Mini Outtake...

A/N: When this fic finished, I sent out this little outtake to all my reviewers to say thank you for their support. I'm getting slack with sending it out now, so I thought I would just post it. This way everybody can see it.

It takes place between chapter 24 and the honeymoon outtake.

If you were a regular SS&SD reviewer, then you've read it. :D

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The smile on Edward's face was never going to fade. He was back behind the wheel of Herbie as they hurtled back toward The Love Shack. They were behind on Bella's birthday schedule already due to the fact that Edward hadn't wanted to stop kissing her on the sand. The pair had lay entwined with each other and made out like teenagers for far too long. It was their little moment, and neither of them had wanted it to end. The island's "tip" would always hold a special place in their hearts.

Surprise number two was to tell the gang their exciting news. Bella knew that Alice already knew, but she had respected Bella's privacy and said nothing to her about it, pretending she didn't know. Bella knew that knowledge must have been killing Alice and that she'd be so relieved to finally be able to celebrate. There was only one problem.

Technically…well…um…you didn't ask Charlie?

Um…but you didn't do the asking, so…

Edward took his eyes off the road.

"Oh, shit! Your dad. Yeah, I guess I better ask, but—" Edward suddenly looked nervous as hell. "What if…"

"We own a bar that we give him full access to. Are you kidding me? This is heaven according to Charlie."

Edward relaxed. He was momentarily letting his demons win. He nodded, agreeing with her, and stepped on the gas.

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~~SS&SD~~

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"SURPRISE!" They all shouted as Edward pushed through the little red doors in search of Charlie.

He laughed because he'd guessed they would be springing out at him at some point during the day, but he'd honestly thought it would be later. All of them had been like the rainbow connection for the past few days, and he had known that Bella had finally let them in on her plans.

Alice popped a bottle of champagne.

"Happy Birthday," they all said.

Carlisle came and gave Edward a hug, and Jasper handed him a shot of tequila with lime. He held his shot up in the air, wanting to toast his friend's day.

"Before we drink to me," Edward said, with his arm wrapped firmly around her waist. "We have an announcement to make."

The look in Edward's eyes as he gazed down at Bella made her whimper softly.

I'm so fucking lucky.

Charlie was sitting at a stool at the bar, Alice was pouring champagne for Bella, Jasper held his tequila ready, Emmett was standing with Godzilla on his shoulder feeding him crickets, Zafrina was grinning as she snuck a sip of champagne, and Carlisle was looking between Edward and Bella full of excited anticipation.

"We're getting married," Edward announced with a smile so blinding it made the sun look like a tiny dull pimple in the sky.

Four stunned faces stared back at them. Alice and Carlisle already knew. Carlisle had guessed from watching them as much as he did.

"Bella proposed this morning," he said with pride.

His last words woke the gang from their stupor.

Edward looked to Charlie for approval and was met with a feeling of jubilation from inside Bella's father's mind so great that it almost made Edward want to cry.

"Jasper, put that rocket fuel away. We need a proper toast to celebrate my baby girl getting married," Charlie said, indicating to the top shelf Hennessy that all the boys loved so much but rarely drank.

He then held out his hand to Edward, but Edward pulled him in for a hug along with Bella.

Carlisle was next to congratulate them. Tears had sprung free against his wishes, and he patted his cargo pants for a handkerchief. It was the only thing he missed about his three-piece suits.

"I'm proud of you, Little B," Em said, punching Bella's arm. "My little sis proposes. I always knew you were kickass. Where'd you do it?"

Edward grinned. Bella groaned.

"On the beach," she answered.

"Yeah, but where exactly?" Emmett was smiling in anticipation. He even had his fingers crossed behind his back.

"At the…point," she muttered.

"YES! The tip! You did it at the tip," he hollered happily. "Great things happen at the tip, B. It's a special place to be worshipped." He joked, making her blush. To rescue Bella, Alice wiggled a cricket near his ear, but moved it just as Godzilla chomped down on his lobe.

When the Emmett ruckus finally subsided, the eight of them held their glasses and toasted the happy couple.

"No champagne, Alice?" Bella asked.

She grinned. "Nope, we have an announcement too."

Before she could speak again, a stunned Edward muttered, "I'm gonna be an uncle?"

Alice had let him see her news first, and the group erupted for the third time in as many minutes.

"We'll be wanting a cousin or two when you're ready," Jasper said, hugging his beautiful, glowing wife but looking at the new couple.

Jasper was more than happy to have a baby now that Alice could go to a proper hospital and get the care she needed without worrying if her admission would set off security alerts. It was the only reason he'd been so angry last year.

Edward stood almost too overwhelmed by the emotional mix in the room. His new family was all happy, healthy and safe. The Love Shack was prospering. Life was good. He was to be a husband and then an uncle and had never felt so free in all his young life.

He leaned over and kissed Bella's forehead.

This was one birthday he would never—ever—forget.

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Thanks for reading SS&SD.

I've had a few PMs asking why I'm not writing FFn at the moment. It's because I'm working on my original fiction series (Sanguine Mountain Book 1 - YA Paranormal romance - available on Amazon) and that takes up all my writing time. But I'm still around. I promise.

Happy reading!