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favorite。 The fridge keeps it drier。〃 He shrugged。
〃Thanks；〃 I repeated； but with feeling this time。 〃I was running out of
new ways to fix fish； and he's bound to bring home more tonight。〃
〃Fishing again？〃 Billy asked with a subtle gleam in his eye。 〃Down at the
usual spot？ Maybe I'll run by and see him。〃
〃No；〃 I quickly lied； my face going hard。 〃He was headed someplace new…
but I have no idea where。〃
He took in my changed expression； and it made him thoughtful。
〃Jake；〃 he said； still appraising me。 〃Why don't you go get that new
picture of Rebecca out of the car？ I'll leave that for Charlie； too。〃
〃Where is it？〃 Jacob asked； his voice morose。 I glanced at him； but he
was staring at the floor； his eyebrows pulling together。
〃I think I saw it in the trunk；〃 Billy said。 〃You may have to dig for it。〃
Jacob slouched back out into the rain。
Billy and I faced each other in silence。 After a few seconds； the quiet
started to feel awkward； so I turned and headed to the kitchen。 I could
hear his wet wheels squeak against the linoleum as he followed。
I shoved the bag onto the crowded top shelf of the fridge； and spun
around to confront him。 His deeply lined face was unreadable。
〃Charlie won't be back for a long time。〃 My voice was almost rude。
He nodded in agreement； but said nothing。
〃Thanks again for the fish fry；〃 I hinted。
He continued nodding。 I sighed and folded my arms across my chest。
He seemed to sense that I had given up on small talk。 〃Bella；〃 he said；
and then he hesitated。
I waited。
〃Bella；〃 he said again； 〃Charlie is one of my best friends。〃
〃Yes。〃
He spoke each word carefully in his rumbling voice。 〃I noticed you've
been spending time with one of the Cullens。〃
〃Yes；〃 I repeated curtly。
His eyes narrowed。 〃Maybe it's none of my business； but I don't think
that is such a good idea。〃
〃You're right；〃 I agreed。 〃It is none of your business。〃
He raised his graying eyebrows at my tone。 〃You probably don't know this；
but the Cullen family has an unpleasant reputation on the reservation。〃
〃Actually； I did know that；〃 I informed him in a hard voice。 This
surprised him。 〃But that reputation couldn't be deserved； could it？
Because the Cullens never set foot on the reservation； do they？〃 I could
see that my less than subtle reminder of the agreement that both bound
and protected his tribe pulled him up short。
〃That's true；〃 he acceded； his eyes guarded。 〃You seem… well informed
about the Cullens。 More informed than I expected。〃
I stared him down。 〃Maybe even better informed than you are。〃
He pursed his thick lips as he considered that。 〃Maybe。〃 he allowed； but
his eyes were shrewd。 〃Is Charlie as well informed？〃
He had found the weak chink in my armor。
〃Charlie likes the Cullens a lot；〃 I hedged。 He clearly understood my
evasion。 His expression was unhappy； but unsurprised。
〃It's not my business；〃 he said。 〃But it may be Charlie's。〃
〃Though it would be my business； again； whether or not I think that it's
Charlie's business； right？〃
I wondered if he even understood my confused question as I struggled not
to say anything promising。 But he seemed to。 He thought about it while
the rain picked up against the roof； the only sound breaking the silence。
〃Yes；〃 he finally surrendered。 〃I guess that's your business； too。〃
I sighed with relief。 〃Thanks； Billy。〃
〃Just think about what you're doing； Bella；〃 he urged。
〃Okay；〃 I agreed quickly。
He frowned。 〃What I meant to say was； don't do what you're doing。〃
I looked into his eyes； filled with nothing but concern for me； and there
was nothing I could say。
Just then the front door banged loudly； and I jumped at the sound。
〃There's no picture anywhere in that car。〃 Jacob's plaining voice
reached us before he did。 The shoulders of his shirt were stained with
the rain； his hair dripping； when he rounded the corner。
〃Hmm；〃 Billy grunted； suddenly detached； spinning his chair around to
face his son。 〃I guess I left it at home。〃
Jacob rolled his eyes dramatically。 〃Great。〃
〃Well； Bella； tell Charlie〃 — Billy paused before continuing — 〃that we
stopped by； I mean。〃
〃I will；〃 I muttered。
Jacob was surprised。 〃Are we leaving already？〃
〃Charlie's gonna be out late；〃 Billy explained as he rolled himself past
Jacob。
〃Oh。〃 Jacob looked disappointed。 〃Well； I guess I'll see you later； then；
Bella。〃
〃Sure；〃 I agreed。
〃Take care；〃 Billy warned me。 I didn't answer。
Jacob helped his father out the door。 I waved briefly； glancing swiftly
toward my nowempty truck； and then shut the door before they were gone。
I stood in the hallway for a minute； listening to the sound of their car
as it backed out and drove away。 I stayed where I was； waiting for the
irritation and anxiety to subside。 When the tension eventually faded a
bit； I headed upstairs to change out of my dressy clothes。
I tried on a couple of different tops； not sure what to expect tonight。
As I concentrated on what was ing； what had just passed became
insignificant。 Now that I was removed from Jasper's and Edward's
influence； I began to make up for not being terrified before。 I gave up
quickly on choosing an outfit — throwing on an old flannel shirt and
jeans — knowing I would be in my raincoat all night anyway。
The phone rang and I sprinted downstairs to get it。 There was only one
voice I wanted to hear； anything else would be a disappointment。 But I
knew that if he wanted to talk to me； he'd probably just materialize in
my room。
〃Hello？〃 I asked； breathless。
〃Bella？ It's me；〃 Jessica said。
〃Oh； hey； Jess。〃 I scrambled for a moment to e back down to reality。
It felt like months rather than days since I'd spoken to Jess。 〃How was
the dance？〃
〃It was so much fun！〃 Jessica gushed。 Needing no more invitation than
that； she launched into a minutebyminute account of the previous night。
I mmm'd and ahh'd at the right places； but it wasn't easy to concentrate。
Jessica； Mike； the dance； the school — they all seemed strangely
irrelevant at t