leaned her head to one side thoughtfully.
"Usually you're in a better mood when your eyes are so light," she said in a casual tone.
Her observation, stated so matter of factly, left me reeling. "What?"
"You're always crabbier when your eyes are black-I expect it then. I have a theory about that," she
added lightly.
So she had come up with her own explanation. Of course she had. I felt a deep sense of dread as I
wondered how close she'd come to the truth.
"More theories?"
"Mm-hm." She chewed on another bite, entirely nonchalant. As if she weren't discussing the aspects of
a monster with the monster himself.
"I hope you were more creative this time..." I lied when she didn't continue.
What I really hoped was that she was wrong -miles wide of the mark. "Or are you still stealing from
comic books?"
"Well, no, I didn't get it from a comic book," she said, a little embarrassed. "But I didn't come up with it
on my own, either."
"And?" I asked between my teeth.
Surely should would not speak so calmly if she were about to scream. As she hesitated, biting her lip, the
waitress reappeared with Bella's food. I paid the server little attention as she set the plate in front of
Bella and then asked if I wanted anything.
I declined, but asked for more coke. The waitress hadn't noticed the empty glasses. She took them and
left.
"You were saying?" I prompted anxiously as soon as we were alone again.
"I'll tell you about it in the car," she said in a low voice. Ah, this would be bad. She wasn't willing to
speak her guesses around others. "If..." she tacked on suddenly.
"There are conditions?" I was so tense I almost growled the words.
"I do have a few questions, of course."
"Of course," I agreed, my voice hard.
Her questions would probably be enough to tell me where her thoughts were heading. But how would I
answer them? With responsible lies? Or would I drive her away with truth? Or would I say nothing,
unable to decide?
We sat in silence while the waitress replenished her supply of soda.
"Well, go ahead," I said, jaw locked, when she was gone.
"Why are you in Port Angeles?"
That was too easy a question-for her. It gave away nothing, while my answer, if truthful, would give
away much too much. Let her reveal something first.
"Next," I said.
"But that's the easiest one!'
"Next," I said again.
She was frustrated by my refusal. She looked away from me, down to her food. Slowly, thinking hard,
she took a bite and chewed with deliberation. She washed it down with more coke, and then finally
looked up at me. Her eyes were narrow with suspicion.
"Okay then," she said. "Let's say, hypothetically, of course, that...someone...could know what people are
thinking, read minds, you know-with just a few exceptions."
It could be worse.
This explained that little half-smile in the car. She was quick-no one else had ever guessed this about
me. Except for Carlisle, and it had been rather obvious then, in the beginning, when I'd answered all his
thoughts as if he'd spoken them to me. He'd understood before I had...
This question wasn't so bad. While it was clear that she knew that there was something wrong with me,
was not as serious as it could have been. Mind-reading was, after all, not a facet of the vampire cannon.
I went along with her hypothesis. "Just one exception," I corrected. "Hypothetically."
She fought a smile-my vague honesty pleased her. "All right, with one exception, then. How does that
work? What are the limitations? How would... that someone...find someone else at exactly the right
time? How would he know that she was in trouble?"#p#分页标题#e#
"Hypothetically?"
"Sure." Her lips twitched, and her liquid brown eyes were eager.
"Well," I hesitated. "If...that someone..."
"Let's call him 'Joe,'" she suggested.
I had to smile at her enthusiasm. Did she really think the truth would be a good thing? If my secrets
were pleasant, why would I keep them from her?
"Joe, then," I agreed. "If Joe had been paying attention, the timing wouldn't have needed to be quite so
exact." I shook my head and repressed a shudder at the thought of how close I had been to being too
late today. "Only you could get into trouble in a town this small. You would have devastated their crime
rate statistics for a decade, you know."
Her lips turned down at the corners, and pouted out. "We were speaking of a hypothetical case."
I laughed at her irritation.
Her lips, her skin... They looked so soft. I wanted to touch them. I wanted to press my fingertip against
the corner of her frown and turn it up. Impossible. My skin would be repellent to her.
"Yes, we were," I said, returning to the conversation before I could depress myself too thoroughly. "Shall