暮色-第31部分

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eyes　flickered　up　at　me　from　under　his　lashes；　the　hint　of　a　smirk　on　his　
face。　

〃Next。〃　

〃But　that's　the　easiest　one；〃　I　objected。　

〃Next；〃　he　repeated。　

I　looked　down；　frustrated。　I　unrolled　my　silverware；　picked　up　my　fork；　
and　carefully　speared　a　ravioli。　I　put　it　in　my　mouth　slowly；　still　
looking　down；　chewing　while　I　thought。　The　mushrooms　were　good。　I　
swallowed　and　took　another　sip　of　Coke　before　I　looked　up。　

〃Okay；　then。〃　I　glared　at　him；　and　continued　slowly。　〃Let's　say；　
hypothetically　of　course；　that…　someone…　could　know　what　people　are　
thinking；　read　minds；　you　know　—　with　a　few　exceptions。〃　

〃Just　one　exception；〃　he　corrected；　〃hypothetically。〃　

〃All　right；　with　one　exception；　then。〃　I　was　thrilled　that　he　was　playing　
along；　but　I　tried　to　seem　casual。　

〃How　does　that　work？　What　are　the　limitations？　How　would…　that　someone…　
find　someone　else　at　exactly　the　right　time？　How　would　he　know　she　was　in　
trouble？〃　I　wondered　if　my　convoluted　questions　even　made　sense。　

〃Hypothetically？〃　he　asked。　

〃Sure。〃　

〃Well；　if…　that　someone…〃　

〃Let's　call　him　'Joe；'〃　I　suggested。　

He　smiled　wryly。　〃Joe；　then。　If　Joe　had　been　paying　attention；　the　timing　
wouldn't　have　needed　to　be　quite　so　exact。〃　He　shook　his　head；　rolling　
his　eyes。　〃Only　you　could　get　into　trouble　in　a　town　this　small。　You　
would　have　devastated　their　crime　rate　statistics　for　a　decade；　you　know。〃　

〃We　were　speaking　of　a　hypothetical　case；〃　I　reminded　him　frostily。　

He　laughed　at　me；　his　eyes　warm。　

〃Yes；　we　were；〃　he　agreed。　〃Shall　we　call　you　'Jane'？〃　

〃How　did　you　know？〃　I　asked；　unable　to　curb　my　intensity。　I　realized　I　
was　leaning　toward　him　again。　

He　seemed　to　be　wavering；　torn　by　some　internal　dilemma。　His　eyes　locked　
with　mine；　and　I　guessed　he　was　making　the　decision　right　then　whether　or　
not　to　simply　tell　me　the　truth。　

〃You　can　trust　me；　you　know；〃　I　murmured。　I　reached　forward；　without　

thinking；　to　touch　his　folded　hands；　but　he　slid　them　away　minutely；　and　
I　pulled　my　hand　back。　

〃I　don't　know　if　I　have　a　choice　anymore。〃　His　voice　was　almost　a　
whisper。　〃I　was　wrong　—　you're　much　more　observant　than　I　gave　you　credit　
for。〃　

〃I　thought　you　were　always　right。〃　

〃I　used　to　be。〃　He　shook　his　head　again。　〃I　was　wrong　about　you　on　one　
other　thing；　as　well。　You're　not　a　mag　for　accidents　—　that's　not　a　
broad　enough　classification。　You　are　a　mag　for　trouble。　If　there　is　
anything　dangerous　within　a　tenmile　radius；　it　will　invariably　find　you。〃　

〃And　you　put　yourself　into　that　category？〃　I　guessed。　

His　face　turned　cold；　expressionless。　〃Unequivocally。〃　

I　stretched　my　hand　across　the　table　again　—　ignoring　him　when　he　pulled　
back　slightly　once　more　—　to　touch　the　back　of　his　hand　shyly　with　my　
fingertips。　His　skin　was　cold　and　hard；　like　a　stone。　

〃Thank　you。〃　My　voice　was　fervent　with　gratitude。　〃That's　twice　now。〃　

His　face　softened。　〃Let's　not　try　for　three；　agreed？〃　

I　scowled；　but　nodded。　He　moved　his　hand　out　from　under　mine；　placing　
both　of　his　under　the　table。　But　he　leaned　toward　me。　

〃I　followed　you　to　Port　Angeles；〃　he　admitted；　speaking　in　a　rush。　〃I've　
never　tried　to　keep　a　specific　person　alive　before；　and　it's　much　more　
troublesome　than　I　would　have　believed。　But　that's　probably　just　because　
it's　you。　Ordinary　people　seem　to　make　it　through　the　day　without　so　many　
catastrophes。〃　He　paused。　I　wondered　if　it　should　bother　me　that　he　was　
following　me；　instead　I　felt　a　strange　surge　of　pleasure。　He　stared；　
maybe　wondering　why　my　lips　were　curving　into　an　involuntary　smile。　

〃Did　you　ever　think　that　maybe　my　number　was　up　the　first　time；　with　the　
van；　and　that　you've　been　interfering　with　fate？〃　I　speculated；　
distracting　myself。　

〃That　wasn't　the　first　time；〃　he　said；　and　his　voice　was　hard　to　hear。　I　
stared　at　him　in　amazement；　but　he　was　looking　down。　〃Your　number　was　up　
the　first　time　I　met　you。〃　

I　felt　a　spasm　of　fear　at　his　words；　and　the　abrupt　memory　of　his　violent　
black　glare　that　first　day…　but　the　overwhelming　sense　of　safety　I　felt　
in　his　presence　stifled　it。　By　the　time　he　looked　up　to　read　my　eyes；　
there　was　no　trace　of　fear　in　them。　

