Here is finally is, folks! Three shortish chapters and an extra. Thank you for sticking with me through this whole thing. I'm sorry I've been so slow the past year. You lovely readers are wonderful and thank you SO MUCH for the feedback, reviews, and messages. They really helped motivate me to set aside the time a couple weeks ago to finally get this done. I'll post every night this week until it's done. XOXO- JSJ
Chapter 37
***5 Months Later***
"I can't believe you're not coming back next year!" Victor whines for the 15th time. They've known since Christmas, but apparently are just now realizing the weight of my absence.
"We even got an apartment off campus! WITH AN OVEN! Bella, there are cookie sheets in the kitchen. Who is going to use the cookie sheets?!"
I roll my eyes at his dramatics. "Victor. You are a grown man who next year will be getting a college diploma. Surely you can manage baking cookies."
"He's just trying to say he's going to miss you, but is too much of a baby to say it out loud. He's worried he might cry," Alex says in a stage whisper.
I lean in and whisper just as loudly, "Don't tell him, but I'm going to be sending cookies a least once a month because I love you guys and don't want you to waste away. And because I'll never be able to repay you for everything this year." I can feel tears prick at my eyes a little.
Alex pulls me into a hug, "Oh, little sister, I know it's good for you to go home to your pack, but we will always think of you as ours, too."
I hug him as tightly as I can because I won't be able to do this whenever I want after next week.
"Please promise you'll come up and visit us at least once?," I beg.
"Only if you promise to come visit our home the next time Leah comes to visit this ingrate," he says pointing his lips towards a scowling Victor.
I giggle, "I happen to like that ingrate. Plus, I promised Leah I'd come down with her the first couple of times she visits you guys here at school."
Victor stop scowling momentarily. "When did you say they were getting here?"
"4 o'clock, you dawg. I suppose I'm covering for you again?" I ask, with my librarian eyebrow raised in mock disapproval.
This time it's Alex who wrinkles his nose in distaste. "Man, last time it took a week to air out our room."
Victor grins widely. He's completely unapologetic. And I have to laugh at how proud he looks.
"Alex, we'll have a much less, um, salacious time at our sleepover. But you can choose the movie and I'll get the pizza and cookies. Do you need ice cream, too?"
"Ice cream is good," he says, grinning.
"Still not better than sex with the hottest she-wolf around," Victor says in such a self-satisfied voice, I can't even be mad at him.
"Look on the bright side," I remind Alex, "you're moving out in a couple of days anyway. You won't have to put up with the smell for too long." He wrinkles his nose up like a prissy Grandma at the thought of it, and Victor and I laugh.
I look down to see a text from Embry when I feel my phone buzz.
Is Charlie there yet? Are you sure you don't want to just throw everything in the truck and drive home tonight?!- E
Sorry, Baby, not tonight.- B
…..DID YOU JUST CALL ME BABY? WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH THE REAL BELLA?- E
Lol! Just checking to make sure you were paying attention. But...tbh, it doesn't bother me like it used to. I'm not saying I'm gonna use it all the time. But maybe every now and then if you're okay with that.-B
Ok with that? We f'n love it! -E
I smile since I know "we" means he and his wolf. But his wolf has an exceptionally dirty mind.
Tell your wolf that I don't plan on saying it while I'm wearing leather or fur or whatever other fantasy he's playing out for you right now. - B
Damn! I have to go to class and now you've put that image in my mind! How am I gonna pass my finals like this! -E
Down boy. You'll manage. ;) Love you, Embry. -B
Love you 2, Bella. -E
"Are you going to be like this all night?" Alex huffs.
"Like what?" I ask, surprised at the tone of his voice.
"In Embryland?" he grumps, and then looks embarrassed.
Even Victor goes quiet. This is not like Alex. I'm not sure what's going on. And then I can feel it. He's sad. He feels left out. Alex is always so big and strong and put together, but he's lonely with no mate. I slip my phone in my pocket.
"Nope. Tonight it's just me and my Big Brother," and I hug him. He holds me longer than normal. Not in a romantic way, at all. But he needs me tonight, our last night like this. On neutral territory.
"Sorry," he mumbles in my hair.
"Shh. I get it. No apologies necessary."
Victor looks up from his phone. "They're here!"
I step out of the hug, but leave one arm wrapped around Alex's waist. "C'mon. Let's go watch Victor and Leah have mental sex while trying to behave in front of Charlie."
"Fine. But I deserve TWO containers of ice cream! Living with him this past week has been like rooming with a bitch in heat. I'll be amazed if he doesn't start humping her leg immediately."
Now it's my turn to wrinkle my nose in distaste. Alex chuckles and pulls me close as we walk out to meet my Dad and Leah.
We go get burgers for dinner. Charlie thinks it's funny to order a California burger in California and then at the last minute add extra bacon. Bless him.
"You all packed up and ready, kiddo?" he asks as we wait to be seated.
