Bella
The weather the next day was sunny and clear, which was an anomaly for one of the rainiest places in the country. I still had yet to stock my new kitchen, so Jake, Charlie and I headed out for breakfast to a diner we had noticed on our travels about town the previous day. The parking lot was always full each time we passed it, so either the food was good, or there wasn’t any place else to go. We weren’t disappointed, as the food was excellent. Sitting in a booth with a window looking out over the lush green that was Washington, Charlie asked again about my plans in six months.
“Oh, I don’t know, Dad,” I said with a sigh. I had been wondering that same thing this morning in the shower. According to the plan, I had seven states yet to visit. I was vested in my retirement plan, so all of that money, as well as my employer’s contribution, was mine. I wouldn’t lose any of it if I changed jobs. In the last few days, however, I had begun to question what it was that I wanted. I wondered if I was near the end of this stage of my life, the stage where I enjoyed the spontaneity of living my life in three to six month snippets. I had friends, -or were they just acquaintances? - literally all over the country. My work experiences were as varied and unique as you could get. What had started as an unfamiliar pang as I watched Rosalie and her friends the other night had progressed to a quiet yearning for something akin to permanence and stability. I knew that I would always have a place with Charlie and Renee, but that wasn’t exactly what I wanted. With Jake and Leah beginning their new life together, I was wondering about the third wheel factor. And then the inevitable attempts to fix me up. I know that everyone would be full of good intentions, but seriously, I couldn’t bear the thought of Operation Find Bella A Man. Bella could find her own man. Bella just had to stay in one place for a while.
“I don’t have to let Nola know for a while. She has a general idea of where I would like to go. I was thinking of the San Francisco area. There are a few medical centers there that sound interesting, with nurse practitioner programs that I can investigate.”
Jake smiled at me. “I’m glad to hear you are giving more thought to school, Bells. I know that you’d do a great job as an NP. Would you stay in emergency medicine, or do something else?”
“I love the ED. The variety there is perfect for me, I think. I know so many people who don’t like their jobs, but what I do, helping people, often when they need it most, is really fulfilling, challenging. I feel like I really earn my paycheck. That’s a good feeling.” I said with a smile. I know it sounded corny, but it was the truth.
Charlie sat there with a grin on his face. “You know, sometimes, Bella, I still can’t believe you chose a career that puts you in constant contact with blood. How you got over that, I will never know.” He was shaking his head, surely remembering how I almost passed out in high school biology over a mere drop of blood.
“I don’t know either! I think that I just fell in love with how complex the human body is and I love the challenge of figuring out how to fix it when it is not working properly. I figured that either I needed to reconcile the aversion to blood or find another passion. Once I did that, everything else just fell into place.” I shrugged my shoulders and finished the rest of my omelet.
“Bella, you know that your mom and I just want you to be happy. Whether it is in Phoenix, Forks, or wherever, you have to live your life how you see fit. We have confidence that you do indeed know what is best for you. But, as selfish parents, we just wish it was within driving distance, that’s all,” Charlie said with as much emotion as his Charlie ways would allow. He smiled at me softly for a moment, and I could see the love he felt for me inside that simple smile. I hoped with all my heart, that the twinkle in my eyes showed my gratitude and love as well. He broke our gaze and upon seeing the waitress, he asked for our check.
Jacob claimed the back seat of Rufus, while my dad climbed into the passenger side. Forks was pretty quiet for a mid-morning Sunday. We found our way to the square and decided to take a walk and get to know the retail options. It was pretty limited.
We approached the place on the square where we had seen Alice’s yellow Porsche parked the day before. Emmett’s big Jeep was parked near the boutique, and as we came up to the storefront, we saw Emmett in the window. He was either wrestling with a mannequin or practicing for his debut on “Dancing with the Stars.” In either case, it wasn’t pretty. He waved, and the mannequin promptly lost her arm. Alice’s voice was heard clearly reprimanding him for his inability to keep the dummy in one piece.
