In the two hours I had left to research, I was able to piece together most of the story. The summer before my mother’s senior year of high school, she had been raped. It had been a rather brutal attack. She had been left badly bruised and beaten. The man who had attacked her was her boyfriend. He was the son of Courtland’s own beloved sheriff. He was a true golden boy: handsome, athletic, and a straight A student. The town was shocked.
Until they weren’t. The investigation led nowhere. Alibis were produced out of thin air. Story after story was written spreading doubt and derision. Letters to the editor were filled with hatred. My mother was disdainfully described by people who were once her friends as flirty, liking attention from boys and dressing provocatively. My mother was vilified and thoroughly shunned by the community. Everyone was convinced that she had made up the entire story.
How did the story end? My mother had apparently recanted the rape accusation. The newspaper articles died down after that, but I knew the story had not ended. It had never ended.
I had been borne to a woman that had never recovered. From the dates, I knew that she had married my father several years later, and I had been born years after that. My father may have truly loved my mother. He protected her and sheltered her from the world. But he hadn’t helped her. He hadn’t healed her. He’d enabled her anxieties, practically nurturing her fears over the years. And I wasn’t sure that my mother ever really loved him back. I wasn’t sure if she was even capable of it.
I drove straight to work, my mind numb. I could feel sorry for the girl in the newspaper, but it wasn’t translating over to feeling anything for my mother yet. I still needed time to process it all.
I had woken up that morning with no idea that my life would feel so drastically different hours later. It wouldn’t be the only surprise that day. We don’t seem to get advance warning when these game changers come around. They can just stop you in your tracks right in the middle of the most mundane task.
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.
Chapter 16
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.
Chapter 17
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.
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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.
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Being Jane: A New Adult Erotic Romance: Fountain of Love Page 10
