Chapter Text
Bella learns the quiet rhythms of the house faster than she expects.
Mornings arrive gently here. Light filters through the kitchen windows instead of crashing in, pale and steady against the counters and the wide wooden table they’d argued over for nearly an hour before buying. Alice had wanted something round. Rosalie had insisted on solid. Bella had shrugged and said as long as it didn’t wobble, she didn’t care. Somehow, they’d ended up with a table that satisfied all three of them, and that feels like a small but accurate metaphor for the house as a whole.
Bella sits at the table now, laptop open, feet tucked under the chair. A mug of coffee cools slowly within reach, forgotten for the moment as she scrolls through a draft policy document marked with a constellation of tracked changes. Her hair is pulled back, more functional than neat, and she’s wearing one of her old sweatshirts, comforting her while she works. The house breathes around her.
Alice moves through it like a breeze given purpose, soft footsteps and hums that change tune every few minutes. She’s already dressed, vibrant even this early, her omega presence felt before she ever speaks — bright citrus and light white florals drifting ahead of her like a small, cheerful wake. Cabinets open and close. The kettle clicks off. Somewhere down the hall, a door opens and shuts again, that same citrus-soft sweetness trailing after light footsteps as she moves through the house.
Bella reads a paragraph twice, then highlights a sentence and leaves a comment.
It’s familiar work. Comforting, even. The hospital’s documentation has a way of revealing its weak points quietly, tucked between otherwise careful language. Bella has learned how to find them and correct the mistakes without issue. She fixes things, it’s what she’s always done.
She’s in the middle of restructuring a section when Alice appears at her elbow, setting down a plate without comment.
Toast. Eggs. A handful of berries arranged with deliberate cheer.
“You’re doing the thing where you forget to eat,” Alice says, smiling like it’s an observation, not a reprimand.
Bella glances up, surprised despite herself. “I ate...”
Alice hums skeptically and leans against the table, folding one leg over the other. “Mm. Debatable, a granola bar with tea doesn’t count.”
Bella snorts, reaching for the fork anyway. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Alice says brightly, already turning away. “Rosalie left early. She said to tell you she’ll be late tonight.”
Bella nods while she eats a particularly sour blueberry. It makes sense. Rosalie’s shop has been busy lately, more contracts coming in than usual. Hale Precision hums with controlled chaos, and Rosalie thrives in it. Bella’s learned the shape of her schedule the same way she’s learned everything else here, by paying attention.
Alice circles back, coffee mug in hand this time, and peers at Bella’s screen. “Is this the thing you were complaining about yesterday?”
“Yes,” Bella says. “They rewrote half the compliance language without updating the cross-references.”
Alice winces sympathetically. “That sounds like a lot of work.”
“It is, and it’s very frustrating.”
Bella takes a bite of toast, then another, hunger registering belatedly. The normalcy of it settles her further into the chair, into the morning. They've been here just over a week now, but it already feels less like settling in and more like continuing something that had paused briefly while she wasn’t looking.
The house doesn’t feel borrowed, that’s the thing she keeps coming back to. She didn’t move with them because she needed help, she didn’t take a spare room. Her name is on the paperwork, signed with the same deliberate care as Rosalie’s and Alice’s. She chose this place, invested in it the same as them.
Forks feels far away in a way that’s more emotional than geographic. Bella doesn’t miss the constant damp, the way the town seemed to watch her even when it pretended not to. The city is different, busier, louder, more anonymous. And in this house, tucked into a quiet neighborhood that smells faintly of pine and fresh rain, Bella feels grounded.
She works through the morning with steady focus, breaking only when Alice pops back in to ask if she’s seen her green scarf, if Bella wants tea later, and if Bella remembers that Kate and Tanya might stop by sometime this week.
Bella has heard of Rosalie’s cousins. They’re extremely close but Bella has only seen a glimpse of Kate once, sharp-eyed, cocky, and unapologetically flirtatious, the kind of presence that fills a room and dares you to keep up. Tanya she’s only heard about, spoken of warmly, casually, like someone whose presence doesn’t require explanation. She’s heard enough stories that she’s filed their names away, and is anxious to officially meet them.
She’s aware they grew up in Alaska and were very close with Rosalie and her brother Jasper. But during college it was Rosalie and Alice who visited them in Alaska. Rosalie has been talking about how they’ve recently moved here, and that’s why it was so important they bought a house with two extra bedrooms, just incase they needed a place to stay, or wanted to stay over after hanging out late.
