Destination Date Update

Destination Date Ch. 11 on FFn

Destination Date Ch. 11 on AO3

Destination Date Ch. 11 on fanfiction.online

Destination Date Ch. 11 on Stars

Destination Date Ch. 11 on Wattpad

“Bella, I want to talk to you about something,” Edward said as he sipped his coffee over breakfast in their villa.

“Is everything okay?” Bella asked.

“With us? Yes. But, Tia tried to …” he trailed off. “She made it very clear that she wanted me to fuck her.”

“Over my rotting corpse,” Bella sneered. “Where does she get off? Hell, she watched us fuck in that back hallway. Without any sort of protection, mind you. Well, I’m protected, but …”

“Hey, breathe,” Edward said softly, rubbing her arms. “We trust each other, right? I know you, baby.”

“She … she better watch out,” Bella growled. “She’s married.”

“Anyway, I wanted to let you know,” Edward said, pulling Bella into his arms. “I don’t know if they’re leaving. A number of guests are booking it out of dodge because of the pandemic. Osvaldo told me that board of tourism has issued a warning.”

“What should we do?” Bella asked.

“I’ll give it another day, but we may have to cut our trip short,” Edward frowned. “I looked online to see if there were any flights available, but everything’s booked. We may have to wait it out.”

“It’s a good thing that we can telecommute, hmmm?” Bella quipped. “I can read my manuscripts in this paradise.”

“I can handle some things from a distance …” Edward said. “I’m going to call Emmett, but it’s too early now. We may need to restructure our gyms …” A cloud of uncertainty passed over his face. “But, we’ll deal with it later. For now, we have a date with a pair of horses.”

“Let me finish packing my backpack,” Bella said. “Do you want some sparkly sunscreen?”

“Yeah, no,” Edward laughed. “Regular sunscreen will be perfect. Actually, I’m wearing a long-sleeved shirt since I’m feeling the burn from when we went snorkeling.”

“Are we going to spend the night under the stars? The excursion is an all-day thing,” Bella asked.

“I think so,” Edward answered. “We’re picking up a meal before we go.” He checked his watch. “Come on. We have a brief lesson on how to handle the horses.”

“Have you ever ridden?”

“I took lessons and I’m pretty good with horses,” he said. “What about you?”

“I know the basics, but I do need a refresher,” Bella said, pulling her bag onto her shoulders. She swiped her water bottle and tossed her sunglasses into her hair, atop her messy bun. She was wearing a pair of jeans with some hiking boots. Her tanned skin contrasted against the white tank top she wore underneath her purple light-weight hoodie. “You ready, Sparkle?”

“Always, Glitter."

A Single Step Update

A Single Step Chapter 11 on FFn

A Single Step Chapter 11 on AO3

A Single Step Chapter 11 on Wattpad

A Single Step Chapter 11 on Stars

A Single Step Chapter 11 on FicPad

A couple days later, Bella and Edward drove to a French restaurant, Restaurant Orsay, to meet up with Carlisle, Esme and Esme’s sister, Elizabeth. Bella shifted in the passenger seat and tried to cover her legs with her skirt.

“Stop it, beautiful,” Edward said, reaching across to hold her hand. “You look ravishing.”

“My legs look like toothpicks,” she grumbled. “When we get back, we need to work on making my legs look like legs and not like sticks.” She lifted her slender leg and poked at it. “And they’re so white.”

“We had a rainy, nasty winter,” Edward snickered. “I’m just as pasty, love.”

“Well, right now, you’re more red than pasty,” Bella giggled.

“Shut it,” he growled. “The pool and the waves and the weather … it was so relaxing. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“I thought you had enough sunblock. I’m sorry,” Bella said, threading her fingers with Edward’s. “When we get back to the hotel, I’ll put more aloe on your back. I promise.”

“Thank you, Bella,” he said, lifting her hand to his lips and brushing his mouth along her knuckles. “You know, if you feel uncomfortable … with my mother’s actions and her comments … we can leave.”

