"Why didn't you tell me you weren't grounded anymore?" Edward asked.

"I don't know. I guess I just wasn't ready."

"Ready for what?"

"Ready for you to come over again," I answered.

Edward paused. "Would it be all right if I came by tonight?"

I thought for a moment. "Yes, but make it earlier than last night."

"Bella, I wasn't there last night," he replied.

I just stared at him. If not Edward, just what had Scout heard?

"Bella, you must believe me that it has been weeks since I've been to your house." Edward announced firmly. "Why did you think I was there? Did you hear something?"

"No, not really."

"Did you see something?"

I hesitated. "No."

"I don't understand."

I sighed. "There's someone you should meet."

************************************************************************

I told Edward to meet me at the open field west of town in twenty minutes. He wanted to know what was going on, but I said he simply needed to trust me.

I raced home and was subject to the usual tail-wagging and face-licking as I entered the house.

"Come on, Scout," I said, grabbing the leash and a tennis ball. He joyfully dashed out to my truck.

As we headed west, I kept tapping my fingers nervously on the steering wheel.

This could be a complete disaster, I said to myself. I knew that vampires and werewolves were natural enemies. But what about dogs? Knowing that there was a vast difference between dogs and werewolves, I wondered if that difference included their reaction to vampires.

As I approached the field, I saw Edward's silver car already parked. I slowly pulled in behind him and took a deep breath.

"Please, please be good," I begged Scout as I opened the door. As Scout bounded out the door I suddenly realized that I hadn't attached the leash to Scout's collar.

"Scout, Scout!" I called frantically while he raced towards Edward. I was terrified of what would happen if Scout tried to attack him. Would Edward think I had unleashed him on purpose? Would he mistake Scout for a werewolf and kill him in self-defense?

Scout stopped a few feet from Edward. They both stood motionless and stared at each other.

"It's okay, Scout," I softly called. I slowly walked up to Edward and stood next to him.

"Here Scout," I called.

He put his head down and hesitantly walked toward us.

"Show him the back of your hand," I instructed Edward. He turned his hand over and held it out.

Scout didn't move.

"Kneel down and try again," I said.

Edward slowly knelt down and held out his hand again. This time Scout leaned his head toward Edward's hand and took a quick sniff. He backed up a couple of feet.

"It's okay," I called to Scout again.

"Here Scout," Edward called softly, still holding out his hand.

Scout crept towards Edward's outstretched hand. Scout, in one quick motion, took a swift lick. He paused for a moment. Suddenly his face lit up with a wide grin and his tail starting wagging double time.

Edward petted Scout for a few moments. Then he stood up and looked at me.

"This explains a lot. There has been a scent about you lately that I simply could not place."

"You thought it was Jacob?" I asked.

"I wasn't sure," he answered. "When did you get a dog?"

"A few weeks ago," I answered.

"I had no idea you were a dog lover."

"Neither did I."

"What in the world possessed you to get one?"

I could feel myself beginning to turn red. "Promise you won't laugh."

"Alright."

"I got him as a vampire protection system."

"What?" Edward started to laugh.

"You promised!" I protested.

"I can't help it," he said, still laughing. "You can't honestly say you thought a dog would protect you from vampires."

"Not from all vampires. Just you."

"What?"

"I got him to keep you out of my room."

Edward laughed even harder. "How did you expect him to accomplish that?"

"I figured he would bark when you came to the window. Then I would yell at you to get out."

Edward stopped laughing. "That would have worked," he admitted. Edward suddenly grew serious. "Did he bark at something last night?"

"He growled. I looked out the window but I couldn't see anything," I answered. "Maybe you should come over tonight," I added.

"Through the front door or the window?"

"Better make it the window. Let's not push Charlie too much."

I took out the ball I had stuffed in my pocket. As soon as Scout saw it he started prancing in anticipation. When I pulled my arm back to fling the ball, he took off. My throw was so weak that it barely made it twenty feet before it dribbled to a stop.

"Don't say it," I warned.

"Say what?"

"You throw like a girl!"

"Bella, for you throwing like a girl would be a vast improvement," Edward said with a smile.

I gave him a playful push. Scout dropped the ball at Edward's feet and look up smiling. Edward gave the ball a casual toss and it sailed away. Scout tore across the field in search of it.

"You will probably find this hard to believe," said Edward, "but I really do like your hair."

"You do?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. And I think it does make you look more sophisticated," he continued, "When it's dry."

"Very funny," I said. We watched Scout zigzag back and forth hunting for the ball.

"Maybe we could talk about Italy tonight," I said quietly.

"Do you really want to?" asked Edward putting his arm around me.

"I think I do," I answered, leaning into his embrace.

I saw Scout sprinting from the other end of the field. He had found the ball at the edge of the forest and was bounding back.