A Different Kind of Tomato - Part 1 - Chapter 1

Back a few months ago I submitted several pieces to The Babies at the Border, one was the completed Future-Takes for The Emotional Roller Coaster of Life (these are now posted on FFN, Stars, and Ao3). The second was an opening scene to an original fiction called The Shade which I'm slowly working on completing (I will post the opening scene on the blog next). And the third was the first chapter of A Different Kind of Tomato. 

A Different Kind of Tomato is an extended story that starts a decade before the events that were in the one-shot, Poe-Tay-Toe/Poe-Tah-Toe. I'm not very far in A Different Kind of Tomato, but at this point am thinking about keeping it as blog only fic once I've got enough written to feel comfortable posting it regularly. For now, I'm posting the first chapter here on my blog. Further chapters won't be posting in awhile. 

Summary:
For Bella, life was never easy, and moving to California to chase the dream proves no less difficult. Especially when she falls for, not one man, but two. People always claim love conquers all, but Bella isn't sure she believes it. An extension of Poe-Tay-Toe/Poe-Tah-Toe.

Beta'd by monica03

A Different Kind of Tomato

Part 1

Chapter I

The tearful goodbyes to my dad, Charlie, and my first serious boyfriend, Jacob, had made the first few hours of driving almost impossible. But I was done crying a long time before I made it to Los Angeles.

It wasn't my first time in California, I'd lived there for about six months when I'd been a little over two with my mom, Renee, and my grandma, Marie. But when mom had my baby sis, Alice, we'd moved on. I honestly couldn't remember anything about that time, though I had a vague memory of a heavy wood table. Whether that had been at my grandma's house, or somewhere else, I wasn't certain.

I was chasing the typical American dream – the one that hundreds, if not thousands, of women and men went to L.A. every year to chase... chasing the dream of becoming an actor.

I was lucky, in one sense at least, because my big bro had offered me a place to stay.

Though, the idea of moving in with someone who I hadn't seen since before I was two was more than a little daunting... Though, it was hardly the first time I'd done it – in fact, it had only been ten short months since I moved in with dad.

My dad had been more than a little disappointed when I'd declared that I was heading to California to try and get a career in acting.

But he didn't get it.

Mom, Alice, and I had lived the vast majority of my childhood by staying in cheap motels, crappy apartments, and more than one halfway house. The reality was that one of the only things I'd ever been able to latch onto was the TV – with all the different actors playing numerous roles.

I tried to follow the directions to the address my brother had given me but missed the correct turn on three different occasions. When I finally pulled up in the drive of his house – as he'd instructed me to do – I was pissed and ready to start a fight for no other reason than I could.

After getting out of my truck, I grabbed one of my bags from the bed and headed to the front door, ringing the doorbell.

It took almost a good minute for the door to open. The man standing on the other side of the door was tall enough that I had to tip my head up slightly to see his face. The face told me it was my big bro, but even though I'd seen dozens of pictures of him at my dad's house, it was the first time I'd ever seen him in person.

He was far more massive than I'd expected him to be.

And if it weren't for the curly brown hair and chocolate eyes, I'd totally wonder if my mom had been having an affair on the side. But the hair and eyes were all Charlie.

Still, I couldn't help but wonder exactly what recessive genes he'd gotten to give him his stature. He was at least six and a half feet tall, and my width could be fit between his shoulders two times over.

“Emmett?” I made his name a question.

We'd spoken over the phone enough that I wondered if he might recognize my voice, though I couldn't be certain that he would.

He reached out and hugged me suddenly, picking me up as he did so. “Hey, sis!”

It was like being constricted by a boa.

“Can't... Breathe.” I wheezed out.

He put me back on my feet before reaching back and scratching the back of his head. “Sorry about that, my girlfriend always reminds me that I don't know my own strength.”

“Girlfriend?”

“You'll meet her soon enough, she comes by at least a couple times a week... Claims I'd live on take-out and pizzas if she didn't cook for me from time to time. Her name's Heidi. Here, let me help get your bags.”

He and I managed to shuffle around each other as I entered the house with the bag I was carrying, and he went to my truck.

I didn't get very far though because the instant I walked through the foyer, down the hall, and into his living room, I stopped cold – my jaw dropping as I stared.

The sectional couch was made of a cream-colored leather that appeared to be butter soft – the type of leather that costs a fortune – the coffee table, end tables, bookshelves, and TV stand were all made of ebony, and there was a two-story wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling window... Not to mention the sixty-inch television. But none of that was what had me staring.

