Here is chapter two from Embry's point of view:
I closed the hood of the car finished, finally, with my last car of the day. I would finally be able to go home and relax before going on my date with Brittany who I had been dating on and off for the last couple of months. I grabbed my clip board to go talk to the woman who owned the car before I could go home. I stepped into the front of the shop and stopped dead in my tracks.
Everything changed in that moment, everything pulled me towards her. I stopped in my tracks as he large blue eyes looked over at me. I stood looking at her as my hands flexed on the clip board and I stopped myself from gripping the board too hard or I would break it. I quickly turned to the customer and went over what I had worked on. After the customer paid and got her receipt from Sam, or I guessed she left.
"I'm guessing you are Sam," I said.
She nodded looking intimidated by me. I knew, vaguely remembering the discussion with Jeremy, that Sam was extremely shy. I hoped that I could get through that shell she put up. I then remembered the date I had later that night and groaned internally. How could I date other women when there was just this one now? I was also no good at breaking up with women.
"Great," I said to myself before turning and walking into the back of the shop.
I had to get away, it was too much. I had waited years, years to imprint and I finally liked being single and being able to date girls casually without getting into any serious and now my imprint was here. I stopped when I heard Jeremy ask Sam how she was. I turned quickly to see her answer.
"Yeah just…just girl hormones," she said and I could see her blinking away tears.
My heart dropped as we met eyes briefly and I frowned. She was hurting and I wasn't there to comfort her. I hated that I couldn't get close to her to make whatever was bothering her go away. I turned away before leaving the shop quickly to go run, one of the rare times where I could run alone while the rest of the guys were still working.
I ran unsure of how to handle this situation. Sam was clearly hurting by something and was unsure how to be there for her. I ran for an hour before I felt Jacob phase with me.
Why did you leave work so quickly he asked and I allowed my memories of what happened this afternoon to run through my mind?
She clearly is hurting from something and I don't know how to help her with it I thought knowing Jacob would understand with his relationship with Nessie.
There isn't much you can do at this point he thought other than be her friend for now and take it from there, go slow with her.
I'll try I thought.
Everything will work out Jacob thought she is your imprint and you instinct will take over and you'll know how to be there for her.
Thanks Jake I told him I know you are right, just freaking out.
It's normal to do that as an imprint Jacob told me.
We ran for another hour before Jacob went home and I returned to my home. I took a shower before heading to bed early. I couldn't sleep. Thoughts of Sam kept running through my mind. Even after my talk with Jacob I still worried about her and how she was doing. I was worried that something happened while we were apart and that I wouldn't be there to stop it.
The next morning came too soon and I groaned when the alarm went off because I hadn't been able to fall to sleep until three in the morning. I sighed not wanting to leave my bed but I made myself get up and get ready for work taking extra special care on how I looked to try and impress Sam.
I quickly got to work where Jeremy and Sam were there and I swallowed hard. I stepped out of the car and made my way into the shop wiping my hands on my jeans. I usually went to the back to get started on a car but this time I went in to the front room. Sam looked up at me with guarded eyes which made me feel like a little kid again. I stood watching her unsure of what to stay to her and wanting to tell her everything.
"Hey Embry," Jeremy said coming into the room.
"Hey," I said looking at Jeremy.
"Can you come over tonight," he said, "Sam is cooking."
"Oh sure," I said, "I don't have any plans tonight."
I looked at Sam who seemed unsure of me coming to dinner but didn't say anything.
"Great," he said, "just hope we have enough food for all of the guys."
"I'm sure it will be great," I said looking at Sam when I said this causing her to blush slightly.
"We had better get to work," Jeremy said.
"Right," I said feeling annoyed that I had to be away from Sam again.
My eyes lingered on Sam before I headed in to the back room to get to work. The hours went by agonizingly slow before I rode with Jacob over to Jeremy and Sam's house.
"So do you know what you are going to do tonight," Jacob said.
"Not really," I said, "it's not like I could just ask her out, I'm sure that would freak her out."
"Just find something to talk to her about and start a friendship with her," Jacob said.
"Right," I said taking a deep breath.
We pulled up to Jeremy's house where once again I felt nervous. I followed Jacob into the house where we were met with the smell of cooking from the kitchen. I felt a pulling to find Sam in the kitchen but I held myself back. I hung out with the guys while we watched a basketball game on TV while my eyes went to the kitchen every few minutes.
"I'll be right back," I told the guys before I sneaking into the kitchen.
There I found Sam cooking with her back to me. Her long brown wavy was tied back and I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She must have sensed my presents and turned around to look at me.
"I'm just getting some water," I said before grabbing a glass and filling it with water.
I leaned against the counter sipping my water while watching her out of the corner of my eye.
"Could…could you reach that for me," I heard Sam ask in a quiet voice.
She had a cabinet open and was trying to reach for a pot on the top shelf. I went over and reached up for the pot before turning towards her and handing it to her.
"Thanks," she said looking up at me.
"You're welcome," I breathed.
Our eyes caught each other's gaze for a moment before she turned away from me a slight blush on her cheeks. I couldn't help but think the look made her even more beautiful. I turned away from Sam not wanting to freak her out.
"Will you let them know dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes," she said.
"Sure no problem," I said putting my now empty glass into the sink.
I announced the time of dinner while we finished watching the rest of the game. Dinner was served and we eat quietly because the food was so good. After dinner we took the dishes into the sink and I couldn't help but linger where Sam had started on the dishes.
"Could you use some help," I asked.
"You don't have to," she said.
"It's no problem," I said, "You worked today and came and cooked for all of us when you didn't have to and I want to help you."
We worked in silence while she did the washing and handed me the dishes to dry them. We worked silently and I tried to think of something to say to start up a conversation. It was hard to admit with all of the other girls that I pursued that I had no issue with coming up with things to say to them but this girl…I could not think of something to say. I searched for everything of something to say when I thought of it before I finally came up with something.
"Where did you learn to cook?" I asked.
"I learned from my mom," she said, "We always cooked together."
"Oh that is nice," I said, "Are you two close?"
"Oh very," she said smiling.
"That's nice," I said, "I was never close to my mother."
"What about your dad," she asked.
"I never knew who he was," I said.
"Oh I'm sorry," she said, "I didn't know."
"It's alright," I said, "they guys aren't my biological brothers but they are good as."
"That must be nice," she said smiling softly, "I've always wondered what it must be like to be a part of a big family."
"It's great," I said agreed, "There is always someone there."
"That is all of them," she said looking at me, "Thank you for helping me do the dishes."
"Anytime," I said smiling at her, "It was worth it to get some of your cooking."
She looked down blushing hard.
"You can come over anytime then," she whispered.
"I plan on taking you up on that," I told her when she looked up at me again.
"Alright," Sam said and I got lost in her eyes.
"I had better get going," I told her as I found my voice.
She nodded as she seemed not to trust her voice.
"Thank you for dinner," I told her.
"You're welcome," she said.
"Good night," I said.
"Good night," Sam said.
I left the kitchen feeling as though I took many steps to make a good start to a friendship with Sam. I smiled as I thought of the promise of dinner with Sam again the next evening.
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