Love Finds You: A Helena's Grove Novella

by Ivy Alexander

  Jen was suddenly attentive, “When did he go to New York?”

  “Oh he was there a lot when he was in school,” Annie said as if it were no big deal.

  “School?” Where did he...”

  “We’re here!” Annie cried as she pulled the truck onto a long dirt driveway. As they drove closer, Jen could see a barn and three saddled horses that were tethered to a post. Annie put the truck in park and jumped out without another word. She ran to one of the horses, a dark black beauty with a single white diamond on its forehead. She started cooing at the animal, kissing its nose and petting its neck.

  Jen sat in the truck, her heart racing. “No way in hell,” she said out loud, shaking her head.

  The passenger door opened and Zack was there. He was dressed in his usual garb, plaid shirt, boots, jeans, a hat. Jen couldn’t put her finger on it, but even though he never varied from his country attire, there was something attractive about the way he dressed. “You ready?” he asked, but didn’t stick around for a response. He walked toward the horses before Jen could say one word.

  “I’m not going,” Jen stated as she got out of the truck. “No way. No way in hell am I getting on that thing.” She pointed in the direction of the horses. “I have never been on a horse. What if I get bucked off? Or trampled?”

  Zack turned and looked at her but said nothing, and Jen realized she was bothered by that little trait of his. She could handle anything anyone had to say. What she couldn’t handle was silent looks that were hard to read. She didn’t like it.

  “Jen, you’ll ride Stallion,” Annie said, pointing to a big brown horse.

  “No, this isn’t a good idea.” Jen was holding her hands up. “Seriously, I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve even seen a horse in person.”

  Zack was suddenly beside her. “Horses have a sixth sense. They can feel if you aren’t comfortable. Just pet him. He’s a Stallion, hence his name,” he said and then winked at her.

  Jen looked at Annie, who was still petting her black horse. “What’s its name?” she asked.

  Annie smiled. “Her name is Ember. We helped raise all of these horses. Ember is the youngest.”

  Jen relaxed a bit. “You raised them? That’s really cool.”

  Zack piped up, “Stallion is the oldest, the most experienced and the calmest of the three.” He looked at her teasingly. “He’s the only one that would be able to handle you.”

  Jen glared at him and responded sarcastically, “Really?”

  A chuckle escaped him and Jen rolled her eyes. She turned toward the horse in front of her; he was big, really big. She was sure he was bigger than the other horses. I can ride this thing, she encouraged herself. She took a step towards him, then two; she held out her hand and closed her eyes. She touched the tip of his nose and he reared slightly. Jen jumped back and so did Stallion.

  “I can’t do this! I tried and he doesn’t like me.” Jen backed away and put her hand over her heart, breathing deep to try and slow it down.

  “I thought New Yorkers weren’t afraid of anything,” Zack said mischievously as he put some things in the back of the truck. He jumped off the truck bed and jogged to where she was standing; about fifteen feet from the horses. “You need to let him know that you trust him,” he said. “He’ll take care of you.”

  “But I don’t trust him,” Jen stated honestly. She glanced at Stallion and he seemed to be watching her. She looked back at Zack, awaiting his response. He smiled at her, his dimple appearing. Damn it!

  “Do you ever get tired of not trusting?” Zack asked her.

  Jen scoffed, “I trust. I trust some people.”

  Zack raised his eyebrows and tilted his head to the side. He looked like a puppy when he did that. Jen was still angry at him from the branding episode and was a little annoyed that he was so adorable.

  “I do! I trust my Dad and Aunt Gabby,” Jen declared ardently when she realized Zack didn’t believe her.

  “I didn’t say you didn’t trust any people, I asked if you got tired of not trusting in general,” Zack replied.

  Jen felt slightly confused but before she could respond Zack went on. “Sometimes we lose trust because we believe that there isn’t anything we can’t do on our own. But that isn’t true. People need people. And I believe,” he reached for Jen’s hand and poured some grains into it, “I believe that people can learn a lot from animals, horses in particular.” He walked behind Jen, and slipping one hand around her waist and the other under her outstretched hand, he gently pushed her toward the horse. “Horses can teach you how to trust.”

