Love Finds You: A Helena's Grove Novella (11 page)

             
“But I would like to.” He reached out his hand and softly brushed her cheek. “And you could come visit me at Harvard. Have you ever been there?”

             
Jen shook her head, trying her hardest not to let her emotions get the better of her. She didn’t want to imagine the life Zack was describing. It sounded too good; too good to be true, which of course, it was.

             
“See?” Zack said, “It’s perfect! You show me around, I’ll show you around and maybe one day,” he scooted closer to her and lifted her chin with his finger, “we can meet in the middle.” Jen looked into his deep brown eyes and for just a moment, she felt hope. Maybe they really could make it work. Maybe she could bottle up this lie inside her. Tell her dad she wouldn’t do it and never speak or think of it again. Maybe she could let it go and live her life as if she hadn’t been thrown into this crazy series of events. Maybe she could move back to New York and work everything out with the firm. She could visit Zack and he could visit her. Four hours really was nothing. They could make it work. She liked him, and she liked him a lot. Maybe even a little more than like? She could live that way, couldn’t she? She could have her cake and eat it too. No one would ever have to know about her deception and no one would get hurt.  She saw all those things in his eyes and when he kissed her, all of those hopes shattered and she began to cry. She couldn’t live like this.

             
“What’s wrong?” Zack asked.

             
“This won’t work Zack,” her voice cracked as a tear ran down her cheek.

             
“It could, we could make it…”

             
“No!” Jen cut him off. “It won’t work. It won’t work because you don’t know what kind of person I am. And I can’t go on living a lie.”

             
Zack sat back in his chair. “What do you mean?”

             
Jen took a steadying breath.
No going back now.
“I lied to you. The other night on our date, I lied when I said I didn’t know about Aunt Gabby’s money.”

             
Zack’s eyebrows furrowed. “Then why did you tell me you didn’t?”

             
“Because,” Jen sniffed, “because I didn’t always know. I found out, a few weeks ago. My father sent me here to…” she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, “he sent me here to get close to Aunt Gabby so we could get her to give us enough money to save the firm.”

             
Zack physically winced and his face scrunched in pain.

             
“I didn’t know at first,” she went on quickly, the words pouring from her mouth. “He told me she had cancer and it was her dying wish that I come out and get to know her but that was a lie. And when I found out she really wasn’t sick I confronted him about it and that’s when he told me everything. His firm, our firm is going under. We’re on the verge of bankruptcy and he thought maybe Aunt Gabby’s money would be enough to get us out of trouble. When I found out I wanted to go home, didn’t want to be any part of it, but he somehow convinced me that if she didn’t give it to us it would go to someone else, someone who didn’t deserve it.”

             
“Someone like me?” Zack asked his voice full of hurt.

             
“At first I suspected you because you were just too good to be true! You did so much for her and I couldn’t fathom someone doing so much for another person unless there was something in it for them.”

             
“You couldn’t fathom someone like that because you’ve never met anyone like that,” Zack said curtly without looking at her.

             
His comment cut into her heart deeply. “I wanted to protect Aunt Gabby from you the same way you wanted to protect her from me. The only difference is your fears were justified while mine were unnecessary.” She sniffed and there was silence. He wouldn’t look at her and she didn’t blame him. She knew this was how it was going to be. However, the reality of it was more painful than she could have imagined. “Still think you want to get to know me?” she asked quietly, not expecting an answer.

             
Zack stood suddenly, hands on his hips, and then he ran his fingers through his hair. He paced a few times before heading for the door. He stopped abruptly and turned to her. “Does Aunt Gabby know?”

             
Jen shook her head and all but whispered, “Not yet.”

             
“You should tell her soon.”

             
Jen stood and walked to him slowly. “I’m so extremely sorry Zack. I never meant for any of this to happen. I never meant to fall in love with this place, with Aunt Gabby… and most definitely not with you.”

             
Zack looked momentarily startled, and then he turned away.

             
Jen decided to continue. She’d gone too far to retract now. Even though she wasn’t exactly sure how deep Zack’s feelings were for her, she had to tell him how she felt. She had to get it all off her chest, she had to be honest…
for once, she had to be honest!
“You worked your way into my heart in a way that I never thought possible. I’ve never felt for anyone the way I feel about you. So whatever you think of me you should know how much I care for you, and I never meant to hurt you or anyone. I never meant to lie.”

