"You don't mean that." It was just like me to hurt Jacob like this. I was definitely my mother's daughter. She'd always hurt him unintentionally. Or perhaps I was more my father's daughter. He'd go to any length to hurt Jacob after the things he'd done to my mother. Even now, he'd hurt him without a second thought.

His brow furrowed again. "Of course I do. I always have, Nessie. Of course, before, it was in a different way. But now.." He looked down and then looked me straight in the eye. "I truly mean it. And I always will."

I sighed. All I wanted was to say it back, to really mean it. I could, and it wouldn't be a lie. But something deep inside me made me feel as though telling him that would only make it worse. It would only make the tears that were coming back now stream faster and faster until I was full-on sobbing. And it would only make it worse for him.

He looked at his watch when I didn't respond. "I was going to take you to the reservation, but maybe we should just hang out here." He paused for a beat. "All your bloodsuckers are inside, right?"

My throat closed. I hated when Jacob called my family "bloodsuckers" or "leeches". It hurt, mostly because I myself was half "bloodsucker." He tended to forget that a lot.

He saw the hurt register in my eyes and gulped. "I mean, your family… they're all in the house, right?"

"Carlisle and Esme went hunting somewhere north. They won't be back till tomorrow," I said. That wouldn't bother him nor make him happy, because my grandparents were the only ones in my family that didn't get on his nerves. "But everyone else is in the house, yes. I'm sure they wouldn't mind you dropping in, if you want."

He shrugged. "I guess." He took my hand and I made sure my thoughts were chipper and bright, so he wouldn't suspect anything. I thought about all the times Jacob had been there for me, all the good times we'd had together, and all the good times I hoped we would have in the future. I saw him smile, and that made my thoughts even more cheerful.