  “But what if he just doesn’t like me?” Jen asked, truly concerned.

  “Not possible,” Zack whispered.

  Jen tried to focus on the large horse that was getting closer with every step, but all she could concentrate on was Zack’s hand around her waist and his breath on her ear. When they were a couple feet from the horse Zack stopped her. “Now wait,” he said softly.

  Jen stood there, arm outstretched, waiting. Stallion looked at her for a few seconds as she gazed back at him. She realized for the first time how pretty his coloring was. He looked like he was wearing white socks and had a white mark on his forehead much like Annie’s horse. But Stallion’s wasn’t a diamond; it was more like a star. She smiled inwardly at that and when she did, Stallion took a step toward her. She instinctively tried to step back but Zack still had his arm around her and stopped her. “Just wait,” Zack encouraged, “don’t be afraid of him.”

  One, two, three steps; Stallion was close enough to sniff the grains in Jens hand. Suddenly he was eating, and Jen felt the hot breath on her hand. Once the grain was gone Zack gently led Jen’s hand up to Stallions nose, and then down his neck. He sniffed and shifted but he seemed calm. Jen smiled in amazement. The wonder and admiration she felt being so close to such a magnificent animal was unlike anything she’d ever experienced.

  “He likes you,” Zack said with a smile. “You two will do great together.”

  Jen smiled in return and nodded.

  “Well,” Annie’s voice broke the moment. Jen looked at her and felt embarrassed. She had forgotten Annie was there and knew that she had witnessed the entire scene between Jen and her brother. However, she didn’t seem bothered by it. “Let’s get this show on the road!”

  Zack showed Jen how to get on the horse and they adjusted the stirrups for her height. They started off slowly, walking across the countryside. And what beautiful country it was! Jen had always thought of herself as a city girl, but after seeing the wheat fields, open rolling hills and breathtaking vistas that day; she started questioning whether that was still true. They rode all morning, and as noon drew near, they stopped for a picnic in a meadow at the top of a small mountain. Jen was again taken aback by the beauty of her surroundings.

  “Ready to pick up the pace a little?” Zack asked her when they were done with lunch.

  “Oh I’m not sure,” Jen said hesitantly, “do you think I’m ready for that?”

  “Honey it’s so easy, just move with the horse,” Annie chimed in.

  Jen laughed and agreed to try a trot and then a gallop. By the end of the day she was sure she had found a new love and his name was Stallion. She adored and respected the animal. Zack was right, he was a sweet and gentle, and it had taken only a short time to learn to trust him completely. It was one of the best days Jen had had in a long time.

  They returned to the barn around three o’clock. After almost eight hours of riding, Jen was glad to be able to walk around. She was sure she would be sore the next day, but didn’t mind and exclaimed enthusiastically, “That was so much fun!”

  Zack laughed as he and Annie unsaddled the horses. “I’m glad you had fun,” he said as he pulled Stallion’s saddle off him.

  “We’ll definitely have to go again,” Annie added, and held a brush out to Jen. “Want to help me brush them down?”

  Jen smiled and accepted the brush. They chatted about the day as they brushed
the horses and put them in their stalls.

  “Who’s up for dinner?” Zack asked as they put the brushes, saddles and bridals away.

  “Oh I wish I could.” Annie made a sad face. “But I actually have a date with Jack tonight.”

  Zack rolled his eyes. “You would choose Jack over Zack?” He put his hand over his heart and pretended like he’d gotten shot. “That hurts Ann, it hurts real deep.”

  “Oh stop it,” she said pushing his shoulder slightly. “Why don’t you guys come with us?”

  Jen and Zack looked at each other; Zack made a scared face and shook his head slightly. Jen laughed.

  Annie folded her arms. “Zack I’m right here, I can see your facial expressions.”

  Zack smiled at her and put one hand on her arm. “As much as I would love to crash your date with Jack, I think I’ll stay home. Thank you though.”

  “I’m with Zack on this one,” Jen agreed. “You guys go and have fun.”

  “Well why don’t you two go to dinner then?” Annie was trying to act nonchalant. “You might as well; I think Aunt Gabby has Bingo or something tonight anyway.”