Bella returns to her work, fingers moving easily over the keyboard. She restructures a section on patient intake procedures, flags a potential contradiction, and sends a polite follow-up email to a department head who will almost certainly thank her later. She doesn’t need the thanks. The work itself is satisfying in its own way.
Around noon, she closes her laptop and stretches, joints popping softly. Alice has disappeared, probably out running errands or planning something extravagant for no reason at all. Bella stands and moves through the kitchen, rinsing her mug and setting it in the rack. She pauses at the back door, fingers resting on the handle.
The yard is small but green, fenced in neatly. They’d argued about that too. Rosalie had wanted privacy. Alice had wanted space for entertaining. Bella had suggested compromise.
They’d bought the house the following week.
Bella steps outside, breathing in the crisp air, and lets herself feel the quiet pride of that decision. Of being here. Of choosing something that feels steady.
Her phone buzzes in her pocket. A message from Jacob, checking in, asking how work’s been. She types back a quick reply, smiling faintly, then tucks the phone away again. Some things stay constant. Others shift gently, almost imperceptibly.
When she goes back inside, Alice is there again, shoes kicked off by the door, bags in hand.
“I made a run to the bakery,” she announces. “They had the good bread and some amazing pastries.”
Bella laughs. “Is that rare or something?”
“It is,” Alice says seriously. “Have you had these yet?”
“I don’t think so, but I’m excited to try them.”
They eat together at the table, Bella listening as Alice recounts a story about an event client who changed their entire color palette three days before the deadline. Rosalie calls halfway through, her voice warm and familiar through the speaker, checking in before getting pulled back into whatever crisis she’s managing at the shop.
The house fills with the sound of them — laughter, casual conversation, the low hum of something solid and shared.
Bella doesn’t think about the future in that moment. She thinks about the present — the way the afternoon light shifts across the floor, the way Alice leans into Rosalie’s voice even through a phone, the way the house seems to hold them without asking anything in return.
This, Bella thinks, is what it means to be settled.
——
The knock comes mid-afternoon, steady and confident, like whoever is on the other side expects to be let in.
Bella looks up from the couch, where she’s been sitting with her laptop balanced on her knees, a half-finished email glowing on the screen. Alice is on the floor nearby, cross-legged amid a scatter of fabric swatches and color cards, holding two samples up to the light with exaggerated concentration.
They both pause.
Alice’s head tilts. A smile spreads across her face, immediate and unmistakable. “Oh.”
Bella lowers her laptop slightly. “What?”
“That’ll be Rosalie’s cousins,” Alice says, already scrambling to her feet. “They said they might come by today.”
Before Bella can respond, the door knocks again, lighter this time.
From somewhere down the hall, Rosalie’s voice carries easily. “If that’s them, tell them not to touch anything breakable.”
Alice laughs. “Will do.”
“I just don’t want Kate to break anything.” Rosalie calls back.
Alice reaches the door and swings it open without hesitation.
Two women stand on the porch both with the unmistakable alpha scent.
The first thing Bella notices is how different their energy feels, even standing side by side.
One of them, who she believes is Kate but can’t be too sure, stands a little forward, shoulders relaxed, posture open, blonde hair straight and bright in the afternoon sun. She’s smiling already, wide and unapologetic, like this is exactly where she wants to be.
The other hangs back half a step, not withdrawn so much as giving space. Her hair is just as blonde but curls flow loosely around her shoulders, softening her presence. Her expression is calm, observant, eyes taking in the doorway and the glimpse of the house beyond it with quiet interest.
As they step inside, the air changes just enough for Bella to notice.
The woman with the bright grin brings a lively scent with her, bright wildflower cutting through first, followed by green moss and the grounded warmth of cedar and pine. It moves easily through the entryway, outdoorsy and energetic, like she’s carried a piece of the forest in with her.
The second woman’s presence follows more quietly. The air around her carries frozen cypress and juniper berry, eucalyptus sharp and clean beneath it. The scent is cool and composed, settling rather than spreading, steady in a way that feels intentional.
Neither scent lingers heavily. They just arrive, then begin to fade into the background like any other part of a room adjusting to new people.
“Finally,” the smiling one says, stepping fully inside like she’s claiming the space by enthusiasm alone. “I was starting to think you’d changed your mind.”
