Disclaimer: Not mine.

Mistakes are my own. I like to tinker.

Snapshots

Dedicated to my sista from the 'Sip, Rumner.
Happy Birthday, Nicole!

"It's my birthday, it's my birthday, it's my birthday," Rose sings, dancing through the doorway of my childhood bedroom.

I grin, tossing a folded shirt into my propped open suitcase on my bed and then zipping it closed. "I know, I know, I know. This is gonna be the greatest birthday weekend ever."

Rose smirks and flops on my bed, blowing on her presumably, still-wet nails. "Seems as though we've been planning this weekend for months."

"That's because we have been planning this weekend for months," I respond, rolling my eyes.

For the past few years, Rose and I always take a road trip on her birthday, and it inevitably always ends in some sort of disaster on my behalf.

When we were sixteen, it was a camping trip at Buffalo River, which involved an overturned canoe and me being airlifted to a local hospital. I broke my arm that summer.

At seventeen, we snuck out of town and bribed our way into a drag club. That trip almost landed us in jail, if it weren't for Rose's father, one of the best lawyers in Tennessee, bailing us out. He never mentioned it to my parents; probably fearing word would get out that his debutant daughter was … Hanging out a gay bar, underage at that.

When we were eighteen and legal, we got matching tattoos of a butterfly on our foot. I developed a horrible infection after that, more than likely because I was too nervous to listen to the instructions the tattoo artist gave us on proper aftercare.

When Rose turned nineteen, she convinced me to go skinny-dipping with her and a few friends of ours from high school. That night ended with my bare behind covered in mosquito bites. My tail itched for weeks afterward.

And I won't even mention what happened on her twentieth birthday. Let me just say that the events of that night will stay with me forever.

"I know what you're thinking," Rose says. "You're thinking tonight is gonna end in disaster."

"No, I was thinking about how all your previous birthdays ended in some sort of disaster. I have high hopes for this weekend. Nothing is gonna ruin this one. Nothing."

"You don't know how happy I am to hear you say that," she says. Sitting up straight on the bed, she shoots me a wry smile. "Because I've got something to tell ya."

The seriousness of her stare makes me groan in response. I plop beside her on the bed and tuck a stray strand of brown hair behind my ear. "Oh, Lord. What is it?"

Rose gums her lips. "Um, EdwardCullenissortofgoingwithustoMemphis."

"Say that again," I mutter.

Rose sighs. "Edward Cullen is going with us to Memphis."

"Yeah, I thought that's what you said." I groan, palming my forehead. "Can I ask why?"

"You know he and Emmett have always been joined at the hip, but lately they haven't had time to just … hang out."

"Because of your wedding plans," I say, sighing.

"Yes, because of our wedding plans." Rose grabs my hand; squeezing it. "Please be understanding. I'm doing this for Em."

"Understanding." I snort. "How can I be understanding of anything? I'm not even sure why he hated me so much in high school."

"It was high school. People change."

"Has he changed?"

Rose bites her bottom lip and says nothing.

"I guess not," I mutter.

"It's Memphis in May, bitch." Rose smiles and gives a little squeal. "Bands, boys, and three days of drunken debauchery. Edward Cullen won't even be on your radar. Okay? It's our last weekend together before I get married. You'll be going back to school in the fall and I'll be stuck in a classroom teaching a roomful of kindergartners. This could quite possibly be the last birthday weekend we spend together, for like, ever. You know Em wants to start a family as soon as we get married. Please, do this for me?"

"Fine," I say, forcing a fake smile. "I'll do it. For you."

After Rose and I give my mom a quick hug and even quicker goodbye, we wander outside into the sunlight. A truck sits to the side of my drive, the black paint job and chrome gleaming under the Tennessee sun. Jacked up with a lift kit and Super Swampers, it's a sight to behold, making the bottom of my belly quiver and grow warm. That is until the door opens and a tall, lean man exits the vehicle.

His white shirt is tight, emphasizing the muscles that were just beginning to form as a teenage boy. Lines and ridges ripple beneath the material, his summertime tan, dark in contrast to the white fabric. As the midday sun beams down, the bronze glint of his unruly hair seems warm and familiar. Shades cover his eyes, but I know the color well. Shamrock green, the color of luck, and damn if he wasn't always full of luck back in the day.

When I stumbled and fell on the playground playing tag with the other kids, he raced by, laughing at my embarrassment and kicking up dust with his Nikes. When I struggled with our high school curriculum, he breezed through each class without so much as cracking open a book. All the while, I participated in every extracurricular activity in hopes of a scholarship to college; he never had to worry about money, being from one of the wealthiest families in town.

When I was down on my luck, he was always there to laugh at me.

I pull my shades from where they are perched on my head. Covering my eyes with my hater-blockers, I assume the bitch face.

Edward presses his hands over his heart. "Honey, you're happy to see me."

"Nice truck. Still sucking your rich daddy's teats, I see."

Edward's smile falters, but doesn't fade. "Nice car. Still working at the same dead-end restaurant every summer, I see."

He nods to the rusty Rabbit parked precariously in my drive. Hurt stabs at me and I turn my head, saying nothing in response. I'm ashamed; not for my car, but for not standing up for myself. I worked hard for that rusty Rabbit, a lot harder than he's probably worked his entire life for anything.

