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"Well?" she asked breathlessly
I appraised it for a longwith her a bit Her expression turned worried
"Ah," I said, and I s her relax "I see"
"What do you think?" she deain
"It’s perfect, of course Exactly right You’re a genius"
She grinned "I know"
"Nineteen-eighteen?" I guessed
"More or less," she said, nodding "Son, the train, the veil" She touched the white satin as she spoke "The lace is vintage Do you like it?"
"It’s beautiful It’s just right for hiht for you?" she insisted
"Yes, I think it is, Alice I think it’s just what I need I know you’ll do a great job with thisif you can keep yourself in check"
She beamed
"Can I see your dress?" I asked
She blinked, her face blank
"Didn’t you order your bridesmaid dress at the same ti off the rack" I pretended to wince in horror
She threw her arms around my waist "Thank you, Bella!"
"How could you not see that one co her spiky hair "Some psychic you are!"
Alice danced back, and her face was bright with fresh enthusiasot so et to work"
She dashed out of the roo, "Esme!" as she disappeared
I followed atagainst the wood-paneled wall
"That was very, very nice of you," he told reed
He touchedsince he’d left et out of here," he suddenly suggested "Let’s go to our uess I don’t have to hide out anyer is behind us"
He was quiet, thoughtful, as he ran The wind blew on my face, warmer now that the storm had really passed The clouds covered the sky, the way they usually did
The meadoas a peaceful, happy place today Patches of surass with splashes of white and yellow I lay back, ignoring the slight daround, and looked for pictures in the clouds They were too even, too sray blanket
Edward lay next to ust thirteenth?" he asked casually after a few ives me a month till hed "Esme is three years older than Carlisle - technically Did you know that?"
I shook my head
"It hasn’t made any difference to them"
My voice was serene, a counterpoint to his anxiety "My age is not really that important Edward, I’ it"
He stroked uest list veto?"
"I don’t care really, but I" I hesitated, not wanting to explain this one Best to get it over with "I’m not sure if Alice would feel the need to invitea feolves I don’t know ifJake would feel likelike he should coet o through that"
Edas quiet for a ainst the light gray of the sky
Suddenly, Edward grabbed me around the waist and pulledthis, Bella Why did you decide, now, to give Alice free reign?"
I repeated for hiht before I’d gone to see Jacob
"It wouldn’t be fair to keep Charlie out of this," I concluded "And that ht as well let Alice have her fun, too Maybe itwill ets his proper goodbye Even if he thinks it’s much too early, I wouldn’t want to cheat hirimaced at the words, then took another deep breath "At least my mom and dad and my friends will know the best part of my choice, the most I’m allowed to tell them They’ll know I chose you, and they’ll knoe’re together They’ll know I’m happy, wherever I am I think that’s the best I can do for the it for a brief tiasped "You’re backing out? No!"
"I’ out, Bella I’ll still keep ain But you’re off the hook Whatever you want, no strings attached"
"Why?"
"Bella, I see what you’re doing You’re trying to make everyone else happy And I don’t care about anyone else’s feelings I only need you to be happy Don’t worry about breaking the news to Alice I’ll take care of it I prouilty"
"But I -"
"No We’re doing this your way Because my way doesn’t work I call you stubborn, but look at what I’ve done I’ve clung with such idiotic obstinacy to h it’s only hurt you Hurt you so deeply, tiain I don’t trust myself any So" He shifted underit your way, Bella Tonight Today The sooner the better I’ll speak to Carlisle I was thinking that h morphine, it wouldn’t be so bad It’s worth a try" He gritted his teeth
"Edward, no -"
He put his finger to otten the rest of your de softly - but very seriously - against
There wasn’t , I wouldn’t be able to remember why I needed to stop hiripping his arlued to his and answering every unspoken question his asked
I tried to clearrass
Oh, never mind! my less noble side exulted My head was full of the sweetness of his breath
No, no, no, I argued with iving me a chance to breathe
"Stop, Edward Wait" My voice was as weak as my will
"Why?" he whispered into the hollow of my throat
I labored to put some resolve into my tone "I don’t want to do this now"
"Don’t you?" he asked, a smile in his voice Hei where reat deal of effort just to force my hands to free themselves from his hair, to ainst hi to push him away I could not succeed alone, but he responded as I kneould
He pulled back a few inches to look atto help my resolve They were black fire They sh "I love you I want you Right now"
The butterflies in e of my speechlessness
"Wait, wait," I tried to say around his lips
"Not for roaned, and pushed hiain
We both lay there for a
"Tell me why not, Bella," he de into expect
"Edward, this is very iht"
"Who’s definition of right?"
"Mine"
He rolled onto his elbow and stared atto do this right?"
I took a deep breath "Responsibly Everything in the right order I will not leave Charlie and Ren��e without the best resolution I can give the anyway And I will tie myself to you in every human way, before I ask you toall the rules, Edward Your soul is far, far too i to budge me on this"
"I’ll bet I could," he ain
"But you wouldn’t," I said, trying to keepthat this is what I really need"
"You don’t fight fair," he accused
I grinned at him "Never said I did"
He se your mind"
"You’ll be the first to know," I proh the clouds just then, a few scattered drops that lowered at the sky
"I’ll get you home" He brushed the tiny beads of water froru that will be very unpleasant and possibly even highly dangerous"
His eyes widened in alarhed "I’ It’s tihed at the expression on ain and then reached into the pocket of his jeans "But as least there’s no need for a side trip"
He once again slid er of my left hand
Where it would stay - conceivably for the rest of eternity