"Red" by 22blue

            Well, this week I’ve got another gem for you to give a read. Red by 22blue is a short multi-chapter fic, but it still has a lot of emotion to it. It’s a Bella/Edward (I know Jasper fans, calm down; you’ll get another B/J soon!). The story pulls you in with a sexy lemon and a shady plot. As the first chapter continues, more of the storyline is revealed:

His daughter nodded, his wife disregarded him, and Edward rose from the table and walked toward the bar.

A waiter approached Bella's table and set down a cup of warm tea with lemon. She opened the folded cocktail napkin the waiter carefully and cautiously placed next to the saucer and silently read the words scrawled on it.

I am the only one who can make you come the way you need.

Bella searched for Edward, her acquaintance none the wiser, but saw him nowhere. For a moment, she hoped Edward might be waiting for her in a less public location in the restaurant, then dismissed her rash thought... it wasn't Monday.

She also knew Edward would have taken more than Mondays, however this was her rule: only one night per week. Bella looked at Edward's wife and daughter. He'd never confirmed he had a family; she assumed he did, though. They all did.

Bella watched his daughter, noticing her brown and golden curls, the simple gold ball-shaped earrings she wore. She noticed her subtle yet precise movements, the way she carefully cut into her cake with her fork. Bella thought how much the young girl resembled her father. As Bella looked at Edward's wife, the way she paid little attention to the girl, she surmised the woman was despondent and cold. Bella unknowingly smiled, thinking of how she satisfied Edward, and how his wife would never be what Bella was to him. Still, a small and surprising ache presented itself in Bella's chest.

Excusing herself from the table, Bella approached Edward's daughter and wife. Politely, introducing herself as someone who couldn't help but notice the pretty little girl, she knelt next to the child and wished her a happy birthday. It was clear to Bella that it was the girl's birthday given the cake and present sitting on the table.

She asked Edward's daughter to hold out her hand.

Bella glanced at Edward's wife and said, "A beautiful girl should have beautiful things." Bella placed her diamond stud earrings in the girl's hand – the same earrings she'd purchased with Edward's money. She then gently folded his daughter's fingers over them.

"You're a lucky woman," Bella commented to Edward's wife then walked back to her table.

            Bella is an escort and Edward one of her clients. The story is told from a third person POV, and captivates you with the interaction and emotion between the two lovers. When they meet again, their feelings for each other become stronger and interfere with their arrangements. When it becomes too much for Bella to handle, she attempts suicide. When at the hospital, Edward tries to visit her and is confronted by her doctor and Edward’s godfather Dr. Reyes. After a brief visit and a fourteen day hold in the hospital, Dr. Reyes makes special arrangements for Bella to be treated by him privately in his lake house. Bella meets Dr. Reyes’ partner Jasper, and becomes fast friends.

            Throughout her stay at the lake house, Bella and Edward face the issues of Bella’s past and Edward’s marriage, and their future. In the end, they leave together for a vacation in Paris while Edward’s divorce is finalized. When they return to Seattle, Bella gets work as a florist at Clearwater Florists. When Edward’s ex confronts Bella at the florist shop, she packs all her belongings and leaves.

           The last chapter consists of the two lovers writing back and forth between each other. Only showing a few letters, their correspondence spans ten years. With a push from Edward’s daughter Senna, Edwards goes to win Bella back. The story ends with Edward and Bella together at Senna’s graduation. This story is a great mix of love and sadness, with a hint of lemon.

So grab a drink and enjoy!

“Red” by 22blue http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6224459/1/