Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight. I just use my imagination.
Thanks go to Project Team Beta, Feriel_Muriel, and you reviewers!
MYSTERY BOX
CHAPTER 4
Chapter 4: the Council meeting, and Sam and Jake discuss imprinting
"Uncle Jacob! Piggy-back me!"
Jacob just walked into Emily and Sam's home, and their four year old, Mia, ran up to him with her arms raised. He gave her a big smile, grabbed her by the waist and threw her high above his head. It was days before the council meeting, and Jacob needed some key support from Sam.
"How's my favorite princess? Whoo-hee!"
Mia giggled as her father walked into the living room. "Jacob," he nodded. Jacob nodded back.
Sam and Jacob had some history. Before Jacob had returned from his spirit quest, Sam was the Alpha. Jacob, as the direct descendant of chiefs, was the natural Alpha, but he had pushed aside those responsibilities for love. However, when Jacob had returned, he was a changed man. He accepted, no—welcomed -- the responsibilities of being Alpha. He had grown from a tempestuous, stormy teenage boy to a calmer, stronger adult man. He had started having more of the characteristics of Sam: the strong, silent leader, but with a Jacob twist. Being a natural extrovert and a bit of a flirt, he had kept that part of his personality and had combined it with a strong leadership style. He could stay light-hearted and jovial, but when things were serious -- when they involved his family, the pack, the tribe --he would immediately assume the cloak of the Alpha.
Jacob kept his friendship with Sam because the older man understood what it meant to be the Alpha. And he could keep things confidential. Even if they phased (which they rarely did), Sam was best at keeping his thoughts blocked from the rest of the pack.
"Jacob, have a seat," Sam offered.
They sat in the living room and stretched their long legs. Mia played horsie on Jacob's legs.
"Sam, have you heard about the artifact project?" Jacob began.
"Yep," Sam responded. Pause. "Do you think that's wise? I mean, that sculpture displays our phasing. That could lead to a lot of questions from these eggheads."
"Sam, I said the same thing to Billy. But you know they aren't even looking at the legends. They're looking at the sculpture itself. You know, stuff those 'eggheads' like: the linearity of the stone, the echoes of neo classical themes in the pre canon assortment or whatever." Jacob faked an English accent when he tried to mimic an academic, then switched back to his normal voice again. "But what we could get out of this is great: a catalogue of Quileute artifacts! They even suggested we could start our own collection or museum. Embry's mom's souvenir shop has some space we could use initially."
Sam thought for a moment. "It's risky," he said, voicing his doubts again.
"Sam, we can use this to our advantage. We need our kids to appreciate the Quileute way. We do have a remarkable arts and crafts tradition. We can piggyback on this project for our own ends."
Sam still had a slight frown on his face. "If the secret gets out …"
"Do you think anyone would believe it? Come on! And really, I've met with them. I've sat in their meetings. They are not into the story, but the artifact itself. And besides," Jacob sat back and smiled, "I will be shadowing them the whole time. Billy already arranged it."
Sam had a slight smile on his face and relaxed. "What's her name?"
Jacob gave a short laugh. "Molly. How did you know it was a girl?"
"And how do I know she's young and pretty?"
"You know me too well."
"Don't fuck this up, man-whore. You're representing the Quileute people."
"Believe me, I know! No worries, Sam. I know I'm representing the tribe. And I know how important this project is. She just happens to be gorgeous."
Sam thought for a moment and said with a slight frown, "She's white, right?"
"Yeah, kind of. Actually mixed. Asian and white."
Sam was quiet for a moment, and then spoke, "You'd have gorgeous kids."
Jacob threw a couch cushion at Sam's head. Sam ducked with the reflexes of a wolf.
"Down, boy!"
"Jacob, you haven't imprinted. You're the next chief. You need to think about these things."
"Sam, you're almost as bad as Billy. I'm only 25. I got lots of years left. Didn't some movie star have kids at 70? Sam, change of topic! Let's talk about the pack."