I knocked on the window and the little pixie flew to the door and unlocked it, letting us in.
“Bella! I see you are getting acquainted with Forks! Welcome to my shop!”
“Thanks, Alice. We were just taking a walk around. This is my father, Charlie, and my good friend, Jacob Black,” I offered. “Guys, this is Alice Cullen and her brother, Emmett. Emmett is the person who took apart my house and put it back together. And he’s the landlord, too.”
Emmett hopped down out of the shop window to shake hands with Charlie and Jake. “I think Alice likes having a big brother around to do all of the heavy lifting. Good thing I’m so nice!”
Jake laughed. “I know what you mean. This is the fourth time Charlie and I have come to help Bella get settled. At least I get a six month break before my services are needed again,” he said, ducking as I swatted at the back of his head.
“Maybe we’ll just have to convince Bella to stay longer and give you guys a break!” Alice chirped. She smiled warmly at me and went into fashion mode. “Come see the things we just got in for the summer, Bella…”
Emmett, Jake and Charlie quickly fell into a conversation about baseball as I browsed at sandals. She had a nice selection, and I saw several pairs that caught my eye.
“Are you close to making a decision?” Alice asked. Why did I feel that she meant something other the espadrilles in my hand?
“Um, yes,” I replied, referring to the shoes, wondering about my future. “Do you have time to check for a size seven?”
“Absolutely! Those are so cute. So do you have a dislike for clothes like my brother? Just because you wear scrubs all day at work doesn’t mean you can’t glam it up off the clock. You’re what, a size four?” Alice asked with a scrutinizing eye.
“You’re good! How did you know that?” I wondered.
“It’s my job, silly. You and Edward fix people. I dress and accessorize them. We all have our gifts,” she said with a wink and disappeared into the back of the store. Ah, the famous, unattached Dr. Cullen. Was it me, or was Alice trying to make me a tad curious about her brother? Hopefully I would get to meet him this week. Alice and Emmett were good looking people, so I had to hope that Edward also was genetically predisposed to being beautiful as well.
I wandered back to Charlie and Jacob. Emmett was talking animatedly about baseball still. Or had they moved on to football? It was hard to tell. Boys will be boys.
“Did you hear that, Bells? Emmett’s family has a box for the Seahawks. When they play the Cardinals, Jake and I are going to come for a visit,” Charlie beamed. He was such a sports nut.
“You may never get rid of them, you understand, Emmett?” I said, rolling my eyes.
“That’s ok, Bella, we’ll bring Renee and Leah. You can have your girl time. It’s a win-win situation!” Jacob was grinning like a little boy.
“Did I hear ‘girl time’? That’s my department! What are you guys planning?” Alice said, bringing a shoe box and 3 dresses with her, each one more lovely than the last.
“Well, it appears the boys have scheduled a play date for the Cardinals-Seahawks game this fall. Hopefully, my mom and Jake’s girlfriend, er, I mean fiancé will join them,” I said. The lump in my throat at the mention of Jake having a fiancé was smaller, but there nonetheless. Jeez, Bella! Get a grip!
“Oooooh, goody! I know just the spa for us to relax at while the men go to their testosterone-fest! I’ll look up the schedule and get the ball rolling! This will be fantastic!” Alice squealed. And just like that, like we had been forever friends, the unbelievably perky shop owner whisked me to the dressing room and began chattering about beauty treatments and the like. I was given the dresses to try on. It was not a question as to whether I would leave with a dress, but rather which one. After settling on a cute, strappy midnight blue sundress, Alice placed the shoes in front of me. I looked nice. A little out of my comfort zone, showing so much cleavage, but the silky material felt heavenly against my skin. I was intoxicated. Maybe this shopping thing wasn’t so bad after all.
After paying for my purchases and thanking Alice for letting me have the shop all to myself, I tore Jake and Charlie away from Emmett and we continued around the square. We saw Rosalie’s office, as well as Jasper’s law practice. Alice could look from her storefront and see Jasper’s window. You gotta love small town living.
