Chapter 1
BPOV

"So how are things with Jake?" Rosalie asks as she wipes the top of the bar. I throw her a new rag and sigh.

"Great, I can't believe that we've been together for 3 years!" I walk over to the till and hit the button that releases the cash drawer. I begin to count the cash just as Rose struts up beside me and nudges me with her shoulder.

"What's wrong, Bella? Are you not happy with him? Are you guys having some problems?" she asks with concern on her face. I close the cash drawer and turn to look at her. I fake a small smile and take the rag out of her hand.

"Thanks for helping me clean up Rose, you shouldn't get those gorgeous hands dirty." I move to throw the rag back in the bucket, but as I do Rose grabs me by the shoulders and stops me.

"I'm concerned for you Bella, where is your future going with him? Has he even talked about marriage?" I stare into her ice blue eyes as my own start to water.

"He's mentioned that he wants to marry me, but that was 2 years ago."

I'm almost out of my 20s and I still have nothing to show for it. I put a hold on college to help take care of my dad and got this job to help pay for the bills, because we all know his insurance doesn't cover everything.

Charlie was shot in the line of duty during a standard traffic stop, two young punks had pot in the car and were nervous that they were going to get caught so when Charlie asked them to step out of the car, the punk driver grabbed Charlie's weapon and shot him. They never did catch the kids that did it. They'd driven off, never to be seen or heard from again. I am 29 years old now and have been dating Jacob Black since I was 26, so when I dropped out of college, I got a job at a local restaurant to help pay medical bills and all the other bills that have slowly been backing up.

"Bella, I think that it's time you had a talk with him." She rubs my arms and smiles at me.

"Thanks Rose, I'll think about it." I hugged her tightly and then broke from her embrace.

"Okay well, I'm going to head out of here. My man wants me to come over tonight. Call me if you need to talk, ok?" Smiling, I nod my head.

I watch her walk out the door and follow her slowly. The door closes and I turn the lock to the locked position and turn the sign on the door to the closed side. Then I reach up and pull the string, turning the 'open' neon sign off. I stand there staring out the window watching the rain beat on the ground, trailing my eyes to Rosalie's taillights down the street. I stare into the dark night as a single tear rolls down my cheek.

"How did my life get like this?" Dead end relationship, stuck at home till my dad is better, and no real prospects.

I sink down into the closest seat at one of the tables and rest my head on my arms as the tears start to fall. I sit there for a few moments as I cry by myself. Once the tears have stopped, I take a deep breath and stand, tucking the chair back in. I wipe my face with my sleeve and continue to the back of the restaurant. I gather my jacket and purse and slip the cash deposit that I'll take to the bank tomorrow. I walk to the back doors and let myself out.

In my haste to get out of the house this afternoon, I'd completely forgotten my umbrella, and so I grumbled to myself as the rain started to seep through my waitress's uniform, walking toward my truck. I pull my keys out of my jacket pocket and insert them into the door lock. I turn both ways a little too hard and hear a sudden 'snap' and my key has broken in the lock. I bang my head against the window and shake it back and forth.

"Seriously..." I lift my head and dig into my purse to try and find my cell phone. I can feel it in the bottom of my purse and I pull it out. Suddenly a streak of lightning flashes in the distance and I jump. I look back down at my phone and punch in the familiar phone number. As I wait for it to ring, I hear the beep of low battery.

"Shit." I mumble. "Come on pick up before it's too late."

"Hello?"

"Jake! Hi, look my phone is going to die, but can you….."

Beep…Beep…Beep…

Then I hear the annoying jingle of the phone shutting down, telling me that I'm a thoughtless numbskull for not remembering to charge my phone.

"COME ON!" I yell as I throw my phone into a puddle nearby.

"Didn't really need you anyways, you piece of crap," I mutter as I stomp down the alley only to turn around and run back to grab my now water logged phone, and then make my way to the front of the restaurant onto the main road.

"Ok well I'll just catch the bus then I guess." I walk over to the bus stop and read the wheel readout attached to the bus stop pole and look for the next pick up.

It says 10:45pm; I look at my watch and wipe the drops of rain from its clock face.

11:45pm

I stare at my watch longer than normal. I huff out a breath and look down the road. I bite the inside of my cheek and take a deep breath. I throw my purse over my shoulder and across my back. I button up my jacket and shove my hands in my pocket as I make my way down the road.

About 1 hour later, I unlock the door to my father's house and push it open. I step inside and the smell of coffee permeates the house. I look in the living room and as soon as I do, Jake stands and runs over to me cradling me in his arms.

