Jacob parked his classic black Harley in front of Bell’s and studied the store. The store’s front was charming and inviting, the faux effect of red brick walls and the wide-open windows that presented a display of books, a deep sink-into-me chair, knickknacks and pastries. Little pots of flowers were scattered here and there to complete the come-inside-and-get-a-cup-coffee-and-read look.
It’s been a week, two days and fifteen hours since they’d been ‘together’. Ironically, that night had also been the last night they’d seen each other. On the morning after, Bella was called out on an ordering emergency, while he had to take care of JEQ’s new but starting-to-be-popular department: restoration and customization of Harleys . It was an idea he was trying out, and it seemed to be coming together, since they had four new orders, so he, Quil, Embry and his senior mechanics were kept busy.
Tonight was the first night he and Bella didn’t have conflicting schedules, and she had asked him to come by at closing time.
He caught sight of Brian from behind the cashier and knocked on the door to get his attention. The teenager grinned and walked over to open the door. “Hey, Jake. How are you?”
“Good.” Better than good. His garage was going great, he had finally convinced his dad to get rid of his old wheelchair, and he was going to see Bella. Life was sweet.
He watched the teen lock the door behind him and approved of his cautiousness. He checked the security alarm panel that was hidden discreetly behind one potted lemon tree and winced when a loud jarring sound came from the speakers and hastily filtered his sharp sense of hearing. Even after all these years, his heightened senses had a knack for knocking him on his ass. He quickly searched for something to focus on, something monotonous and simple and decided on the soft, slow ticking of the grandfather clock that stood near the cash register. By doing so, his ears readjusted and every other noise dampened into normal volume.
Brian bopped his head to the music as his wiped down tables and jerked a thumb to the kitchen. “They’re all in there. Just go in.”
“Then why are you out here?”
Brian sighed. “Got the short straw. Besides, I make a mean pot of coffee, but baking isn’t really my thing.”
“Thanks.” As he walked closer, the raspy voice of Sammy Hagar was joined by several other voices singing on and off key, between laughter and insults. The smell of flour, sugar, butter and fruit clogged his nostrils, and he fought not to sneeze, the miasma of scents coating the ceiling of his mouth, teasing his taste buds.
His stomach protested, and he stifled a chuckle.
His lips stretched from a smile to a grin when the sight of complete mayhem greeted him. Flour was everywhere, also bits of fruit and whatever else was smeared all over the floor, coated the tables and splotched against multi-hued skin. There were also suspicious stains against the ceiling and walls. Even as he stood there staring, a piece of banana sailed across the room, what smelled like raspberry juice arched and splattered against Lulu’s apron and had Tina screeching with laughter. A man he didn't know held a squirting instrument like it was an automatic weapon and chased Misha around the long, wide wooden table that was placed in the center of the kitchen, where plates, tinfoil, cookie cutters, measuring cups, blenders, two juice-makers, a thermos, bowls of icing of every color, and carefully rounded dough were scattered in an order that he couldn't quite figure out. Lulu, Tina, Misha and the lone gunman were wearing trash bags over their clothes and shower caps over their heads to protect them from the mess they were tossing around.
Jacob was sure if a health inspector came to the scene, Bells would be shut down for good.
But what amazed him most was that in the middle of all the screaming, squirting, throwing and singing was Bella, covered in muck, dressed in an old T-shirt and sweats and neon plastic sandals on her feet.
And much to his delight, she was dancing.
Oh, all right, she was merely circling the table, swaying back and forth, shuffling her feet and awkwardly flapping her arms, but hey, she got rhythm.
Jacob saw her lips were busy muttering something as she placed mango slices on cups of dough and as he focused his hearing, he heard that she was singing off key. “We were loud, loud like a hurricane, loud like a roaring train. We were LOUD.” She sang under her breath, shifting from foot to foot to the beat of the music as she pinched more flour on to the table, a rolling pin on one hand. Hagar’s Loud was also on JEQ’s playlist, and he kind of felt, well, strangely touched that they listened to the same song as they worked in their own place. He watched her join the other four people in jumping all around the kitchen and found himself thinking that if he wasn't already so in love with her, this would push him head over heels.
