Tell No Lies

You Are My Sunshine

Paul stared down at his phone as he sat behind the cash register, willing Roisin to text him back. But she hadn't said a word since she asked to meet up today and he told her that he had to work, but perhaps they could meet up afterwards. He then spent the last hour furiously cursing Mike and his likely-not-real hangover. Was he even at the party? Paul hadn't seen him, but then again, once he saw Roisin, he was fairly caught up in her and the imprint.

But the asshole didn't even look sick when he got to the store and had the audacity to grin and bounce out as soon as Paul arrived.

It was bad enough that the idiot had made a mess of the inventory system - again - in the short time he had been there that Paul had to fix. That was probably the real reason Mike had called him to take his shift. That and so he could go slack off at the beach or something.

Sighing, he put the phone down on the counter and ran his fingers through his short hair, glad that Jared wasn't there. If he saw Paul like this, he would give him so much hell about it and never stop. He almost wished he hadn't made fun of Jared and Kim so much. Or any of the others who imprinted. Knowing them, the next pack meeting was likely to include a lot of comments and ribbing now that he had finally done it. All of it payback.

But he couldn't stop thinking about her. Wishing that he could have gone over to her house today instead of working. He had been tempted to call Mike back in and invent a family emergency or something. There was no guilt in the lie; he wasn't supposed to be working today anyway. But then he remembered the cost of tuition and books and knew that he needed whatever extra cash he could get his hands on.

Frustrated, Paul sat back in the chair, staring out at the empty store, which was slightly unusual for a Saturday. But then again, maybe everyone was already outdoors, enjoying the unusually warm weather.

He then heard the front door chime and breathed a prayer of gratefulness that he could finally do something rather than sit around or clean as he hopped off the chair and turned. He then stopped in his tracks as he felt warmth envelope him while Roisin walked over, a bright smile on her face.

God, just why was it he couldn't stop thinking about summer whenever she was around? Maybe it was just the way she appeared, looking like summer incarnate.

"Since you had to work, I thought I would come visit," she said, stepping over to lean against the counter.

"Certainly makes work easier," he replied, unable to stop grinning.

He then heard a throat clear and looked over, realizing that the man from the night before had come in with her. Paul hadn't even noticed him walking after Roisin.

"Right, I didn't get the chance to really introduce you last night. This is Sean. He looks out for me and Mae," Roisin said.

"Yea, I heard. Uncle, right?" Paul asked, holding his hand out to him.

A gatekeeper was a gatekeeper, and Sean looked like a gatekeeper. Paul needed to make a good impression if he wanted to keep seeing Roisin. Sean didn't say anything, only continued watching him with intense blue eyes as he shook his hand. He was a bit off-putting in a way, Paul felt, but he couldn't quite figure just why.

Outside of being far better dressed than others in Forks and looking more like a movie star than an uncle, there wasn't anything about him that looked overtly threatening. He was a bit taller, but lean. Looked as though he worked out. No, it definitely wasn't his outward appearance. It was as though Sean carried a sense of foreboding with him. But just as Paul sensed it, it was gone. He turned his gaze back to Roisin, instantly smiling again.

"How's Embry?" she asked.

"Oh yea. Went over to see him this morning. He's completely fine. Our friend's mom is a nurse and she looked him over. Said it must have been some sort of weird reaction to whatever he drank last night," he replied. Roisin looked relieved. "Though pretty sure he won't be at the next party you have. Had to bribe her not to tell his mom and she was pretty pissed that we dragged her out of bed. Made him promise he wouldn't go back."