Joanna couldn’t keep quiet a moment longer. She’d known this young woman most of her life, and would always think of Jessie as the little girl in pigtails who wept every time her parents never came to school to support her, so she did instead. A daughter by association, after all the years she spent in Joanna’s home. Jo was the one who taught her how to iron her own clothes, cook more than something frozen that could be put in an oven, or ordered through her phone. She taught Jessie about boys (while Emma heaved in the background) and she was the one proof read her college application form. Jessie was as good as family. Hearing her talk like that about, well, anyone, was bad enough, without it being about a man who was listening. 

“Hold the damn phone.” Jessie held onto the bar side and leaned back to look at Joanna. She smiled with joy, seeing her surrogate mother walking at pace along the bar towards her. “Joanna?” Her libido took a back seat, for now, and she ran giddily over to Joanna. 

“Yes, Jessie, it’s me. Emma told me you’d move-”

Jessie abandoned her two beers and threw her arms around Joanna to hug her. Tightly. 

“Joanna.” There was a wobble in her voice, a vulnerability that she normally kept a lid on, but this woman knew her far too well and heard it. “It’s been too long.” When Joanna moved her family to Glen Valley, Jessie lost her chosen family too. Without any warning from the woman she considered the closest thing to a mother she’d ever have. 

“Yes, it has.” Joanna leaned back and frowned at the tears welling in Jessie’s green eyes. She’d not been prepared to suddenly see Joanna, and it had caught her off guard. Her abandonment issues blindsided her, but she was pushing it all back down by the second. Something she’d become excellent at over the years. 

And neither woman knew Dorian Defoe was watching this raw moment intently. “It’s so good to see you.” 

“Of course it is.” Jessie cleared her throat and put her hands on her hips. “We have a lot to catch up on. I’m waiting for Em-train to arrive so I can make her relax for an evening, but I bought two beers. Why don’t we catch up?” She took Joanna by the hand and started to tug her over to where her beers were waiting for her, when a gruff guy in jeans, a red and white flannel shirt, a full beard, and a big smile walked up behind Joanna. It took Jessie a moment, but she realised who this must be, when he put one hand on her waist. “Ben, right?” Jessie hadn’t had much to do with him, he was never around during the week when she would come and visit in the holidays. Weekends Jessie was working at whatever nightclub offered hours at the time, and even Emma didn’t have much to say about him. 

Other than the fact that she didn’t trust the overgrown boy scout, and he was the reason Joanna moved the Carters to Glen Valley. Her interaction with Ben had been almost exclusively through Emma and Beth. She wasn’t sure what to make of him. After all? Jessie had moved to Glen Valley now too, and Emma had moved in with her fiance Caleb. 

“Hey.” He offered a hand towards Jessie and smiled warmly. “It’s good to see you again Jessie. I hear you’ve moved to town?” 

“I sure have.” She shook his hand and noticed how he and Joanna both seemed to relax. Like they’d expected a frostier reaction from her. “I’m renting a nice little apartment. Emma used to rent it. Do you know the place?”

“Yes, though Emma wouldn’t hear of me helping her furnish the place.”

“Well, you’re welcome to help me furnish it, because the empty box chic isn’t my vibe.” She laughed and helped herself to cuddle Joanna’s side. An old habit that was most welcome. 

“I’d love to help you out.” Jessie blinked and raised a brow at how happy he seemed at what she meant as a joke. Whereas Ben was very serious. Joanna considered Jessie as family, so he’d treat her as such. Beth moved in with Jason, and that dire wolf would never allow him to dote on her. That was Jason’s job, and he couldn’t come into their home even when they lived in Glen Valley. Now they live at the ranch with the dark legion pack, that was impossible. Emma never welcomed his role as her father figure, and now she was the Luna. Mated to the Pack master. But Jessie? Perhaps he could father her? Especially as it looked like she was going to become pack soon too. “Why don’t we talk over what you need over a beer?” 

“Relax papa-bear.” Jessie released Joanna and put her hands up. “I was just teasing. I can furnish my own place.”

“I’m sure you can.” Ben shared a look with Joanna, who nodded at him. 

“And you know you can come and visit us? Let me give you my new address. You can come over for a nice cooked dinner.”

“Sure.” She smiled, genuinely looking forward to such a familiar scene. “I’ll talk to Emma and see when we’re both free to eat all your food.” Jessie didn’t notice the way Ben and Joanna shared an anxious look. The chances of Emma coming over for dinner wasn’t exactly high these days. 

Ben sniffed to one side, and then searched for the source until he saw Emma and Caleb walking towards them. 

“Speak of the devil and she will appear.” He nodded, indicating behind Jessie, and she turned to find her best friend also rocking the cowgirl theme. 

“EM-TRAIN!” Jessie squealed with glee and ran at her bestie. She jumped Emma, throwing her arms around her friend and spinning her on the spot so the Luna barely remained on her feet. Caleb smiled, enjoying seeing Emma laughing like a carefree woman, and not the duty bound Luna for once. “Beers and dancing!” Jessie declared and pushed Caleb’s stetson hat down to cover his face without warning. “She’s MINE now.” Jessie cackled. “And the dance floor is OURS!” Caleb poked his hat up and watched Jessie drag Emma to the dance floor to fumble what was supposed to be line dancing. Both women looked ridiculous, but it was all in good fun. Periodically, Jessie dragged Emma over to talk with Joanna and Ben, usually to get another beer, and Caleb resigned himself to watching from the bar. Emma was having a whale of a time, and that’s what matters the most right now. 

It wasn’t until Caleb was talking to Frankie over his second beer over how young and carefree Emma seemed when she was with Jessie, when he noticed Dorian. The dire wolf entered scenting range and then walked across the bar towards the exit. Jessie caught his gaze and gave him such a filthy look, Caleb thought she would need to go to church to repent for that open invitation. He was especially concerned when Jessie whispered to Emma she’d be right back, and followed the eldest Defoe out of the Dance hall to the parking lot. He moved to give chase, but he stopped himself. After all? What reason would he give Jessie to stay away from Dorian?