Love Takes Hold: The Helena's Grove Series Book 3 (6 page)

Jen stared, taken aback. She had no idea who the shirtless man standing before her was. However, the fact that it was a man was a relief!

“Who are you?” she asked cautiously.

The man ran his fingers through his shaggy, sandy hair. She had clearly awoken him. “I’m Jeremy,” he yawned. “Who are you?”

Jen felt a flood of relief. “Jeremy? Zack’s friend from the hospital Jeremy?”

“The one and only.” He smiled sleepily at her.

“Oh I’m Jen,” she said, holding out her hand.

He shook it slowly. “Zack’s ex girl, Jen?”

“The one and only.” She faked a smile, not really liking how he said
ex girl.
“Is Zack here?” she asked, looking past him into the apartment.

“Uh no, he’s at the hospital today.”

Jen nodded. “If you don’t mind me asking, are you living here now?”

“No, well kind of. My apartment had an outbreak of lice so I asked Zack if I could bunk with him for a few days.”

Jen’s eyes widened. “Lice?”

“Yeah like the little bugs, ya know?”

“That’s gross,” she said after a moment of silence.

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“Okay well, I have to go.” She quickly placed her suitcase inside the door. “I’ll be back to get this,” she informed him. She turned and headed back down the stairs; stopping, she turned back to Jeremy. “It was nice to meet you and I’m sorry about your…” She gestured to her hair. “Your lice,” she said finally, feeling awkward.

“Thanks,” Jeremy said, waved and went back inside.

Jen bounded down the rest of the steps. Stopping on the road, she quickly calculated whether it would be faster to hail a cab or just run to the hospital. Judging by the traffic she decided to run. She had always enjoyed running but today her heart was already beating quickly, making it harder to breathe. Dodging people, she sprinted down the sidewalk in the early August heat, able to make the four blocks to the hospital in record time. Sweat was forming rapidly on her face as she walked into the hospital. She looked around, trying to get her bearings. She’d been to the hospital a few times but Zack was never in just one place. She made it to the floor she thought he’d be on and asked a nurse if she could page Zack LaFaye. The nurse seemed annoyed as she put her paperwork down and picked up the phone.

“Zack LaFaye?” she asked again without looking up.

“Yes please,” Jen said, trying to slow her breathing. She wiped the sweat off her brow, trying not to think of what she must look like.

“He’ll be just a minute,” the nurse told her.

Jen thanked her and found a chair to sit down. A full ten minutes later a man in a white coat approached her.

“You’re looking for Zack?” he asked hurriedly.

Jen stood. “Yes, I was told he was here today.”

The man nodded. “He was supposed to work. I took his shift. Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Wait, so you’re saying he isn’t here?” Jen was confused.

“No miss, I’m sorry.”

“Do you know where he went?” Jen was feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. The one time she needed him to be here and he wasn’t! Just her luck!

The man made a face as if trying to remember. “He said something about going home to help out an aunt of his. I didn’t really get any particulars. Is there an emergency?”

Jen rubbed her eyes and ran her hands through her hair. “No, there’s no emergency. Thanks for your help.” She walked away briskly, heading as fast as possible back to their apartment. She had just booked a flight on her phone when she knocked once again on the door. Jeremy answered it; this time he was dressed but his hair was still uncombed.

“Hey, you’re back.”

“Just long enough to grab my bag,” Jen told him. She reached in the door and grabbed her suitcase.

“Did you find Zack?” he asked.

“Nope, but I will.” She didn’t look at him as she left but was sure she heard him mumble something about ex girlfriends never leaving well enough alone. Ignoring him, she raced away from the building, quickly got a cab headed to the airport. By now it was almost two o’clock in the afternoon. She cursed silently, knowing that by the time she got to Aunt Gabby’s it would be close to seven. She shook that away, she didn’t care what it took. She was going to see Zack today; she had to!