You can admire people because of their bravery, respect people because of their actions, care for people because of their inherent goodness, but you know that what you’re feeling is love when you see a person in their dorkiest, stupidest, most mind-boggling behavior and find them endearingly heartbreaking.
Jacob was smiling so wide that his cheeks hurt, but he didn't care. Something inside his chest burst open at the sight of a dirty-faced, crazy-haired, shrieking-like-a-mad-woman Bella.
Oh man, he was such a goner. Not that he didn't know that already.
He watched as Bella twisted in mid-air and finally caught sight of him, her jaw dropping with surprise and, typically, she lost her balance. Stepping forward to catch her was something of a reflex.
Bella straightened in his arms and blinked at him, before a blindingly bright smile bloomed on her face. “Jake, you’re here.”
He’d seen that smile before, he’d watched it on her face as she raced across the school yard in order to get to him, he remembered the rich tumble of her laughter as they cleared the miles to the rez territory line, the grip of her fingers on his waist and the glow in her eyes when he had looked back to grin at her.
His fingers tightened on the curve of her slender waist and he smiled back when she looked at him as if she hadn’t seen him for months, and then, as if had she just realized what the scene looked like, a flush rose slowly to her cheeks. “Um, you’re early.”
Jacob raised an eyebrow and sent a meaningful look across the kitchen. “This is a food service thing, isn’t it?”
Her forehead wrinkled.
“You know, serving us poor customers, who don’t have a clue about what goes on in the kitchen… Do you spit in coffee and douse the sauce in rat poison?”
Lulu cackled. “Only when they've been bad.”
Bella scowled at him and Lulu. “It’s our annual cleaning of the staff fridge.”
Jacob perked up. “I remember those.”
Bella rolled her eyes. “Of course you do, I practically crammed everything left in Charlie’s fridge down your throat. It’s a miracle you didn't up and die of food poisoning,” she mused.
“Aw, you’re cooking isn't all that bad, Bells.”
She snorted. Then she realized she was still in his arms—probably from the way Lulu, Misha and Tina were smirking away—and jerked away in embarrassment. Jacob could actually feel a frown starting on his forehead, but he managed to shrug it off. He put his hands in his pocket, because of the sudden urge to pull her back to his side, and spread his gaze over the kitchen. Besides the mess, he’d always been partial to this room, and not just because it’s a source of never-ending miraculous snacks, but because it was cheerful, with the dandelion-yellow walls, the white tiles with small painted daisies, the big back windows painted a moss green and several small potted herbs that gave the air a spicy smell. Not even the state-of-the-art ovens, the walk-in freezer, the subzero fridge, the array of spoons, spatulas and the like hanging over the island, the stove and the silver aluminum racks filled with tin cans and pails and pans could take away the home kitchen feeling. He could see himself pulling out one of the stools and sitting on the island to watch Bella make something or other, just like he had before at Charlie’s.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Bella sneaked a peek at him, as if she was reassuring herself that he was there, and smiled a secret smile. He felt his own lips quirk.
Lulu coughed. “Jake, haven’t seen you in a while.”
Jacob hitched his hips on a clean spot on a counter. “Yeah, been busy with the garage.”
“Business doing good?” Tina asked while she whisked something in a green bowl.
Jacob nodded.
Misha let out a small gasp and snapped her fingers as if she just remembered something. The surprise on her face belied the mischievous twinkling in her eyes “Jake, you haven’t met Damien, right?”
Bella fumbled with her rolling pin, and it dropped with a sharp clack on the table.
Tina swallowed a smile. “You okay, Bella?”
“Fine.” She mumbled as she tossed a look to whom Jacob already deduced was Damien, who lifted an eyebrow back at her. Bella stifled a sigh.
Did that silent exchange bother him? Sure.
