Being Jane: A New Adult Erotic Romance: Fountain of Love (10 page)

I was picking up
soggy, half-eaten french fries off of a booster seat in a booth that a family
and their toddler had just vacated when it happened. Phyllis tapped me on the
shoulder.

She looked annoyed
and spoke to me with her cigarette-roughened voice. “You’ve got a phone call.
You know the rules, right? No personal phone calls.”

I had no idea who
in the world would be calling. Millie? My parents? My mother would rather slit
her wrists than dare pick up the phone.

My brow knitted as
I wondered who it could be. “I’m sorry, Phyllis. Did they say who it was?”

Phyllis’ face
softened. “He’s still on the line. Go ahead. Just make it snappy.”

I was nervous when
I picked up the phone. I didn’t like surprises. “Hello?”

“Jane?” There was
a pause. “Hi. This is Dusty.”

My heart started
hammering painfully in my chest. I could barely croak out his name. “Dusty?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry
I’m calling you at work… I didn’t know how else to reach you and I remembered
you worked at the diner…”

I didn’t know what
to say. Luckily he continued on.

“So, you know I
moved out to Colorado, right? Well, I’m working at this really great ski resort
here. It’s really nice… and we’re getting ready for the busy season. And anyway,
one of the managers at a really popular lodge here just quit. They’re
scrambling to try to find a replacement for him. It’s for an assistant hotel
manager. It seems like a really great job and they’re desperate to fill it as
soon as they can. And, well, I thought of you. I know you were looking for a
job in your field and this sounds like it would be great for you…”

It was a good
thing that Dusty couldn’t seem to stop talking, because I had definitely stopped
breathing.

Dusty

I wanted to order
a stiff drink or even a few shots, but instead, I ordered my third club soda. Was
it possible that she wasn’t coming?

I had to do a
double-take when she finally showed up over an hour late. She was wearing a
business suit and had her hair pulled up; she looked sophisticated, but sexy as
hell.

She seemed
relieved when she spotted me at the bar. I got up from the bar stool as she
headed my way. “Hi Jane.”

“I was worried you
might be gone. I’m so sorry, the interview ran really late.”

There was an awkward
moment while we hugged and then broke apart. “No problem. I figured that was
it.”
Or I was panicking that you bolted.

Her face broke out
into a huge grin. “Well… I got the job! You’re looking at Snowshoe Lodge’s new
assistant manager.”

I was surprised
and excited at the same time. “You know already?”

Jane’s head bobbed
up and down. “They made the offer right when the interview was over. I didn’t
accept yet, but the pay is pretty decent and this is the perfect job for me.
I’m going to call and accept tomorrow. They want me to start in a week!”

I laughed. Her
excitement was contagious. “Wow. That’s great news.”

Jane sat down at
the bar, but waved the bartender away. “I have to find a place to live really
fast. They offered me a $2,000 relocation package and I don’t want to use that
up staying at a motel until I find someplace. I’m going to need that for a
security deposit and first month’s rent and stuff.”

I fiddled with my
drink as I cautiously spoke. “I can help you out. There’s a lot of cheap
housing available around. It would be even cheaper if you had roommates. My
roommate has lived here for years. He knows a lot of locals.”

Jane’s eyes
sparkled. “I owe you big, Dusty Hamilton. This is just the most amazing day for
me! I’m so glad you called me. Especially after…”

Her voice trailed
off as her eyes darted around the room.

After what?
Suddenly, we were both thinking about that night. When she had taken off in the
morning, I had been convinced that she had regretted what happened between us.
That she had realized that she had made a huge mistake.

But as the weeks
passed by, I was haunted by thoughts of Jane. I began to believe she was more
than just regretful. I wondered if she thought of our night together and was
horrified by my actions. Was she angry about what happened? Did she think I
took advantage of her weakened emotional state? Because in a way, that was
exactly what I had done.

She still wouldn’t
look at me. “Jane, I’m really sorry about that night. I fucked it up so badly.
I can understand why wanted to get away from me.”

Jane blinked in
surprise. “You were the one who left.”

We stared at each
other for a long moment. “I mean, when you took off in the morning. You
regretted what happened. And maybe you hated me for what I did.”

She wasn’t following
along. “What did you do?”

“I was an asshole.
I took advantage of the situation.”

Jane shook her
head. “Nate was the asshole that night, not you. And I was the one who…
initiated what happened. I don’t blame you for anything. And I certainly don’t
hate you.”

“Then why did you
take off like that?”

