The Best of Fools (Jane Austen Book 2) (19 page)

Yes it is.

Jane, my eyes are closing. Let's talk tomorrow. Download the app I'm gonna send a link for. Then we can text instead.

Love,

Me ;)

PS- I'm ready to beat you in the showdown tomorrow. Prepare thyself!

Oh, I forgot it was late there. Okay. Talk soon! No need to prepare!

I continued my bucket list with a smile I didn't know was on my face until Zoe came in said, "What are you so happy about?"

"Oh." I twirled my pen beside my face. "Just Batman."

"Batman?"

I nodded.

She handed me a container that smelled amazing. "Dinner."

I lifted the lid. "Thank you." I didn't realize I was hungry until I opened that container and stared at the lasagna waiting to be consumed. "You didn't have to."

"If I had to I probably wouldn't."

I laughed. "That doesn't sound nice."

"Why? I just mean I like doing it because I want to, not because I feel like I need to."

"I know, I know. Well, thank you. It's sweet."

I ate the yummy dinner as Zoe went to her bedroom. Then I took quick shower and settled into bed myself around 11pm. When I set my phone in the charge it beeped.

Another email. It said:

Jane....

I wrote back,
Alistair....

And fell asleep with a smile.

So unbelievably odd for me.

But good too.

The graphic tees came in and looked exactly like I wanted them too. I hung them on a rack in the store while Han helped set up some last minute things. Autumn was off with her person I hadn't even met and I told Brooke to take the day off for her daughter. Donovan hadn't spoken to me since the last incident, so it was just Han and me. Which I liked. She was peaceful and didn't seem capable of getting stressed. Which I was.

I was very, very stressed.

"Okay," I said as I put the last of the shirts on the rack. "I think we're done."

The bells on the front door rang and Donovan walked in, somewhat nodded to me, then took Han's hands. "Hey, I made reservations for dinner tonight. Are you ready to go?"

She looked at me. He didn't.

"Sure," I said. "No worries. I think I'm done here."

My phone beeped. A text from Alistair.
What was Alfred's original family name?

I typed back, smiling uncontrollably.
EASY. Beagle!

Him:
Dammit Jane! I thought I had you!

Me:
Ok. Give me a sex to think of a question.

Him:
I'll ignore the typo.

Me:
Lol. Autocorrect likes sex. Every time I write sec!

Him:
Autocorrect has good taste.

Me:
Thinking....

Han smiled when I looked up. Donovan didn't.

"Oh, just some Batman trivia with lover boy." I looked at Donovan.

His eyes narrowed. He was still pissed at me. I wasn't the one who abandoned him though. I should've been mad!

"Let's go," he said to Han.

She smiled as she walked by me and said, "Have a good night, Jane. See you Monday for big day!"

I nodded, keeping my eyes on Donovan as they walked outside. He normally turned to look at me whenever he left. Not this time.

I sent him a quick text.
Don't be a jerk, Don. Our friendship is more important. I still love you. I'm sorry I hurt you.

I waited for it to say "read" just below the text, but it only said "delivered" for the next five hours.

Alistair and I ended the night with him leading 34 to 32. I told him I would come back with a vengeance tomorrow, prepared with even more difficult questions, then we said goodnight.

I didn't go to sleep though. I used my iPad to search for the most obscure questions and answers I could find, then finally decided to go to bed about an hour later.

Just as I found that sleepy place between relaxed and dead asleep, a text came through.

Jane....

Me:
Alistair...

Him:
Go to bed. Stop studying. You won't win.

Me:
It's later there. You go to bed!

Him:
Jane.

Me:
Alistair.

Him:
Goodnight.

Me:
Goodnight. :)

I woke to a text at 4am. Half asleep, I reached over and grabbed the phone. Squinting my eyes, I turned the contrast down and opened the messages.

Donovan:
It's all good jazz.... just stop being so annoying.

I smiled and went back to sleep, finally waking to a text from Alistair.

Should be 9am there. You ready or what?

