Love Finds You: A Helena's Grove Novella

by Ivy Alexander

  Zack just stared at her.

  “You need to stop thinking that you’re the victim and get your ass to New York and get her,” Aunt Gabby told him. She stared him straight in the face and Zack marveled at her vibrancy and strength.

  “You don’t mind that she lied to you?” he asked quietly.

  Aunt Gabby made a huffing sound. “I’ve been lied to so many times in my life, this hardly seems like it counts.”

  “You forgive her? That easily?” Zack couldn’t believe that she wasn’t more upset. “I thought you’d be hurt by her deceit.”

  Aunt Gabby looked at him with sadness in her eyes. She turned toward the table. “Sit down honey.” She motioned to the chair as she pulled it out. He sat down and she took his hands in hers. “When you get as old as I am, you realize some things. One thing that I’ve had to learn over and over throughout my life is that people have faults. They do, we’re all human. Now I’m not trying to justify her lying. You know how I feel about lying, but I know her. I know my Jennifer, after only the summer I feel as though she’s been coming here her entire life. I know she loves me, and that holding all this hurt and these lies inside of her must have been terribly painful. I know she is a good person that has been raised different than you have. I sense that some of the things she says she wants aren’t really what she wants. A lot of her statements are her father’s through and through. Roger is so much like my daddy was, strong and stubborn as an ox, ruthless in business, willing to trample almost anyone to make money. Ya see darlin’ I understand her because we’re family. And that’s why I choose to forgive her.”

  “I don’t know if I can forgive as easily as you can,” Zack admitted.

  “Don’t get me wrong honey; I plan on calling Roger and giving him a piece of my mind. But as for Jen, even if I was upset with her, I’m not willing to lose her. I’m not willing to lose her over this.” Aunt Gabby paused and looked him square in the eye. “Are you?”

  Zack thought a moment. Thoughts and memories of all their moments together over the summer ran through his mind at lightning speed. He remembered the first time they met, here in this kitchen. He smiled when he thought of her falling in the mud, ruining her entire outfit. And when they danced, how it felt to hold her… he wanted to hold her again. His heart quickened when he thought of their last date, watching the glow of the fire bounce around on her face, her blue eyes sparkling when she smiled at him. The way it felt when they kissed and the softness of her lips. Suddenly he knew Aunt Gabby was right. He shook his head in definiteness. “I don’t want to lose her either!”

  Aunt Gabby beamed. “Well then,” she slapped her knee, stood up and putting her hands on her hips said, “go get her cowboy.”

  New York

  “Jenny! Honey, you’re home?” Roger asked surprised as he walked into her apartment. He hugged her tight. “Oh it’s so good to see you.”

  “It’s good to see you too Dad,” Jen said as she hugged him back.

  “What’s going on? Is everything all right?” he asked as he sat down on her white leather sofa.

  Jen took a deep breath, “No dad, everything isn’t all right.” She steadied herself and plunged in. “I told Aunt Gabby.” She waited, searching Roger’s face.

  He lifted one eyebrow. “Told her what, exactly?”

  “I told her that we just wanted her money. That her money was the reason I went out there in the first place.”

  Roger exhaled slowly as he stood and began pacing the room. “Jen, why would you do that? Why would you tell her that?”

  “Because it’s the truth!” Jen said firmly, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. “Dad, she is a sweet, caring, wonderful old woman that just wants to love and give to those around her, and I took advantage of that.”

  “If she wants to love and help people so much, why not love and help you?” Roger asked sarcastically.

  “Don’t talk to me like I’m stupid,” Jen said. She stood, suddenly feeling the need to move around. “And don’t turn this on me like it’s my fault; you know it isn’t.” She pointed an accusing finger at him, her anger rising even more.

  “You’re a big girl Jen; don’t act like you didn’t have a choice. You were the one that decided to stay and I’m sure that was for reasons of your own.” He walked to the window and looked out. “You know I trusted you. I’ve trusted you with so much since you were little. I just never thought you’d let me down like this.” He shook his head as if disgusted.

  Jen looked at him, too shocked and hurt at his words to say anything. She finally found her voice. “You have no idea what I’ve been through the last month and a half! Hell, the entire summer! You have absolutely no idea what it’s done to me to have to lie to Aunt Gabby and all my friends out there, day in and day out. They all think I’m a good person, little do they know I’m a lying, thieving, con artist.”

  “Don’t be so damned dramatic Jennifer.” Roger looked at her with what Jen perceived as little feeling.

  “Does it mean nothing to you how much this hurt me?” She asked quietly, feeling the tears begin to sting her eyes.

  “I’m sorry you got caught up in all this honey, but this is the FIRM we are talking about. Our life’s business! We’ve put everything into it! Everything! So when there was a way to save it, I really thought you’d do everything in your power to do so. Clearly, I was wrong.” He threw his hands up in the air and sat heavily on a leather chair.

