The Long Road Home
Summary: Leo Call and Keifen Uley were in love but as time went on they grew apart causing their relationship to fall apart. Now 6 months later Leo is stuck in a rut until he meets the newly divorced Jacob Black. Now Leo is caught up between his past and the present unable to decide what he feels.
Leo Andre Call: 22 year old son of Embry Call and the late Bonnie Call
Jacob Ephraim Black: 45 years old, recently divorced
Keifen Wolf Uley: 23 year old son of Sam and Emily Uley
Nyla Caitlyn Gatsby: 22 year old best friend of Leo Call from high school
Benjamin William Black: 22 year old son of Jacob Black and Bella Swan-Black
Chapter Three
I couldn't help but stare at my phone, even as I got home. 'Jacob Black' was the name typed into my contacts with not only his number but his email as well. He really wasn't joking when he said 'email me'.
I felt my throat go dry as I continued to stare at the name in my phone. In all honesty, I was scared. I couldn't help but hear the little voice in my head whisper words of doubt.
'You know you're not ready. He must of been bored.' Echoed through my head as I sat on my bed. My phone still in my hands.
I sighed as I locked the device and ran my hands over my face. Was it normal for me to be this nervous? Keifen had been my first everything so this was all new to me. Dating. Someone other then Keifen being attracted to me. I had very little knowledge or even experience in what to do next.
Nyla had told me once she returned, that I would be a fool not let the dark, handsome stranger take me out. I was single after all. And it had been almost 6 months since the break up. Even though I knew I still loved Keifen maybe it was time to move on. I had no doubt in my mind that Keifen would of moved on. He wasn't the one to be without attention from both sexes. He appealed to almost everyone.
'If he can move on.. then that must mean that I can too' I thought to myself as I felt the little flutter of confidence I had return to my body. I picked up my phone from its place on the bed and finally pressed the text button.
'Hey. It's Leo.. from the beach. This is my number. Are you still interested in taking me out?'
I held my breathe as I re-read the message a hundred times before finally clicking send and exhaling. The butterflies in my stomach knocked around as I waited for a reply.
'Hey Leo. I was beginning to think you weren't interested. I would love to take you out sometime. When are you free?'
I stopped for a moment and thought.. My next day off wasn't until the weekend which meant I was going to be working for the next five days but that didn't always mean I couldn't meet him after work. Even if just for a coffee.
'I'm free after work most days. I work at a restaurant in Forks. So I don't know if you're free in the evening.'
'Yeah I'm free. I work for myself so I can make the time. How about I pick you up tomorrow after work and we go for a drink?'
I bit my lip as I thought about not replying. Was I really ready for my first date? I sighed and twiddled my fingers underneath my phone.
'Yeah that sounds good. I finish at 9pm tomorrow anyways.'
'Sounds good. I'll see you then Leo :)'
I smiled to myself at this small accomplishment. It may of not seemed like a big deal to some but to me it felt like a small weight had been taken off my shoulders. Maybe things were starting to get better. Maybe I could restart my life. Even without Keifen.
The next morning I awoke without anyone having to drag me out of bed. Even though I still had butterflies in my stomach I felt better.
"Morning dad." I said as I walked into the kitchen. I had my waiters uniform on which consisted of a white shirt, black waist coat and black trousers. I tied my hair back into a loose ponytail as I took a seat at the table.
Dad folded his newspaper as he stared at me. "You look different." He commented and raised a brow.
"How could I possibly look different Dad." I asked, pouring myself a cup of coffee.
"I don't know.. You look good. Better. What's happened?"
I laughed and shook my head. Could this be a result of saying yes to a date with Jacob. Not that Dad knew. But maybe I didn't look like I reaked of desperation and sadness anymore. "Is that you saying I looked like crap before?"
Dad rolled his eyes. "No I'm saying somethings changed."
"Right. You must be loosing it in your old age Pops." I joked. Dad rolled his eyes again before returning to his paper. As he did, I couldn't help but check my phone. Jacob had been texting me none stop since last night with the exception of when we other found ourselves too tired to continue. It had been weird talking to someone other then Nyla. But not in a bad way.
'What you up too beautiful?' He asked.
'Just having coffee before work. What about you? :)'
'Thinking about our date later. I'm not going to lie and say I'm not excited. You've been on my mind ever since the beach.'