A million insults rest on the tip of my tongue, but I'm not sixteen anymore and I never win this battle with Edward Cullen.

Not then and not now.

Besides, there's no sense in arguing. After this weekend, I'll never have to see him again. He'll go back to Ole Miss and I'll go back to Mississippi State. Even our colleges are rivals. I snort at the thought.

"What? Say what you're thinking." Frustration rings through in his voice. Standing just a foot away, I peer up at him.

"Nah, you're not worth wasting my breath."

Edward opens his mouth, but whatever he says is drowned out by the tone of my cell, alerting me of a text. I pull it from my back pocket and turn away from him, reading the glowing words on the screen.

We need to talk. - J

About what? Bree? - Bella

No, Bree's fine. About us. - J

There is no 'us.' Don't text me unless it concerns Bree. - Bella

"Jake again?" Rose asks, popping open the trunk of her car.

"Yeah, he's relentless." I sigh, frowning at Edward as he leans on the side of Rose's car, absorbed in his own cell phone.

Probably texting one of his hoes.

The roar of Emmett's truck rumbles in the distance. Even after all these years, I could distinguish the sound of his engine above all others. Many nights were spent with Em and Rose, and unfortunately Edward, muddin' through the swampy bottoms and sloughs on property that didn't belong to any of us. He parks on the side of the road and emerges from the old Chevy; his burly body causes the truck to shake with the forceful slam of the door behind him.

"Little Bee." Em pulls me into a tight hug, twirling me around and making me squeal. I close my eyes, allowing myself to become lost in nostalgia. "I've missed you, Little Bee."

"I've missed you too, Em." He stops swinging me around and my feet stand firm on the concrete drive. "How's life?"

"Life is perfect," he says, leaning in and lowering his voice. "I don't know if you're aware of this, but I'm about to marry the most wonderful woman in the world."

"And she's marrying the sweetest guy I've ever met," I whisper in return. "Why can't I be that lucky?"

"I can think of a couple of reasons," Edward says. "Wanna hear them?"

"No," Em and I both respond, shooting Edward a glare.

"Where in the hell is Alice?" Rose asks. Her voice is muffled, her upper body arranging suitcases inside her trunk. "Edward, where's your suitcase?"

"It's in my truck-"

"Hold up," I say, raising my eyebrows. "Why are you asking Edward for his suitcase? He's not riding with us."

"Like hell I'm not." Edward grins at the shock on my face. "What's wrong, princess? Rose didn't tell ya? We're carpooling to Memphis."

"Oh, hell no. Rose, tell me he's lying."

Rose straightens up and sighs, flipping her long hair over one shoulder. She plants her hands on her hips and gives me a firm stare. "Bella, there's no sense in taking two cars. We can save gas by riding together in one vehicle."

"Fuel efficient." Edward kicks the tire on Rose's Honda for emphasis.

"Since when do y'all worry about gas money?" I ask Rose, scowling. "Your family is rich. And Edward's family owns half of Tennessee, for Christ's sake."

"Only about a third, actually," he says, backing toward his truck, smirking.

"Bella, don't make this difficult." Rose's voice is low, a little sad, but mostly threatening. "You promised."

"I remember no such promise." I run my fingers through my hair, working out the knots. "Fine, but I'm not sitting beside him. Alice can sit in the middle."

"Great," Rose chirps, clapping her hands. I narrow my eyes at her sudden change in demeanor. Gone is the forlorn look. She's practically bouncing on her heels. "Look, there's Alice now."

The sight of Mrs. Brandon dropping her daughter off and then burning rubber down the road brings a smile to my face. Memories of Friday nights spent with my two, childhood friends flood my mind. Alice sprints up the driveway, well, sprinting as much as a pregnant woman can while dragging two, oversized, cheetah-print suitcases behind her.

"Bella," Alice says. She releases the handles of her suitcases and throws her arms around me. I practically dwarf her in size. Just as skinny as she was in high school, the top of her head only comes nose-level next to me.

"Why did we have to grow up and move away to different colleges?" she asks, tears springing to her eyes. Alice was always a bit emotional, and I see things haven't changed much. What has changed is the small bump protruding from her abdomen.

"I'm gonna be an auntie," I say, rubbing her belly while she squirms away.

"You know I don't like folks touching my belly," she whines.

"Even Auntie Bella?"

"Even Auntie Bella."

"What about Auntie Rose?" Rose asks, wiggling her fingers and coming at Alice full-force.

Alice shrieks and dodges Rose's outstretched hands. Em catches Alice and gives her a bear hug, shielding our tiny friend from his fiancé.

"Em, you're squishing me." Alice moans and laughs into his chest. "Thank you for protecting me from Rose's fingers of torture."

"No problem, Tyke," he says, laughing at her scowl. We've changed, but old habits die hard, especially Em's pet names for us all.

Alice peels herself from Em's arms and wanders over to Edward. The two of them smile and embrace and something twists in my chest.

Feels like a knife.

Guess it's better in my chest than in my back.