They had a less heated discussion about how the pack, the Protectors of the Quileute, were progressing. Since there had been no vampires since the Cullen family left eight years ago, the wolves only phased for training. But the pack still met like a 'Youngsters' council to balance the Elders. They worked hard to make sure the younger generation took pride in their Quileute heritage and to keep problems out of the reservation.
After a while, Jacob made a move to leave. "Say hi to Emily for me. And you can meet Molly at the council meeting or the fish fry afterwards. You could casually stop by and assess the situation for yourself."
"Uh-huh. Assess the situation?" Sam had a twinkle in his eye. Jacob knew he was not referring to artifacts.
"If we need to be worried about the legends, dude." The men laughed and did their half hugs as Jacob left, tousling Mia's hair on the way out.
***
Molly and Dr. Wilson spent the days before the meeting going over Molly's research on the tribe, the art, and the legends. Dr. Wilson had some conversations with Billy who updated them that the Elders would support their project. In return, they wanted to ensure that the tribe would retain full possession of the art, and any profits that may result from anything that may come in the future. The tribe would have final decision on anything involving their artifacts, no questions asked. It was a strong statement, and Molly and Dr. Wilson agreed to it. The university was not doing this to get rich. In return, they knew that Billy and Jacob would have their back, and they would make the project more palatable for the tribe.
Molly had also been receiving updates from Jacob. He seemed to guess that she may be a bit nervous prior to the meeting, so he sent some text messages telling her how he was circulating the idea of the project among the young leaders of the tribe and had gained their support. Sometimes a text was too brief or Molly couldn't understand some of his abbreviations, so they would talk on the phone a couple times. They would start by talking about the project, and then Jacob would tell her funny stories about people she would be meeting. She was surprised that they had only met once, but he felt like an old friend already.
When they arrived in La Push, it was evening, but Molly was able to see a beautiful beach, cliffs, and small wooden houses dotting the little town. It was cold and windy, but the town had a harsh beauty.
"Have you been here before, Dr. Wilson?" she asked.
"Years and years ago, when I first met Billy. I was in grad school then myself. Billy had just become chief and wanted some assistance from the university. He wanted to take advantage of any best practices we were aware of to make sure the Quileute were self-supporting and would not fall into sorts of problems that can be found at some other reservations."
Molly nodded. It confirmed her first impressions of Billy as a good and wise man who looked out for the tribe. Good to know.
The council meeting was in the schoolhouse. Jacob was there to greet them. Molly had hoped she had imagined his beauty from their first meeting, but seeing him in the flesh, he was as gorgeous as her fantasy of him. She needed to focus on work, and not wet dreams. Spencer = reality, Jacob = fantasy was her mantra. Jacob grinned and gave her a huge bear hug and Dr. Wilson a firm handshake. My god, he's warm! And strong! Molly thought during his embrace. He just looked at her and grinned, and she could feel herself grinning as well. He then made sure to give Dr Wilson his full attention, but Molly noticed he would often glance her way and smile. And she melted a bit each time he did.
Jacob was happy. He was clearly happy to see them, especially Molly. He took the two academics to where Billy was waiting for them inside. Billy was sitting with a middle-aged woman and man. They were introduced to Sue Clearwater and Old Quil Ateara, and Molly was struck how intensely they both looked at her, as if she had a secret they were trying to uncover. She remembered her manners and shook their hands warmly. Molly needed to gain their confidence and prove her professionalism. She purposely wore trousers and a turtleneck to look proficient, but not too stuffy.
"I'm so glad to meet you all. We heard wonderful things from Billy and Jacob," Molly said after their brief introductions.
"We're pleased to meet you both as well. Dr. Wilson, we already met a while ago, it's a pleasure to see you again, Bob," Sue responded, turning to the older academic.
After pleasantries, Molly noticed Jacob was right next to her, just a few inches away. If he wasn't so cute, it'd be a little too close, she thought. She faced him and smiled.
"Can I sit with you? You're the only person I know here."