Alice laughs and pulls her into a hug. “Like that would ever happen.”
The second woman smiles and accepts a hug too, softer and shorter, her hand briefly resting at Alice’s back before she steps away.
Bella stands from the couch as Rosalie appears at the end of the hallway, wiping her hands on a shop rag, the warm trace of rose and sandalwood — something unmistakably Alpha threaded through gentleness rather than force, reaching them a moment before she does, and grinning openly when she sees them.
“You made it,” Rosalie says, warmth clear in her voice. “I was starting to think traffic scared you off.”
The grinning blonde scoffs. “Please. Traffic fears me.”
Rosalie laughs outright and steps forward, pulling her into a quick, familiar hug. “You’re a menace.”
“But I'm your menace,” the woman replies cheerfully.
Rosalie turns to the other woman and opens her arms without hesitation. “Hey.”
The hug they share is slower, more grounded. When they step back, Rosalie’s smile lingers.
Bella watches that exchange carefully. This isn’t polite affection, it’s comfortable, earned.
Alice finally steps aside, clapping her hands once. “Okay, introductions before we all just start talking over each other. Bella—” She gestures toward the bright, grinning blonde. “—this is Kate.”
Kate beams at her like she’s just been handed a prize. “Hi. You must be the mystery roommate.”
Bella blinks. “Mystery?”
“Rosalie talks about you like you’re a cryptid,” Kate says. “Very elusive. Very competent.”
Rosalie rolls her eyes. “I do not.”
“You do,” Kate insists, then looks back at Bella. “I’m thrilled to finally meet you.”
Bella huffs a quiet laugh. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
Alice gestures to the other woman. “And this is Tanya.”
Tanya offers a hand, expression warm and sincere. “Hi, Bella. It’s really nice to meet you.”
Bella shakes her hand. Tanya’s grip is steady. “Nice to meet you too.”
“Come in, come in,” Alice says brightly. “You’re officially the first guests.”
Kate looks around, eyes lighting up and humming in appreciation. "This is a really nice place you have here.”
Rosalie folds her arms in the way she always does when she's amused. “Don’t start.”
“I’m not starting,” Kate says. “I’m appreciating.”
Bella steps back to give them space as they move further inside. Watching people see the house for the first time is a strange experience, it’s like seeing something familiar reflected back at you.
Kate walks straight into the living room, turning in a slow circle. “Okay, wow. This place has bones.”
Alice grins. “Right?”
“I hate how much I love it,” Kate adds.
Rosalie smirks. “You love everything.”
“That’s not true,” Kate says. “I hate lots of things. This just isn’t one of them.”
Tanya lingers near the doorway a moment longer, taking in the space more quietly. “It feels open,” she says. “Like it’s meant to be used.”
Bella nods without thinking. “That was kind of the goal.”
Tanya looks at her, attentive. “That makes sense, and it really shows.”
Something about the way she says it, simple and direct, makes Bella feel seen in a way that isn’t uncomfortable.
They drift naturally toward the kitchen, pulled by light and habit. Kate immediately gravitates toward the island, setting the bottle of wine she brought down like an offering.
“I brought wine,” she announces. “Because I was raised right.”
Tanya adds dryly, “She picked it because the label was pretty.”
Kate gasps. “Lies.”
Rosalie laughs and reaches for glasses. “You’re both impossible.”
Bella leans against the counter as Alice starts rummaging for snacks, the conversation flowing easily around her.
Kate leans back against the counter, glass in hand, and lets out a long breath like she’s been holding it in all day.
“I still can’t believe how close everyone lives to each other now,” she says. “Like, actually close. Not Alaska-close where you need binoculars to see your neighbor’s house.”
Alice laughs. “You don’t like it?”
“I didn’t say that,” Kate replies quickly. “I just wasn’t prepared. Back home, you could scream in your backyard and no one would hear you.”
Rosalie arches a brow. “You screamed in your backyard?”
“Frequently,” Kate says. “It’s good for the soul.”
Tanya takes a sip of her drink, calm as ever. “She’s exaggerating.”
“I am not,” Kate insists. “Also, traffic here is insane. I thought I understood traffic. Turns out, I did not.”
Bella tilts her head. “How bad was it?”
Kate makes a face. “We sat on the highway for twenty minutes and didn’t move. Not slow. Not crawling. Just sitting.”
Alice winces sympathetically. “That’s rough.”
