Made for You

Edward

There. I'd said it. Now, I just had to wait for her verdict.

Step-one of my impromptu plan was gauging her actual interest in me by asking her out before I confessed who I was and how closely we would be working together this summer. She agreed to let me take her out, so that was good news for me. I just had to hope she wouldn't cancel, and make Charlie replace the band because of my less-than-honest attempt at getting with her.

Meanwhile, I instinctively reached under the booth to cup my goods in case she decided a foot to my balls would be fitting.

"You … you're in the band?" Her brows scrunched together in the middle of her forehead, her jaw locking in place. "How did I not know this …?" she whispered, seemingly to herself, her gaze darting back and forth on the table in front of her like she was trying to solve a math question in her head. I had to admit, her doe-eyed look was rather cute, and the red-hot blush that was working its way up her chest was fuck-hot. I had to remind myself to keep my eyes above her collarbone, and it was proving to be more difficult than expected… especially with the way her dress dipped in the front.

Breaking myself from my trance, I finally broke the silence that lingered after her question. "You clearly haven't done your research on Rebel's new house band, or you would have figured it out on Tuesday when we first met," I countered, taking another gulp of my lukewarm espresso. The caffeine pumping through my body had me buzzing from my head to my toes.

Or maybe it was Bella. She was still so beautiful, even when she was mad at me.

She glared at me. "Why didn't you tell me? You could have told me on Tuesday when we first met, and you could have told me last night at Bend. I gave you the damn Midnight Sun flyer, for crying out loud! I feel like a complete fool."

She was right. I had multiple occasions to tell her but chose not to because of my own selfish reasons.

But that's just what I did. I cared about my own needs first and neglected the needs of those around me. It always led to trouble, but I never seemed to learn my lesson.

"You lied to me, Edward."

"I did not lie. I … withheld information. There's a difference."

She rolled her eyes, unamused. "So, what? Was this some sick little bet you and your bandmates made? See who could fuck the owner's daughter first?"

"No, of course not," I told her, a little louder than necessary. A little softer, I said, "It wasn't anything like that, I swear."

"So how come you didn't you tell me sooner?" she pressed.

I sighed, rubbing my hand down my face and along my prickly jaw. "I don't know, Bella, maybe because it felt good to have you know me as just Edward for a little while? Not Edward Masen from Midnight Sun. As soon as most girls know I'm in a band, that's what our conversation turns to. The band this, the band that… it's fucking exhausting. I can never tell if they're genuinely interested in me for me, or if they're just interested in the fact I had a couple of songs on the radio."

She nodded throughout my little banter, a look of understanding coming over those beautiful chocolate brown eyes of hers. "I understand that Edward, I really do … but I'll have you know, I'm not like most girls."

I chuckled softly. "I've gathered that, Bella. Trust me." I had

"But I do, however," she continued, still glaring, "appreciate some honesty, Edward. If we… if we had slept together last night before I'd known I was going to have to face you four nights a week for the next three months … I don't know if I'd be able to look you in the eyes." She leaned forward on her elbows, and it was even harder for me to keep my eyes on hers when her tits were pushed together just so. I gulped, trying hard – so hard – not to look. That would definitely earn me a jab to the nuts. "And you have very beautiful eyes." She paused for a moment, reaching down to lay her hand on my forearm. I think she liked watching me squirm, and she was doing a damn good job of eliciting that reaction from me. "And I probably would have kicked you in the balls, just so we're clear on that. I'm actually still contemplating."

I crossed my legs, gulping hard. She smirked a little, no doubt at my obvious attempt to protect the goods.

"If you're so famous, how come no one has recognized you yet?"

Glancing around the crowded coffee shop, no doubt looking for someone who was eyeing me suspiciously, Bella tapped her nails on the table as she waited for my response. The barista behind the counter had been ogling me from her perch every time I came in since the move back. But everyone else seemed to be too caught up in their own lives to give a flying fuck about me or what I was doing.

"I'm not exactly what you would call famous, Bella. For the most part, we manage to stay out of the tabloids and don't have paparazzi stalking our every move. Most people who recognize us are fans of the band, and we're not that well known – not yet, anyway. Mostly Riley gets noticed because he's the lead singer – our Freddie Mercury if you will."

Her eyes snapped to mine suddenly. "You're a Queen fan?"

I nodded, but wasn't about to confess to the almost shrine-like memorial I'd kept in my bedroom back in North Carolina. "Diehard," I admitted. "Are you?"