Jacob looked a bit surprised, a bit unsure how to answer at first. "Well, I'll be sitting by Billy, but let me introduce you to some more people."
He took her by the elbow and led her to a group that was closer to their age. The men were nearly as tall as Jacob, and the gorgeous woman standing with them was easily six feet tall. She also happened to be glaring at Molly. Fuck, thought Molly. Ex-girlfriend? Jacob greeted them all with big smiles, man hugs, and high fives, which they returned.
Molly looked closely at the group. There was something unusual about them. They were obviously part of the tribe, but they were ridiculously fit and tall. She also noticed that most men on the reservation had long hair, but these men had obviously cut their hair a while back and had started growing it out again. The hair lengths varied from chin length (like Jake's) to shoulder length, but none of these tall men had hair as long as many of the other men in the room. Molly also noticed that none of them smoked, whereas several others in the meeting did. They also wore less clothing than everyone else. Most people were in windbreakers, fleece, and hoodies. They were in t-shirts.
"Jacob! Where have you been?" One of the very tall men gave him a half hug. They were all looking intently at Molly. "And who's this?"
The unidentified woman seemed very intent on knowing the answer. Her eyes looked fiercely at Molly.
Jacob put his hand on Molly's shoulder. "Quil. Embry. Seth. Leah. This is Molly Martin. She's with the American Indian program. She's here with Dr. Wilson to discuss a research project they plan to do here. You know, the one I told you about."
The woman, Leah, lifted an eyebrow. "Research? Like the small pox infected blankets experiment?"
Seth coughed and Jacob looked uncomfortable. Molly realized that she had found her female Blaine. She faced Leah and smiled sweetly. Too sweetly. She made sure to speak clearly so she would not be misunderstood.
"No. We are not here to spread disease. That's abominable. No, we're here to do research. We want to learn more about some artifacts that were found hidden at our museum that may be Quileute. It's a bit of a mystery; there's no explanation, and Billy mentioned there might more here on the rez, or that someone here could shed some light on the situation. It could be a significant cultural find."
"Like a Rosetta stone?" Seth was a natural diplomat, trying to diffuse the situation.
Molly smiled. "That would be nice, but more like finding a big auction item on that TV show, Antique Roadshow."
"Like when they found that incredibly expensive Navajo blanket?" another one of the men asked; Molly thought it was Quil.
"Could be. We also realized that we needed to reopen our ties with your tribe. We're so close-by in Seattle. It's really unfortunate there hasn't been more interaction, not since Dr. Wilson was a student, it seems."
"Hey, the meeting's about to start. Molly, take a seat with us." Seth seemed quite sweet, like an overgrown, eager-to-please puppy. Molly sat by him and tried to avoid Leah's eyes.
Once everyone was seated, Jacob got up and started the meeting. Molly was mesmerized. She had assumed that Billy or one of the Elders would be leading the meeting, but Jacob? He looked about 25, but he had a natural authority that combined leadership, good humor, emotional intelligence, and a meeting facilitator's ability to gently guide a discussion back onto topic and off tangents. In short, he was able to control the meeting, which had varied topics from roaming dogs, broken stop signs and school funding. He was able to do it with about 200 very different, very vocal opinions in the room. He didn't come across as fake as a used car salesman. He was genuine, concerned, interested, bright, communicative, and effective, all wrapped up in the body of a male model. Molly felt herself falling for him. Not good, she thought, focus on the project and your career. Chance of a lifetime, remember? Publish a paper with Dr. Wilson? A by-line in a major academic journal?
Molly always liked the sort of man who was a natural leader. She knew she would never be the head of an academic department because she did not think she could inspire vision and loyalty in others. Yet she was an excellent team player or second-in-command. She could help bring great ideas to the table and help execute them, but she needed someone else to provide the vision and leadership and get others inspired to follow. What did Henry Kissinger say once? Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac? For Molly, it was a combination of leadership and non-abusive power. Jacob was a natural leader. And Jacob did it all with a big, heart-warming grin and a laugh.