“That’s a nightmare,” Kate says. “In Alaska, if you’re stopped that long, something is wrong. Like a moose staring you down.”
Rosalie snorts. “A moose.”
“A very large moose,” Kate says seriously. “With opinions and thoughts of running you off the road.”
Tanya shakes her head, faintly amused. “She texted me three times asking if this was normal.”
“I did,” Kate says. “And you told me to breathe.”
“I told you to be patient, you’d get where you needed without having a burst blood vessel.” Tanya corrects.
Bella laughs softly before she can stop herself.
Kate looks at Bella immediately. “See, you get it.”
Bella smiles, a little sheepish, “I just can’t imagine not having… people. All the time.”
Kate nods, “That’s the weirdest part. Nobody waves. I know none of my neighbors, everyone is a stranger, and no one knows anyone.”
“And that bothers you?” Alice guesses.
“It confuses me,” Kate says. “Back home, everyone knew everyone in town. You knew your neighbors even if they were a few acres away. Everyone said hi, everyone waved. No one here talks to you.”
Tanya adds, “Yeah I agree, and if you ask for help they look at you like you’re trying to abduct them or something.”
“Exactly,” Kate says. “Here it’s just… ignoring people is a default setting.”
Bella considers that. “I think I prefer it that way though.”
Kate studies her for a second, then grins. “Huh. I think we need to get to know each other a bit more.”
“We grew up with space,” Kate says, gesturing broadly. “Like, real space, but we still enjoyed people.”
Tanya nods. “But we were ready for a change.”
Bella tilts her head. “Was it hard?”
Tanya considers the question. “Yes and no.”
Kate grins. “It was hard because she likes routine. It was easy because I like chaos.”
“That’s not true,” Tanya says calmly. “You like controlled chaos.”
Kate looks offended. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Bella laughs before she can stop herself.
Kate points at her triumphantly. “See? She's on my side.”
Alice sets a bowl of chips on the counter. “Eat. Before Kate eats all of them.”
“Too late,” Kate says, already grabbing a handful.
Bella ends up beside Tanya at the edge of the kitchen, both of them slightly removed from the louder orbit Kate creates. It feels natural rather than intentional.
“So,” Tanya says, “How long have you been here?”
“About a week and a half,” Bella replies, “We moved in fast.”
Tanya nods, “Oh, yeah, that definitely is fast.”
“You’ve been here longer?” Bella asks.
“Just a little,” Tanya says, “We moved down a couple months ago.”
Bella hums, “Do you like it?”
“I do,” Tanya says. “It’s different, busy, but not unkind.”
Bella considers that, “That’s a good way to put it.”
Kate’s voice carries from across the kitchen. “Tanya is being polite.”
“Kate, eat your chips.” Tanya replies.
Rosalie laughs again, relaxed and easy, leaning against Alice without thinking. Alice slips an arm around her waist, comfortable and unselfconscious.
Bella watches that briefly, then looks back at Tanya.
“I like it here,” Bella says quietly, “The anonymity.”
Tanya’s expression softens, “Yeah, that can be a gift.”
They stand in companionable silence for a moment, the house humming around them with quiet life.
Eventually, Kate checks her phone and groans, “We should go.”
Rosalie raises a brow, “You have somewhere to be?”
“Unfortunately,” Kate says, “Adult responsibilities.”
Tanya smiles apologetically, “We’ll come back another time.”
Alice brightens, “Anytime.”
They move toward the door with easy familiarity, like this isn’t a goodbye so much as a pause.
Kate waves at Bella. “Good to finally meet you.”
“Yeah,” Bella says, smiling, “You too.”
Tanya lingers a second longer, “I’m glad we came by,” she says sincerely.
Bella nods, the smile ever present across her features, “Me too.”
The door closes behind them, and the house settles—not empty, not quiet, just… itself again.
Alice exhales happily, “I love them so much. We really need to have them over more now that we’re settled in.”
Rosalie smirks. “Of course you do.”
——
The second time Kate and Tanya come over, it's a lot less chaotic.
Bella can’t help but notice the house feels different when the light outside starts to soften, when the afternoon edges toward evening and the rooms take on a quieter warmth. Rosalie is home already, boots kicked off by the door, sleeves rolled up, grease smudged faintly along one knuckle she hasn’t bothered to scrub clean yet. Alice has music playing low in the kitchen, something mellow and familiar, and there’s the unmistakable smell of real food filling the space.