Jane squirmed in
her seat. “Because I was so … embarrassed by my behavior. I climbed into your
bed and practically attacked you. I acted like a … slut. Especially so soon
after Nate.”

My mind was
spinning. She had run off because she was ashamed at what we had shared
together? Trying to understand Jane Brown was exhausting. “You do seem to have
a thing for sneaking into my bed. You better be careful, next time I might get
the idea that you actually like being with me.”

Her cheeks were
turning bright pink. She looked miserable. Her look told me everything I needed
to know and I couldn’t believe how insanely happy it made me feel.

“Jane?” I folded
my arms in front of my chest.

I waited for her
to look at me. Teasing her was so much fun. “
Do
you like being with me?”

“A little bit.”

I raised an
eyebrow. “Just a little?”

“Maybe more than a
little bit.” She sounded painfully unsure of herself.

I wasn’t about to
let her walk away until she admitted it to me and to herself. “How much more?”

She looked like
she was ready to bolt. She merely shrugged in response as she studied the floor.

“Why don’t you
show me how much more?”

Her head snapped
up. “What?”

“Kiss me.”

Emotions wrestled
in her eyes. “Dusty…”

“I’m waiting.”

She looked around
the mostly empty room and then slid off her barstool. She was so nervous as she
tentatively approached me. I didn’t make it any easier. I just waited.

She pressed her
lips against mine and I fought not to pull her against me. I wanted Jane to do
all the kissing. Her hands slid onto my shoulders and I felt her body pressing into
me. When her tongue slipped into my mouth, a wave of longing washed over me. My
body fired up and all I could think of was consuming all of her.

I trapped her in
my arms and released all the pent up hunger and frustration of the past months into
our kiss. This girl certainly knew how to spark my passions like no others.

She pushed against
me and giggled. “Dusty, let go, people are staring.”

“I’ll let you go
as soon as you tell me you’re moving to Colorado and you’re going to be my
girlfriend.”

She was stunned.
“How did all this happen?”

“I’ll tell you
later. Right now, I need an answer.”

She kissed me
breathless. It was the right answer.

Jane 

Did I have my
happy ending yet? It was too early to be sure. I had moved away from home, had
a decent job that I enjoyed immensely and spent almost everyday with the man
that I loved. Oh, and he loved me back.

Things with my
mother were still very strained. I hadn’t been able to come home for Christmas
because of work. It was a busy time at the lodge and I covered for my manager
so that he could spend Christmas day with his wife and children. Still, my
mother took my absence as a personal slight. She probably thought I was too
busy slutting it up to come home.

My manager did let
me take a few days off for New Years. He called it a ‘young persons holiday’,
so he covered my spot for me. Dusty and I headed back to Kansas for three days.
He invited me to stay at his parent’s house with him, but I knew it would be
just another unforgivable sin that would be added to my mother’s list. It was
hard staying at my home, because sometimes it didn’t even seem like my mother
wanted me there.

Of course, things
were more tolerable now. I now knew my mother’s secret. Yesterday, I stopped by
the hair salon. Aunt Bettie and I didn’t speak about my mother at all this
time. Did she know that she had given me just enough information to allow me to
find out the truth? Looking back, I suspect she did. Aunt Bettie had always
been my savior when I needed it most.

I knew that one
day the information she led me to would help me repair my relationship with my
mother. It wouldn’t happen anytime soon, but at least I could reconcile my
mother’s craziness now. Aunt Bettie whispered one thing to me as she hugged me
goodbye, “You’re mother misses you very much.”

Despite all that,
we still had a blow out when I announced I was going to a New Year’s Eve party.
Some things never changed. I understand that in some ways she was just trying
to protect me, but she no longer had any power to hold me back.

It was New Year’s
Eve and another year was just about over. I had made a lot of mistakes this
year. Maybe even Dusty would turn out to be a mistake, but if he was, I was definitely
having a good time making that mistake over and over again. I had come to
discover that mistakes were just a part of living.

The party was at
Ace’s parent’s house. Tons of people were packed into the space. Nate caught my
eye and smiled. I didn’t have to worry about him, Dusty wouldn’t even let him
get within ten feet of me. Michelle was there, too. Not even her drunken
attempt to flirt with Dusty could annoy me. I was way too happy.

I looked around at
everyone and felt at peace. Millie was currently on a break with her boyfriend
again, but she seemed to be having more fun without him than I ever saw her
with him. In fact, I spotted her smooching Ace in the corner. I couldn’t wait
to start teasing her with all the bad ‘Tucker’ jokes that I could think of.