Every once in a while he would look right at her and show off that grin and she would melt. Again.
Fuck! You've got a crush on him! He's a fantasy and you need to do your job! Focus! Molly tried to redirect her thoughts.
After about an hour or so Jacob asked Dr. Wilson to speak, but first Billy said some words of endorsement for the project, and the Elders all spoke in agreement. Molly was pleased Billy had done his homework and the Elders were on board.
Dr. Wilson spoke of the overall project, focusing on its benefits for the tribe, and then the logistics. That's when he had Molly stand up to be introduced. Billy asked Molly to say a few words as well. After meeting with Billy last week in Dr. Wilson's office, Molly was prepared for Billy to put her on the spot. She realized it was important for her to at least introduce herself: Dr. Wilson was the outward face of the project, but Molly would be the one knocking on doors, convincing these strangers to get their family heirlooms out to view, and digging about looking for information. She had to connect with the tribe for this project to have a chance to succeed.
So Molly took a breath and thought about what she most wanted to convey to the tribe. They needed to trust her, and know that she would not abuse their trust. That she would respect them. She would act with professionalism and grace. She would listen. She would ensure that what they would be doing in the next few months would be worthy of future generations. She spoke truthfully from her heart. Then she sat down and she felt Jacob's gaze warm her soul. She looked right at him and smiled shyly. Seth gave her a congratulatory bump in the bicep.
"So, Molly, do you have a boyfriend?" Leah whispered loudly. Leah seemed to be everywhere, watching everything, like Jacob's pit bull, whether he liked it or not.
"Yes." Molly didn't feel the need to elaborate, and kept her eyes facing front even though she could feel Leah and the others in their row staring at her. Molly knew that she and Leah would be the frienemies. Molly saw no need to try to obviously woo her; she'd rather be straightforward and honest.
Leah bent down across Seth's lap so that her mouth was close to Molly's ear. Out of the corner of her eye, Molly noticed Seth watching worriedly. "Don't fuck with Jacob," Leah began, "He's one of my best friends and he's been through hell and back because of a girl. If you do anything, anything at all to hurt him, I will come after you and I will hurt you. And I won't be alone."
Molly forgot how to breathe for a moment. She felt like she was in a gangster movie and pictured Leah and the men with violin cases full of guns. That humorous image of Leah in a pin-striped suit and a fedora, scowling with a cigar in her mouth relaxed Molly and she remembered how to speak. She made sure she was facing Leah when she spoke this time and she made sure to say it loud enough that the rest of the guys could hear as well. "I would never ever do anything to hurt Jacob. And I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm here to do a job. And do it well, something to positively impact both your tribe and our university. This is not some type of whim. We take this very seriously, and I'd expect you to do the same."
"Damn Molly, you sure told Leah!" laughed Seth.
"Seth, shut the fuck up!" snapped Leah, but her eyes flashed with something … acceptance?
Molly was irate, but kept her cool. She actually respected Leah for standing up for her friend, and was also intrigued by what the woman had said. Who could possibly break Jacob's heart? She expected it to be the other way around, that Jacob would be leaving a string of broken hearts all along the Pacific Northwest. But that tale could wait for another time.
After the meeting there was a fish fry, and Molly thought she met half the town. Everyone was excited about the discovery, and many had tips of friends or neighbors that might have more information. Molly kept taking notes while snacking on her fry bread. Her head was swimming from all the introductions. How could she keep track of everyone? Once again, although Jacob was not by her side, half the time when Molly would look up, she would see him looking at her, grinning, then averting his eyes quickly. Molly would smile shyly in response, look down and loop some of her hair behind her ear, a nervous (yet, unknown to her, flirting) gesture. What is he thinking? She thought. He was acting like the John Cusak character, Lloyd Dobler, in Say Anything. (She loved watching old romantic comedies from the '80s with her mom.) When Lloyd Dobler took his date to the party where he was the key master, he didn't hang out with her until the very end of the party, but kept looking over to make sure she was okay. Molly always liked that style: protective, but not suffocating. Very refreshing.
