Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.
Chapter 14 – Surprise!
Bella's POV
Rose was in the middle of one of her trademark meltdowns when we arrived at the party that evening.
"The fucking caterer only showed up with half the cheesecakes! What the hell am I supposed to do for the rest of the guests?" Rose was pacing back and forth in the kitchen. Mike, Laurent,
and I were among the first people to arrive at the Smith's Greenwich house. Laurent hadn't even had a chance to give his keys to the hired valet when we heard Rosalie shrieking inside. I
managed to get her out of sight and into the kitchen, but calming her down was proving to be an entirely different story.
"I ordered champagne – twenty bottles of bubbly to be exact, and what the hell do they show up with? Flat dessert wine!" Rose continued her rant. "We can't do a toast-" I reached out and
gently covered her mouth with my palm.
"Take a deep breath and relax, please," I said, using my free hand to squeeze her shoulder. "Did the caterer make the rest of the cakes?"
"Of course not!" She pushed my hand away and I watched as her face reddened. "Someone in the chain of command didn't get the mother fucking memo. Then they had the audacity to tell
me we could serve cookies in place of the cheesecakes! This is a party for a group of sophisticated adults, not some kiddy gathering!"
I racked my brain, trying to think of a way I could fix things. I knew from experience that Rose was good at making a mountain out of a molehill, and would drag this out all night if she
could. I didn't want to see Emmett's party ruined over something as trivial as missing cheesecake.
Alice had just texted me saying that she and Jasper were almost there and I didn't know any of the other people on Rose's mile-long guest list. That left me with one option.
"I'll be right back." Rose looked on in confusion as I slipped out the door and onto the patio. I scrolled through my phone until I found the number I was looking for. I pushed the send button
and said a silent prayer.
"Hello, Bella."
"Hi, Edward." I looked over my shoulder to make sure nobody had followed me outside and lowered my voice. "Have you left the city yet?"
"We're just pulling out now. Do you need a ride?"
I crossed my fingers, hoping Edward would do what I was about to ask for me and put his current distaste for Rose and Emmett aside. "I'm actually in Greenwich already. Listen, there's a
crisis that needs diffusion here and I was hoping you could help me out."
"What's going on?"
"It's not the end of the world or anything – well, I guess to Rose it is – but, I need to get about fifty pastries and twenty bottles of bubbly up here as soon as humanly possible."
His tone changed from one of concern to one of amusement. "I see. And I was the first person you thought of when it came to taking on this task?"
"You're the only one I know who hasn't left Manhattan yet," I admitted, which made him chuckle. "Please, Edward. Rosalie might blow up the Smith family palace here if I don't do
something fast."
"Tell me what I need to do and I'll see if I can make it happen."
I blew out a breath of relief and explained my plan in detail. Neither of us was completely convinced that it could be pulled off on such short notice, but Edward agreed to give it his best.
"Text me when you're almost here and I'll come out to meet you."
"Perfect. Try to stop Rose from demolishing anything before I get there," Edward teased. "I'd hate to miss all the excitement." We said our goodbyes and hung up.
"Who was that?" Mike sidled up next to me and pulled out a cigarette. "And does Greenwich have a SWAT team, because we might need to call them in soon."
"It was Edward," I explained. "Is she getting worse?"
"If the owner of that catering company still has testicles come Monday I'll be shocked." Mike took a long drag and grinned. "Rose is probably wielding a knife as we speak."
"When the weapons come out, I'm leaving." Laurent joked, joining us. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his almost-too-tight skinny jeans and shook his head. "Please tell me you came
out here to wave your magic wand and conjure up some cheesecake?"
"Sorry to disappoint but I left my wand at home." I winked and butted my cigarette. "I better get back inside. I have a feeling I'll be spending the evening doing Rosalie Smith damage
control."
"The only wand you need to get your hands on tonight is the one in Edward's pants!" Mike smirked. "He's already proven to have the power to drop your panties with one wave of that
thing."
"Hers and mine both!" Laurent said with a wink. "That man is dangerous enough as is – imagine the damage he could do if he decided to bat for our team!"
