Author's note: I know the story is written in several tenses, and for that I am sorry, but I am comfortable writing this way. For me, it isn't about perfecting the tense or grammar with which I write, but to get the story down and out of my head (before it drives me insane!) Again, I apologize, and hopefully I won't lose any readers because of this. So, here's the story, I hope you enjoy! OH YEA, I do not own anything other than the story plot and Mr. Nash.

Chapter Three

As Nash and I pulled up in the parking lot, the nervous jitters flocked to my stomach as I spotted Jacob and Lizzie gathered around the fire with the rest of the group from high school. Lizzie was sitting in Jake's lap; her hand was rubbing the back of his neck and caressing his shoulders. (Don't dwell on the "What if's Bella.") I told myself.

Shaking his head Nash politely opened my door. "It will be fine babe; I mean you are with me how bad can it be?"

I giggled to myself. "You're Right." Placing my hand in his, he closed the door and with a deep breath, "Let's go meet everyone." I said, and we started making our way down the beach hand in hand towards the crowd. As we drew closer I noticed that they are laughing and fondling each other, and as if he felt my gaze watching them, he looks up with disbelief written all over his face. I just smiled softly and turned my attention back towards Nash as he gives me a comforting squeeze and placed a soft kiss on my left temple.

"Ah, Bells you made it." My dad said as we approached, kissing my cheek. "You're late young lady." He uttered, his voice soft, yet firm. I only had to glance at the man to know that he wasn't seriously peeved I arrived late to the party, just mildly concerned. He nodded his head to Nash in an unspoken hello, and turned back to Billy.

"Look who it is." Billy said smacking Jake's shoulder as he got up to hug me. After he gave me a hug he steps back, and glances at me from head to toe. "You sure have grown in to a lovely looking young lady." He says, squeezing me one more time before looking over to Nash. "Who is your friend you got here?"

"This is my boyfriend Austin Nash, but most people call him Nash." Turning to Nash I gestured with my hand, "Nash this is Billy Black." I said, smiling. Nash, ever the well-bred southern gentleman, extended a hand toward Billy.

"Nice to meet you sir." His voice was sincere, and he shook Billy's hand firmly when the older man finally caved and gave him one of his own.

"Same here." Billy murmured. While he was happy to see me and meet Nash, hearing the word boyfriend come from my lips didn't quite sit well with him. I didn't need a mind reader to tell me that, it was written all over his aged face. His chapped lips twitched in a smile, but his eyes-those dark orbs were gleaming with curiosity, but I could also see the dark tint of warning flitting across them. Billy turns towards Jake who stood up and said "This here is my boy Jacob." He gestured toward Jake. They stood for a few moments sizing each other before Nash stretched forth his hand first, "Nice to finally me you" tilting his head in my direction, he continued "this one here has told me so much about you."

Jake took a few seconds before looking down at Nash's hand and finally taking his offer. Jake firmly grabbed his hand and nastily said while looking me dead in the eye. "Funny I haven't heard anything about you." His voice was more aggressive than necessary.

Charlie stood up placing his hand on Jacob shoulder, and looked in between the two, "Boys." He said politely.

Jacob turned around, pulled Lizzie up by her hand into him, turns towards Nash and I, and mockingly says "this is my fiancé Lizzie, Lizzie this Bella, Bella this is Lizzie. You two have never properly been introduced.

"Hi" I said, taking her hand in mine and shaking it softly before looking up at Nash; I introduced the two. "This is Nash, Nash this is Lizzie." I continued "but it is nice to finally meet the lady that has tamed this gentleman." I said with a pleasant smile. Turning, I smacked Jake on the shoulder with more force than necessary "Congratulations." I smirked, looking into Jake's eyes, and they exposed more than he wanted me to know. I saw uncertainty, anger, jealousy, and most of all pain; he never was good at keeping things from me, I could read him like an open book. Looking to her curiously, I gestured toward Jake. "How long have you guys been engaged?"

"Five months." Jake answered tightly. I nodded, I didn't know whether to be happy they were engaged before I had even arrived in Forks, or sad that they were. If he'd done it after, then it would let me know that he had put a rush on it because of me, but no, it wasn't. They were a sure-fire thing way before I had gotten here. He had already moved on.

Giving Jake and Lizzie one last look, I excused myself and pulled Nash along; I wanted to introduce him to everyone else. Most of the crowd welcomed him with open arms, and for that I was thankful. It would be nice to catch up with everyone else, though I sure noticed the strange looks some of them kept giving me. It was as if they knew something I didn't, like some deep, dark secret was hovering in the air.

Nash noticed it too.

We sat on the sand (I should say Nash sat on the sand and dragged me with him) and I was perfectly comfortable with nestling my rear in his lap. His large, warm hands instantly wrapped around my stomach, and I leaned against his chest.

