Chapter Two

"Officer Clearwater! How's the day going?"

I grin at the manager of Fork's grocery store. "Mr. Barnes! Just the same old same old with me. Off duty now and figured I should grab some grub."

He smiles widely back at me. "Well if you need any help don't hesitate. I really can't thank you enough for stopping those kids who were spray painting the side of our building. I was about to throw my back out painting over it." He rubs his back dramatically.

"Sure, sir. Just doing my job."

I've gotta say I'm still not used to people calling me Officer. I'm almost a year into my job and still I think people must be talking to someone else when they call me that. But man I love my job. Forks and La Push aren't exactly the most crime-ridden places in the world. It's mostly petty crimes we're busting people for and other than that we help the community with anything they need. Yeah, I've even helped get someone's pet cat out of a tree. I couldn't ask for a better job. I'm a people person by nature, so I like being out on the town everyday getting to know people.

I frown to myself, trying to decide what I want to eat tonight. I'm not really skilled in the culinary department so I think I'll head to the frozen section. Besides, I'm on patrol duty tonight so I won't exactly have a lot of time to eat. My phone buzzes. It's Mom.

Do u want to eat with us 2nite? I chuckle. Mom hasn't exactly mastered the art of texting. I don't think she realizes with smart phones abbreviations like that are a thing of the past. I type back:

That's okay. I've got to patrol tonight so I'll just make something fast.

Instant buzz of the phone: Ok. Luv U.

Don't get me wrong, I hanging out with Mom. And since she married Charlie, the police chief and my boss, I get to hang out at home with him too and I love him. But sometimes I can't help but feel that whenever I go there I get drilled about my dating life. Which is, in fact, nonexistent. Call me optimistic, or hopeless as Leah likes to put it, but I don't want to get attached to someone and then imprint. I know what that does to the person that is left behind: it nearly destroyed Leah and she only began healing when she left the rez to go to college in Seattle. I couldn't let myself hurt someone like that.

But who knows when I'll imprint. Or if, I silently remind myself. We thought we had imprinting figured out. First we thought it was rare. But so far four of us have imprinted. And the theories as to why it happens or if that means it'll happen to all of us are all over the place. But I stay optimistic. That's another thing I like about being on the force and getting to roam all over town: I like to think that one day I'll find her.

I pull out a frozen pizza and as the door shuts I frown. Down the aisle is a little boy standing by himself, staring at the ice creams. He's wearing tan from head to toe, including a floppy hat that's got to be five sizes too big for him, and he has earphones in. Somebody is about to freak out when they realize their kid is missing. I head over to him. I'm glad I still have my uniform on so that he knows not to be afraid.

I touch him gently on the shoulder and he jumps. He pulls his earphones out and stares silently through coke-bottle glasses. I crouch so I'm on his level and smile as warmly as I can. "Hey buddy. What's your name?"

He takes a step back. "I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."

Smart kid. "Well, I'm a police officer and my name is Seth. What's your name?"

He hesitates. "…Max."

"Well it's nice to meet you Max." I hold out my hand for him to shake but he just looks at it. I put it back down by my side. "See? Now we're not strangers anymore. We're friends."

His head tilts to the side and he eyes me curiously. "We are?"

I nod. "Yep. Now, I bet you didn't come here by yourself because I think you might be a little too young to drive a car."

He shrugs. "Yeah…" He trails off and looks around. "My mom is here somewhere."

I stand up to my full height. "Well, I have an idea. Let's go to the front of the store and we can use the intercom to call your mom. Everyone in the store will hear. I bet she's getting a little worried about you." I hold out my hand for him to take.

He looks at my hand for a little bit and I can tell he's still deciding what he thinks about me. Then he nods and takes my hand. "Okay." We meander down the aisle slowly. This kid gets distracted by every new food item he sees.

Suddenly I hear a distressed call behind me. "Max!" A woman is rushing towards us, her eyes locked on the kid. She scoops him away from me, holding him close to her. "I was so worried baby!" She holds him out at shoulder length. "Max, what have I told you about wandering away from me? You know you have to stay by me when we're in a store!"

