She moved around the kitchen, quickly cooking dinner. If dinner wasn't on the table by seven, he would get mad.

It had only been a month since her parents died. She was free now, if a person thought of it that way, but only in that she no longer went to school. Everyday she had packaged up her parent's belongings. Moving them into her spare bedroom, placing the knick-knacks she didn't like where they would been seen. Everything of value was in her room.

He had his room, she had hers. No matter what he said.

"I'm home!"

He walked into the dining room of the small home, her childhood home. She turned from the oven, and ran with the roast to the table. She set it down, and went back to the oven to close it when it happened.

A shove on her back sent her forward, almost straight to the oven.

"WHY WASN'T DINNER ON THE TABLE? I WORK ALL DAY AND YOU DO NOTHING!"

She laid there, feeling the heat from the door burning into her upper arm when he stopped, and quickly moved her, cradling her to him.

"Sweetheart I'm sorry. I just had a bad day." He brushed a kiss on her forehead. "I just know that you miss them, and I am sorry but you have to move on."

Move on? It had only been a month.

Why was she here? They wouldn't want this for her.

"Why don't you clean up, and we'll eat."

She nodded, standing up and walking to the bathroom and first aid kit wishing her parents were still alive.

"Dare I ask, why you decided to visit me in the afternoon and not for the left overs at closing?" Grace smiled at Quil, making Jake sulk. They four of them had moved to one of the tables, cups of coffee and now a plate of cookies and cupcakes on the table.

Quil laughed, and kicked Jake making him look up at him. Quil tilted his head to the side before answering. "What? I can't see my favorite cousin?"

Grace snorted, sliding onto the bench seat next to Jake who had moved. Jake's human side glowered, but his wolf was happy that she sat next to him. Clearing his throat, Jake asked his hostess, "I thought Quil's dad was an only child."

Yeah, way to go Jake, pretending like you know nothing about your best friend.

She smiled, adding cream to her coffee. "I'm Joy's sister's daughter. My mom met my dad on a trip to Montana that my mom never came home from." Grace took a cupcake from the tray. "She taught me how to bake."

Embry and Quil took cookies from the tray, and Jake took the last cupcake. "She sounds like a wonderful woman."

Quil raised an eyebrow, and frowned. Grace bowed her head. "She was. Mom and dad died a year ago."

Before he could even think about it, Jake reached over and squeezed Grace's hand, trying to ignore the electrical hum that seemed to fill him.

Bella was only a comfortable feeling.

"My sympathies," Jake's voice was low, reluctant to let go of her hand. "I lost my mom years ago, and I still miss her to this day." Grace looked up at him, and Jake was once again caught by her eyes.

"I know they would want me to live. We talked about visiting more, and after their deaths I decided to move."

"We're glad you did." Jake and Grace looked over to Embry and Quil. Embry lifted his coffee cup. "Best baked goods in town." Embry's eyes widened before whispering "Don't let Emily know that."

Jake started laughing, and hearing the light laugh from the woman next to him.

"Dare I ask the lady her age?"

Grace smiled, peeling the wrapper off of her cupcake. "I'm seventeen. I emancipated myself from the state shortly after my parent's death."

"The Tribe had no problem letting you go?" Embry asked, he always wondered if his mom had just been kicked out of the tribe or just left. Grace's next words comforted him.

"I really didn't give them the option, I just left. They had no problem when Chief Black wrote them of my admission to the Quileute based on my mom's heritage." She sipped her coffee.

Jake peeled the wrapper off of his cupcake, breathing in the spices before speaking. "What made you decide a bakery here was a good idea?"

Grace looked up at him. "Aunt Joy always wanted a bakery on her store. I love baking and wanted to come here. It just worked out." Jake nodded, and took a bite. His eyes closed as the sweet cake almost melted in his mouth. Delicious vanilla, cinnamon, and sharp cranberry flavors danced on his tongue. Swallowing, Jake smiled and winked at Grace.

"I think the best decision you made was coming here."

Grace smiled, biting into her own cupcake. Jake heard her heart beat a bit faster as she glanced at her arm. "I think it was a great decision too."

Quil and Embry had to leave for patrol, leaving Jake alone with Grace. Kim packed up the till, and taking some of the left over baked goods, went home.

Jake watched as Grace packed up the cupcakes, cookies, and some loaves of bread. "What do you do with the left overs?"

She smiled, closing the lid on one of the boxes. "Usually people who come in stop by and take a box. I offer them to people through the day, as the left over special. Otherwise I take them to the tribal council." Shaking her head. "They seem to like the treats a lot."

Jake remembered the cookies Emily had on plates. The bread she served with chili or soups. Was the council giving the left overs to the pack? Grace didn't notice his pondering she just kept talking. "They insist that the baked goods are going to a worthy cause. The council has given me so much the last few months." She stilled, blinking at the wall. Jake frowned.

Last few months?

She only recently came here?

Did it take that long to emancipate herself? Why had it taken so many months for her to come here?

She would have been accepted a year ago, by her heritage alone, why does she feel so grateful?

Shaking her head, Grace smiled at him, making Jake's heart beat a little faster. "Hey, these are for you and your dad." He took the box, and sniffed. Flour, sweetener, vanilla, and a hit of citrus.

"Thank you Grace, but full disclosure, my dad is diabetic."

"Full disclosure, those are diabetic safe cookies." She smiled at him. "I have spoken to your dad, and have a variety of diabetic safe treats." Grace put a hand on his arm. "He's a nice man, and I'm happy to have met his son."

Jake felt so confused. Grace was nice, sweet, and compassionate. She also had secrets.

So do you.

He needed time to think of this imprint. Less than 24 hours after Bella left to go be with the leeches, he had imprinted, found out how wonderful his imprint was, and yet he still wanted to hold out for Bella. Bella was familiar, and he didn't spent so much time fixing her to watch her run back to the same problem.

"Jake?"

He looked at Grace, her eyes showing her confusion. Sighing, he nodded. "Thank you Grace. I'm glad to know that someone as warm and compassionate as you has joined the rez."

Her eyes twinkled with mischief. "Please spare me the sweet-talk Jake. Just come in for cookies for your dad whenever you want."

Jake let out a loud laugh, Grace's softer laughter filling the empty bakery.