Several hours later she was in a cab, on her way to Aunt Gabby’s house. Her leg jiggled nervously as she watched the outside world whiz by her. She couldn’t believe all that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. It felt like a dream. Her eyes felt heavy but she knew she’d never be able to sleep until she saw Zack. When the car finally pulled into Aunt Gabby’s driveway Jen was out in a flash. She choked on the muggy air as she hauled her bag to the front door. She knocked once and went inside.

“Aunt Gabby! Aunt Gabby!” She walked to the back door and peered outside, Aunt Gabby was on her hands and knees, gardening as usual. Jen opened the door and bounded down the three steps.

“Aunt Gabby!”

The old lady jumped slightly and turned, looking startled. “Oh my goodness child!” She stood and held her hand to her chest. “I wasn’t expecting you!” She gave Jen a hug before adding, “You nearly gave your old aunt a heart attack.”

“I’m sorry Aunt Gabby. And I’m sorry for showing up unannounced but, I’m looking for Zack.” She shook her head, talking fast as she tried to get everything out in between breaths. “I have to talk to him, I don’t know if you know but we broke up because I was stupid and I have to see him, I have to tell him…”

“Don’t bother filling me in on details!” Aunt Gabby interrupted her. “He’s over at the Hansen farm herding up the cattle. Take my truck, keys are hanging up. Hurry now! Hurry up!”

Jen kissed her quickly and bolted, grabbing the keys on the way out and jumping in the truck. She shook her head in amazement at how incredibly fantastic her Aunt Gabby was. She made a mental note to tell her so once she got back.

It was a twenty minute drive to the Hansen farm. Jen turned on the radio twice, hoping to make the time go by faster. Twice she turned it back off when all the songs reminded her of Zack. She was nervous enough as it was and the memories those songs brought up didn’t help. Jen glanced at the clock in the truck, 7:40. She hoped they were still there; she had no idea what they were doing with the cattle or how long it was supposed to take. It would be just her luck to get there and have them tell her Zack had already gone home. She silently prayed he would be there.
I’m coming Zack, I’m coming. Wait for me, just wait!

The truck left a cloud of dust as Jen came to a sudden stop on the gravel driveway. She jumped out and ran to a group of three men standing around a pen that was holding a large black bull.

“Does anyone know where Zack LaFaye is?” Jen asked, trying not to seem too crazy.

Two of the men shook their heads, but the third spoke up, “Zack is out in the corral.” He pointed and Jen thanked him as she made her way in that direction. There were so many cows it was hard to see anything. Jen’s thoughts went back to her first experience at this farm over a year ago, when she had ruined her yellow outfit in the mud. She had been mad at Zack for laughing at her, not being able to see the humor in it then but she did now. That was one more thing Zack had taught her, how to laugh at herself.

There were several men on the farm and Jen searched their faces trying to find Zack. Shaking her head in frustration, she kept walking, looking for something that would indicate she’d found him. It wasn’t until she saw a specific horse that she stopped dead in her tracks.

“Stallion!” she said out loud but only to herself. She would recognize his big, beautiful, brown body anywhere. When she looked at his rider, her heart stopped. Zack was expertly perched on the majestic animal and was herding some of the smaller cows into a pen. Jen took a moment to marvel at him. He was in a blue t-shirt that clung to his body. His arm muscles, tan in the setting sun were taut and strong. Jen felt butterflies in her stomach. She wanted to call out to him but was momentarily struck silent by her feelings. She couldn’t believe how much she loved him, how much she had missed him.

She got to the fence and climbed it, flinging a leg on each side and bracing her feet so she could stand. She cupped her hands and yelled loudly, “Hey Stallion!”

It worked; Zack instantly looked in her direction. The look on his face was one of utter surprise. He kicked Stallion once and they were instantly galloping in her direction. He stopped a couple feet from her; still seeming shocked to see her there.

“Jen? What are you doing here?” he asked.

“I need to talk to you,” she told him as she climbed down off the fence.