Did the cool, calculating look on Damien’s green eyes put his back up? Of course.
Did it grate on his nerve that Damien didn't look ridiculous, even when he was wearing a trash bag and shower cap? Yes.
But then again, he wasn't the one dating Bella, right?
Jake held out a hand. “Jacob.”
He didn't wince when something squished between their hands, “Damien. Been hearing a lot about you.”
Jake inched up his smile. “Same here. Think they’re trying to set us up against each other?”
The grin on Damien’s face was wide and sharp. “I wouldn’t put it past them.”
“Why would they do that?”
Damien waved a hand in the air. “You know how it is. Women, when they’re bored, they get into plotting, creating trouble, inciting riots.”
Jake stifled a smile and sighed mournfully. “It all went to hell as soon as we gave them the right to vote.”
Damien took out two beers from the crew fridge and handed one to him. They clinked bottles. “Amen, brother.”
The Three rolled their eyes and muttered something derogatory about male genitalia. Bella, however, simply kept flicking them worried looks.
Damien poked a finger on her dirty cheek. “Don’t worry, sweets. I won’t kill him until you tell me to.” He then took a pull from the bottle and smiled amiably at Jake, the smile only widening when Bella speared him with an exasperated look.
Lulu took hold of the rolling pin from Bella’s hands and shooed her. “Now, you two go on. You had dinner plans, and you need to take a shower, Bella.”
As if she just realized what she must look like, Bella made a dismayed sound and hesitantly fingered her hair, which was sticky and clumpy with…stuff. Jacob grinned when an embarrassed flush pinked her cheeks. “Don’t worry about it, Bells. You look, well, delicious. Is that cream custard on your head?”
Misha squinted. “No, I think that’s filling.”
“I’ll just…go.” She made some sort of gesture and inched toward the stairs, ignoring the laughter. Jake trailed after her.
“That turned out quite well.” She commented as they climbed up stairs. “I thought Damien would tie you down and interrogate you or something.”
“He could try.”
Bella aimed a glance at him. “Be nice.”
Jake snorted. “Don’t be fooled by his amiable acceptance, Bells. He’s just waiting for the perfect time to flay me alive.”
Bella stopped and turn to look at him. “That’s ridiculous.”
He leaned his shoulder on the wall. “Bells, I’m a stranger in his territory. Believe me, once I give him an excuse, he’ll kick my ass out. A territory can’t have two Alphas.”
“You’re thinking like a wolf.”
“I’m thinking like a man.” He shrugged. “Personally, I’m kind of relieved you have someone like him at your side.”
Bella glanced at him before walking up again. “Why?”
Jake grinned. “He probably frightened off more than enough guys who came sniffing round you.” Thankful or not, Jake would have to make it clear that scaring him off was…well, laughable. He could respect Damien’s cautiousness; he was after all man of the house in Bella’s little circle. But even when he knew it wouldn’t be a fair fight, he almost hoped Damien would spring a punch at him, because as he saw Bella among her friends, a stabbing pain went through his chest, and he couldn't help but resent them for having Bella, for Bella having them while he was…
It was ridiculous, really. He should be glad that Bella had found friends, and he was. He was also enormously relieved that she found work that she loved and friends that she cared about who also watched out for her…but he couldn’t shake the thought that...he could’ve done better. He should've been here.
It looked like he hadn't quite forgiven her.
He shook himself, little resentments like that could crop up into big ones, and it could mess everything up. But the thought persisted enough that he reached an arm to hold Bella’s. She stopped and turned.
“We promised no more lies, right?”
Bella nodded, her eyes wary.
“That we’re not going to hide anything?”
She nodded again.
Jake looked into her eyes in the dim stairway, but darkness didn’t matter to his werewolf eyes. “I’m jealous.”
Bella’s mouth sprung open. “But Jake, Damien is—”
“No, not of Damien.” He frowned. “Well, sort of but…it’s them, Bella.”
“Them?”