We made it back to my place, satisfied with our excursion. I still had to put away a good bit of kitchen stuff, and most all of my bedroom stuff. The parlor with my desk, books, and chair looked comfy and inviting. Charlie and Jake had organized my family room with my movies, cds and video games with the skill and swiftness of someone who had done it a few times before. They then set about to measuring windows for me in case I wanted to add curtains to the rich wood blinds that Emmett’s mother had chosen for each of the windows.
We all came to a stopping point and decided that it was time for an early supper. The flight out of Port Angeles was at 8 am, so my guys had to leave fairly early the next morning. After a delicious meal of steak, roasted new potatoes and a salad, we walked a few blocks to an ice cream shop we had noticed earlier. The conversation centered on Jake’s proposal to Leah. I was, of course, thrilled, but Charlie shot me a glance and cocked an eyebrow. I knew he would want to talk to me in private. I let out a sigh as we got up to head back to the house. As we meandered up the street, Charlie on my left and Jacob with his arm slung over my shoulders on my right, the same silver Volvo that went past the house the other night when Emmett and the others were leaving drove by. I guess I would get used to seeing the same people every day, since Forks wasn’t a thriving metropolitan area. My neighbors would recognize my distinctive truck, as well, I suppose.
Once back at my place, Jake decided to shower and settle in for the night. While he was in the bathroom, Charlie helped me by carrying a box to my room. Once there, he sat on the bench at the foot of my bed and looked at me with somewhat sad eyes. I readied myself for a conversation that I didn’t want to have.
“Are you ok Bella? I mean with Jake and Leah getting married? You seem a little upset,” Charlie asked.
“I’m fine. Really I am. I know that Jake and Leah are perfect for each other. For a teensy moment, I’ll admit, I thought of Mike and how I thought at one time he and I might be headed for marriage. I have been so hesitant to let anyone get close to me since Dallas. Once the anger died down, I was left with a great deal of hurt. I guess that resurfaced when I thought of Jake getting his happily ever after. I’m honestly not looking for a relationship, but sometimes I wonder if Mom is right about how I might be running from something.” My eyes stung a little, and I wondered where this honesty came from all of sudden. Deciding that I didn't care, I took a big breath, faced my father and added, “Don’t you dare tell her I said that, either!”
“I won’t say a word. If it makes you feel any better, I know that you’ll find someone when you are ready for him to find you. You have always been wise for your years, you know,” Charlie said with a grin. “Your mom and I sometimes would wonder who the grown up was when you were younger. Stick with your plan, Bells. See your states. Go back to school. Live your life for you, not for me or Renee or anyone else. Things always have a way of working out.” Charlie then gave me a quick, if not awkward hug and I knew that he was right.
Charlie was placing my suitcases on the top shelf in the closet when he changed the subject. “I think your mom will enjoy coming up to visit at the end of the summer. Sky box tickets will be great! It was really nice of Emmett to offer,” Charlie marveled.
“I know! Emmett and Alice are super nice. Rosalie, Emmett’s fiancée, is the real estate agent that helped me find this place, and Alice has a boyfriend named Jasper. I met them all when I got here on Friday. I felt like I had known them for a long time by the time they left the house. It was really weird. Comforting, too. And how’s this for small town America- Alice and Emmett’s dad is the head of the emergency department, and their brother, Edward, is an attending in the department. I’m sure I’ll meet them this week,” I said with a bit of excitement about finally meeting Edward. Alice had piqued my interest, to be sure.
We went downstairs with empty boxes and a bag of garbage, and then I set about to getting the kitchen cleaned from dinner. Jake appeared from his shower and went out onto the porch to call Leah, while Charlie gave Renee a call.
“OK. I’ll get her for you. Bella, your mom wants to say hi,” Charlie said, holding his phone out to me.
