Mansfield Ranch (The Jane Austen Diaries)

  “Harrison, wait.” I chuckled. I had to—this whole thing was so absurd. I tugged on my hand and he released it. “It’s okay. I’m in the play. I’m part of the chorus.”

  “Oh.” He smiled. “Well, why didn’t you say so?”

  I laughed. “Good grief, I tried to! But your mouth works faster than mine, apparently.”

  “My mouth, eh? You wanna test that theory?” He leered a bit as he moved in closer.

  I quickly placed my hand on his chest. “No. Now knock it off. What are you doing here, anyway?”

  “I told you—to watch you audition.”

  Ugh. “Why? I’m fine on my own without being babysat, you know.”

  A frown played on his lips. “Look, I didn’t see it that way. I was excited, and when I had some free time, I decided to come down and support you. My bad.”

  Great. Now I felt like a jerk. “No, I’m sorry. It’s just that this whole thing is so unnerving, you know? I would’ve been a basket case up there trying to audition and knowing you were here to watch me. So I’m really glad that one, you were late. And two, that I didn’t have to audition at all. He just gave me this paper and told me I was in.”

  “Awesome!” He smiled. “I don’t care how you got in—I’m just glad you’re in.” Then his brows lowered. “So what were the tears for? Sad you made it?” He attempted a lame chuckle.

  He had to remember the tears, didn’t he? I groaned. “No. They weren’t really tears, anyway. More like leaky eyes. You know, probably allergies or something.”

  “Yeah, right.” He folded his arms. “What caused them?”

  I glanced at the now-closed theater door and then back at him as I shook my head. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it. I’m just being a dork.”

  Harrison opened the door and peeked inside. He looked around the theater until his gaze settled on Sean and Julia on the stage. “Huh.” His eyes met mine. “Are you okay now?”

  “Of course.”

  He stared at me for several long seconds before asking, “How long have you been in love with him?”

  “With who?” I wanted to escape, but Harrison’s look kept me rooted to the spot.

  “How long?”

  I shook my head and then just gave in. Why try to deny something that’s apparently transparent anyway? “Forever.”

  He slowly nodded. “Now it all makes sense.”

  “What?”

  “Why it’s so easy for you to resist me when no one else can.”

  Sheesh. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

  “I don’t have to.” He spoke with such complete conviction, it was annoying. “You don’t care about me and you’re never going to. How can you, when your heart beats for him?”

  This conversation just got awkward again. I placed a hand on my hip. “You’re not my type, Harrison—you never were. So it really doesn’t matter if Sean’s taken or not. I still wouldn’t be attracted to you.”

  He stepped toward me and I automatically walked a few paces away. “Are we back to that again? You trying to convince me that you’re not attracted to me? Remember what happened last time? Do you want to experience that again right now?”

  “I dare you to kiss me so I have the perfect opportunity to knock some sense into you!”

  He grinned. “Be careful what you wish for.”

  “Does anything ever faze you?”

  “When it comes to girls, not usually. I have them all figured out.”

  “Yeah, I bet you do. Which is why you and I will never happen.”

  “Hah! Never say ‘never’ to a man who loves a challenge. And you’ve just upped this one quite significantly. Now that I understand why your heart wasn’t mine to begin with, I can actually work with something here.”

  “What? But . . . ugh.” I was so flustered, I couldn’t even speak. “I thought you said I’d already won and the game was over.”

  His smile grew and he waggled his brows. “I’ve changed my mind. You may have won that round, but the game is still most definitely on.”

  Save me.

  Chapter Fifteen: Packs a Punch

  The first rehearsal wasn’t that bad, actually. I had to admit, it was even kind of fun, more exciting than I thought it’d be. Sean chattered the whole way there—it seemed he was in his element. Then again, getting the lead in a musical could very well take a guy who’d normally be afraid of the limelight and give him a whole lot more courage. I smiled. It was cool to see him so energized about something I thought he’d never do.

  By the time we were leaving the community center and heading to our cars, I’d even convinced myself that it’d be kind of fun to go back to rehearsal again. That was, until Harrison and Julia ruined everything.

