Heart of Love

by Shanna Hatfield

  Jake found it hard to sleep, so he drove himself to the hospital early the next morning. When the nurse finally agreed to let him sit with Anna, he carried in a basket full of assorted gum and a pair of her old glasses, minus one arm piece.

  Although he assumed he would find her asleep, she was wide-awake when he walked into her room. “Hi, Sugar. How are you feeling today?” he asked as he bent to kiss her cheek.

  “Better and awful.” She took the glasses from him and slid them on. “Oh, that is a help. I’m so tired of squinting trying to see what’s going on, it’s giving me a headache.”

  Eagerly digging through the basket of gum Jake set on the table beside her, she selected a package and unwrapped a piece. After popping it into her mouth, she held the package out to him, but he shook his head.

  “That tastes wonderful.” She chomped the gum. “Thank you so much.”

  “Did you sleep at all?” Jake sat down in the chair next to the bed.

  “Not much. It seemed like about the time I’d go to sleep, someone would come poke or prod me. ICU is not the most restful place.”

  Jake grinned, grateful Anna was in a chatty mood. He took that as a great sign, along with her improved color and a bright alertness in her eyes that had been absent for days.

  Once the doctor arrived to check on her, he decided she was doing well enough to move to a regular room. By the time her folks arrived, she had settled into a private room where they could all fit in at one time.

  The doctor waited until they were all there to go over what she would need to be able to do before he would release her. Much to everyone’s surprise, she was released Thursday morning.

  The first week at home was rough as she struggled with the dizziness and headaches, but she improved daily.

  When her four-week checkup rolled around, Anna felt like a new person. Her only problem, other than tiring easily, was a daily headache. A cup of coffee or some caffeine-loaded tea seemed to chase it away.

  After giving her a clean bill of health and an appointment for a six-month follow up appointment, the doctor declared Anna fit to do whatever she wanted.

  Tired of being at the mercy of everyone to chauffeur her around and feeling like such a burden, she couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel of her car. Her mom and Jake bore the brunt of her continued care, so she was glad to reclaim her independence.

  While she recuperated at home, Anna decided that working as a librarian wasn’t really something she wanted to pursue as a long-term career goal. She loved reading and books, and always would, but she truly enjoyed research and fact checking.

  After contacting the company she worked for before moving back to the farm, she talked them into letting her work from home on a trial basis. If both parties were pleased with the arrangement, the company agreed to make it permanent. Anna planned to continue working part-time at the library, to stay in contact with people. It would be too easy for her to hide away at home and return to her old reclusive habits.

  As her health improved, she began working two afternoons a week at the library. She worked from home in the mornings researching and checking facts, with the rest of her free time dedicated to The Cottage, wedding plans, and building her strength.

  With only two months before the wedding, she was determined to be one hundred percent back to normal before she said, “I do.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The first day of March, Jake packed up his belongings from the house he had shared the last five years with his friends and drove out to The Cottage.

  Since he spent more time there than he did anywhere else, and with the furniture due to arrive in a few weeks, he decided it made sense for him to move in now instead of later. Not only could he put in more time on projects at the house, but he’d also save money by not having to pay rent on the place in town with the guys.

  Dave drove out after work to help him unload his truck and horse trailer. He hadn’t ever needed a lot of stuff, but what he had was good quality. He and Dave moved the bed frame and headboard into the guest bedroom where Anna suggested placing his furniture. They set them up then packed in the mattress set, dresser, and nightstand.

  His computer, desk, office chair, an oak bookcase, a filing cabinet, two lamps, and stereo system would go into the second downstairs bedroom, creating an office space. He left the microwave and a small flat-screen television in the kitchen.

  An assortment of boxes full of memorabilia went into an upstairs storage closet until he had time to sort through them. Dave helped him lug his barbell, weights, and other gym equipment down to the basement.

  Jake carried an antique steamer trunk that belonged to Grammy into the house where it had resided for so many years. Anna mentioned it should go in the great room, so he left it in a corner near one of the windows.