Jake smiled at the confused look on her face. “Don’t you notice? You have your own pack. Lulu, Brian, Tina, Misha and Damien, they’re your pack, and I don’t know them. They had time with you that I didn’t have; they have a history with you that I don’t know. These last few years…I want my pack to be your pack, your family.” Jake paused in embarrassment, to his ears he sounded like a selfish, whiny boy that had lost hold of his favorite toy. “I’m jealous of them…and resentful of their time with you.” Uncomfortable, Jake looked away from her face. God, he hadn’t felt this vulnerable in a long time.
She took a step down so they could be face to face, and held his face between her hands. Her eyes were soft and not a little amused and baffled. He gave her a rueful grin, which made her lips curve into delicate smile. “Jake, how do you think I feel every time you go romping all about the forest with your pack? Then there’s your tribe, and Rachel. Quil and Embry are not just your pack brothers, but also your best friends, and you’ve known each other since birth.”
“Not really, probably since we were four.”
She poked him in the chest before sliding a glance at him that made him feel uneasy. She hesitated, mulled over what she wanted to say, but carried through. “Then there are the women.” Her voice carried softly to him.
“There were the women.” He corrected just as softly, before grinning. “I only have one woman now.”
Her eyes dropped to his collar, even as her hands glided over his shoulders, her fingers curling over the ends of his hair. “I hate every single one of them because they had you.”
He couldn’t help but circle his arms around her waist pulling her to him. Feeling tickled and insanely smug. “Do you?”
She shrugged and tipped her head down and shyly tucked her face into the curve of his neck. Jacob held her tightly, even as he belatedly remembered the muck that she had all over her. But he was mechanic; he had muck all over him daily. Besides, it would take more than sticky sugar and flour to stop him from holding her. He pressed his lips to her temple and felt her slide even closer to him, her arms circling his neck. The scent of sweets and spices and flour wrapped around them, and Jacob couldn’t feel more content as he felt her heartbeat knock against his chest.
His heart twisted, floated and eased down in his chest.
“You know what I miss the most, Jake?”
“What?” He whispered against her ear.
“Your bone-crunching hugs.”
“My bone-crunching hugs?” He repeated, amused.
She sighed, and her breath wafted over the skin of his neck. Bella put her head on his shoulder. “Every one of your hugs, actually.”
His interest caught. “Really?”
She nodded, brushing her cheek on his shoulder. “You always give the best hugs.”
The tiny bites of resentment were overwhelmed by a well of affection and love. He wondered why he fed that small petty part of him anyway, when he could have this. “Well, anytime you want one, you only need to ask.”
Her arms tightened around him before she pulled back and kissed him lightly on his cheek and on the other cheek. Then, after a brief hesitation, she put her lips to his for a quick kiss. He barely tasted her before she put her fingers in his and pulled him up.
He didn’t need a mirror to see the big, stupid smile that erupted on his face. The same smile that had aggravated everyone in his vicinity, the same dreamy look on his face that made Embry and Quil announce him useless and majorly annoying, before kicking him out of their private workroom. Not that he put up much of a fight, he was just happy he could see her faster.
Bella opened the door to her apartment and sighed while Jacob raised both his brows when they saw Mercy lying on the floor with her eyes closed.
“Mercy, I told you, you can use the bed. And you guys aren't finished yet?”
Mercy’s eyes opened. “Don’t blame me. Blame Mr. Perfectionist over there.”
“Hey, any job worth doing is worth doing well.” Caleb shouted from the bathroom. There was a loud clang and a louder curse.
Mercy sat up, “Seriously Caleb, if you can’t do it…”
“Yes, I can. Stop nagging at me, woman.”
Jacob sent a questioning gaze to Mercy.
“He’s fixing…or trying to fix the shower head. He’s been at it like twenty minutes now.” She turned her head to the bathroom. “What’s the problem, Caleb?”
“Shut it and let me work.”
Mercy rolled her eyes. “He’s been like that all day.”
Bella got a can of Coke from her fridge. “Is he even close to finishing? ‘Cause I really need a shower.”
