Juliet's Journey To Love (The Great Smoky Mountain Getaways Book 1)

by Elsie Davis

  “Woohoo! Take-charge Juliet is back in action.” Laura laughed. “I’m satisfied you’ll be okay, and I’m ready if Blaire is.”

  “Ready,” Blaire added, making a beeline for the door.

  “If you’re not in bed by the time I return, mister, I’m going to put you there myself while I still can.” Juliet wasn’t about to let Jake win this battle.

  6

  Juliet stopped when they came to the point their path intersected with the Appalachian Trail. Laura and Blaire loaded their gear on their backs, before stepping close to each give her a hug.

  “Be safe, you two, and let me know when you make it back.” Juliet was still conflicted about them leaving without her for multiple reasons. She was the leader, and it would have been nice to finish the trek—but staying was the right thing to do. She owed Jake big time. And even if she didn’t owe him, she would stay. Her medical training and her heart for others wouldn’t allow her to do anything less.

  “You too,” they said in unison.

  “Don’t let Grizzly Jake boss you around too much. By the time you get back, he’ll be more like a teddy bear, I reckon.” Laura laughed.

  “That I’d like to see,” Blaire added, grinning as she adjusted the straps on her pack.

  “Get going—the trail awaits,” Juliet said, knowing she needed to get back to Jake regardless of his bear status.

  Her friends started down the trail to continue the hike, turning to wave as they rounded the bend that would take them out of her line of sight. “Please, Lord, keep them safe.”

  Juliet slid back into the ATV and headed for the cabin. As she pulled up in front of the place and headed inside, it took her less than sixty seconds to realize Jake wasn’t there. The obstinate man clearly hadn’t followed any of her instructions.

  “Jake!” she hollered, stepping out onto the front porch. He didn’t answer, her fear for him ramping up into overload. Juliet raced for the barn, and it didn’t take her long to find the object of her search.

  Fixing his truck—of all the lame-brain things he could be doing. “There you are. Why didn’t you answer me? What are you doing out here? I thought I told you to get into bed. Typical male. You don’t listen,” she prattled on, shaking her head in frustration.

  “Typical woman. I can’t get a word in edgewise to answer. I need your help,” Jake said, not sounding at all like himself.

  Juliet’s mouth formed an o, her eyes wide in surprise. She rushed to his side. “What’s wrong? Is it the virus?”

  “Yes. I hate to admit it, but you were right. I don’t think I can get back to the cabin without you.” His face ashen, it appeared to take a great amount of effort just to stand on his own two feet as he used one hand to support himself on the truck.

  “Here,” she said, taking his free arm and laying it over her shoulder. “I’ll do the best I can. Try to help as much as you can manage.”

  “What? No, I told you so?” he asked, forcing the words out as if it were an effort.

  “Hardly. I’m a professional. It doesn’t matter what you did or didn’t do; what matters is that we deal with what we have now. Let’s get a move on, Grizzly.” She smirked.

  He cocked an eyebrow in her direction. “Fine. I’m in no position to say anything otherwise.” Jake was trying not to put all his weight on her, but with each step, the pressure increased.

  It wasn’t far now. Jake stumbled, and Juliet’s free hand came up to catch him around the chest, steadying him. “Easy. Let’s take this slow and steady,” she said, hoping to encourage him that they could make it the rest of the way and he wouldn’t be stuck out in the front yard for the night.

  Jake wiped his brow again and stopped to clutch his stomach as a wave washed over him again. “Sorry.”

  “Better now? Five more steps and we’re inside, and then it’s straight to bed.”

  Jake nodded.

  The two of them barely fit side-by-side as she helped him down the short hall to his room. “Just lay back, and I’ll get you a cold compress, and then I’ll get your boots off so you can get comfortable. Is your medical bag in the kitchen? I can get you some of the nausea medicine and the pain relievers.”

  “I think I can manage my own boots. But yes, the bag is in the kitchen. If you bring it to me, I can do my own injections.”