“Hi, Mom,” I said. I was wondering what degree of questioning I’d get tonight. Even though Renee and I were pretty close, sometimes she could be a little overwhelming with her good intentions.
“Hi, sweetie! Dad tells me your place is gorgeous! I really can’t wait to see pictures! What do you think of the town?” Renee asked. So far, no mention of the touchy subjects of guys, returning to Phoenix, or me being lonely. She must really be controlling herself. Wonder what Charlie said to her?
“It is beautiful. The house is a dream house! And Washington is so green! It’s literally a breath of fresh air compared to the big cities I’ve been in. I don’t have to start work until Tuesday, so I’ll try to get some pictures emailed to you tomorrow,” I said, walking over to my desk to charge my camera. “I have met some people my age. My landlord and his fiancé, along with his sister and her boyfriend were all at the house here when I arrived on Friday. They seem really nice, very easy to get along with. To thank them for helping me unload some stuff out of Rufus, I’m having them over to dinner on Friday. The kitchen is beyond words. I’ll really be able to cook!”
“That’s nice, honey. I’m so glad that this has been an easy move for you,” she continued. I sensed that she was going to venture into interrogation mode, however. “How many more moves until you stay put, though?”
Bingo. I really didn’t want to get into this tonight, or any night, for that matter. I was already having a mini pity party for myself and there wasn’t room for one more. But this was Renee, and it was unavoidable. “I don’t know, Mom. Let me at least get a week under my belt here. I am planning on at least one more assignment after Forks, probably in the San Francisco area. Then I think I am going to apply to graduate school. After that, I’ll settle down in one place. But let me get through with the plan, ok?” I sighed.
“Oh, Bella, I just want you be happy. It’s hard for me to understand the appeal of drifting, with nothing tying you to a place.” That hurt. And they say it is the truth that always hurts, right?
“I’m hardly drifting, Mom. I’m doing what I love to do, seeing so much. I never would have done the things I have if I had stayed there in Arizona. Just trust me, ok? Trust that this is what’s best for me,” I said in my most convincing voice. She didn’t need to know about my weird pangs of, well, whatever that feeling was. No sense in giving her fuel for the fire. “Things are winding down with the plan, and I can see the next phase on the horizon. Don’t push, though.” I desperately needed to change the subject.
“Did Charlie tell you how my landlord invited Jacob and him to watch the Cardinals and the Seahawks from their sky box this season? You and Leah will have to tag along. We can have a girls’ weekend!” I said, perhaps with a little more enthusiasm than necessary. “Alice, one of my new friends, owns a boutique in town, and she knows of a great spa in Seattle. We’ll have a blast!”
“That does sound like a treat. Let me know as soon as you’re sure about the dates,” she said, all interrogation apparently suspended for now, for which I would be eternally grateful.
“Bella, I’ll let you get going. You must still be tired from your trip, and I know you’ll be up early tomorrow getting the boys out the door. Give me a call if you have time this week. I’d love to hear all about Forks, okay?” Renee said.
“Will do, Mom. And really, don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”
“Okay. Talk to you soon, honey. Bye,” she said, but not without a note of sadness.
“Bye, Mom,” I said. Flipping the phone shut, I went to find Charlie. Jake was getting the blankets and pillows out of the closet for another comfy night on my couch, and Charlie was in the shower.
“Jake, I need to ask you a favor,” I said to my friend, mindlessly fluffing one of the pillows.
“Anything, Bells. Whatchya need?” he asked.
“I need you to try to get Renee to see that I’m a big girl. I know that she’s going to go into some sort of frenzied state when you tell her about your engagement,” I began. The lump was back in my throat, but thankfully, no traitorous tears. I really needed to figure out what the hell that was all about. Swallowing hard, I continued. “Heaven knows she means well, but I just need her to give me a bit of space, and to understand that I’m doing what I want to do. You’ve always been able to reason with her in the past. She listens to you.” I looked at him with pleading eyes, begging him to understand.