I've always been a little jealous of the easy relationship between my friends and him. Why the two of us could never get along, beats the hell out of me. Edward tormented me from kindergarten until our freshman year. He then proceeded to pretend I didn't exist for those last few years, unless it was to insult me. Seeing him and Alice hug and fall into conversation after all these years, stings. I can't help but wonder, why me? Why did he insist on degrading me, yet embracing a friendship with those closest to me?

I clear my throat. "Are y'all ready to roll? We've got a long trip ahead of us."

Em loads the rest of the luggage, which is a huge task, considering we're in a mother freaking, fuel efficient, Honda. Turns out, Honda's don't have the best luggage space in the trunk. This is how I end up in the back seat with one of Alice's suitcases crammed in the floorboard between my legs. Alice sits in the middle, between Edward and me, her perfectly round belly sitting on her lap.

I catch Edward glancing at it occasionally. Alice's lap, that is. Rose and Em chat quietly up front with Alice piping into the conversation here and there. And I sit watching him stare at Alice's belly.

I wonder what he's thinking.

I hate myself for wondering what he's thinking.

An hour of watching his contemplative face glance at Alice's belly passes. I can't take it anymore.

"I gotta pee," I say, cringing at my crude words.

Alice snickers. "Me too. This baby is pressing on my bladder and my legs are hurting like a summabitch."

Alice's little legs are forced to the side, resting next to Edward's. I haven't noticed how uncomfortable she looks until now. Guilt washes over me and I swallow my pride.

"We can switch places when we get back in the car," I say, glancing at Emmett. "Em, you think you could try to make some room in the back of Rose's car for that extra suitcase?"

"I can try," he says doubtfully.

Em pulls off the exit ramp and into the parking lot of a gas station. We all climb out, stretching our limbs.

Dreading the remainder of the trip, I linger inside of the gas station for as long as I can, loading up on Gummy Worms, Cokes, chips, and other things that will inevitably ruin my teeth. Catching a glimpse of my reflection in the cooler door, I frown. Gone is the girl from high school, the girl with gangly limbs and life in her eyes. In her place is this girl, this woman, thicker in the hips and waist, still bitter over a boy who's now a man, a man who still hates her for whatever reason.

Standing beside her is that man.

"They, uh, sent me in to check on you." Edward scratches the back of his neck, staring at me in the reflection of the frosty glass. "You okay? You look, I dunno, sad."

I roll my eyes. "Rose didn't tell me you were majoring in psychology."

My phone dings and my eyes widen in alarm, my arms still full of junk food. Edward takes it from my hands, his eyes on mine, and I'm lost for a second, drowning in the solemnity of his stare.

"I just gotta check my phone," I mutter, removing it from my pocket.

You in Memphis yet? -J

Is this about Bree? - Bella

No, this is about us. - J

I shove the phone back in my pocket, my eyes growing hazy. Blinking, I refocus, noticing Edward is nowhere around. Instead of standing two feet away psychoanalyzing me, he's standing at the register paying for my armload of sweets. Embarrassed, I join him at the counter, fishing money from my purse.

"Nah, it's cool. I've got it," he says, waving away the wad of cash I have in my hand.

"What's the catch?" I ask.

Edward leans on the counter, furrowing his brow. "Catch? There's no catch."

"Oh, I get it," I say, frowning. "Rich boy pities poor little Bella, so he's gonna pay for her food."

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Get defensive." His voice is hard. "You're always so defensive. And then you expect me not to act like an ass."

The cashier stares between the two of us, shoving a brown paper bag at Edward, who snatches it away as I reach for it. He stomps away, the thick soles of his Justin boots clomping down on the floor. I chase after him, shoving the money back into my purse and ignoring the ding of my phone in my back pocket.

"Give me back my Gummy Worms." Jesus, I sound like a five-year old.

"Technically, they're my Gummy Worms. I paid for them." Edward sets the bag on the trunk of Rose's car, pulls the gummies out of the brown bag and rips open the package with his teeth. He pops one in his mouth, moaning and closing his eyes. The sound of his pleasure-filled hum sends traitorous shivers through my body, warming my arms and legs and the deep pit of my belly. My body has always reacted this way to him, but I hide it well, crossing my arms and scowling.

"Is this what's filled you out so much? Gummies and Cokes?"

"Excuse me?" I drop my arms, my eyes widening. "Did you just call me fat?"

"No, I asked if this is what's filled you out." Edward frowns and tosses the gummies back in the bag as he pushes it in my direction. "Here."

"No thank you," I whisper, turning away. Tears prick the corners of my eyes and I hate him.

I hate Edward Cullen.

He touches my bare shoulder and I shiver. His touch lingers, drifting down my arm before completely melting away. "Bella?"

"Y'all ready?" Em hollers from the driver's seat. Rose twists in the passenger seat, peering through the back glass, her brow bunched in worry.

Edward follows me to the door, still muttering my name below his breath. Alice is standing by the open door, watching us with interest in her eyes. I climb in the backseat, just as I'd offered, although the thought of sitting next to him during the duration of the trip makes my stomach flip and roll. Emmett wasn't able to find enough room in the trunk of the car, so Alice sits with her slender legs crossed beneath her, texting away on her phone. I twist my legs to the side, my feet resting in the same place Alice's once resided. Edward climbs into the car and I close my eyes, my body going rigid with his leg brushing against mine, his warmth so near.

"You getting car sick or something?" Em asks. "You look sick."