  Juliet cast a disparaging look at his suggestion. “Or you can let me do it, so there are no mistakes. I’d lose my license if I let a patient administer their own injection voluntarily.”

  “I’m not your patient,” he countered. He was like Fort Knox when it came to breaking through his barriers.

  “I beg to differ. I did just put you to bed.” Juliet winked. The humor was lost on Jake as a wave of chills and shaking overcame him. The cycle had started. She hurried out of the room to get the supplies and return with a fresh blanket.

  Juliet was back in short order, and it didn’t take long to realize that once again, Jake had ignored her orders. Or tried to ignore her orders. A slight smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, but she didn’t say a word as she took over the act of boot removal, something he was failing at miserably.

  Jake stopped fighting the inevitable and lay back, letting Juliet have her way.

  Boots off, she proceeded to give him the shots, repeating the process he’d done with her. She used a cold compress to wipe his fevered brow.

  “I’m not a child, you know,” Jake muttered.

  “Then quit acting like one. It’s called being sick. And sometimes, that means needing a helping hand.” Leaving a sick person to fend for themselves went against everything she believed and the oath she swore to uphold when she graduated nursing school.

  A wave of nausea hit Jake as he doubled forward, clutching his stomach.

  “Let me get the bucket. Like you, I don’t relish the idea of cleaning up vomit,” she teased.

  “Nice to know you have your limits,” Jake said, laying back against the pillows. “My limits are not having you in the room if I do vomit.”

  “I’ve seen people throw up before, trust me. It’s no big deal.”

  “It’s a big deal—to me. Please.” Jake had reduced himself to begging to salvage his pride, and it tugged at Juliet’s heart. The man was stubborn, just like her father. But that’s where the similarities ended.

  She nodded. “We’ll compromise. I’ll get you the bucket and leave you alone if it looks like you’re going to throw up. Otherwise, I get to sit here and watch you sleep. And when you’re awake, I’ll keep you company. Deal?”

  “Deal,” Jake said, visible relief etched on his face.

  “Oh, and one other thing before you fall asleep. What do I do with the fox?”

  “When she’s up and active, open the stall door. Instinct will take over and she’ll know what to do at that point.” Jake’s color had grown paler, and she backed away, knowing time was of the essence if she didn’t want to be cleaning up a mess.

  “Got it. Something else I can manage, so don’t worry.” Juliet left the room in search of a bucket.

  The truth was Jake was more like her father than she cared to admit. He was kind and generous, although sympathetic with animals instead of people, but he was a good man. She returned to the room minutes later, bucket and Bible in hand. “This is for when you’re sleeping.” She held up her Bible when she noted his questioning glance and slight scowl. “It’s my Bible studies, and I’ve got a few days’ worth of catching up on my daily reading to do. I’d be more than happy to share it with you if you’re interested.”

  “I’m not.” Two words that summed up the root of their differences, but nothing that would stop Juliet from trying to share her faith while she was still here.

  Any response she might have tried was waylaid when Jake succumbed to another round of shaking and stomach pain. His face was ghostly white, her signal to leave the room and let him do his business without her watching on.

  Juliet looked up from her study Bible, gazing at Jake as he slept. She knew the
medicine would help, but sleep more than anything, would get them through the illness. That, and plenty of water. She’d already refilled his glass for the next time he was awake.

  On the way out, she’d turned off the lights, hoping to darken the room. She’d grabbed one of the lanterns and set it on the dresser next to her. Her gaze drifted to the woman’s picture, Juliet again wondering about Jake’s story. She was certain the woman had something to do with the pain she saw reflected in Jake’s eyes, always just on the surface, but hidden unless you were looking carefully.

  Pulling off a man’s boots had been a first for Juliet. It was personal. She knew without a doubt, Jake wasn’t feeling well at all for him to allow her to do the things she was doing. And yes, she could gloat about it, but she’d been honest. What good would that do? There was no sense in pushing him harder to fight against the inevitable.

