Jacob Moves In
Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.
A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this story!
Chapter Eleven
"This is the Black secret recipe. I promise it'll work, honey." Jacob hid his amused smile as he passed the glass to Bella.
"Ugh...what is this. It smells awful. I'm not drinking that." Bella moaned as she pushed it away. Her head was aching abominably. "I am never drinking again." Her mouth felt awful, dry and scratchy. "Are you trying to finish me off?" She rubbed the sore spot on her forehead where they had bashed their heads together. She was still seeing stars.
Jacob put the glass down and gently touched her clammy skin. He ran his forefinger over the blossoming bruise. Bella gazed up at his handsome face. He was looking guilty. It wasn't his fault. What happened had been an accident. She swallowed, closing her eyes as he continued to rub her forehead gently. "I am so sorry, Bells." He said huskily. "You could have really been hurt."
"I wasn't though." Bella opened her eyes again. She hated that he was blaming himself for something that was out of his control. "I was the one drinking too much."
"But I should have looked after you better. I was being an ass." Jacob leaned closer. Bella held her breath. He was so warm. Her skin tingled where he touched it. She swallowed again, suddenly feeling nervous and not understanding why. "I won't screw up again. I promise I'll keep you safe." Then his eyes closed and his warm lips were pressed against her forehead. Bella gasped at the contact. Jacob had never done that before.
Charlie walked into the kitchen then, interrupting their moment. Bella and Jacob jerked apart as if they had been caught doing something they shouldn't. Charlie didn't notice. He was too busy feeling sorry for himself. He had spent the night on the sofa after Renee had claimed his room and his back had paid the price. "I can't carry on like this." He complained as he spotted the glass of the Black's miracle hangover cure on the table. "Is that for me?"
"I made it for Bells." Jacob said as Charlie reached for the glass.
"It's alright, Jake." Bella grimaced as she motioned for her father to take it. "You can have it."
"Thanks, kiddo. I think I might have had one too many beers last night. My throat feels raw." Charlie raised the glass to his lips. "I blame your mother." He muttered before chugging the contents of the glass down in one go.
Bella waited for Charlie to cough and splutter at the awful taste. But instead he smacked his lips together and smiled. "Works like a charm." He declared as colour returned to his face.
Bella saw Jacob smile as Charlie handed the empty glass back to her. "I can't believe you just drank that." She said in disbelief.
"I told you, Bells. It really does work. Want me to make you another one?" Jacob offered.
"Yes...yes." Bella agreed fervently. If her father had drunk it and was okay, then she was willing to give it a go. "Hurry, Jake, before my head explodes."
Jacob chuckled as he left to whip up another batch of the Black's secret recipe. While he was busy Charlie took his vacated seat and sat down next to his daughter. He studied her pale complexion and tired eyes. "You shouldn't have been drinking like that, kiddo. You know that, right. And I shouldn't have let you." He sighed, running his fingers through his messy hair. "It's Renee, she drives me crazy."
"Mom does like to shake things up a bit." Bella admitted. She was still wondering what had prompted Renee's impromptu visit. Her memories were still fuzzy from the night before. "Did she say how long she was staying?" She asked.
"By the amount of crap she brought with her it seems like forever." Charlie replied glumly.
Bella looked at her father sympathetically. Renee had always been a force to be reckoned with. Charlie did his best to understand his ex-wife but his blundering attempts to communicate with her often left him with egg on his face. "Thanks for letting her stay, dad. You didn't have to." She placed her hand over his in a rare display of affection.
Charlie was touched by her gesture. He smiled, clearing his throat awkwardly, not used to Bella showing him such attention. "She's your mother, Bells." He mumbled, shrugging.
Bella took her hand away. She could see Charlie was feeling overwhelmed. Jacob returned with another glass of the Black's secret recipe. He passed it to Bella, grinning. She took it from him gingerly, wrinkling her nose in distaste at the bad smell. Well Charlie had just chugged it down and hadn't keeled over so she would give it a go. Bella flinched as she raised the glass to her lips and got ready to drink. "This better work, Jacob Black, or you are so dead." She warned him, before tipping her head back and downing the lot in one go.
Renee was wearing dark sunglasses when she emerged from Charlie's bedroom after having slept in for most of the morning. Charlie had left for work and Jacob was out patrolling with his brothers, so it was just her and Bella in the house. Renee was expecting to find Bella feeling as bad, or if not worse, then she did. But to her surprise she found her daughter in the kitchen, cooking.