"I'm fine," I mumble, opening my eyes and faking a smile.

You have to grin and bear it for Rose.

"Look what I brought," Rose sings as Em pulls back onto the highway.

I groan at the sight of the scrapbook in Rose's hands. "I can't believe you brought that."

"Em and I were looking at it while you and Edward were inside the station." Rose bites her bottom lip, exchanging a glance with Em that I don't understand. "Bee, you and Edward should look through it. There are some great pictures inside."

Rose hands me the scrapbook and I flip it open, sucking in a breath at the first shot I see. It's a picture of the five of us at a dance in junior high. Alice is cheesing at the camera, uncaring of the braces gleaming from the flash. Rose stands in front of Emmett, looking so retro in her checkered skirt, thigh-high stockings, and black Mary Janes. I'm standing in front of Mike Newton, the boy I didn't want to go with, but really had no other option, since nobody else asked me out. It was either go with him, go stag, or sit home and drown myself in ice cream. This photo is familiar, but for the first time I notice Edward standing in the background.

His eyes on me.

"Where was Lauren in this picture?" I ask him, twisting the scrapbook so he can have a better view. "Wasn't she your date?"

"Nah, we dated back then but I ended up going alone."

"Oh, I remember that now." I smirk at him. "I remember thinking you were a complete asshole for not taking your own girlfriend to the dance."

Edward holds my gaze, his stare so intense, so searching, that my smirk falls away. He turns his head, staring at the low-lying hills and pastures whirling past us. "If I remember correctly, I wanted to ask someone else, but she was already taken."

"Who did you-"

"I'm kinda cramped over here; can I put my arm around you?" He asks in a rush, his intense stare returning. "I mean, across the headrest?"

"Uh, sure. I mean, I guess."

Rose pulls down her visor and flips open her mirror, gazing at me and talking to me with her eyes. We've developed a silent communication over the years, and her wordless stare, with eyes darting between Edward and me, tells me everything I need to know.

I shake my head.

It can't be. He wasn't talking about taking me, of all people, to a dance. He hated me, right?

Rose raises one eyebrow and rolls her eyes, blowing out an exasperated breath. The mirror snaps shut and she flips the visor back to the upward position. The sound Alice's soft snoring, filters out the faint country music coming from the radio.

"Look, this is the time I serenaded you at your sixteenth birthday." Edward points at a photograph of him plucking at a guitar.

"You called me Smelly Belly in that song you wrote." I flip the page and the image disappears, but the painful memory remains behind. "You embarrassed me in front of everyone. Kinda like this time here." I tap the picture on the next page. "Call for a good time. You painted my name and phone number on the side of the high school gym."

"It got your attention," he says, closing the album. "That's all I wanted."

"Bullshit." I narrow my eyes. "You wanted to hurt me and you succeeded. Over and over."

"I was a stupid kid." He leans against the headrest, his gaze never leaving mine. "You had to know what my feelings were for you."

"Feelings?" I laugh. "Hmm … Let's see. Hate? Disgust? Disdain?"

Edward smiles, a slow, sad smile. "I was in love with you, Bella Swan."

My stomach drops, landing somewhere near my toes and taking my heart with it. Forced, quiet chatter from the front of the car fills the air, but I know they're listening. They're listening to Edward's ridiculous words, his ridiculous ploy for whatever kind of trick he has up his sleeve. All these years and nothing has changed. Not one thing.

"What are you trying to get out of this? I'm not falling for your false professions of love. Am I being punk'd?"

"Whatever, Bella." Edward closes his eyes, the speed of the car causing his head to bounce ever so slightly against the headrest.

He's so quiet, so still, that he appears to fall asleep. While his eyes are still shut, I study the curves and lines of his face, the sharpness of his clenched jaw. His nose is slightly crooked in the center, the result of a runaway ball in the eighth grade. I remember that day. I remember standing at the fence with Rose and Alice, watching the eighth-grade boys play ball. I remember how lean Edward looked, how my heart sputtered inside my chest whenever he would turn his baseball cap backwards and chance a narrow-eyed glance my way. I remember the ball slamming into his face, the blood flowing from his nose. And I remember the tears I shed and the alarm in his eyes as he stared at me crying on the sidelines.

Before I realize what I'm doing, I touch his nose, my fingertips resting on that tiny bump before my hand returns to my lap. An incredible urge to touch his lips, to trace the line of his jaw almost overpowers me, but I brush it aside and close my eyes. The car soon rocks me to sleep, and when I awaken, it's to a heavy hand resting on my thigh, his thumb tracing circles on my flesh. Butterflies flit inside of my belly, fluttering wildly with each swirl of his finger. I've fallen asleep with my head on his shoulder and his arm behind my head, breathing in the spicy scent of his cologne. I make a show of waking up and he immediately moves his hand back to his lap. His warmth almost washes away and I want to grab his hand, and return it to my thigh.

"You thirsty yet?" he asks, digging around inside the bag situated between his feet.

He produces a Coke and uncaps it, handing it to me. I take a swig and attempt a smile, but it falls flat.

I'm so confused, so freaking confused.

I can barely breathe.

