第20部分(第1/7 頁)

out　a　little　bit。〃

〃Why？〃

He　looked　down；　pausing　for　so　long　that　I　wondered　if　he　hadn't　heard　my

question。　Finally；　he　asked

me；　〃Bella；　if　I　told　you　that　I　couldn't　fix　these　bikes；　what　would　you

say？〃

I　didn't　answer　right　away；　either；　and　he　glanced　up　to　check　my　expression。

〃I　would　say　that's　too　bad；　but　I'll　bet　we　could　figure　out　something　else

to　do。　If　we　got　really

desperate；　we　could　even　do　homework。〃

Jacob　smiled；　and　his　shoulders　relaxed。　He　sat　down　next　to　the　bike　and

picked　up　a　wrench。　〃So　you

think　you'll　still　e　over　when　I'm　done；　then？〃

〃Is　that　what　you　meant？〃　I　shook　my　head。　〃I　guess　I　am　taking　advantage　of

your　very　underpriced

mechanical　skills。　But　as　long　as　you　let　me　e　over；　I'll　be　here。〃

〃Hoping　to　see　Quil　again？〃　he　teased。

〃You　caught　me。〃

He　chuckled。　〃You　really　like　spending　time　with　me？〃　he　asked；　marveling。

〃Very；　very　much。　And　I'll　prove　it。　I　have　to　work　tomorrow；　but　Wednesday

we'll　do　something

nonmechanical。〃

〃Like　what？〃

〃I　have　no　idea。　We　can　go　to　my　place　so　you　won't　be　tempted　to　be

obsessive。　You　could　bring　your

schoolwork—you　have　to　be　getting　behind；　because　I　know　I　am。〃

〃Homework　might　be　a　good　idea。〃　He　made　a　face；　and　I　wondered　how　much　he

was　leaving　undone

to　be　with　me。

〃Yes；〃　I　agreed。　〃We'll　have　to　start　being　responsible　occasionally；　or　Billy

and　Charlie　aren't　going　to　be

so　easygoing　about　this。〃　I　made　a　gesture　indicating　the　two　of　us　as　a

single　entity。　He　liked　that—he

beamed。

〃Homework　once　a　week？〃　he　proposed。

〃Maybe　we'd　better