A Prince for Jenny (6 page)

Daniel was off the hook.

Funny. He didn't feel off the hook. He felt heartsick.

He paced the room, trying to make sense of what was happening to him ... and to Jenny. Always, he'd been hopelessly inept in matters of the heart.

He punched the intercom. "Helen, would you come in here for dictation."

Work. That was the thing.

 o0o

 "Liar, liar, pants on fire," Jenny whispered. She'd lied to Daniel. He was the only person in the world who could help her. Not her mother or her daddy or her brothers or her sister or Gwendolyn. Only Daniel.

She sat at her desk, took up her drawing pencil, and sketched his face. Then she drew a circle of hearts around his image.

"I love you, Daniel."

Clutching the drawing close to her chest, she remembered the first time she'd ever loved another person besides her mother. Jake Townsend. How she loved Jake. And how she had fought to have him in her life.

Other memories came, ancient memories.

"Jenny might never walk," she heard the doctor tell her mother.

Oh, how she had struggled to prove the doctor wrong.

"She might never talk," he'd said.

And she'd given the graduation address at Vanderbilt when her brother and her sister had received their degrees.

Suddenly Jenny knew what she had to do. Anything worth having was worth the struggle. Jenny tipped up her chin and left her bedroom. In the hallway she could hear Gwendolyn's snores. Poor Gwendolyn, worn out from worrying over her. No wonder she needed an afternoon nap.

Quietly Jenny made her way down the stairs, holding on to the railing so she wouldn't stumble and make a racket. In the kitchen she packed a picnic basket, then sat at the table and wrote a note.
Dear Gwendolyn
... She chewed her bottom lip as she wrote, determined to spell everything just right.
I borrowed your car. I hope you don’t mind. Jenny.

Humming to herself, she took the basket and Gwendolyn's car keys, then climbed behind the wheel of an aging Buick and sat there smiling.

Oh, she could picture herself racing down the street. All alone. Driving.

She took a deep breath and inserted the key. Nothing happened. Jenny furrowed her brow, trying to remember what her brother Josh had told her so many years ago.

Turn the key
.

She was rewarded with the purring of the engine. Exhilarated, Jenny put the car into gear and stepped on the gas. She shot backward at a wonderful speedy clip, mowing over a hydrangea bush in full bloom and plowing down the birdbath.

"Whoops." Now, how could she get the car to go forward? She was threatening the corner of the garage when she finally figured it out.

Shoot, there was nothing to this driving. Now that she knew the gears, she could certainly keep it on the road.

Triumphant, she roared out of the driveway. Loud crashing noises heralded her progress. Looking in the rearview mirror, she saw the mailbox standing at a crazy angle and a little sapling wearing the same paint as the car.

Would Gwendolyn be upset about that? If the car lost a little paint, Jenny would replace it. She was an expert at paints. Maybe she'd paint flowers and rainbows on the car.

She couldn't think about that now: What she had to think about was how she would ever find Daniel.

 o0o

Gwendolyn clutched the note in one hand and hung on to the back of the chair with the other. Jake Townsend hovered near the doorway like a thundercloud.

"If I hadn't slept the afternoon away like some silly old fool, none of this would have happened."

"Stop blaming yourself, Gwendolyn. It's not your fault."

"If anything happens to her ..."

"Nothing is going to happen to her. I won't let it."

Age had mellowed him. He still had the look of a fierce old hawk, but his voice was quieter, gentler. Sarah's influence. Gwendolyn had known from the moment she met Sarah Love that she was the only woman who could tame Jake.

Just having him in the house made Gwendolyn feel better. She sank into the chair, still holding the note.

"I guess I should have told you about Daniel Sullivan sooner."

"You don't know that's why she left."

"Yes, I do, Jake." Gwendolyn spoke with quiet conviction.

And suddenly Jake knew too. Memories stirred. He'd been sitting on Sarah's front porch swing beside four-year-old Jenny. She'd laid her tiny cheek against his chest and murmured, over and over, "Me love 'ake. Me love 'ake."

When Jenny loved, she loved with her whole heart, and nothing would ever convince her to give up.