  Just as I was opening the door to Sean’s car, Julia came running up to us, her pretty brown ringlets bouncing as she came over. “Hey, guys! We were wondering if you two would like to swap.”

  I glanced at Sean.

  He smiled. “You mean like, Harrison take Lilly and you drive home with me?”

  Julia giggled. “Yeah, well, then we could talk more about our parts.”

  “Great,” Sean said. “I have no problem dropping you off at your house.” He looked at me hopefully. “Do you mind?”

  Why would I mind? Ha. I could think of several reasons. “Nope.” My grin was tight.

  Sean’s gaze fell to my mouth and then back to my eyes. He knew I wasn’t happy. He gave me a sort of apologetic shrug. “Unless you’d like to ride with us, Lilly. You’re welcome to.”

  Gee … Harrison’s smug face, or watching Sean fall for another girl? What could be more fun? I put my script in my purse. “I’ll ride with Harrison. You two have fun.”

  “Thanks!” Julia called as I purposefully made my way over to her brother’s car.

  “Well, isn’t this just cozy?” He smirked. “Looks like Lilly Price will ride with me after all.”

  “I swear, if you say one word, I’ll—”

  “What?” He blinked. “What will you do, Mrs. Crawford?”

  “Ugh. That name!” I opened up the passenger door to his annoying laughter.

  “Get used to it. You know deep down that you love me teasing you about it.”

  I rolled my eyes and moved to climb in.

  “Wait!” Alexis shouted from across the parking lot. “Wait! Harrison, don’t tell me you’re forgetting us.” Lauren came through the theater doors after her.

  “Are you kidding me?” I mumbled under my breath. I completely forgot my sisters were riding with him. Looking over, I watched Sean’s car begin to pull out. There was no way I was going to run back there and flag him down.

  “I’ll sit in back.” I grunted as I pushed the seat forward and climbed in.

  Harrison ducked his head to look inside. “Lilly, you can sit up front with me. You don’t have to be back there.”

  Yeah, and what planet of optimism are you from? I didn’t even give him the satisfaction of an answer. I just climbed in and braced myself for the worst.

  “So what are you doing here?” Alexis asked.

  I tried not to get too offended. It was just a question—something normal that anyone would ask. However, when she used that tone, it was anything but a normal question. “Julia wanted to ride with Sean to talk about their parts.”

  “Oh, that’s so cute!” She seemed appeased. “I think they make the cutest couple.”

  “Who?” asked Lauren as she sat in the passenger seat.

  “Sean and Julia,” Alexis gushed.

  I fished in my purse and found my iPod.

  “So, you got booted out to ride with us?” Lauren asked.

  I didn’t look up as I plugged the ear buds into my player. “Yep.”

  “It’s okay—we’ll take her. Right, girls?” Harrison chuckled as he climbed in and started the car.

  No one answered him.

  A Sara Bareilles song came on and after clicking my seatbelt into place, I leaned back and looked out the tiny window. I thought I would
be given some privacy and a chance to allow my head to clear, but Harrison had other ideas. About five minutes later, he began to ask me questions.

  “So, Lilly, how was your first practice?”

  I looked over. “Good.”

  “Are you glad you joined the musical after all?”

  He should’ve asked me ten minutes ago. “Uh, yeah. I guess.”

  “Do you have any lines?”

  Really? “Yeah, a couple.”

  “Which part did you get?” Lauren asked.

  “Just one of the mayor’s wife’s friends.”

  “Oh!” Alexis laughed. “One of the old ladies.”

  I pursed my lips together and looked out the window again. “Yep.”

  “Are you going to need help with your lines?” Harrison asked.

  I turned and met his gaze in the rearview mirror. He must’ve adjusted it to watch my reaction. Thankfully, I didn’t have to say anything.

  “Yeah, right. Lilly will have her lines memorized by the second practice,” Alexis said. “It’s me and you who are going to need to practice. I can’t believe how many lines we have, and how many scenes together.”

