Chapter Four

We talked for hours, in soft whispers about our once vampire family and my werewolves. About everything and nothing. He also asked me about the whole jumping off a cliff thing.
“I swear I wasn't trying to kill myself, Jasper.” I laughed at his concerned face.
“Then, pray-tell, did you jump off the cliff?”
I sighed, it wasn't the first time I had to explain this. Charlie was furious to find out about it. He was only happy that Jake had been there to pull me out before the current could sweep me away.
“We were cliff-diving. Okay, well.. I was cliff-diving. Jacob had said we could go but after he became a wolf he seemed to always be busy and I was still in my depression over Edward. I was having these sort of warning in my head, his voice telling me not to do something when it was too dangerous, and I was finding the stupidest things I could just to be able to hear his voice for those few moments. I know, before you say anything; That was a dumbass thing to do.” I tried mocking Jake's voice. It was what he told me when he found out my reason for jumping. Along with the desperation I had for wanting to ride the bikes.
Jasper rolled his eyes. “I wasn't going to say that, but whoever you just tried to impersonate, was right.
“I know. I stopped the craziness after that though. Watching Jacob cry because he thought he was going to lose me, broke my heart. So, I stopped. Haven't heard his voice since that day either.”
“Jacob was important, wasn't he?” Jasper asked.
I nodded. “I had actually fallen in love with him but, wolves do something called imprinting. I was never meant to be his..” my voice trailed into a whisper.
Jasper squeezed my hand. “Your true soul mate is out there Bella, you just haven't found him yet.”
Smiling up at him throw my teary eyes, we went back to finishing our dinner.
Even though our conversation brought up the past for both of us, I truly enjoyed being around Jasper. The only time I had ever gotten to be alone with him before was in the hotel room when we were hiding out from James. And during that time, Alice had strict orders not to let me alone with Jasper because, 'he wasn't safe'. Now, I feel terrible that I was never given the chance to get to know this wonderful man.
Sure he was a little intimidating as a vampire, hell, hes a bit intimidating now.
But I didn't even have a chance to give him a chance.
We had finally decided it was time to head out when I got Jasper yawning. He walked me out to my truck and after a brief hug and an exchange of our numbers, he headed to his bike. Watching me pulled out of the parking lot, he followed close behind me until he had to turn off a couple blocks from my house. We hadn't made plans to meet up but he had told me that he would be in touch with me soon. But, before I fell asleep that night I, I couldn't help but to think that: soon cannot come fast enough.
***
“So, who was that tool that you left with the other night?” Zac asked while I was trying to squeeze between him and Ryan.
I scoffed. “For you information, he is not a tool, you asshole. Besides, whats it to you who he is anyway?”
Zac arched one of his perfectly sculpted eyebrows at me. “Is he an ex or something? I haven't seen him around here before. He seemed pretty damn protective of you when those guys gave you problems the other night. And the way he just looked at you, gave the impression that he was trying to claim his property. I was surprised that he didn't just whip it out and pee on you so that asshole knew you belonged to him.”
“Fuck you.” I punched Zac in the shoulder as hard as I could. “He is not an ex, he was not trying to mark his territory and nor will he ever try to claim me as his. He is way to good for me. Besides, he was married to my ex-best friend and he is my ex boyfriend's brother. All of his siblings had a sort of protectiveness towards me.” Okay not exactly true. Rosalie hated me and I am pretty sure she still doesn't like me all that much. I mentally shrugged that thought away.
“Geez Bells, the way you are acting I am starting to think that there is more to that guy and your relationship then you are telling us.” Ryan spoke up as he made drinks for Jasmine's order.
I huffed and scowled at him. “There is nothing but friendship between Jasper and I. He was simply here to go out to dinner to discuss some things that had happened. Things that I am very thankful to know now.”
Guessing that Ryan saw the look on my face, he grabbed my arm as I turned, pulling me into a hug. “Hey now, I haven't seen that sort of sad look on your face since I met you. What sort of things did he have to tell you?”
“T-that … Edward and Alice were killed. Right after he left me.” My voice was just barely a whisper, I was surprised he even heard me over all the noise in the place.
“Oh, Bella.” Ryan hugged me tighter to his chest and rocked me slightly. “I am sorry to hear that sweetheart, but, just think. They are in a better place now. I would bet anything that they are watching over you now. You always said he was an over protective fool.”
I gave a shaky laugh. “Yeah.”
“Why don't you go get started with your rounds and when we get off work, we grab Jasmine and go have a movie night? I'll even get your favorite ice cream and a butterfingers to go with it.” He gave his crooked smile and I couldn't say no.
It was around five when one of the bouncers came to me saying I had been requested for a table.
“Requested? Why would someone request me?” I was talking mainly to myself.
“Table twenty-seven.” He said ignoring my musing. Marc simply shrugged his broad shoulders and walk back toward his space on the sidelines of the bar area.
