Jenna's Awakening (Dr. Jenna Harper Series Book 1)

by Missy Redstone

  Kris released Jenna’s hand, and it slid down from her shoulder to her lower back as she nudged her forward.

  When they were far enough away from Brian, Jenna whispered into Kris's ear. “Thank you.”

  After everyone had gathered in front of him, the chief began his speech. It was the usual boring speech thanking everyone for coming with a few pauses for applause. Jenna couldn’t wait to leave and get back home. She was busy planning what she was going to do the next day. She didn’t have many Saturdays off, and she didn’t want to waste one minute of it.

  Kris elbowed her in the ribs and she looked up to find everyone staring at her. The chief waved for her to join him up on the stage. She walked up the steps towards the chief, still unsure of what was happening. She turned back to look at Kris who gave her a big smile.

  When she reached the chief, he shook her hand giving it a gentle squeeze. She looked out into the crowd with Kris near the front. Brian was in the back, and he extended his arms in the air giving her two thumbs up. She scanned the faces staring at her as she tried to keep herself from shaking. She focused on Kris. As long as Kris was there supporting her, she felt better.

  ***

  The chief raised his hand for everyone to settle down so he could talk. “I wanted to take this opportunity while everyone was here to let you know that after extensive thought and consideration, after painstakingly going over the budget several times, we hope that you will accept our offer to continue your career here with us.”

  Jenna’s knees buckled. Tears started to form, but she didn’t want to cry in front of her colleagues. There would be time for that later when she was alone. She looked for Kris again and found her with tears in her eyes too. She had to look away before she lost it. She shook the chief’s hand again before he left her alone to make a speech.

  She was more terrified of public speaking than she was of social gatherings, but she was so happy at the moment that it didn’t matter. She thanked the chief and everyone else for their support. She talked about how grateful she was for this opportunity and about how much she enjoyed the community. She wasn’t sure of her exact words, but it seemed to have worked. Everyone applauded and congratulated her as she made her way back to Kris.

  Kris was still teary-eyed when she finally reached her. Kris hugged her tight. She didn’t want to let go. “Congratulations, you really do deserve it. I’m so happy for you.”

  “Thanks. I’m still in shock. Look at me, I’m shaking. I didn’t see this news coming.”

  It was what she had waited to hear. Now, she was free to begin her life and focus on herself and what she wanted.

  She waited until most of the people had left. She thanked the chief again before slipping out with Kris.

  She was thankful Kris had driven because as soon as they were inside the car, her emotions overwhelmed her and she covered her face.

  “What’s wrong?” Kris asked. She pulled Jenna’s hands down to find Jenna’s eyes closed, and the tears on her cheeks reflecting the moonlight like diamonds. Kris used the back of her hand to wipe away the tears that had escaped and could no longer be held back.

  “I know. It’s okay. You must be exhausted. I’ll take you home so you can finally relax.”

  Jenna nodded her head in agreement. She remained silent on the short ride home. This was behind her now, but she still had other big decisions to make. She needed a little more time to think about where to go from here. The only thing she knew for sure was that she wanted Kris in her life.

  ***

  Jenna didn’t get much sleep that night. She came up with a rough outline of how she wanted things to unfold. The first thing she needed to do was find a house and move out before starting a relationship with Kris. It just felt wrong to be dating her landlord, besides she needed her help to find a house. She didn’t want anyone’s emotions to affect her house-buying process.

  She threw her hair into a ponytail and ran downstairs to tell Kris about her plans. She wanted to get started today if possible. She found Kris in the kitchen talking to Allie.

  “Congratulations, Jenna. Kris told me the good news.” Allie stood up to hug Jenna. She whispered in Jenna’s ear. “I’m happy for the both of you.”

  “Thanks, Allie. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.”

  She turned to Kris. “Do you have any plans today?”

  “No, do you have something in mind?”

  She handed a piece of paper to Kris. “I was up last night working on a list of things I’m looking for in a house. If I’m going to be staying here, I need to find a permanent place.”

  Kris glanced down at the paper. “That was quick. Am I that terrible to live with?”

  “You can be a little hard to get along with sometimes,” Allie said trying to lighten the mood.

  The look on Kris’s face was enough to let Jenna know she wasn’t happy about the news. She gave Kris a hug. “I have loved staying here with you, and I really appreciate the way you opened up your home to me.” She waited for a response from Kris, but there was none. “I just need to find a place of my own, so I can unpack everything for good and start planning the rest of my life.” She took Kris's hand. “I was hoping you could help me.”

  Kris stared at Jenna’s list. “Well, I can’t promise you everything on the list, but I’ll try my best. Let’s get started.”

  Jenna squeezed Kris's hand. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” She gave Kris a kiss on the cheek. “Give me a few minutes while I jump in the shower, and then we can go get something for breakfast. Can you join us, Allie? I’m buying.”

  Allie shook her head. “Thanks, Jenna, but I have to go. Danni and I have a lot of things to do today.”

  She hugged Allie again. “Tell Danni I said hello.” Jenna turned and sprinted up the stairs.

  Allie turned to Kris. “Don’t give me those sad puppy dog eyes. It will be fine as long as you don’t do anything stupid.”