  It was odd sitting in his bedroom, being the one to watch over him. At the hospital with patients, it was different. The sterile environment made it easy for things to stay impersonal. But there was nothing impersonal about being in Jake’s bedroom.

  Juliet thought back to when she found him in the barn. She hadn’t missed the blue tarp that had been drawn off the truck, and she instinctively knew he’d gone out to fix the clutch. His determination to get rid of her had superseded his own health. Jake wanted her gone, that much was obvious—but he had nothing to worry about from her. It’s not like she’d be setting her sights on him—no matter how nice or how much like her father he was.

  Although there was something about him that went beyond the bearded, gruff exterior. Something beyond the kindness in his heart that he tried to hide. Something she didn’t quite understand.

  Was it possible God had placed her in Jake’s life for a reason? How much help could she give a person in two days, especially given he was sick? Perhaps she was reading too much into the situation, and it was just a matter of coincidence. Nothing more than the fact she was here to help him get better. But then, if she hadn’t shown up in the first place, he wouldn’t be sick.

  Juliet wiped his brow to cool him as he began to toss and turn. His eyes fluttered open.

  “Hey there. How are you doing?” Juliet asked.

  “I feel like I’ve been hit by a freight train,” Jake said, his voice raspy and strained.

  “Here, drink some water,” she said, keeping her voice soft and gentle. Juliet had learned quickly that the gentle approach netted far better results with patients. She reached behind his back and helped him sit up, lifting the cup to his lips. It must have cost him great effort not to say anything about her assistance.

  He finished half a glass, much to her satisfaction. “Thanks,” he whispered.

  She helped him lay back against the pillows. “Do you need me to help you to the bathroom?” She couldn’t help but grin, remembering the problem she had faced two days ago.

  “No,” Jake said a little more forcefully, shaking his head for emphasis. The man had his limits.

  “Would you like me to read to you?” she asked.

  “No. If you insist on babysitting, then tell me about yourself.”

  A one-sided conversation would be awkward. Besides, how much was there to tell? “I can do that. Oh, but first, you’ll be interested to know our fox has returned to the wild, just as you said she would. It was kind of a special moment—knowing we helped.”

  “Good, very good,” he said, a smidgeon of the tension draining from his firm jaw.

  “As to my life, I promise you it’s not interesting, but then, maybe my story will help you fall back asleep.” She grinned.

  Jake attempted a smile, failing miserably. But it was the effort that counted in her books.

  “My whole name is Juliet Anne Walker, and as you already know, I’m a nurse. An APRN actually, which means I have an advance practiced nursing status. I live in Memphis, although I’m originally from Dylan, a small bedroom community just outside of Memphis. My father’s a pastor there, and he and my mother have been married for thirty-two years. Happily, I might add. The job offer in Memphis came after I graduated from the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Back then, I saw it as an opportunity to break away from the parents and go out on my own.” She shrugged, remembering that the freedom and independence hadn’t been what she’d imagined.

  “It was good at first. City life and all, but I’m not sure it’s me. I miss the small community aspects of Dylan, a place where everyone knows your name. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job, but sometimes, I keep wondering if there’s more I should or could be doing. Are you sufficiently bored yet?” she teased, hoping he’d say yes.

  “Keep talking. I’ll let you know when to stop. Either that or I’ll fall asleep.”

  Juliet could have sworn there was a hint of a smile with his words. “This is just awkward. I’d be more comfortable reading to you from my study book. It would be far more interesting.”

  Jake flicked a glance at the photo on his nightstand, the move more telling than Juliet could have imagined. “Religion is not my thing. It’s a surefire way to put me to sleep.”

  “Fine. I’ll tell you a little bit more, and then I’ll read. Like you said, it’ll put you back to sleep, which is what you need to help get through this. And while you sleep, I’ll try to fix something for you to eat when you wake up. Maybe some chicken soup and crackers.”

  Jake rolled his eyes but didn’t say a word.