He takes the Coke from me before I'm finished and I begin to protest, but my mouth is ajar and wordless, watching as he takes a sip of his own. Tilting his head back, he drinks half my Coke in three swallows, his Adam's apple bobbing before offering it back to me.

I take a tentative sip, my mind absorbed in the thought of Edward's lips touching the bottle, which in turn is now touching my lips. Tilting the bottle back, I take long swallows, noticing how Edward shifts in his seat. He busies himself with the bag of gummies, fishing one out and popping it in his mouth. Bits of sugar coat his bottom lip. I wipe my own bottom lip with the back of my hand and toss the empty bottle back into the bag.

"You've got something right …" Using my thumb, I brush the sugar from his lip, gasping as his tongue darts out and licks the tip of my finger. Paralyzed by the touch of his tongue, my heart feeling as though it's about to skip right out of my chest, I sit, unmoving, not even when he threads his fingers through my hair, guiding my face to his.

Our lips touch.

Just an innocent brush, not even a kiss.

Edward leans away, searching my face. For what, I'm not sure. But he must be satisfied by whatever he sees, because he leans forward again, kissing me. Kissing me so deeply, our mouths parting and the sweet and sour taste of his tongue grazing my bottom lip.

Tasting me.

Tasting me and I taste him, our tongues touching for the first time, but it feels like the millionth. Each stroke of his tongue to mine brings a moan to my throat and I touch his face. My fingers drift over the scruff of his jaw and down his throat. And I'm kissing Edward Cullen. Edward Cullen is kissing me and I'm kissing him back.

I press my palm against his chest, pushing away.

"What are we doing?" I whisper.

"I thought it was kind of obvious." He chuckles, and before I can respond, his mouth is on mine again, rougher this time. Commanding and attentive. Soft when I draw away, rough when I move forward demanding more. No one has ever kissed me this way, kissing me with their heart and soul behind it. Kissing me with such passion, desire and want.

I want Edward Cullen.

I've always wanted Edward Cullen.

The thought is so sudden, so blinding, that I pull away once again, but this time … This time is the last time.

"This is crazy," I mumble, wiping his kiss away with the back of my hand. My lips continue to tingle with the memory of his touch. A hysterical bubble of laughter catches in my throat. "I can't do this."

"Is it because of Jake?" he asks, leaning against the door, analyzing me with his eyes. I hate when he looks at me that way, as though he can stare straight inside my head.

"Jake?"

"Rose asked you back at your house if Jake was texting you. Who is Jake? Is he ..."

"To answer your first question," I say, "yes and no. Jake's not the only reason why this," I gesture between us, "can't happen. I'm not one of your weekend flings."

"And this isn't high school." Edward bangs the back of his head on the window and closes his eyes. He takes a deep breath, blowing it out between pursed lips. "Do you know how long it's taken me to admit how I feel about you? Years. It's taken me all these years to admit how much I like you. You know why?"

I shake my head, unable to speak.

Tightness envelops my throat, constricting my speech.

"Because of what I'm feeling right now. Rejection. I told myself that not admitting my feelings felt a hell of a lot better than being turned down." Edward opens his eyes, but peers past me, through the glass of the opposing window. "I wish I'd never said a word."

Finally finding my voice, I whisper, "Me too."

Jasper Whitlock lives on the outskirts of Memphis, in a safer, more-suburban part of town. The two-story, white and cream-colored Victorian style home is an exact replica of one of the original homes in the Victorian Village District of Memphis.

"What does your boyfriend do for a living again?" I ask Alice. They've been dating for about six months now, but none of us has met him yet.

"His father was the founder of Ole Time Tobacco." Alice waves a dismissive hand. "Overlook the house, and the paintings, and the rugs. Jasper's a good ole boy. You're gonna love him."

"He gives people lung cancer for a living? Sounds like a real winner," Edward grumbles.

The man who opens the door and flashes Alice a blinding smile is far from a boy. Well over forty, Jasper Whitlock, with his slicked-back blond hair, black slacks, partly unbuttoned white shirt, and a cigar hanging from the corner of his mouth looks old enough to be Alice's father instead of her boyfriend.

She squeals and darts up the drive, her arms spread wide. Jasper's eyes widen in alarm and the expensive cigar falls carelessly to the ground, forgotten, as he quietly tries to calm Alice.

Rubbing her belly.

"Guess his fingers don't freak her out," Edward whispers in my ear. I'm frozen, his warm breath washing over me, melting me, causing me to squirm.

"Must be nice," I mutter. Jealousy, my bitter friend, returns once again.

"What must be nice?" Edward pulls suitcase after suitcase out of the trunk, depositing them near my feet. I reach to help, but he grabs each one before my fingers can touch the handle.

"Having someone to care for you while you're pregnant."

Edward slams the trunk and shoves his shades to the top of his head, peering down at me. "I was there, you know."

I wrinkle my brow, confused by his words. "You were where?"

"At the hospital. When you had Bree."

Shock entangles my heart, clutching it and releasing the frantic, pumping organ. "You weren't there. No one was besides my parents. Rose and Alice were away at college and didn't make it until after I gave birth. And Jake, Bree's father, was laid up with some girl he met at a bar."

"I was there," Edward says. "I sat in the waiting room with your dad until they called him back. I asked him not to tell you. We weren't exactly the best of friends and I didn't want to stress you out, not in that situation."