"Bella what happened? Are you ok? I've been worried sick!" I pull back and look up at him. He's glorious looking; I was always attracted to the man. His big muscles flex under my grip and I sink back into his chest.

"I'm fine Jake, I'm sorry my cell died. I should've charged it before I left." He pulls away and kisses the top of my head.

"I'm just glad you're ok. Come on and sit down, Charlie went to bed about half an hour ago; said his leg is bothering him."

"Yeah I think he overdid it at physiotherapy today, he's eager to get back to work." I removed my purse and jacket and set it on the banister. I walked back into the living room and sat down beside Jake as he wraps his arms around me.

"Oh Bella you're all wet, you're going to get me soaked!" I sit up and chuckle at him.

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking, I'm just so tired. I broke the key in my truck lock and then the cell phone died. I thought that I could take the bus home, but I missed it by an hour. So I just decided to walk. It wasn't that far, anyways." I peel off my socks and toss them on the floor.

"Here babe, I can help with the rest." Jake holds out his arm to me and pulls on my wrist pulling me to him.

"Jake! My dad's upstairs, he could come down any second!" I whisper loudly.

"Yeah, I know I can be quiet. You, I'm not so sure about." He laughs and grabs my hips. I settle in his lap and bring my lips to his. He kisses me softly and warmly. I can't help but think about all the things Rosalie said to me while I was at work.

"Ahhhh Jake, wait a minute," I say, pushing on his chest a little to sit up. He sighs and runs his hand through his hair then decides to ignore me and starts to kiss my neck.

"Jake I'm serious; please can we talk a minute?" I ask, pushing him back again, and this time I stand up.

"What Bella, what could you possibly want to talk about at this particular point in time?" he asks, as he adjusts himself.

He looks aggravated, and I don't blame him; I just cock blocked him. But for goodness sake, we're in my father's house.

"Look Jake, I was doing some thinking and I was just wondering if you thought about what you want to do about the future, you know like with a job and stuff." I bite my lip and wring my hands. Any time that Jake and I have had this particular conversation, he gets upset with me. Jake is a very easy going, free-spirit kind of guy and doesn't really take much stock in the future. Geez, I'm surprised we lasted this long as it is.

He cradles his head in his hands, looking down and doesn't say anything for a few minutes. I move over to the recliner that's beside the couch. I patiently wait for him to get his thoughts together.

"Look, I love you and you know that, I want to be with you. Is that not enough for you?"

My eyebrows frown in confusion and I'm at a loss for words.

"Ah Jake, I'm not sure you understand what I'm asking of you."

Like really Jake, come on. Why does this have to be so hard to understand? He's trying to skirt around the issue and it's becoming very annoying. He does this all the time. All I'm asking of him is if he knows what he wants for the future. He's working at a dead end job right now that's not really promising for our future. Ok, I know I'm one to talk but I'll be going back to college next week to finish my degree in business. My dad's doing well and I'm not really needed home that much anymore. He's returning part time to work so that will help with the bills. I don't want to be serving at the restaurant forever; I have dreams and goals. I want the perfect house and the white picket fence. I want a husband with 2.5 kids. Is that too much to ask?

"Well what do you want then Bella? Tell me because I'm not sure I get what you're trying to say!" He stands and moves to grab his jacket. "You know! I come over here to make sure you were safe and all of a sudden I'm being lectured about my life. You're really selfish you know that?"

My jaw drops open and I watch him walk over to the front door. This isn't the way I thought he was going to react.

"Look, I'm sorry Bells, I didn't mean to say those things. I'm just a little high strung and frustrated. I've got a lot on my plate and I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I'm just gonna…" He trails off and he hitches a thumb at the door and I nod. A moment passes and I hear him sigh as he walks over to me and lifts my chin up to kiss my lips, as he does I turn my head and he grazes my cheek.

"Ok, I deserved that," he says, I stare at anywhere but him and he turns to leave. I hear the door shut softly and the rumble of his car. He backs out of the driveway and drives down the road. I sit there for a moment in silence and stretch my neck from side to side.

"Hmmmm…." I say to no one in particular. I take a deep breath as I stand and make my way up the stairs to my room grabbing my jacket along the way. I open my door and throw my jacket on my rocking chair and flop down on my bed. I roll over onto my back and stare at the ceiling.

"Okay, I think it's time."

A/N:

Please Review and let me know what you're thinking. I'm not Edward, i can't read you're mind.

LillyJo