“Right now?”

“Right now.”

Zack nodded and called to one of the guys to come get Stallion from him. Jen cooed at the big horse until the other man climbed on him and rode away. Zack hopped the fence and was soon standing face to face with her. Jen suddenly didn’t know how to start. She had come so far, had practiced over and over the words she wanted to convey but now, with him standing so close to her, she felt she would burst into tears before anything coherent could leave her lips. She looked down at her hands, hoping it would be easier to speak if she wasn’t distracted by his eyes and mouth and muscles.
Focus Jen,
she scolded herself.

“I uh,” she began. “I know you’re probably a little surprised to see me.”

“Shocked would be a better word,” he admitted.

She laughed a little. “Well I’ve had quite the day. You’re a hard man to find.”

He squinted at her. “I have a phone.”

“I know. I just wanted to surprise you.”

He nodded. “You did.”

Jen didn’t blame him for having his guard up. “I left New York City this morning, went to Boston, to our apartment and met your friend Jeremy and he said you were at the hospital. So I went to the hospital and the guy said that you were visiting your aunt, so I hopped on another flight to get to Aunt Gabby’s and she said you were here…”

“So why are you here?” Zack interrupted her.

Jen took a deep breath. “I love you.”

Zack looked at her as if he didn’t believe the words. He began to pull the gloves off his hands, not saying anything so Jen went on, “I love you Zack. I love you more than anything in this world and I’m sorry that it took me this long to realize that.” She felt her throat tighten and her eyes stung as tears began to form. She went on quickly, hoping to get everything out before she broke down. “I was scared, so scared at the thought of marriage that I pushed you away. But it wasn’t for the reasons I gave you. The real reason, the only reason was fear. I was afraid of making that kind of decision but I know now that I’d rather take that leap than go back to the life I was living before I met you.”

He was staring into her eyes and she knew her resolve to not cry would give out soon. “I want you in my life, I need you. You’re my best friend.” Her voice broke on the last word and she felt the tears fall down her cheeks. Zack didn’t move; she could tell he was digesting her words.

“You said no,” he said quietly.

“I know.”

“You said no and we broke up.”

“I know,” she cried openly.

“I still feel the same way I did before. Nothing has changed.”

“I’ve changed,” she corrected him. “I have.” She reached up and touched his face. His eyes closed and he didn’t pull away. Instead he pressed her hand with his own and kissed it softly.

“What do you want?” he whispered.

Jen took his face in both of her hands, their eyes locked. “I want to marry you,” she said with a tear-streaked smile.

Zack’s eyes opened wide. “What? Are you serious?”

She nodded. “I’m serious.” She stepped back but kept her hands on his chest. “Zack LaFaye, will you marry me?”

It took a full thirty seconds before Zack realized it was real. “You’re not just playing with me; you really want to get married?” A grin was beginning to form on his face.

“I want you, Zack. I want to be your wife; I want to hold you every night and wake up to you every morning. I want to have your children. I’ll even have more than two if that’s what you want.”             

Zack laughed out loud and pulled her into him in one swift motion. He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her hard. “I love you so much baby,” he whispered when their kiss broke. “I’ve missed you somethin’ terrible.”

“I’ve missed you so much!” Jen reached up and pulled him to her again. “I’m so sorry I was so stupid. I’m so sorry.”

“Stop apologizing,” Zack said as he kissed her again.

“Are you saying yes to my proposal?” Jen asked, giggling.

“Yes!” He laughed and kissed her forehead. “Yes.” He kissed her left cheek. “Yes.” He kissed her right cheek. “Yes, yes, yes, yes.” He said it over and over as he kissed her face and neck.

Jen laughed through her tears. She felt so light and happy she thought she might float away. A small crowd had gathered around them as they kissed and hugged. Jen held him tight as all the tension and heartache of the last three months slowly began to melt away, and she knew, without a doubt, that she had made the right decision.