Persuaded (Jane Austen Diaries) Read online

  Table of Contents

  One: Blast from the Past

  Two: Reverse and Rewind

  Three: Justice Is Served

  Four: Heart Attack

  Five: Blazing Trails

  Six: Caught!

  Seven: Matchmaker, Matchmaker . . .

  Eight: Rise and Shine!

  Nine: Roamin’ Holiday

  Ten: Unexpected Treasure

  Eleven: Guess Who?

  Twelve: Wet-n-Wild

  Thirteen: The Great Escape

  Fourteen: The Day the World Stopped Turning

  Fifteen: The Waiting Game

  Sixteen: Back to Life, Back to Reality

  Seventeen: New Beginnings

  Eighteen: Surprise Visitor

  Nineteen: Shattered

  Twenty: Well, Hello There

  Twenty-One: Three’s a Crowd

  Twenty-Two: Silver Lining

  Twenty-Three: You’ve Got Mail!

  Twenty-Four: Sweet Persuasion

  Twenty-Five: Always & Forever

  Emmalee

  Praise for Northanger Alibi

  by Jenni James

  “Northanger Alibi reminds us in comical, relatable ways that mythical creatures aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be, and that real boys can be even better.” —Eve’sFanGarden.com

  “Northanger Alibi will have you laughing out loud at Claire’s observations and dramatic responses. In a world where every teen girl is looking for her ‘Edward’ . . . , Claire’s coming-of-age story is both timely and refreshing.” —Amanda Washington, author of Rescuing Liberty

  “Northanger Alibi by Jenni James is one of the best new young adult books of the year. Bringing together the lost beauty and drama of Jane Austen’s novels with the hip teen culture of today. Absolutely wonderful and addictive.” —Brynna Curry, author of Earth Enchanted

  “I fell in love with Claire and Tony the same way I fell in love with Edward and Bella in Twilight. Northanger Alibi has all the ingredients of a great love story.” —Greta Gunselman, killerromance.com

  “Northanger Alibi was incredibly adorable and delightfully entertaining. Claire Hart is an exact replica of the standard crazy and young Twilight fan—gullible, obsessed and in love with the idea of vampires and werewolves actually being real. . . .

  Mixing humor, romance and the ultimate crazy Twilight fan antics, this book will have you giggling from start to finish!” —Katie

  “I found myself laughing out loud . . . and then crying with Claire through her struggles. Yes, it is for young adults . . . but as an adult I completely enjoyed myself too! . . . I love that it is “clean” and there is nothing that I felt like I wouldn’t want my daughter to read someday. . . .

  Trust me, young and old alike won’t be disappointed!” —Kari

  “Stephenie Meyer meets Jane Austen in this humorous, romantic tale of a girl on a mission to find her very own Edward Cullen. I didn’t want it to end!” —Mandy Hubbard, author of Prada & Prejudice

  “It is a laugh-out-loud book! You will fall in love with Claire and everything that goes with her. . . . I am glad that someone has taken my beloved Northanger Abbey and modernized it. . . .

  Northanger Alibi is fun, exciting, and suspenseful. . . . James has hit the nail on the head with this one!” —Keyth A. Pankau

  “I found myself laughing out loud . . . and then crying with Claire through her struggles. Yes, it is for young adults . . . but as an adult I completely enjoyed myself too! . . . I love that it is “clean” and there is nothing that I felt like I wouldn’t want my daughter to read someday. . . . Trust me, young and old alike won’t be disappointed!” —Kari

  “[Northanger Alibi] is a laugh-out-loud kinda book! . . . You won’t be able to stop the pages from turning!” —Tiffany

  “This a is fun, smart, funny story. . . . I couldn’t put it down . . . I loved the characters. I loved the story. In short, I just plain loved this book!!” —Candi

  “A very funny, very modern remake of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. I LOVED it!” —Laura

  Praise for Pride & Popularity

  by Jenni James

  “This book was unputdownable. I highly recommend it to any fan of Jane Austen, young or old.” —Jenny Ellis, Jane Austen Society of North America

  “This was an absolutely captivating read from the very first page. . . .