Not snacks. Not something grabbed between tasks.
Actual dinner.
Bella stands at the counter slicing vegetables, movements slow and deliberate. Cooking has always been grounding for her, a way to be present without needing to talk. Alice moves around her, occasionally reaching in to steal a piece of something, earning a light smack on the wrist and a grin in return.
“Rosalie insisted we actually sit down this time,” Alice says, cheerful. "Like an actual family.”
Rosalie snorts from where she’s leaning against the doorway. “I just want to eat without Kate pacing.”
“Don't be rude,” Alice says, though she’s smiling.
“Am I wrong though?” Rosalie replies.
Bella smiles to herself and keeps chopping.
The knock comes just as Alice is setting plates on the table.
This time, there’s no pause. Alice is already moving, anticipation bright in her step, and when she opens the door, the house fills with voices and laughter that sound easy and familiar.
Kate steps in first, coat already halfway off, eyes sweeping the room with quick appreciation. “Somehow this place feels even more cozy than the first time we were here.”
Tanya follows more quietly, carrying a bag that smells faintly of citrus and herbs. She meets Bella’s eyes almost immediately and offers a small smile that feels personal without being intense.
Despite the number of alphas in the room increasing, Bella feels comforted. Safe. A feeling that doesn't usually come so naturally when her senses are wrapped in more dominating scents.
“Hi,” Tanya says.
“Hey,” Bella replies, warmth surprising her with how naturally it comes.
Kate sets the bag down on the counter. “We brought dessert. Because Alice texted me a photo of something green and unidentifiable and I panicked.”
“It was garnish,” Alice protests.
“That’s what they all say,” Kate replies, eyes narrowing.
Rosalie laughs, reaching out to tug Kate into a quick side hug before letting her go. “Good to see you.”
“Likewise,” Kate says. Her grin is easier tonight, less sharp. She looks relaxed in a way that feels intentional.
Dinner unfolds easily.
They sit around the table, plates passed hand to hand, conversation weaving naturally as forks clink and glasses shift. Bella listens more than she talks at first, absorbing the rhythm of everyone together.
Rosalie and Kate trade dry commentary about work. Alice chimes in with a story about a client who wanted an entire event themed around a single shade of blue. Tanya adds small observations that ground the conversation, never interrupting, always precise.
Bella finds herself drawn into it without noticing the moment it happens.
“So what does a typical day look like for you?” Tanya asks her, somewhere between the main course and second helpings.
Bella blinks and looks towards the alpha sitting next to her, caught mid-bite, then swallows. “Honestly? Quiet. I work from home most days. I’m a Technical Editor so I do a lot of editing, reviewing, and I make sure people don’t accidentally contradict themselves in official documents.”
Kate hums. “That sounds very soothing actually.”
“It is,” Bella says. “In a very specific way.”
Tanya nods like that makes sense. “You like structure.”
“And clarity, things that are precise and don’t contradict.” Bella corrects gently.
Tanya smiles. “That’s really nice.”
There’s no pressure in the question, no sense that Tanya is cataloging her for any particular reason. It feels like curiosity for its own sake, which Bella realizes she hasn’t felt much of lately.
They drift into smaller conversations as plates empty. Alice and Rosalie slip into an easy, quiet closeness, shoulders brushing as they talk. Kate leans back in her chair, listening more than she speaks now, offering the occasional dry comment that lands cleanly and doesn’t linger.
Bella ends up beside Tanya again when they move to clear the table, the two of them falling into step without discussion. Tanya hands her dishes. Bella rinses. Their movements align without effort.
“Do you always end up doing this part?” Tanya observes lightly.
Bella shrugs. “No, but it’s calming, so I don’t mind it.”
Tanya nods. “I get that.”
They work in comfortable silence for a few moments, water running softly between them. Bella is aware of Tanya’s presence without feeling crowded by it, aware of the steadiness she brings into the space.
“So I heard you grew up in Arizona?” Tanya says eventually, not abrupt, just continuing a thought.
Bella glances at her, curious. “Yeah. Mostly.”
“Rosalie mentioned it,” Tanya adds, easy.
Bella smiles. “That makes sense.”
“What was it like?” Tanya asks.
Bella thinks about it for a moment. “Hot, loud, busy. I liked parts of it, but I think I always knew I’d leave.”
