Mechanics and Mistletoe Update

My Christmas gift to you ... Mechanics and Mistletoe is now complete! Merry Christmas to you and your families! Much love to all of you! 

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“This place has been closed, but on the market, since the owner took ill about six years ago. His family couldn’t keep up with it since they didn’t know anything about a garage or the business,” said the real estate agent, Lauren. I was walking around the large, run-down, garage in Port Angeles. “If they don’t have a buyer in the next month or so, the bank is going to repossess.”

“I know that feeling,” I snorted, checking the equipment and making mental note of what would need to be replaced and what could be salvaged. “Thankfully, I had a windfall and was able to climb out of that rut. I own a garage in Lake Geneva. My best friend is now running that garage while I’m expanding here.”

“Lake Geneva is a great deal away from Port Angeles,” quipped Lauren, who was a young woman with flowing blonde hair and she flirted with me relentlessly. “You’re going to be lonely, Mr. Cullen.”

“No, I won’t,” I said, plastering on a fake smile. “I’m moving here with my girlfriend.”

“You said girlfriend,” she purred, laying a hand on my forearm. “Not wife.”

“And the girlfriend will shove a stiletto into your eye if you don’t remove your grubby fingers off his arm,” Bella growled, sashaying into the garage and her brown eyes flashing. Lauren snatched her hand back, her eyes wide. Bella came over, threading her fingers with mine and glowering at the sales agent. “Seriously? You’re married. I see that ring on your finger. Or is that how close every deal?”

Lauren was fuming, but she blinked slowly and a forced smile spread over her face. “My apologies, Mr. Cullen. It was never my intention to …” she trailed off uncomfortably.

“I’m certain it wasn’t, but it would be wise for you to let me check out this place and discuss this with my girlfriend,” I said, tugging Bella toward the office and closing the door. I sighed when I saw the disarray of the office. “Damn, this place looks like a bomb went off in it.”

“That harpy,” Bella growled. “She was trying to dig her talons into you, Edward. I mean, really. Her tits are lopsided and her hair is so fried …”

“Bella, I’m yours,” I said, tugging her into my arms and kissing her sweetly. “That girl doesn’t even hold a candle to you.” Bella harrumphed, her fingers toying with my hair. “Look at me, beautiful.” She blinked up to me, her eyes still swirling with ire. “I love you. I’m with you and only with you. Are you with me?”

“It’s only ever been you,” she whispered, kissing me, her lips pliant against mine and her tongue dancing in my mouth. When she relaxed and melted against me, I pulled back, holding her in my arms. “Damn you and your voodoo.”

“You calmed down, didn’t you?” I snickered. She smacked my chest and looked her around, her nose wrinkled. “And you’re right about this place looking like a bomb went off.” She poked her nose into the filing cabinet and gasped. “Ugh, this is awful.”

“It is pretty bad, but it was a family-owned business. Something about this place makes it …” I smirked. I looked at the paperwork, wrinkling my nose. “It’s overpriced, though.”

“I agree,” Bella nodded. “Lauren’s silicone boobs must be leaking if she thinks she can get that amount. I asked around about what this property should be worth. From most of the realtors I’ve spoken with, half the amount would be appropriate.”

Mechanics and Mistletoe Teaser

After sitting with Renee as she showed me baby pictures of Bella for an hour, the woman in question came into the living room. She sat down and snuggled close to me, her hand finding mine and twining our fingers together. She was quiet, listening to her mother tell me about Bella’s penchant for falling on a flat surface prior to puberty. There were so many pictures of her in casts, sporting bruises and scrapes and she laughed through all of it. As the pictures changed from adorable photos of her as a child, I saw her as a gangly pre-pubescent girl to a teenaged girl, looking very similar to the woman who was snuggled to my side. The only difference in the teenager to the woman now, was the eyes. My Bella as a teenager was free, fun and lively. Now?  She was more reserved, guarded and life has taken its toll on her.

When Renee started showing me pictures from Bella’s college years, Charlie called us to the dinner table. It was a large table, filled with more food than I’d seen in months. It a smelled delicious and my stomach snarled angrily. Bella chuckled, tugging me to the chair next to her and pouring us both a glass of wine. I didn’t drink it because of the pain medication I was taking for my injuries, but I did dig into the food: prime rib, creamed spinach, cheesy potatoes, green bean casserole and a small ham. Renee kept piling more food onto my plate, harping that I was too thin, which was true. But, food wasn’t high on the list of priorities in my world. I ate what I could, but was stuffed. Bella got up after we finished eating and she began clearing the plates. I went to help. “Nonsense, Edward. You’re a guest,” Renee said, stopping me with a motherly glare. “Why don’t you have a nightcap with Charlie in the living room? I’ll help Bella.”

