Page 30 of Falling for the Werewolf
Chapter 10 – Just When You Thought Things Couldn’t Get Any Worse
After a day and a half of moping, Dani really didn’t feel like heading to the senior center for her afternoon class. She had barely slept a wink all night, her tortured thoughts refusing to give her any peace.
The storm had raged throughout the night, each strike of lightning searing her heart, the howling horizontal winds a stark reminder of just how quickly a beautiful day could turn into a nightmare.
Bess kept coming in to check on her and see if she wanted to talk. Dani appreciated the effort, but she had grown up without a mom and had learned early on how to internalize her emotions and deal them on her own. Her father and her brother loved her without a doubt, but they were typical guys. Discussing feelings and matters of the heart was not their forte, and early attempts to do so in her adolescent years had just made things uncomfortable for everyone.
Dani heard Bess on the phone once or twice with Amos, sure that she was giving him updates. She was touched that they cared so much, but this was something she had to work through herself. They couldn’t tell her the things she really needed to know, like whether or not she had been a naive fool for allowing herself to fall so hard and fast for Jace, or whether or not this sudden and brilliant passion between them could stand the test of time. And, assuming it could, could she see herself standing by Jace’s side with Amanda and their child on the other?
Around noon, she forced herself out of bed, showered, and dressed. As she reached the bottom of the steps, Bess was just hanging up the phone.
“Class has been cancelled,” Bess said, her lips curving down into a frown.
“Cancelled?”
Bess nodded. “That was the director at the senior center. She said they’ve decided not to continue with your classes.”
“Oh.” Dani didn’t know what else to say, so she turned around and walked back up the steps.
In her room, she slipped out of her clothes and crawled back into bed, staring at the wall until an exhausted, dreamless sleep finally took her.
A few days later, the official rejection notice from the local school district arrived, informing Dani that they would not be calling her in for a follow-up interview, after all. It was the first of several delivered by the postman that week.
One week turned into two. Then three. She missed Jace terribly.
He had kept his word; he hadn’t tried to contact her once while she tried to sort things out. Was he suffering as much as she was?
Things had happened so quickly with Jace. It was hard to believe she could feel so much so quickly, and after what happened with Todd, she wanted to besure.
Dani slipped down to the kitchen one afternoon for a bottle of water and overheard Bess and Amos on the deck.
“I know that little witch is behind it,” Bess was telling Amos angrily. “Her father is on the school boardandhe’s a member of the board at the senior center. I bet he’s the one who put a stop to Dani’s classes.”
Amos grunted in agreement. “That’s not all of it. Jace has received three more job offers this week, all promising two to three times their original salary offer.”
“How is he doing?”
“Not good,” Amos said truthfully. “He confronted Amanda. She insists the baby is his. Says if he doesn’t marry her, she’s considering terminating the pregnancy, because it would bring shame to the pack.”
“Oh, Amos,” Bess cried. “How could she even think of such a thing?”
“It’s got Jace beside himself. Doesn’t give a lick for Amanda, but can’t bear the thought of what she’s talking about, especially if it is his child.”
“So, it might actually be his?”
“Jace doesn’t think so, but he’s not willing to take that chance, and I can’t blame him. How’s Dani?”
“The same,” Bess admitted with a sigh. “She’s making herself sick. I heard her throwing up in the bathroom this morning. And yesterday, she asked me to mail a stack of resumes for her, but the addresses weren’t close by. I’m worried, Amos.”
Amos blew out a breath. “I’ve offered Jace a full partnership in the business.”
“That’s wonderful! He’s accepted, of course.”
“No, he hasn’t,” Amos said worriedly. “He’s actually considering one of those jobs in the city. Said it’ll be easier if he has to support a child.”
“Amanda’s family has more than enough money for that.”
“It’s more than the money, Bess. It’s about pride and taking care of your own. No shifter worth his salt would allow anything less.”
