Sweet Caroline
Chapter 14

Caroline’s dad took a deep breath and began by saying, “When I was in college before I met Caroline’s mom, I had a friend. He was my best friend and helped me a lot. I’d always been a bit of a nerd, was backward and shy, rarely saying two words to anyone. Of course, my friend and I have kept in touch, but he lives a couple of states away.”

Caroline frowned. “Um… Dad, what does this have to do with us?”

Dad waved his hand. “I’m getting to it. One afternoon he and I were out, and my friend saw this girl across the courtyard making out with a jock-looking guy. Now, my friend was like Andrew here, and I’d never seen him even look twice at a girl romantically. Yet suddenly, there he was getting all upset and mumbling under his breath about this girl.”

Caroline traded a look with Andrew, and she noticed Andrew seemed a bit pale.

“I can see by the look on your face, Andrew, that you know what I’m talking about. I think the way he felt about her is the way you feel about my daughter. But I digress, so let me continue. I finally got him talking to me, and he explained everything about werewolves and their mates. Andrew, I believe you might know my friend; his name is Reilly Delgado, and he’s the Alpha of the Black Paw pack,” Dad concluded.

“So… so you know…?” Andrew whispered.

Dad nodded. “I knew when you were a boy what you were. There was just something about how you were so protective over Caroline, so I called my friend. He sometimes said a young child replaces their mate, though not often, and it causes them to be overprotective because they’re too young for it to be a romantic love at that age. But then you stopped coming around and broke my daughter’s heart.” Dad sighed as he sat back in his chair. “I’ll tell you; I was not a happy man. I wanted to go right to your father and have it out with him, but Reilly pleaded with me. He explained how if you were her mate that eventually when you were of age, your wolf would clue you in because you probably had no idea at that time. Is that true?”

“Yes, sir. I knew I felt protective and never wanted to leave her side, but it scared me. So, I pushed her away, and then I buried the memories of us just to survive. When I turned eighteen and realized what she was to me, it all clicked together.”

“He explained all of this to me, Dad,” Caroline quietly stated.

Dad nodded as he stood and began to clear the table. “Alright. If Caroline is okay with everything that happened, then so am I.”

“I am Dad, I promise.”

Dad stopped moving and focused on the two of them. “I also know enough to know that the red place on your neck you keep trying to hide is where he’s marked you.”

Caroline felt her face heat and knew it was a bright red as she glanced down at her fingers intertwined with Andrew’s.

Dad huffed, bringing her gaze back up. “I may be old and old fashioned, but I, unfortunately, also know that for a werewolf, a mate bond is a powerful thing. I watched Reilly fight his bond until he could get his human mate away from her boyfriend and accept him.”

“The marking will help, although I’ll still have problems with being away from her for long periods,” Andrew admitted.

“I also seem to remember Reilly complaining about his wolf being very…excitable, all the time,” Dad mentioned with a stern look on his face.

Caroline groaned and banged her head down on the table. “Dad! Please, please, please stop. Okay, we get it, no… no… you know!”

Dad laughed, and Andrew groaned.

“Caroline, I told you, I’m old, but I’m not stupid. No matter how much I want you to stay my little girl forever, you won’t. All I ask is that you make sure I’m not here when you can no longer control it,” Dad said a bit forcibly.

Caroline lifted her head at her dad’s words. Then she turned to look at Andrew when he cleared his throat.

“Sir, if I may say something,” Andrew said, swallowing hard. “I was thinking that Caroline and I could get married. I know we’re young, but most shifters are when they replace their mates. My paternal grandfather left me a small house not far from here that I’d like to move into with Caroline. If you would be more comfortable with us being married first, I’m ready now.”

“You would marry her, just to make me more comfortable with the situation?” Dad asked as he leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms.

“Yes, sir,” Andrew answered.

“I like that you would do that, and I think it is a wonderful idea. But I know how your kind works, and I know you won’t be able to hold back until then. So, as I said, just don’t let me hear it happening so I can continue to pretend my daughter is my innocent little girl,” Dad said with a sigh. Then he turned to continue stacking dishes. “You two go enjoy your evening. I’m going to do the dishes and ponder where the time went.”

