Desiring the Enemy (11 page)

     Since the moment she’d moved in Jenna had been accepted by the locals. It was a small community and everyone was warm and helpful. Carol was fast becoming a good friend, it was something Jenna needed so badly.

     “Hi sweetie. I’m off tonight, why don’t you come on over and we’ll order a pizza and watch a tearjerker,” she said to Jenna that afternoon.

     “That sounds like fun. At what time do you want me there?”

     “How about seven?”

     “Seven it is. I’m looking forward to it.”

     That evening she rang the doorbell promptly at seven and Carol opened the door.

     “Look who stopped by the diner today,” Carol said, signaling Corbin.

     Corbin was a handsome local who owned one of the marinas and had taken a liking to Jenna.

     “Hi Corbin, it’s so nice to see you.”

     “Hello Jenna. You look beautiful as always,” he said appreciatively as he stood and kissed her hand.

     “Thank you. Let me take this wine into the kitchen. Carol, can you find a corkscrew for me.”

     “Sure hon. Corbin, will you excuse me?”

     “Of course,” he said as he sat back down.

     When they got into the kitchen Jenna chastised her friend.

     “I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work.”

     “Why don’t you give him a chance? He’s a catch and he’s obviously smitten by you.”

     “I told you I don’t want to think about men for a while. I’ve been hurt twice in a short period of time, I need time to heal.”

     “I believe that dating again will help you heal better than anything else, especially with a gorgeous hunk like Corbin.”

     “I know you mean well, but I can’t start anything with anybody right now.”

     “Well, I can’t throw him out. Letting him watch a movie with us won’t kill you, will it?”

     “I guess not. But please don’t do this again.”

     “I won’t, I promise.”

     Jenna wasn’t sure whether or not to believe her, but she would give her the benefit of the doubt.   

     They went into the living room and sat on the couch.

     “What movie did you rent?” Corbin asked.

     When Carol told him Jenna couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the expression on his face.

     “There’s still time to flee,” she said to him.

     “No, it’s fine. The movie may not be to my liking but the company is topnotch,” he said as he looked at Jenna.

     Carol gave Jenna a teasing look then proceeded to play the movie. They watched as they ate the pizza that had just been delivered and Jenna couldn’t help but enjoy the evening. Corbin was a true gentleman, refraining from making derogatory comments even at the movie’s sappiest moments. Most men would moan and groan throughout the movie, making it impossible for the women to enjoy it. Corbin had scored some major brownie points.

     At the end of the night they said their goodnights and Corbin offered to walk Jenna home.

     “I had a great time,” he said as they slowly walked back.

     She could hear the waves lapping against the rocks, it was so delightful.

     “Me too. The movie was made for women and I appreciate you enduring it with us.”

     “I actually enjoyed it. It put me in touch with my feminine side,” he laughed.

     He tentatively reached out to hold her hand and she reluctantly allowed it. When they reached her bungalow he took both her hands in his.

     “Jenna, ever since you got here I can’t seem to think of anything but you.”

     “Corbin, before you go on I have to tell you that I am not in any position to start a relationship with anyone right now.” It was only fair that he know that this could go no further, at least for now.

     “It’s obvious you’ve been hurt, but please don’t close yourself off. I would never hurt you.”

     “I don’t think you would. But I need more time to heal.”

     “I understand. I’ll be waiting, and when you feel like you’ve gotten over the hurt I want to be the first person you give a chance to. Is that fair?”

     She smiled. “Yes, that’s fair.”

     Jenna pulled out her key and opened the door.

     “Goodnight Corbin.”

     “Goodnight Jenna,” he said as he turned and walked away.

     When she went inside her cozy home she felt a wave of nausea overtake her. The pizza must not be sitting well, she thought.

***

     Over the next couple of days she had several bouts of nausea and vomiting and wondered if she might have a stomach bug. One day, after a particularly unpleasant episode, she sat by the toilet and began thinking back. Her period was late, but she had always been a bit irregular so she hadn’t thought anything of it. She and Wade had used protection whenever they had sex, except for that first time. There was no way she could have gotten pregnant then, could she? It was highly unlikely but she decided to go get a pregnancy test just to make sure.

