Clay growled slightly behind me. I stepped back from Sam, moving closer to Clay.
“It’s time for you to leave Sam. Don’t come back.” Saying those words hurt just as much as knowing I only mattered to him because of what I meant to the pack rather than what I meant to him.
“You were never an obligation to me, Gabby.” When I looked away, he tried persuading Clay, “You know it’d be safer for both of you if the Introductions continued at the compound. If you continue like this, there might be someone you won’t beat. Are you willing risk leaving her alone then?”
What did he mean by that? Clay could get hurt even worse? I thought they were nearly invincible. Glancing at Clay, looking at each bruise, I saw the real answer. They were hard to beat, but made to break, just like the rest of us.
I walked to the door and opened it for Sam, signaling the end of the conversation.
“Alright then. Gabby, call me anytime. I’m here to help you, no matter what you might think right now.”
I nodded stiffly and closed the door behind him. His help would only extend as far as it could help the pack. He’d just proven I meant less to him than they did… but I always knew that. Why did I let it hurt me?
For a few seconds, I just stared at the door’s painted surface trying to let go of my anger. Sam made his choices. I needed to make my own.
I turned to look at Clay. He’d moved to stand close to me, probably waiting for my reaction to everything that Sam had just told me. I didn’t want to deal with it yet, so instead I reached up to tease my fingers through the whiskers along his jaw.
“Much better, but I’m going to keep at you until it’s all shaved off… and maybe a haircut too.”
He briefly bared his teeth re-explaining the reason for the beard. His still long facial hair hid the bumps of his canines while exposing his lips. At least now, I’d be able to see when he smiled.
I spent a moment studying his face, running my fingers over his forehead and then tracing his black eye. He held still patiently letting me look my fill. Would things have progressed differently if I’d known about a timeframe? I doubted I’d have even let him in the door if I’d known he only had six months to try to convince me.
With a sigh, I stepped away and commented, “I need to get ready for class. Before I go, would you show me where you got the coveralls from?”
He nodded, his lips curling slightly in a secretive smile. I definitely liked seeing his lips.
My hunch had been right. He pulled into a small auto body shop on South Mitchell. The street name tickled a memory I couldn’t place until the mechanic currently working looked up at our approach. Cleaning his hands on a rag, he smiled at us.
“Dale from the parking lot?” I whispered looking at Clay questioningly. He just nodded. It explained his secret smile and his interest in books about auto mechanics.
Clay got out and walked around to open my door. Wide eyed I stepped out. I thought I would I’d get a drive by tour, not a walking one.
Dale walked toward us a smile on his face. “Hi there, Gabby. Glad Clay finally brought you around.” He held out his freshly wiped hand, which I clasped. Apparently, Dale was Clay’s boss. “I have to tell you that I was surprised when Clay showed up and was as good as you boasted.”
I didn’t recall actually boasting.
“Although, it doesn’t look like he’s been taking care of your car.”
Clay said nothing in his defense, of course, leaving the talking to me.
“I’m always running back and forth to my classes. It’s hard to give it up for any amount of time.” I shrugged away his question. “Speaking of which,” I looked at Clay, “I really need to get going or I’ll be late.” Turning back to Dale I said, “It was nice seeing you again, Dale. I hope stopping in was okay. I really wanted to see where Clay was working.”
“Stop by anytime.” He waved as we walked out and got back in our car.
“I’m sure there was some type of logic to picking that place…,” I said to Clay as he drove us home, “Someday you’ll have to tell me about it.”
By Friday, everything seemed back to normal with my gift. Men once again noticed me, their eyes following me around campus. Thankfully, they seemed to remember my repeated ‘no’ from the start of the semester and didn’t start their approaches anew.
I did wonder what exactly had happened. The suspicions that floated around in my head needed further examination, but I wanted to talk through them while Clay listened.
When I walked through the door just before five, an empty house greeted me. I really need to find out his work schedule.
Rachel got home a little after five. As soon as she walked in the door, she announced she’d decided to go out to a dance club and proceeded to her room without waiting for a response from me. I went in search of her, needing the company. Life had just been a little too weird for me over the past week.