"I don't believe you. Why would you lie about this? How would you even know I was having the baby?"

"I was in town visiting my folks." Edward shrugs, turning his head and peering off in the distance. "Word gets around quick in a small town. She was a beautiful baby, Bella. A full head of auburn hair and big, brown eyes. Why are you so surprised that I was there for you? You are a part of every childhood memory that I have."

I thread my fingers through my hair, working out the tangles. My thoughts are screaming at me, but I can't understand a word they're saying.

Nothing makes sense anymore.

"Guys," Rose calls from the doorway of the elegant house. "Come meet Jasper."

Edward stoops down and grabs two suitcases, the movement snapping me out of my haze. I grab a couple as well and follow him up the drive, too befuddled to smile at Alice's beau, too confused to think about proper introductions or anything, really, other than Edward's words.

He was there for me when no one else was, and I didn't even know.

"Edward and Bella," Jasper says, taking my hand and, I swear to God, planting a kiss on the back of it. "Jasper Whitlock. Welcome to Casa de la Whitlock. Leave your boots by the door, if you don't mind. My maid, Maria can be terrifying, especially when it comes to someone tracking mud into the house."

"Where can I hang my hat at night?" Edward asks, grinning.

"Follow Maria upstairs." Jasper nods to an elderly, Hispanic woman standing near the base of the stairs, smiling. "She'll show you and your lovely wife to your bedroom."

"Wife?" I blurt out the word, wincing at how loud it comes out. "Sorry for the confusion, but Edward and me, we're ..."

"You're not married? Dating? A couple?" Jasper leans back on his heels. "Alice acted like-"

Alice nudges him in the ribs with her elbow, shooting him a death glare. His lips immediately seal.

"There're only three bedrooms," Alice says, a faux frown on her face. I narrow my eyes as she avoids my gaze. "Must have slipped my mind."

"I'll sleep on the couch," Edward says.

"No sleep on couch!" Marie belts out.

"Yeah, the couches in this house aren't exactly the type you sleep on," Alice says, pursing her lips at Maria's sudden outburst. The elderly woman's features smooth out and her smile returns.

"We're all adults here," I say, taking a deep breath. "We can share a bed."

"We can?" Edward asks, as a shadow of a smile twists on his lips.

"Don't get any ideas," I grumble. His grin grows wider and it's contagious. This is the first time I remember the two of us teasing one another, being playful, friendly, anything other than demeaning.

Ding.

Edward's smile drifts away. "I'll take the bags up while you answer that text."

I nod and excuse myself, following the direction of Jasper's finger as he points his way to the courtyard. Slipping through the veranda doors, I take a deep breath, overwhelmed with the view in front of me. Colorful flowers spill from marble vases, their outstretched blooms reaching for the sun. A fountain with bubbling water sits in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by more flowers and neatly trimmed hedges. Finding a bench near the fountain, I pull out my phone and sit down, skimming the text. This time it isn't from Jake, but from my father who's recently learned how to text. Instead of texting him back, I dial his work number, chuckling as he breathlessly answers.

"You okay, kid?"

"I'm fine, Daddy. We just got here."

"How's Alice's new beau?"

"He's nice and … Older." I smile, shaking my head. "He's not much younger than you, I bet."

"Mary Alice is an old soul," he says, and I'm surprised. Daddy has always been old fashioned and very fond of Alice, who was once a semi-permanent fixture in our home. "I'm not worried about Mary Alice, but I am worried about you. You take enough money with you?"

"Yes, Daddy." I sigh, rolling my eyes.

"And your pepper spray?"

I cross my fingers behind my back. "Yes, Daddy."

"Are you lying to me, Isabella Marie Swan?"

"Um, maybe?"

Daddy sighs. "What am I gonna do with you, girl? You heard from Jake?"

"Constantly. He's still under the delusion that he has a chance with me." I examine my nails. "Never mind that he stayed drunk and cheated on me during my entire pregnancy."

"He's manned up since Bree was born," Daddy says. I hear the rustle of paperwork in the background and imagine him sitting behind his desk at the police station, catching the 'bad guys' as he always told me when I was younger. "He takes care of her every other weekend, pays his child support on time ..."

"And that's great. I'm glad he's good at being a father. Too bad he couldn't be a better … Whatever we were before Bree was born. Speaking of Bree being born, was Edward Cullen at the hospital when I gave birth?"

Daddy says nothing for a long moment. He clears his throat, mumbling his answer. "Damn, I know I should have told you. He told me not to, but I planned on letting you know after you had Bree, but I guess I was too caught up on the excitement of being a new grandpa."

"He's here with us this weekend." I pick at my nails, chipping the polish completely off. "I don't understand why he was there."

Daddy chuckles. "My sweet girl. You never could realize what was right in front of you, could you?"

"I'm so confused."

Daddy sighs. "Have fun this weekend, Bella. You deserve it after the year you've had, don't you think?"

"Yes, sir."

"That's my girl." I can hear his smile through the phone. We end our call and I glance at the house behind me, peering up at a second story window where a curtain moves. I catch a glimpse of Edward standing by the window, and then he's gone, leaving me to wonder if he was ever really there to begin with.

