The Best of Fools (Jane Austen Book 2) Read Free Page A

three actually.
    1.) Ready for finals tomorrow?
    2.) Go to prom with me?
    3.) Busy tonight? I have an idea.
    I wrote back:
    1.) Ready as I'll ever be.
    2.) I'm going with Autumn. You don't have a date??
    3.) Meet me at the ice cream place. 5pm.
    I tapped his shoulder and his hand twisted behind his back, grabbed the note, and disappeared. A few seconds later he handed it back.
    No date. Guess I need to find one. Any ideas? Ice cream place it is.
    The bell rang. Everyone stood as Mr. Granger tried to speak above the squeaking chairs and yapping faces. Not a clue what he said. Something about tomorrow's finals that I dreaded.
    Donovan had taken off and vanished. His next class was at the complete opposite end of the school, three floors up, and being the good boy that he is ... he just couldn't be late. So Autumn and I walked to our next class together. She had Psych in the same wing that I had theatre. Worked out well. She went on about prom dresses and prom song and prom prom prom.
    "Glorified homecoming." I popped her bubble. "Chill out. It's not that special."
    "It is though, if you want it to be."
    "Eh."
    She shook her head. "And the award for most cynical of all goes to...."
    "Funny." I laughed. "Does one need to have an affinity toward dancing to be considered optimistic?"
    She smiled. "Nice come-back."
    I stopped at the door to the theatre. "I'll see you tomorrow. Mr. McShea wants me to stay after class today for some reason so I won't be out right away."
    "Kay. Love you. Text me."
    "Will do."

    Oh. My. Delights.
    The ice cream melting in my mouth and running down my fingers could not have been more amazing. I mean, imagine the deepest, richest, creamiest chocolate you've ever had in your life, times that by, oh, about seventy million, then top it off with swirls of crispy caramel bits. Heavenly delightful mess.
    "I have never in my life seen a girl your age eat ice cream like a two-year-old," Donovan licked the peach ice cream as it dripped down his pretzel cone. "And I mean that as a compliment."
    I smiled and licked my fingers. "So. Good. How's yours?"
    "I'm guessing not as good as yours." He handed me a napkin. "So, I've been thinking."
    "Ladies and gents, he's been thinking!" I held my finger in the air and laughed.
    "It's miraculous, I know." He shoved my finger back to the table. "How about we take a road trip this summer? I was thinking, if you're up for it, we could try to meet your, um, your biological mother." He crunched into his cone and watched me for a response, but I didn't give one. "So...?"
    "I don't know, Don. Really? Is that a good idea?"
    "Why not? You obviously still think about it. I don't know what you're thinking or feeling, but you have to be curious. It couldn't hurt, could it?"
    I wiped my face. "That's just the thing ... it could hurt a lot."
    "It could." He crunched again. "But it also could hurt to never try."
    "Ladies and gents." I held up my finger. "He has a point!"
    He laughed. "You and that finger pointing."
    I finished the last of my waffle cone and wiped my face. "Did I get it all off?"
    He shook his head and dabbed my chin with his napkin. "There."
    "How would we find her anyway?"
    "Well, you probably need to ask your parents what her name was. From there it should be easy, especially if they know which state she lives in."
    "I can't ask my parents. No way."
    "How else will you find her name?"
    "I won't." I picked apart a sugar packet. "My parents have never talked to me about her. There's no way I'm bringing it up."
    "Never?"
    "Never."
    "How'd you find out?"
    "Overheard them talking one night when they thought I was sleeping."
    "But the picture...."
    "Found it in a box in the basement that was stuffed with baby clothes and toys. I'm not even sure it's her, but I look a lot like her so I just assumed. Kept it tucked away in my room for years after that. At first I hid it under a corner where the carpet came up from the floor a little. When I got older I wanted to stop obsessing over