Stolen Kisses
By Jennifer Grayson
A Short Romance
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Stolen Kisses - Copyright 2013 – Jennifer Grayson
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Other Books by Jennifer Grayson
Chapter 1
JENNY LESTER’S FATHER was the county court judge and a respected member of the community of Oak Junction. He was on every committee and organization of the town and county imaginable and with the long hours he worked he had no time for Jenny. All he cared about was his work, his law practice and being one of the most upstanding citizens of the community. She was lonely without him, especially since her mother had died in a car accident four years previously. It was this loneliness and the desire for respect and attention from him that made her do what she did.
She didn’t totally blame herself for what happened, although in hindsight it was all her fault. Nobody forced her to make the decision that caused so many problems. But loneliness makes people do strange things like falling in love and keeping it a secret. She couldn’t tell anyone about her illicit happiness. But the guilt she felt by sneaking around behind her father’s back melted when she was with the boy that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Being with him was worth all the problems that it caused even though it was like stealing love with stolen kisses.
On the day that it happened she had lunch at home with her father. He had finished court duties for the day and was on his way to a council meeting. It was a rare occasion for them to eat together – she couldn’t remember the last time it had happened - and it made her happy for a while. It was almost like being a family again. She enjoyed talking with her father, until he began talking about the cases he had heard in the morning. Then her happiness dissolved.
“I had another young lawbreaker in court today,” he said, “from that cheap housing estate. Those young hooligans are all the same.”
“Oh no daddy,” Jenny said, “I don’t agree.”
“I’m right. Cheap living, that’s what causes it. That new factory they built on the old Adams farm has attracted all kinds of trash to our town.”
“But you had plenty of young delinquents in your court before the factory was built,” Jenny said as she cleared away the lunch dishes.
She went back to her studies, disappointed with her father’s attitude, but she didn’t want to argue with him. She could never win and she didn’t want to upset him. She saw so little of him that she didn’t want it to be an unhappy experience and she certainly didn’t want him to discover that she had been disobeying him for the last few months.
“All the same Jenny,” he said. He stood behind her as she sat at the desk, “you are not to mingle with those people. You have plenty of friends from old, respectable families of the town. People who we know and can trust.”
“Yes, Father.” Jenny was resigned to never winning this argument with him. He still blamed the people from the estate for her mother’s death. A drunk, under age driver from the new housing estate had ploughed into her car. The driver had survived, but her mother had died from her injuries two days later. Jenny was only fourteen when it happened and had needed her father’s support, but he had become withdrawn, throwing himself into his work and taking on more responsibilities to fill his time. That’s when the loneliness began and it lasted until she met Geoff.
If only she could have told her Father then. If only she had shouted from the rooftops that she was already involved with those people, those awful people whose only crime was being poor. If only she had been brave enough to admit that she had met Geoff and had fallen deeply in love with him. How much misery would she have avoided?
Her father put his hand on her shoulder and his tone softened. “You will be grown up soon, Jenny, ready to marry. I don’t want you to make any mistakes.”
“I won’t, Daddy, I promise.” But she had already made a mistake. She had already fallen in love with a boy who had nothing - just love and hope. She couldn’t look her father in the eye or he would see the tears. Tears for the hopelessness of the situation she was in. How could she ever convince her father that he had the wrong opinion of these people?
Her father collected his coat and papers and prepared to leave. “I won’t be home for dinner, Jenny. Are you sure you will be all right?
“Sure, Daddy,” she said. She was used to spending days alone. “I have plenty of study work to do. It will keep me busy.”
She waited a few minutes after her father had left. Then she left too. Sneaking down the back streets so the neighbors couldn’t see her heading for the soda store near the factory where she always met Geoff. Geoff was everything to her. The ending of her loneliness and the beginning of all her hopes.
Chapter 2
GEOFF HAD PROMISED Jenny a surprise when they were together the day before and she was excited as she made her way to meet him. She found him standing beside a car – all smiles.
“Geoff, you bought the car you wanted.”
“Yes, but to us it’s no second hand, used, beat up heap.” He gestured with his hand, proud of his new acquisition. He opened the passenger door, “please step into your limousine, Jenny.”
Geoff was handsome, with short brown hair, clean shaven and bluish, green eyes. He had the build of a sportsman, but didn’t participate in any of the teams. He was never quite good enough to get a scholarship through sport and he realized that academic studies were his only way to attend college. He was ambitious with his schooling and knew that education was the way to improve his life and circumstances. But it was not just his good looks that had attracted Jenny to him. It was also his kindness and thoughtfulness. This had been evident at their first meeting.