Tanya dries her hands, watching Bella with quiet focus. “Then you moved to Forks," Tanya asks, and Bella nods. "Was it any different there?”
“It was…overwhelming,” Bella says honestly. “Smaller town. Everyone seemed to know each other. There were cliques, and too much gossip, and everyone knew all the drama.”
“Do you prefer it here?” Tanya asks.
Bella considers the question, looking around the kitchen, the table still cluttered with the aftermath of dinner, Alice laughing softly at something Rosalie just said. “Yeah, definitely. I like the city, and I like living with these two. It's comfortable here. Safe.”
Tanya’s expression softens, something thoughtful settling there. “That’s important.”
They finish cleaning the last of the dishes together.
As they make their way back to the table, they can hear Kate voice clearly now, catching her in the middle of telling one of her stories.
“I’m not saying Alaska prepared me for everything,” she says somewhere in the middle of it, “but I am saying that if something breaks down, I'll probably know how to fix it.”
Rosalie snorts. “That's probably the most alpha thing I've ever heard you say.”
Bella smiles, settling back into her chair.
Dessert is shared casually, forks traded, conversation meandering. Tanya sits across from Bella now, and they keep finding each other’s eyes in the pauses between words, small smiles exchanged without urgency.
Later, when the plates are cleared and the evening has settled fully into itself, Tanya stands near the window, looking down their driveway towards the quiet streets.
“It’s peaceful here.” she says.
Bella joins her, standing a respectful distance away. “Yeah. That’s why this place really stuck out to us.”
Tanya glances at her. “You all did well, it’s truly amazing.”
It shouldn’t mean much. It’s a simple statement. But something about the way Tanya says it, grounded and sincere, makes Bella feel a quiet sense of pride.
“We should probably head out,” Kate says, glancing down at the time on her phone, “before I start yawning.”
Alice groans. “Traitor.”
“Hey! I’m just trying to be a responsible adult here.” Kate argues.
They say their goodbyes easily, promises unspoken but implied. Tanya lingers for a moment at the door, meeting Bella’s eyes.
“I’m glad we were able to stay longer tonight,” she says.
Bella nods. “Me too.”
After the door closes, the house settles again, familiar and warm. Bella leans back against the counter, feeling the pleasant weight of the evening settle into her bones.
And some part of her, that she'll never admit to, already misses the sound of Tanya's voice.
——
Bella sits at the dining table with her laptop open, the screen dimmed. She finished her work an hour ago but hasn’t closed it yet, fingers resting lightly on the edge as if she might reopen a document at any moment. Outside, the sky is a soft gray, not threatening rain so much as promising it later.
Rosalie is in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up again, moving with the easy confidence of someone who knows the space well. A pan warms on the stove, oil shimmering faintly. The scent of garlic and onion hangs in the air, subtle but steady.
Alice sits on the floor near the couch, sorting through a pile of papers and fabric samples, though she keeps getting distracted by her phone.
“You’re staring,” Alice says without looking up.
Bella blinks. “I’m thinking.”
“That’s worse,” Alice replies. “You do that thing where you disappear into your own head.”
Rosalie snorts from the kitchen. “She’s allowed to think.”
“I know,” Alice says. “I just like knowing where she goes.”
Bella smiles faintly and closes her laptop, finally committing to being done for the day. She pushes back from the table and stands, stretching her arms overhead. “What can I do?” she asks.
Rosalie glances over her shoulder. “You can chop vegetables or you can stay out of my way.”
Bella grabs a knife. “I’ll chop.”
They fall into an easy rhythm, side by side at the counter. Alice eventually joins them, leaning her hip against the edge and stealing a slice of bell pepper when she thinks Rosalie isn’t looking.
“Do you want to do something this weekend?” Alice asks casually. “Like go out. Not an event, just out.”
Rosalie hums. “Depends on what you mean by out.”
Alice grins. “I mean not here.”
Bella pauses, knife mid-air. “Out where?”
Alice shrugs. “There’s that bar Kate mentioned. The one near the water. Supposedly has good drinks.”
Rosalie snorts. “That sounds on brand.”
Bella considers it. She hasn’t gone out much since moving. The idea doesn’t make her anxious exactly, just unfamiliar. “That could be fun,” she says slowly.
Alice brightens. “Right?”
“Let’s see how the week goes,” Rosalie says. “I’m not committing to anything while my inbox and workload is on fire.”
