Summer

Chapter 6

Summer POV

My day flew by, I was so busy I didn’t have time to think about what Katie might want to talk to me about or my date with Jason.  I was a little nervous for my date, it has been a while since the last one, roughly 4 months.  I’ve had a few guys ask me for my phone number saying they would call me but none of them ever do.  There is my students’ father, the police officer who seems interested in me, he is always flirting and trying to make me laugh but it’s against school rules for a teacher to date parent to one of their students, maybe next year if we are both still available and his son has a new teacher. 

I don’t know Jason that well only the occasional “hi” or the light conversations we have which consist of how our day went and what we were up too, you know the usual thing to say to someone that isn’t a close friend.   Jason is a handsome man with a great body, he obviously works out.  There is something about him that makes me feel a bit apprehensive towards him, I just can’t put my finger on it.  Maybe I’m just been over cautious, and anyway it’s just one date, I don’t have to go on another one if I still feel the way I feel and it will get Katie off my back with this whole dating dry spell.

I finished work at 4:00pm like I always do, I decided to head home first to get changed for my date just in case I ran out of time after talking to Katie. After taking a quick shower I put on a pair of black jeans that hugged my arse in all the right places, a sort sleeve jade blouse with a slightly low cut to show off the tops of my boobs and put on a light dusting of makeup and tied my hair into a pony tail, I grabbed my keys and I was out the door heading towards our local bar to meet up with Katie.

Within 15min I was walking in through the front door scanning my surrounding for Katie, I spotted her at our usual table down the back near the pool tables, she was waving me over.  As I approached the table I noticed she already had a beer for me.

“Hey Katie” I said as I leant over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Hi, I already got you a beer” said Katie.   I sat down on my seat took a sip “thanks, I needed this.”  Katie looked tense and she wouldn’t look me in the eye so after a long pause I said “come on Katie, it can’t be that bad, just spit it out and tell me.”  She looked up at me and I could see unshed tears in her eyes, s**t this must be bad, she was making me nervous now so I started throwing scenarios out there. 

“What’s the matter?  You’re not pregnant?”  “NO!!”  “Lost your job?”  “No!”  “Oh my god has someone died?” I said panicked.  “No, nothing like that all though it feels like I might die” Katie said with a sob.  Tears had started to run down her cheeks and my anxiety started to rise.  I grabbed her hand across the table and gave it an encouraging squeeze, “just tell me, whatever it is we can work this out” I smiled to hopefully reassure her. 

Katie inhaled deeply “my parents called a couple days ago.  They said they would like me to return home and take responsibility for my role in our family.”

“OK” I said, uncertain if this was a good thing for her or not.  “This is good new isn’t it?  I mean you can finally have your own school in your pack and teach the little pups like you have always wanted.”

Katie was shaking her head with tears running down her face.  “This would be good if that was the responsibilities they were referring to but it’s not.” She said sobbing.

I inhaled deeply to calm my nerves “Why do they want you to return home Katie?”

“There have been problems with a neighboring pack and the Alpha has offered to his son to mate with our Alphas daughter.”

I gasped “but you are the alphas daughter.  Why would he do such a thing, especially to his own daughter?”

Katie wiped the tears from her face and in a firm voice she said “he doesn’t want too but it’s for the good of the pack.  I would rather sacrifice my life then to go to war and have innocent wolves die because I was too selfish to do my duty.”

One thing I knew about Katie was she was loyal, strong, and stubborn as an ox.  She would never let her pack down like she has never let me down and I was so proud to call her my friend, my sister.

“Oh my god Katie” I said in shock.  “No wonder you haven’t been yourself these last couple of days, you should have told me instead of keeping it to yourself” I was a little bit annoyed that she would keep something like this from me when it was obviously affecting her, I could have helped her or at least offered a shoulder.

Katie sign “I know and I’m sorry it’s just….it’s a lot to take in.” 

“I’m sorry too, I didn’t mean to sound all pissy with you, and I just hate seeing you look so stressed when I could have helped you deal with this even if it is just to talk it over.”

“So when is all this happening?”  My vision started to blur and a lump formed in my throat, I cleared my throat, took a big swig of my beer and took a deep breath to try and hold the tears back.  “When is all this happening?  When so you have to leave?”

“My parents wanted me there next week” Katie answered while I took another swig of me beer.  My eyes went huge and I choked on my beer.  I manage not to spray it everywhere while having a coughing fit.  “Are you all right?”  Katie looked concerned.  I nodded my head and waved my hand to encourage her to carry on.  “I told them that it’s impossible, I have to give 3 months’ notice when I hand in my resignation at work and I have to sort everything out with you and our place.”

I sign “so we have 3 months.  I’m going to miss you so much.  I can’t imagine not having you in my life.” 

“I know but I can come and visit and you can stay with me once I figure out how this new pack will be like.” Katie smiled but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.  “Come on drink up, I’m not leaving for 3 months and I’m sure we can fit one more beer in before you hot date tonight” Katie said with a big smile and her brows rising up and down up and down.

After we got our drinks Katie looked at me with a grin “Soooo, how are you feeling about your date tonight?”  “I’m not going to go.” I said. 

Katie said with a frown “WHY THE HELL NOT!!!” 

With a frown that matched Katie’s “because you need me, after what you have just told me you can’t be by yourself.” 

With a brow raised Katie said “bull s**t, I’ve been dealing with this by myself for the last couple days and if I’m being honest I feel better now that I’ve told you.  You were the one I was worried about the most, I don’t want to leave you by yourself.” 

“Pfff I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself.”  Katie sign “I know you can but I’m still going to worry about you, you are my best friend, you are more like a sister to me, I’ve told you things I haven’t to any other living soul.”  Now it was my turn to sign, “I know and I’m going to worry about you too.  You are like a sister to me too.  You are the only family I have even if we aren’t blood.  I love you Katie and I’m going to miss you.”  I said getting all choked up with tears in my eyes.  “I love you too Summer and I’m going to miss you so so so sooooo much as well.”  Katie said getting teary eyed as well.

“Ok, that’s enough of that.  I don’t want to go on this date looking like a red eyed panda.”  I said giggling.

“Soooo I repeat, how are you feeling about your date tonight?”

“To be honest, I’m a little nervous.  Jason is a handsome man but I’m not sure if I like him in that way.”  I said as I cast my eyes at my beer bottle.

“Only do what you are comfortable with, move at your own pace.  Ok, and if you still feel the same way you feel after this date, well you don’t have to go out on a second one”    Katie said with an encouraging smile.

I took a deep, calming breath, “ok, I better get going otherwise I’m going to be late.”  I finished my drink and got out of my seat.  I gave Katie a kiss on the cheek and a big hug before turning to leave.  I waved and said “I’ll see you when I get home” then walked out.