Love Takes Hold: The Helena's Grove Series Book 3 Page 7

  “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.

  Chapter 11

  Jen looked up at Zack and stroked his face, his eyes closing as she touched him. “I’m so happy right now. A part of me thought you would reject my proposal.”

  Zack laughed and looked down at her, a child’s grin on his face. “How could I refuse a
proposal like that?”

  She smiled and shrugged. “You couldn’t, which I suppose was the point.”

  Zack pulled her close to him and she relished in the sound of his heart beat and strong arms around her once again. She couldn’t believe how immensely happy she felt just being near him, knowing that he would be her husband. They had gone back to Aunt Gabby’s after sharing their good news with those at the Hansen farm. Aunt Gabby was elated, and insisted they take her truck and get a hotel, which they did. She inhaled deeply and sighed; this man was her future, a future she had never been more excited for. She snuggled closer, afraid to fall asleep and wake only to find this a dream.

  “I came here this weekend to try and clear my head,” Zack said quietly.

  Jen nodded. “I thought it was strange you weren’t at the hospital. But I’m glad you were here, it makes sense that we’d get back together in the town we met in.”

  “I’m sorry you had to go through so much to find me.” He smiled at her.

  “It was worth it. I would go anywhere to be with you.”

  “What changed?” Zack asked, after a moment of silence. “You were so adamant about not needing to get married and not wanting a big family. What changed your mind?”

  Jen hesitated, she wasn’t sure she even wanted to bring up the club or what transpired there. But she wanted him to know how she had come to the decision she’d made. “Remember my friend Bianca? Well, my dad called her and told her I needed a little pick-me-up. I guess he was worried I was going to bum off of him forever. So she convinced me to go to this club and we met a couple guys there.” She paused and looked up into Zack’s eyes, gauging his reaction.

  “I’m listening, go ahead.”

  She nodded and continued, “Bianca introduced me to this guy and it was like I was standing outside my body, watching the entire scene play out before me. I knew he’d ask me to dance, which he did. And I knew he’d ask to buy me a drink, which he did. It was all so unbelievably predictable. Eventually, he asked me to go home with him.” Jen felt Zack’s body stiffen and she gazed into his eyes.

  “Did you go?” he asked slowly.

  His mouth asked the question but Jen wasn’t sure he really wanted the answer. She was happy to ease his discomfort at the thought. “No.” She shook her head.

  He relaxed a little. “I’m glad. I mean, I know we weren’t together but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t have hurt.”

  “I wasn’t even tempted. In fact, it was quite the opposite. I was revolted by him, by all the men there. I couldn’t believe that that was how I used to spend my time. When I turned him down he became a little belligerent and asked why I was there, if not to hookup with someone.”

  “And?” Zack pressed.

  “And I couldn’t answer him. I didn’t want to be there any longer, so I left. And the next day I talked to my dad, which was a conversation I NEVER saw coming.”

  “Really? What did he have to say? I’m sure he tried to stop you from coming after me.”

  “Actually, he was the one that told me to go after you.”

  Zack looked at her in surprise. “You’re kidding me?”

  Jen shook her head. “I was as surprised as you are. He said some nice things about you but you aren’t supposed to know that he actually likes you.”

  Zack chuckled. “Good to know. I’ll remember that when I call him tomorrow.”

  “Why are you going to call him?”

  Zack moved up on his elbow and kissed Jen on the forehead. “I have to ask permission to marry his daughter.”

  “You don’t need to ask,” Jen began to protest.

  Zack put a finger on her lips. “I most certainly do. It’s the right and gentlemanly thing to do and I aim to do things all proper like.”

  Jen laughed at his attempt at a John Wayne accent. “If you insist.”

  “I insist.” He kissed her softly.

  “Hey, are you tired?” she asked sitting up.

  “Not really. Are you?”

  “Not at all. Let’s go somewhere.”

  Zack sat up as well. “Where do you want to go?”

  Jen’s eyes were wide with excitement. “I don’t know, anywhere! I just want to go somewhere.”

  “Well it’s…” Zack glanced at the clock on the night stand. “It’s two o’clock in the morning. I’m not sure how many places we can go.”

  “Oh come on, isn’t there somewhere you can take your wife to be? This is your hometown, don’t you know of any amazingly romantic spots we could go to?”

  Zack thought for a moment then grinned widely. “I think I know the perfect spot.”