"Isn't everyone?" she asked incredulously. She opened her mouth as if to say something else, but closed it just as fast and shook her head. "That's beside the point. We're getting off topic."

I had to hold back my chuckle by biting the inside of my cheek. I almost had her completely forget my indiscretions, even if only for a minute.

"Were you going to tell me? Or were you going to wait until I found out on my own, tonight?" she asked seriously, looking me straight in the eyes.

I reached forward, tentatively laying my hand on her arm. She glanced down to where I was touching her but didn't pull away and smack me. That was a point for me. I watched her eyes as they scanned the ink branding my forearm, her forehead pulling together between her brows as she dissected the colorful tattoos.

The sound of my voice broke her from the trance she was in, and she shook her head a little before finding my eyes. "I was going to tell you, I swear. I was going to find you today at the bar and come clean. I… I might be a bit of a dick, but I'm not a complete asshole, Bella." She gave me a dubious, unconvinced look, but I could still see a slight smirk on her lips. "You don't have to believe me, but it's the truth. Do what you want with it, but I still want to take you out. If, uh … if you want."

She sighed and seemed to contemplate something for a moment before she spoke once more. "I just keep remembering what you said to me last night ... That you don't date, you only fuck. Why the sudden change of heart?"

I opened my mouth, ready to tell her she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever laid my eyes on, when suddenly a guy with a camera slung around his neck came up to our table with a puzzled look on his face, his confused eyes on Bella. No doubt this was the friend she'd been meeting up with before we bumped into each other. She pulled her arm back like I'd burned her and shot me an apologetic look.

"Mike … hey."

"Hey. I was just stopping by to grab a coffee before we met up and I noticed you over here ... with …"

Her eyes awkwardly flickered back and forth from this Mike guy to me. "Um, Mike, this is Edward. Edward, this is my friend, Mike."

I stuck out my hand and grasped his firmly and confidently, just like Carlisle showed me how, and gave a swift nod of my head in his direction. He looked like a fucking hipster, wearing straight khaki pants and a polo shirt, a pair of thick, black-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.

And the fucking guy was wearing loafers. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing out loud.

"Do I know you?" Mike asked me suddenly, cocking his head to the side and looking at me with a finger pointed. "You look really familiar. You go to U-Dub?"

I shook my head. "I don't believe we've met before."

"Funny. I could swear I know you from somewhere…"

"No, man. I don't think so."

"Oh, uh … sorry." He turned back towards Bella. "You ready to go? I'm sorry I'm late, I was caught up in something that ended up taking longer than I thought it would."

"It's okay," she said, giving him a smile. "But … um, could you give us a minute? I won't be long. You can meet me by the door."

"Oh," Mike said, and he sounded uncertain, like he wasn't sure if he should leave Bella with me. "Yeah, no sweat. It was nice meeting you, Edward."

A nod. "Likewise."

Bella watched to make sure Mike was out of the coffee shop before she spoke. She shook around the ice in her empty cup. "Thanks again for the drink."

"Of course," I said, and she started to stand. "Hey, Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"You didn't answer my question. Can I still take you out on Monday?"

She sighed, her eyes cast down at her empty cup. I didn't take the fact that she couldn't look in my eyes as a good sign. "I don't think that's such a good idea anymore," she whispered, shaking her head and reclaiming her seat. My heart, which was beating wildly behind my ribcage, dropped to my stomach. "My dad and my brother are constantly at the bar, and I like to keep my work life and my private life … well, separate. As separate as they can be, anyway." She took a deep breath and let it out. "Having your band play at the bar this summer is really important for us, business-wise. We nearly sunk this winter, and we're really counting on Midnight Sun bringing in some much-needed business. I … I can't do anything to complicate that, Edward. Rebel means everything to my dad, and it would kill him if we lost it."

I knew what she was trying to say. Yeah, we could have our fun, go on a few dates and enjoy each other's company, but what if things didn't work out or ended badly? Would we be able to stand seeing each other four nights a week for the entire summer?

Probably not.

"You look like someone just kicked your puppy," Bella said, a little bit of amusement in her voice. "Not used to being turned down, Rockstar?"

I chuckled despite myself and took off my hat, grabbing at the front of my hair. "No, not really. This ... If I'm being honest, this sucks."

"You'll survive."

"Well, yeah, but ... will you?" I teased.