The younger girl looked at her and did a double take. “Geez, what did you do? Throw pies at each other?”
Jacob laughed. “Something like that.”
“Well, since you’re here, might as well join us for dinner.”
Mercy’s dark eyes turned mischievous when they slid to Jacob’s face, before saying sweetly. “Oh, no. We can’t possibly do that.”
“Oh, yes, we can.” Caleb prompted.
Mercy’s smirk grew wider. “But we’ll be interrupting.”
It seemed to Jacob that Mercy and Bella had reached a sort of impasse, since earlier on, Bella would turn quietly bemused at Mercy’s sharp smirk; now she just rolled her eyes before turning to him. “They might as well join us, since a few people seemed to have invited themselves anyway.”
Jacob chuckled softly. “Knew it was too easy.”
“They didn’t mean anything by it, they just want to get to know you better, I guess. I don’t really talk about my life…before.”
She seemed so guilty and ill at ease that Jacob brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. “It’s all right, Bells. I’d like to get to know them too.”
The smile that crept up her eyes warmed his heart.
“Right.” Mercy shot to her feet and clapped sharply, ruining the moment. “Before you guys get all mushy and kissy face, I’ll just get myself downstairs and salvage some snacks.”
“Get some for me!”
“Hurry up, creep.” She shouted back at Caleb before she cleared the stairs in record time.
Jacob twisted his neck to the door, just in case Mercy fell and broke her neck. “We got to do something about this you know.”
Bella looked at him while she took out plates and plates of food from the oven, her expression questioning.
“Between Charlie, my dad, my pack and your pack, we’ll never get time alone.”
She bit her bottom lip and gave him a look that he couldn't quite understand. “I know. I’ve been thinking about that.”
“Yeah?”
“What about we go somewhere? You know, just the two of us.” She took off the aluminum foil covering and shrugged, a soft blush highlighting her cheekbones. “Not like a trip—I mean, like a date.”
“A date.”
“Yeah. A date.”
Jacob could practically smell the sweat that was coming off of her. He watched her throat work and the way her eyes sneaked peeks from behind the veil of her hair. It was sweet how she seemed so nervous and unsure. He probably took too long to answer, because she immediately waved a hand. “I mean, it’s all right if you don’t want to. As you said, you’re busy—”
“Hey.” Jacob wrapped his fingers around her upper arms and pulled her to him. “If you want to go on a date, we’ll go on a date.”
She frowned at him. “Not if you don’t want to.”
He wanted to laugh. “Bells, honey, don’t you know by now that I pretty much will do anything for you? And are you kidding me? A date means I finally have you to myself, why wouldn’t I want that?”
Her frown deepened. “I don’t know. Sometimes you just confuse me. When I expect you to do something, you don’t, and when I don’t, you do.”
Jacob chuckled at the aggrieved look on her face. “Good, I don’t want to be predictable.”
“Believe me, Jake, nothing about you is predictable.”
“No? How about this?” He swooped down and covered her mouth with his. The kiss was slow and warm and wet. He teased her with his mouth, his tongue, his teeth and his fingertips on her skin, keeping the pressure of his lips unbearably soft until she lifted herself on tip toes to reach more of his mouth. Fire erupted in his belly and he knew he had to step back or he would end up doing something they wouldn’t be ready for. Not that he would object if she...
Jacob eased back and cleared his throat.
“There’s nothing predictable about that.” She murmured.
“No?” He asked, his tone impish. “Me, having you alone, with my arms around you. I thought the outcome would’ve been pretty predictable.”
Bella snorted a laughed and buried her face on his chest. “Oh, Jake.”
The soft exasperated affection in her voice made him smile, and he propped his chin on the top of her head. “Oh, Bells.”
They simultaneously took deep breaths and closed their eyes.
“AHA!!” Caleb yelled in triumph. “I’m coming out. You two better still have clothes on.”
Jacob groaned. “We are definitely going on that date.” He muttered into her hair, making her laugh.
