A Single Step Update

And that's all she wrote, here's the final update for A Single Step.

A Single Step Epilogue 3 on FFn

A Single Step Epilogue 3 on AO3

A Single Step Epilogue 3 on Stars

A Single Step Epilogue 3 on Wattpad

A couple of days after the half-marathon, Renee and Charlie flew back to Washington with Jake, Seth and Gianna. Bella and Edward were flying to Los Angeles for the premier of the movie, A Single Step. Bella was sitting in the first-class lounge, paid for by the movie studio, checking her email. “Holy crap,” she breathed.

“What?” Edward asked, putting down his book.

“Riley emailed me,” she whispered. “He saw my picture on Instagram and he … he wants to meet up. He knows that the movie is premiering this week.” Edward pursed his lips. He abhorred Bella’s ex-husband. He never lied about it. His feelings were apparent and he never denied that he couldn’t stand how he treated Bella and the kids. Bella took his hand, staring at her very upset husband. “You’re coming with me, Edward. You’re my husband.”

“And I take my vows seriously,” he said, picking up Bella’s hand and kissed above her wedding set. “Unlike that asshole.”

“He invited me to his home in the Hollywood Hills,” Bella said. Edward’s mouth thinned. “I know you hate him.”

“Hate is too kind a word,” Edward growled.

Bella threaded her fingers with Edward’s and closed her laptop. “Edward, I’m with you and I will stay with you. You’re my best friend and my personal hero. If you don’t want me to go, I won’t.”

“You’re never leaving me, Bella. Forever, right?” Bella nodded and pressed a kiss to his soft lips.  “Now, what did he say?” Edward asked.

“He congratulated me on the publication of my book and the upcoming movie. He asked about Jake and Seth, asking how they were doing. He even asked about Gianna,” Bella murmured. “It was a very generic message, but he wanted to see me, see us. We have a few days before the premiere of the movie. I think it would be a good idea to see him. To rub it in his face that he lost and you won.”

“Damn right,” Edward snorted, kissing Bella’s temple and holding her to his side. “If he says one thing … anything that is disrespectful to you or to the boys, his face will become personally acquainted with my fist.”

“I have no doubt. Your protection of me is quite apparent, Edward. I love you so much for it,” she smiled, snuggling closer to him.

A Single Step Update

A Single Step Chapter 15 on FFn

A Single Step Chapter 15 on AO3

A Single Step Chapter 15 on Wattpad

A Single Step Chapter 15 on Stars

A Single Step Chapter 15 on FicPad

Carlisle, Esme and Elizabeth came to Seattle and they fell in love with Seth and Jake. Fourth of July weekend was spent barbequing, talking, laughing and having fun. Renee and Charlie came to Seattle on the Independence Day. They got along very well with Edward’s family. While they were visiting, Esme, Renee and Elizabeth began plotting to get Edward and Bella married.

Bella was embarrassed at her mother’s plans with Edward’s family. She never really considered getting married again. After Riley had thrown their vows in her face, the whole idea of being married made her an anxious mess. She loved Edward. He was everything that she ever needed.

Smart.

Funny.

Loyal.

Stubborn.

Patient

Sexy.

Down to earth.

Loving.

Accepting of her children.

Protective.

Assertive in the bedroom – though, they never progressed past oral sex, even though Bella got the go-ahead from Dr. Whitlock. Edward could definitely make her quake with his mouth and his long fingers. They were not unsatisfied.

Bella and Edward continued to train and Bella’s form and stamina improved. She still saw Marcus twice a week, but only to work out the kinks and for strength training.

One day, in early August, Bella was walking to her office. She had a meeting to discuss publishing her diary about while she recuperated from her spinal stroke. She’d gone from the darkest part of her life, wishing for death to training for a 5K. Riding up the elevator, she held the hard copy of her diary that she’d printed out, along with a memory stick with a digital file.

Bella did not want to use her connection to the publishing house to get her story in print, but Edward, Rosalie and Jasper all insisted she try. Her boss remembered the entries she’d read and she asked Bella to bring it in. Arriving at the publishing company, Bella smiled at the receptionist and she was ushered into her boss’s office.

Diane, Bella's boss

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.”