  Harrison winked at me in the mirror as he answered Alexis. “That’ll be fun.”

  Lauren pouted. I could tell she was pouting just by the tone of her voice. “But how am I going to learn my lines?”

  Alexis grinned. “Have my boyfriend help you. He’s good at that stuff.”

  What? I removed one of my ear buds.

  “Why should I have him help me?” Lauren sounded as shocked as I was.

  Alexis heaved a sigh as if she had to explain something to a moron. “Because he’s going to want to hang out with us, like always, but I’m going to be busy with Harrison most of the time, so I’ll need someone to take over for me. It might as well be you.”

  “Wait. Why me? Let your own boyfriend help you with your lines, and I’ll use my boyfriend to help me with mine.” Lauren rubbed her hand on Harrison’s bicep.

  Harrison was watching the road, but I could see his jaw twitch.

  “Are you kidding? Lauren, Harrison has to work with me, since we’re together in the play. You don’t get a choice. I don’t want to look like a fool on stage. I have to practice with him.”

  He glanced over at Lauren. “She has a point. I guess I’ll have to work lines with her.”

  If Lauren could’ve jumped out of the car right then and still look amazing, she would’ve done it. Anyone could see she was close to losing her cool. “You know what?” she snapped. “I think we should change the subject.”

  Harrison cleared his throat. “Probably a good idea.” His eyes met mine in the mirror again. “So who will you be practicing lines with, Lilly?”

  I put my ear buds back in as both girls gasped. The guy really didn’t know when to stop.

  ***

  Once we made it home, I immediately went to my room and crashed on my bed. I figured I’d do the dishes and outside chores in a little bit once everyone else calmed down and the house was quiet. I heard the girls say good-bye to Harrison and I waited until the TV came on in the front room. Then I made my way into the kitchen and began to work on the mess. Turning up the volume on my iPod, I quickly unloaded the dishwasher. It wasn’t until about halfway through loading it, when I reached for a cup on the counter behind me, that I nearly had a heart attack.

  There, standing outside with this stupid grin on his idiotic face, was Harrison, staring at me through the window. I turned off the water and the iPod and marched out the back door. “Are you kidding me? I nearly peed my pants,” I hissed. “What in the holy curses are you doing back here, you stalker?”

  He chuckled and shut the door more firmly. Then he placed a finger over his lips and motioned for me to follow him.

  “Uh, no.” It was cold and dark.

  He motioned.

  “I don’t even have a jacket.”

  He sighed and then began to unzip his.

  “No. Harrison, not only is it cold, but this is absolutely insane, and I’m not going anywhere with you!”

  “Shh!” He placed the still-warm coat around my shoulders and then slipped one of my arms in the sleeve.

  I pushed his hand away, put my other arm in on my own, and then zipped it up. “Okay, what? And why all the secrecy?”

  He tilted his head toward the barn and began to walk over there. “Come and see.”

  Is he serious? Ugh. What did he do? I couldn’t even fathom. Reluctantly, I began to follow him. “This better be good,” I ungraciously muttered. “I could get, like, grounded for a month if I’m caught with you out here like this.”

  He glanced at me. “Oh, it’ll be worth it, I promise.”

  I grumbled some more, but honestly, the suspense was killing me. What in the world had the guy done? And when did he do it?

  As soon as we slipped inside the darkened barn, he shut the door behind us and began to kiss me.

  What in the—? I pushed him away. “Really?” I sputtered.

  I heard his chuckle and could just make out his glittering eyes. “What did you think we were coming here for?” he asked.

  I felt his arms go around my waist and his mouth nuzzle my neck. I wanted to hurl. I pushed against him, but he didn’t budge.

  “Relax,” he muttered against my jaw. “Just stop and enjoy yourself for a few minutes. Let’s get this feisty princess a little more happy.” With one hand, he began to unzip the jacket.

  “Um, no.” I pushed against his chest. Why did I never realize how strong this guy was? “I am not making out with you in a smelly barn, so back off.” I pushed against him again, but his arms pulled me closer.

  I could feel one hand make its way up my back to cup my head. “Shh . . . Now stop.”