“I can do that. I was both dreading and looking forward to telling Renee about the engagement, you know. I know she’ll be happy, but I also am anticipating the grief you’ll have to endure. Sorry, Bells,” Jacob said, reaching for my hand to comfort me.
“Don’t you dare be sorry for a second! It’s so wonderful that you’re getting married, Jake. We just need to convince Renee that I’m not going to die an old maid, that’s all,” I said. The last thing I wanted to do was to take away from Jake’s happiness.
“Twenty-eight is hardly Old Maid status. I’ll set that woman straight, okay?”
I gave my best friend a hug. It was such a comfort to have him here, even if it was just for a few days. It was like rebooting my internal hard drive, getting me ready for this next chapter.
Once the guys were settled for the night, I went up to my bathroom and prepared to worship at the altar that was my tub. In my mind, I had begun to bring closure to this phase of my life. I just needed to map out my next few years after San Francisco. I was thinking that six months would be a good length to spend there. I wouldn’t be able to start school until after finishing as a traveler next June. Tomorrow would be just as good a day as any to begin researching graduate programs. I contemplated this as I sat chin deep in the tub, fragrant bubbles all around me. Too bad I couldn’t just stay here in my dream house.
Charlie and Jacob were on the road by 5:30 the next morning. It was cloudy, the grey skies threatening rain. I sat at my desk with my second cup of liquid consciousness and turned on my laptop. After half-heartedly doing a search for nurse practitioner programs on the west coast, I let out a big breath. This could wait. It was 7am on a Monday morning. What to do? In Denver, my apartment complex had a very nice gym on site, and I would use it frequently. Since a home gym was just about the only thing Emmett didn’t put in, I decided to get dressed and go for a run around Forks. With my iPod strapped to my arm and ear buds in place, I started down my street in the direction of the ice cream shop Charlie, Jake and I had visited the night before. And just like last night, the silver Volvo passed by. I was unable to see the driver, but he did slow down, acknowledging my pedestrian status, I presume. Curious, I thought, and continued my exploration of the small town.
Edward
I had one more night shift this week before switching back to days for a while. Right now, I just wanted to get home and go to sleep. It was day four of a five day stretch, and I was exhausted. The emergency department hadn’t been too busy the past few days, but tempers were beginning to flare a little. The nursing staff was stretched a bit thin, and they were all working extra shifts to cover. From what I understood, a new nurse was starting this week to help alleviate some of the stress. Hopefully, she could transition smoothly. I knew that Angela, one of the day nurses, would be responsible for helping to catch her up to speed, and I had no doubts that she was up to the task of babysitting, so to speak.
I turned the corner onto the street where Emmett’s new rental was located. I had been working nights lately, but I assumed that he had a new tenant. When I passed by on Friday night, I saw him at the place with the rest of the gang: Alice, Jasper and Rose. I also noticed another woman with long, wavy hair the color of chestnuts. She was more than likely the new renter. Driving to work last night, I passed what looked like the same woman walking with an older man, perhaps her father, and a companion who had her drawn close to his side. Must be newlyweds or something. I’ll ask Emmett next time I see him.
Since coming back to Forks from San Francisco, I hadn’t done any dating. I knew that my mother was eager to see me happy now that I was through with school and had begun my career in earnest. It didn’t help that Emmett had Rose, and Alice and Jasper were joined at the hip. I always felt like the odd man out, despite my siblings efforts to help me to feel otherwise. I was still looking for a true love. I had dated some in college and med school, but nothing serious. Nobody had captured my interest long enough. Emmett always laughed and told me that my standards were too high. I guess that could be the truth. I had always been in awe at the relationship my parents had. My mother, Esme, knew and understood the demands that a career in medicine would put on a marriage. There were long shifts, the on-call hours to consider. She accepted this and never made my father, Carlisle, feel guilty for not being there on Christmas morning, or for being called away during dinner. She adapted us to his schedule, their life. Our time with him was precious to him, and it was evident in every moment that we spent together. Life was a little different, but Emmett, Alice and I never doubted that our parents loved us. I wanted that for the family I was to have some day. The woman that loved me would have to be as understanding of my career as my mother had been for my father.
