Love Takes Hold: The Helena's Grove Series Book 3 (8 page)

Jen never realized how prophetic her words would be as the next three weeks whizzed by. If planning a small wedding was this hectic, Jen couldn’t imagine what planning a large wedding would be like! Since they’d opted for a small ceremony, the guest list proved to be a chore as it was hard to determine who in their lives they considered a ‘close friend’. The reception was to be at the newly renovated barn used for group gatherings that Jen, Zack, Annie and Adam had visited last year at Christmas time. Annie was the maid of honor and she seemed to take the role very seriously. She had cried when Jen asked her and since then she had been Jen’s right-hand- woman. Anything she needed, Annie was on it in a flash. Bianca’s reaction to Jen’s marital news had been less than enthusiastic, as Jen knew it would be. Bianca had the same views about marriage that Jen had had, but after some prompting and a position of bridesmaid offered, she relaxed and even told Jen she was happy for her.

By the first week of September, Jen thought she had almost everything worked out – except the dress! She had less than four weeks until the wedding and was yet to find one she really liked. She, Aunt Gabby and Bianca had gone to several bridal stores in hopes of finding the perfect one. The problem was that Jen could not for the life of her decide what the perfect one looked like. She had always loved pretty dresses, and she knew that finalizing on something as monumental as her wedding dress was going to be difficult, but she never imagined it would be impossible. Bianca had plenty to say, telling Jen she’d compromised on every other thing she’d ever wanted; she was NOT to compromise on the dress! Aunt Gabby had as much if not more to say but kept it to herself until she and Jen were alone.

“The dress is just a piece of cloth you will never wear again,” she assured Jen. “You look beautiful in everything! Just picture what you want in your mind and find something close to it. You’ll never be satisfied if you go on like this.”

Jen knew she was right. She didn’t want to be a diva about the whole situation, but dress after dress seemed to have at least one thing that bothered her.

The next weekend, Aunt Gabby, Annie and Bianca were all coming back to New York for the third time to try and find the dress. Jen agonized over the decision and was frustrated with herself for being so picky! But she knew she had to love the dress – it was just part of the deal. She met the three women at yet another bridal store. She was glad everyone had made it this time as previously either Bianca or Annie were absent and Jen had missed their different opinions. Aunt Gabby, on the other hand, had been by her side through everything and Jen prayed this time she would find
the one
she was looking for.

“Thanks, you guys, for making the effort to be here.” Jen smiled at the ladies around her when they were seated in the waiting room. “It really means a lot to me.”

“I’m glad to be here if you actually pick one,” Bianca teased. “I thought I was picky, but girl, you’ve got commitment issues.”

“Speak for yourself!” Jen teased her back.

“I’m sure we’ll find the right one. I can feel it,” Annie, always the positive one, commented. “Today is your day Jen, I know it is.”

“Well, I think you’re being downright picky about the entire thing,” Aunt Gabby said. “It’s a dress; you’ll wear it once, just once. Then it will go in the back of your closet and the only times you’ll take it out is to marvel at how thin you once were!”

Jen tried to swallow the nerves that rose up at Aunt Gabby’s words. “It’s not just a dress Aunt Gabby. It’s the dress that Zack will remember me in for the rest of our lives. I want it to literally take his breath away. I want his heart to stop when he sees me. I want my heart to stop when I’m in it.”

“We’ll find it Jen, don’t worry,” Annie said, smiling sweetly.

Aunt Gabby opened her mouth to comment but was cut off when the consultant announced it was their turn to come back. The party of four walked around, each suggesting dresses they believed were the perfect match. Jen nervously tried on several, but eventually turned each one down. After an hour, her spirits were diminished. She fought back tears as Aunt Gabby entered her dressing room.

“How are you holding up, darlin’?”

Jen shook her head; there were no words to describe her state of despair.

Aunt Gabby sat on the chair next to her. “Honey, in my experience if you look for perfect, you’ll always be disappointed. Things aren’t perfect.”