  A short time later Zack stopped the truck at Helena’s Grove. The two of them got out and sat on the hood, a light blanket wrapped around them. It looked completely different in the light of the full moon and Jen marveled once again at its beauty. She felt at peace here, at this place, with this man – something she realized she’d taken for granted up until she didn’t have it anymore. The night sounds were alive as she and Zack talked and laughed under the stars. A slight breeze blew and Jen watched the grass as it swayed back and forth in the moonlight, the rustling of the leaves in the trees adding an eerie, yet beautiful and captivating sensation. She shivered as a tingle went through her and she pulled the blanket tighter. Despite being in the dark, away from civilization, she had never felt safer.

  “Are you cold?” Zack asked when she pulled the blanket around her.

  “No, just getting cozy.” She smiled at him, only able to discern half of his face in the moonlight. “Can we stay here forever?” she asked dreamily.

  Zack laughed. “Yes, if that’s what you want.”

  She smiled and put her hand on his face, leaned in and kissed him; a slow, mesmerizing kiss that she never wanted to end. When they finally parted Zack held her to him and the two of them sat there, on the hood of an old truck until the first light of morning began to pierce the darkness.

  Soon the sounds of the night were replaced by the songs of morning birds in the trees. Jen inhaled deeply – after sleeping in for the last few weeks during her breakup breakdown, she’d forgotten how beautiful mornings were. Zack’s eyes were closed and she knew that he was tired, despite his claims of being otherwise. He’d stayed up for her. She kissed his cheek softly. “I love you Zack.”

  His eyes fluttered open. “I wasn’t asleep.”

  Jen smiled. “We should probably be getting back. You can get some sleep before we head out today.”

  Zack rubbed his eyes. “I forgot to book the flights.”

  “I did.”

  “We’ll have to call a cab on a Sunday to get us to the airport.”

  “Aunt Gabby said she’d take us.”

  Zack looked at her. “Is there anything you don’t think of?” he asked teasingly.

  “I just figured we’d want to get back to Boston as soon as possible. We need to get some things in order.”

  “Like what?” Zack asked through a yawn.

  “Well, I have to go beg and see if I can get my job back. And you have to see how much time off you can get from the hospital.”

  “Time off for the wedding?” Zack asked.

  Jen just nodded.

  “Okay, when are you thinking? I’m alright with waiting a year to get married if that’s what you want. And I’m sure we could borrow some money from somewhere for the place in New York that you’ve always dreamed about.”

  Jen shook her head. “I don’t want the venue in New York. I don’t want the big wedding or the huge guest list and I definitely don’t want to wait a year.”

  Zack sat up. “You don’t want a big wedding?”

  “No, I know I said I did but that’s just not important to me anymore.”

  “Are you sure.”

  “Very sure.”

  “Okay, well what do you want now?”

  Jen took a deep breath and looked around her; the first rays of sun were beginning to shine through the trees giving the grove an enchanted glow.
“I want to get married here.” She looked at Zack and smiled at the surprise on his face.

  “Here? As in, right here?” He gestured to the area surrounding the truck.

  Jen laughed and grabbed his hand. They slid off the truck and walked through the grass, weaving in between the trees as Jen spoke. “Helena’s Grove is where we had that amazing date, where we first kissed, and where you proposed to me… even though I said no.”

  “Oh yeah, that.” His eyes crinkled at the memory.

  “I love it here and so do you. We could put some pretty white chairs over there.” She pointed and Zack followed her gaze as she painted the picture for him. “We could put an arch there and I could walk down that path. We could fit at least fifty people out here and then have a reception somewhere in town.”

  Zack was nodding as she spoke. “I think it’s a great idea! I can’t wait to see you in an amazing white dress, walking toward me.” He kissed her forehead. “I get all excited just thinking about it.”

  “And I want to get married this year.”

  Zack’s eyebrows arched in surprise. “This year?”

  Jen nodded.

  “Honey, it’s already August. If you want to get married this year and have it be outside you’re talking September, first week of October at the latest before it gets too cold.”

  “September sounds great!” She smiled at him.

  “Seriously? September? Don’t get me wrong, I’ll marry you tomorrow but I just want you to have the wedding you want. After all, this is the only one you’re ever going to get.” Despite his concerns, Zack’s eyes were dancing.

  Jen laughed and took his hands as they stopped between a couple trees. “I’m not worried about the wedding or the reception or the dress…” She paused. “Don’t get me wrong, I want a nice dress.” Zack chuckled and she continued, “My point is I don’t want our marriage to be about how big the wedding is or how many gifts we get or how many people show up. I want it to be about us and the things we love. And what better way to show that than to have it here, a place that means so much not only to us individually but also as a couple.”