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room； looking as his feet all the time。 “You and Edward seem pretty serious； and there are some things that
you need to be careful about。 I know you’re an adult now； but you’re still young； Bella； and there are a lot of
important things you need to know when you 。 。 。 well； when you’re physically involved with —”
“Oh； please； please no！” I begged； jumping to my feet。 “Please tell me you are not trying to have a sex
talk with me； Charlie。”
He glared at the floor。 “I am your father。 I have responsibilities。 Remember； I’m just as embarrassed as
you are。”
“I don’t think that’s humanly possible。 Anyway； Mom beat you to the punch about ten years ago。 You’re
off the hook。”
“Ten years ago you didn’t have a boyfriend；” he muttered unwillingly。 I could tell he was battling with his
desire to drop the subject。 We were both standing up； looking at the floor； and facing away from each other。
“I don’t think the essentials have changed that much；” I mumbled； and my face had to be as red as his。
This was beyond the seventh circle of Hades； even worse was realizing that Edward had known this was
ing。 No wonder he’d seemed so smug in the car。
“Just tell me that you two are being responsible；” Charlie pled； obviously wishing a pit would open in the
floor so that he could fall in。
“Don’t worry about it； Dad； it’s not like that。”
“Not that I don’t trust you； Bella； but I know you don’t want to tell me anything about this； and you know
I don’t really want to hear it。 I will try to be openminded； though。 I know the times have changed。”
I laughed awkwardly。 “Maybe the times have； but Edward is very oldfashioned。 You have nothing to
worry about。”
Charlie sighed。 “Sure he is；” he muttered。
“Ugh！” I groaned。 “I really wish you were not forcing me to say this out loud； Dad。 Really。 But 。 。 。 I am a
。 。 。 virgin； and I have no immediate plans to change that status。”
We both cringed； but then Charlie’s face smoothed out。 He seemed to believe me。
“Can I go to bed； now？ Please。”
“In a minute；” he said。
“Aw； please； Dad？ I’m begging you。”
“The embarrassing part’s over； I promise；” he assured me。
I shot a glance at him； and was grateful to see that he looked more relaxed； that his face was back to its
regular color。 He sank down onto the sofa； sighing with relief that he was past the sex speech。
“What now？”
“I just wanted to know how the balance thing is ing along。”
“Oh。 Good； I guess。 I made plans with Angela today。 I’m going to help her with her graduation
announcements。 Just us girls。”
“That’s nice。 And what about Jake？”
I sighed。 “I haven’t figured that one out yet； Dad。”
“Keep trying； Bella。 I know you’ll do the right thing。 You’re a good person。”
Nice。 So if I didn’t figure out some way to make things right with Jacob； then I was a bad person？ That
was below the belt。
“Sure； sure；” I agreed。 The automatic response almost made me smile — it was something I’d picked up
from Jacob。 I even said it in the same patronizing tone he used with his own father。
Charlie grinned and turned the sound back on。 He slumped lower into the cushions； pleased with his
night’s work。 I could tell he would be up with the game for a while。
“’Night； Bells。”
“See you in the morning！” I sprinted for the stairs。
Edward was long gone and he wouldn’t be back until Charlie was asleep — he was probably out hunting
or something to pass the time — so I was in no hurry to undress for bed。 I wasn’t in the mood to be alone； but
I certainly wasn’t going to go back downstairs to hang out with my Dad； just in case he thought of some topic
of sex education that he hadn’t touched on before； I shuddered。
So； thanks to Charlie； I was wound up and anxious。 My homework was done and I didn’t feel mellow
enough for reading or just listening to music。 I considered calling Renée with the news of my visit； but then I
realized that it was three hours later in Florida； and she would be asleep。
I could call Angela； I supposed。
But suddenly I knew that it wasn’t Angela that I wanted to talk to。 That I needed to talk to。
I stared at the blank black window； biting my lip。 I don’t know how long I stood there weighing the pros
against the cons — doing the right thing by Jacob； seeing my closest friend again； being a good person； versus
making Edward furious with me。 Ten minutes maybe。 Long enough to decide that the pros were valid while the
cons were not。 Edward was only concerned about my safety； and I knew that there was really no problem on
that count。
The phone wasn’t any help； Jacob had refused to answer my phone calls since Edward’s return。 Besides；
I needed to see him — see him smiling again the way he used to。 I needed to replace that awful last memory
of his face warped and twisted by pain if I was ever going to have any peace of mind。
I had an hour probably。 I could make a quick run down to La Push and be back before Edward realized I
had gone。 It was past my curfew； but would Charlie really care about that when Edward wasn’t involved？
One way to find out。
I grabbed my jacket and shoved my arms through the sleeves as I ran down the stairs。
Charlie looked up from the game； instantly suspicious。
“You care if I go see Jake tonight？” I asked breathlessly。 “I won’t stay long。”
As soon as I said Jake’s name； Charlie’s expression relaxed into a smug smile。 He didn’t seem surprised
at all that his lecture had taken effect so quickly。 “Sure； kid。 No problem。 Stay as long as you like。”
“Thanks； Dad；” I said as I darted out the door。
Like any fugitive； I couldn’t help looking over my shoulder a few times while I jogged to my truck； but the
night was so black that there really was no point。 I had to feel my way along the side of the truck to the
handle。
My eyes were just beginning to adjust as I shoved my keys in the ignition。 I twisted them hard to the left；
but instead of roaring deafeningly to life； the engine just clicked。 I tried it again with the same results。
And then a small motion in my peripheral vision made me jum