“Zack is perfect,” Jen countered.

“Zack is a gem, but he’s not perfect. He’s perfect for YOU,” Aunt Gabby stressed.

Jen’s eyebrows furrowed. “I know you think I’m being picky, but I just want it to be amazing.”

“It will be; you’ve looked amazing in every dress you’ve come out in. I think your problem is that you’re too focused on pleasing me because I’m buying or Zack because he’s your fiancé, but what you really need to do is find the one
you
want. You need to find the dress that is perfect for you. You take Zack’s breath away every time you enter a room, no matter what you’re wearing – you have from the day you two met. You could walk down the aisle in a sheet and he’d talk about it for the rest of your lives.”

“I know you’re right. It’s just that I want him to think back on this day as the best day of our lives. I want everything to be…”

Aunt Gabby was shaking her head. “I already told you, perfect doesn’t exist. It can be perfect for you if you choose to let it be. Don’t blame him for your inability to choose.”

Jen smiled. Aunt Gabby had always been one of those ‘take responsibility for your own actions’ type of person.

“This is what I’m going to do,” Aunt Gabby said patting Jen’s hand. “I’m going to take Annie and Bianca and the three of us are going to pick two dresses that we feel you will like, and what best suits you.”

Jen nodded and took a deep breath.

“In the meantime…” Aunt Gabby stood. “I’m going to find someone to get you a glass of wine.”

“I don’t think they serve wine here,” Jen observed.

“Oh honey, don’t be absurd. There is no way these ladies deal with brides all day long and don’t have a glass or two of wine hiding somewhere in the back.” She gave Jen a nod and went out the door.

Jen shook her head as Aunt Gabby left. What a woman she was! Jen felt very lucky to have her in her life.

A minute later a woman about Jen’s age came into the dressing room. “Hi I’m Tracy, I was told you could use something to drink? We don’t have alcohol but I can get you something else – soda, water, tea, coffee?

Jen smiled. “Water would be perfect.” The girl nodded and was gone. She returned shortly with a bottle of water and asked if she could get her anything else. Jen assured her she was fine and she was left alone. As she sat there, sipping on her water, Aunt Gabby’s words ran through her mind.
Maybe she’s right,
Jen thought
. Maybe I have been looking for a dress that everyone else would love, but obviously I want Zack to love it. Of course, if he were here he’d say he loved every one of them.
She shook her head, knowing that fashion and women’s clothing was far out of Zack’s zone of comfort or knowledge. Jen took a deep breath and tried to rid herself of all the frustrations and stress. She didn’t know how long it had been when Aunt Gabby returned, and true to her word, she was carrying two beautiful gowns. Jen stood to inspect what she’d found, smiling at the simplistic beauty of both dresses. Aunt Gabby hung them up and stood back. “Okay there you go. Try them both on so we can see, but I have a feeling you’ll love one of these.”

“What if I love both and I can’t decide?” Jen asked teasingly.

“Honey if you love them both I’ll buy both just so we can be done and move on!” She winked at her just as Tracy appeared. She expertly removed the first dress from its hanger and helped Jen put it on with little effort. Standing in front of the mirror, Jen smiled at herself and then turned to walk out and show the others. The girls oohed and awed over Jen as she made her appearance. The classy halter top piece hung perfectly on Jen’s curves and she had to admit, she looked amazing. After a few minutes of admiring the dress she went back to try on the other one. Jen was instantly drawn to this gown. As she slipped into it she could feel her heart beat speeding up. It fit her like a glove and even Tracy gasped when it was all zipped up. Jen couldn’t wipe the grin from her face as she made her way out to the full length mirrors.              