  I was beginning to get mad. “Harrison, if you don’t get yourself off me this instant, you’ll regret it.”

  His lips trailed over to my ear. “Whatcha gonna do? Hiss at me?”

  Seriously? Was the guy’s ego that big? “Let. Me. Go. Now!”

  He paused, but didn’t let go. “Are you flirting or angry? I can’t tell in this light.”

  Ha. As if he couldn’t tell. I didn’t have to see his face to know he was grinning. He loved thinking I was stuck. “Are you going to let me go?”

  “Not until I want to.” He began to push the jacket off my shoulder. “Now come here. I want to warm you up properly.” His other hand wound around my waist to my stomach and slipped under the bottom of the jacket, rising up to my rib cage.

  That was it. I was done. “Fine.” I brought my hands up to play with his hair.

  He took it as a good sign and relaxed just enough for me to knee him in the groin. Hard. When he doubled over, I yanked his hair and slammed his nose into that same knee and then shoved him away from me. His moans were loud.

  When I opened the barn door, I could see him writhing on the floor. He’d grabbed his face with one hand while he held himself with the other. I swiftly removed his disgusting jacket and dumped it on top of him.

  “The next time you mess with a cowgirl, I suggest you make sure you’re a better fighter than she is. You’re lucky I was nice, or you wouldn’t have such a pretty face to kiss someone else with.”

  I brushed off my hands and stepped out into the cold air. “Oh, and if you ever touch me like that again, I’ll send Sean after you. If you think I’m trouble, just wait. He taught me everything I know.”

  I shut the door and marched back to the house.

  How dare the jerk think I was the type of girl who’d do junk like that? Give me a break! How many warnings did I have to give him, anyway? How many times did I tell him no? The guy needed to be shot! I really didn’t trust him. I didn’t.

  Everyone else could think he was nice and innocent or whatever, but I really, really, didn’t like him. And now, much more than ever before.

  If I never saw Harrison Crawford again, it’d be too soon.

  The loser.

  Chapter Sixtee
n: Revenge

  The night I fought off Harrison changed everything. If I had known what would happen because of it, I don’t know what I would’ve done. Maybe told someone? Maybe not have gone back in the house and finished the dishes?

  As it turned out, pretending nothing had happened ended up being my biggest mistake. After that, I became Harrison’s greatest challenge. And he went to extreme lengths to prove it to me, even going so far as breaking up with Lauren the next morning.

  She was in a foul mood as we got ready for school. I hadn’t got the “Harrison must die” memo like Alexis had, so there was no warning whatsoever that Lauren would be raging. I kept my iPod on and my head down as I climbed into the car, like any typical day.

  But then she drove maybe a thousand feet before slamming on her brakes and shouting at me to get out of the car. I was in a bit of shock, but from the look on her face, apparently she had just cause to go ballistic. “Did I do something wrong?” I asked.

  “Yes, you were born. Now get out!” If her eyes could’ve shot daggers at me, they would’ve.

  I raised my brows. “Wow.”

  “GET OUT!”

  “Okay, okay, I’m going.” I clutched my backpack, opened up the side door, and left.

  Just as I was shutting it, she snapped, “Text your boyfriend and tell him to pick you up! You don’t need to ride with us anymore!” Then she sped away, leaving me alone with a long walk ahead of me.

  My boyfriend? What was going on? Had she seen me and Harrison go into the barn the night before? I sucked in some cold air and looked down the road, then flung my backpack over my shoulders. Tugging on my gloves and beanie, I began to walk. Might as well get this over with. If I hurried, I might be able to get there in the middle of second hour.

  What was her problem, anyway? Lauren wasn’t the sweetest of sisters, but she’d learned how to reign in that temper. Mostly.

  I sighed. One thing was for certain—it changed the dynamics of the play drastically. There was no way I wanted to be around Harrison ever again. And with Sean announcing that morning that he’d be taking Julia to and from practices, and his sisters not allowing me to drive with them, it made everything so much more awkward. My heart clenched and I walked faster. A lot faster.