Love poems (Leah Clearwater story)

Chapter 9 ~ Harriet

Saturday morning dawned bright and clear, a welcome change from the usual rain. Vivienne woke up with a sense of relief that the weekend had finally arrived. She stretched lazily in bed, savoring the prospect of a day without college classes or assignments hanging over her head. As she got ready for the day, she thought about the plans she had made with Leah later and felt a flutter of excitement.

Heading downstairs, she expected to find the house quiet, but instead, she heard the low hum of voices coming from the living room. Curious, she walked in to find two unfamiliar yet familiar faces. Paul and Jared, members of Embry's pack, were lounging on the couch, deep in conversation.

Paul looked up as she entered, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Morning, Vivienne! Long time no see."

Vivienne raised an eyebrow, trying to recall their last encounter. "Morning, Paul. Jared. What brings you guys here so early?"

Jared, who was sprawled out next to Paul, gave a lazy wave. "Embry invited us over to hang out. He said something about a movie marathon."

Vivienne rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. "Of course he did. Well, make yourselves at home, I guess."

Just then, Embry walked in from the kitchen, carrying a tray of snacks. "Hey, Viv! I see you've met the early birds."

Vivienne laughed. "Yeah, they're making themselves right at home."

Embry set the tray down on the coffee table and plopped onto an armchair. "Hope you don't mind. I thought it'd be fun to have a little get-together."

Vivienne shrugged, still smiling. "No problem. Just let me know next time, okay?"

Embry grinned. "Will do, short stack."

Paul leaned forward, eyeing the snacks with interest. "So, what's the plan for today, Vivienne? Got any big plans?"

Vivienne thought about her upcoming meeting with Leah and felt a pang of nervous excitement. "Actually, I do. I'm meeting up with a friend later."

Jared, who had been munching on a handful of chips, perked up. "Anyone we know?"

Vivienne hesitated for a moment, then decided there was no harm in sharing. "Her name's Leah. I don't know if you've met her."

Paul and Jared exchanged a quick glance. Paul raised an eyebrow. "Leah Clearwater? Yeah, we know her. She's... interesting."

Embry gave Paul a look that clearly said to drop the subject. "Leah's cool. You'll have a good time."

Vivienne nodded, grateful for Embry's intervention. "Yeah, I think so too."

The morning passed in a blur of chatter and laughter as Vivienne joined the guys in their impromptu movie marathon. Despite her initial reservations, she found herself enjoying their company. Paul's brash humor and Jared's laid-back attitude provided a nice contrast to Embry's more familiar presence.

As the afternoon approached, Vivienne excused herself to get ready for her meeting with Leah. She headed upstairs, her mind buzzing with anticipation. After freshening up and changing into something casual yet nice, she grabbed her phone and headed out the door.

Leah was waiting for her at their usual spot on the beach, a gentle breeze ruffling her short brown hair. She looked up and smiled as Vivienne approached, a look of genuine warmth in her eyes.

"Hey, sunshine," Leah greeted her, using the nickname she had coined during their last meeting. "Ready for another adventure?"

Vivienne grinned, feeling her nerves melt away. "Always."