Bianca’s mouth dropped when she saw Jen and Annie flat out squealed. Aunt Gabby just smiled like she knew something no one else did. Jen stood on the platform and looked at herself. The gown was sweetheart style with one strap of embroidered material stretched perfectly over her left shoulder. It hugged her waist and gathered to her left side in a sweeping motion down her hip but was loose enough at the bottom she knew she wouldn’t have a hard time walking in the grass. Tracy added a veil over Jen’s pinned up hair and that sealed the deal. She had found her dress! She felt an amazing weight lift off her as she turned to the three women watching her from their seats. “I think this is it!” she announced.

“Praise!” Bianca shouted as she shot to her feet and gave Jen a hug. The others followed suit as they gushed and complimented Jen and the dress. Aunt Gabby gave her a long lingering hug.

“Thank you,” Jen whispered.

Aunt Gabby smiled at her. “No need to thank me child. That’s what I’m here for. By the way,” she whispered. “I picked this one.”

Jen grinned and laughed. “How did you know? How did you know what to look for?”

She shrugged. “I looked for the dress I felt would match your beauty without taking away from it. You want to wear the dress not have the dress wear you.”

“Is there anything you don’t know?” Jen asked, shaking her head.

“Not that I am aware of.” Aunt Gabby mocked seriousness.

They laughed and hugged as measurements were taken. The consultants seemed a bit flustered at having to get the dress done by the end of September but luckily it fit so nicely they had few alterations.

Jen slept soundly that night for the first time in weeks. Her dreams were filled with visions of her wedding day when she would walk down a beautiful pathway, in her beautiful dress, towards her best friend. She’d wished earlier she had more time but in that moment, she couldn’t wait until she could say “I do.”

With the dress situation taken care of, it was on to the next steps in preparation for the big day. With RSVP’s from their guests, the food arranged, justice of the peace booked and the reception venue taken care of, the last week before the wedding should have been one of relaxation. Instead, Jen and Zack were running around like a pair of chickens with their heads cut off. Zack had picked up as many shifts as possible in order to get a week off for their wedding and honeymoon. Jen had started a new job with another law firm only one month prior and was still getting used to it. She felt she saw less of Zack every day and looked forward to their honeymoon when they could have a few days to themselves.

It was Wednesday, two days until the wedding. She and Zack were heading to Ohio the next morning in an attempt to make sure everything was ready. Zack had made some calls to some old buddies who had taken care of Helena’s Grove. According to them, it was trimmed and cleaned up so those in their wedding attire could walk around without ruining their outfits.

Annie had graciously agreed to take over the decorations at the Christmas farm barn, where their reception was to take place. Jen wasn’t sure about the barn idea at first but after looking through it and settling on a price she felt it was the best option. Everything was going as planned and Jen was excited, except for one tiny thing: her bachelorette party. Annie had insisted she throw one for Jen the night before her wedding. She had been so busy with all the details that Jen had almost forgotten about the traditional girl bash. She was thrilled at first but now, as the day grew nearer she began to have second thoughts. She had no idea who was going to be there besides Annie and Aunt Gabby since Bianca was flying out the morning of the wedding. Jen had invited a few more of her old school friends but none were able to make it until the wedding day. 

“You all packed?” Zack asked coming into the living room and falling on the couch. He propped his feet up on the coffee table and rubbed his eyes.

“I think so.” Jen looked at the bags that were stacked by the door, ready for the early morning flight. She sat down next to Zack and lifted his arm so that it rested around her shoulders. “I’m so tired,” she commented as she leaned into him.

“So am I. I was thinking that maybe, for our honeymoon we could take the first day and just sleep.” He smiled at her.

“Just sleep?” she asked raising one eyebrow.

He suppressed a grin as he leaned in and kissed her.

“I’m looking so forward to having a few days to ourselves! It’s going to be so nice.”

“It sure will be. After the pre-wedding parties, the wedding itself and the reception we are going to be beat.”

Jen looked up at him. “What are you going to do during my bachelorette party?”

He looked puzzled. “You mean I can’t come?”

Jen laughed. “I guess you could if you wanted to, but I doubt Annie will let you.”

