But that wasn't appropriate for this dinner. Finally, after tedious searching, I found it. A white summer dress. It fell just above my knees, and had a very feminine, lacy feel to it. It wasn't too dressy and it wasn't too casual. I would pin my hair back without brushing it out and it would wave gently down my back. Ah, perfection.
I began walking to the register to buy my jeans and dress when I noticed the lingerie section. I couldn't wear a bra with this dress, but I sure as hell could wear pretty panties. I went to the 5 for $25 table and picked out 2 lacy thongs and 3 pairs of lacy boy shorts. Perfect.
I paid for my items and threw the bag down in the passenger seat as I drove home. I was going to look amazing, both in my dress and in what I was wearing underneath. Why I had bought those panties, I would never know. I already had about fifty pairs at home that would have gone perfectly well with the dress, but I simply decided they weren't hot enough.
It was four when I got home and Alice's dinner began at five. We wouldn't be having dinner till seven, she had said, but we were going to hang out and talk while we waited.
Talking… It always led me into deep shit. Alice would say something to embarrass me, I was counting on it. I just had to remember that I was wearing a white lacy thong underneath my dress and everything would be okay.
I slid my dress on and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair looked great pinned back, and my dress hung against my curves, accentuating my breasts and cleavage. I slipped on some white sandals and walked out the front door.
God, I was nervous.
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Edward
I looked at my hair in the mirror. This was going to be hopeless. I had tried to get the bronze mess to look neater than usual, but it just made it look even messier. I sighed and pulled my white shirt onto my arms as I began buttoning up the front. I was wearing a white dress shirt and black pants. The dinner wasn't formal but it was dressier than casual, so I figured I better look nice. I shouldn't be wanting to meet Bella. I am not ready for this. I am not ready to meet another woman.
I heard the doorbell ring and Alice's loud squeal as she opened the door.
Oh god. She's here.
I ran my hand nervously through my hair, making the disarray worse.
"Stupid hair," I mumbled.
I walked down the stairs, not sure what to expect. I looked around the living room. Alice was sitting on the couch facing the television with Jasper next to her and their backs to me. Bella was sitting on the couch facing the stairs. Our eyes met briefly and she looked away quickly, her cheeks reddening.
I smiled to myself and sat on the opposite end of the same couch she was sitting on.
"Bella, I would like to introduce you to Edward Cullen, Jasper's oldest brother. And Edward, I would like to introduce you to my best friend, Bella Swan," Alice said, gesturing at us.
I gave her a small glare and noticed Bella gave her a huge eye roll. So, she knew we were being set up, too.
"It's nice to meet you, Edward," Bella said shyly, looking at me with a gentle smile.
"It's nice to meet you too, Bella," I said, smiling back at her.
The conversation flowed freely and I looked at Bella when she wasn't looking. She had long, slender legs that seemed to go on for miles and it didn't help that she was wearing a white dress that fell above her knees. I wanted to run my hand up her leg and feel what she had on underneath that dress more than anything else at that moment. I felt my dick twitch in my pants. Fucking traitor. No relationships yet.
I let my mind lead itself elsewhere but as soon as she was engrossed in conversation again, I began looking her body over. Her hair looked soft, it was a deep mahogany color and it waved gently down her back. I started fantasizing about her hair, fanning out over my pillow. SHIT!
She looked at me quickly, smiling slightly and she leaned forward a little, exposing her cleavage more. Her dress dipped into a low V, giving her cleavage that should have been illegal. Her nipples were poking through her dress, too. She wasn't wearing a bra. My dick started to throb in my pants and I knew I was in trouble.
"If you'll excuse me, I'll be right back," I said, standing up and excusing myself to the restroom.
I stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind me, leaning my back against the wall. I looked down at my erection straining against my pants. I was already having fucking fantasies about this woman and I didn't even know her. She was extremely attractive and her legs and her hair and her breasts, everything about her was perfectly tempting to my raging battle not to get involved with anyone. She probably wouldn't even want to know me; I had barely said two words to her because all I could think about was getting into her pants! God, I am such a fucking sleaze. I washed my hands and dried them on a towel. I looked at myself in the mirror, running my hands through my hair and making it even more of a tangled muddle.
I shut the bathroom door behind me and went to sit back down beside her.
"Edward, we were just talking about you," Alice chuckled, "Jasper was just telling Bella that your hair has never been able to be tamed. It always looks like a forest."
I blushed, quickly glancing at Bella. I was very sensitive about my hair. I'm sure it looked attractive to some, but I had always felt that it looked awful.
She smiled at me apologetically, as my cheeks reddened even further.