  Juliet took that as an agreement, more than happy to reach out and share a little of God’s love with him. “More about me. Let’s see, I’ve been at the hospital for five years now. I work in the clinic section, dealing with patients who come in for urgent care, but it keeps me out of the emergency department and the intense stuff. I like the idea of sleeping at night.” She smiled.

  “You didn’t mention a husband or boyfriend waiting for you back home. Surely, you’re not an all-work and no-play kind of woman?” Jake said, his gaze never leaving her face.

  Juliet was surprised he made an effort to talk to her. For that, she decided to reward him with the truth. “No husband. No boyfriend for that matter. The last one parted way with me about two months ago.”

  “Why?” he asked, a frown on his face.

  “I know you’re not big into God’s word and the wisdom that comes with it, but it’s the only way I can explain the why, so you’ll have to bear with me. Watching my mother and father happily in love for all these years made me want what they have. They both were Christians when they met and married. My father became a pastor, and my mother has lovingly helped at the church and leads some of the women's groups—always by his side. The two share everything. It’s beautiful. The Bible mentions people being equally yoked with one another regarding matrimony. It’s what I want.”

  “Sounds like they both have egg on their face.” Jake grinned, his attempt at humor oddly satisfying given his condition.

  “Wise guy. I think you know differently and the truth. When I was younger, friends’ parents would get divorced, or relationships broke up, leaving a trail of broken hearts. One thing I noticed was that couples who were unequally yoked, rarely survived. When my best friend’s parents divorced, Sarah was ripped away from everything she knew to move far away with her mother. Including me. I’ve never seen or heard from her again. People need to be in a relationship with people that have similar beliefs in God, Jesus, and in their walk of spirituality.” She’d never explained her feelings to anyone before, but at least with Jake, it’s not like she’d ever see him again or that he really cared. Her secret was safe.

  “Sounds like an easy way to walk away from a relationship if you ask me.”

  “I don’t agree. I want one that’ll last forever, not a couple of years, or worse, a couple of months. Besides, it’s not like you have the voice of experience to back up your statement.”

  “That’s not entirely true. I was married once, and we weren’t on the same page when it came to religion. But I loved m
y wife whole-heartedly.” The catch in Jake’s voice gave her pause, urging her to try and help him manage the ache in his heart. She had a feeling he didn’t talk about his past and that he’d unknowingly, just revealed the source of his pain.

  “What happened?” Juliet couldn’t believe Jake was sharing this information with her. Perhaps the medication had loosened his resolve and determination to remain aloof. Perhaps the virus had done what nothing else had—wear him down.

  “She died. End of discussion. I’m tired.” His words came as a shock, and Juliet knew when to back off, and this was definitely the time.

  “Okay. I’ll read a bit until you’re asleep. Then I’ll fix you some dinner. That way, when you wake up, it’ll be waiting.”

  Jake rolled over, not bothering to answer.

  Aloof was back in place.

  7

  Juliet went outside to gather some flowers to put in a basket, hoping some color would bring the cabin to life. Her gaze automatically drifted to the tree line in hopes of seeing the fox again, but there was no sign of her. When she spotted some of the truck parts and tools lying on the ground, she took the time to pick everything up before heading back to the house. Of course, she also took the time to stop and appreciate Jake’s truck—a 1940 Ford. It was in rough shape but still a classic.

  Last night, Jake had missed dinner, and the night had been rough. His fever seemed to have broken around one a.m., but he’d tossed and turned long after that. Breakfast was more like toast and coffee, and he needed to eat a better lunch.

  Returning to the cabin, she walked through the front door, immediately spotting Jake sitting on the couch. “Just couldn’t stay in bed, could you?” She smiled, putting the basket of flowers on the table.

  “You’re not my mother, as far as I know, I don’t need permission.” Jake smiled. It softened the gruff exterior he presented to the world. His disposition was a clear indicator of how much better he was doing, especially given he was up and about.