Mike swatted Laurent's shoulder and rolled his eyes. "All the men would line up at his door and then where would we be?"
"In line with them."
It was my turn to roll my eyes. "There will be no waving of any man's wand tonight, boys. I simply called in a favor from him. As Emmett would say, the show must go on."
"Ooooh, does that mean you two are going to give us a show?" Mike wiggled his eyebrows mischievously. I shook my head and started for the house.
"There will be no shows of any sort tonight either," I called over my shoulder. "Except for the one I'm about to go deal with in the kitchen."
"She moved on from the kitchen, honey," Laurent called after me. "She was heading for the living room when I came outside."
I couldn't help but laugh. Maybe Alice wasn't such a bad matchmaker after all. Laurent was perfect for Mike. I hoped that Mike could make it last for more than a few weeks unlike the rest
of his relationships.
When I got inside, I was greeted by a flushed Rose yelling into her phone. Apparently she made it back to the kitchen. "I don't care if it's a Saturday! I made these arrangements a week
ago!"
I stepped forward and took the phone from her. "Hello? Yes, this is Ms. Smith's publicist, Bella Swan. We've got things under control here for now, but Ms. Smith would appreciate it if you
could have your manager get in touch with her or me on Monday."
"What the fuck are you doing?" Rose hissed. I put my finger to my lips and gave her a stern look.
"Yes, that would be great. Thank you so much. Enjoy your weekend." I set the phone on the kitchen counter and grabbed Rose's shoulders. "You, my dear, need to calm down before you
get yourself blacklisted from every catering company in Manhattan."
"I have every right to be upset!" Rose argued.
"I know that, but I'm taking care of things, so you can stop worrying." I brushed some stray strands of hair out of her face and patted her cheek. "Now, go get yourself freshened up before
the man of the hour arrives. Your face is all blotchy and half of it is about the same color as that gorgeous little number you've got on."
"You're really taking care of things?" For the first time since we got there, Rose sounded hopeful.
I nodded and gave her a wink. "Trust me, okay? Now, off you go!" I spun her around and gave her ass a smack. Rose let out a long breath and headed for the stairs.
I opened the fridge and grabbed the first open bottle of wine I saw, pouring myself a generous glass. I'd learned a long time ago that the Smiths considered me a part of their family, and
as such I was told never to ask if I wanted something. I gulped the dark colored merlot down and swallowed the biter after taste.
With Rose subdued I could relax for a bit. Other guests were starting to arrive and it was quite clear that the waiters and waitresses would need direction from someone other than the
hostess.
I poured one more glass of wine and chugged it down. A warm sensation was already starting to spread throughout my body, and I knew that within minutes I'd be feeling the classic signs
of relaxation that a drink or two brought with it.
Yes, we would all make it through this night.
For reasons beyond my comprehension, I knew that Edward would come through for me in the end.
-=- HC -=-
"Any luck?"
"Well…" His voice trailed off and it felt like my stomach dropped to the floor. Emmett would be arriving any minute now and I didn't want Rose to lose her shit when he got here.
"Thank you for trying, Edward. I really do appreciate your effort."
"Slow down there, Swan, you didn't let me finish." He did nothing to hide his amusement. "My trunk is full of cheesecake and bubbly."
I was fairly certain I squealed.
"You better not be fucking with me!"
"You obviously don't know Esme very well. Dessert and liquor are two things my mother taught me never to fuck with."
I barked out an obnoxious laugh that sounded more like a cackle. There may have been a snort added in at the end as well.
"I don't even want to know what that was." Edward laughed. "Send some help outside because we just pulled up."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I blurted out before hanging up.
"What was that about?" Mike was becoming quite talented at appearing out of thin air.
"Edward is here with that favor I told you about."
"No shit?" Mike's jaw started to drop but he composed himself. "And here you were trying to tell us you left the magic at home. I'm fairly certain you're the only woman on this side of the
Hudson that's ever had that man at her beck and call."
