第4部分(第3/7 頁)

a；〃　he　stage…whispered。　〃We　couldn't　rein　Alice　in。〃

Rosalie　and　Emmett　stood　behind　them。　Rosalie　didn't　smile；　but　at　least　she

didn't　glare。　Emmett's　face

was　stretched　into　a　huge　grin。　It　had　been　months　since　I'd　seen　them；　I'd

forgotten　how　gloriously

beautiful　Rosalie　was—it　almost　hurt　to　look　at　her。　And　had　Emmett　always

been　so　big？

〃You　haven't　changed　at　all；〃　Emmett　said　with　mock　disappointment。　〃I

expected　a　perceptible

difference；　but　here　you　are；　red…faced　just　like　always。〃

〃Thanks　a　lot；　Emmett；〃　I　said；　blushing　deeper。

He　laughed；　〃I　have　to　step　out　for　a　second〃—he　paused　to　wink　conspicuously

at　Alice—〃Don't　do

anything　funny　while　I'm　gone。〃

〃I'lltry。〃

Alice　let　go　of　Jasper's　hand　and　skipped　forward；　all　her　teeth　sparkling　in

the　bright　light。　Jasper　smiled；

too；　but　kept　his　distance。　He　leaned；　long　and　blond；　against　the　post　at　the

foot　of　the　stairs。　During　the

days　we'd　had　to　spend　cooped　up　together　in　Phoenix；　I'd　thought　he'd　gotten

over　his　aversion　to　me。

But　he'd　gone　back　to　exactly　how　he'd　acted　before—avoiding　me　as　much　as

possible—the　moment

he　was　free　from　that　temporary　obligation　to　protect　me。　I　knew　it　wasn't

personal；　just　a　precaution；

and　I　tried　not　to　be　overly　sensitive　about　it。　Jasper　had　more　trouble

sticking　to　the　Cullens'　diet　than

the　rest　of　them；　the　scent　of　human　blood　was　much　harder　for　him　to　resist

than　the　others—he　hadn't

been　trying　as　long。

〃Time　to　open　presents；〃　Alice　declared。　She　put　her　cool　hand　under　my　elbow

and　towed　me　to　the

table　with　the　cake　and　the　shiny