“I’ll be fine,” she breathed. “I took your mother’s words too seriously. It didn’t help that I was overtired from the long journey. I was far too sensitive, to be honest.”

“She didn’t see you. She saw the chair,” Edward argued, his own temper flaring. “She needed to be educated …”

“Edward, I don’t want to cause a rift between you and your family,” she frowned, rubbing his arm soothingly.

“Dad was on my side,” he snickered, pulling into the restaurant and stopping at the valet station. Edward darted to the passenger side, helping Bella to stand. “Do you want your walker or …”

“I want to try, holding onto you,” Bella said, gripping his arm. Edward smiled, sliding his arm around her waist.

Dr. Carlisle Cullen

Esme Cullen

Elizabeth Masen

A Single Step Teaser

A couple days later, Bella and Edward drove to a French restaurant, Restaurant Orsay, to meet up with Carlisle, Esme and Esme’s sister, Elizabeth. Bella shifted in the passenger seat and tried to cover her legs with her skirt.

“Stop it, beautiful,” Edward said, reaching across to hold her hand. “You look ravishing.”

“My legs look like toothpicks,” she grumbled. “When we get back, we need to work on making my legs look like legs and not like sticks.” She lifted her slender leg and poked at it. “And they’re so white.”

“We had a rainy, nasty winter,” Edward snickered. “I’m just as pasty, love.”

“Well, right now, you’re more red than pasty,” Bella giggled.

“Shut it,” he growled. “The pool and the waves and the weather … it was so relaxing. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“I thought you had enough sunblock. I’m sorry,” Bella said, threading her fingers with Edward’s. “When we get back to the hotel, I’ll put more aloe on your back. I promise.”

“Thank you, Bella,” he said, lifting her hand to his lips and brushing his mouth along her knuckles. “You know, if you feel uncomfortable … with my mother’s actions and her comments … we can leave.”

“I’ll be fine,” she breathed. “I took your mother’s words too seriously. It didn’t help that I was overtired from the long journey. I was far too sensitive, to be honest.”

“She didn’t see you. She saw the chair,” Edward argued, his own temper flaring. “She needed to be educated …”

“Edward, I don’t want to cause a rift between you and your family,” she frowned, rubbing his arm soothingly.

“Dad was on my side,” he snickered, pulling into the restaurant and stopping at the valet station. Edward darted to the passenger side, helping Bella to stand. “Do you want your walker or …”

“I want to try, holding onto you,” Bella said, gripping his arm. Edward smiled, sliding his arm around her waist. They walked slowly into the restaurant. They were led to a semi private room.

A Single Step Update

A Single Step Chapter 10 on FFn

A Single Step Chapter 10 on AO3

A Single Step Chapter 10 on Stars

A Single Step Chapter 10 on Wattpad

A Single Step Chapter 10 on FicPad

Months went by. Edward became a regular fixture at the Swan household, spending the night frequently. So often, he had brought over a fair amount of clothing, most of which hung in Bella’s closet. He celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas with the family, and was unofficially adopted by Renee and Charlie.

In addition to opening his heart to Bella, Edward also opened his heart to the boys. Jake accepted Edward easily and gained a new male role model and friend. Seth was still cautious, having been burned by his father, but he grew to like Edward and gobbled up his attention along with his knowledge about sports.

Bella’s recovery was slowly improving after a month-long stall. She still struggled with balance, but she was able to walk smoothly in the aquatic treadmill. Edward also had her work on a recumbent stepper to get her leg strength back. She could walk, but required the use of a walker for balance. Bella hated it, vowing to never use one when she reached the age of eighty. Regardless, she was walking more and using her wheelchair less and less.

During the boys’ spring break, Edward took Bella to visit his parents in Jacksonville. Jake and Seth wanted to spend time with Nana and Poppy, going fishing and camping. Bella was more than happy to have her sons go with her father to do their outdoorsy things. It had been a cold and wet winter. When Edward suggested the trip to Florida, Bella readily agreed, eager to get out of Seattle. She hadn’t had a vacation since she started working for the publishing  house.