             
“Yeah well one thing’s for sure, you’ll make a great lawyer.” He didn’t even look at her but Jen felt the directed pain of his words. She watched silently as he swiftly walked out of the house, the front door slamming as he left.

             
The next day Jen sat in a cab, on her way to her apartment. She was back in New York City. She took a deep breath and laid her head against the back of her seat, staring at the ceiling and listening to hustle and bustle of the city outside her window, memories from the day before filling her mind. She had gotten to the airport early, as early as she could. She couldn’t stay in that little house in Ohio any longer. After Zack left Jen had gone upstairs and booked a flight home. She told Aunt Gabby everything was fine. That night she wrote a letter to the old woman about the events of the past three months. She had learned so much from her and loved her so dearly, that even though she knew telling her things in a letter wasn’t fair, she decided she couldn’t tell her in person. She could now add ‘coward’ to her list of personal shortcomings. The cab had pulled up to the house around 4:30 A.M. and Jen sneaked down the stairs, placed the letter on the counter and headed out the door. When she loaded her bag she allowed herself one last look at the house. She took it all in, like a picture she could save in her mind. And then, she was gone. Once in the car, she didn’t look back.

             
It seemed unreal that her conversation with Zack had only been twenty-four hours earlier. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Ohio seemed like a distant yet painful memory. No one knew she was back in New York. Well, Aunt Gabby probably did by now but other than that, Jen hadn’t told anyone. She needed to get back and have a few moments of peace before Roger came bursting in like she knew he would, raging about how she had single-handedly destroyed the firm. She didn’t know how she would handle that right now, especially not from him. She was still mad at him for putting her in the situation in the first place.

             
Her phone rang on coffee table in front of her; she didn’t move to pick it up. Her eyes moved to the screen; Aunt Gabby was calling. Jen ignored it and chose to look out the window instead. It wasn’t long before the ringing stopped and she was left in silence once more, alone with her thoughts.

Ohio

              “Aunt Gabby! Aunt Gabby!” Zack ran through the house.

             
“I’m right here.” Aunt Gabby walked in from the back porch.

             
“What’s the big emergency?” Zack asked, slightly out of breath.

             
“Jennifer is gone,” Aunt Gabby stated with a furrowed brow.

             
Zack took a deep breath and blew it out. “So she went back?”

             
“Back to New York! Without a word! I tried to call her at least ten times but she won’t pick up. She’s just gone. All she left was this damned letter filled with ridiculous nonsense!” Aunt Gabby was clearly upset.

             
Zack put his arm on her shoulder. “Aunt G, I’m sorry she didn’t tell you in person. She should have at least done that before she left.”

             
“She shouldn’t have gone at all!” Aunt Gabby said slowly and loudly as if Zack was hard of hearing. “I don’t know why she felt like she had to up and disappear without even talking to me.”

             
“She felt guilty,” Zack shrugged.

             
“Guilty for what?” Aunt Gabby demanded.

             
“What do you mean for what? Didn’t you read the letter?”

             
“Of course I read it.” She held it up. “I just don’t see what all the fuss is about.”

             
Zack took the letter and read it quickly before giving it back to her.

             
“You need to go after her, tell her to come back,” Aunt Gabby said, pointing her finger at his chest.

             
Zack let out a sarcastic laugh. “I’m not going after her! You read the letter; she came here to con you out of your hard earned money. She is a lawyer through and through. Nothing but greedy, shrewd, selfish…” before he could finish Aunt Gabby’s hand flew across his cheek. Zack sat there stunned, his mouth hanging open, unable to say anything.

             
“Now you listen to me,” Aunt Gabby said sternly, her blue eyes fierce. “That girl has grown up in the heart of New York City, with a manipulative father, surrounded by adults who cared for nothing but business. She hasn’t had the upbringing that you have. She didn’t have a mother that taught her things like your mother taught you. I know Roger, he’s my little brother and believe me, for all his skills with business and money, he’s not the most loving parent. So instead of judging her you should be trying to understand what kind of position she was put in. What she must have been going through trying to decide between two loves. Trying to decide who to hurt.”

             
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.