  He and Dave carried in the last of his clothes when Anna walked inside, eyeing them curiously.

  “Hi,” she said, kissing his cheek and smiling at Dave. “What are you guys doing?”

  “Just moving in Jake.” Dave continued to the bedroom, carrying a box of Jake’s shoes and boots.

  “Moving in?” The tone of Anna’s voice along with her raised eyebrow made it clear Jake was about to step into big trouble, if he wasn’t already up to his knees.

  “Well, sure,” Jake said, about to remind Anna of his plans. Suddenly, he realized he hadn’t gotten around to verbalizing them to her. That could be a problem if Anna was of a mind to be difficult. One look at her face confirmed that she was of a mind to be exactly that. “I, um… I...” Jake set down the suitcase he carried and ran a hand over his head.

  Anna glared at him, ready to give him a piece of her mind.

  Before she could say anything, Dave reappeared, aware of the tension crackling between Anna and Jake. He decided it was a good time for him to leave.

  “I’m going to head on out, Jake,” Dave said as he walked to the front door.

  “Thank you for your assistance, Dave. Have a pleasant evening,” Anna offered him a brief smile before marching into the kitchen.

  “Can we at least feed you dinner?” Jake asked Dave, watching Anna walk away in a snit.

  “I could be wrong, but I don’t think Anna’s too happy with you and I don’t plan to stick around to find out why. See you at work tomorrow, if you survive,” Dave teased as he hustled out the door.

  “Thanks, Davey. Thanks a lot,” Jake hollered after him. He took a deep breath before going to deal with Anna. He found her in the kitchen, pacing the floor.

  “What are you doing?” Angry sparks shot from her eyes as she turned her fury his direction.

  “Moving my stuff. What does it look like?” Jake began to shoot a few sparks of his own. His day at work had been challenging, and it took twice as long as he expected to load and move his things. In a rush to leave work early, he skipped lunch and was half-starved.

  The last thing he wanted was to be hassled over something ridiculous. This was his house, after all. He was the one who owned it. Who did Anna think she was, marching in, acting all high-and-mighty? He didn’t need her permission to do anything.

  “When were you going to bother to tell me about it?” Anna asked. She leaned against the counter with her arms crossed tightly across her chest, looking hurt and betrayed. “Did you stop to consider that I might want to know about your plans?”

  “I meant to tell you, I just forgot,” he said, losing his patience.

  “Did it occur to you that perhaps the topic should be discussed?” By sheer will, she kept from shouting. Anna clenched her hands at her sides as her chin lifted in a stubborn tilt. “I assumed we’d move into the house together, right after the wedding. It never crossed my mind that you might make alternative plans.”

  “Maybe you should learn not to assume,” Jake ground out, glaring at Anna.

  “Maybe you should learn to communicate,” Anna snapped, angry beyond the point of reason. “I can’t read your mind, you know. Any other plans you happened to forget
to share that I might like to know?”

  Jake straightened to his full height, which he knew could be intimidating, and turned his temper loose with a booming voice. “What’s the big deal? It’s my house and I can do what I please here. You don’t own me. Since when do I have to tell you my plans?”

  He expected her to shoot back some lippy comment and looked forward to taking her down a peg. What he didn’t anticipate was her bottom lip quivering or her eyes filling with tears. When she finally spoke, it was softly, with her tear-filled eyes looking him square in the face.

  “Since you put this ring on my finger and asked me to marry you. I thought we were partners, Jake. Partners discuss things like when one or both of us will move into our home, but I was clearly mistaken. There’s obviously no partnership here, not with you. In addition, your clarification that this is your home, not ours, is most insightful. If that is truly how you feel, then this isn’t a good idea. Not in the least.”

  “Well, maybe it’s not,” he barked. Jake glowered at her as he leaned against the counter. He had no clue what Anna thought wasn’t a good idea, but he was in the mood to be argumentative and contrary.

