Copyright
WINSLET PRESS
No, Not that Jane Austen
Copyright © 2015 by Marilyn Grey
To learn more about Marilyn Grey, visit her Web site:
www.marilyn-grey.com
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, etc.—except for quotations in reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Contact the publisher at: info@winsletpress.com
This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of either the author or the publisher.
Dedication
To:
Everyone Who Believes in Real Love & Romance
It seems that it is a truth universally unknown that every girl in the world is not looking for a romance.
I clicked my pen and stared at my bedroom wall. Every one of my girl friends—and I do mean every.single.one—went to see the latest Nicholas Sparks flick. I stayed home as usual. Not my thing, really. I preferred intense dramas or maybe even a little action. Plus I majorly procrastinated on my English essay.
I wrote my name at the top of the paper and shook my head. The idea of marriage didn't appeal to me, at least not any time soon, but I can tell you this ... the idea of changing my name appealed to me.
Tomorrow I'd turn eighteen and, against the oh so old-fashioned ideals of my parents, I planned to get a few tattoos I'd been dreaming about. Or ... spend that money to change my name. The decision consumed me.
I tried to finish my homework, but Donovan kept interrupting me with his hilarious text messages, then finally he rang my phone.
"I'm trying to finish this paper," I said. "Aren't you supposed to be doing the same? I know you haven't started either."
"I finished it last week." He laughed. "Come on, let's hang out one last time before my trip."
"I really should finish this paper, but it does sound tempting."
"I need to give you a gift for your birthday anyway."
"I'm taking you to the airport tomorrow morning, remember? You can do it then."
"All right, all right. Finish the paper and if it's early enough maybe we can get a coffee?" He paused. "Wait, never mind, I forgot. You're Jane and you start your start your essay's the night before they're due and stay up until sunrise to finish them."
I smiled. "Exactly. Except it's due Monday and today is Friday, but there's no way I'm spending my birthday weekend writing this."
And that's exactly what happened. I stayed up until the light poured into my room and as much as I wanted to pull the covers over my head and go back to sleep, I shoved them off of me, rolled out of my fluffy cloud, and rubbed my eyes. I skipped a shower, ate breakfast as fast as humanly possible, and drove to Donovan's house. I was early, but I wanted to see him for at least thirty minutes before he left.
He jogged to my car and flopped down in the passenger's seat, stuffing a backpack between his legs as he buckled up.
"Happy eighteen." He reached over the armrest and pulled me into a hug. "How does it feel?"
"You tell me." I backed out of his driveway. "You experienced it five days ago."
He tapped the door. "Eh, we'll see."
"Sounds hopeful."
He tilted his head and stared at me.
"What?"
Shaking his head, he turned his gaze back to the passing trees and smiled. He was fresh out of a breakup with a girl who cheated on him. He didn't really love Megan. It was a relationship built on convenience. She was there. He was there. And it just happened before anyone could say no. Now he was on his way across the ocean to meet a Russian girl he met through some kind of online dating site. You can only imagine my disapproval of a dating site, but I tried to be as supportive as possible. One day, he'd find someone amazing. Someone nice and soft and beautiful. He deserved that.
After a comfortably quiet drive, I parked in the airport's garage and turned the car off. He looked over at me and reached his hand into his backpack.
"So, I got you a birthday present," he said, his voice oddly shaken. "I know there's only two things you want for your birthday. To change your name and get some tattoos. So, I thought I'd help you out with one."
I smiled. "You got me a gift certificate for that tattoo joint, didn't you?"
He pulled a small jewelry box out of his bag and stared at me. I tried not to look at the familiar shaped box in his palm or make eye contact with him. He was going to meet this girl … right?
"I thought I could give you my last name, Jane." He opened the box to reveal a sparkly ring. "If you'll have me. I know it's weird and everything, but I love you. I need you. I’ve got an extra plane ticket for you and we can elope right now if you want to."
I raised my eyebrows and choked on my words.
"You had to see this coming." He set the box on my lap. "I love you. Always have."
"I ... I..." I suddenly needed to open the window to breathe. My pulse quickened so fast I felt it beating in my ears. Everything around me—the dashboard, the steering wheel, his face, my hands—blurred until I closed my eyes.
He slapped my arm and laughed hysterically. "You totally bought it."
I looked back and forth. "What?"
"It's a fake ring." He kept laughing and handed me a wrapped gift. "This is for real."
I held up my hands. "Slightly freaked out to open it."
His little boy smile replaced the mischievous grin. "You'll like it."
I slowly unwrapped the paper and set it neatly on the floor of the car as he smiled. How did he remember? It was so long ago. I didn't even remember telling a soul. Not even him. Running my fingers along the edges, I tried to thank him but the words refused to make an appearance.
"It took me years obviously, but I finally found it a few months ago. Thought I'd wait until your birthday though."
"Where did you ... how?" I opened the box and felt the familiar smooth velvet. "How do you know it was mine?"
He shrugged. "Who else buried a box in the woods in the exact area you said it would be?"
"You just went out there and dug it up? This is really it?"
"When I had time every few months or so. It's been years. I just didn't want to give up because you always talk about how you wish you had never gotten rid of it. Thought I'd surprise the hell out of ya if I found it, so I dug around until I did. Found some jewelry and other stuff in my search." He pulled out a bag. "Some of it you might like."