Jacob was keeping an eye on Molly. Dr Wilson was busy talking to the Elders, Jacob was busy chatting with everyone, making sure there was no simmering dissent within the nearly unanimous decision to approve of the project moving forward. But he also wanted to make sure Molly was okay, and he wanted to see how she interacted with the tribe. She did well. Her little speech had put away any concerns; he got lots of feedback about that. She came across as strong, intelligent, genuine, and she was there to learn from them. It also helped that with her mixed ancestry, she looked like she could have a bit of a native in her. Jacob watched her greet everyone warmly, focus on each person individually and take notes. He also noticed that when she got serious, her lips would press together into a little pout. Cute, he thought.
Later, when Jacob mentioned to Molly that a group of them were going to drive into Port Angeles or Forks to a bar, Molly asked for a rain check. She wanted to spend more time with the Elders and Dr. Wilson before they left the next morning.
Sue Clearwater offered Molly Leah's old room at her home. Seth also lived there, Leah having moved out after her marriage.
Molly wondered if Leah knew she would be sleeping there and had sabotaged the room in some way. Itching powder in the sheets? Short sheeting on the bed? But Sue seemed like the type of woman who could keep her headstrong daughter in her place. Seth had gone drinking as well, so Sue and Molly were left alone.
Sue expressed her interest in the project and invited Molly to one of the future bonfires, where the elders told of the legends.
"That would be excellent. It's so much better in person that simply reading it in a book," Molly responded happily.
"You're right, Molly, it's not the same. Billy is a wonderful orator. I think the spirit of the legends filled our art. I'm really looking forward to what you and Dr. Wilson will discover. I agree with Billy, I think there are still bits of La Push that have been hidden away, rather like the art you uncovered at the museum."
They talked a bit, then Molly started to yawn and Sue said good night. Molly fell asleep looking at the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling, wondering what Leah had thought about when she had last slept there.
***
At the bar, the gang was joking with Jacob about Molly.
"If you're not interested, I am," Embry volunteered.
"She's pretty, but not gorgeous," Quil added. "Damn, you two eggheads together? Bo-ring!"
"Quil, we know your type, and Molly's too old!" Leah laughed. Quil hit her in the arm.
"She's taken, fool. Didn't you listen?" Seth tried to add some sense to the conversation.
"She looks like she could be pretty if she wanted to snag a few Native boys," Leah joked. (Leah was only going to stay for one drink. Her home was close by and she knew her husband would already be asleep. He was not Quileute, so he did not need to attend the council meetings.)
"Besides, she only had eyes for Jacob. Did you see her stare at him at the meeting? It was like something out of one of those movies … across a crowded room …" Quil joked. Jacob punched him in the arm.
"She's cute, but she's here for work. Plus, she's taken," Jacob responded.
"From the looks of it, you could probably persuade her otherwise." Quil said, raising an eyebrow.
Jacob thought about how wonderful Molly had looked at the meeting. How she was sweet and kind and attentive to everyone she spoke with. And how she had summoned up her courage (he could tell she was nervous) and had spoke from the heart about the project and her role, and her need for their help. She was adorable. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and give her a big hug, to make her feel safe and secure. To give her confidence, to help her see the strength she had within, and just to feel her against him. He had first thought she was attractive when he had first seen her in Dr. Wilson's office, but now, seeing her interact with his friends and having gained a better impression of her personality, he thought she was beautiful.
"Let's change the subject. Did you hear Emily and Kim are expecting again?"
They talked about news around the town, updates on kids, aging parents, and nosy neighbors. But Jacob kept thinking about the woman asleep in Leah's old room and her dark blue eyes.
***
The next morning, Molly woke to the smell of hot coffee very close to her face.
She cracked open an eye to see Jacob sitting close to her, with a cup of hot coffee right under her nose and a mischievous smile on his face.
Molly jumped up like she had seen a ghost. "Sheesh! Sue let you in here?" Thank god I'm wearing the flannel pajamas! Molly thought. They're ugly, but at least I'm covered up.