It had been in the school cafeteria. She wasn’t normally clumsy, but as she carried her lunch tray she had noticed that he was looking at her. She had admired him from afar for a long time, but had never had the courage to speak to him and this sudden attention had caused her to trip. Her lunch tray was the first casualty quickly followed by her own awkward fall and the cheers that rang out from the other students didn’t make it any less embarrassing. Geoff had been the first to come to her assistance. He carried her tray and her ruined lunch to the table he had been sat at and invited her to join him.
“Thank you,” she said, “I’m not usually so clumsy.”
“Not a problem. Besides, I don’t think anyone noticed,” he lied as he smiled. “My names Geoff, by the way.”
She already knew his name, but didn’t let on. “Hi Geoff, I’m . . . .”
“Jenny Lester,” he said surprising her.
“You know my name?” she asked.
“Why would I not know the name of the most beautiful girl in here?”
It was the best lunchtime she had ever had, although she hadn’t eaten much. He introduced her to his friends, shared his meal with her and they talked, but before she knew it the bell went to call them all back to class. As they left he asked her for a date and she accepted. How could she refuse?
The following months had been wonderful.
They met every day and even though it was difficult keeping the secret from her father she had never been happier than when she was with Geoff. She fell in love with him almost immediately and was sure that he felt the same even though he kept reminding her of their social differences. The plans they made together had filled her with excitement. Once they had finished college they would embark on a life together that would be nothing short of incredible. What could possibly go wrong now that they had found each other and were so much in love?
But now, as she stood beside the car she was worried. “It must have taken all of your money that you saved for college to pay for it.”
“It did,” he said, “but I need a car to get to work at the factory. Without a job there will be no college next year.”
Jenny knew he was right. Only students with rich, well to do parents or a scholarship could afford the privilege of college education. The country they loved was supposed to be a classless society, but, like every other nation of the world, money still created divisions between people. The only avenue open to him was to pay his own way.
“It’s important I go to college,” Geoff said, “then we can tell your Dad that we are in love. I’m sick of all this sneaking around.”
“Oh, Geoff, I hope so. I do love you.”
They drove along the road that ran parallel to the river, singing along to the music on the radio, it seemed they had nothing to fear. They were so in love and the worrying future seemed so far away. After a while Geoff stopped the car by the side of the river. It was their favorite spot and where Jenny had fallen in love with Geoff.
The sun was starting to dip behind the hills on the far side of the river and the rays were bouncing off the ripples on the water. Jenny found it so romantic. They laid a blanket on the grass riverbank and sat quietly, holding each other as they enjoyed the last warmth of the day’s sun and the evening birdsong.
She suddenly asked. “Why do we have to wait so long to tell my father?”
“Because I know his kind,” Geoff said. “I know he’s you father and he is probably the most kind-hearted person in the world to you, but he is known for his dislike of people of my standing. Can’t you hear what he would say now? He would forbid us to see each other.”
Geoff didn’t have to say anymore. Jenny knew he was right. Although her father was fair and honest in court, in his private life he was a snob and could be cold, almost cruel. Certainly, a boy like Geoff, without money and coming from a poor family would have no chance with him. They wouldn’t have a future together if her father discovered their friendship.
“We’ll wait, darling,” she said, “but it will be so long.”
“I know, Jenny, but it will be worth waiting. Our love is true and it will find a way. In years to come we will look at this time as just a blip in our lives. When I’m in college studying for my degree, you’re father won’t have so much to disapprove of.”
They kissed and clung to each other, drawing courage from each kiss and finding hope in each whispered word. But things were about to change. Fate and poor decisions were about to ruin everything they had and soon they would have nothing.
Chapter 3
GEOFF LOOKED AT his watch. “Hey, it’s six-thirty. My shift at the factory starts at seven o’clock.”
“Let me drive us there, Geoff,” Jenny said, suddenly. “Then I can take the bus home.”
“But you don’t have a license, Jenny”
“But I’m a good driver. I’ve driven my father’s car around the estate. Besides, the roads are practically deserted.” She looked at him with the same look she used to use to get round her father. She knew it always worked when she was a little girl. “Be an angel and let me drive.”
Geoff couldn’t resist her, “I shouldn’t do this, but I’m such a softie, I can’t refuse you anything. But please, promise me you’ll drive slow and be careful”
“Of course I will,” she said as she climbed behind the wheel.
