Chapter 39 –
Alice's POV
The drive home seemed to last longer than normal.
As I navigated the road, all I could think about was Bella… and Charlie's words.
I liked Charlie. He was genuine, and he was clearly over the moon to have Bella staying with him. It was also clear he liked Jacob; and it was also obvious he wouldn't mind his daughter dating him…
This is why I now felt…
Hurt?
I knew, deep down, that Bella didn't think of Jake in a romantic way, but when Charlie had teased her about it…
For a split second, I wanted to hear him tease her about me.
Alice Cullen.
I was the one dating his daughter…
But of course, he didn't know that. And why should he? It wasn't as if Bella and I had been together for months… everything had happened so quickly… yet it felt so right.
I loved Bella; and I didn't want to lose her, not to Jake… not to anybody.
Of course, Charlie wouldn't be quite so accommodating if he knew what Jake really was…
And you're a vampire Alice; think he's going to take kindly to that?
I felt myself blink a few times, hoping the action would somehow make the thought go away.
Okay, so I was a vampire… but at least I didn't smell, or have fur… and at least I still looked human… well, to a degree…
Look at page 33 Bella….
Had she? Was she still in her room, or was she back in the kitchen, reading about Jake and what he really was?
Would her opinion of him change?
As I pulled into the drive, I saw Jasper. He seemed to be waiting for me. I jumped from the car and walked towards him, without my usual gaiety.
"Jasper"
Jasper walked towards me, and without another word his arms were around me as I leaned into his welcoming embrace. My head burrowed into his chest as I sighed.
No words escaped his lips as he rocked me gently in his arms, similar to the way Esme had held me the night before.
I didn't realise how much I needed his embrace until now.
I sighed deeply as he moved back, looking down into my eyes.
"I needed that" I whispered, with a slight smile on my lips.
"I thought you might" he answered, adding "I could sense you were on your way home... and I can feel your anguish Alice. What happened?"
Had any other asked me that question, I would have shrugged off the question.
But this was Jasper.
He knew me.
And I knew him.
"Bella" I responded, looking down at my feet.
I felt his lean fingers lace through my own, "Come with me" he asked, as she gently pulled me towards the entrance to the path that led deep into the wood that surrounded three quarters of our home.
Slowly we moved deep into the wood, as the sun shone down onto us both, he turned and looked at me and smiled. His smile was breathtaking; I had always found so much comfort in it.
