Must Be Canine

Chapter 20

Updated sooner than I thought it would. I'm gonna try for now on to update at least once a week. It's off season at my work, so I have more hours home to update.

Not sure how I feel about the ending. What do you think?

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(Beau's POV)

Shit shit shit shit shit.

She wasn't supposed to be here until later, I mentally groan. She was suppose to give me enough time to actually get the furniture and replace it. Plus i remember cleaeing telling everyone to give me some time alone at the pack house. And now Emery's here to face her interrogation.

"Uh, hey mom." I reply nervously. I see Em tense at recognition.

"Who's this Beau?" She asks sweetly.

"This is Emery, my friend." I say slowly. She narrows her eyes at me, before understanding.

"Oh!" She exclaims. She rushes to Em and pulls her into a hug. Her eyes widen in shock as she sits with her arms pinned to her sides.

"Hello, Mrs..." Emery trails off, looking at me. I go to answer, but my mom beats me to it.

"Just call me Anna. I've heard so much about you!" She gushes. She releases her death grip from her, examining every inch of her.

"Um...you have?" She looks over my mom's shoulder at me with a raised brow. I look away, embarrassed.

"No, I haven't."  I mutter. The microwave beeps, thank god. I need that distraction. I dont want Emery to freak out that I'm talking about her to everyone in the pack.

I pull two plates from the cabinet and give each of us a plate full, me having more.

"If I would have known you were havin' company over, I would have made lunch." She glares at me.

"It's fine, Anna. Really." Emery says coaxing. "It was kinda last minute. He wanted me to help with Zeus."

"Speaking of that dog, remember what I told you this morning?" She crosses her arms to look intimidating. It works.

"Yes I do. It'll be done."

"Alrighty then. See y'all later. And in hope to see you again Emery. Maybe not when you're about to make out with my son." She then turns and leaves the room, leaving a red faced Emery.

We eat in relative silence, the only sound made is the clicking of the forks on the plates. It's not an awkward silence, just comforting, both of us lost in our own thoughts.

I peek to the side to see the distant look on her face. She seems to zone out a lot, seemingly going to another world. What I wouldn't give to be able to see what goes on in there.

(Emery's POV)

The belting of "Barbie Girl" cuts through my thoughts, startling me. I was focusing on my game plan for the next few weeks. I had a dog show coming up, Sabrina's wedding details, work starting up again. I'm pretty sure Cheryl also needed me to watch the rescue for a few days while she ran another transport up north. I'd have to call her later to confirm.

I pull my phone from my bag, cursing Sabrina for making that her ringtone. "Yeah?" I answer. Beau looks over at me, clearly amused.

"Where are you?" Sabrina demands.

"Why?" I avoid her question. If she knew I was here, she'd bug me til I gave her answers. Both her and Demona have been pushing me to go out with him, even though I tell them that I have no time.

"Because we had the final dress fitting today!" Shit.

"Sorry! I'm coming as quickly as I can! I have a lot on my mind. Bye!" I click end before she can respond.

"What's wrong?" Beau asks when I jump off the stool.

"Apparently the final dress fitting today for Sabrina's wedding, and I'm not there." I explain while grabbing my bag.

"Here I'll take you." He grabs his keys from the table and heads towards the front door.

"No. Just take me home. I can get their by myself." I argue.

"That'll be an extra forty minutes. I can just take you. It's no problem." He waves me off, letting me out the door before locking it.

Why does he think he can just control my life? I'm an independent person doing fine on my own. He has no say in what I do.

"Just take me home, Beau!" I shout in frustration. We both get into the truck. I cross my arms and glare at him.

"Either I take you, or we don't leave." What? Is he seriously doing this right now? Acting like a kid?

"Can you please act your age and take me to my house?" He just turns his head and refuses to acknowledge me. I want to throw obscenities his way, but I'm sure it wouldn't get me anywhere anyway.

I refuse to back down though. I continue glaring his way. One minute passes, followed by two more. If I don't get there, Sabrina will have my head. Another two minutes have gone by.

"Fine! Take me there then!" I huff.

"Just tell me where to go." He's smirking. He knew I'd eventually cave.

That bastard......

.........

"Em! What the hell took so- oh." Sabrina stops her rant as soon as Beau casually strides into the store behind me.

I told him to stay in the car, actually I commanded him to, but he proceeded to say that he wasn't a dog and could do whatever he wanted. And now I'll owe Sabrina the real reason why I was late.

She shoots me a look, confirming that I will be confessing later. "Demona is already back there and dressed. Your dress is already in the room, so hurry up." She directs me to the thick white curtains.

I strip off all my clothes and shimmy into the tightish blue fabric. The dress is a sky blue, that shows off curves without feeling like a second skin. It falls just above my knee. Sapphire gems shaped like flowers form the one shoulder look, accompanied by more of the blue fabric that falls from the gems and crosses the body, widening to sit from my hip to fall down to the bottom hem. It wraps behind  my body and meet the gems at the back. At first glance it would look like a sash.

It is simple and pretty, but wouldn't take away from the bride itself. Luckily, she wasn't having us wear heels. I couldn't even walk in heels on a flat surface, let alone sand.

"You ready, Em?" Sabrina calls from outside the curtain.

"Sure." I hesitate. I push open the curtains and step out next to Demona. Of course, her dress was the same as mine, except she has a larger chest.

"This is definitely what you guys are wearing!" Sabrina gushes with excitement. "We'll put your hair half up and put in some blue flowers. This will be perect! I can't wait; I'm so excited!" She bounces up and down.

She begins to go on and on about the wedding plans, but all I can focus on is Beau. He's sitting in a cozy grey chair in the far end of the room. He hadn't dropped his gaze from me since I stepped out of the changing room. Even when I make eye contact, he's still just staring at my dress clad body. But not in an inappropriate, lusty way. Something more tender.

I wish I could get a glimpse of what goes on in his head.