  I bought into every twist and turn and couldn’t wait for Taylor and Chloe to actually get it together enough to become a couple.” —Shanti Krishnamurty, author of Maid of Sherwood

  “One of the best remakes of Pride and Prejudice ever!” —Jinx

  “This is so flippin’ cute.” —Sweetly Southern

  “Pride & Popularity is freaking A-MAZ-ING!” —im-reading-here

  “I just absolutely love this story!! Eeep!! <3 <3 <3” —Rachiee

  “This was the best book I’ve ever read on [Wattpad]!!! So freaking good. And what was really cute is that it was sort of innocent and not like a trashy they-sleep-with-each-other-every-other-chapter kinda book.” —Christyfanning

  “Pride & Popularity is the perfect guilty pleasure read.” —Ranee

  “If you love Jane Austen’s works, YA books, or if you just love a good book, Pride & Popularity is a must read!” —Shermia

  “This was a fun book full of whit and charm.” —Lori

  “Definitely a story that will remain at the top of your bookshelf forever!” —FleurRebelle9797

  “[Jenni James’s] modern spin has you falling in love with a cocky, arrogant Taylor Anderson and a strong willed, outspoken Chloe Hart. This book will make you laugh, cry, scream and smile. If Miss Austen was with us today she would be proud of this book.” —Savetheoutcasts

  “Pride & Popularity is a delightful romantic comedy that will tug on the heartstrings of ladies—regardless of their age. . . . The fast-paced storyline will draw you in while the characters enchant you. . . . If you’re looking for a refreshing reminder of how young, innocent love can break through even the most prideful of prejudices, you don’t want to miss this one.” ––Amanda Washington, author of Chronicles of the Broken

  “A delightful read! A book any Pride and Prejudice lover will be unable to put down!” ––Jakki

  “Having read several other Young Adult retellings of Pride and Prejudice . . . I must admit that Pride & Popularity by Jenni James is my top choice and receives my highest recommendation! In my opinion, it is the most plausible, accessible, and well-crafted YA version of Pride and Prejudice I have read!” ––Meredith, Austenesque Reviews

  The Jane Austen Diaries

  Pride & Popularity

  Northanger Alibi

  Persuaded

  Emmalee (Fall 2012)

  Mansfield Ranch (Spring 2013)

  Sensible & Sensational (Fall 2013)

  This is a work of fiction, and the views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author. Likewise, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are represented fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Inkberry Press, LLC

  110 South 800 West

  Brigham City, Utah 84302

  Text Copyright © 2012 by Jenni James

  Cover Design © 2012 by Inkberry Press

  Interior Design © 2012 by Inkberry Press

  All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form

  without permission.

  ISBN: 978-0-9838293-4-8

  This book is dedicated to Tristi and Andrea, the two greatest writers and friends a girl could have. You persuade me every day to be a bet
ter person. Thank you, thank you!

  Acknowledgements

  I would like to thank my Heavenly Father for giving me the insight to create such fun stories, and Mattheu for dealing with my rants and raves as I edit each one into a finished novel. Without either I would be eternally lost.

  One: Blast from the Past

  I felt a twist and a slight jerk before the glass beads spilled all over the floor. I’m such an idiot! This isn’t even my necklace!

  Gregory should’ve left by now—he’d already said goodbye to his friends. I watched as he hovered in the doorway, obviously debating what to do. I decided I’d make it easier for him. I knelt on the floor and turned my back, completely ignoring him as I started to pick up the mess. There. Now you can go. I don’t need you.

  I sighed at the thought of being such a klutz in front of him. Suddenly, I saw long, lean fingers close to my shorter ones, picking up beads. I glanced at the top of Gregory’s blond head as he avoided looking at me. It had been years since I’d seen that head and those hands so close to my own.