So, Caroline and Andrew stood up to head out of the kitchen.

“Oh!” Caroline exclaimed, stopping in the doorway. “I almost forgot, Dad. Andrew wanted me to come to his game tomorrow. He said I could ride with him if you couldn’t come.”

“That sounds good,” Dad said. “I’m afraid I’ve got to work tomorrow, at least half a day which makes it too late to take you. So, you have my permission.”

With a nod, they turned to continue when her dad spoke again, saying, “I know it’s always late when the team gets back. If you’d like to stay with Andrew tomorrow night, you have my permission for that too. It’ll keep him from sneaking in later.”

Caroline swallowed her embarrassment as she glanced at her dad over her shoulder. “You knew?”

“I tend to look in on you if I get up in the night, so yes, I did,” Dad said without ever turning around.

So, the two went to the living room and watched a movie until Andrew went home. He didn’t come back that night, and she knew he had felt her need to be alone. She had a lot to think about, and even though it would hurt him to stay away, he did it anyway, and she loved him even more for that.

The next day Andrew picked Caroline up at about eleven, and they dropped by Captain Ds for lunch before heading for the school and his waiting bus.

Andrew handed her something when they arrived at the school.

“What’s this?” Caroline asked, narrowing her eyes at the cloth in her hand.

Andrew smiled. “It’s my jersey, and I’m hoping you’ll wear it today.”

Shaking it out, Caroline grinned as she held it up to her chest. “You know I will, thank you.”

Andrew leaned over and kissed her.

Caroline pulled the jersey on over her white t-shirt. Batting her eyelashes, she asked, “Well, am I stylin’?”

“Oh, fer sure baby, fer sure! You be stylin’ all the way,” Andrew said mockingly.

Caroline laughed.

After he’d grabbed his duffle bag from the truck, they walked, hands clasped, to the bus. Once there, he picked a seat toward the back. He said it was one of the perks of being a senior when she asked about sitting in the back.

“Hey, man, what’s with bringing a girl that isn’t a cheerleader?” One of the guys asked.

“Joe, this is my girlfriend, Caroline.”

“Ah… same Caroline Reva’s always dissin’?” Joe asked.

Caroline snorted.

Joe looked her way, and Caroline shrugged as she said, “Hey, not my fault she’s jealous of my beauty, my personality, and my fine-looking boyfriend.”

The ones around laughed at her remark.

“That’s so true,” Joe agreed with a nod. “I like her, Drew.”

Andrew put his arm around Caroline and grinned.

“Yeah, I like her too. Oh, there’s Coach,” Andrew squeezed her shoulders as he said, “Stay right here for me, doll. I gotta go talk to him for a minute.”

“But—” Caroline began.

Andrew interrupted to say, “I promise, I won’t be too long.”

“Hey, hey, Drew! Who’s the chick? I’ll keep her company for ya!” A newcomer loudly said.

Andrew turned with a silent growl, baring his teeth a bit.

The guy put his hands up. “Woah, dude, sorry! What’d I say wrong?”

“Kyle, that’s his girl, Caroline,” Joe answered for Andrew.

Kyle’s eyes widened at that, and Caroline saw his eyes move toward her neck. She’d pulled her hair up in a ponytail, and the jersey shirt didn’t reach high enough to cover the mark Andrew had given her. So, his mark, a large cursive A.T., was proudly showing.

Kyle swallowed as he gave Andrew a slight head bow before he said, “Sorry, Andrew. I believe I heard you say you were going to talk to Coach. I just wanted to mention, Reva and her Revaettes are on their way.”

“Revaettes?” Caroline asked before she covered her mouth to hide a smirk.

“Yeah, that’s what we call her little followers,” Andrew stated. “Although never to their faces.”

“Okay, well, I think Kyle here will keep me safe while you go talk to Coach,” Caroline said.

Andrew looked at her, then Kyle.

Caroline moved her eyes between the two, watching their interactions, and decided that Kyle was pack, but Joe was a human. When Kyle gave another slight head bow to Andrew as he passed him, she knew she was right.

Kyle sat down. “So, you and Andrew. How long?”

Then he sat looking at her as he waited for an answer.