2 new+moon新月-第24部分
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Effortlessly； without a conscious mand to the muscles around my lips； my answering smile spread
across my face。 A strange feeling of warmth bubbled up in my throat； despite the icy rain splattering on
my cheeks。
〃Hi； Jacob。〃
〃Good call on inviting Billy up。〃 He held up his hand for a high five。
I had to reach so high to slap his hand that he laughed。
Harry showed up to get Billy just a few minutes later。 Jacob took me on a brief tour of his tiny room
while we waited to be unsupervised。
〃So where to； Mr。 Goodwrench？〃 I asked as soon as the door closed behind Billy。
Jacob pulled a folded paper out of his pocket and smoothed it out。 〃We'll start at the dump first； see if
we can get lucky。 This could get a little expensive；〃 he warned me。 〃Those bikes are going to need a lot
of help before they'll run again。〃 My face didn't look worried enough； so he continued。 〃I'm talking about
maybe more than a hundred dollars here。〃
I pulled my checkbook out； fanned myself with it； and rolled my eyes at his worries。 〃We're covered。〃
It was a very strange kind of day。 I enjoyed myself。 Even at the dump； in the slopping rain and
ankledeep mud。 I wondered at first if it was just the aftershock of losing the numbness； but I didn't think
that was enough of an explanation。
I was beginning to think it was mostly Jacob。 It wasn't just that he was always so happy to see me； or
that he didn't watch me out of the corner of his eye； waiting for me to do something that would mark me
as crazy or depressed。 It was nothing that related to me at all。
It was Jacob himself。 Jacob was simply a perpetually happy person； and he carried that happiness with
him like an aura； sharing it with whoever was near him。 Like an earthbound sun； whenever someone was
within his gravitational pull； Jacob warmed them。 It was natural； a part of who he was。 No wonder I was
so eager to see him。
Even when he mented on the gaping hole in my dashboard； it didn't send me into a panic like it
should have。
〃Did the stereo break？〃 he wondered。
〃Yeah；〃 I lied。
He poked around in the cavity。 〃Who took it out？ There's a lot of damage…〃
〃I did；〃 I admitted。
He laughed。 〃Maybe you shouldn't touch the motorcycles too much。〃
〃No problem。〃
According to Jacob； we did get lucky at the dump。 He was very excited about several greaseblackened
pieces of twisted metal that he found； I was just impressed that he could tell what they were supposed to
be。
From there we went to the Checker Auto Parts down in Hoquiam。 In my truck； it was more than a two
hour drive south on the winding freeway； but the time passed easily with Jacob。 He chattered about his
friends and his school； and I found myself asking questions； not even pretending； truly curious to hear
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 twentythree 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 cloakanddagger。 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