As they flew over the country, Edward read Bella’s diary entries. She was watching a movie on her iPad while Edward read her inner-most thoughts on her laptop. She knew it was tough for him, reading about the pain she endured. He held her close, kissing her forehead and crying during her lowest parts of her recovery. At one point, Edward closed her laptop.

“What?” Bella asked, tugging out her ear buds.

“Your ex-husband is a douchebag,” Edward sneered.

“Keep in mind that I was writing these as if no one would read them,” Bella snickered. “Obviously, I need to do some major editing …”

“No, they need to know about how not to treat someone who had a life-altering medical event,” Edward huffed. “He’s so cold! What did you ever see in him?”

“When we met, he was good and kind, treating me with love and affection. We got married relatively quickly. I was pregnant with Jake. He was a drunken debacle baby, but we loved him from the moment we found out I was pregnant. Anyway, we were still in college. I had Jake in June between my junior and senior years of college and I was back, student teaching in August. Riley’s parents helped a lot,” Bella said.

“You don’t talk about them, in your diary,” Edward said.

“They both died, around our five-year anniversary. Car accident,” Bella frowned. “William, Riley’s dad, fell asleep at the wheel and crossed four lanes of traffic before wrapping his car around a telephone pole.” Bella sighed. “Riley was a mess after that, fell into a deep depression. He bounced back, returning to the sweet, affectionate man I married and Seth was conceived. After Seth’s birth, Riley just shut off. We lived together, but we weren’t together. It wasn’t a marriage. Then, I had my stroke and his true colors came out.”

Charlie and Seth fishing in La Push

Omni Hotel in Jacksonville

Dr. Carlisle Cullen

Esme Cullen

Cullens' home in Jacksonville

Kitchen

A Single Step Teaser

Months went by. Edward became a regular fixture at the Swan household, spending the night frequently. So often, he had brought over a fair amount of clothing, most of which hung in Bella’s closet. He celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas with the family, and was unofficially adopted by Renee and Charlie.

In addition to opening his heart to Bella, Edward also opened his heart to the boys. Jake accepted Edward easily and gained a new male role model and friend. Seth was still cautious, having been burned by his father, but he grew to like Edward and gobbled up his attention along with his knowledge about sports.

Bella’s recovery was slowly improving after a month-long stall. She still struggled with balance, but she was able to walk smoothly in the aquatic treadmill. Edward also had her work on a recumbent stepper to get her leg strength back. She could walk, but required the use of a walker for balance. Bella hated it, vowing to never use one when she reached the age of eighty. Regardless, she was walking more and using her wheelchair less and less.

During the boys’ spring break, Edward took Bella to visit his parents in Jacksonville. Jake and Seth wanted to spend time with Nana and Poppy, going fishing and camping. Bella was more than happy to have her sons go with her father to do their outdoorsy things. It had been a cold and wet winter. When Edward suggested the trip to Florida, Bella readily agreed, eager to get out of Seattle. She hadn’t had a vacation since she started working for the publishing  house.

As they flew over the country, Edward read Bella’s diary entries. She was watching a movie on her iPad while Edward read her inner-most thoughts on her laptop. She knew it was tough for him, reading about the pain she endured. He held her close, kissing her forehead and crying during her lowest parts of her recovery. At one point, Edward closed her laptop.

“What?” Bella asked, tugging out her ear buds.

“Your ex-husband is a douchebag,” Edward sneered.

“Keep in mind that I was writing these as if no one would read them,” Bella snickered. “Obviously, I need to do some major editing …”

“No, they need to know about how not to treat someone who had a life-altering medical event,” Edward huffed. “He’s so cold! What did you ever see in him?”

