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