No, it was the nude still on one wall. I couldn't think of the actress's name, but I knew I recognized her. Albeit, I didn't think I'd ever seen that much of her.

Emmett came into the living room, carrying my remaining four bags. His eyes tracked to where I was staring. “Oh, I... uh... probably should have warned you about that.”

I turned enough to arch an eyebrow at him. “And your girlfriend knows about this?”

He blushed. “She's the one that gave it to me.”

I blinked.

…

He led me to the bedroom that he told me was mine for as long as I needed it, and I spent the next couple of hours organizing the stuff I brought with me.

I still wasn't a hundred percent certain what to make of my big brother. It was clear, on one level, anyway, that he wanted to be a part of my life. But Emmett was approximately six years older than me – old enough that he probably remembered me as a baby.

I knew he'd been in my life until mom had run off with me when I was two, but I couldn't remember it. If it hadn't been for the fact that I'd spent my senior year with my dad – having put my foot down with my mom the day I turned eighteen – I wouldn't have even known what my brother looked like or what his voice sounded like.

I'd managed to settle into a relatively comfortable relationship with my dad within days of moving in with him, but Charlie was like me. He was quiet, extremely self-controlled, and a workaholic.

And it was abundantly clear that Emmett had far more of Renee's attitude... yet, he was more stable than mom had ever been.

I finally finished putting my belongings away before sighing and going to the balustrade overlooking the living room, but he wasn't there.

I frowned slightly, heading down the stairs to see if I could figure out where he went.

There was a back hall which I followed, finding several closed doors – at least one I was sure was the kitchen. Part of me wanted to peak in each room, but the glass door at the end of the hall caught my eye before I started exploring.

When I reached the glass door, I realized it was a pool room.

I carefully opened the door and stepped inside just as Emmett surfaced.

My eyes widened momentarily before I spun to face the wall, my cheeks burning.

It wasn't my first time seeing a naked guy, not even close, but it was different seeing my brother – even if I didn't know him well yet – than seeing Jake or the gang. There were certain things I simply didn't want to see when it came to my brother.

“Why are you staring at the wall?”

I blushed even harder. “You're naked,” I mumbled.

“Am not.”

“I know a guy's ass when I see one.”

“So I'm wearing a thong, still not naked.”

Part of me was tempted to verify, but I still didn't turn around. “And I'm still not going to look.”

“Whatever.”

We were both silent for a minute before he finally said, “Hey, I found a job for you while you start trying to find a role as an actress. If you're interested, that is.”

“What kind of job?”

“The kind that will allow you to get some spending money. It probably won't equal out to much, but you'll need some money to buy in-season clothes and that kind of crap. It's pretty much a must-have for people who want to go into acting.”

“And how do you know that? You're not an aspiring actor.” It felt ridiculous to continue talking to the wall, but I refused to get another look at his derriere.

“No, I'm not. But I've met my share of aspiring actors since moving out here.”

“Okay, so what type of place is willing to hire me without even meeting me?”

“There's a little diner about two miles from here that needs a new waitress. The owner and I are friends. He said he'd give the job to you if you want it.”

I frowned slightly because I wasn't a hundred percent certain that I had the hand/feet coordination to succeed as a waitress, but finally nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

…

I'd been working at the diner for almost a week and had yet to meet Emmett's friend. I'd been hired on by the cook – a robust Irish woman who went by Siobhan, pronounced as it was spelled... at least according to her.

The owner, on the other hand, was strangely allusive. Siobhan assured me that he helped out regularly, oftentimes waiting, or cooking, or even cleaning, but I'd yet to see it.

Though, I supposed it was for the best as just the thought of meeting the boss-man made me feel like I was going to drop something.

In truth, waiting tables wasn't something I was all that good at, but I did need the money.

I stepped up to a family of four sitting in one of the booths.

“My name is Bella, and I'll be your waitress today. May I take your order?” I said cheerfully.

I started writing down their requests on the order pad when I happened to hear the door to the kitchen open. Instinct had me wanting to look and see who it was right away, but I forced myself to finish jotting down the rest of my order.

Once I was done, I turned, and my breath caught in my chest. A man I'd never seen before was at the cash register with an apron around his waist. He had spiky brown hair, a five o'clock shadow, gray-blue eyes, and a lean and tall body. He wasn't the most handsome man, at least not in the traditional sense, but he was still hot.

If I'd found him in a pool, mostly naked, I wouldn't have looked away. Part of me wanted to lick him like a lollipop.

I blushed and looked down, rushing over to give the order to the cook before spinning to hide in the bathroom while I calmed myself, but tripped and did a header right into the man in question, instead.