第17部分(第2/8 頁)

ed　so　long　and　walked　across　the　street。

………　Page　51………

A　few　minutes　later　I　saw　Bryce　ing　down　the　sidewalk　toward　his　house。　I　did　a　double

take。　All　this　time　I'd　thought　he　was　inside　the　house

watching；　and　he　was　really　outside　walking　around？　I　was　embarrassed　all　over　again。

I　turned　my　back　on　him　and　concentrated　on　watering　the　yard。　What　a　fool　I　was！　What　a

plete　idiot！　And　I　had　just　built　up　a　nice　head　of

angry　steam　when　I　heard；　“It's　looking　good；　Juli。　Nice　job。”

It　was　Bryce；　standing　right　there　on　our　driveway。　And　suddenly　I　wasn't　mad　at　me

anymore。　I　was　mad　at　him。　How　could　he　stand　there　like　my

supervisor　and　tell　me；　Nice　job？　He　had　no　business　saying　anything　after　what　he'd　done。

I　was　about　to　hose　him　down　when　he　said；　“I'm　sorry　for　what　I　did；　Juli。　It　was；　you　know…

wrong。”

I　looked　at　him—into　those　brilliant　blue　eyes。　And　I　tried　to　do　what　Chet　had　said—I　tried　to

look　past　them。　What　was　behind　them？　What　was

he　thinking？　Was　he　really　sorry？　Or　was　he　just　feeling　bad　about　the　things　he'd　said？

It　was　like　looking　into　the　sun；　though；　and　I　had　to　turn　away。

I　couldn't　tell　you　what　we　talked　about　after　that；　except　that　he　was　nice　to　me　and　he　made

me　laugh。　And　after　he　left；　I　shut　off　the　water　and

went　inside　feeling　very；　very　strange。

The　rest　of　the　evening　I　bounced　back　and　fort