第16部分(第5/7 頁)

　me。〃

〃Swee…eet。〃　He　made　the　word　into　two　syllables。

〃Wait　a　sec—are　you　legal　yet？　When's　your　birthday？〃

〃You　missed　it；〃　he　teased；　narrowing　his　eyes　in　mock　resentment。　〃I'm

sixteen。〃

〃Not　that　your　age　ever　stopped　you　before；〃　I　muttered。　〃Sorry　about　your

birthday。〃

〃Don't　worry　about　it。　I　missed　yours。　What　are　you；　forty？〃

I　sniffed。　〃Close。〃

〃We'll　have　a　joint　party　to　make　up　for　it。〃

〃Sounds　like　a　date。〃

His　eyes　sparkled　at　the　word。

I　needed　to　reign　in　the　enthusiasm　before　I　gave　him　the　wrong　idea—it　was

just　that　it　had　been　a　long

time　since　I'd　felt　so　light　and　buoyant。　The　rarity　of　the　feeling　made　it

more　difficult　to　manage。

〃Maybe　when　the　bikes　are　finished—our　present　to　ourselves；〃　I　added。

〃Deal。　When　will　you　bring　them　down？〃

I　bit　my　lip；　embarrassed。　〃They're　in　my　truck　now；〃　I　admitted。

〃Great。〃　He　seemed　to　mean　it。

〃Will　Billy　see　if　we　bring　them　around？〃

He　winked　at　me。　〃We'll　be　sneaky。〃

We　eased　around　from　the　east；　sticking　to　the　trees　when　we　were　in　view　of

the　windows；　affecting　a

casual…looking　stroll；　just　in　case。　Jacob　unloaded　the　bikes　swiftly　from　the

truck　bed；　wheeling　them

one　by　one　into　the　shrubbery　where　I　hid。　It　looked　too　easy　for　him—I'd

remembered　the　bikes　being

much；　much　heavier　than　that。

〃These　aren't　half　bad；〃　Jacob　appraised　as　we　pushed　them　through　the　cover

of　the　trees。　〃This　one

here　will　actually　be　worth　something　when　I'm　done—it's　an　old　Harley

Sprint。〃

〃That　one's　yours；　then。〃

〃Are　you　sure？〃

〃Absolutely。〃

〃These　are　going　to　take