Apricity {Jasper CullenxMale OC}

Chapter 17

"Hey Koko!" Charlie smiled as Kova set Bella's keys in their place and joined them in the kitchen. "How's Jake doin'?"

"He's good," Kova smiled at his uncle, "It was really great to see him again."

Bella only met his eyes for a brief moment, and Kova could smell the guilt and sadness she felt on the air. Kova caught her eyes once more, giving her a significant look that said 'we'll talk later' because Kova was actually pretty pissed he'd been left out of the loop about the bloodthirsty vamp after Bella's throat. Any one of them could have mentioned it to him, but obviously chose not to. He'd have words with Jasper and Edward about it too. Withholding information was as good as lying in Kova's book, and he hated nothing more. Especially when people's lives hung in the balance.

"Next time you go, you should take Bella with you," Charlie suggested, going for casual but failing miserably as he lifted the beer can in his hand to take a swig.

"Dad..." Bella warned, but both men could hear the regretful undercurrent in her voice.

"What Bella? Billy's real worried about him... he's going through something," Charlie disclosed, a frown on his face. His eyes moved to his daughter, holding her gaze imploringly. "I remember when that was you, and Jake was there."

Kova swallowed thickly as heartache clogged his nostrils, from both of them. Heartache and sympathy. The air in the room felt heavy.

"I know," Bella whispered, her eyes falling to the floor. There was an unbearable silence, and before Charlie could grill Bella some more, her cousin spoke up.

"I'll look out for him," Kova said cautiously, his eyes moving between the two. "Until him and Bella... work things out."

Charlie smiled softly at his nephew in response. Kova knew Jake was upset about everything, and he'd obviously gone through a huge change in his life- if he'd only shifted for the first time a few months ago. Kova knew what that was like, and he would be there for Jake. It would be nice to be around wolves anyway, even if they were a different species. The pack dynamic, among other things, was familiar. Besides, it couldn't be much longer before Bella did go with him to the reservation. She'd seemed interested in the idea in class, now that she had an excuse to give Edward.

"What's for dinner?" Kova asked, mostly to change the subject. The werewolf had smelled exactly what they were having as soon as he'd stepped foot in the door.

"Steak," Charlie said with a wide smile, putting his hands behind his head and reclining in his chair as if he was living the life.

"And potatoes, and roasted asparagus," Bella added, with a fond, quiet smile at her fathers antics.

"Can't get much better than that," Charlie shrugged, the grin still in place and his eyes twinkling.

Bella's smile showed she was pleased that her dad was happy, and Kova's automatic grin agreed with the sentiment. His cousin moved out the back door, her arms laden with marinated steaks, foil wrapped potatoes, and tongs bound for the barbecue. Kova took a seat at the table across from his uncle, who promptly passed him a beer. The werewolf's eyes narrowed at Charlie, trying to decided if it was a trick or not.

"Is this a test?" Kova asked suspiciously.

Charlie chuckled, "I know I'm a law man, but you're old enough to have one beer with dinner," he reasoned, and Kova wasn't going to argue that point. "I'd let Bella too, but she doesn't like the taste."

"Thanks Uncle Charlie," he winked, cracking the the can and taking a swig.

The cool, bubbly liquid felt good on his throat. He'd had beer before, and he found he liked the flavour of this brand as well as any he'd had previously. The two of them shared another grin before leaning back in their seats. They sat in a comfortable silence, Charlie picking up the case file on the table and reading it while Kova mulled things over in his head. He listened to the sizzle of meat from the barbecue, Bella's breathing was relaxed as she flipped the steaks intermittently.