"The only man who's at my beck and call around here is you. So, get that pretty little ass of yours outside and grab a case of bubbly."
Mike set his drink down and saluted me. "Yes, ma'am!"
I followed him and stopped short on the front steps. Edward was leaning against the side of the Town Car with his arms crossed over his chest and that familiar panty-melting grin on his
face. His disheveled hair blew in the breeze and the form-fitting sweater he had on showed off the definition of his shoulders and arms.
I resisted the urge to run to him and fling myself into his arms. "You're amazing."
He shook his head and pushed himself off the car, closing the space between us. "I would have to argue that you're the amazing one – and generous too. This isn't even your party."
I shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a public relations girl at heart. Crisis management is something I've become rather seasoned in."
Edward leaned down until his lips were right next to my ear. "I hope this all meets the hostess's expectations." His breath skirted across my bare skin, leaving a trail of goose bumps in its
wake. He pulled back and looked at me. Chocolate eyes met green ones and I swallowed the lust that always took over my senses whenever he was near.
"The, uh, the hostess doesn't exactly have room to be picky," I stammered out.
"No, but you and I both know she will be regardless."
"What's all the commotion out here?" Rose appeared in the doorway. Her eyes moved from Mike, who was grabbing a second case of bubbly from the trunk, to Edward, to me, and then
back to Edward.
"That would be the sound of Edward Cullen saving your ass," Mike huffed out, pushing past Rose and into the house. Her eyes widened and she placed her hands on her hips.
"You brought all this?"
Edward nodded. "Saved by the Wall Street asshole."
I elbowed his side and smiled at Rose. "You had enough to deal with, hun. It was the least we could do."
Rose narrowed her eyes and stared at Edward for a minute. Finally, her expression softened and a smile danced on her lips. "You did good, Cullen. Thank you."
"Emmett's here!" Jasper poked his head around Rose and waved us inside. Edward held his hand out and looked over at me.
"I know we're flying solo, but could we at least do it together?"
I bit my lip and rested my hand in his. He entwined our fingers and squeezed gently. I was done testing him and done resisting him. I would give a little and see how much he wanted to
take. I didn't want to dive headfirst into a whirlwind romance overnight, but I was no longer opposed to letting one develop naturally.
"Does this mean I'm forgiven?"
I nodded and squeezed his hand back. "You've been forgiven since last night. I'm just too stubborn to admit things."
He wiped his hand across his brow in an exaggerated gesture and sighed loudly. "Whew! I was beginning to think I'd have to bring out the big guns and ask my mom for dating advice."
"Bella! You're such a vixen! And a lifesaver!" Alice grabbed my free hand as soon as we were inside and pulled me in the direction of the kitchen. I glanced over my shoulder at Edward just
as someone turned the lights out. He smirked at me and shook his head.
The room got quiet and I heard the front door swing open.
"Why are the lights off, baby?" Emmett called just before he flipped the switch.
"SURPRISE!" A chorus of voices greeted him. Emmett's eyes grew wide and he stopped in his tracks.
While Rose ran up to Emmett and gave him a kiss that left people whistling and clapping, I looked around for Edward. He was standing where I'd last seen him with his arms wrapped
around a slim blonde woman.
Jealousy crawled into my stomach and planted itself there. It was a feeling I hadn't felt in a long time and I hated it.
So much for flying solo together.
I took one more look at Edward and sighed. The anonymous blonde was now running her hand up and down his bicep and whispering something in his ear that made him laugh.
I made a beeline for the fridge and poured myself the remainder of the bottle of wine.
It was going to be a long night.
Edward's POV
I took a sip of my whiskey sour and plastered another fake smile on my face.
I was so happy when Bella finally accepted my apology and took my hand outside the house. I wanted to jump up and down, pick her up off her feet, and giggle like a little kid.
Of course as soon as we got inside, Alice swept her off in one direction and Irina Denali cornered me. That was three hours ago and I had yet to rid myself of this New York nuisance.
