Southern Comfort: Chapter 3

Southern Comfort

Chapter Three

The door swings open and his eyes immediately land on where I stand.

"I knocked," he states, holding his hands up innocently.

"I know." I'm not looking at him because I've finally managed to stop the tears and I'm not sure how seeing him will affect me. Instead, I stare at a spot right above his head. "I was in the laundry room."

"But it's Saturday." His head quirks to the side. "Bella Swan doesn't do chores on Saturdays." I've followed and enforced that law for almost my entire life. I'm lying and of course he knows it. And unlike polite and kind Alice, he's calling me out on it.

"I wanted to wear my favourite jeans tonight and I forgot to wash them on laundry day, so..." I trail off. "What are you doing here?"

"Well my best friend didn't answer the phone when I called and my little sister just flipped me off when I passed her on Dairy Road, so I figured I'd come see what's wrong," he explains as he flops onto my sofa. "Everything ok?"

"Everything is fine." I walk over to the fireplace and immediately regret it. Laying across the mantel are different pictures of my life; out of the twenty or so framed pictures that line the shelf, there might be one or two that don't include Edward. My eyes automatically zone in on his face in each one.

"Well that's a crock of bullshit," he snorts. "Cupcake had her baby this morning."

Edward works as an equestrian veterinarian for a local horse ranch on the outskirts of our dinky town. When I met him seven years ago, I never would have thought that his calling would be doctoring sick horses and birthing foals on a daily basis, but he loves his job and I love hearing about the new babies that he helps bring into the world.

"Hmm," I comment.

"A little colt. We named him Shortcake." His voice is tense, almost like he's only talking so that he is doing something.

"Sounds cute," I mumble.

"Yeah, you should come down and see him. Maggie wanted me to tell you she's ready for an update on the website when you're free. She'd also like to have an announcement about Shortcake, so don't forget your camera."

Maggie Cope pays top dollar for her web designs, and I could use the money.

"Tell her I'll come down on Monday." I turn away from the pictures.

"You'll probably see her tonight. You are still coming right?" His boots are on my coffee table.

Any other day I'd give him hell for scuffing up the polished wood, but I can't find it in me to care. He wiggles his foot and I realize he's doing it on purpose, to get a rise out of me. There's nothing in me to rise though. Rather than bitching him out, I sit across from him in the old rocking chair from my childhood nursery.

"Yeah. I'll be there."

He's wearing the jeans I gifted him for Christmas a few days ago. Button fly and a darker wash than he usually wears, but I couldn't pass them up because I secretly couldn't wait to see his ass in them. His flannel button up is open at the top and I can see the top of the tattoo I'd gone with him to get when we graduated from college. He got a horseshoe over his heart and I chickened out and got a heart the size of my thumb nail that isn't colored in because it hurt too badly.

I flip my wrist over and run a finger over the heart.

"So were you behind Jessica asking me to go with her?" he asks, his voice full of accusation.

"What?"

"You know I can't stand the girl. I figured it was a prank or something, but I ran into her this morning and she made sure I had her address." His words are tight and I take the moment to look at his face.

Bright hazel eyes almost the color of yellow topaz stare into mine, full of conflict.

"She asked me for your phone number and told me she wanted to ask you," I explain. "From her excitement. I gathered that you said yes."

"Well yeah, because I thought it was a joke," Edward snorts humourlessly. "But now I'm stuck with her as my date."

Immediately my sour mood perks up. Its obvious Edward doesn't want to go with Jessica to the winter carnival.

"Maybe you'll have fun," I offer. Excitement that he didn't harbour feelings for my ex-friend is bubbling to the surface. "If you don't want to go with her, just call her and tell her."

"I can't do that," he says sadly.

That's right, because Edward Cullen is a gentleman. They don't make boys like him anymore. He's the only male I know that opens the door for a lady and still pulls out their chair for them. His old school manners are just another reason why I love him.

I'm positive that he'll cart Jess around tonight and drop her off on the front porch with a friendly handshake and explanation that nothing would happen.

"Well I have to get ready, so you better go."

"I'll see you tonight?"

"Of course. I'll probably be with Jasper and Alice most of the night." I walk him to the door and revel in his natural warmth when he pulls me into a friendly hug.

"Save me a dance, Bells," he whispers before walking out of my house.

I rush to my bedroom and destroy my closet in an effort to find something decent to wear. My plan is to go to the winter carnival, have fun and ignore the fact that Jess will no doubt be fawning all over Edward. When we share the dance he insisted that I save for him, I'll ask him to stop by my house once he drops Jess off and I'll lay it out on the table.

I'll tell Edward Cullen that I'm madly in love with him.