"Hey, dad?" I called as I came through the door.
"In the living room!" He called back. As usual he was sat in his chair with a beer in hand and the TV on.
"What sport today?" I asked as I sat down on the couch.
"Basketball." Dad said and I nodded as the ESPN commentators came onto the screen.
"What are you doing here? I thought you would have been busy planning with Allison and Natalie." Dad asked as he turned the volume down on the TV.
"I had to work at the middle school. Thought I'd stop by and bug you for a while before heading home." I said and dad smiled at me.
"It never bugs me when you stop by these days. I wish I got to see you more often." Dad said and I smiled and moved to sit on the armrest of his chair.
"Well, then you wouldn't object to coming with Natalie, Allison, Kim, and I to pick out my wedding dress?" I asked. Dad looked up at me questioningly.
"You want me to help pick out your wedding dress?" Dad asked looking stunned.
"Every girl wants their father's approval of their wedding." I said with a smile and he nodded.
"Alright then. When and where?" He asked.
"Tuesday. I'll come by and pick you up at nine?" I said and dad nodded.
"Sounds fine to me. I'll tell the station that I won't be in till the afternoon." He said and I smiled and kissed his cheek.
"Thanks, daddy." I said and dad wrapped his arm around me in a one arm hug.
"Anything for you and your sister, baby girl." Dad said.
"Speaking of your sister... do you want her to come, too?" Dad asked looking up at me.
"Bella hasn't exactly spoken to me since the break up. I don't think she'd want to come." I said and dad nodded.
"Is that why she's not a bridesmaid, either?" Dad said and I shook my head.
"Nope. Sam and I decided that we aren't going to have groomsmen or bridesmaids. It's just going to be Billy, Sam and I at the front while everyone else is just a guest." I said and dad nodded.
"Have you guys decided where this shindig is going to take place?" Dad asked and I nodded.
"We'll have the wedding on the cliff, where Sam proposed. Then we'll have the reception down on the beach with a bonfire." I said and dad nodded.
"That way if you and Billy get too drunk, Jake won't have to drive." I said jabbed and dad chuckled.
"What about your honeymoon?" Dad asked and I knew he wasn't all too thrilled with this part of the wedding.
"Sam and I have been talking about just going to Seattle or Olympia for a couple days. Neither of us have much of a desire to go far." I said with a shrug and dad nodded. Dad and I chatted some before we moved into the kitchen and made dad's favorite for dinner. Dad would never speak ill of either Bella or I, but Bella just can't make grandma Swan's beef stroganoff like dad likes. It felt like old times for a while till Bella pulled in from school and was in a big hurry to get upstairs.
"Big plans tonight?" I asked dad.
"A group of her friends and Jake are going to the movie's in Port Angeles tonight." Dad said and I nodded.
"Good to see that she's finally out again." I said and dad nodded.
"Yeah, but she's still not completely back to being herself." He said and I sighed.
"It'll come with time." I said and dad nodded.
"I hate seeing my girls hurt. I wish their was something that I could do to take away the hurt that she feels." Dad said and I smiled as I hugged him from behind.
"All anyone can do is be there. And between you and Jake she seems to be getting closer. I just wish that I had been able to help her, but I think my being in a relationship just made things worse." I said and dad sighed.
"Why do girls have to be so complicated?" Dad asked and I laughed.
"We're not complicated, you just have to pay attention." I said and dad grunted. We both looked out the window when we heard a car horn. Sitting in the driveway was a little red car that looked like it had seen better days and getting out was a tall gangly boy with long black hair.
"Damn! Jake's bigger every time I see him." I said when I finally recognized the boy as he turned toward the door.
"That's what Billy says. Billy's tall too, but if that boy keeps growing, he's going to make Billy seem short." Dad said and I nodded. I had been almost thirteen when Billy and Sarah had been in the crash, I remember staring up at the tall man that is my father's best friend. I looked over at the clock, it was closing in on five and Sam would be off patrol soon.
"I'll see you Tuesday, dad. I should be getting home." I said and kissed his cheek.
"Sure thing. Say hi to Sam for me and make sure to drive safe." Dad said patting my hand before letting me leave. Jake seemed to go on guard when he saw me come out if the house.
"Evening Jacob. How are you doing?" I asked as I walked down the steps.
"Okay, given that your fiancé took away one of my friends." Jacob spat with a glare.
"Well, have a good time at the movies." I said biting my tongue to keep my temper in check. I started to walk to my car.
"Maybe you could tell him and his flunkies to quit watching me. I won't join their gang no matter what." Jacob called heatedly at me as I walked away. I spun around glaring at the boy who would obviously be phasing with in the next two days.
