Intrigue
by Laura Spudzmom
“Hi, mind if I sit here?”
Glancing up from his Macbook, he watched as the girl took a seat just one table over from his to await her coffee order.
The place was packed—no surprise in Seattle—and she looked uncomfortable sitting at a stranger’s table—no surprise there either…
Considering this was Bella Swan.
What did surprise him is that she’d looked straight at him—eye contact and all—and hadn’t responded, as if his was just one more face in a sea of faces.
What was up with that?
He was intrigued, to say the least.
It had been a year since that fateful birthday party and he’d been on his own since. He’d only returned long enough to pack his things and hear Edward’s decision.
The boy’d left her. He’d made the rest of them leave her too, but Jasper wasn’t part of that. Even before hearing Edward’s decision, he’d decided he was leaving.
On his own.
For good.
He’d had enough.
After sixty-odd years, the charade had run its course. He was done playing at something he would never be.
Child.
Student.
Human.
It had never sat well with him, the way the Cullens tempted fate and the law, rubbing shoulders with the humans. But, for the sake of Alice, and a change of scenery, he’d gone along. Though he knew he never quite pulled it off.
Murderous intent is tough to conceal.
Especially when it’s close to the surface.
And his was always right there…
Just waiting…
Ready.
“Swan!” the barista called.
He watched as the girl retrieved her drink and headed for the door, radiating relief as she pushed her way out into the early evening drizzle.
He smiled.
At least some things hadn’t changed.
With unhurried movements, he packed up his Mac and headed for the door, picking up her scent easily and following. He wasn’t sure why, or even what he would do when he caught up with her, but it wasn’t like he had anything else to do.
He had all the time in the world.
Fate had placed her back in his sights.
And who was he to question fate?
Glancing up from his Macbook, he watched as the girl took a seat just one table over from his to await her coffee order.
The place was packed—no surprise in Seattle—and she looked uncomfortable sitting at a stranger’s table—no surprise there either…
Considering this was Bella Swan.
What did surprise him is that she’d looked straight at him—eye contact and all—and hadn’t responded, as if his was just one more face in a sea of faces.
What was up with that?
He was intrigued, to say the least.
It had been a year since that fateful birthday party and he’d been on his own since. He’d only returned long enough to pack his things and hear Edward’s decision.
The boy’d left her. He’d made the rest of them leave her too, but Jasper wasn’t part of that. Even before hearing Edward’s decision, he’d decided he was leaving.
On his own.
For good.
He’d had enough.
After sixty-odd years, the charade had run its course. He was done playing at something he would never be.
Child.
Student.
Human.
It had never sat well with him, the way the Cullens tempted fate and the law, rubbing shoulders with the humans. But, for the sake of Alice, and a change of scenery, he’d gone along. Though he knew he never quite pulled it off.
Murderous intent is tough to conceal.
Especially when it’s close to the surface.
And his was always right there…
Just waiting…
Ready.
“Swan!” the barista called.
He watched as the girl retrieved her drink and headed for the door, radiating relief as she pushed her way out into the early evening drizzle.
He smiled.
At least some things hadn’t changed.
With unhurried movements, he packed up his Mac and headed for the door, picking up her scent easily and following. He wasn’t sure why, or even what he would do when he caught up with her, but it wasn’t like he had anything else to do.
He had all the time in the world.
Fate had placed her back in his sights.
And who was he to question fate?
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.