Max mumbles an apology but then is pulling away to look at more frozen foods. The woman sighs and stands back up, running a hand through her hair. "I'm so sorry, officer," she begins. "I looked away for one second and then he was gone. I hope he wasn't too much trouble." She smiles and looks at me in the eyes. And the world stops.

Her eyes are deep pools of brown, with green flecks dotting them. Her skin is porcelain except for her cheeks, which are flushed to a delicate pink. She's smiling at me with lips so red they're like strawberries and just a hint of dimples poke at her cheek. Her hair is a chestnut shade of brown, curling rebelliously to her shoulders. Her smell hits me like a wave…lavender and vanilla. It's her. She's right here, in front of me. I know the feeling instantly. She's all I see, all I want; I would die for her this second if she needed me to. I've imprinted.

She's looking at me expectantly and on the border of uncomfortably. I've missed something she's said. I let out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding. I think I've forgotten how to form words into a sentence. "Um…what?" I want to run from embarrassment. Nice Seth, meet the woman you've been waiting for all these years and that's the only thing you can say.

"I was saying that Max tends to wander off and I hope he didn't bother you." Her voice is almost musical. She holds out her hand to me. "I'm Andy." She furrows her brow and a blush creeps down her neck. "Well, Andrea. But people call me Andy."

I take her hand gently in mine. It's so tiny that my hand swallows hers. But I can feel calluses on the palms of her hands. She works hard. I can feel the wolf inside rumble with approval. We're both ecstatic with our imprint so far. She has a kid….married? For a minute I feel panicked and I quickly glance at her left hand. Relief floods me when I see it's ring-less. I clear my throat, willing words that make sense to come out. "I'm Seth Clearwater. And it was no trouble at all, don't worry!" I can practically feel the eagerness hanging off of my every word.

I feel a slight pressure in my hand and I realize it's her, trying to pull her hand out of mine. I'm still holding it. I let go quickly and she lets out a quiet laugh. I am definitely freaking her out. I look back up at her and the blush is darker. I can hear her heartbeat pick up its pace a little bit. "Well, thank you so much Officer Clearwater." She looks lovingly at Max. "You really are a lifesaver."

I want to beg her not to leave yet. Say something, Seth! "Please, call me Seth. Um…I don't recognize you from around town. Are you new here?"

"Ha! Is it that obvious?" She's tilting her head at me and I see that's where her son picked up the habit from. She looks just like him.

I rub the back of my neck. I've never been so nervous in my life. "I just know everyone around here," I drawl. "You know, being a cop and everything." I want to slap my palm to my forehand. I couldn't sound like more of a caveman if I tried.

She nods slowly. She clearly thinks there's something wrong with me. "Well, like a said, I really owe you one." She grabs Max's hand. "Come on honey, let's go get my cart and check out."

Max resists and looks back to me. "I want to invite him over for dinner," he states.

She runs a hand through her hair, sending her smell my way again. "Honey, we aren't inviting him to dinner," she objects while she crouches to his level. I feel my heart sting, which is ridiculous. She doesn't know me at all so of course she doesn't want me over for dinner.

"But you said if I made a friend then I could have them over for whatever I want!" Max insists. They have a brief stare off; I smile at their identical stubborn expressions.

Finally she sighs and stands, facing me. "Officer Clearwater, would you like to come to our house for dinner tomorrow?"

Good job, kid! I beam at her. "Sure, I would love to," I answer excitedly.

She grabs Max's hand again. "Okay…how about six? I live off of Meadowlark Lane. My house is the one that still has the realtor's sign in it," she laughs. "Haven't had time to take that down yet…"

I nod. "I know which house you're talking about. I'll be there!"

I can tell she has no idea why I'm agreeing to this. "Well, okay then…I guess I'll see you tomorrow." She smiles warmly. "Really, thank you."

With that she's walking away with Max. I take a deep breath, and realize I'm shaking a bit from nervousness. Pizza forgotten, I rush out of the store, pulling out my phone and dialing.

"Hello?"

"Mom, you won't believe what just happened…"