Perhaps I was hearing things, but I could have sworn I heard her mumble a "maybe" under her breath.

I stuck my hand out, and Bella looked at it, confused. "What do you say, Sunshine? Can we at least be friends?"

She let a giggle escape her lips and shook my hand. Hers was so small that mine totally enveloped hers, but they fit together perfectly. Shaking hands with someone you played tonsil hockey with was strange, but I had to do what I had to do to stay on Bella's good side.

"Friends," she agreed, nodding at me once before standing. "I'll see you tonight, Edward. I'm looking forward to seeing you guys play."

"Tonight," I confirmed.

I stayed put in my seat and watched through the window as Bella crouched down and pat Wolf's head before disappearing across the road with Mike.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't disappointed she turned down my offer for a date, but I had to keep looking at the positive side. Midnight Sun still had a summer gig. I couldn't imagine having to tell Carlisle I'd screwed it up, considering how hard it was for him to convince Aro and the other label heads that playing at some hole-in-the-wall bar would be better than the bigger shows Aro was hoping we would do. He agreed because we were finally going to be on stage again, even if it wasn't the huge stadiums he was hoping for.

Something was better than nothing, right?

Once my now-cold coffee was finished, I grabbed Wolf and headed back to my apartment. I opened the door using my passcode and made a beeline for the fridge. I was starving from my conversation with Bella, and cigarettes could only numb my hunger for so long.

"Are you humming right now?"

I nearly dropped the fucking carton of eggs on the floor at the sudden sound of Seth's voice booming through the air. He was sitting at the breakfast bar alone, and I hadn't even noticed him until he spoke. The fucker. I suppose this was what I got for giving each band member my passcode to my apartment to use as they please.

I threw the eggs on the counter and reached under the island for a frying pan. "Am I what? No?"

"You were so."

"Was not."

"Were so."

"Was fucking not."

My front door opened and closed, causing Seth and me to look. "Will you boys quit your bickering, for the love of God," Alice moaned as she walked into the kitchen and threw down her purse. "I swear, my three-year-old doesn't talk back that much."

Seth and I chuckled at my sister as I threw my arm around her shoulders and pulled her in for a side hug. "Nice to see you, too, sis," I teased her. "No Luca?"

Alice pulled out a chair next to Seth and sat down. "He's still at Chelsea's. She's gonna keep him for a sleepover so I can check out your gig." She sighed. "I just finished handing out resumes."

"Oh, yeah? Where did you apply?" Seth asked, glancing at me briefly before looking back to my sister.

"Everywhere within walking distance from my apartment," she confessed. "I could apply for jobs farther away, but then I'd have to drive. Seattle morning traffic sucks, and I'd have to get Luca up that much earlier. Hopefully, I'll be able to snag something close."

Alice was left Tyler's black Mercedes when he died, but she had it shipped back home to North Carolina. She couldn't even look at it without bursting into tears. Tyler's parents now stored it in their garage, and Alice continued to drive her little car.

It sucked that Alice had to work, but I understood her need for getting out of the house and doing something productive. She wasn't used to looking at the same four walls every day. She almost always traveled with the band, accompanied us to nearly every venue, and crammed herself and Luca next to Tyler in the back bed of our tour bus. She would hang backstage with Luca until it was time for him to sleep, and then she'd slip out to the bus for the rest of our show. It wasn't easy having a baby with us on the road, but we made it work. Luca became one of the boys.

The thought of not having Alice with the band twisted my gut. Then a thought flooded through my brain.

"Come to work with the band," I said as I took a few eggs out of the carton and cracked them into a mixing bowl. Alice and Seth both quirked an eyebrow at me. "You can... be my assistant or something. I'll pay you more than you'd earn at some minimum wage job."

"Edward just wants you to be his bitch," Seth laughed. "'Alice, fetch me a coffee! Alice, make me a dentist appointment!' I can just see it now," Seth teased, laughing at his own joke. I just shook my head at him as I poured my eggs into the pan.

"I wouldn't be that bad," I said. "But seriously, Al, it could work. Carlisle would probably love the extra help, especially since he's promoting our first album while I'm ... working on the second."

