〃Sam has him in hand。 He's gone。〃
〃Edward； I'm so sorry。 Iwas stupid—〃
〃You did nothing wrong—〃
〃I have such a big mouth！ Why would I。。。 I shouldn't have let him get to me like that。 What was I
thinking？〃
〃Don't worry。〃 He touched my face。 〃We need to get back to the reception before someone notices our
absence。〃
I shook my head； trying to reorient myself。 Before someone noticed？ Had anyone missed that？
Then； as I thought about it； I realized the confrontation that had seemed so catastrophic to me had； in
reality； been very quiet and short here in the shadows。
〃Give me two seconds；〃 I pleaded。
My insides were chaotic with panic and grief； but that didn't matter—only the outside mattered right
now。 Putting on a good show was something I knew I had to master。
〃My dress？〃
〃You look fine。 Not a hair out of place。〃
I took two deep breaths。 〃Okay。 Let's go。〃
He put his arms around me and led me back to the light。 When we passed under the twinkle lights； he
spun me gently onto the dance floor。 We melted in with the other dancers as if our dance had never been
interrupted。
I glanced around at the guests； butno one seemed shocked or frightened。 Only the very palest faces
there showed any signs of stress； and they hid it well。 Jasper and Emmett were on the edge of the floor；
close together；
Page 42
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
and I guessed that they had been nearby during the confrontation。
〃Are you—〃
Tm fine；〃 I promised。 〃I can't believe I did that。 What's wrong with me？〃
〃Nothing is wrong with you〃
I'd been so glad to see Jacob here。 I knew the sacrifice it had taken him。 And then I'd ruined it； turned
his gift into a disaster。 I should be quarantined。
But my idiocy would not ruin anything else tonight。 I would put this away； shove it in a drawer and lock it
up to deal with later。 There would be plenty of time to flagellate myself for this； and nothing I could do
now would help。
〃It's over；〃 I said。 〃Let's not think of it again tonight。〃
I expected a quick agreement from Edward； but he was silent。
〃Edward？〃
He closed his eyes and touched his forehead to mine。 〃Jacob is right；〃 he whispered。 〃What am I
thinking？〃
〃He is not。〃 I tried to keep my face smooth for the watching crowd of friends。 〃Jacob is way too
prejudiced to see anything clearly。〃
He mumbled something low that sounded almost like 〃should let him kill me for even thinking 。。。〃
〃Stop it；〃 I said fiercely。 I grabbed his face in my hands and waited until he opened his eyes。 〃You and
me。 That's the only thing that matters。 The only thing you're allowed to think about now。 Do you hear
me？〃
〃Yes；〃 he sighed。
〃Forget Jacob came。〃 I could do that。 I would 60 that。 〃For me。 Promise that you'll let this go。〃
He stared into my eyes for a moment before answering。 〃I promise。〃
〃Thank you。 Edward； I'm not afraid。〃
〃I am；〃 he whispered。
〃Don't be。〃 I took deep breath and smiled。 〃By the way； I love you。〃
He smiled just a little in return。 〃That's why we're here。〃
〃You're monopolizing the bride；〃 Emmett said； ing up behind Edward's shoulder。 〃Let me dance with
my little sister。 This could be my last chance to make her blush。〃 He laughed loudly； as unaffected as he
usually was by any serious atmosphere。
Page 43
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
It turned out there were actually lots of people I hadn't danced with yet； and that gave me a chance to
truly pose and resolve myself。 When Edward claimed me again； I found that the Jacobdrawer was
shut nice and tight。 As he wrapped his arms around me； I was able to unearth my earlier sense of joy； my
certainty that everything in my life was in the right place tonight。 I smiled and laid my head against his
chest。 His arms tightened。
〃I could get used to this；〃 I said。
〃Don't tell me you've gotten over your dancing issues？〃
〃Dancing isn't so bad—with you。 But I was thinking more of this；〃—and I pressed myself to him even
tighter—〃of never having to let you go。〃
〃Never；〃 he promised； and he leaned down to kiss me。
It was a serious kind of kiss—intense； slow but building。。。。
I'd pretty much forgotten where I was when I heard Alice call； 〃Bella！ It's time！〃
I felt a brief flicker of irritation with my new sister for the interruption。
Edward ignored her； his lips were hard against mine； more urgent than before。 My heart broke into a
sprint and my palms were slick against his marble neck。