“Don’t push it too hard, Rennie,” Charlie said, twisting his wedding band.

“I’m feeling good, Charlie,” she retorted. “Today was a good day. I want to spend time with my baby girl and dish about her handsome boyfriend.”

“Mom!” Bella gasped.

“What? Edward’s a sweetie and those eyes,” Renee giggled, following Bella into the kitchen.

“My wife, she’s never been one to hold back,” Charlie chuckled anxiously. “She’s clearly taken with you and my daughter adores you.”

“The feeling is mutual, sir,” I said.

“Come on, Edward. You can’t be comfortable. You’ve been shifting in that chair for the past half hour,” Charlie said, getting up and leading me back to the living room. He stoked the fire, adding some more logs. “Do you want something to drink? Scotch? Bourbon?”

“I’m on some pretty hefty pain killers for my ribs,” I answered. “Water or a soda would be great.”

“I’m sorry. I’m an idiot,” he grumbled. “Proof of your injuries is plain as day on your jaw and … Coke or Pepsi?”

“Whatever is fine, sir,” I shrugged, settling back onto the comfy, overstuffed couch. I tugged at the sweater and frowned, seeing the quality of the fabric. Bella had spent too much money on me, but it’s not like I had much of a choice when it came to the situation. My garage was still a crime scene. Emmett went there earlier today and said that it had been dusted and pictures were taken. In addition to the damage to the building, all of the petty cash had been taken from the safe, which had been torn to shreds by whoever attacked me. Charlie walked back, handing me glass filled with soda. “Thank you, Mr. Swan.”

“Call me Charlie,” he said, sitting down across from me with a glass of scotch. “How are you feeling, son?”

“I’m sore, but I’ll be okay,” I said, sipping my drink. “They were trying to prove a point, which they obviously didn’t do since I’m here.”

“I’m glad you are here,” he whispered, his voice quiet. I arched a brow. “I see something in my little girl that I haven’t seen in a long time. A genuine, happy smile. Yes, she’s grieving the impending loss of her mother, but she’s happy with you. I know she was lonely in Chicago, working herself to an early grave. She got that ambition and work ethic from me, but she has her mother’s heart, all goodness and kindness wrapped up in a feisty brunette shell.”

I snickered, groaning as my ribs pressed against my bindings. “Ouch.”

“Sorry, Edward,” Charlie said, smirking as he held up his drink. “I’ll try to refrain from making you laugh.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve actually laughed, Charlie,” I shrugged. “I kind of turned off my emotions after my dad died. I didn’t have the luxury of falling apart.”

Mechanics and Mistletoe Update

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Mechancis and Mistletoe Chapter 2 on Wattpad

I jolted awake. My eyes fluttered open and I saw that I was inside the Cullen garage. Edward walked over to the passenger seat, still wearing his coveralls and heavy winter jacket. “I’m sorry I woke you,” he said. “You just crashed.”

“Snow makes me edgy,” I shuddered. He helped me down and stepped back, tugging off his leather gloves. “It always has. Especially after …”

“The car accident,” Edward said. “My dad told me about it. You were lucky, Bella. You could have died.”

“Yeah, it taught me never to trust the weather. Snow, in particular,” I snorted, stepping away from the truck. “The car was totaled, but I just had bumps and bruises. But, I made a new friend out of the deal and we went to prom.” He smiled crookedly and chuckled, looking down at his feet. “That was the best night I’d had, Edward.”

“Me, too. It was the first time since Mom died that I wasn’t sad,” he shrugged, shaking his head and gesturing behind him. “Are you hungry? I don’t have much. Just some frozen meals, and the microwave works well.”

“You stay here?” I asked, pointing to the garage.

“No. There’s a small apartment that I converted when I sold my folks’ place,” he said. His eyes flashed with something, but I couldn’t decipher it. “Come on.” I nodded, following him through the garage and to homey, but tiny apartment above the main garage. The apartment was furnished with shabby furniture. I recognized some of it from the Cullen house from when he brought me to his house to take pictures for his dad on prom night. The rest appeared to be from Goodwill or Salvation Army.

“You built this place?” I asked. “I don’t remember this being here.” I took off my coat and Edward put it in the closet. He was quiet, appraising me.

“I needed a place to stay after I sold the house. My best friend, Emmett, he helped me and Mr. Banner, who worked for the school, but did work for the city, got me the permits and shit. From planning to building, I was moved in six months. The house sold a month after that,” he shrugged.

“Why did you sell the house?” I asked.

“Pay the bills,” he frowned. “Mom’s cancer … she … the medical bills were through the roof. I’m still paying those off and she’s been dead for over a decade.” He shifted on his feet. “Do you want to sit? Some coffee?”

“Sure,” I nodded, moving to sit on the couch. Edward darted into the kitchen.