Jacob smiled and put the coffee on the end table. "The Clearwaters are like extended family. I let myself in."
Sue heard him; she started shouting from another part of the house. "Jacob Black! Get out of there! Give the girl some privacy!"
Jacob smiled and left the room. Molly shook her head, but enjoyed the room service. Hot black coffee was exactly what she needed. She quickly changed and met Jacob in the living room. She would shower later.
"Is Dr. Wilson up yet?" Molly asked. Dr. Wilson was staying at the Blacks in Rebecca and Rachel's old room.
"Yes, we're planning to go have breakfast at Emily's. She's Sam's wife; she opened a diner on the road into La Push. It's a pretty popular spot. We'll need to get there early for a good seat. Billy and Dr. Wilson are probably already there."
Molly grabbed her bag with her laptop and notes. She liked to be prepared. "Let's go. Sue, are you joining us? Is Seth up yet?"
Sue laughed, "Seth likes to sleep in. He can join us later."
Jake, Molly and Sue made a leisurely stroll to the diner. Emily's was a retro-looking restaurant. Molly was surprised to hear that the eatery itself was only about five years old; Sam, Jake and the guys had helped remodel a former roadside stand into a stand-alone restaurant.
"Emily has always been a great cook and would make huge portions for us growing boys. We always told her she should open her own place. So, Sam bought her this place and we helped remodel it as an anniversary present," Jake explained.
"Wow, nice gift!"
Sue joined the conversation. "Now that Emily has the kids, she doesn't work as much in the diner but oversees the menu and sometimes acts as hostess."
The diner was already half crowded at such an early hour. Molly recognized many of the faces from the council meeting and fish fry the night before. Everyone seemed to know her; she was the new girl in town. She was a little shy, but felt safer with Jacob by her side, where he always seemed to be. He seemed to sense her momentary discomfort because he wrapped his huge hand around hers and gave it a quick squeeze. Then his hand disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Molly felt flushed and glanced up at Jacob's face, but he faced forward and did not react. Of course, thought Molly, since about a hundred people are staring at us, better be clandestine. Or else it didn't mean anything to him. Does that mean it means something to me? Shit!
Dr. Wilson and Billy were already seated at a booth. Billy sat in his wheelchair at the end of the table, so there were plenty of room for the other three. Jacob ordered half the menu when the server arrived. They fell into conversation about the meeting the night before and their plans for the next few weekends.
Molly let the others control most of the conversation and took plenty of notes, interjecting with ideas here and there. She would be doing the majority of the work, but she wanted to get as much information from the others as possible.
The plan was for Molly 1) to find out who had donated those items to the museum, 2) to collect any information about the tiny wolf/man sculpture or anything in a similar style, and 3) to document all this data. At Molly and Billy's suggestion, the project outcome would be a gift to the Quileute: a detailed documentation of their artifacts, which they could put in a museum or keep a record for future use.
Molly observed the interaction. Dr. Wilson, Sue and Billy led the conversation. Jacob would interject with knowledge about each of the people they suggested Molly visit: Mrs. Greystone was a packrat and it would take several trips, Nate Carson's grandfather had a big collection of arrowheads. Bob Running Horse collected pottery. Jacob seemed to know everyone. Billy noted this as well.
"Jacob, why don't you help introduce Molly to everyone when she starts her visits here? You can be like her ambassador."
"Oh no, I'm sure you're quite busy," Molly interjected, saying one thing but hoping the exact opposite.
"No, it'd be my pleasure!" Jacob answered quickly, a grin broadening across his face. "The shop is open Saturday mornings, but I can have Quil or Embry cover." He squeezed her hand again. Damn, he's affectionate! And not in a manipulative way, Molly thought.
"But this will take a lot of time. You don't have to hang out while I'm documenting everything." Molly once again said one thing while hoping another.