〃Do you want to miss your plane？〃 Alice demanded； right next to me now。 〃I'm sure you'll have a lovely
honeymoon camped out in the airport waiting for another flight。〃
Edward turned his face slightly to murmur； 〃Go away； Alice；〃 and then pressed his lips to mine again。
〃Bella； do you want to wear that dress on the airplane？〃 she demanded。
I wasn't really paying much attention。 At the moment； I simply didn't care。
Alice growled quietly。 〃I'll tell her where you're taking her； Edward。 So help me； I will。〃
He froze。 Then he lifted his face from mine and glared at his favorite sister。 〃You're awfully small to be so
hugelyirritating。〃
〃I didn't pick out the perfect goingaway dress to have it wasted；〃 she snapped back； taking my hand。
〃e with me； Bella。〃
I tugged against her hold； stretching up on my toes to kiss him one more time。 She jerked my arm
impatiently； hauling me away from him。 There were a few chuckles from the watching guests。 I gave up
then and let her lead me into the empty house。
She looked annoyed。
〃Sorry； Alice；〃 I apologized。
〃I don't blame you； Bella。〃 She sighed。 〃You don't seem to be able help yourself。〃
Page 44
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
I giggled at her martyred expression； and she scowled。
〃Thank you； Alice。 It was the most beautiful wedding anyone ever had；〃 I told her earnestly。 〃Everything
was exactly right。 You're the best； smartest； most talented sister in the whole world。〃
That thawed her out； she smiled a huge smile。 〃I'm glad you liked it。〃
Renee and Esme were waiting upstairs。 The three of them quickly had me out of my dress and into
Alice's deep blue goingaway ensemble。 I was grateful when someone pulled the pins out of my hair and
let it fall loose down my back； wavy from the braids； saving me from a hairpin headache later。 My
mother's tears streamed without a break the entire time。
〃I'll call you when I know where I'm going；〃 I promised as I hugged her goodbye。 I knew the
honeymoon secret was probably driving her crazy； my mother hated secrets； unless she was in on them。
〃I'll tell you as soon as she's safely away；〃 Alice outdid me； smirking at my wounded expression。 How
unfair； for me to be the last to know。
〃You have to visit me and Phil very； very soon。 It's your turn to go south—see the sun for once；〃 Renee
said。
〃It didn't rain today；〃 I reminded her； avoiding her request
〃A miracle。〃
〃Everything's ready；〃 Alice said。 〃Your suitcases are in the car—Jasper's bringing it around。〃 She pulled
me back toward the stairs with Renee following； still halfway embracing me。
〃I love you； Mom；〃 I whispered as we descended。 Tm so glad you have Phil。 Take care of each other。〃
〃I love you； too； Bella； honey。〃
〃Goodbye； Mom。 I love you；〃 I said again； my throat thick。
Edward was waiting at the bottom of the stairs。 I took his outstretched hand but leaned away； scanning
the little crowd that was waiting to see us off。
〃Dad？〃 I asked； my eyes searching。
〃Over here；〃 Edward murmured。 He pulled me through the guests； they made a pathway for us。 We
found Charlie leaning awkwardly against the wall behind everyone else； looking a little like he was hiding。
The red rims around his eyes explained why。
〃Oh； Dad！〃
I hugged him around the waist； tears streaming again—I was crying so much tonight。 He patted my
back。
〃There； now。 You don't want to miss your plane。〃
Page 45
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
It was hard to talk about love with Charlie—we were so much alike； always reverting to trivial things to
avoid embarrassing emotional displays。 But this was no time for being selfconscious。
〃I love you forever； Dad；〃 I told him。 〃Don't forget that。〃
〃You； too； Bells。 Always have； always will。〃
I kissed his cheek at the same time that he kissed mine。
〃Call me；〃 he said。
〃Soon；〃 I promised； knowing this was all I could promise。 Just a phone call。 My father and my mother
could not be allowed to see me again； I would be too different； and much； much too dangerous。
〃Go on； then；〃 he said gruffly。 〃Don't want to be late。〃
The guests made another aisle for us。 Edward pulled me close to his side as we made our escape。
〃Are you ready？〃 he asked。
〃I am；〃 I said； and I knew that it was true。
Everyone applauded when Edward kissed me on the doorstep。 Then he rushed me to the car as the rice
storm began。 Most of it went wide； but someone； probably