Stranded: A Sweet Clean Plain Jane Billionaire Romance

By Summer Austen

Emily Stevenson loves her small town life.  She's comfortable with her day to day working as a mechanic and helping her mother take care of the family business.  Nothing very exciting ever happens in Snowbush, and that makes Emily perfectly content.  That is, until she has to rescue a stranded stranger who doesn't look like he belongs anywhere near Snowbush.

Emily is certainly not used to attention from the opposite sex; she has no idea she's caught his eye.  Will the hunky hot shot sweep her off her feet, or is he bad news for this small town girl?  One thing's for sure, this man is bound to shake things up in Emily's world.

This is a sweet clean romance novella but it does not include any religious or inspirational themes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dina Marie
• Release date: May 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393000037

Book preview

Chapter 1

Emily Stevenson had lived in Snowbush, Pennsylvania her entire life. It was such a quaint town that the nearest hospital was three cities away and was not always accessible in heavy snows. Emily had traveled to other places, gone to the cities nearby, had even traveled out of state for a convention with her mother, but Snowbush was her favorite place in the world. Snowbush was small in population, but large in landmass. The town was surrounded and interspersed with forests, and there were plenty of hiking trails and places to rock climb. Everyone in Snowbush knew her, had watched her grow up, and helped her along the way. She never felt helpless in Snowbush. She worked as a mechanic in her mom’s shop learning the trade, and spent her nights getting lost in the pages of a good book. Even though Emily read about extraordinary characters almost every night, she never thought of herself as extraordinary and had no dreams beyond one day taking over the shop. She knew she would eventually marry someone, have kids of her own, and pass the shop down to them. She loved her simple life. She would do nothing to change it.

Except that, despite everything, she felt lonely. It had been happening more and more in the recent years. She felt alone in crowds, with her friends, and even at church. She did not have the words to express the loneliness, and so she never did.

She woke up the morning of May 15th the same way she had every morning since she had graduated high school five years before. She woke up at seven, checked her phone for about an hour catching up on her games and social media. Then she rolled out of bed, searched the floor for whatever was clean, and then went to the bathroom to brush her hair and teeth. Finally, after all that was done, she headed downstairs to the kitchen. As with every morning, her mom was already awake, standing at the stove making their breakfast.

Emily stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked at a portrait of her father on the wall. Everyone told Emily she looked just like him, and she supposed in some ways she did. They had the same thick black hair, the same light blue eyes, and they had the same cleft in their chins. Besides that, she didn’t think she looked much like him. Her father was so tall and broad he could fill a room, whereas Emily got her mother’s shorter slimmer frame. She smiled gently as she reached out and touched the picture frame with one hand before turning and walking into the kitchen.

Good morning, Emily, her mother said without turning from what she was doing. Did you sleep alright?

Yes, Mama, I slept great, Emily said, going to the cabinet and pulling out the plates her mother had forgotten, setting them on the counter next to her. How about you? She leaned in to kiss her mother’s cheek, smiling as her mother hummed her response.

We’re running low on eggs, her mother said, sliding her spatula under the fried eggs and putting them on the plates before she pulled off the bacon. I’m also out of nails so we’ll have to delay redoing the deck today.

Plate in hand, Emily made her way back to the table, setting the plate down and pulling out her chair. I can get the nails, Mama, we don’t have to delay anything. I’ll hop into town and get them and some eggs.  Text me if you need anything else.

You know I hate texting, her mother responded, picking up her own plate and going to sit at the table across from her daughter.

I know, Mama, Emily teased with a grin, reaching over and tapping her mother on the nose with the end of her fork. But this is modern times, so you have to get used to it. No one calls anyone anymore. I was thinking we could maybe get a cell phone for the shop, and people could text in when they need repairs. We could set up our website so that people can make appointments on the website itself and-

What we have works fine, Emily, her mother cut in. The website says everything it needs to say, and landlines are more reliable than cell phones.

Emily’s shoulders slumped, and she let out a small sigh before forcing on a smile. You’re right. Of course. I was just thinking out loud. She stabbed her egg yolk with her fork and watched as the yellow liquid oozed out of the thin membrane and spread across her plate. She took a bite of her eggs and then used her bacon to mop up the yolks. Mind if I take the truck? Emily asked, pushing herself away from the table to take her plate to the sink.

Sure, her mother said, sipping her coffee. Just try not to go over too many potholes. I just replaced the whole suspension system, and I don’t want it breaking again.

That truck’s going to outlive us all if you refuse to let it die, Mama, Emily said, the teasing tone coming back now. My great-great-grandkids will be driving it.

What’s the point of a car if you’re just going to let it die in ten years? her mom asked before pointing at her. And they don’t make trucks like her anymore. I’d hate to throw her away for some newer model who will just break down in a couple years. You see it all the time with these new cars.

Yes, Mama. Emily moved for the kitchen door, grabbing the keys out of the bowl on her way.

It’s planned obsolescence to get you to spend more money on cars! her mother shouted.