Johnnie was
hanging out pretty openly with his boyfriend. Not kissing him or anything
crazy, but he looked really happy and no one at the party seemed to be batting
an eyelash at it. At Thanksgiving dinner, he had finally told his parents that
he was gay. For Christmas, he was daring enough to bring his boyfriend home to
meet his parents. He told me that the situation was as ‘awkward as fuck’ but
that everyone was trying.

When Dusty saw me
watching him, he weaved his way through the crowd over to me, passing Johnnie
on the way.

“I can’t believe
how jealous I was of that guy. I thought you two were together.”

I shook my head,
amused. “It just wasn’t meant to be.”

Dusty put his arm
around me. “What were you thinking about before? You looked a million miles
away.”

“I was just
thinking about how lucky I was.”

Dusty’s smile
melted my heart every single time. He leaned down to kiss me. It didn’t matter
if we were in the middle of a crowded room; his kisses always drove me wild.

Millie tugged on
my arm. “Hey, break it up you two. Save that for later. The ball’s about to
drop in five minutes.”

I grabbed Millie’s
arm before she walked away. “Millie. Meet me at the park tomorrow at noon.”

She looked
surprised. “Tomorrow? It’s gonna be freezing! Why do you want to go to the
park? Can’t we do our party wrap-up on the phone this time?”

I smiled
sheepishly. “I’ve got another wish to make before I head back to Colorado.”

Millie laughed.
“The fountain will be frozen. I’m not sure the wishes will work. Besides, all
your wishes came true already. Save some for other people.”

I squeezed her
arm. “Just meet me.”

Millie rolled her
eyes and left, probably in search of Ace before the ball dropped. But I knew
she would meet me, she was a true friend.

It was crazy how
something that happened over 25 years ago, even before I was born, could have
affected my life so profoundly. I felt like I had finally overcome that
obstacle. It was time to move on. My wish was for my Mom. I wanted the fountain
to work its magic so that she could find the peace and happiness that she
deserved.

The crowd started
counting down to the New Year. I laughed when Dusty grabbed me and started
kissing me before the ball had made it half way down its slow descent. I
couldn’t wait to see what the next year would bring for me. Dusty felt like my
soul mate. Who really knew though? We were still so young, anything could
happen in life.

I finally learned
that sometimes you just had to have the courage to step off that monotonous
treadmill that you were stuck on and take a chance. Being Jane was never boring
anymore.

Arabella
Quinn Newsletter
:

Sign
up for my newsletter to get notices of new releases and special offers:


http://eepurl.com/t32Oz
   (~1
newsletter / month)

***

Fountain of Love

The Fountain of Love is Timeless. The Fountain of Love is
Wonderful. The Fountain of Love is Magic. Join 15 authors as they spin the tale
of the Fountain. The settings and characters may change, but the fountain will
remain.

Find us on the web:
http://fountainromance.com

Like us on Facebook! 
http://www.facebook.com/FountainRomance

***

Other books by
New York Times
and
USA Today
Bestselling Author

Arabella Quinn

Rock Me Series

Meet the tattooed bad boys of Cold Fusion in this deliciously
naughty  bestselling rockstar erotic romance series:

Rock Me:
Wicked
 
Lead guitarist Alex hasn’t seen Lena in
years. Will their renewed passions lead to heartbreak and misery or and
enduring love?

Rock Me:
Naughty
 Bass guitarist Nick is hiding a secret. Can he resist the one
woman he can't have? Will her love set him free or destroy him?

Rock Me:
Crazy
 
Drummer Tommy is not interested in long-term entanglements until a woman walks
into his life that is too crazy to resist.

Rock Me:
Sexy
 
Front man Tyler is used to legions of girls falling all over him. His whole
world changes when an utterly new experience shocks him to the core.

***

~
Currently,
The
Billionaire's Son
(Part1)
is being
offered for free!~

The Billionaire's Son - The Series

The Billionaire's Son
is an erotic
romance series packed with intrigue, danger, secrets, powerful billionaires,
clandestine sex clubs and sizzling sex scenes. The heroine, Julia, has nothing
but disdain for the impossibly sexy, Derek, when they first meet. He's an
arrogant, spoiled playboy who seems to catch Julia at every turn in humiliating
and compromising situations. As the mystery unfolds, Julia and Derek are thrown
together and sparks fly. Ultimately, they not only find the answers they are
searching for, but much more than they ever expected.