I met Irina six months earlier at an anniversary party for one of my colleagues. She was good looking, wealthy, and remarkably easy, and I fucked her in the coat closet at the hotel before
going home that night.
What I didn't realize was that she was also remarkably clingy. She called me at my office relentlessly for weeks after the party, trying – and failing each time – to book a date or get me to
accompany her to the next big social function in town. She'd try and monopolize my attention whenever I saw her, and on several occasions she made false remarks to other women just to
get them to leave me alone.
All in all, the bitch was batshit crazy.
As luck would have it, she was also linked to Emmett in some way, and that meant I had the pleasure of being graced with her presence for the majority of the party.
"Edward, when are you going to come out and see my new place on Long Island?" Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard. I drained the rest of my drink and swirled the glass around so
the ice clinked against the sides of it.
"I'm not sure. My calendar is looking a little full for the next few months."
She laughed and waved her hand in front of her face. "Don't be silly. That's what you always say! If I didn't know any better I'd think you were purposefully avoiding me."
I tried my best to tune out her mindless chatter. I glanced around the room, stopping when my eyes fell on Bella. She was leaning up against one of the floor-to-ceiling windows and staring
at me. She held a glass of wine in one hand while the other toyed nervously with the charm that hung around her neck. Her eyes flicked away when she realized I'd caught her mid-stare,
but returned to mine quickly. A shy smile crept across her face and she raised her glass in the air at me.
I took that as my cue. "Irina, it was lovely catching up. Perhaps I'll see that Long Island house sometime in the spring?"
"Leaving already? It's not even midnight!" Irina went to stand, but I held my hand out and motioned for her to stay seated.
"I'm here with a friend actually."
"Well in that case, it would be rude for you not to introduce me to him!" She moved to stand up again and I shook my head.
"I believe she has already been waiting on me long enough." I nodded at the other two women who were seated with us and smiled. "Take care ladies. Enjoy the party."
I kept my eyes trained on Bella as I stalked across the room toward her. The feel of Irina's eyes on my back actually felt good this time. I hoped after tonight she would take the hint and
leave me alone.
"I was wondering if you were still here," Bella said when I was within earshot. I stood next to her and draped my arm across her shoulders.
"Irina Denali had me pigeonholed," I explained. Bella furrowed her brow in confusion and I nodded my head in the direction of my freakish stalker. "The blonde on the loveseat."
"Is she a member of the Cullen Casualties Club?" Bella teased.
I winced. "Cullen Causalities Club? Is that what the ladies of New York are calling it these days?"
"Well, I'm going easy on you here. I'm sure some of them have far more choice words they use." Bella sipped her wine and chuckled. "Like Blondie over there. If looks could kill, you and I
would both be dead by now."
I leaned down so my face was next to Bella's. "Can I tell you a secret?"
She turned her head until our eyes met. "As long as you don't expect me to keep it for very long."
I wet my lips with my tongue and smirked. Her sass made my dick twitch. "There's at least one member of the Swan Casualties Club present tonight as well."
Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson color and she looked away. "I have no idea who you could be referring to."
I slid my arm lower so it rested against her waist. I knew Irina and her gaggle were watching us, and I was almost positive we'd garnered the attention of at least a few other guests in the
room, but their opinions didn't matter to me.
"Want to get out of here?"
Her eyes met mine once more and she bit her lip. I reached up and tugged at it with my thumb, pulling it from the confines of her teeth and brushing my rough skin across it. Her breath
skirted across my knuckles in an airy wisp as she said the one word I was hoping to hear.
"Yes."
I took her wine glass and set it down on a nearby table. Bella watched on in silence as I entwined our fingers once more and led her through the living room and out the front door.
Once we were outside, I slowed my pace and she fell into step beside me. "I told Sam to wait around the other side of the house."
"He's been here this whole time?"
I shook my head. "No, I called him about twenty minutes ago."
"Does he know someone in this area or did he just find something to amuse himself with?"
We rounded the corner and the familiar Town Car came into sight. "I think he used to have family up here perhaps? I'm not entirely sure. You can ask him if you'd like."
