Jane Bites Back Read Online Free Page B

want?” she asked him.
    Walter’s blue eyes sparkled merrily as he watched her lick the sugar glaze from her fingers. “Who says I want something?” he asked, feigning indignation. “Can’t I just bring a friend a cinnamon bun?”
    “Come on,” said Jane, taking another bite. “Out with it.”
    Walter smiled. “All right,” he said. “I confess. I do have a tiny favor to ask you.”
    Jane waited for him to continue. Walter paused, clearly thinking about how to proceed. Before he could speak Jane said, “Walter, we’ve been through this before. I can’t go out with you. I mean—”
    “I don’t want to go out with you,” Walter interrupted.
    Jane looked at him, surprised.
    “I mean, I
do
want to go out with you,” Walter said, blushing. “But I know you won’t—”
    “Can’t,” Jane corrected him. “There’s a difference.”
    “Can’t,” Walter agreed. “Anyway, that’s not why I’m here. I’d like you to come to my New Year’s Eve party.”
    Jane groaned. “I detest New Year’s Eve,” she said. “So much fuss and nonsense about another year, all of it cleverly designed to result in the deepest of disappointment.”
    “It’s just a party,” Walter said. “There will be champagne.”
    “How grand,” said Jane. “And I suppose there will be charades and the Minister’s Cat?”
    Walter gave her a look that reminded her far too much of a wounded puppy. “Please?” he said.
    Jane took another bite of cinnamon bun and chewed it before answering. “Possibly,” she replied. “But only because you bribed me.”
    Walter smiled. “Excellent. We’ll be pleased to have you.”
    “I didn’t say—”
    “I’ve got to go,” said Walter, looking at his watch. “We’re tearing out Maggie Beecher’s kitchen this morning, and she throws a fit if we’re not there by ten sharp.”
    He hurried out before Jane could make any further protests. When he was gone Lucy said, “I don’t know why you won’t go out with him. He’s been asking you for over a year.”
    Jane sighed. “We’re just not a good match,” she said.
    “Because he’s a carpenter?” asked Lucy.
    “No,” Jane said sharply. “And he’s not just a carpenter. He restores old houses, and beautifully. But that has nothing to do with it. It’s just that he … that I … we don’t …” She couldn’t finish the sentence in any way that wouldn’t make her sound like a snob.
    “I don’t get it,” said Lucy. “He’s smart. He’s funny. He likes books and art and all the same things you do. Plus he’s a hottie.”
    “I suppose he’s attractive enough,” Jane agreed, thinking about the pleasing arrangement of Walter’s features.
And he has such strong hands
, she thought.
    “Then remind me again why you can’t go out with him,” said Lucy.
    Because I’m dead
, Jane thought.
Because he’ll age and I won’t. Because men generally don’t like women who need to drink blood to stay alive
. What she said was, “I’m perfectly happy with my life.”
    Lucy made a vague humming sound.
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” Jane demanded.
    Lucy stacked some books on a table. “Nothing,” she said. “I’m just humming.”
    “I know that hum,” said Jane curtly. “That’s your ‘whatever’ hum.”
    “Sure it is,” Lucy said. “Okay.”
    “It is!” said Jane. “And you know it!”
    Lucy glanced over at her. “Whatever,” she said sweetly.
    “Maybe I should date him.”
    “You go right ahead,” Jane said, trying to sound as if she didn’t care in the least. “Just because he’s old enough to be your father, don’t let that stop you.”
    “Ah-ha!” Lucy crowed. “You
do
like him.”
    “I do
not!”
said Jane. “I’m just pointing out a fact.”
    “You like Walter,” Lucy said in a singsong voice.
    Jane dismissed Lucy with a shake of her head. “Whatever,” she said.

Chapter 4
    She looked at the box, not daring to hope that inside of it were the pens and paper she had requested