“You are so very welcome,” she answered in her sing song voice. “I want to go shopping today, Bella. And you are going to be my shopping buddy because I just saved your virtue.” I could just imagine the little smirk playing on her perfectly made up lips and the glint of delight in her eyes. She so had me. And she knew it. But maybe time away from Edward was just what the doctor ordered. No good could come of us being alone and Charlie would be elated if I spent some girl time with Alice.

“You win Alice. I’m not even going to try and fight you. What are we shopping for today?”

“Oh, a little of this and a little of that,” she added evasively. “I’ll be there in an hour.” She hung up without any goodbyes.

Charlie came in clutching his coffee and newspaper, yawning wide. “Morning, Bells. What was that all about?” He sat heavily at the table and unfolded the newspaper, taking a sip of coffee.

“Going shopping with Alice today, if that’s okay?” I’d given up on him refusing me time with Alice. He simply adored that girl.

“Without him?” He asked, eyes rising from the paper.

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Good, I’m going fishing anyways.” Pain covered every inch of his face. Fishing with Harry had been one of his favorite past times and he hadn’t done it much after his death. He could’ve asked Billy to join him, but they’d had a little tiff over the fact that he didn’t think Billy was doing enough to find Jacob.

But Billy, like me, knew that Jake was fine. Or as fine as he could be with a broken heart. I missed him terribly and called Seth almost daily to see if there were any updates, but so far he had nothing to share. How much longer could he stay away?

I gave Charlie a brief hug and kiss on the cheek. It broke my heart to see him hurting this much. And to think, that I was going to be the cause of even more pain and heartache in less than two months was almost unbearable. He’d get his goodbye. His chance to walk me down the aisle and some closure, but it would never be enough. I still needed to break the news that Edward and I were getting married. There just never seemed to be a good time.