I kept my face empty as I set the plate in front of him.

"Is that a fact?"

Charlie frowned. "Don't be petty, Bella. He sounded really low."

"He should," Edward hissed, seeming to remember just how mad he was at the mutt for what he'd said.

"Is Jacob paying you for all the P.R., or are you a volunteer?"

Charlie grumbled incoherently at me until the food cut off his garbled complaint.

Though he didn't realize it, he'd found his mark.

My life was feeling a lot like a game of dice right now - would the next roll come up snake eyes? What if something did happen to me? It seemed worse than petty to leave Jacob feeling guilty about what he'd said.

Edward bowed his head again, groaning.

"It looks like you'll never get rid of the pup," Emmett laughed.

"Stupid vampire coming and making her worried," Edward grumbled, seeming almost as mad about this point as he was that the vampire was even in her house in the first place.

But I didn't want to talk to him with Charlie around, to have to watch my every word so I didn't let the wrong thing slip. Thinking about this made me jealous of Jacob and Billy's relationship. How easy it must be when you had no secrets from the person you lived with.

So I would wait for the morning. I most likely wasn't going to die tonight, after all, and it wouldn't hurt him to feel guilty for twelve more hours.

"No it wouldn't," Edward said. "He deserves much worse for what he said."

It might even be good for him.

When Edward officially left for the evening, I wondered who was out in the downpour, keeping an eye on Charlie and me. I felt awful for Alice or whoever else it might be, but still comforted. I had to admit it was nice, knowing I wasn't alone. And Edward was back in record time.

He sang me to sleep again and - aware even in unconsciousness that he was there - I slept free of nightmares.

In the morning, Charlie left to go fishing with Deputy Mark before I was up. I decided to use this lack of supervision to be divine.

"I'm going to let Jacob off the hook," I warned Edward after I'd eaten breakfast.

"I knew you'd forgive him," he said with an easy smile.

"It doesn't look so easy now," Emmett laughed.

"I wonder how I managed that," Edward muttered to himself.

"Holding grudges is not one of your many talents."

I rolled my eyes, but I was pleased. It seemed like Edward really was over the whole anti-werewolf thing.

"That must be it," Emmett said. "Or you just want her to think that, so you're really trying to be understanding."

"I hope it's a little more than that," Edward said. "That makes it sound like I'm manipulating her..."

"All's fair in love and war," Emmett smiled. "And this is a little of both."

I didn't look at the clock until after I'd dialed. It was a little early for calls, and I worried that I would wake Billy and Jake, but someone picked up before the second ring, so he couldn't have been too far from the phone.

"Hello?" a dull voice said.

"Jacob?"

"Bella!" he exclaimed. "Oh, Bella, I'm so sorry!" he tripped over the words as he hurried to get them out. "I swear I didn't mean it. I was just being stupid. I was angry - but that's no excuse. It was the stupidest thing I've ever said in my life and I'm sorry. Don't be mad at me, please? Please. Lifetime of servitude up for grabs - all you have to do is forgive me."

"I'm not mad. You're forgiven."

"Thank you," he breathed fervently. "I can't believe I was such a jerk."

"Don't worry about that - I'm used to it."

He laughed, exuberant with relief. "Come down to see me," he begged. "I want to make it up to you."

"I really don't like that idea," Edward said, "even more than just because I hate her to be near the wolf," he seemed to add before Emmett could tease him about being jealous. "I don't think I want her out of my sight with a new vampire being so near."

I frowned. "How?"

"Anything you want. Cliff diving," he suggested, laughing again.

Edward hissed at that.

"Oh, there's a brilliant idea."

"I'll keep you safe," he promised. "No matter what you want to do."

I glanced at Edward. His face was very calm, but I was sure this was not the time.

"Not right now."

"He's not thrilled with me, is he?" Jacob's voice was ashamed, rather than bitter, for once.

Edward's anger seemed to loosen at that.

At least he really seems to know that he was wrong, Alice thought to Edward.

"That's not the problem. There's . . . well, there's this other problem that's slightly more worrisome than a bratty teenage werewolf. . . ." I tried to keep my tone joking, but I didn't fool him.

"Huh," Edward said, suddenly brightening up.

"What is it?" Jasper asked, seeing as Edward seemed to be more relaxed now than he had been in any other part of this chapter.

"The wolves," Edward replied. "They could help us with this... they would want to find this new vampire as much as we would."

"What's wrong?" he demanded.

"Um." I wasn't sure what I should tell him.

Edward held his hand out for the phone. I looked at his face carefully. He seemed calm enough.

"Bella?" Jacob asked.

Edward sighed, holding his hand closer.

"Do you mind speaking to Edward?" I asked apprehensively. "He wants to talk to you."

There was a long pause.

"Okay," Jacob finally agreed. "This should be interesting."

And Emmett seemed to agree wholeheartedly with that statement.