The Plan?
Alice came by and picked me up early in the afternoon. She wanted me at her house to help with something and so she had talked Charlie into giving me up for today and most of tomorrow.
"What are we doing, Alice?" I asked.
"Going to my house," she said with a sweet smile.
"Yes, I get that part, but what for?"
"You'll see," she said. "Just wait."
When we reached the Cullen house, Alice helped me out of the car and took me into the house, an air of impatience was surrounding her.
"Jasper! Edward!" Alice called up the stairs. Edward came first and stole me from Alice's hold before she could argue.
He kissed me and then glanced around excitedly. I hadn't seen him like this in a while. I had missed that about him.
Alice greeted Jasper. Emmett came down with his arm around Rosalie. Carlisle and Esme leaned against the wall across from me.
Alice looked up at Edward meaningfully and he nodded. "Bella, would you come with me for a moment?"
"Um, okay, Edward," I said and he took me into the kitchen.
"Do you know what today is?" he asked pleasantly.
"Uh, is it someone's birthday?" I asked with a frown.
He grinned. "No, not yet."
"What is it, then?"
"Hmm." He looked me over. "What would you say to having a late Christmas with us?"
"I would love to, but I don't have anything to give you," I said.
"Well, we aren't going to do it today, it'll be tomorrow," he said.
"Okay, so what are we doing today?" I asked.
"Shopping," he said with a pleased grin. "Charlie already gave you permission."
"He did?" I asked.
"Yes, we're going to Port Angeles. It should be cloudy all day," he said. "Almost unwillingly, but Alice asked, so it was okay."
"I don't really have a choice, do I?" I asked.
"Not as far as Alice is concerned," he said. "Or me, for that matter."
"Well, I guess I'm going," I said. "Don't get me anything."
He kissed me suddenly. "Mistletoe," he murmured.
I blushed and looked up. Sure enough, there was a small bunch of mistletoe hanging directly above us. I remembered what I had been saying after two minutes and finished. "I'm serious, though, Edward. No presents."
His brow crumpled into a frown. "Why not?"
"I don't want anything from you."
He began to say something, but was cut off.
"Shall we?" Alice asked from the doorway. She took my arm and led me away from Edward. "We're going in my car, Bella."
"What about Edward?" I asked.
"He's coming too," she said. Jasper was already waiting next to her yellow Porsche. "Unless you don't want him to, of course. Hi, Jazz."
"Hello, Alice," he said he nodded at me slightly hesitantly. "Bella."
"Hi, Jasper," I said, smiling.
Edward came over and opened my door for me. I got in and he followed. "I'm not going to listen, you know," he whispered so quietly, I'm not sure I was really supposed to hear him.
I sighed. "Edward, go ahead and get whatever it is you want to get for me. Just don't get too carried away."
"I'm not going to be too outrageous." His eyes danced again, the same excitement from before filling him.
Alice grinned and I raised my eyebrows suspiciously.
"Forget it, Bella, I'm not saying a word to even describe what it is," Alice said.
I glared out the window and crossed my arms. Then something odd occurred to me. "Why are we going shopping together with Edward, anyway?"
Edward looked amused, but just the slightest sign of hurt emitted from his voice. "You didn't want me to come?"
"No, that's not it," I said. "I just mean that you can read minds. At least they can hide it if you aren't there when they are shopping."
He smiled. "That's true, but you forget about Alice."
"You can't really hide what gift you're giving Alice once it's bought," I said. "You, on the other hand, can still be deceived."
"Does this mean that you want me to go back home?" he asked.
"No!" I said hurriedly.
He chuckled and turned back to his window thoughtfully. "What is it that I can get for you that you won't become angry over?"
"Nothing. A stick of gum," I said jokingly. "Hmm… Yeah, that's about right."
He snorted. "Not going to happen." His eyes never left the scenery.
I looked down at my hands, twisting and untwisting them.
"I don't know. I don't really want you to give me anything. What do you want?"
"I don't need anything from you, Bella," he said. "You're the only thing I want."
I thought about what to get for a moment and decided that I would get him several CDs. He likes music and I know what he does and doesn't have along with what he doesn't like.
Alice smiled. "Good choice, Bella."
I made the mistake of looking at Edward at that point. His eyes locked onto mine and I forgot what I was talking about.
He had said something, I realized. "What?"
He raised a questioning eyebrow. "Alice is singing in her head."
"Oh."
"Are you going to explain what you just thought of?" he asked when I didn't say.
"I don't think so." I beamed at Alice. "Thanks."
"You're going to get me in trouble," she said, laughing.
When we reached Port Angeles we stopped in front of a gas station.
While Alice gassed up, I thought about how I could keep Edward from knowing what I was getting him. When I thought of it, I felt like an idiot.
Alice hopped back into the car with a grin. "I like how you think, Bella. Boys versus girls."
Then I realized something. "Alice, we need to get Esme and Rosalie."
"Go tell them, will you, Bella?" Alice asked.
"Sure, sure."
I jumped out and stopped at Carlisle's Mercedes where they were waiting for us to go.
Esme opened her door. "What is it, dear?"
"We decided to do boys versus girls and we need you and Rosalie with us. If that's okay," I added when Rosalie looked at me in surprise.
Rosalie nodded and got out along with Esme to follow me back to the Porsche.
I got back in and slid into my seat.
Jasper sat there looking confused as Edward stared at me. "I can't believe you want to leave me with him."
"What's wrong with Jasper?"
"Oh, nothing except his version of fun."
"I haven't done anything wrong," Jasper muttered. "Yet."
Alice's eyes glassed over and then she grinned. "Yet," she confirmed.
"So the boys…" I prompted her.
"They can go with Carlisle now." I could have sworn her eyes flitted to Edward's in the rearview mirror, but I decided that it was my imagination.
"Fine then," Edward muttered. "We'll ride with the others. Happy?" he asked me.
"More than you know."
Jasper sighed. "Edward, you should just drop it while you're ahead. The woman lies not." He climbed out of the car and faced Edward. "Come on."
Edward rolled his eyes and opened the door dejectedly.
"So much for being the oldest," I said. "You're being a baby."
"I am not."
I leaned towards him. "You are too." I looked him in the eye. "You shouldn't…" I blinked. What am I talking about again?
He smirked. "Just stay safe for me, okay?"
"I can try."
Esme slid into his place and Rosalie took the front.
"Where are we going?" Esme asked.
Alice watched Edward and Jasper retreat to the Mercedes and smiled. "We'll know as soon as we're out of Edward's range."
She took off as Carlisle drove away in another direction.