     When she got home from the pharmacy she went directly into the bathroom. She took the test strip out and followed the directions, all the while she kept telling herself that she couldn’t be pregnant.
Please God,
don’t let me be pregnant
. 

     She waited the required five minutes, feeling like her heart would beat right out of her chest. She nervously picked up the strip, and covered her mouth as she read the results.
Pregnant!

     She dropped the strip as she crumpled to the ground, sobbing convulsively. How could this have happened? What was she going to do now? A million things ran through her head in the ensuing minutes. How could she take care of a baby by herself? Never in a million years would she have envisioned herself as a single mother, but here she was, pregnant and alone.

     When she finally stopped crying she slowly lifted herself off the floor and went into her bedroom. She lay there wondering what she would do now. There was no way that she would have an abortion, and Wade could never know about his child. After the things he had said to her she would never allow him anywhere near her or her baby. Of course, if she didn’t want him to know then she could never go back to working for Stanley. Stanley and Rose would never keep this big of a secret from their nephew. This meant that not only was she having a baby, but she had no job and no permanent home. As a last resort she thought she would go to her parents for help, but the idea alone made her sick to her stomach, sicker than she already was.

***

     That night Carol came to see her.

     “Honey, you look terrible. Do you still have that stomach bug?” Carol asked, her voice laced with concern.

     “Come sit down, I have some news.” Jenna said. Carol had become her confidant in this short period of time, and she appreciated having someone to talk to about this.

     “Are you okay?” Carol was growing more worried by the second.

     “Brace yourself.” She took a deep breath and continued. “I just found out I’m pregnant.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she said it out loud for the first time.

     “Pregnant! I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone.” Carol couldn’t hide the shock in her voice.

     “It was the guy I was seeing before I came here.”

     “How far along are you?”

     “I’m figuring about two months.”

     “Are you going to tell him?”

     “No, I’m not. It wouldn’t be welcome news to him.”

     “But this is his baby too, don’t you think he’d want to know? And what about child support? He has to take some responsibility.”

     “If I take his money he’ll be a part of our lives and I can’t let that happen, not after the way he treated me. I’m never going to tell him.” Jenna said it with such finality that Carol decided to let the matter drop.

     “What are you planning to do?”

     “I don’t know. I can’t go back to my old job so I don’t know what I’m going to do to support us.” The word us brought home the fact that it was her and her child now, alone, so alone. Tears began flowing from her sad eyes.

     “Don’t cry sweetie, I’m sure things will work out,” Carol said, giving her a gentle hug.

     “How? The little money I have will run out soon, then what?”

     Carol remembered Jenna talking about her old job. “Didn’t you tell me that you’re an accountant?”

     “Yes, so?

     “Midge has needed someone at the restaurant to handle her books for a while now. Her husband used to take care of everything, and when he died Midge had to take over. She’s wonderful when it comes to taking care of her customers, but terrible with numbers and figures. We’ve often heard her say that she needs some help, she just hasn’t gotten around to hiring anyone yet. If you’re interested I’ll put in a good word for you.”

     Jenna thought about it. This would solve so many of her problems. She would have some sorely needed income and she could keep her little bungalow. She would tell no one where she was and she would make sure nobody could find her. 

     She had met Midge a couple of times since she’d arrived at Sunset Cove and thought she was a nice lady. Bubba and Carol raved about her as a boss.

     “She probably won’t appreciate the fact that I’m pregnant,” she said, remembering that important bit of information.

     “She’s a sweetheart. As long as you do your job she’ll be fine with it. When you have the baby I’m sure that you can do the work from home.”

     Carol was painting such a pretty picture, and Jenna was in no position to say no.

     “Do you think you can arrange a meeting for tomorrow?” she asked Carol.    

      “Of course I can. I’ll call her right now.”

     Jenna could hear the excitement in her voice and loved her for it. Twice since Jenna had arrived Carol had been there to offer much needed help, how could she ever repay her?

