Nate followed Zoey up two flights of stairs, passing bedrooms framed in glass with heavy curtains hung for privacy and offices filled with rich mahogany desks and bookshelves loaded with books that looked like they’d never been read. The house seemed to go on forever, crisp and pristine, until they finally reached the third floor. As soon as they reached the top floor, Nate began to see what all the fuss was about.
Just off the stairs was huge home gym better equipped than most professional gyms. High school kids were hanging all over the equipment, trying to impress each other, beer spilling carelessly all over the floor from their paper cups. To the left of the workout area was another wall made of glass, except that right in the middle of the wall were massive glass doors that when pulled apart created an opening that blurred the lines between inside and outside, letting the warm fall air rush in. Just beyond those doors were an expansive deck and a pool that seemed to drop off the edge of the mountain. Nate had seen a lot things in his life as a protector, yet somehow he was still impressed by the pool and the view.
Zoey led him by the hand out the large open doors and onto the deck. Several beer kegs had been set up, and kids were filling and refilling their flimsy paper cups. Nate looked around. It didn’t take him long to find Jennie.
She was standing with her back against the wall, having what looked like a heated conversation with a boy Nate had never met. The boy stood in front of her as if he was blocking her path, and they were exchanging angry words, using not only their mouths but their entire bodies to show their frustration. Finally, Jennie pushed her way past him. Without ever seeing Nate, she walked sullenly to the edge of the pool and sat down.
Despite the noise and chaos around her, she seemed lost in her own thoughts. Nate was just about to detach himself from Zoey when the music went silent and was replaced by a high-pitched whistle. With that whistle, everyone turned their attention to the big glass doors—as if they were anticipating what would happen next, everyone but Jennie who sat staring blankly at the pool in front of her. Then out of nowhere, someone yelled, “Yaaah, pool count,” and what seemed like every teenager in the house came running, pulling off T-shirts and shorts, plunging into the pool, bodies stacked on bodies. Suddenly the pool deck became complete chaos, and if Nate hadn’t been watching Jennie, he might have missed her being pushed into the pool in all the commotion. Instantaneously his protector instinct kicked in and he sprang into action, throwing off Zoey’s hand and running toward the water at lightning speed. Everywhere he looked there were bodies pushing off one other, so many that it was hard to tell where one began and another ended. Determined, Nate scoured the pool with his eyes, sorting through what was now out-and-out pandemonium. Then, for just a split second, Nate saw Jennie being shoved and trampled before he lost sight of her again.
He screamed “Jennie!” but his voice was drowned out in a sea of noise.
No one was going to help him. With incredible ferocity, he jumped into the water and began physically moving people around so that he could get to her. In people’s drunken states, they thought a fight had broken out and began shoving one another. In seconds, the situation went from bad to total mayhem. Finally, Nate was able to get hold of Jennie’s arm with one hand, and he cleared the way while pulling her to the surface with the other. As soon as he could get her onto the deck, he leaned over her, listening for any trace of air moving through her lungs. Her face was already beginning to show bruises and her chest was completely devoid of the rising and falling that comes with life. Nate felt physically ill, but he had to hold it together. He was here to do a job. He could only hope that Celeste would forgive him for touching her.
He checked her airway. When he knew that it was clear, he began CPR. His capable hands pressed down rhythmically on the soft skin of her chest, forcing her heart to perform. When that was done, he would use his own air, pushing it straight into her lungs, willing her to breathe. Once the partygoers took notice of Nate and Jennie on the deck, they began to calm down. Soon all that could be heard was the sloshing of water as people climbed from the pool and hushed whispers while an anxious crowd gathered around Nate and Jennie.
After the first round of CPR, Nate began to hear faint breathing. Instinctively, he took her hand and held it tight.
“Come back to me, Jennie,” he pled, raw anguish seeping from his words.
Jennie could feel that sensation again. It felt far away but stronger this time. Waves of light and contentment rolled through her like a healing balm. Suddenly she became conscious of air moving through her lungs where they had been empty before. It hurt; every breath stung. Then all at once, her senses began to focus in on his hand connecting to hers, sending those incredible sensations. Her eyes felt heavy and she had to force them open by sheer will. Every message coming from her brain screamed open your eyes. They fluttered and then she was trying to focus, trying to handle the overwhelming light coming from the pool and overhead deck…at least until he bent over her fragile body and then she saw his face hovering, terrified. As soon as her eyes opened, he let go of her hand. He had to. If she had been stronger, she would’ve yelled NO! but her vocal chords wouldn’t work yet. It was still all she could do to breathe and move her eyes to look around the room.
“She’s gonna be okay,” she heard someone say in the distance.
After considerable effort Jennie got control of her voice and she cried out ,“My hand, take my hand.”
Nate smiled. She would be all right. He brought his face close to hers and whispered, “Do you want to go to the hospital?”
Jennie shook her head weakly but clearly, tears forming in her eyes as she spoke her next words.
“Take me home.”