We leave Alice behind with Jasper to let them plan a night filled with barbeque and blues. Heading out to Tom Lee Park, I glance at the thickening clouds hanging low in the Tennessee sky.

"Too bad it's gonna rain, huh?" Edward says, following my gaze.

"Nah, I'm prepared." Stretching out my leg, I wiggle my foot inside my cowboy boot. "No chance of sticky mud getting on my pedicure."

Edward licks his lips and turns his head, shifting in his seat. My gaze lands in his lap and I swallow, noticing the swell inside his jeans. A strange sense of dominance flows through my veins, a sense of power over this man whom I felt overpowered me in so many ways during our youth.

I make him feel this way.

I turn him on.

Me, Bella, the girl wearing cut-off jean shorts and cowboy boots, still carrying around my post-birth, baby weight.

The park is crowded, swarming with bodies and music. On the stage, sitting near the banks of the Mississippi River, Kid Rock emerges and I'm taken back in time, back to my youth. Rose whoops and swivels, swings her hips, hip checking me in the process. She throws one arm around me and I do the same, laughing and dancing, shaking what our mama's gave us without a second thought. And we dance. We dance and dance for what seems like hours. Beer flows freely and I hold my breath, wrinkling my nose with each sip.

Bodies bump into us; wandering hands brush against my ass and grab a handful, startling me. Behind me, I hear a low curse and a raised voice. Turning, my mouth falls open in horror as Edward throws a punch, knocking a guy to the ground. The man screams, holding his bloody nose and writhing on the ground. A light mist falls, wetting the already muddy banks.

"What the hell are you doing?" I holler.

"He touched you." Edward's glare is venomous, staring down at the man while Em holds him back.

"Bastard deserves it." Rose is drunk, her words slurred.

"We're gonna get kicked out," I mumble. The man scoots across the wet ground and eventually stands, melting into the crowd. "I bet he gets security."

Edward rakes his fingers through his hair, gazing at the river flowing beside us. His nostrils are flared, his lips smashed in a fine line. "I'm going for a walk," he mutters, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Edward dodges bodies left and right, unaware of the lusty stares of soaking wet girls following his retreating frame. Frustration creeps over me and I'm glaring at a short blonde who whispers to her friend and trails behind him through the crowd.

"You gonna go after him or what?" Em asks, sighing when I don't respond. "That guy loves you. He loved you back in the day and he still loves you now. Probably more so now. Distance makes the heart grow fonder and all that. I used to think that was BS, but I see it. I see it, Rose sees it, Alice sees it. Bella, you're the only one who doesn't."

My feet move faster than my mind.

Sticky mud sucks at my boots, hindering my way through the thickening crowd. Mist transforms into a light rain. My clothes and hair are plastered to my body and I tug my shirt, uncomfortable with the way it clings to me. Twenty-feet away, I catch a glimpse of him, emerging from the crowd with the blonde nowhere in sight. The relief that I feel is almost overwhelming in intensity and I shake my head, unsure of when I became this person, this person who worries over Edward Cullen.

"Edward."

His gait slows, but he continues to walk, his head ducked down away from the rain. Breathless from the thrill of the hunt, I slide up next to him and grab his wrist, my heart sinking when he dodges my touch.

"You're missing out on Rose's birthday," he says, eyes on the ground.

"Guess I'm gonna miss out on the crowd surfing."

Edward smiles. "That sounds like it could end in tragedy."

"Yeah, I don't have the best of luck on Rose's birthday."

"I remember the year you broke your arm," he says.

"And the year I went skinny dipping and got stung by mosquitoes all over my ass," I reply.

Edward stops, his boots sinking in the thick mud. He gazes down at me, apprehension on his face. "I was there, remember?"

"There were a lot of people there." I bite my lip and can't meet his eyes because I know he was there. Blushing, I remember watching him emerge from the lake, water dripping from his hair and chest, trailing down his body.

"I watched you all night." He chuckles at the astonishment on my face. "God, you were so beautiful. You still are."

"You called me chicken legs," I mutter, frowning. "You said my hair looked like a drowned rat."

"My name-calling got you out of the lake," he quietly admits, suddenly looking shy. "That was my goal. All I wanted to do was to see you naked. It was my high school wet dream. You were my high school wet dream."

Thunder claps in the distance.

Lightning streaks through the sky.

I shiver at the sincerity in his voice, the burn of my cheeks deepening. "I'm not in high school anymore. That girl is long gone."

"I know." He pushes a wet strand of hair from my forehead. His fingertips trail down the side of my face. "You're a woman now. The sexiest woman I've ever seen. When that guy touched you, I saw red. When I found out some guy knocked you up and then wasn't there for you, I saw red. I can't do this anymore, Bella. I can't stand back and let someone snatch you up, when I know I'm the one who can make you and Bree happy."

Edward and I call a cab and head back to Jasper's house.

And for the first time in my life, I miss Rose's birthday.

Later that night, my body sore in the most amazing way, I lie in bed with Edward, our legs tangled together. Only a sheet separates our naked flesh and I hate that sheet. Ripping it from the bed and tossing it to the floor isn't above me, not after the past couple of hours spent exploring each other's bodies.