  Jen stood there, shaking with anger and hurt, tears in her eyes. She swallowed hard at the lump in her throat. “Is the firm more important than I am?” she asked seriously.

  Roger scoffed, “Of course not.” He looked at her and when she didn’t say anything he stood and walked towards her. “Jenny,” he put his hands on her shoulders, “nothing is more important than you. How could you even ask that? It’s just that, this is our life. The firm, it’s our livelihood.” He kissed her forehead. “I bet Gab would still give you the money. Even after all of this. In fact, now that you’ve been honest with her, she’d probably be more willing to give it to you. So what you need to do is take a couple days, let everything cool down. Regain control of your emotions and give her a call. It’ll all work out.” He made his way to the door and opened it to leave. “Let me know when you call her.”

  “It’s not my life,” Jen said, emotionless.

  Roger turned, halfway out the door. “What isn’t?”

  “The firm,” Jen said sternly as a tear ran down her cheek. “It isn’t my life, it’s yours.”

  “It’s your livelihood as much as it is mine,” Roger said slowly, his deep voice rumbling through the apartment.

  Jen turned to face him squarely. “The firm is yours daddy, not mine. It’s your life, not mine. And if you want to go ask Aunt Gabby for money, then you do it.” Jen didn’t move, but stood staring at her father defiantly.

  Rogers face was twisted into a scowl, his blue eyes mere slits behind his dark bushy eyebrows. He didn’t say anything for a few seconds. This was his intimidation face; Jen knew it well, he used it often in the courtroom and on her when she was a little girl but she wasn’t a little girl anymore. And she was no longer going to be intimidated. “You know that if an employee isn’t dedicated to the firm they aren’t dedicated to their job,” he finally said harshly. “You know what happens to employees that aren’t dedicated to their job?”

  Jen just shook her head, “You can’t scare me Roger. And don’t bother with the ‘commitment to the firm’ talk; I’ve heard it all before.”

  “If you weren’t my daughter I would have fired you by now,” Roger stated, his voice even and controlled.

  “Don’t bother,” Jen told him. “I quit.”

  Chapter 16

  Jen sat on her window seat, watching the world move outside. She wrapped her arms tighter around her knees and rested her head against the window. It was 10 P.M. in New York City and the night life was just getting into full swing. The lights and noises of the city usually calmed her but tonigh
t it seemed like a prison. How was it possible to feel so alone in one of the most populated cities in the U.S.? She stared mindlessly at the lights and cars moving below her and as she did, her mind went back to the events of her summer; a summer that had changed her life forever. She couldn’t believe it was less than three months ago that she first met Aunt Gabby, first set foot in that little yellow house, and when she first met Zack. The thought of him felt like a dagger to her heart. It’s over Jen, she told herself. You have to let him go. Even as she thought the words, she knew it was easier said than done. In one summer, everything that she thought she wanted changed. Everything she thought was important just wasn’t anymore. She was questioning everything. Even New York City, her beloved city and home, couldn’t console her. Her sadness turned to anger. She hated feeling this way. Hated not knowing where her life was going from here. More than anything, she hated the uncertainty. Her life had been mapped out for so long, she felt like she was essentially starting over.

  She slowly moved her feet from their position on the sill to the floor; she stretched and stood up. Walking to the kitchen she caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror on the wall. She stopped and stared at herself. She hardly recognized the woman looking back at her. Her blond hair seemed flat and lifeless. Her eyes were tired and still puffy from an afternoon of crying, which had inadvertently affected her mascara which was smeared and smudged, making her look even worse than she felt. You make a very attractive zombie, she thought dryly. She turned from the mirror and walked to the fridge for another beer.

  She was just pulling the bottle out of the fridge when there was a knock on the door. Jen looked up, startled. “Who in the hell?” she said under her breath as she walked to the door. She looked through the peep hole and gasped. Zack LaFaye was standing in the hallway! Jen turned quickly and leaned her back against the door. What was he doing here? She looked down at her apparel, her pajama bottoms and tank top were hardly flattering but at least they were clean. Zack knocked again. In a panic Jen raced from the entry to the nearest bathroom and grabbed a wash cloth. As quickly as possible she wiped the mascara from her eyes. Examining herself in the mirror she could see that the puffiness was still there but at least she didn’t look like she was dying. Another knock. She flipped her head upside down and fluffed out her hair with amazing speed before racing back to the front door. She took three seconds to breathe. “Calm, cool, collected,” she told herself and opened the door.

  For what seemed like an eternity they just stood there, looking at each other. Zack looked tired but was still handsome as ever.

  “Hey,” he finally said.

  “Hey,” she replied.

  “Can I come in?”