  What I expected least was the joy of having him so near. I’d anticipated misery and pain and awkwardness, but never joy. Since his return, I’d fully expected him to break my heart—a punishment I deserved.

  Stunned into silence by my thoughts, I began to collect the beads again. This time I looked over and noticed that not only had Gregory placed the beads he’d collected into a pile, he’d also begun to organize them into groups of color and size.

  Is he stalling? My heart began to race. Is he waiting for me to say something? He can’t be hoping to be next to me longer, since he hates me. Hasn’t he looked straight through me—as if I didn’t exist—during the entire party? We haven’t spoken one word to each other all night. Even when we were introduced, he just nodded and walked back to that girl. The beautiful brunette was, even now, waiting for him in the hall.

  One blue glass bead. One green glass bead. One silver spacer bead. One . . .

  “Thank you, Greg—Gregory.”

  He looked up then, but he still didn’t meet my eyes.

  I tried again. “You didn’t have to, but thank you anyway. It was very nice of you.” And more than I deserve.

  He raised his head quickly as if my words shocked him, and his eyes finally met mine. My heart stopped. His deep, chocolate brown eyes set against blond hair and perfect features were as striking as I remembered. And extremely good-looking. Dang, he’s hot! I thought despite myself.

  His eyes held mine far longer than my foolish heart could handle, yet I didn’t want to look away. I couldn’t. I’d waited too long to see his incredible eyes again. Selfishly, I absorbed every moment he gave. There was so much I wanted to say—so much I’m sure he wouldn’t want to hear—but I let it be. I remained silent and allowed the moment of our first real meeting in three years to overwhelm me. I lived in the moment, something I was chided for doing back then. Something I vowed I would never make the mistake of not doing again. No matter what, I would never let someone persuade me to disobey my heart.

  Gregory didn’t smile. He didn’t frown. He just searched my eyes and said, “You’re welcome.”

  His deep baritone voice jarred me—he sounded older. If I wasn’t frozen before, I was now. He spoke to me. He actually spoke to me!

  I could tell he was very surprised, too. He must’ve broken some vow to himself in that moment—probably a vow to never speak to me again.

  Within seconds, he was standing. He was going to leave, and there was nothing I could do to keep him next to me, nothing I could say. But I’d given that chance up long ago. He wasn’t, nor would he ever be, mine.

  His tall form towered over me, and I watched as he adjusted his jacket. And then he was gone, his eyes never once wavering from the hallway, where the beautiful girl waited for him.

  In silence, I collected the last pieces of the borrowed necklace I’d been so eager to wear, the necklace that had always looked so pretty on my stepsister. Then I fled the party. I had to get away before anyone saw me freak out.

  In the privacy of my car, I allowed the full force of the pain and bitterness of the last three years to wash over me. How can I be foolish enough to love someone who has hated me for so long? And why did he come back? Why did he choose now—of all times—to disrupt my life? And why does he have to be so good-looking, too? I would’ve gladly taken him back, no matter what he looked like, but for him to be so gorgeous is torture.

  No one recognized or remembered him but me. Why would they? He was more muscular than he’d been at fifteen. His hair was now cut shorter and swept off his face, and his dark, rectangle-framed glasses were gone. I missed his glasses. He also introduced himself as Gregory instead of Greg.

  The new, improved Gregory was cheerfully welcomed into my so-called friends’ circle. Their eagerness to stake a claim at so fine a specimen reminded me of vultures circling their prey. The same girls that had gossiped about the awkward Greg and secretly mocked him, now gladly turned to Gregory with open arms.

  It was rumored that his father had become very successful after leaving Farmington, New Mexico, and that Gregory’s family was now worth millions. They were millionaires, while my family, who used to spend our winters in Hawaii and our summers in Alaska, now had to learn to economize. Thanks to the economy and the recession, our investments and businesses were deteriorating, and our finances were nearly depleted.