She seemed to think about it for a moment before she shrugged and said, "Maybe. It does sound tempting ... I don't want to be away from the band. I haven't ... I haven't been away from the band since the moment it started. Not for long periods of time. The longest I was away was the six months after Luca was born." Seth and I didn't miss the melancholy tone to her words. Alice was, without a doubt, the backbone to the band. It was actually Alice who ran our official Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages, updating our fans with pictures and tidbits about our lives. When we toured last year, she kept everyone up to date on where we would be performing and where to get tickets.

"Speaking of the band … Where are the rest of the guys?" Alice inquired suddenly.

"Riley was in the shower when I left the apartment, and Garrett was still snoozing off his killer hangover - I saw that groupie he was wrapped around last night leave our apartment just before noon, true walk-of-shame style. I'm pretty sure she only had one shoe."

I nodded, moving around the eggs using a spatula. Seth, Riley, and Garrett shared an apartment a few floors below me, choosing to save a shit ton of money by rooming together instead of separately. Getting my own apartment was a necessity for me. I needed a place that was quiet for when I wrote music - if I would ever be able to write again - and the spare bedroom was used to house my piano and multiple guitars. Not only that, but the constant flow of groupies coming and going between Riley and Garrett would irk the fucking shit out of me. I liked my privacy.

"Speaking of which, how was your groupie last night? The one I caught you practically dry-humping in the alley?" Seth asked, and my eyes nearly bugged out of my head. Alice was like one of the guys, and sometimes my bandmates forgot she was also my sister. My sister, who didn't need or want to hear about my escapades.

"First of all," I warned, "Bella is not a groupie. Second of all, mind your own business."

Seth put his hands up in surrender. "Since when did you start caring about kissing and telling, Eddie-boy?" Seth laughed exuberantly, earning himself a death-glare and a swat to the stomach from Alice. "Jesus, Alice, ow!"

"You deserved that one," Alice grumbled.

"Since right now," I ground out between clenched teeth.

Next to me, Alice sighed deeply and suddenly got very serious. "I thought you were done with that fucking shit, Edward. Turning a new leaf and leaving that playboy persona behind. That's not you. It's never been you."

I wanted to change. It was my intention, but it was easier said than done. How easily I was willing to rip Bella's clothes off was proof of that, and I hated myself for it.

"Bella and I didn't hook up," I told them honestly.

Alice gave me a pointed look. "Bella, huh? You're using her first name," Alice noted, looking pointedly at me. "You don't ever remember their names. Not since... well, you know who."

I knew who she was talking about - Makenna fucking Ford. My stomach turned. I couldn't believe I had been so stupid as to fucking call her last night when things with Bella didn't go as planned. No matter what had or hadn't happened between us, the fact that I'd even dialed her number and showed up at her place made me sick to my stomach. I could have gotten into a lot of trouble, trouble I didn't need right now. Or ever again for that matter.

Seth shuddered dramatically. "Ugh, I still can't believe you dipped your wick in her."

I plated my eggs, but suddenly had no appetite. I pushed them towards Seth.

"From what I saw of that Bella chick, she's way hotter than Makenna. More natural, less fillers and silicone. Makenna is practically a walking, talking Barbie doll." He paused to eat a forkful of food, and swallowed. "Are you gonna see her again?"

"We're all gonna be seeing a lot of Bella. She works at Rebel – she's Charlie's daughter."

Alice gasped, and Seth's eyes nearly bugged straight out of his damn head.

"Edward, man, you've gotta ask her out," Seth chimed, nearly shaking with excitement.

I shook my head, defeated. "Yeah, well, I did … and she turned me down," I admitted.

"You, Edward freakin' Masen, were turned down? That's a first! Quick, Alice, write this in his baby book," Seth said with a mouthful of food. "It's usually you doing the turning down, not the other way around."

"Chew and swallow, Seth, chew and swallow," Alice said, patting Seth's back. She turned to me. "Tell us what happened and start from the beginning."

So I did.

I told them all about going to Rebel on Tuesday, seeing Bella being practically mauled by that asshole James, and then waiting for her to close, so I knew she got home safe. Then I told them about seeing Bella again last night at Bend, how we danced and flirted with each other. I explained that when I saw the fans pointing at us on the dance floor, I wanted to get her out of there as fast as possible so my cover wasn't blown, so I took her out to the alley to smoke a joint, and my fucking, raging hormones got the better of me. Seth chimed in then, saying how he interrupted us when he came looking for my help with Garrett. I left out the part about Garrett's coke use, because I didn't want to upset Alice. Then, finally, I explained what happened this afternoon while I was having a smoke, and Wolf literally jumped on Bella, and our subsequent visit and conversation at Coffee Works.