"No, it's not important." Bella let go of my hand and opened the back door of the car. "Ladies first."
I rolled my eyes and flipped her the bird before climbing in and sliding across the seat. Sam was hunched over the steering wheel laughing. "Bella thinks I sprouted ovaries at the party."
"Nah, I'm pretty sure you've always had them. That would explain the mood swings and erratic behavior," she teased.
I clutched my hands over my heart in a dramatic gesture and tipped my head back against the seat. "Ouch! Oh, my wounded pride!"
Sam pulled away from the curb and glanced at me in the rear view mirror. "Where am I headed?"
I shrugged. "Wherever the lady would like to go."
Bella tapped her finger against her chin, pretending to be lost in thought. "I do believe you can drop me off at my place, Sam."
"First you call me a lady, then you ask me to take you straight home. Care to do anything else that might make me feel even more stripped of my manhood?"
Bella rested her hand on my knee and squeezed lightly. "Oh, please. You're stuck in a car with me for an hour and after Tuesday you'll be stuck with me for-" She stopped mid-sentence and
glanced down at her lap. "Well, let's just say we're in this for the long haul once your book comes out."
"What exactly are we in? I'm not even sure we've defined that yet." I couldn't help but smirk. My words made her nervous and I loved it.
"Well, we have a professional partnership," she sputtered out. I bit back a grin and did my best to keep a straight face.
"Is that all this is? I was under the impression it was more?"
"You've been back in my good graces for less than twenty-four hours, Cullen. Don't push your luck."
I laughed. "I'm only giving you a hard time, Swan, although I did assume forgiveness came with a second date attached."
Her cheeks heated up in a sexy blush. "Second date, maybe. Something more official, not quite yet."
"Not quite yet," I repeated. "I'm going to take that as meaning I shouldn't give up quite yet either."
She removed her hand from my knee and stretched her legs out across the seat, leaning her back against the opposite door and resting her heel-clad feet in my lap. "To quote you, Mr.
Cullen, "giving up is never an option,'" she said, using her fingers to make air quotes.
"Yes, but romance and the stock market are two entirely different ballparks."
"Not necessarily." Bella leaned her head back against the window and closed her eyes. "The risks are high, there's no guaranteed return on one's investment, and the value of a commodity
can rise and fall multiple times in a single day. Not to mention some of said commodities are far overvalued. I'd have to argue that these two ballparks are more alike than you think."
This time I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. "Touché, my friend. Perhaps you should consider writing a book on the economic outlook of the dating market."
"Ha!" Bella's eyes blinked open and she leaned over to grab her purse from the floor. "Nobody would have any romantic success if I was the one behind the wheels of that train."
"Why do I find that hard to believe?" I locked eyes with her and held her gaze until Sam brought the car to a stop in front of her apartment.
"I, uh, I believe this is my stop." She slid her legs off my lap and swung the car door open. "Thank you for the ride. I'm sure we'll talk before Tuesday."
"Whoa, wait a second." I climbed out of the car and jogged around to her side, grabbing her wrist gently and turning her to face me. "Can I walk you to your door?"
She bit her bottom lip and let her eyes roam over my chest and torso. "How about we compromise and say the elevator?"
"The elevator it is," I said, sliding my fingers down her wrist and grasping her hand in mine. "For the record, this never happens."
She glanced at me out the corner of her eye. "You walking a woman to her elevator?"
I chuckled. "Well, that too, but I was referring to my agreeing to compromise."
"Perhaps we should invest in a joint calendar to start marking all these monumental occasions down on?" The sass I was growing to adore had returned. I held the door for her and followed
her inside to the lobby of the building.
"In that case, let's add another occasion to that list," I said softly, reaching out and resting my hands gently on her shoulders.
"What occasion would that be?" Her voice was barely a whisper.
"The first time I gave you a kiss – a sober kiss – in front of your elevator." I brushed my fingers down her arms, grabbing her hands and bringing them up so they wrapped around the back
of my neck. I raised one hand to her face, caressing the soft skin of her cheek with the back of my knuckles before cupping her chin and pulling her face towards me.
