Chapter 14 – Best Friends

To say Audrey was surprised to see her best friend would've been an understatement if she didn't know her as well as she did. But she knew Aubrey's home life was not the best. Her father had a habit of getting drunk and beating the shit out of her mom. Once her father left her mother, her mom needed an outlet so she landed herself a boyfriend when the girls were seventeen and re-married not even six months later. Duke was a fairly good looking guy but he was a schemer and a dog. He started making passes at Aubrey when the girls turned eighteen.

Audrey pulled back from her best friends familiar and much needed hug. Her eyes looked around the room and noticed that Seth Clearwater was staring a little too intent at her best friend. He had the strangest look on his face. She noticed Emily as she tapped Sam on the arm and pointed at Seth and Sam nudged Seth with his elbow; effectively breaking whatever spell Seth was under. Her eyes finally landed back on her best friend. "What happened Aubi?"

Aubrey frowned. "He finally tried it." Her whole body was shaking as she thought back to what had transpired not more than a few hours ago. Aubrey walked backwards and sat down when the back of her knees hit the chair she'd been sitting in since she'd arrived and Emily had warmly welcomed her into a house of shirtless guys. She watched as her bestie sat down across from her immediately taking both of her hands in hers. "I had classes at the community college today and was excited when I aced my Art History test. I got home and Duke was there, but mom was at work. Normally it's the other ways around, but apparently she was called in and he'd taken the day off."

Aubrey swallowed hard as she felt the tears pricking the back of her soft green eyes. She took in a shaky breath and exhaled just as shaky as she pulled her fingers through her waist length auburn hair. "I walked through the house, past Duke; I started to go up the stairs when he grabbed me and pulled me down onto his lap and tried kissing me. I scratched his face as hard as I could and scrambled off his lap and started to run up the stairs but he grabbed my ankle and yanked me down. Somehow I ended up on my back on the stairs and he was crawling up my body. I kneed him in the balls, but it didn't stop him; he just kept coming. I finally got a clean shot and punch him in the nose; blood gushing and groaning, I got out from underneath him and took off."

Audrey didn't miss the audible gasp from Emily or Sam move to wrap her up in his arms out of the corner of her eye. "Is anything broken?"

Aubrey shook her head as she whipped the treacherous tears from her cheeks. "I've got a couple of bruises on my elbows and a knot on the back of my head and my back is sore from where the corners of the steps were digging into my flesh through my shirt, but it's nothing I can't survive."

Audrey went into mother hen mode as she helped her best friend get her jacket off and frowned at the purple bruises that covered both of her elbows; she actually had a small cut on her forearm with some dried blood on it. Audrey's frown deepened as she helped Aubrey over to the sink and looked over at her aunt.

Emily was quick to her feet, but not before she looked over and saw Seth shaking slightly. "Uh Sam…" She pointed to the young man in question sitting next to her husband and Sam was quick to his feet and shout out an order. "Quil, Embry get him out of here NOW."

Audrey and Aubrey were both too busy tending to the bruises and the cut to notice what was going on which Emily sighed a relief of thankfulness for as she ran to get a wash cloth, a band-aid and some antiseptic cream for the cut.

Aubrey watched as Audrey and Emily helped clean her up and got her some ice packs for her elbows; though she probably didn't need them, but knew arguing with Audrey when she had that frown on her face wouldn't work. "I can't go back there Audrey. I can only imagine what would happen if I went back there tomorrow. I mean other than my mother's possible disowning me and whatever Duke does to me."

Audrey's eyes met her aunts as she silently pleaded.

Emily stifled a laugh. "Don't worry Aubrey we've got plenty of room. I still have one spare room without an occupant in it. It's all yours for the taking if you want to stay. I know how close you and Audrey were growing up. I remember everything with you two. You're more than welcome here. Besides with all of the boys from the garage always here we need more estrogen to help thin out the testosterone that seems to be leaking from this house."

The girls laughed as Emily giggled along with them. "Come on let's go get her bed made up. It's getting late, in the morning you can do whatever you want with your room. Did you bring clothes Aubrey?"

Aubrey smiled genuinely for the first time in a while. "Yes ma'am, there in my car."

"Jeez I didn't even see your car in the driveway. Apparently I was too pre-occupied with my date tonight." Audrey laughed.

Aubrey looked at her best friend. "Date?" She questioned with an eyebrow raised. "What date? Who are you dating? Where is he? Why didn't he walk you to the door?" Aubrey peppered Audrey with question after question.

Audrey laughed. "Chill out Aubi. You can meet Jake tomorrow. Believe me we plan on seeing a whole lot more of each other from now on." She wasn't about to say she figured Aubrey would be seeing a lot of Seth; speaking of which. "Aunt Emily, where did Seth, Quil and Embry disappear off too?"

Emily shook her head negatively. "I'm sure I don't know. They may have headed home for the evening. They'd all got work early in the morning."

The girls made up the spare bed and Audrey hugged Aubrey tightly one last time. "If you need anything I'm across the hall. Emily left the bathroom light on for you just in case. Get some sleep tonight and we'll figure everything out tomorrow."

Aubrey nodded as she took the sleep clothes that Audrey had laid on the bed and watched as her best friend left the room. She changed into the t-shirt and shorts and climbed into bed. She couldn't believe how soft and comfortable the bed was. The sheets and comforter were so warm; it felt as if her whole body was wrapped in a comfortable cocoon. Within a matter of minutes of her head hitting the pillow she was consumed into a calming slumber.

Audrey walked across the hallway and into her room. She nearly jumped out of her skin as she saw Jake standing in her room in just his khaki shorts. "Oh my Gosh Jake what are you doing here? You almost gave me a heart attack." She hissed practically under her breath as she closed the bedroom door behind her."

Jake chuckled softly knowing Sam would be able to hear him but Emily wouldn't. "Quil and Embry called; said something about a friend of yours showing up and you seemed upset about it. I thought I'd come and check on you."

Audrey leaned against the back of the door. "That was very nice of you."

Jake smiled as he watched her. "Well nice isn't my middle name, but I was worried about you." He watched as she pushed off the bedroom door and walked over to him and his hands couldn't control themselves as he pulled her against his body.

Audrey couldn't help the smirk. "So did you uh…" Her eyes dropped down and then went back up to his. "Get cleaned up?"

Jake chuckled as he nodded and rolled his lips together. "Yes ma'am. I showered; so I'm definitely clean."

There was NOTHING sexier that she noticed about Jake than when he would roll his beautiful red lips together. It almost made her weak in the knees to watch him do that. She felt his lips press against hers. She sighed as her body relaxed against his. His arms wrapped around her pulling her closer to him.

The kiss ended way too soon for either of their liking. Their forehead's resting against each other. "Do you have to leave?" Audrey asked.

Jake smiled softly as he rubbed his nose against her softly. "Nope, I can stay if you want me too."

Audrey sighed with relief. "Please stay? I know it's completely inappropriate, but I really don't want to sleep alone tonight for some reason."

Jake nodded. "I'm here for as long as you want me to be." He watched as Audrey took a step back and slipped her boots and socks off and then took her sweater off, leaving her in her jeans and white long sleeve cotton shirt. She climbed onto her bed and felt Jake wrap his arms around her; using his chest as her pillow, he reached over and turn her bedside lamp off.

He softly kissed the top of her head and felt her hand rest above his heart in the middle of his chest. He could hear the mellow way her heart beat matched his as they both fell into a deep sleep.