  Jen laughed, “I think its gambling night actually.”

  “Bingo, gambling, it’s all the same,” Annie said waving her hand.

  “I know a great place if you’re interested.” Zack turned to Jen, taking the lead.

  Jen froze. She wasn’t sure if going to dinner with Zack was such a good idea. It was clear they had chemistry but they were a little like oil and water – they didn’t mix very well. It seemed like every time they were together they argued over something. Well, except for today. Today had actually been really nice. Maybe Jen just wasn’t giving him a chance; everyone deserved a chance, right?

  “Okay,” Jen nodded.

  Zack smiled, “Great! I’ll meet you at the Pizza Shack in town. You know where it is?”

  Jen held in a giggle, “The Pizza Shack? Are you sure it’s safe to eat at a place with the word ‘shack’ in the name?”

  “Don’t be a snob,” Zack countered. “It’s the best pizza you’ll ever eat.”

  “It really is good,” Annie agreed.

  “I don’t think I know where it is but I’ll find it.” Jen wondered briefly why he hadn’t offered to pick her up. Because it’s not a date stupid, she scolded herself mentally.

  It was as if Zack read her mind. “I can pick you up if you want me to.”

  “No,” Jen said more forcefully than she intended. She composed herself. “It will be good for me to get to know my way around a little more.”

  Zack nodded in agreement. “I’ll see you at seven?”

  Jen nodded and followed Annie to the truck. She caught sight of Zack one more time before they pulled out of the driveway. Her heart skipped a beat; she was more excited than she should be. She and Annie chatted until they got to Aunt Gabby’s house. Jen thanked Annie again and wished her a good time on her date; Annie returned the sentiment but didn’t wait for Jen to correct her about the ‘date’ label. After all, it wasn’t a date. It wasn’t a date!

  Chapter 7

  Jen shuffled uncomfortably as she stood in front of her aunt. “It’s not a date.”

  “Yes, so you have said,” Aunt Gabby said without looking up from her book.

  Jen began to pace a little, wringing her hands. There was no reason for her to be nervous, but she was. “He knows it’s not a date,” she said matter-of-factly. “We’re just going out for pizza.”

  “I’m sure he does,” Aunt Gabby agreed, seeming uninterested.

  “I mean, it would be weird for it to be a date. I don’t even know him and he’s a country boy. I’m not into his type at all.”

  “Of course not; tall, dark and handsome is so last year.” Aunt Gabby looked up at Jen over her glasses.

  Jen opened her mouth to protest, but Aunt Gabby quickly continued, “You better get going, you don’t want to be late. Date or no date, punctuality is just good manners.”

  Jen looked at the clock, grabbed her purse and headed out the door, unaware of the smirk on Aunt Gabby’s face as she left.

  She found the Pizza Shack easily, thanks to the GPS on her phone. When she went inside Zack was already seated at a booth across the room and waved to her. He looked nice; jeans, boots, and a plaid button up shirt. Jen smiled inwardly, he really must have nothing else to wear.

  “You look nice,” Zack complimented as she sat down. She really did look cute. After fussing and trying on at least ten different outfits she had finally decided on a pair of white slacks paired with a sleeveless, hot pink blouse. The outfit was tied together by white high heeled sandals.

  “So do you,” she said sweetly.

  They ordered their pizza and began a nice conversation. The day had been fantastic and they laughed as they remembered how fearful Jen had been of Stallion, only to have her fall completely in love with the big brute. Jen confessed that although riding was different than anything she had ever experienced, she definitely wanted to go again.

  The waitress brought the pizza and set it down in between them. It looked amazing! Oozing with cheeses and topped with tons of vegetables and chunks of chicken. Even though it was loaded with carbs, she couldn’t wait to try it.

  “This pizza is to die for,” she said after eating her second piece.

  “Didn’t I tell you this place was fantastic? Do I know my pizza or do I know my pizza?” Zack had a grin on his face like he had won some big prize.

  “You live here; of course you know the best places to eat,” Jen reminded him.

