Chapter 6

It was a long ride back to Bella and Edward's cottage. Renesmee hadn't said a word yet. Hell, she wouldn't even look at Jacob. She stared absently out the window and watched the lush forest of Washington state pass her by.

When they were nearly home, she finally spoke.

"You should have told me."

Renesmee's words twisted like a knife deep in his gut. He had no good excuse. Yes, her parents had demanded he keep it a secret until she was older, but he had agreed it was the best thing to do. Maybe it was because he was a coward. As long as she didn't know, maybe he could still have a chance.

But that chance was long gone.

When they arrived at her home, she barely let the Rabbit come to a stop before flinging the door open and hurling herself to the front door. Edward was in Jacob's face before he had fully exited the car. "You told her!?" he demanded. Oh, how Jacob loved the fact that Edward could read minds.

"It was Leah?" Edward gasped, reading Jacob's next thought almost before he could think it. "How could she?"

Jacob shook his head, face tense, body tense, brain fried. "I don't know, man. She was mad. Like furious with Nessie because she was..." Jacob's voice trailed off as he remembered the way she had draped her arm over Seth's shoulder as she talked. And he hated the way they looked together, like they belonged together. Jacob didn't even have time to mourn the relationship he'd never have with her because Edward was back to grilling him for more information.

"Seth? I don't understand. I thought she was with you...at your house," Edward quickly corrected when Jacob made a face.

"It's a long story," Jacob sighed as they both made their way up to the cottage door.

...........

As if this whole conversation couldn't get any more difficult, Jacob entered the house to find Renesmee crying on the couch, flanked by her aunts, Alice and Rosalie. Bella was sitting on the edge of the coffee table in front of Ness. Bella shot Jacob a concerned look when he approached them.

"You should have stopped her, Jake."

Jacob nodded slowly. He didn't need the Cullens to berate him. He felt horrible for the way she found out. She was hurt and he was indirectly responsible. There was nothing anyone could say to him that could make him feel worse than he did right now. Especially when Nessie wouldn't even look at him.

Renesmee finally raised her head to glare at Jacob, who standing behind Bella, arms crossed over his chest. "Jacob should have told me. You're such a coward," she accused. "I'm not a baby anymore! I could have handled the truth!"

Bella quickly interjected, "It wasn't his fault. Your father and I didn't want you to know until we thought you were ready. Obviously we should have had this conversation a while ago," Bella paused and then added, "Jacob would never hurt you on purpose. He's always loved you."

Jacob was touched that Bella would defend him this way and say such nice things about him. But the look on Renesmee's face made it clear that she didn't forgive him and wouldn't be any time soon.

"Oh yeah," Renesmee scoffed as she swiped the stray tears from her face, "Jacob loves me? Because of something that is totally out of his control. And what? I just have to go along with it because I have no choice?"

"You do have a choice," Jacob replied softly. "I wasn't lying before when I said I would be anything you need. If you only want me as a friend, then that's what I will be."

"And what if i don't want you in my life at all?" she asked coldly, standing up to face him.

Bella's eyes got huge as she watched Renesmee stand and cross the room to face Jacob. "Honey," she reasoned. "You don't mean that..."

"The hell I don't," she snapped. "Everything you said to me today was a lie, Jacob."

She stood in front of Jacob, eyes blazing with anger as he replied, "No, it wasn't."

Renesmee narrowed her gaze, trying to determine if he was still lying. "So I'm supposed to believe that you're not going to try to ruin things between me and Seth? And you won't stand in my way if I want to date other guys?"

Jacob felt like he had been punched in the gut. "I told you I wouldn't and I meant it," he replied, his jaw clenched.

"So you'd be totally fine with it?" she pressed further.

Jacob sucked in a deep breath and scanned all the eyes in the room. He much rather be having this conversation alone with her, but that wasn't going to happen. After a long silence, Renesmee scoffed and turned to walk away. He caught her by the wrist and spun her back to face him. He looked directly into her eyes and breathed, "It will kill me...but that's not your problem. And ultimately I just want you to be happy, even if it's not with me."

They stood there staring at each other for a few moments. Renesmee had forgotten to breathe. He still held her wrist, rubbing over her pulse with warm touch of his thumb. Her stomach was tied in knots. Suddenly she hated herself for causing him pain. But she couldn't let go of her anger so she snatched her hand back from him and left the room.

..............

For the next hour, Jacob explained everything to Renesmee's vampire family. He occasionally glanced toward her bedroom door, hoping she would reappear. He told them how she had shown up at his door and what Wyatt had done on their date. He thought that huge vein in Edward's temple would explode before he got to the part where she had triumphantly defended herself from the little punk.

Jacob also remembered to tell them how much she wished for more fun and freedom and boys. Rosalie mused, "Do you think you'll be able to stay away from her?"

Jacob felt sick. It was hard to imagine spending even one day apart from her. He shrugged his shoulders and swallowed thickly. "I guess I'll have to try."

Bella approached him gently, placing her hands on his chest. "This won't last long. Believe me. She just needs time to process all this." Bella paused and looked deeply into her best friend's eyes. "We'll figure something out, okay?"

Jacob nodded slowly. This whole day had turned into a nightmare and he was ready for it to end.

He told everyone goodbye and was surprised that even Edward looked at him with pity. Jacob figured that this would make Edward happy, but seeing his daughter so upset was never what he wanted. As Edward walked Jacob to the door, he clasped him on the back and said, "Don't give up."

..................

All the way home, Edward's words played over and over in his mind.

Don't give up.

Jacob sighed deeply and racked his brain for a plan, any idea that might help make things right between them again. Hell, he would be happy just to be able to stand in the same room as Renesmee without having her hate him. But what could he do?

Jacob drove his car to Billy's instead of his own home. He had some cars out in his dad's garage that he had been working on for some friends and throwing himself into his work seemed like a better idea than going home to wallow.

For about an hour or so, Jacob had been working on a tune-up for an Oldsmobile that belonged to his dad's friend. It shouldn't be taking him this long to complete the task, but he was having trouble concentrating. Renesmee's words kept repeating in his head.

Everything you said to me today was a lie, Jacob.

Jacob growled as he banged his knuckle on the radiator of the old car. He was cursing up a storm when Quil and Embry strolled into the garage. He groaned inwardly when he assumed they came here for more dirt on what happened this morning at Emily's.

"How's it going?" Quil said cautiously as the pair approached Jacob.

"Great," Jacob sighed. "She never wants to see me again."

Embry shook his head. "That can't be true. You've never spent more than a day apart...ever."

Jacob shook his head and reached for a rag to wipe the grease off his hands. "I know, man. I don't know how I'm going to do it."

"You need a plan," Quil suggested. "You need an over the top idea for greatness that will show her that you love her and she won't be able to deny it. A gift!" he declared.

Jacob furrowed his brow and sighed. "Like what?"

Embry smiled and pointed to the corner of the garage. "What about that?"

Jacob blinked quickly and cocked his head. "That? Do you know how long it would take me to finish it?"

"We'll help you!" Quil offered excitedly.

Jacob shrugged his shoulders slowly as he optimiscally agreed. "I guess it could work. Do you think she would like it?"

"Oh yeah," Embry replied happily. "It'll be perfect."

As Jacob began to imagine Renesmee's face when he saw his gift, he finally felt a glimmer of hope. Then he told his friends, "Okay, but I have to ask Bella first."