CH.18 Father knows Best
Charlie's Pov
I knew I'd made a mistake earlier when I called Bella and started yelling without asking her a single question, but when I heard her truck was still in La Push I imagined her doing all the things a father never wants his daughter to do.
I filled my cup of coffee wishing I'd stopped at the ABC store and bought a bottle of something stronger. I made a mental note to keep a bottle of something here at all times, bourbon should be given to every man who has a daughter upon her birth, I thought.
I heard a car pull up outside and got up to see who it was, not hearing the usual roar of Bella's truck.
Outside in the driveway was a small silver Camry, I didn't recognize. I kept watch until I saw Bella climb out of it. I made my way back to the table to wait for her.
Bella walked in, she looked upset and I knew I was probably the reason for it, I felt like shit.
She poured a cup of coffee and sat down at the table, sitting down across from her I tried to gather my thoughts so I didn't repeat my mistake from earlier.
"Bells…I… well I'm sorry about earlier."
"You didn't even ask me, you just yelled." She said looking down before she met my eyes.
Shit, she was about to cry. No father wants to be the reason his baby girl cries.
"I know, and I'm…sorry about that." I told her again. I could feel myself crumble as I looked at Bella's glassy eyes, I'd fucked up plain and simple.
"Where's your truck by the way?" I asked hoping to get her tears stopped before they fell.
"Embry's. He and some friends looked at it… it's dead." She said her lip quivering. Well shit.
"Is it drivable or do we need to have it towed?"
"It's drivable but the clutch is bad so Kay loaned me her car. Em didn't want me to take the chance of driving and it going out on the way here." She told me with a slight blush.
Huh, well I liked that he wasn't a risk taker where Bella was concerned.
"Let me call down to Dowling's real quick."
"Em already did."
"Ok then." I wasn't sure what to say. This Ember was giving me heartburn I knew she loved him and I knew it was different from what she felt with that son of a bitch Edwin. It was in the eyes.
She was so uptight, worried all the time around Cullen. I was worried he'd take her from me but my instincts told me I didn't have to worry about him trying to get fresh with my Bells. This Ember fellow, he was another story.
"Bells what's going on with you and Jake?" I asked.
"We're not friends anymore." She told me in a quiet voice and I knew she was probably going to end up crying and I was probably going to search the cabinets for anything with a drop of alcohol in it.
"Why not, he helped you a lot this last year." I reminded her scratching the back of my neck, crying girls scared the shit out of me, and a crying daughter was even worse. I didn't know why he would call trying to get her in trouble. I knew there was something going on, but I figured it would just blow over like most stuff, but after this, I'm thinking maybe something bigger is going on.
"He's just…Dad we're just not friends anymore." She told me.
I was trying to think of what to say next when there was a knock on the door. I made my way to the door opening it, and the man standing on my steps had better not be Ember, he looked 25 damn years old.
"Chief Swan, I'm Embry Call is Bella available?" He asked sticking his hand out for me to shake.
"Bells…" I hollered, even though it wasn't necessary. I was wishing I hadn't taken off my holster.
"Em?" Bella said when she saw him; she couldn't hide the way her eyes lit up or the smile that threatened to spread across her face. For his part, he stared at her as if she was the sun, the stars and the moon.
"Baby you forgot your cell phone." He told her holding out his hand where Bella's silver phone lay.
I wonder if he realized he called her 'Baby' in front of me. It rolled too easily off his tongue for it to be a slip; I bet he calls her that all the time, again I wished my holster was on my hip and not hanging on the wall.
"Thank you." She told him, and it looked like they were both fighting the urge to go to one another.
"Ember, why don't you come in, and have a seat."
"Dad…it's Embry." Bella told me giving me the stink eye.
"Embry, why don't you come in." I repeated fighting the urge to roll my eyes like a prepubescent child. I knew what his damn name was; it was just more fun this way.
"Sir my friend rode into Forks with me and he's waiting in the car." He told me, looking me in the eye.
"Graduation, then." I told him leaving no doubt that we would have a nice long chat.
"Yes sir."
"I called Dowling's, they're going to pick up Bella's truck in the morning and tow it over. Sir it's drivable but the clutch is going out and I don't think it's safe." He told me looking a cross between terrified and panicked.
"I agree, thank you for looking at it." I told him, and I honestly was thankful.
"I'll walk you out." Bella said walking around me and grabbing Embry's arm. I closed the door and moved to the kitchen window to look out.
I watched as another guy got out of the car grinning and picked Bella up tossing her over his shoulder spinning in circles as she beat on his back. Embry shook his head then said something making the guy put her down, huge grin on his face as Bella pinched him.
Embry wrapped his arm around Bells and walked with to the driver's side. He pulled her to him, lying his head on top of hers. I could see him rub her back as he held her to him. Then he bent down and kissed her, her arms wrapped around his neck and his hands held her around the waist. I was tempted to fire off a round to separate them. This was not a see you later kiss, this was a I can't bear to be away from you kind of kiss and I knew Embry was going to be a pain in my ass.
I turned and refilled my coffee cup and sat down waiting for Bella to come back in. Three entire minutes passed before she walked back into the kitchen taking her seat across from me.
"So that's Embry."
"Yes, but I think you met him before at…Jake's."
"He looks different."
"Yea he got taller." She told me still drunk on Embry.
I knew I needed to finish saying what I had rehearsed all day, before I lost my nerve. I could carry a gun but my teenage daughter unnerved me.
"Bells…."
"I know you're sorry but you really hurt my feelings. I didn't do anything wrong and you yelled at me." She said blushing.
"I know and I…Bells I promise to talk to you first from now on."
"I'm going to go upstairs I'll see you in the morning." She told me getting up. Neither of us were good with communication.
That didn't go as well as I wanted, but at least I didn't stutter through the conversation like I did when I had the sex talk with her. I grabbed a beer from the fridge, made my way to my easy chair and flipped on the TV. I'm still the Chief of Police, I thought.
Embry's Pov
I lay down, trying to get comfortable. I hated sleeping without Bella next to me, the bed felt wrong when she wasn't in it. She would be here tomorrow night, I reminded myself. Hell I would wear the damn suit and go to a fancy Office Party everyday if it meant Bella could stay with me. I finally fell asleep my dreams had been awesome until I woke up hearing the howls.
I sat up listening carefully to make sure it wasn't a howl calling for me, but it was just Jake.
Fucking hell, phasing with him is going to suck.
Pack
Jake, do you understand?-Sam
Yes, legends, protectors, bloodsuckers. I've got it.-Jake
Listen you need to calm down, you will not be able to phase back if you do not calm down.-Sam
I am calm.-Jake
Doesn't look like it pup.-Paul
Shut the hell up.-Jake
See what I tell you.-Paul
Not helping.-Sam
Jake calm down so you can phase back, there are a lot of things we need to explain. It will be easier on you if you can learn to phase back and forth quickly.-Sam
Tell me what I need to do.-Jake
Think of something calming, picture yourself human, and try to relax.-Sam
Bout damn time.-Paul
It only took six hours that's a record.-Sam
I'm phasing back, you two run patrol. I'm going to go to Billy's with Jake and explain the rest. Howl if you need me.-Sam
Embry's going to kick his ass.-Jared
Yep!-Paul
This is going to fucking suck.-Jared
I've got $20.00 on Embry.-Paul
Since when did you become an Embry fan?-Jared
Choirboy's okay, I just like messing with him.-Paul
You're a sick fuck you know it.-Jared
Yep.-Paul
So what makes you think Em can take Jake?-Jared
It's the quiet one's you should fear.-Paul
Huh.-Jared