As I looked into her eyes, I realized just how vulnerable she really was. Not in a young, naive way, but because she really was taking a chance by opening up to me, and giving me the
power to do potentially irreparable damage to her heart.
Her fingers found my hair at the same time our lips met, and I could feel her tongue pushing against my teeth, silently asking permission to go further. I opened my mouth and let our
tongues slide against one another as we familiarized ourselves with the once explored but still unfamiliar territory.
I wound my arms around her waist and pulled her body flush against mine, deepening our kiss. A soft moan escaped her and hummed off her lips. It felt like the nerves in my body were
igniting one-by-one. I decided then and there that if given the chance, I would fully choose to live inside a kiss with Bella.
I pulled away and rested my forehead against hers, bringing my hand up to brush a stray strand of hair from her cheek. "Thank you," I whispered.
"For what?"
"Forgiveness," I answered simply. I kissed the tip of her nose and pulled back. She smiled up at me.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"My first elevator door kiss," she said, standing on her toes and pressing her lips against my jaw. She backed up and pressed the button for the elevator.
I took a few steps forward and bent my head down so my lips were level with her ear. "Are you sure I can't come upstairs? Just for a bit?"
Bella smiled but shook her head. "I don't want to go down that road again if we're really going to give this a shot."
"Thank you again."
"What for now?"
"Keeping me in check." I laughed and squeezed her shoulder. "When can I book that second date?"
The elevator door opened and she stepped inside. "After your release party."
"You're going to make me wait that long?" I whined.
"The book is out in three days, asshat." She pushed the button for her floor and winked at me. "I think you can survive for at least six."
I stuck my lip out in a pout as the door started to close. "You're such a fucking tease."
"Good things come to those who wait, Mr. Cullen." She called out just before the doors shut.
I smirked and ran a hand through my hair.
In three days my book would be out.
In six days we'd have our second date – a date which I wouldn't screw up with alcohol or shitty behavior.
For the first time in six weeks it seemed as if everything in my life was going right.
With any luck, this positive streak would continue to last.
Bella's POV
I arrived at the W an hour and a half before Edward's party was scheduled to start. Alice, being her Type-A self, insisted on coming with and making sure I didn't lift a finger. She knew me
all too well, and was quick to point out the fact that I'd hired people to do the dirty work for me. All I needed to worry about was making sure everything went as planned.
"I don't like the placement of this." Alice pointed at the display of autographed copies of Edward's books. "I think it would be better by the door. Then each guest can get their copy when
they come in, which will keep them talking about the book throughout the night."
I nodded in agreement and waved over a member of the hotel's event staff. "Can we move these over by the main door?"
"Absolutely. Are you satisfied with the display itself, Ms. Swan?"
"The display looks great, thank you." I picked up one of the books and ran my fingertips over the glossy cover. A college aged man holding a fanned out wad of cash with green question
marks in place of the president's faces stared back up at me. A half a dozen thought bubbles with words like "CD," "Bond," and "IRA" surrounded his figure, and a large, intruding bank
stood behind him. I stared at the picture in awe, mesmerized not by the photo itself, but by Edward's name beneath the title. I flipped the cover open and read the cheesy message he'd
scribbled above his signature: "Here's to every dollar in your future."
"Bella? Hello?" Alice snapped her fingers in front of my eyes and grabbed the book from me. She set it back down on the stack and shot the man handling the display an apologetic smile.
"You can swoon over Edward's signature all you want when you get home. Hell, he's probably got a specially signed copy waiting for you at his apartment or something."
"I wasn't swooning!" I insisted, cringing as the chagrin spread across my cheeks.
"You were too swooning, and don't try to hide it from me." Alice tapped the tip of my nose and winked at me. "I'm your best friend dearie, I can see right through this façade. Besides, none
of us were oblivious to the fact that you left Em's party with Edward, not Mike and Laurent."
I bit my lip to stop the ridiculous smile that wanted to unleash itself at the memory of the kiss we'd shared when he dropped me off. Never before had I met a man who could make me feel
he way Edward did with something as simple as a feather light touch.
