The One That Got Away

Chapter Sixty-Three

For those of you who read the Get Your Southern On contest entries, this is my contribution. I am tickled at the results ... first place in public vote and third place for the judge's choice. I've decided to break this up into smaller, drabblish chapters and it will be continued. The contest contribution is the first six or so chapters, roughly. I don't know how long it will be, but I do have it planned. Thank you to Bridget for betaing this for me and for Clo, who created the banner.

Things settled comfortably. Bella was thriving at University of Tampa. She was enjoying the rigors of being a college professor. Her class lectures were challenging and engaging. The students were eager to learn, turning in compelling papers. Some of them even approached Bella, asking her to read their short stories and plot outlines. She was more than willing to oblige, but only after the semester was over. In addition to teaching the Romantic Contemporary Literature class, Bella was also offered to teacher an introduction to creative writing course. She eagerly accepted the position, looking at the established syllabus and brainstormed about how she could make sure she could make the class her own.

Liam was thriving in his second-grade class, becoming closer with his best friend and making new friends from his classmates. Lucy was still shy, but becoming really close with Mackenzie and another girl, Avery, who had moved to Tampa two weeks into the school year. While Lucy was quiet, she was excelling academically in Miss Archer's class. She loved learning and was engaged by her young, funky teacher.

Edward, however, was coming apart at the seams. He was an anxious mess that Tanya was going to pop out anywhere and try to kidnap his children. It was an irrational fear, but not knowing where she was or her plans; it made him extremely jumpy.

The only things keeping him sane was planning a birthday celebration for Bella and his job. She had gone the extra mile to make his birthday/Father's Day something amazing and he was going to do the same for her. With the help of the twins and his mother, he made a scrapbook of the twins first seven years of their lives, recreating their baby books for Bella. This was a necessary keepsake for any mother. He also included a coupon for a family photo with the four of them. He loved the photo Bella and the twins, but he wanted a true family photo, with all of them.

The present he got for her was more private. It was some slinky lingerie and other sexual items for them to play. Bella was adamant that she didn't want anything for her birthday. Especially, not jewelry, much to his chagrin, but he obliged. So, Edward selfishly found sexy goodies for the two of them. His plan was to give Bella orgasms and lots of them for her birthday, after a romantic dinner for two at an amazing restaurant, Bella's Italian Café. His parents were going to watch the twins while he spoiled his girlfriend.

Yeah, that was the only thing that was keeping him sane.

If only her birthday fell on a weekend ... damn it. It fell on a Wednesday and he made arrangements to pick her up after work on the Friday following her birthday. It was nice to have a set schedule and having the ability to make those types of plans. His crazy schedule when he was a resident was stressful. Working for Elijah in the practice and having set hours at the hospital, gave him one less thing to stress out about.

On Friday, Bella was packing up her bags from her office. She was looking forward to the weekend, but she had to grade seventy-five papers, comparing two current romantic novels from a list that she'd provided. She also wanted to relax, spending time with Edward and the twins. She had gone out to dinner with Charlie, Sue and Seth on her birthday. It was a good time. The twins had asked her to come over to celebrate her birthday with them and Edward, but the plans with Charlie and his girlfriend had been planned since before her trip to Vegas.