  She soon made her thoughts abundantly clear.

  Anna gave him a long look before removing her engagement ring and gently setting it on the counter. Without another word, she walked past him through the kitchen and toward the front door.

  Jake picked up the ring and studied it. If he let her go out the door, he knew the best thing that had ever happened to him would walk right out of his life. The doorknob turned in her hand when he swallowed his temper and pride, ran to the front door, and caught her in his arms.

  “I’m sorry, Sugar. Don’t leave. I didn’t mean what I said,” Jake said, genuinely contrite. “This being a team thing takes a bit of work and adjustment.”

  Even though he was tired, hungry, and out of sorts, it didn’t give him just cause to take out his frustration on Anna, especially when she had a valid point.

  “This house is your home. Our home. I’m just used to doing my own thing, making my own plans. Sometimes, I forget to include you. I promise I’ll try to do better.” Jake rubbed his hands along her back, hoping she would relax just a little, give him a sign he might have some hope of earning her forgiveness.

  “And not be mean,” Anna prompted. Still holding herself stiffly, she rested her head against his chest.

  He rolled his eyes and smiled. “And not be mean. I really am sorry. I didn’t give a thought to how it would seem to you to show up and find me moved in. Will you please forgive me?”

  Jake pleaded his case by nuzzling her neck. It was hard for her to say no when he did that. She nodded against him. He lifted her hand and slipped the ring back on her finger then kissed it.

  “Will you marry me, Anna? Even with my lack of communication skills and occasional inclination to throw temper tantrums?”

  Anna laughed and smacked his arm. “Yes, Mr. Grouchy, I’ll still marry you. Maybe now would be a good time to share your plan.” Anna pulled back so she could look Jake in the face. “Why did you decide to move in today?”

  “I’ll tell you, but I’m starving and there isn’t a thing to eat here. I plan to bring out a load of horses out tonight. Will you ride with me to Mom and Dad’s?” Jake asked as he led her out the door and walked toward his pickup.

  “Only if you promise to feed me,” she said as he opened the passenger side door of his pickup for her. He jogged around the front of the vehicle, slid behind the wheel, and headed toward the road. No doubt, they’d eat dinner with his folks, then Jake would be in a hurry to load the horses. By then it would be dark and… Anna didn’t want to worry about later, focusing instead on the moment. “Okay, so you decided to move in today because…?”

  “I have four good reasons,” Jake said, turning onto the highway, headed toward his parents’ home. “First, I didn’t want to keep paying rent when I don’t need to. We can use the money for either the wedding or the house. Second, I spend more time here than anywhere else so it seemed stupid to keep driving into town just to sleep. Third, the furniture will arrive soon and I don’t like leaving the place empty at night. I want everyone to know the house is occupied, not vacant.”

  Lost in his thoughts, Jake grew quiet as he stared at the road.

  Anna nudged him with her elbow. “You said you had four reasons. That’s only three.”

  Jake eyed her, wary about sharing the last reason. “The fourth reason… the fourth reason… dang it all, Anna. It’s because it makes me feel closer to you to be there, to dream about our life together.” His voice dropped a notch as he added, “To dream about you.”

  “That’s the best reason of all.” Anna stretched across the seat and kissed his cheek. “Why didn’t you just say that in the first place?”

  After eating dinner with Maggie and Tom, it was too late to move the horses. Jake returned the next day to move them all. Clay offered to help, so in two trips each, they got all of Jake’s registered quarter horses moved to The Cottage.

  As he worked to build up his herd, he felt confident with the stallion he purchased the previous year, the new crop of babies would be real winners. He offered to bring Anna’s horse to The Cottage and she readily agreed.

  When Anna stopped by a few days later on her way home from the library, Jake worked with one of his yearlings in the corral next to the barn. She walked over to the fence and perched on the top pole, enjoying the way the waning sun set the evening sky into a blaze of oranges and reds.