***

     Jenna went to see Midge the next day. The woman was pleasantly plump, with a round face and kind eyes. Warmth radiated from her, engulfing Jenna and drawing her in.  

     “Hello darlin’, have a seat,” she said, pointing to one of the booths in the far corner of the restaurant. “Carol said yer in need of a job.”

    “Yes I am,” she said. “I guess Carol told you that I’m expecting,” she added apprehensively.

     “Yes she did, and it’s not a problem as long as ya get the work done.”

     “If I get the job I’ll give 110%, I can promise you that. I love Sunset Cove and would like to settle down here to raise my baby.” Jenna thought about her little bundle, and felt such pure love that it almost brought tears to her eyes.

     Midge saw the emotion on her face and took her hand in hers.

     “I know this is a bit overwhelming for ya right now. Carol told me that the father is not in the picture and that yer all alone. I wanna help. If yer agreeable ya can start work here right away.”

     “That would be wonderful. Thank you so much,” Jenna said with tears in her eyes. It seemed like lately all she did was cry.

     “Don’t thank me yet. I don’t know if Carol told ya but I’m no good with numbers. Yer going to find that there is a huge mess to clean up,” Midge laughed as she patted her hand.

     “I’m sure it’s nothing that I can’t handle,” Jenna smiled, then turned serious. “Thank you for taking a chance on me. I won’t disappoint you.”

     “I’m sure ya won’t.”

     “Midge, there’s one more favor I’m going to ask of you,” Jenna said tentatively.

     “What is it, sugar?”

     “I know that it’s not the proper thing to do, but would you keep my employment off the books? I came here as sort of an escape and I don’t want to be found. Also, if anyone asks for me please don’t tell them where I am.” She was sure that Wade wouldn’t come looking for her, but she couldn’t say the same of Stanley and Rose. She would somehow let them know that she was okay, but she would have to make sure that they didn’t find her. If they got an inkling that she was pregnant they would insist that Wade do the right thing, and that was the last thing she wanted. She never wanted to see him again.

     “Are ya in trouble with the law, dear?” Midge asked with concern.

     “No, nothing like that. But I don’t want the baby’s father to find out where we are. I don’t want him to know about the baby.”

     “I’m sure ya have yer reasons for that. Ya can count on me, I’ll keep yer employment with me under lock and key,” Midge said, giving her an understanding smile.

     “Thank you so much, I really appreciate it.”

     “Not a problem. Now let’s go into my office so ya can see what ya got yerself into. ” 

     It was as if she had vanished into thin air. 

     Jenna had left a voice mail at Uncle Stanley’s company saying that she was okay and not to worry about her. She’d also said that she wouldn’t be going back to work at the firm. She hadn’t left a forwarding address or a phone number for them to reach her and the call came in as private so caller ID hadn’t helped. Wade was going out of his mind with worry. She was all alone out there, with no one to protect her. He should have been her protector.

     Since he’d found out the truth his sole purpose in life had been to find Jenna and bring her home. He’d let his foreman take control of the day to day workings of the ranch, leaving him time to search every beach community in the area, to no avail.  He searched for her on the internet, but again, came up empty. As a last resort he’d hired a private investigator, but even he hadn’t been able to find her. It was as if she’d never existed.

     It had been months since he’d last seen her and he had to finally come to terms with the fact that he wasn’t going to find her. She didn’t want to be found, and she made sure to leave no trace. He blew it. He’d found his soul mate and had made her leave, propelling her to do so with his hateful words. How he wished he could take those words back and make things right again. 

***

     Jenna keyed in the final figures and closed her laptop. She had been working for Midge for several months now and had finally gotten things in order.

     She looked down at her expanding belly and caressed it softly.

     “Well little one, I think we need some rest, don’t you?”

     After the shock of finding out she was pregnant had worn off she realized that this child was a gift from God. The thought of having someone to love, and to have that little someone love her in return, filled her with joy.

     The doorbell rang, startling her. “Coming,” she called out.

     She looked through the peephole and saw the familiar profile. “Hi Corbin, I wasn’t expecting you,” she said with a smile as she opened the door.