Twenty-seven. That is in the actually restaurant area. I fixed my skirt as I walked toward the table request. Normally we were only suppose to stick to certain areas for the day but Frank doesn't mind if a few get mixed up because of requests. He had told me once when I over heard Jasmine get a request from a regular.
“It makes for good business Isabella. If the regulars want a certain waitress, why argue. We want them to be happy coming here and if giving them the same waitress each time they are here makes them happy, then I don't see a problem in it.” A smirk played on his thin lips. “Besides, if they are happy, they bring more money in for us. Why the hell would I be upset about that?”
I guess he did have a good point. Sure, I saw quite a few of the same faces when I worked but I had never been one of the girls to be personally asked for. Zac, being the asshole he is said it was because I am a frigid bitch to most people and I have too much of a guard to even think of letting any of the patrons get to know me. I will admit, he was sort of right. I didn't let any of the costumers get to know me. The only people that have actually been able to crack my very strong wall since I moved here, had been Ryan and Jasmine. Even they still didn't know about all of my past.
The table I was going to had to be in the farthest corner on the opposite side of my actual rounds. When I came into view of the table I saw the dimpled smile of Emmett waving at me.
“Yo, Bells, get your cute butt over here and take my order!” he boomed.
Jesus. Even though he was no longer a vampire, his voice was still loud and echoed in a closed space.
I just shook my head, laughing and just to get a raise out of him, I slowed my pace.
He noticed the sly grin on my face as I took extra slow steps toward the table and he spoke up. “Ahhh, cmon! I am starving over here! Besides, you have guests!”
Guests? I was about to ask what he was talking about but before I could I was side swiped by a small caramel haired women whom had my waist in a vice grip of a hug. To my utter surprise, it was Esme.
“Oh Bella, dear. It has been so long! I have missed you so much. Look how you have grown!” She held me at arms length looking me over before crushing me to her again. “I am so sorry for before you have no idea how I hated-” but I cut her off.
“Please don't apologize. I know the reasons for everything and I never blamed any of you for leaving. It was something you had to do and I understand. Jasper and I have talked about it all.” I squeezed her back and buried my face in her hair. “I missed you too.”
I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up into the crystal blue eyes of Carlisle. “Hello Bella.”
“Carlisle!” I wrapped my other arm around him middle as he pulled both his wife and myself into an embrace.
“It is wonderful to see you sweetheart. I take it you are doing well?” his voice was still smooth as ever but a rich British accent now played a role in it.
I giggled because, damnit accents are just cute. I couldn't help it. “Yes, I am doing great. It is so good to see you guys.”
With my face still pressed to his chest, giant arms wrapped around all of us and slightly picked us up off the ground. Carlisle chuckled. “Son, please let us go. We do need to breathe.”
Emmett dropped his arms and pouted. “I see how it is. No love for the Emseter.”
I snorted. “Did you seriously just call yourself 'the Emseter'?”
“He does it more than you would think,” Jasper spoke behind us.
My heart fluttered at the sound of his voice and I was never more thankful for them to be human then I was right now.
I pulled away from Esme and Carlisle to turn face Jasper and saw the lazy grin on his face, his gray-blue twinkling in the low, soft lights of the restaurant. He took a step forward and wrap an arm around my shoulders. With a low murmur of 'Come here', he pulled me into a hug and my arms wrapped around his waist. My face buried into his chest, it was the first time in a long time that I felt at home. The hug seemed intimate and I just wanted to stay this way forever but it wouldn't happen because Frank had to bring me back to reality.
“Isabella, I hate to drag you from your boyfriend because I know you need that sorta thing right now.” I tried to protest with his assumptions but he just cut me off. “Get their orders then get back to your other tables.”
With a final squeeze from Jasper, we broke apart, my face was flaming with my boss' assumption but no one at the table said a thing. I quickly took their order and headed back to my normal rounds.
***
Ryan made good of his promise for ice cream and a butterfingers. I spent a good part of my evening huddled on my small sofa with my two best friends on both sides of me. I had been a little upset after Jasper and his family left. I only had time to say a quick goodbye before dropping off their credit card slip. Frank wasn't happy that I had made a big deal about them when they first showed up and I knew he wouldn't listen to me if I tried to explain so I just took the slap on my wrist and went on my merry way until my shift was over.
Once I was off work, Ryan and Jasmine snapped me up and ended up at the grocery store and the video rental store, getting our favorite flavors before grabbing a few movies; one being my favorite even though I cried my eyes out every time I watched it. My ice cream and candy bar was gone after thirty minutes into The Notebook and I ended up stealing spoon fulls of Ryan's mint chocolate chip and Jasmine's Chunk Monkey for the rest of the movie.
By the time the credits were rolling, Jasmine and I were clinging to each other, crying as if someone had just ran over our dog. I had heard Ryan sniffle beside me but I wasn't going to say anything. He was just the type of guy to brush it off or ignore the matter completely if he was ever caught crying. Jasmine of course, wasn't going to go easy on him.
“Ryan,” she started. “Are you crying?”