I slowed my car instinctively as I saw a runner coming down the road toward me. I didn’t recognize her right away. Our town was so small that someone new would cause quite the sensation. She was petite with shapely legs carrying her down the street. I noticed her long, wavy brown hair tied up in a ponytail and thought that she could be Emmett’s new tenant. She looked attractive, even sweaty and in her running clothes. If it’s the same girl that I had seen last night walking down the street, however, it was clear that she was attached. I continued on down the street, past the rental, turning right and just a little farther to my driveway. After I pulled into the garage, I sighed and rested my head on the steering wheel. Someday I would find a love like Carlisle and Esme’s. I just had to.
Bella
I heard my alarm go off. I was temporarily disoriented, not recognizing my surroundings, but then remembered: Forks, Washington. I had spent most of the previous day after my run taking pictures for Renee and settling in further. It was now 5:45 am, and I was planning to leave my place in about 45 minutes so that I could be a little early for my first day. It always made me feel better to be early. It was a control thing, I think. After showering, dressing, and pulling my hair into a high ponytail, I went downstairs. Then, I thought to myself about the mysterious Dr. Cullen. If Edward was going to be there, I wanted to look good. I turned around and made my way back up to the vanity in my ginormous bathroom. A little mascara, a little eyeliner, and a bit of lip gloss in a color called “sweetest blush” and I deemed myself appropriate to meet a handsome doctor. Wait. What was I doing? I felt like I was in junior high again. I remembered feeling giddy and nervous like this when Jake and I started to like each other as more than friends. I could understand the butterflies if I had actually met the man before, but I had no clue if he was gorgeous or a toad. Or if he would even be there. I shook my head and went downstairs to gather my things into my messenger bag.
Once at the hospital, I quickly found the Personnel office. The first desk I came to had a girl with dark hair sitting behind it, on the phone and laughing with an obnoxious tone. She glanced at me and quickly said her goodbyes to the person on the other end.
“Can I help you?” she asked in such a condescending tone that I wasn’t sure what to make of it.
“I’m Bella Swan. I am a new RN here. I’m going to work in the Emergency Department?” I said with a questioning sound in my voice. She was looking me up and down, as if she was sizing up a foe. WTF was that about?
“Oh. Of course. I’m Lauren Mallory. I’ll be guiding you through he things here on this end, all the paperwork and such. I think Angela Weber will be mentoring you on the unit. Please tell me you have worked Emergency before, or at least critical care. The last thing we need is someone who needs a lot of hand holding,” Lauren continued in her less than welcoming way. Rose and Alice did say to watch out for her. I was not in the mood to be Nice Bella. She had turned me from a good mood to pissy in about 30 seconds. Two can play her game.
“My agency chose me for this assignment specifically because you needed someone in a hurry. And to answer your question, I can work emergency, critical care, and surgery. I can even fly on helicopters, if you need me to. Does that meet with your approval, Lauren?” I wanted to kick her ass.
She looked at me in surprise. I guess she wasn’t used to people talking back to her. Raising her eyebrow and giving a little snort, she pulled a file folder from a stack on her desk and snapped, “Come with me. We’ll just get you to work then, since you are so well qualified.”
What was with this chick? I really didn’t appreciate her tone. I followed her up a set of stairs and into a hallway leading to a set of double doors that were labeled “Emergency Department” in bold red letters. At the nurse’s station, I was greeted with a warm smile from a grandmotherly looking woman.
“Glenda, this is Bella Swan, your new RN for the next six months. She said that she was ready to start. Apparently, she’d qualified to do it all,” Lauren said with venom. She placed the file in front of Glenda.