"At least she agreed to be friends, and didn't make her dad fire you on the spot," Alice quipped with a shake of her head.

"Exactly," I agreed.

Once Seth was finished eating, I made my way into the shower to freshen up for the rest of the day. We still had a lot to do before we went on stage at nine. Carlisle wanted us to head to the studio at three to go over the list of songs we were going to be performing, and to have one final practice. He had already arranged for the guys who were setting up the stage to do the soundcheck for us, but wanted us to go and formally introduce ourselves to the employees at Rebel. We'd already met Charlie Swan last week at a meeting, when he signed the contract to have us play.

The hot water worked wonders on my stiff muscles, and I felt immensely better by the time I got out. Garrett and Riley had shown up and were playing Rock Band with Seth while Alice stood in front of two outfits she had laid out on my recliner, a finger on her chin as she swiveled her eyes back and forth between the two.

"I'm thinking this one for tonight," Alice declared when I approached her. She thrust the gray jeans, white T-shirt, and black leather vest into my hands. "Wear this with your Docs, not your Converse. I'd tell you to run a brush through your hair, but you and I both know that isn't going to happen."

I bit back my chuckle and nodded. "Duly noted, Al. Thanks." I turned toward the rest of the band, who were luckily just finishing up their game. "You assholes ready to go? Practice starts at three, and then, Carlisle wants us at Rebel to meet the staff." I hated to admit it, but I was nervous about seeing Bella again. Would it be awkward? Probably. Actually, most definitely, but I was just going to have to just bite the damn bullet and get over it.

Alice left to go check on Luca, telling us she would see us all later tonight, and the guys and I loaded into my Audi and headed east towards the studio. Carlisle met us at the door and led us into a conference room, where we began to discuss the songs we would perform. We decided to play mostly originals from our first album, with a few covers scattered about for those in the audience who weren't familiar with us. Once we were satisfied with our choices, we filed into the Live Area to start our practice. We'd already jammed together a few times since being back in Seattle and had actually managed to play together a lot while we were home in North Carolina. Tonight, however, would be our first night performing together in front of an actual audience, on an actual stage, as a united band.

It would also be the first time performing on a stage without Tyler, but I was trying my hardest not to think about that.

I took my spot on the right of the stage, with Riley in the middle, Garrett behind us, and Seth to the left. Picking up the guitar and plucking and strumming at the strings came so naturally to me. I lost myself in the music reverberating through the room. I only wished that writing new music would still come as organically as it used to, but I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind, closed my eyes, and played.

Our practice went great. Riley's vocals were on point, and Seth did a terrific job. Garrett made a few minor mistakes, which he thankfully managed to correct without making us all look like idiots. We went through the songs twice, finalized the harmonies, and then Carlisle ordered pizza for us to eat before we headed over to Rebel.

My stomach was in knots.

Made for You

Bella

The afternoon I'd spent photographing with Mike went just like every other one, except for the fact I'd been completely distracted by what Edward had told me about him being a part of our new house band. I'd barely responded to Mike as he droned on and on about Jessica Stanley, a girl he'd met at a photography workshop in Tacoma. I would just nod and offer a "yeah" or "mhm" whenever I thought it was necessary.

The more I thought about Edward, a lot of things made sense.

Like his hesitation when I asked for his name; the way he watched my face to see if I'd recognized his name, and the relief I saw there when he realized I didn't.

The girls who were pointing at us while we danced were, without a doubt in my mind, fans of his waiting for the perfect opportunity to approach. That was why he whisked me away to the alley so quickly.

Why it was so important for him to help his inebriated friend before he made a fool out of the whole band and inevitably ended up online.

It also explained why he was undoubtedly one of the most photogenic people I'd ever met.

I understood where he was coming from when he said it was hard to tell if someone was interested in him for him or just because he was in a band. I couldn't imagine having to wonder if the friendships I'd made were because they liked being around me, or simply because they thought I had something greater to offer them.

I didn't want to have to cancel our date. When he asked, I was actually looking forward to going out with a guy like Edward.

"Bella, are you even listening to me?"

I shook my head of my thoughts and trained my eyes on Mike, forcing a smile through my tight lips as we continued on the walking trail, cameras in hand. "Sorry, I zoned out for a minute. You were saying?"