  “That’s true but at least now you know I have good taste.” He held up his hands waiting for her to argue. She couldn’t.

  Their conversation turned again to horses and the farm Zack was working on, which was owned by Mr. Hansen, who was also the owner of all those cows that needed branding.

  “I’ve known Mr. Hansen a long time. I used to help out on his farm when I was a teenager. When I got older, I needed a job so I asked him and he’s had work for me whenever I’ve needed it. He’s a pretty successful beef distributer so there’s a lot to do, especially when branding season comes around.” Zack winked at her. He did that a lot!

  She laughed, “Oh yes, branding. How could I forget?”

  Chuckling, Zack continued talking about the farm, and Jen enjoyed listening. She also enjoyed watching him. He certainly wasn’t hard to look at, and she didn’t think there wasn’t anything wrong with looking. She didn’t even notice how late it had gotten until the waitress came by and told them they were closing.

  “Wow is it that late?” Jen said, wondering where the time had gone.

  “Guess so.”

  “Well,” Jen started. In the back of her mind she realized this was the ‘end of the date’ moment. Wait… it wasn’t a date so it shouldn’t be awkward, right? “I guess I should get going.” She picked up her purse and stood up. “Thanks for tonight, I had fun.”

  “You’re welcome. We should do it again sometime.” Zack stood as well and as they walked out of the restaurant, he spoke up, “I’ll walk you to your car.”

  “Oh you don’t have to.”

  “I know, I want to.” He smiled at her.

  They reached the car. Zack walked to the driver’s side and opened the car door for her. She turned to thank him. “Today was great, really.”

  “I have a confession to make.” Zack was suddenly looking at his feet. “I wanted to take you riding today and to dinner tonight to try and make up for my rude behavior a couple weeks ago. You know, making fun of your clothes and shoes, and then to have them ruined by dirt and mud. I realize they’re important to you.”

  Jen thought for a brief moment about how shallow that made her sound, but it was true.

  “Anyway, I hope you can forgive me and we can be friends,” Zack said with a smile.

  “I suppose I forgive you,” Jen said teasingly. “There is a lot of dirt and mud in this town. I guess if I’m going to be here I might as well get used to it,
but today really helped. I realized I don’t even mind getting dirty when I’m riding!”

  “Glad to hear it.” Zack reached for her hand. “Good night Jen.” He leaned in and Jen’s heart began to race. She closed her eyes and felt a soft kiss on her cheek. Zack smiled at her again and walked away.

  Jen tried to analyze the intense disappointment she felt rising in her. Did she really expect something different? It wasn’t a date, she thought to herself as she drove home. It would have been weird for him to kiss you when you weren’t even on a date! She sighed heavily. Get over yourself Jennifer.

  The house was quiet when she got home. She slipped into her pajamas and lay on her bed, thinking about her day, about her night. It had been a long time since she’d gone on a ‘friend date’. In fact, she wasn’t sure she even had any male friends. She was used to forward gentlemen who had no intention of being friends, or anything else for that matter. Her brow furrowed as she recalled some of her past relationships. But tonight was different. She had had more fun tonight than she had on any date in… well, never mind how long, she thought. Fun or not, relationships really weren’t her strong point, at least not romantic ones. They were complicated and messy, a lot more work than they were worth, and certainly impossible to maintain with a full time job. Still, she couldn’t shake the feelings that were growing for Zack LaFaye. She needed to step back, get out of the clouds and come back to reality. She wasn’t staying in Ohio. She was leaving at the end of August. Summer flings never ended well and she wasn’t a teenager anymore. That settled it; she wasn’t going to spend one on one time with Zack anymore. It just wasn’t worth it.

  With her mind made up and determination strong, Jen let herself drift into sleep, her mind swirling with thoughts of Zack, Annie, (that girl was growing on her), and Stallion. She definitely wanted to see Stallion again.

  Chapter 8

  Jen awoke on the last Sunday in June. She rolled onto her side and looked at the clock; 6:42. She winced. With all of this early rising Aunt Gabby was doing, Jen was finding it harder and harder to sleep in past 7:00. She lay there for a few minutes before she decided she wasn’t going back to sleep.