Glenda smiled and made me feel a bit more at ease. “I’m glad to meet you, Bella. I’m charge nurse today. I have spoken to your recruiter, Nola. Indeed she wouldn’t be here, Lauren, if she weren’t ready to jump in with both feet. Do you need anything else from her?” I fought the urge to stick my tongue out at Lauren after hearing Glenda’s vote of confidence.
“Just return the paperwork in the file by the end of your shift,” Lauren curtly said, then turned walked away.
“Please don’t judge the rest of our hospital by the welcome you got from Miss Mallory. She’s not pleased with us here in the ED. She’s been chasing after one of our docs, and he finally asked us to run interference for him. She was relentless. Finally, we broke it to her that Edward wasn’t interested and to stop harassing the poor boy. I had to threaten to involve his dad, Carlisle, she grew so aggressive! And I’m guessing that since you are a rather attractive young lady, she sensed a bit of competition. Don’t let her bother you, though. She’s all bark, no bite, so to speak.” Glenda smiled warmly. I liked her immediately.
“I’ll be honest, Glenda, I was warned about Lauren by Alice Cullen and Rosalie Hale.” I began. Glenda shot me another smile and interrupted me.
“Alice, Emmett and Edward are all like family to me. I have known them practically all their lives! So are you the renter for Emmett’s new masterpiece? Carlisle had mentioned that someone had moved in.”
“Small town, huh? I forget about that. I am used to the anonymity of a big city,” I said, laughing. I guess I had better get used to being noticed, I thought to myself.
“Oh, don’t think of it as a fishbowl, but rather a large, extended family. The nice ones, anyway. You can leave out Lauren!” Glenda laughed. I began to feel more at ease, my good mood returning.
From around the corner came another nurse. “Angela, meet Bella. She’s our relief for the next six months,” the older nurse explained.
Angela extended her hand and smiled. “Welcome, Bella! I can speak for all of us who have been working overtime by saying we are glad you’re here. Now maybe I can see my boyfriend a little more often. We have resorted to romantic dinners in the break room since I’ve been working so much!”
Just then, a startlingly handsome man in a white coat came out of the exam room nearest where we were standing. He was blonde and chiseled and scrumptious looking. Forks ED was looking up.
“Carlisle, this is Bella. “ Angela began.
If he was the Cullen supplying half of the DNA for Emmett and Alice, there was no way in hell that Edward could have missed out on the family’s good looks. I’m sure that even his recessive genes were gorgeous. This man was breathtaking.
“Bella the travel nurse who is staying in Emmett’s newest renovation,” he stated. Of course he would know all about me.
“That’s me,” I chuckled. “It is a little weird that everyone knows about me, and I haven’t even been here a week!”
“I beg your pardon. It’s just that I had dinner with Emmett, Rose, Alice and Jasper last night, and you were a topic of conversation since you had just moved in. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable,” Carlisle offered as an apology.
“I don’t feel uncomfortable, really. I was just telling Glenda that it is a little weird going from a big city where you blend in to a small town, that’s all.” His blue eyes were dreamy. I fought a blush and thought to myself that this man was my father’s age. DILF, anyone?
“I hope you find Forks to be a nice place to be. My wife and I have been here since I finished my residency. It has been a great place to raise a family. Now, you’ll have to excuse me, as I need to check on some labs. It was lovely meeting you, Bella,” Carlisle said with a killer smile. Damn.
Angela giggled and said in a low voice to Glenda, “Carlisle the Charmer strikes again!”
Glenda just smiled. “I think that man could charm the pants off a nun. Esme is so lucky,” she said.
Angela toured me around the unit and let me get my bearings. The place was much smaller than what I was used to, but everything was pretty straight forward. I helped triage a few patients, and then things began to get interesting. I hadn’t even made it two hours into my first day when a four-year-old girl puked all over me. It was vomiting of epic proportions. The poor little peanut felt so bad about throwing up to begin with, and when the realization hit that she had just let loose her cheerios and chocolate milk all over my shirt, my pants, my hair- well, she just sobbed. So what do you do? You grin like a fool even though you are on the verge of tossing your own cookies, just to see the girl smile.