I rubbed my eyes and sent,
Just woke up.

I don't have a show tonight. First Saturday off in a while. How would you like to continue this challenge on the phone tonight?

Butterflies. Worms. Whatever they were ... they were intense. I wanted to throw up.

I typed back,
I have plans with Autumn tonight but maybe if it's not too late there when I get back.

I didn't have plans. Told you I lied to avoid things. Ugh. Donovan wasn't the only one I annoyed. Totally annoyed myself on a daily basis.

"No," I told myself as I typed. "I'm not going to lie this time."

I typed back to him,
Actually I'm lying because it makes me nervous. Let's talk tonight. Break me out of my shell.

He said:
Don't be nervous. Actually, be nervous. That means there's something between us. If not you wouldn't care enough to be nervous.

I waited a few seconds, then typed,
All that's between us is an ocean.

I erased that and said,
I'm just nervous to lose the challenge.

Him: I
'll pretend to believe you just so I don't scare you away. Now go prepare for your demise!

Me:
Oooh....nervous! :) Talk to ya soon, Alistair!

So ... is it possible for a day to feel like the longest and shortest day all at the same time? I dreaded and looked forward to talking to him. Both. I think what scared me the most was that I knew he liked me. He made it obvious. I guess the scariest thing was that I kinda liked him too. When I woke up to a random middle of the night text that just said "Jane" it comforted and excited me all at once. I think I spent the last few nights sleeping with a smile on my face. And the Batman thing....

Autumn told me not to worry about it so much and just take things one step at a time, but I think what worried me more than potentially falling for someone and getting stepped on, was losing Donovan. I never felt it as strongly as I did now, because I didn't need to. We were best friends. We talked all the time. About everything.

Since Han started seeing him, I hadn't talked to him in days and Alistair now texted me every night. Han took my place. Alistair stole his. Our best friend status would soon be demoted to "Hey, it's been a while. How ya doing?"

Maybe even—gasp!—brother and sister status.

I didn't want that.

So I made Autumn come over before Alistair called. She helped me get my mind off of it for a while. We laughed and talked and watched
The Office
. Donovan's favorite show. Mine too. We watched so many episodes together. I kept thinking about him and I guess it showed.

"Worried about the call again?" Autumn said.

"You know what's weird?"

"Besides you?"

"Besides that."

"What?"

"I ... I can't ... well, one of the reasons I'm worried about this is because of Don."

"He'd be thrilled if you found someone."

"No. I mean, yeah. Maybe he would, but I meant that I'm worried I'll lose him for good. Alistair is nice and all, but Donovan is my best friend. I don't want to lose him."

"One of your best friends, I might add."

"Yeah." I laughed. "Autumn...."

She stared at me. My heart rate picked up as the words entered my mind. I think my heart just tossed 'em up there without my consent, because they very idea of admitting it seemed torturous.

"Jane...." she finally said.

"I think I..." I cringed.

She smiled. "I know what you're gonna say and I'll just be ready to tell you I told you so."

"What?"

"No. I want to hear you say it."

"I don't know. This is stupid. I'm being stupid. I just miss Donovan, that's all. We were close for years. It was bound to happen. Just so soon? We're only eighteen. Could Han really end up being the one he marries?"

"Who knows. Plenty of people find their spouse even in high school." She smirked and poked my knee. "Question is, why does it bother you?"

"Answer is, I miss him."

"Question is, why?"

"Answer is," I mocked. "I lov—"

Her eyebrows raised.

"I didn't mean it like that. You know I love him like I love you."

"Do you miss me when I get a boyfriend? Which, by the way, that other guy ... I'm not dating him anymore."

"Actually I do miss you when you have a guy."

"Are you nervous to talk to someone you may have feelings for because you're worried you might lose me for good?"

"How'd you know?" I teased, then wanted to bury my head in the couch like a four-year-old.

"I told you so." She beamed brighter than an obnoxious fluorescent light. "That's all I'm gonna say."