  Kris sat down at the table and put her hands over her head. “After I heard the news last night I thought things were going to change. I thought I’d be able to tell Jenna how I feel about her.”

  Allie sat down beside Kris and put her arm around her. “I know kiddo. Let’s get through this first and then see what happens.” She rubbed Kris's shoulder. “It would be too awkward right now with her living here. It’s better if she’s out on her own first.”

  Kris uncovered her face and looked at the list again. “I know you’re right. I just don’t want to lose her to someone else.”

  ***

  When Jenna came back down, Allie had already left. Kris was on the couch with her laptop looking through different listings.

  “I didn’t mean you had to start working so soon,” Jenna said. She sat down beside Kris and propped her right arm over the back of the couch to get closer and get a better view of the laptop.

  Kris moved the laptop closer so Jenna could see some of the homes. “No problem. That’s what friends are for, even if they can’t stand to live together.”

  Jenna punched Kris in the shoulder. “That isn’t fair.” The fact Kris was joking was a good sign. “Besides, we aren’t just friends, we’re lovers. At least that’s what Brian thinks.”

  “That was a little strange last night, but I’m not complaining. You know which team I play for.” Kris winked. “What confused me more was the fact that you didn’t correct him.”

  Jenna propped her elbow against the back of the couch and rested her head on top of her hand trying to act coy. “Well, I was there with the hottest woman in town. Why not give everyone something to talk about?”

  Kris shut the laptop and placed it on the table beside her. She turned so that she was facing Jenna. “If you keep making comments like that, everyone will be talking.”

  Jenna shrugged her shoulders. “So what? I don’t care what they think.”

  Kris put her hand on Jenna’s knee. “Well, if I had known you felt that way, we could’ve really given them something to
talk about.”

  Jenna knew she had to change the subject fast before it went any further. She leaned forward across Kris and grabbed the laptop off the table. “I know you find it hard to concentrate around me, but we should get back to work. I need a place to live, and you need a check.”

  Kris wanted to continue the conversation, but Jenna didn’t give her a choice. She watched as Jenna flipped through the houses online. She loved Jenna’s smile. It was perfect. Her lips were thin, but she had a wide smile that revealed her perfect white teeth. Sometimes, Jenna would bite her lower lip, especially when she was concentrating on something. Kris studied her like someone would admire a fine work of art in a museum. She was like art to Kris. An object of beauty that required appreciation from a distance. That’s exactly how Kris felt right now. She was close enough to see every little detail, but forbidden to touch.

  “Do you think we can see some of these today?” Jenna asked.

  “I’ll call and see if I can set up a few appointments.” Kris looked around the room. “If I can find where I put my phone. Oh, I think it’s in my back pocket.” She reached around, but couldn’t grab it from the angle she was sitting. She lifted her hips up, thrusting her pelvis towards Jenna.

  Jenna watched as Kris arched towards her. She had to hold herself back from running her hand up underneath Kris's shirt and then back down to the button at the top of her jeans. She wanted to pin Kris underneath her while she kissed her with passion, releasing all her pent-up lust.

  “The first house will be ready at nine thirty.”

  Jenna cleared her throat. “That sounds great. Let’s go get breakfast.”

  ***

  Jenna took Kris to the same coffee shop they went to when they first met. “Remember this place? This is where we came to start this process before you offered me a place to stay.”

  Kris smiled and pointed. “Of course, I remember. That’s the table we sat at and talked.”

  They sat down at the table. Jenna took a sip of her coffee. “I’m really going to miss hanging out with you and Jax. Maybe I can find a place close to you.”

  Kris didn’t want to think about not having Jenna around. “Well, I think we should make that the number one priority on your list then.” Kris looked at her watch. “We had better get going. We have a big day ahead of us.”

  Jenna cleaned off the table. “I’m ready as long as you help me. I want your honest opinion about each house.”

  ***

  Kris unlocked the door to the first house. It was already empty, so it was easy to get an appointment. It had four bedrooms and three bathrooms. It was a nice large two-story older New England home. Inside, it had been completely renovated while keeping some of the older charm and details from before. The appliances were almost new. The kitchen was large and opened up to the dining room.

  “I love this house. It reminds me of your home. These hardwood floors are amazing and I love the countertops.” Jenna followed her around downstairs admiring every detail. “I love the open layout and the way it flows from one room to the next.”

  The upstairs had a master suite with a large walk-in closet and its own master bathroom with a separate jetted tub. Jenna ran over to the tub and jumped in. “This is nice.”

  Kris extended her hand to Jenna to help her out of the tub. “Calm down, this is only the first house.”

  Jenna walked back over to the bedroom area. “I can have a little sitting area over here by the window where I can read and enjoy my morning coffee. I’ll put the bed against that wall so I can wake up to the sunshine every morning.”

  Kris nodded in agreement, but she was busy thinking of Jenna on top of the bed and was less concerned about where the bed would go. She imagined what it would be like to wake up next to Jenna every morning. She also thought about all the things she’d do to Jenna. There would be no need for a television in here.