"I don't know what all you've heard about Sam, Paul, Jared and your friend, but they are not a 'gang'. How could you call someone your friend when you think so little of them as to say they joined a gang? The guys protect people with no thanks and all they get from the tribe is grief over how they have become friends and band together like brothers. If it was up to them, no one else would become part of the gang, but that's not for them to decide." I said glaring at Jacob as something flashed in his eyes. I walked to my car and slammed the door shut behind me as I saw the Newton boy's suburban pull up on the side of the road. I pulled out and started my drive home.
Sam was sitting in the porch swing when I got home. He stood as I put my car in park and started toward the car. He looked concerned and I took a deep breath to calm myself.
"Everything alright? You didn't answer your phone." Sam asked and I dug my phone out of my purse to see it had died while I had been at dad's.
"I guess. I stopped by dad's after work." I said and Sam nodded.
"You and the guys can expect Jacob to phase tonight. He was at the house to pick up Bella when I was leaving and he seemed ready to phase at anytime." I said and turned my head to glare at the leafless tree in the front yard.
"Is that everything?" Sam asked as he put his arm around me and led me toward the house.
"He's bitter about Embry's phasing and said to tell you and your flunkies..." I spat.
"To stop watching him. That he'll never join your 'gang'." I said and took my jacket off as the door shut behind us.
"He acted as if you and the guys were some sort gang bangers that you'd find in the city. Like he doesn't know that the council thinks highly of you guys and that you haven't protected the tribe? Even without knowing about the vampire and the wolves, he should have heard about the drug dealer that the three of you ran off and all the work you have done the homes here on the rez for the council. None of you deserve this disrespect." I said getting more upset as I spoke. Sam pulled me close and held me in a tight hug.
"You're the one that said to let the gang rumor spread and if I remember correctly, you didn't think too highly of me before we met, either?" Sam said and I huffed.
"I think that once the tribe saw what you guys were doing that the rumors would go away and I didn't think too highly of anyone outside of my family before I met you." I said and Sam smirked leabing down and landing a sweet kiss on my lips before breaking away.
"What's for dinner?" Sam asked once he was stood back to his full height and I scoffed.
"Way to kill the moment, lover boy." I said and ducked under his arm.
"All you boys can think about is your stomach." I teased and opened the fridge to see what we had.
"That's not true! We think about more than our stomachs!" Sam said indignantly looking a little put out. I would have thought he was actually upset if it wasn't for the small lifting of his cheeks and the corners of his mouth.
"Oh, that's right!" I said quickly, snapping my fingers.
"You also think about getting laid." I said and Sam growled pulling me away from the fridge.
"Like you don't?" He said and ran his nose along my neck as he grabbed my hips and pulling me into him. I shivered causing Sam to laugh.
"You have one problem though." I said was smirk.
"And what would that be Miss. Swan?" Sam asked with a chuckled as he kissed the sensitive spot behind my ear sending another shiver down my spine.
"When I think with my brain I can with hold sex and food." I said and Sam groaned.
"Alright, alright. You win." Sam said and held his hands above his head in surrender and leaned back against the counter. I giggled and went back to the fridge. I pulled out some hamburger meat, red peppers, onions, and pulled out a couple slices of bread. The others came in as I put the meatloaves in the oven to cook.
"Smells good in here." Embry said as he came through the door.
"Thanks." I said and the guys all went into the living room while Kim stayed in the kitchen with me.
"How do you make it look so easy?" Kim asked as I pulled out the double broiler to melt some chocolate to dip the pineapple in that I had bought yesterday.
"What do you mean?" I asked as I pulled a knife from the holder.
"You work, are planning a wedding, cook and take care of the boys, still spend time with your dad, and still have time with Sam. How do you juggle it all?" Kim asked and I actually had to think about it.
"It wasn't this perfect at the beginning. When I first moved in with Sam we barely saw either, but we started working our schedules together. He patrols while I take my shift at the library, I do some planning when things are slow during my shift, and I make meals that can be done quickly and in large amounts." I said with a shrug and Kim nodded.
"I was wondering because it seems like the only times that I get to see Jared is when he brings me here with my schedule at the store and him patrolling... we just never seem to have time." She said and I nodded sympathetically.
"Maybe I can ask Miss. Joy to change my schedule." Kim asked and I smiled.
"I'm sure she'll be willing to." I said and we finished making dinner and the pineapple treats. As Embry helped Jared helped Kim and I clean the dishes a lone scared howl went up. Jared dropped the plate he was cleaning back into the soapy water splashing water everywhere. Kim and I squealed as the water hit us.
"Sorry! Love ya." Jared said and kissed Kim on the lips before running to the living room where the other guys were.
"Love you, don't wait up." Sam said and kissed me hard and rushing out the door with the others. I sighed and looked over at Kim.
"Sometimes I hate being right." I said and she laughed turning back to the sink. I look up to the sky and hoped that everything went smooth.