It must be a hard thing, to be a father; living in fear that your daughter would meet a boy she liked, but also having to worry if she didn't. 对一个父亲来说，这实在是件难事，活在这样或那样的忧虑里，生怕自己的女儿会遇上她喜欢的男孩，但又得操心万一她遇不上该怎么办。

How ghastly it would be, I thought, shuddering, if Charlie had even the slightest inkling of exactly what I did like. 我一想到，如果查理知道，哪怕是得到最轻微的暗示，我确切喜欢着的是什么人的话，不禁打了个冷战。

Charlie left then, with a goodbye wave, and I went upstairs to brush my teeth and gather my books. 然后，查理挥手道别，离开了。我走上楼去刷牙，把书收拾好。

When I heard the cruiser pull away, I could only wait a few seconds before I had to peek out of my window. 当我听到巡逻车开走的声音时，我只等了几秒钟，便迫不及待地跑过去向窗外偷看。

The silver car was already there, waiting in Charlie's spot on the driveway. 那辆银色的车已经在那里了，就在车道上查理的位置那儿等着。

I bounded down the stairs and out the front door, wondering how long this bizarre routine would continue. 我跳着下了楼，奔出前门，想知道这样不同寻常的例行公事般的日子能够持续多久。

I never wanted it to end. 我永远都不想让它结束。

He waited in the car, not appearing to watch as I shut the door behind me without bothering to lock the dead-bolt. 他在车里等着，当我关上门，懒得锁上那个该死的门闩的时候，他似乎没在看我。

I walked to the car, pausing shyly before opening the door and stepping in. 我走向车子，在开门上车以前羞涩地停住了。

He was smiling, relaxed—and, as usual, perfect and beautiful to an excruciating degree. 他微笑着，很放松——还有，像往常一样，完美和出色得到了折磨人的地步。

"Good morning." His voice was silky. “早上好。”他的声音如丝绸一样柔软。

"How are you today?" “今天感觉怎么样？”

His eyes roamed over my face, as if his question was something more than simple courtesy. 他的目光在我的脸上徘徊着，仿佛他的提问比起单纯的礼节有着更深的意味。

"Good, thank you." I was always good—much more than good—when I was near him. “很好，谢谢。”当我和他在一起时，我总是很好——甚至比好更好。

His gaze lingered on the circles under my eyes. "You look tired." 他的目光落在了我眼睛底下的黑眼圈上。“你看上去很疲倦。”

"I couldn't sleep," I confessed, automatically swinging my hair around my shoulder to provide some measure of cover. “我睡不着。”我坦白交代，下意识地把头发拨到肩后，作为某种程度上的掩饰。

"Neither could I," he teased as he started the engine. “我也是。”他揶揄着，发动了引擎。

I was becoming used to the quiet purr. 我开始习惯这种安静的嗡嗡声了。

I was sure the roar of my truck would scare me, whenever I got to drive it again. 我敢肯定，无论何时我再去开我那辆卡车，它的轰鸣声都会吓着我的。