Veil of Desire - Jasper Hale

1.13

The weekend arrived faster than Catalina expected. That Saturday morning, Jasper arrived early to pick her up. While she finished getting ready upstairs, he took the opportunity to introduce himself properly to her parents. Though neither he nor Catalina had officially labeled their relationship, there was an undeniable connection, and her parents had certainly noticed.

Catalina finally skipped down the stairs with a bright smile. "Have fun, honey!" her parents called out in unison before giving her a quick hug goodbye.

"Thanks! I'll be back later tonight," she replied, grabbing her bag before following Jasper out the door.

As they walked to the car, Jasper raised an eyebrow at her overstuffed bag. "So, Miss Cat, care to explain why you've packed a whole second outfit?"

Catalina laughed, sliding into the passenger seat. "Two different occasions mean two different outfits. Surely you know that by now."

"Surprisingly, Alice hasn't dragged you shopping yet," Jasper teased as they buckled up, both of them laughing as he started the car.

They arrived at the Cullen home shortly after, the imposing yet elegant house settled quietly in the woods. "So, when's Bella supposed to arrive?" Catalina asked as they got out of the car.

"Relax," Jasper replied with a reassuring smile. "She's not due for another hour. Plenty of time to meet Carlisle properly—and maybe even a few quiet minutes for us."

Catalina laughed as they made their way inside. "You wish, Whitlock. We'll see how much time we actually get."

Inside, they headed straight to the kitchen, where Esme and Carlisle were chatting. Esme turned first, her face lighting up as she walked over and gave Catalina a welcoming hug. "We're so glad you could make it," Esme said warmly.

"Thank you. It's great to see you again, Esme," Catalina replied, genuinely touched by her warmth.

Carlisle stepped forward next, extending his hand with a gentle smile. "It's very nice to finally meet you, Catalina. And please, call me Carlisle," he said kindly. "My family's already spoken highly of you."

Catalina's cheeks warmed as she shook his hand. "Thank you, Carlisle. I'm honored to be here."

The moment was briefly interrupted as Alice bounded into the room with her usual excitement. "Cat! You're here at last!"

Catalina laughed, pulling her friend into a hug. "Didn't expect you to miss me that much, Alice," she teased, glancing over at Jasper, who just smiled in response.

"Oh, you have no idea," Alice replied with a playful grin. "With Bella coming too, today's going to be perfect."

---

Catalina chatted with Alice, Jasper, and Carlisle for a while, feeling herself settle into the Cullen home's relaxed atmosphere. Esme soon invited her to the living room, and they all settled in comfortably.

Rosalie entered next, her presence graceful and slightly distant, though she gave Catalina a polite nod. Catalina returned the gesture, hoping to gradually earn Rosalie's approval over time. Emmett soon joined them as well, shooting Catalina a friendly wink as he plopped down beside Rosalie.

"Glad you're here, Cat," Emmett said with his usual laid-back grin.

"Thanks, Emmett. Good to see you too," Catalina replied, feeling a little more at ease with every familiar face around her.

Just as the conversations began to flow, they heard the sound of a car approaching in the driveway. A few moments later, Bella entered, looking a bit nervous but determined. She immediately spotted Catalina and gave her a small, grateful smile, relieved to see another familiar face.