  “Oh yeah, sure come in.” Jen opened the door a little wider and Zack stepped past her. They stood in the entry in awkward silence for a moment. Jen finally said, “Can I get you anything? Water, beer, wine? I think that’s all I have.”

  “I’m fine thanks,” Zack assured her, standing with his hands in his pockets.

  Jen nodded and there was another awkward silence. She could feel her pulse racing and searched crazily in her mind for something to say.

  “Your place is nice,” Zack finally said.

  “Thanks, I like it.” Clearly Zack was beating around the bush so Jen decided to cut to the chase. “What are you doing here?”

  Zack took a deep breath, “I’m here to…” he paused and shifted his feet, “I’m here to tell you some things.”

  “You came all the way to New York to tell me some things?” Jen asked.

  “Yeah well, you wouldn’t answer your phone.”

  Jen looked around instinctively. “I turned it off. Now I’m not even sure where it is.”

  Zack nodded. “Well anyway, here it goes.” He shifted his feet again. “Aunt Gabby is really upset.”

  Jen looked down at her hands; she knew her aunt would be upset. She had every right to be but why did Zack have to come here and rub it in her face?

  “But she isn’t upset about the money,” Zack continued.

  Jen’s head snapped up. “She isn’t?”

  “No, she is upset that you left without so much as a word and wouldn’t answer her phone calls.”

  “I thought it would be easier if I made a clean break.”

  “Easier for who?”

  Jen looked up at him; his dark eyes were serious. “Easier for me,” she admitted.

  He nodded. “The second thing I’m supposed to tell you is Aunt G doesn’t want to lose you over this. She says you are worth more to her than all her money. She doesn’t care about it, she just wants you to come home.”

  Tears instantly returned to Jen’s eyes at his words. “She doesn’t understand,” she squeaked out.

  “Yes, she does understand. She understands you more than you know.” Zack took a few steps toward her. “She wants you in her life, Jen. And so do I.”

  She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. She tried to say something but before she could Zack closed the distance between them and kissed her hard. When they finally came apart, she was out of breath. Zack held her face with his hands and wiped away her tears.

  “That’s the other thing I came to tell you. I want to be with you. None of this ‘visit each other when we can, no strings attached’ crap, I want you to be my girlfriend.”

  Jen opened her mouth to speak, but trying to comprehend what was happening, words just couldn’t form. Instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again.

  Zack’s arms encircled her waste and he lifted her off the ground with ease. Jen felt suspended in time; she couldn’t believe this was happening. When he put her feet back on the ground Jen looked up at him, his face bright and smiling. “Do you mean it?” she asked still unbelieving. “I just never thought I’d see you again and now you’re here in my apartment saying you want to be with me? You were so upset with me and for good reason.”

  “I was upset, I really was but, Aunt G has a way of putting things into perspective. She said she wasn’t willing to lose you over this and I realized I’m not either. What we have is rare, and I’m going to fight for it.”

  Jen just shook her head in disbelief. “Sometimes I wonder if you’re real,” she whispered, tracing her finger down the side of his face.

  “I’m real baby and I’m not going anywhere.”

  Jen laughed as Zack went in to kiss her again. “Wait!” she said stopping him. He looked down at her. “I don’t have a job. This apartment is technically my dad’s so basically I’m homeless after next week.”

  “What? I thought you worked for your dad.” Zack said, confused.

  “I did.” Jen looked up at him. “I quit.”

  “Seriously? Why?”

  “I realized that working for him was safe and stale. I wasn’t going to grow and I need to get out on my own. I mean, I’m twenty-five and my dad still pays for my apartment.”

  “That is kind of lame,” Zack agreed.

  Jen playfully smacked him and walked to the couch to sit down. He followed her and wrapped her in his arms. “I just need to make a fresh start,” she continued. “Even though I have no idea what I’m doing or where I’m going to live.”

  Zack thought a moment. “Have you ever considered Boston?”

  Jen looked at him, eyebrows drawn down into thought. “No, I haven’t.”

  “Boston is a lot closer to Harvard than New York,” he said smiling. “You could get a job there and still be a lawyer but you wouldn’t be under your dad’s thumb.”

  Jen grinned as she thought about it. “That might actually work!” she exclaimed.

  Zack leaned in toward her. “Then we’d be close enough that I could sneak you into my dorm room.” He kissed her ear.

  Jen felt weak. “Mmmm, I could be ok with that,” she said dreamily. Then she quickly sat up. “Can I see your phone?”

  “Sure,” he said handing it to her. “Who are you going to call?”

  “Aunt Gabby,” Jen repli
ed. “We’re going to call her together.”

  “Ok.” Zack sat up. “What are we going to tell her?”

  Jen looked at him and smiled as the phone began to ring. “I want to tell her we’re coming home.”

  About the Author

  Ivy Alexander enjoys reading and baking, but writing is her true love and she is allowing her imagination to take her on a magical and exciting journey!

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