"And off to cloud nine you go again." Alice shook her head and chuckled. "You better wipe that blush off your cheeks and clear the fog out of your brain because your dream boat just
walked in."
I turned and saw Edward sauntering towards us. His hands were in his pockets and he had a playful smirk on his face.
"I'm going to do a lap and make sure everything is ready before the guests start arriving." Alice smiled and patted Edward awkwardly on the back. "Congratulations, Edward."
"Thank you, Alice." He leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
I shifted back and forth on my feet, unsure of exactly what I wanted to say. Edward took care of that for me, however. He leaned in and brushed his lips gently against my earlobe,
whispering, "Everything is perfect, just as I knew it would be."
The chagrin returned to my face, but this time I did nothing to stop my smile. "I'm so glad it meets your expectations."
"To be honest, I didn't really have any expectations," Edward admitted. "I've never been to one of these things before and I've certainly never had one thrown in my honor."
"Either way, I'm happy that you're happy."
Edward turned so he was standing next to me and surveyed the surroundings. "So what happens at a book release party exactly?"
I laughed. I couldn't believe we hadn't discussed this previously. I made a mental note to kick myself when I got home. "Well, your guests should start arriving any moment, and each one
will get a signed copy of your book when they come in the door. Some reporters will be here asking questions, mainly to you, maybe to a few others, and to Embry. People will socialize,
eat, you can make a speech if you want, and that's about it."
"For sounding so easy I sure as hell am nervous."
I smiled. Edward's vulnerable side rarely made an appearance. "You'll do amazing. You always do." I looked up to see several people filing through the door and grabbing copies of the
book. "Your guests are starting to arrive. I'm going to make myself invisible."
"What?" Edward looked at me in alarm. "You can't leave me alone out here. I have no idea what I'm doing!"
"Embry should be here any minute. He'll be glued to your side all night." I winked and turned to head for the bar before Edward could say anything else. I didn't want any of our outside
behavior to mingle into his party tonight. Nothing good could come from that.
"Are you ready to watch another Erickson and Swan event go off without a hitch?" Alice asked, handing me a cocktail and pushing out the barstool next to her. I sank down onto it and blew
out a sigh of both nervousness and relief.
"Absolutely."
Nobody needed to know how far from the truth that answer was.
- = - HC - = -
"Bella!" Esme wrapped her arms around me and gave me a light squeeze. "Once again your firm has amazed me. This party is lovely!"
"Thank you so much," I said, blushing. I glanced at the group of people around me, taking note of who was still present. Carlisle, Peter, and Charlotte stood a few feet away, engaged in an
animated conversation. Rosalie was telling a story to our group of friends that had both Mike and Laurent looking like they might piss themselves from laughing so hard. Edward and Embry
were talking to a reporter from The Journal. Everyone I had hoped would be there was.
Now seemed like the perfect time for me to make my long-awaited announcement.
"Excuse me," I said, clapping my hands together. The chatter died down and thirteen pairs of eyes turned to face me. Edward held his hand up, signaling for me to wait, but Embry caught
my eye and winked, nudging Edward in my direction with his elbow. The Journal reporter raised his brows in confusion and shrugged, following Edward several yards closer to me so he
could hear what I was about to say.
"I have a very special announcement to make," I began. All of the faces staring back at me now wore the same expression of confusion. Embry was the only exception; he looked on with a
big smile. "How I've managed to keep this under wraps for as long as I have is a wonder even to me, especially given who I have for a business partner. Alice is a master detective, as
some of you know."
Alice smirked, Rose and Edward rolled their eyes, and Jasper leaned down to kiss the top of her head.
"The only person in this room that's privy to the information I'm about to release is Edward's publisher, Embry Call. Before I start, I just want to thank him for all the help he's given me
over the past few weeks. It's been invaluable and I definitely couldn't have pulled any of this off without him."
Embry raised his glass and moved through the small group until he was standing next to me. "I'm equally excited in regards to what Bella is about to announce."