  They checked out the other bedrooms and bathroom before going back downstairs to see the outside. Through the french doors off the back of the family room was a nice-sized in-ground pool. There was plenty of room for chairs to lounge out on as well as a covered area to provide shade from the sun. In the corner was a cute little cabana to change clothes in and store pool supplies. It was one of the larger lots in the neighborhood.

  “I like this place, Kris. I think it will take a lot to knock this one from the top of my list.”

  Kris walked around the edge of the pool. “I won’t argue with you about that. The best part is we’ll not be that far from each other, and you can invite me to your pool parties.”

  Jenna peeked inside the cabana. “Would you buy this house?”

  Kris laughed and kneeled down dipping her hand into the melting snow on the pool cover. She flicked the water off the tips of her fingers at Jenna. “I definitely would, but I’d have to rob the bank downtown first.”

  Jenna wiped the water off of her forehead and cheeks with her scarf. “I’m serious. I want your valuable input on this. I trust your opinion.”

  Kris stared at the impression her fingers had left behind in the snow. “Seriously, I do think this would be a great investment for you. It isn’t too big, but still gives you plenty of room to grow into. Maybe you’ll want to start a family.”

  ***

  They went to a few other houses, but nothing could top the first house they saw. Jenna took Kris out to dinner to thank her for helping her. Kris wanted to go to one of the greasy diners downtown.

  They chose a quiet booth in the corner away from the rowdy teenage crowd gathered near the entrance. The waitress came over to take their order. Kris heard a familiar voice causing her stomach to churn. She looked up from the menu to confirm her suspicion.

  “What are you doing here, Stacy?” Kris asked.

  “I work here part time too.” Stacy leaned her hip into the table towards Jenna. “It’s nice to see you again.”

  Jenna forced a smile. “Thanks.”

  Stacy took their order and was on her best behavior, which surprised Kris. She was able to relax and enjoy her dinner with Jenna. They discussed the different houses they had viewed during the day, but Jenna always came back to the first house.

  After the meal was over Stacy returned to the table with Jenna’s receipt. She motioned for Jenna to scoot over so she could sit beside her in the booth. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”

  Jenna smiled back. “I’ve been keeping myself busy. It seems like you’ve been pretty busy too. I didn’t realize you work here also.”

  Stacy slid closer to Jenna not stopping until her breasts pushed against Jenna’s arm. “Well, now that you know, you’ll have to come by and see me.” Stacy ran the tip of her finger in circles over Jenna’s hand. “My shift just ended. How about we go next door, and I buy you a drink? I’d love to hear more about you.” She placed her hand on Jenna’s knee.

  Jenna grabbed Stacy’s hand and placed it back on her own lap. “I’m sorry, Stacy, but I’m interested in someone else.”

  Stacy frowned and slid towards the edge of the booth away from Jenna. “Anyone I know? Tell me and I’ll tell you what I know about them.”

  “I don’t want to say too much since it’s someone close, and they don’t know how I feel about them yet.”

  If there was anything Stacy loved more than manipulating unsuspecting women, it was spreading gossip. She leaned in closer to Jenna. “You can tell me, darling. I won’t tell anyone.”

  Kris dug her nails into the seat beneath her. She wanted to punch Stacy, but at the same time she wanted to hear more about this person Jenna was interested in.

  Jenna shook her head. “Sorry, that’s all you’re getting out of me. I was waiting to see if I’d be staying in town or not, and now that I am, I want to see where it leads.”

  Stacy stood up and flashed another big smile at Jenna. “Well, the offer still stands. You know where to find me.”

  ***

  As they walked back home, Kris couldn’t stop thinking about who this person was
that Jenna was talking about. The only name Jenna ever mentioned before was Brian. “So, did you change your mind about Brian?”

  “What do you mean?”

  Kris dug her hands into her pockets and prepared to have her heart broken. “You know, the person you told Stacy about. Were you talking about Brian?”

  Jenna slipped her arm around Kris's elbow. “No, he still asks me how my girlfriend is doing.” She gave Kris a kiss on the cheek. “I had to say something to get Stacy to back off.”

  Kris still wasn’t convinced. “So, there’s no one else then?”

  “Well, there might be someone, but right now all I can think about is buying a home and settling in.”

  Kris didn’t know how to react, but as long as Jenna was focused on buying a house that meant she’d have all her attention as her realtor. She was determined to keep her as distracted as she could.

  “Do you want to look at more houses online when we get back?” Kris asked.

  “I don’t want to wait any longer. I think I’m ready to make an offer on the first house.”

  Kris stopped walking. “Are you sure? I can show you more. This is a big decision.”

  Jenna squeezed Kris's arm. “As long as it gets your approval, I’m sure. It has everything on my list.”

  Kris smiled and gave Jenna a hug. She wanted to be happy for her, but it meant Jenna would move out soon. It also meant Jenna would be free to start her life with the mystery person she had mentioned. “It’s a great house. I’m sure you’ll be very happy there.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Jenna made an offer on the house, and after some tough negotiations back and forth she went under contract. Things were finally going her way. She had a great position at the hospital, she would be moving into her first home soon, and she hoped to start dating Kris after the closing. One of the requirements from the sellers was that she had to agree on a closing near the beginning of summer.