“Oh yeah, my sister, I forgot about her.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “To be honest, I’ll probably use that time for myself. Maybe go on a drive or a ride or something.”

“If you go horseback riding you have to take me with you,” Jen reminded him.

“You have to go to the party. Annie would never forgive me if I stole you away to spend the evening with me.”

Why aren’t you having a bachelor party anyway? What’s with your old friends – don’t they know how to throw their buddy a party?” Jen asked.

“I told them I’d rather not,” Zack answered. “All that ruckus to have a last hurray just isn’t my thing. I don’t need a last hurray – I’ve got you.” He smiled at her. “Besides, I’d rather just be by myself the night before.”

Jen groaned. “Well, I’d rather spend the evening with you than with a bunch of girls I don’t really know.”

“You know Annie and Aunt Gabby. Who else is going to be there?”

“I don’t know. Annie did the inviting. I asked Bianca, Kelly and MacKay to come but the three of them are flying in Friday morning.”

“I see,” Zack mused. “I could be the male stripper.”

Jen laughed out loud and rolled onto her back on the couch. “I would be okay with that.”

Zack stood up and pulled off his shirt in one fluid motion. He flexed several times. “See, I could be great!”

Jen continued to shake with laughter. “Would you really want to do that in front of your sister and Aunt Gabby?” she asked between breaths.

Zack thought about that a moment. “You’re right. That would be weird. I guess you’ll just have to get a private show after the wedding.” He leaned over her and kissed her gently.

“Mmm, I’ll look forward to it,” she whispered.

SEATTLE

Dylan sat in his office, hunched over the documents and folders that had piled up on his desk. He squinted at the screen; his eyebrows pulled down in a form of concentration. His pulse was beating fast as he read the dates again, then the names. He checked the file and read the terms, the ages, and the location. Everything added up. He sat stunned, after so many months of searching, could this be her? Could he have finally found her? He leaned back in shock; unable to contain the laugh that escaped him and feeling a great weight lift off his shoulders. With a broad smile spread across his face he bounded up the stairs to his bedroom where Courtney sat reading in a big overstuffed chair. She looked up at him as he stood in the doorway.

“I found her,” he said quietly, hardly believing it himself.

Courtney’s eyes widened. “You did? Are you sure?” She closed her book and met him half way across the room where he wrapped her in his arms.

“I can’t believe it,” he breathed. “I can’t believe it’s actually her!”

“But are you sure?” Courtney cautioned, “I mean, you’re one hundred percent sure?”

Dylan nodded, “Everything adds up, the dates, the numbers, the names…” He looked at his wife and put his hand on her face, barely able to contain his excitement. “I have to go. I have to go meet her.”

“When?” she asked in surprise.

“This weekend. But I’ll be back by Sunday.”

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“No, I think this is something I need to do on my own. Not to mention, I have no idea what to expect.”

Courtney nodded. “I’m sure everything will be fine. Oh babe I’m so excited for you!”

Dylan grinned and kissed her. “Thank you for being so supportive. I could never have done this without you.”

She smiled. “So, where are you going?”

Dylan went to the closet to grab his suitcase. As he lifted it to the bed he turned to her. “Ohio.”

OHIO

Jen sat in Aunt Gabby’s kitchen decked out in bride-to-be attire, including a crown, sash, and a mystery box that she wasn’t supposed to open until the end of the night. She felt stupid in the getup but smiled for Annie’s sake; who had clearly gone to a lot of work to make the bachelorette party nice, which was due to start as soon as the first guest arrived.

Aunt Gabby sat in the chair next to Jen and the two of them watched Annie buzz about the kitchen like a honey bee.

“Are you sure I can’t help you with something honey?” Aunt Gabby asked when Annie burned her finger pulling some wonderful smelling cheesey things from the oven.

“No, no I’m fine. I have this all planned out, I’m just running a little bit behind schedule. But don’t worry, everything will be great!”

