1 twilight暮色- 第35部分

I　picked　up　a　breadstick　and　began　nibbling　on　the　end；　measuring　his　
expression。　I　wondered　when　it　would　be　okay　to　start　questioning　him。　

〃Usually　you're　in　a　better　mood　when　your　eyes　are　so　light；〃　I　
mented；　trying　to　distract　him　from　whatever　thought　had　left　him　
frowning　and　somber。　

He　stared　at　me；　stunned。　〃What？〃　

〃You're　always　crabbier　when　your　eyes　are　black　—　I　expect　it　then；〃　I　
went　on。　〃I　have　a　theory　about　that。〃　

His　eyes　narrowed。　〃More　theories？〃　

〃Mmhm。〃　I　chewed　on　a　small　bite　of　the　bread；　trying　to　look　
indifferent。　

〃I　hope　you　were　more　creative　this　time…　or　are　you　still　stealing　from　
ic　books？〃　His　faint　smile　was　mocking；　his　eyes　were　still　tight。　

〃Well；　no；　I　didn't　get　it　from　a　ic　book；　but　I　didn't　e　up　with　
it　on　my　own；　either；〃　I　confessed。　

〃And？〃　he　prompted。　

But　then　the　waitress　strode　around　the　partition　with　my　food。　I　
realized　we'd　been　unconsciously　leaning　toward　each　other　across　the　
table；　because　we　both　straightened　up　as　she　approached。　She　set　the　
dish　in　front　of　me　—　it　looked　pretty　good　—　and　turned　quickly　to　
Edward。　

〃Did　you　change　your　mind？〃　she　asked。　〃Isn't　there　anything　I　can　get　
you？〃　I　may　have　been　imagining　the　double　meaning　in　her　words。　

〃No；　thank　you；　but　some　more　soda　would　be　nice。〃　He　gestured　with　a　
long　white　hand　to　the　empty　cups　in　front　of　me。　

〃Sure。〃　She　removed　the　empty　glasses　and　walked　away。　

〃You　were　saying？〃　he　asked。　

〃I'll　tell　you　about　it　in　the　car。　If…〃　I　paused。　

〃There　are　conditions？〃　He　raised　one　eyebrow；　his　voice　ominous。　

〃I　do　have　a　few　questions；　of　course。〃　

〃Of　course。〃　

The　waitress　was　back　with　two　more　Cokes。　She　sat　them　down　without　a　
word　this　time；　and　left　again。　

I　took　a　sip。　

〃Well；　go　ahead；〃　he　pushed；　his　voice　still　hard。　

I　started　with　the　most　undemanding。　Or　so　I　thought。　〃Why　are　you　in　
Port　Angeles？〃　

He　looked　down；　folding　his　large　hands　together　slowly　on　the　table。　His　
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