Nate grabbed an oversized towel from a lawn chair and wrapped Jennie in it, taking care not to touch her again. He was already afraid he would be taken off her case because of his carelessness, yet he didn’t regret his choice. He would never regret it. Effortlessly, he scooped her up and carried her out to the car. Neither spoke on the drive home. Jennie’s strength was beginning to return. She could still feel a residue of that healing sensation flowing through her. Whatever it was seemed to make her feel better with every passing minute, not just emotionally but physically as well.
When they pulled up to her house, Jennie turned to him even before he could put the car in park. She reached out her hand to place it on his but Nate pulled back. Instantly, she looked hurt.
“I’m sorry,” he said, “I just don’t want to do anything to hurt you.”
Jennie’s expression melted into confusion. “You just saved my life. How could you ever hurt me?”
Nate smiled in the dark. “That’s what friends do—save your life, that is.” Then he paused, hating the truth that he was about to speak, “but if I’m not careful I could hurt you and that wouldn’t make me a very good friend.”
Jennie sighed. It all felt so confusing at the moment, but she tried not to overthink it. “Thank you,” she whispered, “for saving my life, that is.”
“You’re welcome,” he responded. “Now go inside and get some dry clothes on.” Nate didn’t want to upset her any more but he found himself needing to understand her.
“Before you go, who was the guy who made you so angry tonight?” he asked.
“He is the reason I need a friend above all else,” she responded, being purposely vague. Nate was a good part of her life and she didn’t want to involve him in her sad past. Jennie opened her door to climb out. Nate was quick to meet her at her car door and walk her the short distance to her house.
They didn’t stand on the porch for long. Nate could tell Jennie still felt weak by the way she leaned on the rail for support.
“Good night,” she said as she opened the door and slipped inside, leaving him standing in the balmy night air.
Nate sat in his car for a long time, thinking about his night. He also knew Celeste would know every sordid detail of the night’s events. He didn’t know how, but she always knew. By the
time he pulled away from Jennie’s house, he’d resigned himself to the fact that he had broken the one rule he knew mattered. He didn’t understand why he’d been told not to touch her in the first place, but that didn’t matter either. In his business as a protector, you follow orders; for the good of your protectee, you just do what you’re told.
He would have to face Celeste eventually. He’d rather get it over with. He pulled out his phone and sent a text. He could expect a knock at his door tonight. As he pulled away from the curb he took one last look at Jennie’s house, assuming it would be the last time he would see her. His heart ached. It was time to go home and face his failure.
Chapter 8
Nate wasn’t surprised to see Celeste sitting outside his door waiting for him. She looked nervous, which made Nate feel even more uncomfortable than he already was.
“Hi,” he said, his voice listless and defeated.
“Big night, huh,” Celeste said.
“You know what kind of night I’ve had,” Nate snipped, and then immediately apologized. “I’m sorry, Celeste. I shouldn’t take out my frustration on you.”
Nate opened the door, and Celeste followed him in. “That was really stupid,” she said.
Nate turned to face what was coming next. He might be inadequate in many things, but he was no coward.
“I know,” he responded.
“I had to promise the boss on my solemn word that you would not screw up again,” she said, her eyes boring down on him as he spoke.
Nate wondered if he’d heard her correctly. “The boss called you in?”
“No,” Celeste stated, “I went to him to ask if you could stay, if he would give you another chance.”
Nate was stunned. No one approached the boss. You were lucky if he called you in; otherwise, you just did what you were told by the supervisor above you. What could’ve possessed Celeste to take that risk?
Nate felt his knees begin to buckle beneath him. “Why, Celeste? Why would you stick your neck out like that for me?”
Celeste looked down and spoke quietly, almost shyly, which was something Nate had never seen before. “Because this is your job and it requires a level of passion that only you bring to the responsibility.” Then Celeste paused for just a moment and moved close enough to Nate that he could see tiny flecks of gold in her otherwise light brown eyes. Nate could almost see her debating her next words, wrestling with her own feelings.
Finally she spoke, “You see, Nate, I stood up for you because it was that passion that saved Jennie’s life tonight and in the end will save her life again.”
Nate slumped in the ratty yellow chair that happened to be near him. It was all so much to take in. Never in a million years would he have imagined Celeste fighting for him. He was overcome with gratitude. He stood and threw arms around Celeste’s broad shoulders for just a moment, forgetting that she normally terrified him.
“I will make you proud,” he vowed as he continued to hug her.
Celeste did not return his embrace but she did not reject him, which was enough. After Nate pulled back, Celeste cleared her throat uncomfortably and smoothed down her bushy silver hair. Nate was smiling now; he couldn’t help it. Seeing Celeste even a tiny bit uncomfortable pleasantly surprised him. She was almost human.
“Well,” she said before turning to leave, “you’d better get some rest.”
Nate walked her to the door and opened it for her. As she walked out, Celeste made it clear that it was back to business by the way she reverted back to the stern expression Nate was so familiar with. She made it all the way to the end of the sidewalk before she turned again and spoke to him one more time.
“By the way, get some gloves. You don’t seem to be able to keep your hands to yourself,” she commanded.
Nate smirked. “Sure thing, boss,” he called out.