  My dad didn’t think I knew, but I had overheard him and my stepmom countless times, discussing the great burden of debt that seemed to swallow us whole. Just last week, they’d announced we were going to move. My stepmom made up some pretense of having a difficult time keeping up such a large house, but I knew we didn’t have a choice. At least my parents were being smart about it. We’d all be better off with a smaller home that fit within our new budget.

  But why did Gregory’s family have to buy our house, of all houses? That was the final blow. The home hadn’t even been on the market when the realtor called to arrange a showing while I was at school on Thursday. Thank goodness I was at school! My dad had mentioned that a tall, nice-looking guy had come to the showing with his parents. I probably would have fainted had I seen Gregory, and I’m sure I would’ve thought I was hallucinating or something. How many times in the last three years had I wished I could see him? But to have my wish granted this way—to see him in my house because his parents were buying it—I couldn’t bear it. To have him sleeping in one of the bedrooms, or hanging out in the living room, or putting his feet up with a good book in the study . . . it was just too much.

  “Amanda!”

  I let out an involuntary shriek at the sound of my name and someone pounding on the passenger window of my car, which was still parked in front of Kylie’s house. I hadn’t driven away. I’d promised to help her clean up, and I still planned to. I rolled down the window to hear her better.

  “I thought you’d gone! What are you doing out here, anyway?”

  I quickly put the warm beads, still clutched in my hand, into the drawer beneath my stereo. “I—uh, I was just—”

  “Oh, never mind,” she interrupted. “You’re coming in to help, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, of course.” I hurriedly opened the car door and stepped out.

  Kylie was still complaining. “Everyone else has gone already, you weirdo! What a funny thing to do. Only you would sit alone in your car at night, in the dark, when there was a party going on!”

  Great, she’s in a mood. I followed her silently up the steps of her house and took the large black trash bag she handed me.

  “Well, here. Since you like being in the dark anyway, I assume you won’t mind cleaning up out here first.” She looked at me and then shook her head before opening the front door and waltzing in. “I’ll be inside. Hurry up, okay?”

  “Okay,” I mumbled to an already-shut door. With another sigh, I surveyed the damage from our friends. I guess it could’ve been worse—it was mostly cans and wrappers everywhere. Kyl
ie had thought it would be fun to have a piñata at the party. It was fun. But by the looks of it, most of the candy wrappers ended up outside. Relieved that I didn’t have to give Gregory another thought, I started to clean up. In no time at all, I was back in the house and collecting trash in there, too.

  Kylie’s parents had one rule when it came to throwing a party at their house—if Kylie threw a party, she had to clean it up. That meant she wasn’t allowed to leave any of it for the cleaning lady who came by Monday through Saturday. I don’t think Kylie had ever thrown a party where I wasn’t there beforehand to help set up, and still there after to help clean up.

  “So, you lucky girl, tell me all about it.”

  “What?” I turned around. Kylie was wearing an apron and looked positively gorgeous in it, like a model for one of those Pillsbury commercials on TV. “Tell you all about what?” I stared at her.

  “Hello? About Gregory Wentworth. Do you think I’m blind?”

  Does she know? I decided to stall a bit. “Blind?” My heart began to race.

  Kylie rolled her eyes. “Come on. The hottest guy here tonight totally comes to your rescue and you can’t even say anything about it?”

  Oh! “Uh, yeah. He’s really nice.”

  “Nice? You mean nice-looking, right?”

  “That too.”

  “Amanda! You were closer to him than anyone else at the party tonight. I want details, girl! Weren’t you just totally freaking out? Did he say anything to you?”

  “No, nothing really.”

  “Ugh! Only you would totally waste an opportunity like that. No offense, but seriously, girl, if he had helped me with my necklace, he would’ve had my phone number by the time he stood up. I don’t care who he came with!”

  I smiled weakly. Her words hurt more than I think she’d intended them to.

  “Did he say who that girl was?” Kylie asked. “I heard from someone that she was from Bloomfield.”

  “No, he didn’t say anything.” I leaned over and tossed a soda can into the trash bag.