“That’s fair.” Alice agrees.
They return to cooking, conversation drifting to smaller things. Alice talks about a client who wants to change everything at the last minute. Rosalie offers commentary that is sharp but affectionate. Bella listens, contributing when she has something to add, content to be part of the background hum.
There’s a knock at the door.
It’s not as confident as Kate’s had been. More measured. Bella notices it before Alice does.
“I’ll get it,” Alice says, already moving.
Bella wipes her hands on a towel and follows more slowly, stopping just short of the entryway.
Alice opens the door to Tanya.
She looks different in the softer light, coat draped over one arm, hair draping in its usual soft curls. Her expression brightens when she sees Alice, then shifts when she notices Bella behind her.
“Hey,” Tanya says.
“Hi,” Alice replies warmly. “Come in.”
Tanya steps inside, the door closing quietly behind her. The air shifts, subtle but noticeable, the cool clarity of her presence settling into the room. Bella feels it more than smells it, an alpha steadiness that seems to anchor the space.
“I hope it’s okay that I stopped by,” Tanya says. “Kate got pulled into something last minute.”
“That’s always okay,” Alice says immediately. “You’re never an imposition.”
Tanya smiles at that, something appreciative flickering across her face.
Rosalie appears from the kitchen, wiping her hands. “Hey.”
“Hey,” Tanya replies, returning the smile easily. “Smells good.”
Rosalie gestures vaguely toward the stove. “Bella’s doing the work.”
Bella huffs. “I’m assisting.”
Tanya looks at her. “Can I help?”
Bella considers for half a second. “Sure, wash your hands and come help me cut things.”
Tanya does, rolling her sleeves up without hesitation. She joins them at the counter, taking direction without fuss. There’s something quietly reassuring about the way she moves, attentive without hovering.
They finish cooking together, conversation picking up again, now with Tanya woven into it naturally. She listens more than she speaks at first, adding a comment here or there that feels deliberate rather than reactive.
Dinner is relaxed. Plates are passed. Alice talks with her hands. Rosalie leans back in her chair, finally unguarded. Bella finds herself speaking more without realizing it, filling in gaps, asking questions.
At some point, Alice circles back to the earlier thought. “We were talking about maybe going out this weekend.”
Tanya glances up. “Out?”
“There’s a bar by the water,” Alice explains. “Kate mentioned it last time.”
Tanya nods. “I know the one.”
Bella looks at her. “Have you been?”
“Once. Kate dragged me to it,” Tanya says. “It was loud. But not bad.”
Rosalie arches a brow. “That’s a ringing endorsement.”
Tanya smiles slightly. “It’s better earlier in the night.”
Bella files that away.
After dinner, they drift back into the living room, settling into comfortable positions without discussion. Alice curls up on one end of the couch. Rosalie stretches out beside her. Bella takes the armchair across from them, knees tucked up.
Tanya sits on the floor near the coffee table, leaning back against the couch. She looks relaxed, present.
They talk about nothing important. Shows they’ve watched. Places they’ve been. Things they miss and things they don’t. Bella finds herself responding to Tanya more directly now, their exchanges easy and unforced.
At one point, Alice gets up to make tea, dragging Rosalie with her.
That leaves Bella and Tanya alone in the room.
Tanya shifts slightly, resting her forearms on her knees. “I hope I didn’t interrupt anything earlier.”
Bella shakes her head. “No, you didn’t, it’s totally okay.”
Tanya nods. “Alright, good.”
They sit like that for a moment, the low sound of water running in the kitchen filling the space between them.
“I like it here,” Tanya says quietly.
Bella looks at her. “The house?”
Tanya nods. “The way it feels.”
Bella smiles, small and genuine. “Yeah, me too.”
When Alice and Rosalie return, the evening carries on until it naturally winds down. Tanya checks the time eventually, standing with a small sigh.
“I should head out,” she says.
Alice groans softly. “You always leave when it’s good.”
Tanya smiles apologetically. “That’s how I know it’s time.”
They say their goodbyes easily. At the door, Tanya pauses, looking back at Bella.
“Thanks for letting me help with dinner, and for feeding me.” she says.
Bella nods. “No problem, thank you for helping. It was nice seeing you.”
After the door closes, Bella stays where she is, listening to the house settle around her. The conversation lingers in her mind, the quiet comfort of the evening pressing in gently.