"Yep! And I already got my job back slinging sporting goods for the summer, so you can get my employee discount on fishing supplies again."
"Best Daughter Ever!" my Dad tells to everyone around while pointing at me.
Just then a waitress comes over, grabs some menus, and says, "Swan, Party of 5?" She looks up from the reservation book with a smile and then looks confused.
"Victor?"
Victor briefly looks up from Leah. "Dani?"
"Victor! I thought it was you! Small world!"
And I notice two things simultaneously. Alex has gone completely tense and staring at this woman. So has Leah.
"Babe, this is Dani, my cousin!" Victor says, and I see Leah relax. "Dani, this is the sexiest woman in the world and my girlfriend, Leah."
Dani chuckles and extends a hand. "Well, I'm pleased to meet the sexiest woman in the world."
"He exaggerates, but only so he can get in my pants," Leah jokes. And my Dad clears his throat.
"Sorry, Chief!" Victor says.
"Chief?" Dani cocks her eyebrow at the palest person in the place besides me.
"Of Police," Charlie says and also extends a hand to shake, "and this is my daughter, Bella."
"Hello, Bella," Dani smiles. And then exhales, "Alex."
Alex doesn't speak. Just stares. Intensely.
"Oh, shit," I hear Leah say. I look over and nod. Yep. Guess our boy won't be feeling lonely anymore.
The bell on the door jingles and a few more people squeeze into the small entrance. Dani looks away from Alex, a little puzzled, but quickly flashes a smile and gets back into waitress mode. "I'm so sorry. Let's get you seated. We can catch up later."
We follow her through the crowded restaurant, me rubbing soothing circles on Alex's tense back and whispering to him, "It's ok. It's ok. It's ok."
We sit at the table, Dani hands us our menus, and asks for our drink order. "Just water to start," I say trying to figure out how to navigate this best for Alex.
He can't stop staring at her. Poor Alex looks like he's in pain. "Dani," I ask, knowing I'm about to sound like a total raving lunatic, "Can you come here?"
"Uh, sure," she says and comes over, again looking confused. I lean over Alex's shoulder and make up a story about it being Leah's birthday and ask if she can bring out a giant slice of their Berry Cream Cake first. But because I'm whispering and the restaurant is loud, Dani has to lean in, too. Her ponytail falls over her shoulder and brushes against Alex's back. I feel him inhale deeply and relax just a little. I thank her, and then see her rest her hand on Alex's shoulder and whisper, "It's so good to see you again, A." I smile gratefully to her and watch him as his gaze follows her while she walks away.
"I'm going to grab a beer from the bar. Do you guys want any?" Charlie asks. Does he know what's going on? He knows something, otherwise he wouldn't make himself scarce. I always thought we were fooling my Dad, but he sees things. I suppose a guy doesn't get made chief for nothing, even in our sleepy neck of the woods.
"No, thanks, sir," Victor replies.
Alex shakes his head because speech is still too hard. As soon as Charlie is away from the table, Alex drops his head in his hands and moans. "How the hell do you guys fight this?" he groans.
"Why do you want to fight it?" I ask. "What's wrong with her?"
"Nothing is wrong with her! She's perfect!" he practically growls at me. "But I want to follow her around. I want to slobber all over her. I want her to not talk to any other people here except me. I want…" He stops and looks up at Victor and Leah. "Dude. I get it. I'm sorry, man. Stink up the place all you want. I don't know how you go so long being far away from your mate."
"We're n-" Leah protests until I cock an eyebrow at her and Victor looks sharply away. Yikes. Ok. That's still a can of worms, I guess.
"And we leave for home this week. What am I gonna do?!"
"Tell me about her, sweetie. You already know her? That's good, right?" I ask, hoping to take his mind away from worrying.
"I had the biggest crush on her in middle school," he starts with a goofy grin. She was so nice and her hair was so shiny…." and as he launches into stories stories he really does relax. "But then she moved away. Down to LA, I think. Victor?"
"Yeah. Her Dad was doing solar panel work for a while. So they moved all over. I had no idea she was here. My Mom must not have known either, or she would've said something."
"How is she related to you?" I ask.
"She's my cousin."
"Like first or second?"
"There you go being all white again, Swan," Leah scoffs. "Just when I start to think of you as family. Cousins are cousins. We don't worry about the other stuff as much. We just make sure that we're not too related, y'know? The grannies and aunties keep us in line on that."
I blush. "Well, I'm glad she's not the too related kind, then."
Charlie gets back to the table almost at the same time as Dani with our glasses of water. "Oh, Chief, I would've gotten that for you!," she exclaims.
"Don't worry about it, Dani. I've been in a car all day driving down here. I needed a little walk."
"Well thanks for being so self-sufficient. If you'd like to bring your food out later, I'd be okay with that, too," she teases. "Speaking of, are you all ready to order?"
Alex has gone from mute and staring to absolutely beaming at her. "What would you recommend?" he asks in a voice that makes it sound like he may take notes on her every word. This is going to be a long night.