"I'm going to find her, Gwendolyn."

"Good luck, Jake."

He'd need more than luck when he found her: He'd need the wisdom of Solomon.

 o0o

The commotion on the street brought Daniel to his feet. He sprang to his window, with Helen not far behind.

Car horns were honking, crowds were gathering, and people were screaming. The center of all the excitement was an ancient Buick, driving sedately up the sidewalk. All four fenders were dented, the tailpipe banged the concrete, and the front bumper swayed like a drunken sailor. A clothesline filled with somebody's laundry trailed behind the car, and the radio antenna sported a rakish flag—a pair of bright red undershorts.

"Who in the world ?" Helen said.

Behind the wheel sat a laughing imp with a lopsided bow in her hair.

"Jenny." Astonishment and delight filled Daniel. And hot on their heels came fear, absolute terror that Jenny had been behind the wheel of a car.

He raced from his office and down the stairs, two at a time.

"Jenny!" he yelled as he catapulted through the front door.

The car was stopped on the sidewalk, with smoke pouring from the hood. Out stepped Jenny. When she saw him, she strolled forward in her brave rolling gait, holding a picnic basket with one hand and her hair bow in place with the other.

"Daniel. I drove the car." Her smile was triumphant and her cheeks were flushed.

"You certainly did." He couldn't bear to chastise her for taking to the streets in a car she obviously didn't know how to handle. She was safe, and that was all that mattered.

The old car backfired once, then with a mighty sigh it sank into its warped frame and died.

Daniel caught Jenny and held her close. "You certainly did drive the car." Pride welled up in him, and feelings so tender, he dared not give them a name.

Jenny tipped her head back and smiled at him. "Now will you teach me to drive a bus?"

Daniel roared with laughter. Then, taking her by the elbow, he led her to the elevator. She leaned against the wall and pressed one hand over her heart.

"What a ride! I've never had as much fun in all my life."

"It was your first time driving, I take it."

"My second. My brother Josh tried to teach me years ago, but Daddy decided it wasn't such a good idea."

"I expect there are a few housewives in Florence who would agree with him."

"I didn't mean to take their laundry. It just happened."

"Jenny.. .Jenny." Daniel caught her hand, smiling. "What are we going to do about all that missing laundry?"

"Tie it up with a ribbon and send it back?" She gave him a hopeful, pert little smile.

"I'll have Helen do just that."

"Good. I don't want to be a thief."

She got off the elevator and walked beside him, swinging her picnic basket and humming. She was a thief, all right, for she had completely stolen his heart.

When he walked into his office, Helen was sitting at her desk as if the commotion underneath the window had never taken place. Daniel put a protective arm around Jenny. She was her usual unaffected, charming self, and Helen was gracious. If she hadn't been, if she'd shown any indication that she considered Jenny mentally retarded, Daniel would have fired her on the spot.

"Helen, I'd like you to see that the laundry on Jenny's car is returned to its rightful owner."

"Certainly." Helen was as unflappable as if he'd asked her to bring up the mail.

"With a ribbon," Jenny said.

"Any particular color?"

"Yellow."

"Send flowers, too, Helen," he added.

"What shall I say on the card?"

"Jenny?" Daniel turned to her.

"Say 'I'm sorry I took your laundry. Come by and I'll paint your portrait free.' "

"Florence is a small town. It shouldn't take you long to find who's missing a clothesline. Also, call Gwendolyn to let her know Jenny is safe, and when you've finished delivering the laundry, take the rest of the day off. Jenny and I are going to have a picnic."

To her credit, Helen acted as if he had picnics in his office every day. "I hope you have a lovely time," she said, closing the door behind her.

Alone with Jenny, Daniel suddenly felt shy.

What could he say to this wonderful, innocent woman who had brought sunshine into his life? He wanted desperately to be her hero, to be compassionate and strong and noble. But most of all, he wanted to be wise.

He took the picnic basket then gently held both her hands. She had her brave little chin tipped up, and she was smiling at him as if he were the most wonderful man in the world.