“When we met, he was good and kind, treating me with love and affection. We got married relatively quickly. I was pregnant with Jake. He was a drunken debacle baby, but we loved him from the moment we found out I was pregnant. Anyway, we were still in college. I had Jake in June between my junior and senior years of college and I was back, student teaching in August. Riley’s parents helped a lot,” Bella said.

“You don’t talk about them, in your diary,” Edward said.

“They both died, around our five-year anniversary. Car accident,” Bella frowned. “William, Riley’s dad, fell asleep at the wheel and crossed four lanes of traffic before wrapping his car around a telephone pole.” Bella sighed. “Riley was a mess after that, fell into a deep depression. He bounced back, returning to the sweet, affectionate man I married and Seth was conceived. After Seth’s birth, Riley just shut off. We lived together, but we weren’t together. It wasn’t a marriage. Then, I had my stroke and his true colors came out.”

The One That Got Away Update

TOTGA Chapter 47 Update on FicPad

TOTGA Chapter 47 Update on AO3

TOTGA Chapter 47 Update on STARS

TOTGA Chapter 47 Update on FFn

TOTGA Chapter 47 Update on Wattpad

“Thank you for meeting with me, Esme,” Carlisle said, spinning his coffee mug. “I miss you.”

“I miss you, too,” Esme replied, “but you have to understand why I’m sticking to my guns on this. You were wrong about your opinion about Bella. She’s one of the sweetest women I’ve ever met. I don’t understand why you are being so harsh to her. You were nicer to Edward’s ex-wife.”

“No, I wasn’t,” Carlisle snorted.

“Yes, you were,” Esme argued. “What do you have against the woman who has had our son’s heart since high school?”

“Nothing,” Carlisle sighed.

“Then, why treat her like she’s a piece of shit, Carl,” Esme whispered. “That girl was tortured in elementary, middle and high school. So much so, that she moved away to get away from the people who made her life hell. Our son was one of the few people who treated her with respect. You’re friends with her father.”

“I was friends. We haven’t talked since he broke my nose,” Carlisle chuckled blandly.

“Do you blame him?” Esme asked, arching a brow. Carlisle shook his head. “What can I say to get you to pull your head out of your ass? Your son is happy, happier than he’s ever been. The kids are laughing and they love Bella.”

“Liam is questionable,” Carlisle grumbled.

“No, he isn’t,” Esme retorted. “I spoke to him yesterday and he said that Bella has been amazing while on the trip. Bella wanted to get to know the kids, so on Monday, she spent the day with Lucy and yesterday, Bella spent the day with Liam. He couldn’t stop talking about how attentive she was and the fun things they did while out and about. He loves her and most importantly, respects her. He pushed her boundaries, saying that he acted like a brat and Bella wasn’t about to take any of his nonsense. He was upset that she punished him, but he understood why she did it.”

“She’s not a pushover?” Carlisle asked.

“No, she’s not,” Esme replied. “You owe her a huge apology and I pray that she forgives you. The fact that she hasn’t walked away after your nonsense, it’s a miracle. And the fact that you don’t have a great reason why you don’t like her baffles me and makes this pointless. Why can’t you accept her?”

“I can,” Carlisle sighed, scrubbing his face. “I just want what’s best for our son.”

“And Bella’s what’s best,” Esme said. “If you would look past your prejudice, you would see that your son finally has the family he wanted and deserved. The only thing that would have more perfect would be that Liam and Lucy were hers, biologically, but blood doesn’t make a family. It’s the relationships and Bella’s building meaningful, loving relationships with our grandchildren. The only thing standing in the way is your behavior.” Esme stood up, finishing her coffee and glaring at her husband. “When they get back, I want to have Bella and Edward over for dinner, with the kids. I want you there so you can apologize. Properly. If you can act civilly, you can move back home. Not into our bedroom. That will take time since I’m still upset with you.”

“I do want to come home. The condo isn’t the same,” Carlisle frowned. “It’s a long-term rental and I …”

“Those are my terms. If you can’t handle this,” Esme said coldly, producing the draft of divorce agreement, dropping it on the table, “this will happen.”