The fire was bright and raging, and the heat from the flames licked soothingly against my skin. Should I be worried that I was so calm, when Jake seemed to be internally losing his mind? Against my will, I'd look his way time and time again, and even though outwardly he was as composed as ever, his eyes still told a different story. Lizzie was in his lap, much like I was with Nash, but she sure didn't have his attention: I did.

Charlie, like the sweet, sweet man he was, dragged a rusty pail our way. "Austin," He addressed the southerner rubbing gentle circles on my stomach, "Want a beer?"

My boyfriend straightened. "I mean no disrespect but if it ain't brown or moonshine I don't want it."

Everyone burst out laughing. Charlie looked taken aback "Oh? Why's that?" asked Jake in condescending tone. I chanced a glance at him, and the look on his face said it all: he was not impressed.

Nash took off his hat, and stuck it on my head without permission. He shifted me in his lap, and smirked at Jake. "'cause, where I come from, we got three rules. No one eats until you say Amen, Don't drink it if it ain't shine or whiskey, and stay away from other boys' women." I craned my neck to look at him, but his steely, green eyes were glaring right at Jake, and as I followed his line of sight, I noted that Jake was glaring right back. They were having some sort of conversation, and I was sure I was the prime topic.

Great.

Not even five minutes and they hated each other already.

As if sensing my stare, Nash forcefully broke his gaze from Jake and winked at me, his arms tightening around my torso.

"So," Charlie asked, pulling the pail back. "Where are you from?"

"Oh please," Embry cut in from the other side of the fire, motioning to Nash, "How'd you meet our Bella?"

All was deathly quiet. The silence was so thick, that if I feather floated down from the sky, and landed softly on the sand, I would hear it.

"Uh..." No coherent words came from my mouth, and to make matters worse, Nash started snickering behind me! I ran my hand through my hair nervously, not sure how to start the story. I turned to give Nash a soft smile, and placed a warm caress on his shoulder. "I ended up in Florida for school." I said, "Nash and I met one night in a bar and hit it off."

Flashback:

It had been a rough semester; I had taken two semesters worth of classes just trying to keep busy. A lot had changed within the last two years of my life, from Jake, to the whole break up with Edward. I left San Francisco soon after everything fell apart with the wedding. I just wanted something fresh, so I left the west coast and headed for the east coast. After transferring schools; selling my truck and everything I owned, I was left with two suitcases and a one way ticket to Orlando. It all started one night after finals; me and my friend Crystal decided that we were going to live it up and welcome summer with open arms. Crystal and I went the whole nine yards that night and it started with three shots of puncheon (imported rum from Trinidad & Tobago it's like moonshine) with our friend Ravi, who just happened to supply us with the rum. Ravi explained that it would unwind us and that is just what it did. Crystal was a southern girl from Alabama, and had taught me the ropes of country. She picked my outfit that included: a coral corset top that had a small bow under the bust area; along with some dark denim shorts that hugged my hips in all the right places and revealed my new tan legs. Finally, I topped my look off with some black stilettos, left my hair down in soft curls and applied light make up. We arrived at this hole in the wall bar about 30 minutes from our apartment; we had been there for about an hour when I noticed him. He was sitting at the bar with his back to me dressed in dark jeans, black leather jacket, and a black hat that hid his face. He was sipping on his glass when he turned looking around the place as if to take in his new surroundings. I got a good look at him; his ears were pierced, I was barely able to make out a few tattoos along with his silver dog tags that hung around his neck. He was hot and I swooned; wetness gathered in all the right spots. He looked like trouble and I was ready to get into some trouble tonight. I don't know what came over me, but I walked right up to him and tapped him on his shoulder. When he turned I said.

"Hey what's your name? Haven't I seen you around here before?"

"Naw ma'am I think if I'd seen you before I would remember."

"Are you here with someone?" I brazenly asked looking around the smoke filled room.

As he stood up and pushed his glass across the counter, he looked me dead in the eye, "Umm, as a matter of fact I'm not. Why, what do you have in mind?" He asked, a mischievous grin crossing his lips.

With the heat spreading in all the wrong places, and a blush creeping to my cheeks, I dared to break our eye contact long enough to glance down then back up at him and asked, "What's your name boy?"

With a warm inviting smile he replied, "Austin Nash but most people call me Nash and you are?"

"Isabella Swan but everyone calls me Bella." I said looking back at Crystal who was now on the dance floor with some guy she barely knew.

Looking at him one more time, and taking in his green eyes that seemed to always be hiding under the rim of his hat, I said with a giggle ,"anyone ever told you that you look like Brantley Gilbert?"

"Nope" he said, popping the "p" in nope "you'd have to be this first."

"Well you do." Still blushing, I tugged on the rim of his hat and asked "do you want to get out of here?"

"Sure." He replied smugly.

End of flashback.