At first, I was apprehensive to let Edward see me naked, especially since I haven't been with anyone since Jake. My body isn't what it once was. There are curves in places curves shouldn't be. Tiny, translucent lines mark my abdomen and I had shied away from his intense stare. But with the brush of his lips on my belly, his tongue tracing the place where my daughter once rested beneath, all my hang-ups, my self-conscious worries had flown from my mind. The dip of his tongue even lower numbed what was left of my thoughts.

"Who keeps Bree while you're in school?"

I lean back on the soft pillow, closing my eyes.

"My neighbor, Sue, watches her during the day while I'm taking classes and also in the evenings when I work."

"I know you work at Billy's diner during the summer. Where do you work the rest of the year?"

"There's this sports bar in town." I laugh at the alarm on his face. "You shoulda seen me working there when I was pregnant. Let's just say the short top was quickly replaced with a baggy jersey. The owner, Ben, is really cool. I thought my pregnancy would be bad for business. I mean, I know he couldn't legally fire me for getting pregnant, but you know how bosses can always find some other excuse. But Ben was totally cool with it. Turns out there's a whole plethora of men who are attracted to pregnant women."

"I really don't wanna hear about other men being attracted to you." Edward side-eyes me, his face serious. "Sounds like you have a busy schedule. Not much time to spend with Bree."

"Yeah." Biting my lip, I admit the one thing I haven't told anyone. "That's why I'm thinking about not returning to school in the fall."

Edward props up on one elbow. "What are you going to do?"

"I've already got my associate degree. Continuing my education later in life is always an option." Even as I say it, I know it's not true. Settling for a two-year degree will suffice forever if it means spending more time with my daughter.

"You gonna stay in Starkville or move back home to Tennessee?"

"Probably back home, but I can't stay with my parents. My mom drives me nuts. She's a helicopter grandmother, always hovering over Bree."

Edward lies back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, an unusual, uncertain expression on his face. "You could always stay at my place."

"Your place?" I whisper.

"Yeah, you know, until you get back on your feet. My parents built that big house in Knoxville and left me their old house. There's no sense in letting it sit there empty. Of course, I'll be there a lot. At the house, I mean. You know, on weekends and stuff. And maybe in between. If that's okay."

The nervousness in his voice makes my heart melt. I know what he wants, what he's asking without saying. But it's so sudden that it overwhelms me. Never have I been the type to throw caution to the wind and take such a bold step. Moving into a house belonging to a man, who, prior to this weekend, I believed hated me, is such an absurd motion. I can't believe I'm even thinking about accepting his offer.

"I'll do it," I whisper, smiling at the grin he fails to hide.

Edward nods, forcing down the corners of his mouth, still staring at the ceiling.

The first time Edward formally meets Bree is the day I move into his house.

Emmett and Jasper are unloading a dresser form the U-Haul I rented. I stand in the driveway watching them with Bree on one hip. She's babbling, drooling all over my arm. Edward emerges from inside his house and my breath stills inside my chest the second his eyes meet my daughter for the first time.

Then, as simple as my breathing suddenly isn't, he saunters down the drive and scoops her up in one fluid movement. Bree's dark eyes widen and she stares up at him, her head jerking back into the safety of his waiting hand. He coos at her, whispering words I can't hear and probably don't want to. The sight of him babying my daughter does something silly to my sinuses, making my nose run and my eyes water. I turn away, sucking in a ragged breath and shaking my head in astonishment.

"Edward, I, uh, don't feel right not paying rent," I say, wiping the tears from my face before turning to face him.

"Why would you pay me rent? You're doing me a favor by keeping up the place." He props Bree on his hip and sets his too-big baseball cap on her head. Squealing, she knocks it from her head and I gasp as his favorite cap falls to the ground. It lays there forgotten, resting in the soft grass where I pick it up, watching Edward carry my daughter inside his house.

"I guess not all of my birthdays end in disaster," a voice calls out.

Snapping out of my haze, I playfully narrow my gaze at Rose as she pulls her car in the drive. Her head hangs out the open window, a smile wide on her face. Rolling my eyes, I cross my arms and meet her halfway down Edward's drive.

"Who knows?" she continues. "Maybe by my twenty-second birthday the two of you will be married."

Rose hands me a small, square-shaped package wrapped in silver and topped with a sparkling bow.

"What's this?" I ask, ripping open the corner of the paper.

"A housewarming gift." She crosses her arms over her chest and squints from the midday sun.

Hidden beneath two layers of silver paper is a digital camera, one that Rose caught me checking out at the electronics store a few days prior to my move.

"I thought maybe the three of you could take new snapshots. Together this time."

"The three of us," I say, smiling as I hear Edward speaking baby talk in the distance. "Together."

Rum, first I'd like to thank you for being born, although I should probably thank your parents, but they'd probably think I'm some weirdo internet friend of yours (I am) and that probably wouldn't go over very well, so ...

Happy Birthday!

I wanted to write you a humor fic because I know that's what you like, but I was kinda in the mood for something more somber. I threw in Memphis because you've always professed your love of Memphis to me. And you did notice that Bella was a State girl, right? *grins* I bet you did!

From one 'Sip girl to another, I love ya and hope this is the best birthday ever.

Thanks to Jackie and Shika for pre-reading and Fran for her betaing skills. And to all those who took the time to read this ... Muah! *throws kisses your way*