第16部分(第7/7 頁)

；　and　I　think　Embry　got　named　after　a

soap　opera　star。　I　can't

say　anything；　though。　They　fight　dirty　if　you　start　on　their　names—they'll

tag　team　you。〃

〃Good　friends。〃　I　raised　one　eyebrow。

〃No；　they　are。　Just　don't　mess　with　their　names。〃

Just　then　a　call　echoed　in　the　distance。　〃Jacob？〃　someone　shouted。

〃Is　that　Billy？〃　I　asked。

〃No。〃　Jacob　ducked　his　head；　and　it　looked　like　he　was　blushing　under　his

brown　skin。　〃Speak　of　the

devil；〃　he　mumbled；　〃and　the　devil　shall　appear。〃

〃Jake？　Are　you　out　here？〃　The　shouting　voice　was　closer　now。

〃Yeah！〃　Jacob　shouted　back；　and　sighed。

We　waited　through　the　short　silence　until　two　tall；　dark…skinned　boys　strolled

around　the　corner　into　the

shed。

One　was　slender；　and　almost　as　tall　as　Jacob。　His　black　hair　was　chin…length

and　parted　down　the

middle；　one　side　tucked　behind　his　left　ear　while　the　right　side　swung　free。

The　shorter　boy　was　more

burly。　His　white　T…shirt　strained　over　his　well…developed　chest；　and　he　seemed

gleefully　conscious　of　that

fact。　His　hair　was　so　short　it　was　almost　a　buzz。

Both　boys　stopped　short　when　they　saw　me。　The　thin　boy　glanced　swiftly　back

and　forth　between　Jacob

and　me；　while　the　brawny　boy　kept　his　eyes　on　me；　a　slow　smile　spreading

across　his　face。

〃Hey；　guys；〃　Jacob　greeted　them　halfheartedly。

〃Hey；　Jake；〃　the　short　one　said　without　looking　away　from　me。　I　had　to　smile

in　response；　his　grin　was　so

impish。　When　I　did；　he　winked　at　me。　〃Hi；　there。〃

〃Quil；　Embry—this　is　my　friend；　Bella