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what he had to say。
〃I'm doing all the talking；〃 he plained after a long story about Quil and
the trouble he'd stirred up by
asking out a senior's steady girlfriend。 〃Why don't you take a turn？ What's
going on in Forks？ It has to be
more exciting than La Push。〃
〃Wrong；〃 I sighed。 〃There's really nothing。 Your friends are a lot more
interesting than mine。 I like your
friends。 Quil's funny。〃
He frowned。 〃I think Quil likes you； too。〃
I laughed。 〃He's a little young for me。〃
Jacob's frown deepened。 〃He's not that much younger than you。 It's just a year
and a few months。〃
I had a feeling we weren't talking about Quil anymore。 I kept my voice light；
teasing。 〃Sure； but；
considering the difference in maturity between guys and girls； don't you have
to count that in dog years？
What does that make me； about twelve years older？〃
He laughed； rolling his eyes。 〃Okay； but if you're going to get picky like
that； you have to average in size；
too。 You're so small； I'll have to knock ten years off your total。〃
〃Five foot four is perfectly average。〃 I sniffed。 〃It's not my fault you're a
freak。〃
We bantered like that till Hoquiam； still arguing over the correct formula to
determine age—I lost two
more years because I didn't know how to change a tire； but gained one back for
being in charge of the
bookkeeping at my house—until we were in Checker； and Jacob had to
concentrate again。 We found
everything left on his list； and Jacob felt confident that he could make a lot
of progress with our haul。
By the time we got back to La Push； I was twenty…three and he was thirty—he
was definitely weighting
skills in his favor。
I hadn't forgotten the reason for what I was doing。 And； even though I was
enjoying myself more than I'd
thought possible； there was no lessening of my original desire。 I still wanted
to cheat。 It was senseless；
and I really didn't care。 I was going to be as reckless as I could possibly
manage in Forks。 I would not
be the only keeper of an empty contract。 Getting to spend time with Jacob was
just a much bigger perk
than I'd expected。
Billy wasn't back yet； so we didn't have to be sneaky about unloading our
day's spoils。 As soon as we
had everything laid out on the plastic floor next to Jacob's toolbox； he went
right to work； still talking and
laughing while his fingers bed expertly through the metal pieces in front
of him。
Jacob's skill with his hands was fascinating。 They looked too big for the
delicate tasks they performed
with ease and precision。 While he worked； he seemed almost graceful。 Unlike
when he was on his feet；
there； his height and big feet made him nearly as dangerous as I was。
Quil and Embry did not show up； so maybe his threat yesterday had been taken
seriously。
The day passed too quickly。 It got dark outside the mouth of the garage before
I was expecting it； and
then we heard Billy calling for us。
I jumped up to help Jacob put things away； hesitating because I wasn't sure
what I should touch。
〃Just leave it；〃 he said。 〃I'll work on it later tonight。〃
〃Don't forget your schoolwork or anything；〃 I said； feeling a little guilty。 I
didn't want him to get in trouble。
That plan was just for me。
〃Bella？〃
Both our heads snapped up as Charlie's familiar voice wafted through the
trees； sounding closer than the
house。
〃Shoot；〃 I muttered。 〃ing！〃 I yelled toward the house。
〃Let's go。〃 Jacob smiled； enjoying the cloak…and…dagger。 He snapped the light
off； and for a moment I
was blind。 Jacob grabbed my hand and towed me out of the garage and through
the trees； his feet finding
the familiar path easily。 His hand was rough； and very warm。
Despite the path； we were both tripping over our feet in the darkness。 So we
were also both laughing
when the house came into view。 The laughter did not go deep； it was light and
superficial； but still nice。 I
was sure he wouldn't notice the faint hint of hysteria。 I wasn't used to
laughing； and it felt right and also
very wrong at the same time。
Charlie was standing under the little back porch； and Billy was sitting in the
doorway behind them。
〃Hey； Dad；〃 we both said at the same time； and that started us laughing again。
Charlie stared at me with wide eyes that flashed down to note Jacob's hand
around mine。
〃Billy invited us for dinner；〃 Charlie said to us in an absentminded tone。
〃My super secret recipe for spaghetti。 Handed down for generations；〃 Billy
said gravely。
Jacob snorted。 〃I don't think Ragu's actually been around that long。〃
The house was crowded。 Harry Clearwater was there； too； with his family—his
wife； Sue； whom I knew
vaguely from my childhood summers in Forks； and his two children。 Leah was a
senior like me； but a
year older。 She was beautiful in an exotic way—perfect copper skin；
glistening black hair； eyelashes like
feather dusters—and preoccupied。 She was on Billy's phone when we got in； and
she never let it go。
Seth was fourteen； he hung on Jacob's every word with idolizing eyes。
There were too many of us for the kitchen table； so Charlie and Harry brought
chairs out to the yard； and
we ate spaghetti off plates on our laps in the dim light from Billy's open
door。 The men talked about the
game； and Harry and Charlie made fishing plans。 Sue teased her husband about
his cholesterol and tried；
unsuccessfully； to shame him into eating something green and leafy。 Jacob
talked mostly to me and Seth；
who interrupted eagerly whenever Jacob seemed in danger of forgetting him。
Charlie watched me； trying
to be inconspicuous about it； with pleased but cautious eyes。
It was loud and sometimes confusing as everyone talked over everyone else； and
the laughter from one
joke interrupted the telling of another。 I didn't have to speak often； but I
smiled a lot； and only because I
felt like it。
I didn't want to leave。
This was Washington； though； and the inevitable rain eventually broke up the
party； Billy's living room
was much too small to provide an option for continuing the get…together。 Harry
had driven Charlie down；
so we rode together in my truck on