"I asked Jessica out, like, on a date. Tonight," Mike told me, and I could see the blush spreading across his face. I don't think I had ever seen Mike blush before. He must have really liked this girl. "She said yes."

I hip-checked him and gave him my best smile. "That's great, Mike! Is she into photography, too?"

Mike nodded. "Mostly portrait. She likes to do weddings, and she has a small studio in the spare bedroom of her apartment where she does newborn and family photoshoots. You should see some of her work - she's really good." He paused, our pace slowing. "You're not … upset?"

I pulled my eyebrows together. "Why would I be … Oh. Oh!" I shook my head vehemently. Mike was worried I'd be upset we could no longer hook up since he was now seeing someone. "God, no, Mike. We had an agreement. It was just sex, nothing else. Besides, it's … been a while." Mike chuckled a little, and I playfully shoved him. We hadn't hooked up in over two months, our schedules clashing and only allowing us to meet on Saturdays. "I'm happy for you," I added sincerely. It was the truth. Mike was a good guy.

"Thanks, Bella," he said. "I'm trying to think of a place to take her. Dinner and a movie seem too overdone. Besides, how can you get to know someone sitting in a damn theatre for two hours?"

An idea sprung to my mind. "Take her to Rebel; I'd love to meet her. Midnight Sun's first performance is tonight, remember?"

"That could work," Mike mused. He suddenly snapped his fingers, his eyes wide. "That's where I know that guy from! He's in the band, right? The drummer? What's his name… Edwin? Edmond?"

"Edward," I corrected. My stomach clenched. "And he plays guitar and keyboard, not the drums."

"Right. I knew I knew him from somewhere. Ang is obsessed - the poster for their first album is on her bedroom wall." Angela was Mike's little sister, a year or so younger than me. I'd met her a couple of times in passing at Mike's, and she seemed sweet. "She doesn't turn twenty-one for another few weeks, but she's been talking about going to Rebel to see them play. Think you could hook me up with some autographs? She'll lose her mind."

"I can try," I told him. "I don't see why I wouldn't be able to."

"You seemed pretty cozy with Edward at Coffee Works," Mike noted, raising an eyebrow at me. So he had seen Edward's hand on my arm.

"We were discussing … business." He didn't have to know it was personal business we were talking about.

"Where was the rest of the band?" he implored.

I shrugged. "Busy."

"Hmm."

Mike gave me a look that told me he wasn't completely convinced, but didn't say anything else. We were coming to the end of the trail now, the parking lot in view. I could see Mike's little red Kia nestled between two big trucks.

"Get any good shots?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Lots. The flowers are all bloomed now, and the colors are so bright." I turned my camera back on and showed him a few I'd taken of a huge rose bush, and another couple I'd taken of a beautiful magnolia tree.

"Very nice," Mike noted, nodding approvingly. "Well, I guess I'll see you tonight. Later, Bella."

"See ya."

Mike went one way, and I went another. I needed a nap and a shower before what was definitely going to be a long night at work

~0~

I thought of a million reasons I could give my dad to explain my absence from work, but nothing seemed feasible since I was perfectly fine when I spoke to him on the phone when I got home earlier. And he needed me, whether I wanted to be there or not. I couldn't let him down. He was practically vibrating through the phone with excitement when he called to tell me the band's crew were downstairs setting up their equipment and completing soundcheck.

Besides, Edward was going to be at the bar four nights a week, all summer long. I knew there was no point in trying to avoid him. I'd have to face him eventually, so might as well just rip the Band-aid off and get it over with.

Awkwardness be damned.

I could hear the racket coming from downstairs as I busied myself getting ready for work, taking my time with my hair and makeup. I glanced out my window to see Emmett and Paul unloading the supply truck, hauling in cases of Michelob and Heineken, bottles of Patron and Glenfiddich and Blue Curacao. Rose was standing with a clipboard in her hand, ticking off the inventory as they loaded everything into the supply room. Charlie had ordered extra of everything, so I hoped business was going to be as good as expected.

I stood in front of my closet in nothing but my bra and underwear, perusing my clothes for something nice to wear tonight. I tried to tell myself I didn't want to look nice for Edward, but the truth was, I liked the way he looked at me. It was insane how physically attracted to him I was, but you'd have to be blind not to be. Turning down his date offer sucked, but I had to look at the bigger picture. We needed Midnight Sun, and I couldn't do anything to fuck that up. Keeping away seemed like the right thing to do … kind of. My hormones were telling me otherwise.