Nate didn’t wait to see her disappear into the dark. Instead, he retreated to his bedroom and climbed into bed. As he lay there looking at the bland white ceiling above him, he thought about the night’s events. In his perfect memory, he relived the way it felt to save Jennie’s life, the way her hand felt wrapped securely in his as she struggled for breath. Then his thoughts turned to Celeste and the surprising words she’d spoken to him. His churning memories only served to burden him with a heavy reminder of the critical nature of his assignment. He would be more careful, giving Jennie his undivided attention in the future. No more slip ups, he promised himself, for Jennie’s sake.
Finally, after hours of quiet reflection, he began to see the light of the sun peeking over the horizon. Beneath his tangled covers, he stretched, letting his feet touch the footboard of his bed before releasing the pent up tension in his muscles and throwing off his blankets. It was time to put his new resolve to the test and begin another day.
Chapter 9
Saving Jennie’s life did two things. First, it cemented his friendship with Jennie in a way that he could never have anticipated. He realized from the moment they saw one another on Monday morning that he would never have to prove his loyalty or bravery again. It was done. The respect between them was nearly impenetrable now. As long as he didn’t do anything major to screw it up, he would be welcome in her life. This was a great relief to him on so many levels.
The second thing to change in the wake of Saturday night’s events caught Nate off guard. He showed up Monday morning to find that the cells phones had been burning up with the story of his courageous and, according to the rumors, nearly superhuman rescue. Suddenly, people he had never met and some he’d never seen were patting him on the back and giving him high fives in the halls. Everywhere he went the whispering seemed to follow him. It wasn’t that he hadn’t protected teenagers before. He knew gossip would follow the near drowning; it was just surprising what a force the gossip was. Nate tried to ignore his newfound recognition, but it got in the way. Stories of him moving faster than lightning prompted an invitation to play football and try out for basketball. The soccer team was interested and, of course, the swim team was drooling.
In the end, Nate decided to try out for basketball to stay near Braiden. He figured where Braiden was, Marissa would follow, and likely Jennie would be there too. If he were honest with himself, he would admit that he liked all the attention. Who wouldn’t? Most of the time he was such a screw up; a few accolades felt nice for a change.
Still, his favorite change was the way Jennie looked at him with her eyes full of admiration. Jennie kept him focused. Seeing her was a constant reminder of his solemn responsibility to both her and Celeste.
Days slipped by, turning effortlessly into weeks. Even though the gossip soon died down, his friendship with Jennie only grew stronger. Every day they would find each other in the parking lot before school. Every day Nate would ask her, “How are you doing today, beautiful?”
In the wake of the quickly developing friendship, Jennie was surprised to discover that it was easy for her to share her innermost thoughts with Nate. They talked about everything: her family, school and friends, even Jace and their horrible breakup. He made it easy, and in time, the walls of disdain and distrust towards the opposite sex began to crumble and Jennie began to feel the stirrings of something more than friendship.
While Jennie never admitted her emerging feelings, Nate began to notice changes. These changes were subtle at first, but Nate could tell she was pulling him in deeper. The most obvious difference was that Jennie wanted him to meet her family. In fact, she was insistent upon it. Nate knew she was unusually close to her family, especially to her father. Nate had been careful to be polite to them when dropping her off and picking her up, but he kept his distance emotionally. He didn’t want to get to know them. Doing his job was hard enough without getting personally involved. Jennie seemed to notice his reluctance, but didn’t give up. Finally, one night in early October, as they sat in the dark car munching on leftover popcorn from the movie they’d seen, she asked him to spend the following Sunday with her family.
Every Sunday evening, she and her family had dinner and played games. It was a well-protected tradition in her house and now she was inviting him to be part of it. Maybe it was the way she pled with her expressive green eyes or the fact that he had been struggling especially hard not to reach out and touch her skin when she came close to him. Whatever the reason, he said “yes.”
Chapter 10
Nate stood on Jennie’s doorstep, fidgeting with his car keys. Oddly, after all this time, he still got nervous around her. Little beads of sweat were forming on his forehead and his hands felt wet and clammy. He wiped them quickly on his plaid shorts before ringing the doorbell. Inside the house, there was no perceptible movement, and then finally Nate could hear footsteps and Jennie’s voice calling out, “I’ll get it.” Jennie opened the main door, letting Nate see only her silhouette behind the heavy screen.
Jennie’s house was built in an older golf course community. There were dozens of them in the valley. Long stretches of fairway and putting greens that were kept perfectly manicured and miles of sidewalks created picturesque little neighborhoods. On any given day, residents could sit on their back porches and watch golf carts amble by as they enjoyed their morning coffee or an evening sunset. It was a peaceful existence, the only one Jennie had ever known. In fact, her life had been nothing if not secure in every way.
Now, as Nate stood on the other side of the screen door, he became uncomfortable with the knowledge that Jennie’s secure world would soon be changing…and these changes would break her untried heart. That’s why he’d kept himself aloof—but he was quickly losing his position of a casual observer. After tonight, his memories would be intertwined with theirs, even if for a short time, and Jennie would forever link him with them…her family. Nate wanted to run, but his pervasive sense of duty made him stay while Jennie opened the screen and invited him in.
Unbreakable Love Page 3