〃You　remember？〃　he　asked；　his　angel's　face　grave。　

〃Yes。〃　I　was　calm。　

〃And　yet　here　you　sit。〃　There　was　a　trace　of　disbelief　in　his　voice；　he　
raised　one　eyebrow。　

〃Yes；　here　I　sit…　because　of　you。〃　I　paused。　〃Because　somehow　you　knew　
how　to　find　me　today…　？〃　I　prompted。　

He　pressed　his　lips　together；　staring　at　me　through　narrowed　eyes；　
deciding　again。　His　eyes　flashed　down　to　my　full　plate；　and　then　back　to　
me。　

〃You　eat；　I'll　talk；〃　he　bargained。　

I　quickly　scooped　up　another　ravioli　and　popped　it　in　my　mouth。　

〃It's　harder　than　it　should　be　—　keeping　track　of　you。　Usually　I　can　find　
someone　very　easily；　once　I've　heard　their　mind　before。〃　He　looked　at　me　
anxiously；　and　I　realized　I　had　frozen。　I　made　myself　swallow；　then　
stabbed　another　ravioli　and　tossed　it　in。　

〃I　was　keeping　tabs　on　Jessica；　not　carefully　—　like　I　said；　only　you　
could　find　trouble　in　Port　Angeles　—　and　at　first　I　didn't　notice　when　
you　took　off　on　your　own。　Then；　when　I　realized　that　you　weren't　with　her　
anymore；　I　went　looking　for　you　at　the　bookstore　I　saw　in　her　head。　I　
could　tell　that　you　hadn't　gone　in；　and　that　you'd　gone　south…　and　I　knew　
you　would　have　to　turn　around　soon。　So　I　was　just　waiting　for　you；　
randomly　searching　through　the　thoughts　of　people　on　the　street　—　to　see　
if　anyone　had　noticed　you　so　I　would　know　where　you　were。　I　had　no　reason　
to　be　worried…　but　I　was　strangely　anxious…〃　He　was　lost　in　thought；　
staring　past　me；　seeing　things　I　couldn't　imagine。　

〃I　started　to　drive　in　circles；　still…　listening。　The　sun　was　finally　
setting；　and　I　was　about　to　get　out　and　follow　you　on　foot。　And　then　—〃　
He　stopped；　clenching　his　teeth　together　in　sudden　fury。　He　made　an　
effort　to　calm　himself。　

〃Then　what？〃　I　whispered。　He　continued　to　stare　over　my　head。　

〃I　heard　what　they　were　thinking；〃　he　growled；　his　upper　lip　curling　
slightly　back　over　his　teeth。　〃I　saw　your　face　in　his　mind。〃　He　suddenly　
leaned　forward；　one　elbow　appearing　on　the　table；　his　hand　covering　his　
eyes。　The　movement　was　so　swift　it　startled　me。　

〃It　was　very…　hard　—　you　can't　imagine　how　hard　—　for　me　to　simply　take　
you　away；　and　leave　them…　alive。〃　His　voice　was　muffled　by　his　arm。　〃I　
could　have　let　you　go　with　Jessica　and　Angela；　but　I　was　afraid　if　you　
left　me　alone；　I　would　go　looking　for　them；〃　he　admitted　in　a　whisper。　

I　sat　quietly；　dazed；　my　thoughts　incoherent。　My　hands　were　folded　in　my　
lap；　and　I　was　leaning　weakly　against　the　back　of　the　seat。　He　still　had　
his　face　in　his　hand；　and　he　was　as　still　as　if　he'd　been　carved　from　the　
stone　his　skin　resembled。　

Finally　he　looked　up；　his　eyes　seeking　mine；　full　of　his　own　questions。　

〃Are　you　ready　to　go　home？〃　he　asked。　

〃I'm　ready　to　leave；〃　I　qualified；　overly　grateful　that　we　had　the　
hourlong　ride　home　together。　I　wasn't　ready　to　say　goodbye　to　him。　

The　waitress　appeared　as　if　she'd　been　called。　Or　watching。　

〃How　are　we　doing？〃　she　asked　Edward。　

〃We're　ready　for　the　check；　thank　you。〃　His　voice　was　quiet；　rougher；　
still　reflecting　the　strain　of　our　conversation。　It　seemed　to　muddle　her。　
He　looked　up；　waiting。　

〃Ssure；〃　she　stuttered。　〃Here　you　go。〃　She　pulled　a　small　leather　folder　
from　the　front　pocket　of　her　black　apron　and　handed　it　to　him。　

There　was　a　bill　in　his　hand　already。　He　slipped　it　into　the　folder　and　
handed　it　right　back　to　her。　

〃No　change。〃　He　smiled。　Then　he　stood　up；　and　I　scrambled　awkwardly　to　my　
feet。　

She　smiled　invitingly　at　him　again。　〃You　have　a　nice　evening。〃　

He　didn't　look　away　from　me　as　he　thanked　her。　I　suppressed　a　smile。　

He　walked　close　beside　me　to　the　door；　still　careful　not　to　touch　me。　I　
remembered　what　Jessica　had　said　about　her　relationship　with　Mike；　how　
they　were　almost　to　the　firstkiss　stage。　I　sighed。　Edward　seemed　to　hear　
me；　and　he　looked　down　curiously。　I　looked　at　the　sidewalk；　grateful　that　
he　didn't