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smooth—masklike。 He didn't fool me； I could see the faint trembling of his hands。
Hostility rolled off of him in waves。 It brought back that awful afternoon when he'd chosen Sam over me；
and I felt my chin jerk up defensively in response。
Jacob's Rabbit idled by the curb with Jared behind the wheel and Embry in the passenger seat。 I
understood what this meant： they were afraid to let him e here alone。 It made me sad； and a little
annoyed。 The Cullens weren't like that。
〃Hey；〃 I finally said when he didn't speak。
Jake pursed his lips； still hanging back from the door。 His eyes flickered across the front of the house。
I ground my teeth。 〃She's not here。 Do you need something？〃
He hesitated。 〃You're alone？〃
〃Yes。〃 I sighed。
〃Can I talk to you a minute？〃
〃Of course you can； Jacob。 e on in。〃
Jacob glanced over his shoulder at his friends in the car。 I saw Embry shake his head just a tiny bit。 For
some reason； this bugged me to no end。
My teeth clenched together again。 〃Chicken〃 I mumbled under my breath。
Jake's eyes flashed back to me； his thick； black brows pushing into a furious angle over his deepset
eyes。 His jaw set； and he marched—there was no other way to describe the way he moved—up the
sidewalk and shrugged past me into the house。
I locked gazes with first Jared and then Embry—I didn't like the hard way they eyed me； did they really
think I would let anything hurt Jacob？—before I shut the door on them。
Jacob was in the hall behind me； staring at the mess of blankets in the living room。
〃Slumber party？〃 he asked； his tone sarcastic。
〃Yeah；〃 I answered with the same level of acid。 I didn't like Jacob when he acted this way。 〃What's it to
you？〃
He wrinkled his nose again like he smelled something unpleasant。 〃Where's your 'friend'？〃 I could hear
the quotation marks in his tone。
〃She had some errands to run。 Look； Jacob； what do you want？〃
Something about the room seemed to make him edgier—his long arms were quivering。 He didn't answer
my question。 Instead he moved on to the kitchen； his restless eyes darting everywhere。
I followed him。 He paced back and forth along the short counter。
〃Hey；〃 I said； putting myself in his way。 He stopped pacing and stared down at me。 〃What's your
problem？〃
〃I don't like having to be here。〃
That stung。 I winced； and his eyes tightened。
〃Then I'm sorry you had to e；〃 I muttered。 〃Why don't you tell me what you need so you can leave？〃
〃I just have to ask you a couple of questions。 It shouldn't take long。 We have to get back for the funeral。〃
〃Okay。 Get it over with then。〃 I was probably overdoing it with the antagonism； but I didn't want him to
see how much this hurt。 I knew I wasn't being fair。 After all； I'd picked the bloodsucker over him last
night。 I'd hurt him first。
He took a deep breath； and his trembling fingers were suddenly still。 His face smoothed into a serene
mask。
〃One of the Cullens is staying here with you；〃 he stated。
〃Yes。 Alice Cullen。〃
He nodded thoughtfully。 〃How long is she here for？〃
〃As long as she wants to be。〃 The belligerence was still there in my tone。 〃It's an open invitation。〃
〃Do you think you could… please… explain to her about the other one—Victoria？〃
I paled。 〃I told her about that。〃
He nodded。 〃You should know that we can only watch our own lands with a Cullen here。 You'll only be
safe in La Push。 I can't protect you here anymore。〃
〃Okay；〃 I said in a small voice。
He looked away then； out the back windows。 He didn't continue。
〃Is that all？〃
He kept his eyes on the glass as he answered。 〃Just one more thing。〃
I waited； but he didn't continue。 〃Yes？〃 I finally prompted。
〃Are the rest of them ing back now？〃 he asked in a cool； quiet voice。 It reminded me of Sam's
always calm manner。 Jacob was being more like Sam… I wondered why that bothered me so much。
Now I didn't speak。 He looked back at my face with probing eyes。
〃Well？〃 he asked。 He struggled to conceal the tension behind his serene expression。
〃No。〃 I said finally。 Grudgingly。 〃They aren't ing back。〃
His expression didn't change。 〃Okay。 That's all。〃
I glared at him； annoyance rekindled。 〃Well； run along now。 Go tell Sam that the scary monsters aren't
ing to get you。〃
〃Okay；〃 he repeated； still calm。
That seemed to be it。 Jacob walked swiftly from the kitchen。 I waited to hear the front door open； but I
heard nothing。 I could hear the clock over the stove ticking； and I marveled again at how quiet he'd
bee。
What a disaster。 How could I have alienated him so pletely in such a short amount of time？
Would he forgive me when Alice was gone？ What if he didn't？
I slumped against the counter and buried my face in my hands。 How had I made such a mess of
everything？ But what could I have done differently？ Even in hindsight； I couldn't think of any better way；
any perfect course of action。
〃Bella… ？〃 Jacob asked in a troubled voice。
I pulled my face out of my hands to see Jacob hesitating in the kitchen doorway； he hadn't left when I'd
thought。 It was only when I saw the clear drops sparkling in my hands that I realized I was crying。
Jacob's calm expression was gone； his face was anxious and unsure。 He walked quickly back to stand in
front of me； ducking his head so that his eyes were closer to being on the same level with mine。
〃Did it again； didn't I？〃
〃Did what？〃 I asked； my voice cracking。
〃Broke my promise。 Sorry。〃
〃'S'okay；〃 I mumbled。 〃I started it this time。〃
His face twisted。 〃I knew how you felt about them。 It shouldn't have taken me by surprise like that。〃
I could see the revulsion in his eyes。 I wanted to explain to him what Alice was really like； to defend her
against the judgments he'd made； but something warned me that now was not the time。
So I just said； 〃Sorry；〃 again。
〃Let's not worry about it； okay？ She's just visiting； right？ She'll leave； and things will go back to normal。〃
〃Can't I be friends with you both at the same time？〃 I asked； my voice not hiding an ounce of the hurt I
felt。
He sh