Chapter 2

Jane drove for hours, until she couldn't feel her hands. Her whole body ached, and she moaned in pain when her legs touched the ground and she was able to stretch again. All the wedding planning had taken a toll on her, both mentally and physically. She had no idea what she was doing or where she would go from here—and not just in the literal sense.

The future seemed dim. She rested a hip on the car's hood, folding her arms across her chest. Spending her life with someone she didn't know? Ha! What if he had only one leg and that was the reason their parents had kept them from each other until the last minute, when it was too late to turn back?

Hell, what if she had only one leg?

Was he even okay with this? He? She didn't even know his fucking name!

Jane almost screamed. God, her family was going to be the death of her. She reached into the car and grabbed her purse. Though she didn't want to, she would abandon the car here. No point in taking it. Her father would have it tracked and find her instantly. She was already nervous enough about leaving it too close to wherever it was she was going. Slamming the door to the driver's seat, she looped her small purse over her shoulder and started moving.

Her eyes roamed the deserted road as she walked. She didn't know where she was. Google maps wasn't an option seeing as she'd left her phone in the car. No doubt her father would have that tracked too. It didn't matter anyway. She was sure there was something ahead, and at the moment, she was too tired to care about anything else. A hot bath and a delicious meal, and she would be able to breathe again.

***

Jane had been walking for what seemed like two hours when a town came into view. It was calm and peaceful, and Jane thought she could live there for the rest of her life. Grace would've loved it. The evening sun was bright, almost dreamy on the buildings. There were big lights decorating the signs resting on the tops of shops. A few people walked down the road.

She found a small store and wandered inside.

Rows of clothes and shoes instantly came into view. There were a lot of bikinis too. Her eyes caught on a red one-piece, and she fingered it dreamily.

"You like?"

She spun around to see a teenage girl smirking at her. She shook her head. "Uh…yeah, but I'm not going to buy it. I mean, where would I wear it?"

The girl chuckled. "New to town?"

Jane nodded sheepishly, wondering if she'd said the wrong thing.

"I'm Claire, by the way. Welcome to Stormbrooke. There are a few beaches here, and we love the water. We usually only get visitors certain times of the year because the town's about as touristy as they come. What brings you here?"

Jane liked her. It was weird, but she kind of reminded Jane of herself before her parents had taken it upon themselves to ruin her life.

"I'm Jane, and I'm, uh, just visiting. I have a lot of free time on my hands."

Claire laughed. Her sandy blonde hair bobbed up and down with her head as she talked, and her eyes shone with excitement. Jane figured she didn't get to do this every day, make new friends.

"Well, Jane, that color would look good on you. You should buy it. Who knows, you might end up liking the water just as much as we do. And if you don't know how to swim, I can teach you."

Jane couldn't have stopped her smile even if she'd wanted to. "I'd like that." It wasn't necessary to tell the young girl that she already knew how to swim.

Jane did by the bikini, along with a bunch of other things to wear. Claire acted as her personal shopper. By the time she was leaving the store, her head felt less heavy and she had a wide smile on her face.

Hmm, maybe this won't be so bad.

"See ya!" Claire called loudly, waving her small hand vigorously.

Jane laughed as she reached the front door. "Bye."

Claire had given her directions to a small diner with a spare room to rent. God, she loved that girl. Talk about killing two birds with one stone. Her stomach grumbled angrily, and she began her journey in search of the little establishment that could very well save her life.

***

Macy's wasn't hard to find. It was at the center of town from what Claire had told her. After ordering some eggs and pancakes with bacon, she sat down in a corner. She wondered whether her family had figured it out back at home. Was her mother out of her mind with worry? Nah, Jane thought, more like anger. The meal came almost immediately. Jane wasted no time digging in, and she ordered seconds a short while later.

"Damn, I love me a girl with an appetite."

The voice was deep and sultry, and if you'd asked her, Jane would've sworn it had made her very core buzz. Jesus. Her head snapped up. She knew her mouth was full and she looked like something out of a horror movie, but she couldn't stop staring.

The man was handsome. Jane wasn't sure exactly how, but he looked like an angel who had just dropped from heaven. His sex appeal was out of this world, and the smirk on his face wasn't helping. The black shirt he wore hugged his body like a second skin, bulging biceps sticking out like a sore thumb.

There were men like this in this town?

Thank you, Jesus!

Jane chewed quickly, rearranging her features after her last swallow. "Who gives a shit what you like?"