"Hey, no worries. If I get a better offer, I'll bail." Jacob playfully yanked on her ponytail. She made a face at him and nearly stuck out her tongue, but realized her department head and two of the three Elders were watching them. Dr. Wilson did not look amused. Billy did, however. Sue kept her feelings hidden.
In no time, Molly and Dr. Wilson had to leave. She had to attend a lecture later that day, and he had some meetings.
Molly and Jacob arranged to meet that Saturday morning at 11 am at Emily's.
On the drive back, Dr. Wilson and Molly exchanged thoughts on the success of the meeting and possible pitfalls Molly might fall into. The professor also asked quite pointedly about Spencer. Molly got the message loud and clear.
***
"How's Sex on a Stick?" was Karen's greeting to Molly when she arrived back at their apartment later that night after spending the rest of the day at the university.
"Oh! I can't think of him that way!" Molly plopped on the sofa and hugged a pillow into her chest. "But I do! Did I show you his picture?" Molly pulled out her phone and showed Karen the picture she had taken of Jacob for his contact photo.
"Hmm, can't see his body well, but his face is so ruggedly handsome! He could easily model." Karen handed the phone back to Molly.
"Well, the Cosmo Club is going to want all the details. When are we meeting again?"
The Cosmo Club was a group of Molly and Karen's best friends. They were like their own version of Sex and the City. Molly had met them through Karen, who grew up in Seattle. Nancy was an extroverted software engineer who was the life of the party, Shannon was a gorgeous legal secretary, and Karen was the accountant with dry, snarky humor. They would meet regularly on Sunday mornings for the 'morning after report', as Karen would say, but with Molly's upcoming La Push trips, the meetings had been rescheduled for Tuesday nights.
"Since we're missing this Sunday, let's meet tonight, then Tuesday again," Karen suggested.
"Ack! Will my liver ever recover? I got to meet Spencer Friday and Sunday. He's totally pissed about this project."
"And why wouldn't he be? He's missing out on prime weekend time." Karen was not thrilled with Spencer, but she liked to play devil's advocate.
"I know, I feel bad about it, but it'll just be for a couple months. He should understand, I'm still here most of the week."
"Molly, he wants to spend time with you on date nights — hello, Saturday! Instead you'll be with Sex on a Stick — hey, does SOS have brothers?" Karen smiled at the thought of smaller cloned versions of Jacob while Molly smiled at the thought of the original model.
"I'm not telling Spencer about Jacob, just that I'm working with the locals there on this project. That would be acting like I had something to confess."
"Not telling him everything means you are thinking of something you may need to confess later," Karen said. Molly frowned. There could be truth to that.
"Well, don't start screaming Jacob's name when you climax. 'Jacob! Jacob!'" moaned Karen, clutching the sofa. Molly threw the pillow at her roommate.
"Karen Prentiss, shut the hell up! I have to text Spencer and let him know I'm home."
Molly opened her phone and instead of Spencer, she saw a text from Jacob.
Hope you got home okay. See you Saturday.
She felt all warm and fuzzy inside, just like a teenage crush. She smiled quietly. Looking forward to seeing you too, Jacob Black.
***
A/N: Please review and I'll send you a teaser of the next chapter: 'Antique Roadshow La Push style'.
If you don't know what Antique Roadshow is, it's an American TV show. I'll put a link on my profile.
Here's the Antique Roadshow episode with the expensive Navajo blanket on YouTube:
/watch?v=wlkYn39i4Fw
Also, I entered another contest! This one is called Exploration of the Senses and I wrote a one-shot I'm really proud of, "Feel Something", a T-rated Carlisle/ Esme story. Please check it out here and VOTE!.
Link to "Feel Something"
/s/5279426/1/Feel_Something
Link to contest (Helliex88's profile) and poll to vote:
/~Helliex88
(BTW, this chapter is dedicated to my husband, who is my Lloyd Dobler. In the movie, Say Anything, when Lloyd and his date are walking out of the convenience story and he walks her around the broken glass on the ground? My hubby did that. No Peter Gabriel on a boombox serenades, but just as sweet and much more practical.)