After Angela and I got the little girl cleaned up and settled down, I realized that I was in desperate need of a shower and a change of clothes.
“Bella, here are some fresh scrubs. You can go into the call room down the hall for a shower,” she said. She was full of smiles and sympathy as she tossed the soft articles to me.
“Thanks, Angela. I guess I was wrong in assuming that a small hospital meant less excitement! “I’ll be right back,” I said.
I made my way down the hall to the call room. It was very typical. Two sets of bunk beds, an alarm clock, a closet, a bathroom. I turned to lock the door and then put the fresh clothes on one of the beds. I reached for the hem of my soiled shirt and had taken it off when the bathroom door opened. My jaw hit the floor as I blushed and gawked at the god-like being that was standing in the doorway, still wet from his shower and one of those standard issue hospital towels slung low on his perfect hips.
“Uh…ummm…” I stammered. “I thought that nobody was in here. Puking accident. Very messy. Not me. Four-year-old. Cheerios. Very gross.” Oh, shut up already, Bella. I felt the blush spread over my face as I looked into the most beautiful green eyes ever. He also had towel dried and tousled locks of dark hair and a wicked, crooked smile that totally owned me already.
“I thought I locked the door. This is a little awkward,” he laughed in a velvet voice that was just heavenly. He walked in front of me to the closet and grabbed his fresh clothes, then retreated to the bathroom again, but not before letting his eyes roam over my torso and then looking at my eyes. “Give me a minute and I’ll be out of your way.”
I flopped onto one of the bunks and tried to comprehend what just had happened. Then it dawned on me: I was sitting there in my bra and scrub bottoms! I was beyond mortified, and if I hadn’t been covered in vomit, I would have run from the room. But, I caught him looking at me. That hot man was checking me out! Thank goodness I had the presence of mind to put a pretty bra on.
One of my most endearing qualities, as my mom was always quick to point out, was the fact that I was so easy to read. I had about a half a minute to get a handle on myself, or else Sex on Legs was going to take one look at me and know exactly what I thought of him. Plus I was still semi-topless. I clutched my shirt to my chest just as the door opened. A less scantily-clad but no less attractive man entered the room.
“Uh, I’m Edward Cullen. I’m one of the attending docs here,” he said, extending his hand. What the hell? Was I supposed to shake his hand and drop my shirt? Blush, blush, blush.
Clutching my left hand over my chest, I reached my right hand out to shake his. “Bella,” I croaked. “I mean, I’m Bella Swan. I just started today. Apparently, part of the initiation here at Forks General is getting puked on by four-year-olds,” I babbled. God, he is hot. And he can read me like a book. Get it together…
To add to my humiliation of standing there in my bra, I kept going. “I’m sorry about this. I didn’t know that there was anyone in here. I just needed to get showered. I took a pretty direct hit.” That’s it, Bella, now he’s going to look at your chest again. Can this be any worse?
“One of the perks of the ED, huh? The never ending excitement?” he said with a smile. Oh, I was excited, alright. “Well, don’t let me hold you up,” he continued. Jeez. Hold me up, tie me up, and strap me down. “I’m sure I’ll be, uh, seeing you. It’s a small town, and an even smaller hospital.” He was undoing me.
“Sure, Edward. See you around,” I said with a lame grin. I didn’t even want to know what the state of my blush was.
“Bye, Bella,” he said, opening the door. Then he suddenly turned and winked at me. “You might want to lock this door. You never know who might come walking in on you.” He let the door close behind him after giving me another one of those crooked smiles.
I rested my back against the door and slid down to the floor, locking it on the way down. That was one of the most embarrassing and thrilling moments of my life. Edward Cullen was indeed a very good looking individual. He was checking me out. Dare I say flirting?
It’s a good thing I put on the lip gloss. I wonder if he noticed?
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