"Jenny..." She had risked her life to see him. He had to stop speaking and clear his throat.

Jenny pressed her fingertips over his lips.

"I love you, Daniel." Her face was earnest and her eyes shining. He trembled at the simplicity and the power of her confession ... and all it meant to both of them. "Is it all right if I pretend we will someday live together happily ever after?"

Was it? Was he wise enough to let her dream without giving her false hope?

She folded her hands tightly together and waited for his answer.

"Yes, Jenny. It's all right."

"You don't have to love me back. I know I'm slow."

"You're not slow, Jenny, you're different in the way that flowers are different, and trees and birds. They come in all colors and varieties, and each one is special." He unlaced her hands and lifted them to his lips. Such talented, beautiful hands. "And I do love you, Jenny ... in the way that one good friend loves another."

Liar
. He loved her in ways that would terrify her if she knew.

"Then you're not mad that I came."

"No. I'm touched and humbled by your courage. You're the most courageous person I know, Jenny."

She gave him a wicked little grin. "No, I'm not. I took Gwendolyn's car without asking. Do you think she'll be mad?"

"We'll face the music together. I'll go with you and explain to her that this dangerous and noble mission you undertook required just the right car. And if it's a little worse for wear, I'll be glad to pay for the necessary repairs."

She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "Daniel, I love you so much, my heart hurts."

His heart hurt too. It was shattered by a love that was totally impossible.

He put his hand on her cheek, stealing a moment of softness and tenderness, storing it away in his memory so he could take it out late at night when the loneliness closed in around him and threatened to destroy his soul.

Don't love me too much, Jenny. I don't know how long I can be strong if you love me too much.

"Why don't we see if there's anything in that picnic basket that will cure a hurting heart," he said, trying to keep the mood light.

"Will we picnic here?"

"Where would you like to picnic?"

"By the river, under a great big tree."

"Then a river you shall have. And the biggest tree in Florence, Alabama."

Daniel took the basket with one hand and Jenny with the other. Heads turned when he left the building.

Can you be her friend when people whisper behind your back?
Gwendolyn had asked. No one at Sullivan Enterprises dared whisper behind his back.

Chapter Five

He was going to take Jenny picnicking in the large, safe company car, but when she saw his Thunderbird convertible, she was enchanted.

"It looks like a doll's car." She walked round and round it, running her hand across the bright blue paint.

"Would you like to ride in that one?"

"Is it yours?"

"It's all mine."

"Oh, Daniel, what fun!"

He'd never known a woman who took such great delight from such simple pleasure. She leaned back in the seat with her face turned up to the sun and her hair blowing in the wind. On the bridge over the Tennessee River, her hair ribbon pulled loosed and floated toward the water. Even that made her laugh.

“When I have a car of my own, it will be like this, with no top."

The longing in her voice ripped at Daniel's heart. Could Jenny ever have a car of her own? Was it possible for someone like her to get a driver's license? He realized how little he actually knew about her condition. What were her capabilities? Her limitations?

The first thing he was going to do after this picnic was find out.

"Would you like to drive, Jenny?"

"Drive? Me?" She put both hands over her heart, and her eyes were luminous with joy. "You'd let me drive this magical car?"

"Yes. We'll go to a remote country road, and I'll give you a lesson."

"Daniel, you're the most wonderful man in the world."

The road was so remote, it didn't even have pavement, let alone traffic. Jenny gripped the wheel so hard that her knuckles turned white. She understood everything Daniel was telling her, but could she make it all come out right?

She had to. She would.

"Ready, Jenny?"

He was smiling and completely relaxed. Daniel trusted her.

"Ready." She took a deep breath as she reached for the gear shift. Do it with confidence.

"You'll be fine, Jenny." He put his hand over hers. "I'm right here beside you."

She eased into gear and tapped the gas pedal. The car crawled forward.

"It's okay to go faster, Jenny. If we go off the road, we'll drive around in the pasture for a while. We might even reach out the window and pick a bouquet of wildflowers."

Joy. She could go fast. She rammed her foot down harder. The car shot forward, but she kept it on the road.