  With every movement similar to a choreographed dance, observing Jake with the horse was like watching poetry in motion.

  Anna had to remind herself that the life she would soon begin with him was real, that he was real, not a dream. As he expertly moved around the enclosure with the horse, Anna appreciated, once again, the very manliness of Jake that exuded strength, virility, and confidence.

  He turned and saw her watching from the fence. He waved a hand in greeting, thrilled by the picture of health and wholesomeness — a lovely girl enjoying the spring air and life in general — she presented.

  The way she looked, no one would know she had brain surgery just seven weeks ago. Other than a little scar behind her ear, there was no evidence of the misery she suffered prior to the removal of her tumor.

  The quick remedy to her condition and Anna’s speedy recovery was a true blessing. Every time he thought about the night that he spent praying it wasn’t cancer, it made him want to fall to his knees in gratitude. Anna was alive, healthy, and here with him, soon to be his bride.

  Jake led the horse to the opposite side of the corral and tied the lead rope to the fence before walking back to Anna. He set one dusty boot on a pole and placed his hands lightly on her thighs. When she leaned down to kiss him, a wave of love swept over him for the funny, sweet, independent girl.

  “Aren’t you apt to get yourself all dirty out here?” Jake asked, taking in the sight of her face bathed in the glow from the sunset.

  “I’m not worried about it.” Anna tugged at her skirt hem, adjusting it as she perched on the top rail. Climbing up on the fence in her skirt wasn’t the best idea she’d ever had.

  Jake ran his gloved hands down her lap and over her knees, leaving behind a trail of dust on her slim black skirt. As he glanced down at her dirty skirt, suddenly aware that he was dustier than he thought. “Sorry, Sugar.” He brushed at the dust, making it worse instead of better.

  Anna caught his hands and leaned down to kiss him again. “It’s not a problem, fancy boy, just dirt.”

  “In that case…” Jake grabbed her around the waist and lowered her to the ground in front of him. “You won’t mind this.” He gave her bottom a playful swat then spun her around to admire the handprint left by the dust.

  Anna looked over her shoulder, attempting to see what he’d done. She shook her head at his antics. “You’re impossible, Jake Chandler. Positively impossible.”

  Laughing, Jake circled her
waist and set her back on the top pole of the fence. “True as that may be, Sugar, I’m all yours.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The day the furniture truck arrived, Anna couldn’t contain her excitement. It spilled out on everyone who gathered at the house to help move in the furniture. Clay, Callan, and their girls were there as well as both sets of parents, Bobbi and Steve, Josh and Jenna, three of Jake’s roommates, Sam and Lisa, Dave, and a few other guys with strong backs and a willingness to spend their Saturday helping a friend.

  Callan helped Anna keep everything straight and direct the placement of each piece. By the time they finished, the house looked like a home.

  Anna loved the kitchen best, running her hands over the new appliances, admiring the bar stools that occupied one end of the kitchen counter and the wonderful oak table nestled into the breakfast nook. Callan and Anna found upholstered swivel chairs with casters that matched the style of the table. Anna couldn’t think how many times her dad and brother had leaned back in her mother’s kitchen chairs, weakening the back legs as they balanced on them. The chairs she selected were comfortable, functional, and impossible for men to tip back on two legs.

  The kitchen would be the heart of their home — a place where they shared meals, but also shared their lives with each other, friends, and family. She counted her blessings once again and found them to be abundant.

  The only dark cloud in her sunny sky was the master bedroom. The walls were painted tan, and a soft, thick neutral carpet covered the floor, but it looked forlorn and neglected compared to the rest of the house as it sat empty and unadorned.

  Anna looked into the room and sighed. She thought Jake might never get around to deciding how he wanted to have the room decorated. When it was so important to her, she couldn’t understand why he was being so ornery about this particular room. She wanted the entire house to look perfect for their wedding day, but most importantly, she wanted the master bedroom to be special for their first night as man and wife.