I took a deep breath and continued. "After weeks of negotiating and ironing out details, I'm very excited to announce we've managed to line up a six week long, six city book signing tour
for Edward." Edward's eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped. "The first date will be January 12, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois."
"Edward! This is amazing!" Esme exclaimed, wrapping her arm around her son and squeezing him into a half-hug. Edward nodded and continued to look at Embry and I in amazement.
"The excitement doesn't stop there," Embry interjected. "In addition to book signings, he will be giving a lecture to a group of finance majors at a university in each of the cities, starting
with the University of Chicago."
"Last, but not least, New York University has invited him to be a keynote commencement speaker at the December graduation ceremony," I announced. Carlisle and Peter started clapping,
and soon everyone in our small circle had followed suit. The Journal reporter was busy scribbling furiously on his notepad, and I said a silent thanks to whatever lucky stars had aligned to
put him there in the middle of our announcement. This would be great publicity and other outlets would surely pick up on it.
"How did you do all of this?" Alice hissed in my ear. I shrugged and smirked.
"All in a day in the life of a PR exec, my dear." I said smugly. Alice punched my shoulder lightly and chuckled.
"Whatever strings you pulled, whatever magic you conjured up, good fucking job. This is a huge deal and Edward is a huge client."
Oh, Alice. Always so focused on the business side of things. I, on the other hand, was more excited about the expression on Edward's face as he made his way toward me.
"Can I just kiss you? Right fucking here in the middle of this room?" He shook his head in disbelief and took me in his arms, squeezing me tight against him. I laughed and patted his back,
unsure of how to respond.
"As much as I'd love-" Edward grabbed my face with his hands and pressed his lips against mine, effectively silencing me. From the corner of my eye I saw Charlotte tug on the sleeve of
Esme's sweater and point at us.
"Do your clients kiss you?" I heard Jasper whisper to Alice, who promptly shushed him.
The kiss was short and sweet, and Edward was all smiles when he released my face from his sumo hold.
"That was sufficiently awkward," I mumbled. Edward rolled his eyes and took a few steps away from me, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
"Sorry, I forgot the no-physical-contact-in-public-venues rule," he snarked out. I was about to blurt back my own witty response when the Journal reporter approached us.
"Will Edward be doing this book signing tour by himself?"
"No, he will have someone accompanying him," I answered.
"Who will that be? Mr. Call?"
Embry stepped between Edward and I and slung his arms around our shoulders. "No, unfortunately I have obligations here in the city that prevent me from going."
"So who's going with me?" Edward asked curiously.
"Ms. Swan will be accompanying Edward on the book signing tour," Embry answered.
I balked at this announcement. Embry and I had briefly discussed having someone go on the tour with Edward, but as of our last meeting, nothing had been decided yet. Once again,
everyone around us was surprised. Alice looked like she was about to burst. Rose and Emmett exchanged a glance that could only be described as worry, and I could tell Edward was trying
his best to contain the excitement he felt.
"Bella! You must be so excited!" Charlotte exclaimed. She and Esme ascended on Embry, rapid firing questions about what cities were included, how long we'd be in each place, and where
we'd be staying.
I took a few steps back, removing myself from the chaos and letting my mind wander.
Six cities.
Six weeks.
Edward Cullen would be the only person by my side.
The thought alone unleashed a swarm of butterflies in my stomach and made my lady parts start to dance.
Six weeks wasn't much time, but it was enough to change things – and to change me.
If I wasn't in deep enough with Edward now, I knew that by the end of February I surely would be.
Edward's POV
I felt like a kid in a candy store on Christmas morning.
I was going on a book signing tour.
Universities wanted me to come and speak to their students.
Hell, NYU wanted me to give a speech at fucking commencement.
And just when I thought things couldn't get any better, I found out Bella was the one coming on the book tour with me.
Six cities.
Six weeks.
Me and Bella.
Alone.
Six weeks wasn't a lot of time, but deep down I knew it was long enough for Bella Swan to completely own me.
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