"Oh my god, baby. How can you be in such a chirpy mood?" Renee groaned as she pulled her sunglasses down a little and stared at her daughter.
"Unlike you I can handle my drink." Bella lied. She wasn't going to tell Renee about the Black's secret recipe. Her mother deserved her sore head after literally ejecting Charlie out of his room.
"Where is everyone anyway?" Renee poured herself a glass of cold water to soothe her dry throat.
"Dad's gone into work and Jake is with his friends. He'll be going to see his dad later in the hospital." Bella stirred the sauce in the pan, before ducking down to check the food in the oven. "Do you want some breakfast...or should I say lunch seeing as it's now one in the afternoon."
"No food. Ugh." Renee flinched as her face paled further. She glanced around the kitchen, looking bemused. "Has Charlie changed nothing since I left. I painted these cupboards yellow." She gazed at the faded paintwork.
"Before I moved back in I don't think dad spent much time here except to sleep." Bella turned off the burner and moved the pan to one side so the sauce could cool down.
"That's really quite sad." Renee sounded regretful. "I always hoped that Charlie would have been able to move on, but it looks like he's still stuck in the past."
Bella didn't like this criticism of her father. Yes, Charlie could be set in his ways. He was definitely a confirmed bachelor, but he was also a kind and loving man. He had been there for her in ways she could never have imagined when she had first moved back home. "Dad is most definitely not stuck in the past." Bella snapped at her mother. "He's not been spending the last few years pining after you if that's what you're suggesting."
Renee was shocked at Bella's abrupt outburst. "I know he hasn't been pining for me. That's not what I meant."
"Do you even know what you mean?" Bella turned away from the stove so she could give Renee her full attention. "Why are you here, mom? Why the sudden visit?"
"I came to see you." Renee said weakly. "I told you that Charlie had invited me. I missed you, baby. Is that so bad?"
Bella saw the tears welling in Renee's eyes. She immediately felt guilty. Arguing with her mother was like arguing with a child. She sighed and hurriedly went to comfort Renee, drawing her head to her shoulder as she murmured words of apology. "I didn't mean it. I missed you too, mom."
After a while Renee recovered her composure and took off her sunglasses. Bella silently passed her mother a soft tissue and Renee took it gratefully and blew her nose. "Can we start again, baby?" She pleaded with Bella.
"Yeah." Bella agreed. It was always easier to cave in with Renee to limit the histrionics. She was about to say more when her cell phone buzzed in her pocket. Bella sighed, knowing that it was probably Edward calling. She couldn't put off talking to him much longer. "I just need to get this. Sorry." Bella gave her mother an apologetic smile as she left the kitchen so she could talk to Edward in private.
"My mom's here." Bella said in exasperation. "That's why I didn't return your calls or invite you over. I've been busy."
"This is so frustrating. Alice cannot see you because of Black being a permanent fixture in your house, otherwise I would have known." Edward whined. "How much longer is he going to be staying there?"
"As long as he needs to." Bella huffed. She was annoyed by Edward's tone. He hadn't even bothered to ask about Renee. Instead he had waded right on in with his complaints. "And yes my mom is in perfect health thank you for asking."
Edward realised he had made a mistake. He immediately changed tack. "I'm sorry, Bella. It's just been so difficult for me having to keep my distance. I'm being very selfish. Do you forgive me?"
"I suppose so." Bella mumbled, even though she was still annoyed with him. Her mind was still on Renee. She wanted to get to the bottom of why her mother had made such a rash visit. There had to be a reason beside the fact that she was missing her.
"Why don't you and your mother come over for dinner tonight?" Edward suggested suddenly. "I've told you that Esme has been experimenting with her cooking. Or we could order a take out if you prefer. Isn't that the modern way?"
His joke fell flat. Bella wasn't impressed. The last thing she wanted was to spend an evening under his family's intense scrutiny. How was she supposed to explain to Renee why they were the only two eating? Sometimes Edward could be so absurd. "I'm cooking tonight." Bella rebuffed his offer irritably. "My mom's only been back for one night so I would like to keep it just the family for now."
"The family." Edward said sharply. "Does that include Jacob Black?"
"Oh, grow up, Edward." Bella snapped at him before ending the call. Jealousy was an ugly thing and she didn't want to hear his petty criticism just because he was envious of the fact that she was spending more time with her best friend than him these days. She hadn't realised how immature Edward could be . Bella turned her cell off so he couldn't call her back, and then went to rejoin her mother in the kitchen.
A/N-thanks for reading!