Jen and Aunt Gabby shared a look but let Annie continue on.

The doorbell rang three times in the next ten minutes and the room was soon full of ten extra girls. Jen knew some just from Annie’s association, but others she had only met a couple times. Either way, it felt strange to have her bachelorette party with a bunch of women she barely knew.

It took some time but eventually Jen began to relax and even have fun! Annie had gone all out with games and prizes, ways to keep up conversation and a ton of food, which was Jen’s favorite part. She had heard that most brides weren’t able to eat before their wedding, but that was a problem she apparently didn’t have. It seemed since she and Zack had gotten engaged she couldn’t eat enough! The night went on and by the time Jen looked at her phone it was already after midnight. Her eyebrows furrowed, she hadn’t heard from Zack for a while. She shrugged it off, thinking he was probably asleep somewhere.

“Where is Zack tonight?” a girl named Audrey asked as if on cue.

“He said he was going on a drive – wanted some time for himself. He’s been so busy the last few months that he’s been looking forward to having some down time,” Jen told her.

“I thought he was going out with Chris and the guys tonight,” another woman named Clarissa chimed in.

“Yeah, Matt said they were going to the bar,” said Audrey.

Jen glanced at Annie for an explanation but she seemed as clueless as Jen was. “I don’t know but maybe he did decide to go out with the guys.”

Aunt Gabby leaned in close to Jen so only she could hear. “If he went out with Chris and Matt Harris you can be sure they’re up to no good.”

Jen shook her head. “Zack’s a big boy, I’m sure they’re fine…”

“SURPRISE!!!” The sound of men’s voices from the front door echoed through the house. Every woman’s head snapped up as Zack and two other men stumbled into the house.

One man had Zack around the waist and practically dragged him into the living room. Jen was up and by his side instantly. “Zack! What’s wrong?”

He smiled up at her, eyes half closed, alcohol strong on his breath. Jen shook her head. “You’re drunk? Really?”

He shook his head. “Nope, just a lil’ tipsy,” he slurred. 

“Uh huh.” She stood and faced the two men that were now talking with some of the other women in the room. She recognized Chris Harris, who was one of Zack’s oldest friends but she had only ever heard of his brother Matt. The pair seemed every bit as intoxicated as her fiancé. She marched over to Chris. “I have you to thank for the state of my soon to be husband?” Jen asked, not hiding her annoyance.

Chris put his hands on her shoulders. “I’m sorry but when Zack told me he had no plans for a bachelor party I knew I had to take him out for one final night of partying! After all, I’m the best man!” His grin was wide.

Jen took a deep breath, trying to hide the smile on her face. Zack hadn’t picked a best man as of that morning, and she assumed it would be one of the guys from his home town. She was glad he’d decided on Chris. Instead of making a big deal over the situation Jen decided to just get Zack to bed before he fell over. “Thanks for bringing him home safe and sound. I trust I’ll see you at the wedding, in the appropriate attire and sober?”

“Ma’am, yes ma’am!” Chris nodded.

Jen and Annie helped Zack to his feet. “Come on babe, it’s time for bed,” Jen told him.

Jen thanked Annie for the nice night and the guests began to dissipate. As Jen walked up the stairs she could hear Aunt Gabby giving the Harris boys a lecture about how they got there – they’d better not be drinking and driving! She didn’t hear the rest as she opened the door to the bedroom at the end of the hall and laid Zack on the bed. She glanced at the clock on the dresser, almost one thirty. She shook her head again as she removed his shoes.

Zack reached up and grabbed her arm when she walked past him. “Do we get to party now?”

Jen touched his newly trimmed hair. “No sweetheart, it’s time for bed.” She kissed him and made her way to the bathroom.

“Oh yeah! Because we are getting married tomorrow!” he exclaimed from the bed.

Jen laughed. “Not tomorrow babe, today. We’re getting married in just over twelve hours.”