Lizzie coughed, saving me from explaining. "I'm sure it's an entertaining story," She said in a sickly sweet voice. She looked at me and smiled, but it was anything but nice, and batted her eyelashes and latched onto Jake tighter, as if he would slip from her fingers if she didn't keep a firm hold on him, "but aren't we here to celebrate this?" She held up her left hand, and the engagement ring fitted tightly around her finger dangled in the face of the fiery glow from the fire.

Jake planted a kiss on her cheek, agreeing with her. The gesture alone made me want to puke, and instead of sadness, I could feel rage bubbling in the pit of my stomach. Instantly I despised Lizzie, and I could tell that I would never make an effort to get along with her. She was tall and blond, with long, tanned legs. She was pretty in a way I wasn't, but pretty in a way I was all to use to seeing. The girls in Florida were much like her: tall, blond and beautiful, with big boobs and far too much makeup, but I guess that's why I stood out with Nash.

I was different.

"Of course." I said, smiling back. Jake had bagged himself quite a catch; she was about as pretty on the outside as she was inside, and I would only change my opinion of her if she proved me wrong. She was so different for him on so many levels, that I didn't know where to begin.

He hated blond girls; at least, it was what he told me growing up. And he didn't like them taller than him; it wasn't cool to have to stand on your tiptoes just to kiss your girlfriend, much less give her a proper hug. He would go on and on about the cons of having a tall, blond girl as his lady, so then why was he with her? She was the embodiment of everything he said he hated, yet he was marrying her, tying his life to her for an insurmountable time, and I didn't understand why. Did he seriously love her?

"This is just really a celebration for everyone Lizzie, for welcoming Bella home, you and Jake of course but for everyone's accomplishments." Billy mumbles while giving me a comforting smile. I could tell by Billy's tone he was not impressed with Ms. Lizzie either, happiness warmed my insides.

"Well...who wants to go for a swim?" Embry asked, standing up rubbing his hands together.

"Me, Me, Me...." voice started answering from all directions the sound of sand shifting as the all took off.

"Well hell," Nash said, "was it somethin' I said?"

I couldn't help it, I giggled girlishly. "Maybe." I said, turning to the fire. By now it was just Nash and I, and Jake and his...Barbie girlfriend-excuse me, fiancé', and even then I didn't want to stay. I looked back and motioned towards the car, and, Nash, the ever so sweet guy that he was, got my point. Lifting me off his lap, he stood quickly, and offered me a hand.

I took it without hesitation.

"Leaving so soon?" Jake asked, standing as well. His eyes were dark and stormy, and he looked to be fighting an internal battle. He looked as if he wanted to walk over here and say something, yet held himself at bay.

"Yeah," I said, shrugging, "Nash has to get back to Seattle."

"Seattle?"

"Yeah, gotta pay the bills somehow. I'm sure you understand."

Jake furrowed his brows. "Thought you were from Florida?"

Nash scoffed. "Nah dude, Georgia- born and raised. I moved to Florida," He said, and gestured toward me, "and that's how I met this pretty thing. I told her I'd follow her anywhere so, here I am."

Jake was exceedingly quiet. I could just picture the gears in his head turning, and the longer he stayed quiet, the angrier it seemed he was becoming. He was making sense of everything Nash just said, and the silence settling uncomfortably in the beach was so thick, you could cut it with a knife.

I turned, and tuned them out. Reaching into my pocket, I grabbed a scrunchie-the only one that had survived the drive to Forks-and made short work of tying my hair. I loved how long and wavy my hair had gotten these past couple of years, but every once in a while, it would get on my nerves.

"Oh wow!" A loud, annoying squeal pierced the air, and I turned swiftly, startled. Lizzie was looking at me wide eyed, and a dumb, unadulterated look of glee was plastered on her face. "Oh wow!" She repeated, stalking towards me. "That's crazy! Look Jake!" She exclaimed, stopping as she got to me, "Bella has the same tattoo you do!"

Whatever insult was hot on my tongue had to wait, this girl was proving to be just as dumb and idiotic as I first thought she'd be. Instead of telling the broad about the history behind it, and how her lovely fiancé and I got them together, I smiled, and batted my lashes prettily. "Well look at that, must be a coincidence."

Nash's shoulders were quaking; the boy was holding himself back. A LOT. I could tell he wanted nothing more than to burst out laughing, but for the sake of not making the blond look like a moron, and in front her man no less, he kept quiet.

I smiled one last time to Lizzie-to make her feel important, and without a backwards glance at Jake, I turned, pulling Nash with me. Together we navigated through the darkness and stopped only when we were safely inside the car. Nash cranked the car, and cleared his throat. "Charming girl he's marrying."

Despite my best effort, I grinned. "Yeah, you could say that again." I looked out the window to the fire still potently dancing in the air. "He made his damn bed, now let him lie in it." I said as Nash and I pulled away from the beach.

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