Jean Oram grew up in an old schoolhouse in a Canadian town, population 100 (cats and dogs not included). She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author of feel-good, tingle-inducing, heartwarming romances.Jean lives in Canada with her husband, two kids, cat, dog, and the pesky deer that wander into her yard to eat her rose bushes and apple trees. She can often be found outdoors or reading a book. (And of course at her laptop writing your next irresistible read!)
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When worlds collide...opposites attract
He knows that to be together they’ll both have to give up a lot, but he’s promised to always be there for her. Now, in college, and afterward too. Forever.
Olivia Carrington has never felt more alive than when she’s with Devon. She no longer feels the suffocating weight of expectations—just the freedom and support to follow her secret dreams and to become the person she’s always been afraid to be.
But when reality comes knocking their dream world begins to collapse. Will these two young lovers find their way back to each other or will their hearts become shattered beyond repair?
Fall in love with this prequel novella--a bonus companion story for Devon and Olivia's novel The Surprise Wedding--about opposites attracting. Grab your tissues and start reading today!
Snippet:
Smart woman.
Now he had to hire a tutor with her. He only hoped it left him more time for the track, like she’d promised. Especially since the guys were all giving him the side eye as if he’d broken some unspoken rule. Yeah, yeah, chicks didn’t hang out where engines screamed and the smell of oil and gas was prevalent. But it didn’t really matter in the end, seeing as women didn’t understand the need for speed, the desire to control something that was solely in your hands. Olivia was dainty and proper, so it wasn’t as if she was going to come back after today. She just wanted to share a tutor to help them study better. Badly, apparently.
Devon had patiently shown her how to approach the race track, how to handle the car and its speed. Then they’d raced against each other. He’d pulled ahead at the last second instead of letting her win, but when he met her on the tarmac she was grinning as if she’d won at NASCAR.
“That was such a rush,” she said, tugging off her helmet. Her hair was a mess, sweat lining her brow from the Carolina’s October heat, her eyes sparkling. “I can see why you love it.”
“Yeah?” Devon felt surprised. “You liked it?”
“Loved it.” She paused as though trying to put her feelings into words. “It’s like I’m guzzling adrenaline as an energy drink.”
He chuckled, knowing the feeling. It was incredible and habit-forming. And watching Olivia absorb the activity with such gusto, he wondered if she might truly get it.
“It’s…it’s like you’re thumbing your nose at life,” she said. “No…like you’re finally free.” She laughed. “It’s bad-ass. Adrenaline is addictive.” She gave him a playful shove. “You should have warned me.”
“I didn’t expect you to like it,” he admitted.
“How could I not? I feel…”
“Alive?”
“Yes!” She was practically dancing with the discovery. “And invincible! Except you aren’t. You could lose control at any second and that would be it. But because you’re the one at the wheel, you don’t die. You have your own life in your hands and nobody else gets a say.”
His smile grew. How about that. Olivia, the most unexpected person, understood racing.
“I totally get my sister’s collection of speeding tickets now,” she continued, her face―her very body language―electric with excitement. Even in that grubby, borrowed old racing suit she looked radiant.
“I don’t recommend you driving like that on city streets,” he warned.
“Oh, I won’t.” She swung her helmet as they moved toward the air conditioned change rooms to discard their fire-retardant driving gear. She fluffed her hair and checked to make sure her diamond studs were still secured in her delicate lobes. “But I get it now—that feeling of being totally on the edge, knowing things could change in a moment, but they don’t because I choose for them not to. Talk about power and control!”
“You want to go again?”
“Next weekend?”
“Sure.”
She slipped her free hand into his, giving it a squeeze, her eyes alight with enthusiasm. Her giddiness dissipated as she met his gaze, their connection crackling with mutual need. She took a step closer, their hands still locked together.
“Thank you for bringing me here,” she said softly.
Without thinking, he leaned over and dropped a kiss on her lips. She cupped his head, not allowing him to end the kiss, which started out tender, sweet. As they relaxed, enjoying the exploration, their kisses grew deeper, more insistent and probing. Weeks of teasing and holding back since the September party had punched holes in their walls of resistance and now it was crumbling, their passion and need unleashed with a fury that had Devon bracing them against the door to the change rooms, not wanting to end the kiss, come up for air or to see any inkling of doubt on Olivia’s face. This felt right. More right than anything he’d ever known.