She started off slowly, but her confidence grew with each mile and before long she was speeding down the highway. She was way past the speed limit and the excitement she felt made her deaf to Geoff’s warnings.
“You’re doing sixty, Jenny. Slow down.”
But she was enjoying herself too much. “Why should I? The roads all mine.”
Geoff was getting worried and regretting the fact that he let her drive.
“It’s such fun, Geoff. Like flying.”
“Slow down, Jenny. Please, I’m begging you.”
A few more hundred yards down the road, however, Geoff suddenly saw danger. “Jenny, stop. There’s a kid on a bike.”
“I can’t, Geoff, The brakes won’t hold.”
Jenny panicked, took her hands off the wheel and covered her eyes. “I can’t look.”
Geoff leaned across. “Give me that wheel.”
Paralyzing fear froze Jenny to her seat. Geoff did his best to avoid the boy, but there was a screeching thud. Jenny kept her eyes covered, but she couldn’t close her ears to the terrified scream and the final grinding of metal as the car plowed into a ditch. Geoff jumped out of the car and ran to the boy. Jenny finally managed to follow, but stood back, terrified at what she had done.
“Oh, is he . . . , is he . . . ?”
“I can’t tell yet,” Geoff said.
“It’s all my fault. I’ve killed him.”
“Stop crying, Jenny, he’s still alive.” Geoff grabbed hold of Jenny. “Now listen to me. I’ll call an ambulance, you run back to the junction and take the bus home. You’re out of this. Quick, before anybody sees you”
“But, Geoff . . . “Jenny started to say.
“Go on, now. There’s no time to argue.” Geoff ordered,” your father’s a judge. You can’t be mixed up in this.”
Weakly she obeyed, too numb to realize she was letting Geoff take the blame for what she had done.
Chapter 4
WHEN JENNY FINALLY got home she was trembling and terrified. She waited hours for Geoff to phone, but he didn’t. She couldn’t sleep at all that night. She realized the police must be holding Geoff, but he was innocent and if the little boy died he would charged with manslaughter. What had she done? They were so happy, but her foolishness had ruined everything.
The following day brought more torment. She was scared sick over Geoff. He hadn’t phoned and there was nothing in the papers. But that evening her father was home for dinner. He gave no indication of what sort of day he’d had and he usually made some comment about it.
She tried to sound casual, matter of fact, as she asked her father. “Was there anything new in court today, Daddy?”
He thought for a while. “Actually, there was,” he said. “Another young hoodlum from the housing estate nearly killed a child last night. Some fool redneck, by the name of Geoff something or other.”
Jenny felt the blood drain from her face. “Oh, what happened?” she asked. But she knew. Her worst fears were being realized.
“I have yet to see the full police report, but I am going to throw the book at this one if he is proven guilty. Geoff Hamlin that was his name. I’ll make him an example to all the others who think they can flout the law.”
“But it could have just been an accident,” Jenny said.
He could see that Jenny was upset. She always saw the good in people and couldn’t understand that some people were a menace to society. He came round the table and put his arms round her. “Jenny, don’t waste sympathy on him, or on others like him. Decent people like you don’t understand such idiots in the first place.”
Jenny shuddered at her own guilt. ‘Decent youngsters,’ she thought. What would her father say and do to her if he knew the truth, and what would his blind prejudice do to Geoff?
“Now let’s hear no more about it. Finish your dinner, Jenny, you’ve hardly touched it.”
“I’m not hungry. If you’ll excuse me I’ll go to my room. I have some studying to do.”
He looked at her and her plate. “Is
there anything wrong? It’s not like you to leave your food. Are you worried about something?”
“No, I had a big lunch and I’ve got an important exam in a few days and I want to study for it”
She was not hungry, not happy - just numb. The feeling of desperation and desolation gripped at her heart and paralyzed her soul. She couldn’t even ask her father for help. All she could do was wait – wait until Geoff hated her forever. Now she felt even more alone than before.
Chapter 5
THE NEXT TWO WEEKS were a living hell. Jenny had no contact from Geoff and the only news she heard about him was from her father and what was written in the local papers. Her father was obviously biased and the reporters that were covering the case seemed to have decided that Geoff was a guilty and reckless delinquent. The only sign she received was a single red rose that had been delivered two days previously accompanied with a card that just bore a heart and the initial G. She hoped it was a message from Geoff confirming his love for her, but it could have been a final goodbye note.
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