Embracing the Wolves

[25] The Bloomingdales

After school, I went straight to Stella's. Since I had athletics last period, she let me shower and change up in her room while she stayed downstairs with Trevor and her mom. I took my time, but still lingered around a corner to see how the three of them operated together. Caroline Bloomingdale and her daughter danced around the kitchen to finish the meal preparation and Trevor was alone in the dining room, subtly moving his hips while setting the plates and utensils out. I watched with a smile at how Trevor suddenly turned and sang to Stella while approaching her, grabbing a nearby towel, and wrapping it around her neck while dancing in front of her. Stella was absolutely embarrassed while laughing and it was rather amusing.

Caroline only shook her head with a smile while transferring dishes to the dining table. I'm sure she was more than happy that her daughter found a suitable beau rather than the boy she had arrested many times. After Stella made a comment about how Trevor knew every word to the last "old song," which could attest to the fact that his father was ancient, Caroline told Stella to summon me before she could offend her childhood music world anymore. So I came out of my lurking.

Caroline apologized for her husband being late since he would be picking up their young son from an after-school care program, but we started eating anyways and left their empty place settings alone.

"So how was y'all's weekend?" Caroline asked. "I had to work both days. You teenagers get rowdy on Homecoming weekend, especially with visitors in town."

I know Caroline meant all the family members and alumni of Tyriette High that had come home, but the word "visitor" was a trigger for me to remember Natalie and the funeral and how Caroline could sit here so calmly as if she hadn't closed a murder case for a teen werewolf's death days ago.

"Well the dance was nice," Stella answered before looking over at Trevor. "I didn't know someone could dance so well."

"My father made sure that his son knew how to sweep a lady off her feet," Trevor smiled effortlessly at her. I wanted to roll my eyes at the over play of romanticism, but I couldn't do that considering Ryder and I were the same way.

"And when am I going to get to meet your parents, Trevor?" Caroline asked. "You're here almost every night; you're either hiding them someplace or they don't exist."

Caroline laughed within her request, but it was enough to indicate that she didn't know about Trevor's genetic identity. And even though she said it in a lighthearted way, I could bet she ran every screening and background check she tried to do on Trevor and found nothing.

"I'll have to arrange a meeting then," Trevor politely responded and glanced at me briefly before looking down at his food. I watched him pick at it and he paused before noticing my gaze and taking a big bite out of his side salad first. That's when his eyes met mine and I instantly knew he was sending a message about my curiosity towards his eating habits. Now I was the one averting my eyes.

"Okay so the dance and raging parties on Saturday that no one wants to admit being at—"

"Hey, we plea the fifth," Stella joked. "Don't we, Ash?"

"What?" I asked. "Oh, uh yeah. No parties for me. Or at least not Saturday night."

Stella narrowed her eyes at me. I quickly looked away from her because I didn't exactly want to broadcast to her about mine and Ryder's sex life that made an appearance this weekend.

"That's right...I don't remember seeing Ryder running out of the party we busted at Carlos Duncan's place," Caroline frowned.

"That's because we weren't there."

"Good. I heard Rod tried stuffing three times as many people in his apartment than capacity—everyone was everywhere," Stella continued with a laugh.