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           "Hisvoicewasalmostawhisper."Iwaswrong-you’remuchmoreobservantthanIgaveyoucreditfor."

           "Ithoughtyouwerealwaysright."

           "Iusedtobe."Heshookhisheadagain."Iwaswrongaboutyouononeotherthing,aswell.You’renotamagnetforaccidents-that’snotabroadenoughclassification.Youareamagnetfortrouble.Ifthereisanythingdangerouswithinaten-mileradius,itwillinvariablyfindyou."

           "Andyouputyourselfintothatcategory?"Iguessed.

           Hisfaceturnedcold,expressionless."Unequivocally."

           Istretchedmyhandacrossthetableagain-ignoringhimwhenhepulledbackslightlyoncemore-totouchthebackofhishandshylywithmyfingertips.Hisskinwascoldandhard,likeastone.

           "Thankyou."Myvoicewasferventwithgratitude."That’stwicenow."

           Hisfacesoftened."Let’snottryforthree,agreed?"

           Iscowled,butnodded.Hemovedhishandoutfromundermine,placingbothofhisunderthetable.Butheleanedtowardme.

           "IfollowedyoutoPortAngeles,"headmitted,speakinginarush."I’venevertriedtokeepaspecificpersonalivebefore,andit’smuchmoretroublesomethanIwouldhavebelieved.Butthat’sprobablyjustbecauseit’syou.Ordinarypeopleseemtomakeitthroughthedaywithoutsomanycatastrophes."Hepaused.Iwonderedifitshouldbothermethathewasfollowingme;insteadIfeltastrangesurgeofpleasure.Hestared,maybewonderingwhymylipswerecurvingintoaninvoluntarysmile.