"Well, if you'll excuse us, we need to check on the food and call Em and Rose and see if they're on their way yet," Jasper said, helping Alice up from the couch.
Bella and I were alone.
"I think your hair looks fine, Edward," Bella said, smiling.
"I've always been self-conscious about it," I sighed, "I can't believe they had to bring my hair up."
"I'm sure they'll be telling some embarrassing stories about me, too. There's plenty about my clumsiness," she sighed.
I felt myself smiling despite my embarrassment.
"You're clumsy?" I asked.
She laughed, "Almost always have been. I've broken both arms and an ankle, and I have too many cuts and scrapes and bruises to keep count of."
"Well, maybe we have something in common," I chuckled, "We're both embarrassed about silly things."
She smiled widely, just as Alice and Jasper entered the room again.
"Well, it seems Emmett and Rose are having car trouble," Alice pouted.
"So, we're going to drive out there and help them. We should be back in a few hours," Jasper said.
"You're leaving us, alone?" I asked, feeling my heart rate increase.
"Yeah, there's plenty of food in the kitchen, so you can eat whatever you like," Jasper said.
I looked at Alice. She looked like she was about to burst. Was it just me, or was this little set up more than a coincidence? I gave her a knowing glare and she shrugged as they walked out the door.
Bella looked at me.
"They just set us up on a date, didn't they?" She said, groaning.
"Apparently so," I said, yet again running my hands through my hair.
"Well, I suppose we should make the best of it then," she said, biting her lower lip.
I stood up and gave her my hand, helping her up off the couch. She tripped over her own feet a little and landed against my chest.
"S-sorry," she whispered.
"It's fine," I said, looking into her eyes.
I felt my face wanting to inch closer to hers and I dropped her hand, helping her stand up straighter.
"Well, let's eat," she said, leading me into the kitchen.
--
Bella
Sitting on the couch next to Edward had been torture. He was so fucking beautiful that it made my heart rip. I wanted to hold him and kiss him and do him. And now we were alone in Alice and Jasper's house. We were sitting across from each other at the kitchen table, eating silently.
I couldn't believe that Alice had the nerve to actually leave us alone on an almost date. She was really trying hard to set Edward and me up and I could tell Edward had been there before too.
"Bella?" he said, glancing up from the table, his green eyes looking through his long eyelashes and meeting mine.
Oh my god. I felt my white lacy thong getting wet. He was dazzling the shit out of me right then.
"Yes?" I managed to say.
"I know that Alice is trying to set us up and that's why she left us alone—conveniently—but I was just wondering if, you would uh… like to go on a real date with me?" he looked at me nervously, waiting for a response.
Hell fucking yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
"I think that would be okay," I said, trying to remain calm.
His face lit up and he grinned.
I smiled back, laying my fork back down on my plate.
"I'm so full," I laughed, "I can usually eat my way through a huge plate of anything, but tonight, I'm just stuffed."
"Me, too. I love food," Edward sighed.
"Really? I'm a chef, so, food is like my life," I smiled.
He nodded and we both stood up from the table and returned to the living room, sitting on the same couch, but closer than the first time.
We started talking. We talked about anything and everything, and it felt like hours passed by. I felt my eyes drooping to a close as I listened to Edward's honey-sweet voice and I felt my head drooping slowly, slowly…
--
The door slammed and I opened my eyes. My head was lying against Edward's chest and he jumped slightly.
We had fallen asleep on the couch, with my head on his chest and his arms wrapped around me. We sat up quickly as Alice walked into the living room.
"Well, we'll just have to have another dinner next time. They have to take their car to the shop. How was your evening?" Alice beamed.
:"The food was great, little sister in law," Edward smiled.
"It was really good," I nodded.
I stood up.
"I think I better be going home, it's late."
Alice nodded and walked me to the door, Edward following.
"Well, goodnight Bella!" Alice said, hugging me tightly.
She skipped off in the other direction and left Edward standing there alone with me.
"She's such a little plotter," Edward laughed.
"She is… She's always up to something," I agreed.
"Well, I guess this is goodnight, Bella." He said, looking regretful.
"Yes, you can call me when you want to go on our date," I smiled, placing my number on a piece of paper in his hand, "I really had a great time tonight."
"Me, too," he said.
I felt my body inching closer to his, and I knew that I wanted to kiss him but I wasn't ready for it yet.
"Goodnight, Edward," I said quickly as I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek, surprising him.
I turned to leave and got into my car. I looked up at the front door. Edward was still standing there, touching his cheek and smiling as if he had just found out the best news in the world.
I realized right then and there that I really, really liked Edward Cullen.
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