I felt a blush creep up my cheeks and thanked my mom for her dark complexion making it harder for a blush to be detected.
"Who are you texting?" Dad asked, peeping over his newspaper at me like he knew.
"Oh no one important." I answered as I put my phone back into my pocket.
"Right" he replied with extra emphasis on the T at the end of right.
Jacob couldn't help but smile at his phone as he sat in his office at the back of the mechanic shop be owned. He had worked as a mechanic since he had been able to know what a car was. They were his passion and he had been thankful that even without a college degree he had managed to turn a passion into something more. After deciding to divorce Bella, other then Benjamin, Jacob didn't have much but his business. Bella took the house, the car, the savings and left the Black boys with basically nothing. Having to start over had been hard but somehow they managed.
'Hey sorry about the long reply. I was just getting myself together for work. I'm looking forward to tonight too.'
Jacob grinned as he read the text. He had been smiling none stop since the boy from the beach, Leo, decided to text him. Since the night before he had learnt that Leo was 22. Half African-American, hence the incredible curls. He had been studying to become a doctor and was an only child. And while Jacob has expected Leo to be taken back by him telling him he was a 45 year old, single parent/divorcee, he had not. He seemed completely fine even though he and Jacob's son were only a few months apart.
Jacob thought maybe Leo would find that a bit weird but he still seemed interested which was a relief. As Jacob had told Leo, he couldn't stop thinking about him.
It had been so long since Jacob had found someone attractive. After being with Bella, she consumed his world and he found him paying very little attention to either sexes until they broke up and he realise that he had pretty much alienated himself from all people. Not just the ones who found him attractive.
'It's cool. I'm happy you're looking forward to later as well. This is my first date since my divorce.'
'Really? Same. Sort of. This is my first date since coming out of a relationship myself.'
'Seriously?'
'Yeah. I don't get out much. Ha.'
Jacob couldn't help but chuckle. 'I'm not complaining. Someone else could of easily asked you out before me if you were always out.'
'Ha ha ha. It's all worked out in your favour then ;)'
"Oh yes it has." Jacob said to himself before replying via text. 'I guess I'm just lucky like that.'
'Looks like it Jacob. I'll message you later. Just getting to work.'
Jacob sent a quick reply before finally putting his phone away. He had been glued to that thing since he had woken up and had barely gotten any work done.
"Jesus Jacob. You're acting like a damn teenaged girl." He cursed to himself before he tried to focus on his paper work and not the young curly haired boy who would be waiting for him after work.
I couldn't help but feel nervous as my shift came to an end. I had been feeling the butterflies in my stomach all day and as every hour went passed I couldn't help but feel a little more nervous about my 'date' with a certain older gentleman. Jacob.
It had been so long since I went on a first date. My first date and only first date had been with Keifen when we both realised that we were in the same city and only a few miles from each other. I felt like this then too. Nervous. Anxious. And a little scared.
I couldn't help it but wonder why a man like Jacob, with his good looks, would want to spend time with me. Especially when I'm currently a shell of myself. I wasn't the 'Leo Call' everyone had grown to know. I don't even think I knew where that version of myself was. I had been so overwhelmed with grief over loosing Keifen that I had lost a part of me and everyone saw it.
Dad. Nyla. I'm sure if my mom were still around she would of seen it too and told me to snap out of it. I sit didn't know how..
I trembled a little as I pulled my jacket out of my locker. 'You're ok Leo. It's just a date.' I said to myself as I took a deep breathe trying to claim my nerves. I felt hot and sweaty. Not the most attractive combination but I could always say it were down to working in a busy restaurant all day. I doubt he question it. Especially as I was planning to wear my work clothes, minus the waist coat, on our date.
It was just a little after 9pm when I left the restaurant. I pulled my curls from the hair tie that had kept them in place that day and gently shook them free so they hung around my face again. My shirt was still thankfully white and look some what presentable. I pulled my black leather jacket on as I noticed a sleek black waiting on the other side of the road. I took a few steps towards it just as a man opened the driver door and smiled as he turned to face me.
"Hey there handsome." Jacob smiled as he stood facing me. His smile was big and I couldn't help but smile back.
"Hey Jacob."
To be continued..