I was about to say screw it and toss on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, when a scrap of yellow fabric caught my eye from the hamper of clean clothes. I pulled out the sundress, rubbing the soft cotton between my fingers.

Bingo.

By the time I got downstairs, a little after six, Rose was back inside with Maggie, wiping down the tables and bar and preparing for the mass of customers bound to show. I didn't expect it to get busy until after seven, when people were coming in to get a bite to eat and snag good seats before the band started.

I began working alongside them, loading up the beer cooler that lined the back of the bar.

"The band was here earlier, Bella, and you missed them! Your dad wanted to go upstairs and wake you, but Rose convinced him that you wouldn't want to meet them with your crazy bedhead." She giggled, then fanned herself with her hand. "They introduced themselves to us," Maggie gushed as she polished a bottle of Goldschlager. "And oh my God, Riley is even hotter in person than in pictures. I didn't even think it would be possible!"

I gulped, hard, and looked over to Rose. She gave me a knowing look and kept busy polishing a beer mug. Shit. Edward was here, and she obviously recognized him as the guy I was grinding on the night before.

Maggie continued to gush about the band and how amazing they were while she shined a bottle just so. I kept myself busy, and breathed a sigh of relief when Emmett called her to help him with something in the back.

I could tell Rose was looking at me, but I kept my gaze down as I counted the money from the register. When I did finally look up, Rose was standing with her arms folded over her chest, her hip jutted out, and one perfectly sculpted eyebrow risen just so. It was a look I'd seen her give my brother countless times, and I hated being on the receiving end of it.

"When were you planning on telling me that Hottie McHotterson was some up-and-coming, hotshot rockstar?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I let it out, laid both hands flat on the bar in front of me, and turned my head to lock eyes with my best friend. "Because I didn't know, Rosalie. I just found out this afternoon, and only because I happened to run into Edward and his dog on the way to meet Mike."

"Damn."

"Tell me about it," I whispered. "He asked me on a date, but I told him no. Well … I told him yes, and then took it back."

"Isabella Marie Swan! Why the hell would you do that? Have you gone blind? Or stupid? Or … both?"

"No, but think about it. Guys like Edward don't do the whole dating thing, and we need the business. I can't let myself get tangled up in someone like him. It won't end well, and then the bar will suffer. I don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to go out with him."

"God, you're always so pessimistic. After what happened with Jake – "

"Rose," I warned. She was treading water now, and she knew it. I hated talking about what happened between Jake and me, mostly because I'd been blindsided by what caused us to break up, and was left heartbroken and torn to shreds.

"No, Bella, listen to me. After what happened with you and Jake, you refuse to open yourself up to anyone. Not everyone is going to turn out to be someone you thought they weren't. At least Edward was honest with you in the end and didn't just show up tonight, knowing you'd be here. Why can't you just give this a shot? Go out with him, see what happens. You might be surprised."

"Or I might be disappointed again."

"See! That's what I'm talking about. You're never going to realize what's out there – who's out there – if you keep up with that attitude. Go out with him, see what happens."

"But then there's my dad, and Emmett …"

Rose waved her hand dismissively. "I'll handle Emmett. He recognized Edward, but he kept his mouth shut because your dad was around. And speaking of your dad, I wouldn't worry too much about him. He's so happy they agreed to play here that they could turn out to be criminals and he'd still love them."

I doubted that was true, because Charlie's time as the Chief of Police back in Forks made him hate anyone who broke the law. But I understood what Rose was trying to say. Charlie wanted the band come hell or high water because he wanted to keep my mom's memory alive inside of Rebel.

I kept thinking about what Rose said as we continued to prepare for the night. Maybe she was right. Maybe I was just bitter and scorned over what happened with Jake and me that I was too afraid to open myself up to someone else. Maybe I needed a hot date with a guy like Edward, even if just to remind myself that there was more out there for me than Jacob Black.

And if things didn't work out, then whatever. I was twenty-one years old, and more than capable of acting civilly towards Edward should everything crash and burn. A date wouldn't hurt. Right?

Right.

A/N: Here is chapter six! As always, a HUGE thank you to my pre-reader Jan, and to Fran for being an awesome beta!

Also, Fran is holding a contest since Robert Pattinson is the new Batman! It's called Twilight Fanfiction Crime Crusaders on Facebook, and the link is: groups/364646141068423/