第4部分(第4/7 頁)

packages。

I　put　on　my　best　martyr　face。　〃Alice；　I　know　I　told　you　I　didn't　want　anything

—〃

〃But　I　didn't　listen；〃　she　interrupted；　smug。　〃Open　it。〃　She　took　the　camera

from　my　hands　and　replaced　it

with　a　big；　square　silver　box。

The　box　was　so　light　that　it　felt　empty。　The　tag　on　top　said　that　it　was　from

Emmett；　Rosalie；　and　Jasper。

Selfconsciously；　I　tore　the　paper　off　and　then　stared　at　the　box　it　concealed。

It　was　something　electrical；　with　lots　of　numbers　in　the　name。　I　opened　the

box；　hoping　for　further

illumination。　But　the　box　was　empty。

〃Um　thanks。〃

Rosalie　actually　cracked　a　smile。　Jasper　laughed。　〃It's　a　stereo　for　your

truck；〃　he　explained。　〃Emmett's

installing　it　right　now　so　that　you　can't　return　it。〃

Alice　was　always　one　step　ahead　of　me。　〃Thanks；　Jasper；　Rosalie；〃　I　told　them；

grinning　as　I　remembered

Edward's　plaints　about　my　radio　this　afternoon—all　a　setup；　apparently。

〃Thanks；　Emmett！〃　I　called

more　loudly。

I　heard　his　booming　laugh　from　my　truck；　and　I　couldn't　help　laughing；　too。

〃Open　mine　and　Edward's　next；〃　Alice　said；　so　excited　her　voice　was　a　high…

pitched　trill。　She　held　a

small；　flat　square　in　her　hand。

I　turned　to　give　Edward　a　basilisk　glare。　〃You　promised。〃

Before　he　could　answer；　Emmett　bounded　through　the　door。　〃Just　in　time！〃　he

crowed。　He　pushed　in

behind　Jasper；　who　had　also　drifted　closer　than　usual　to　get　a　good　look。

〃I　didn't　spend　a　dime；〃　Edward　assured　me。　He　brushed　a　strand　of　hair　from

my　face；　leaving　my　skin

tingling　from　his　touch。

I　inhaled　deeply　and　turned　to　Alice。　〃Give　it　to　me；〃　I　sighed。