Ryan shook his head and quickly brushed the tears away from his cheeks. “Not at all. Something was in my eye.. actually I think it is just my contact acting up.” He grimaced, knowing full well that there was no way he was getting away with it. “Alright, alright. Yes I was crying. Know why? Because, damnit, that is true love. In the deepest most pure way there could ever be. If I ever find the one that is for me and some try of sickness made it to where she didn't know anyone around her, I would gladly tell our entire journey of our love to help her remember.”
The tears had yet again welled up in his eyes and he didn't try to hide it. Ryan had had just as rough of a time with love as I had. But instead of just being left because she didn't love him. She left a child they had had together. He offered her everything he could think of to get her to stay. He wanted marriage, kids and the whole house with white picked fence. She wanted to party, sleep around and completely ignore the fact that she had a tiny human growing in her at the time. Thankfully her mother talked her into stopping the nonsense while she was pregnant and not only did she mislead Ryan into making him think she had changed her mind but she ripped out his heart. She left the hospital day after she had their daughter, abandoning her there and since she had put Ryan's name on her birth certificate; he got full custody of her.
I gripped Ryan in a hug, leaning in to whisper in his ear. “I shouldn't have gotten that movie. I knew it would get to me but I didn't even consider your feelings. I'm so sorry.”
“Hey,” he scolded me lightly, “don't you be sorry. No reason to be sorry. What happened is in the past and we have gone through this. We are allowed to be sad about it sometimes as long as we don't dwell, right?” I nodded. “Okay then. It has been awhile since I've been able to think about what happened and with Gabby around all the time I haven't gotten my good cry out in a long time.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.”
I smiled at my best friend before hugging him again. Taking the ice cream bowls into the kitchen and placing them in the sink, I heard my cell phone ring and called out for one of them to answer it while I finished the dishes. I had placed the freshly washed bowls into the cabinet when I heard Jasmine giggle in the living room. Peaking around the corner, she had my phone pressed against her ear and whoever she was talking to, had her acting like a school girl.
Holding my hand out for my phone she giggled again and I rose a brow at her, the response I got was. “So hot, always have loved a good southern boy.”
My face flamed and I snatched the phone from her hand only making her giggle even more.
“H-hello?” my voice was shaky and came out in a squeak. I am sure that he heard it.
“Bella? Hey, its Jasper.” A smile spread across my face. He didn't acknowledge my dumb moment. “Bella?”
Oh crap, I was suppose to be talking. “Yeah, I'm here sorry. Everything okay, Jasper?”
“Everything is just dandy. Actually, I was calling to see what you were doing tomorrow.” He actually sounded.. nervous. Weird.
“Oh, um, nothing that I know of. I have the next three days off of work so I'll probably just being roaming around my house being lazy.” I chuckled at myself. Yeah Bella, you life sounds like so much fun! Major eye-roll.
He sighed on the other end of the line. “I was hoping you didn't have anything planned already. I wanted to ask you before we left the restaurant earlier but you were busy and I noticed your boss wasn't very happy that I had kept you away from work...”
“Jasper,” I laughed.
“Huh?” Was his brilliant response.
“You're rambling hon.”
“Right, sorry. Uh, what I wanted to ask was if, um, was if t-that.. [sigh] would like it.. maybe.. just, friends,.. ugh.. maybeyouwouldwanttogowithmetoacookouttomorrowaroundnoon?”
Now it was my turn. “Huh?”
Jasper gave a breathy chuckle before clearing his throat. “What I mean to say was. Maybe you would want to go with me to a cook out tomorrow, its around noon?”
Did Jasper just.. ask me out? “A cook out?”
“Mmm hmm, a friend of mine is having it for all of us getting together again. It has been awhile since they have seen Carlisle and Esme and since they have to go back to Seattle on Sunday...”
“Sure, a cook out sounds nice. But, are you sure no one would mind me being there? I wouldn't want to impose. It really seems like a family thing.”
Jasper cut me off. “You are family. Both Esme and Carlisle still consider you a daughter and of course Emmett has been telling his friends at work about how he has gotten his little sister back. Bella, you are family. Even though Edward and Alice aren't around anymore. You are a part of this family.”
“Thanks Jasper.” I smiled even though he couldn't see it I knew he could hear it in my voice. “I'll come. Whats the directions and I can just meet you there? Do I need to bring anything with me? What should I wear, is jeans and a t-shirt okay for this or should I..”
“I will pick you up because it is a hard place to find if you don't know where you're going. You don't have to bring anything unless you want to, it is a cook out after all, so a desert of some type would work fine. Jeans and a t-shirt is fine darlin' but bring a swimsuit. There is a pool and I intend on making sure you have as much fun as possible tomorrow.”
Jasmine started making kissing sounds from the doorway and I grabbed a throw pillow from the sofa and chucked it at her head. To bad she ducked out of the way. “Alright Jasper. What time do I need to be ready?”
“By nine and Bella?” he said.
“Yeah?”
“Good night, darlin'.”
I smiled again. “Good night, Jasper.”