     Ever since he’d found out about her pregnancy he had been more than supportive. Jenna knew that he had aspirations of becoming a father to her baby, but she wasn’t ready for anything like that at the moment. Until she could rid herself of Wade’s ghost beginning a romantic relationship with Corbin would be unfair to him. As much as her brain told her that Wade was a no good bastard, she couldn’t control her body’s desire for his touch. Knowing that she was having his child didn’t help. How she wished that he was beside her, enjoying watching as their little one grew inside her and awaiting his or her arrival together.

     “I figured you must be done working, so I brought dinner,” Corbin said, lifting the bags of Chinese food for her perusal.

     “Thanks, we’re famished,” she said, patting her belly.

     “Good.”

     Corbin went into the kitchen and set the table.

     “You spoil me, you know.” Jenna looked at him with gratitude.

     Corbin didn’t want gratitude from Jenna, he wanted her love. From the moment he met her he knew she was the one for him. Her green eyes invaded his dreams every night, but he had to move slowly. She’d been hurt, that much he knew, and if he tried to push for a relationship too quickly he would lose her. He would have to bide his time. Maybe when the baby came she would start envisioning a life with him.
A child needs a father
, he thought,
and I would love this one as my
own.

     “I plan to seduce you with food,” he said, laughing.

     “Everything looks so good,” she said, opening the containers and peeking inside.

     They sat down to eat and he would glance her way every now and then, his heart constricting at the sight of her. Oh how he wished his love was reciprocated.

     Jenna knew how he felt about her, his love for her was obvious although he tried to mask it. Maybe one day she would be free of Wade’s hold on her and she would give him a chance, but as of now he could be nothing more than a close friend.

***

     Once he realized that he would never find her Wade had immersed himself in his work. Life had become one long workday with a couple of hours of fitful sleep. He saw Jenna’s face from the moment he awoke until he went to bed, and then he would see her in his dreams. He ate because he needed to in order to survive, but derived no pleasure from it.

     He got to the house late one day, tossing his hat on the table and starting to head upstairs, when he heard Marla’s voice.

     “Hey big brother, I’ve been trying to reach you but you haven’t returned any of my calls.” Rose had filled her in on the situation and she decided to see if she could lift him out of this cloud. She hadn’t seen him in a few months and was shocked to see the shape he was in. His stubble was days old and his hair hadn’t been cut in ages.  He had lost weight and his shoulders drooped, a shadow of the strong man she knew and loved. 

     “I’m sorry, I’ve been very busy,” Wade answered, rubbing his eyes.

     “Wade, I know what you’re going through is tough, but you have to start taking care of yourself.”

     “I’m fine. I’ve just been working hard, is all.”

     “And why do you have to work so hard? You’ve got plenty of men to work the ranch. Hell, you don’t even have to show up if you don’t want to.”

     “Marla, I’m tired, I don’t really want to talk about how I run my business.”

     “You’re trying to forget Jenna, but taxing your body this way is going to kill you. Gretchen told me that you hardly eat.”

     “Gretchen needs to concentrate on doing her job and mind her own business,” he said through gritted teeth.

     “She’s worried about you, we all are. Why don’t you get together with Mitch? He told me he’d love to hang out with you but you keep ignoring his calls too.”

     “Marla, I know you mean well but I just want to be left alone.” With that he turned his back on her and walked up the stairs.

***

     Stanley and Rose came to the house several days later, the worry evident on their faces.

     “Wade honey, you need to snap out of this. I know that losing Jenna has been terrible for you, but now it’s time to move on. We miss her too, but it’s obvious that she doesn’t want us to find her,” Rose said, looking at Wade’s haggard face and deep circles under his eyes.

     “I have my work to keep me busy, I’ll be fine.”

     “But it’s obvious you’re not fine,” Rose continued.

     “Did Marla send you here?” Wade asked warily.

     “She did tell us she’s worried about you. We all are honey, we love you,” Rose said.

     “Don’t worry about me, I’m sure I’ll get over her soon, I just need a little time.”

     “If you haven’t gotten over her in eight months, I doubt that you ever will on your own. Maybe you need to see someone to help you through this,” Stanley said carefully.

     “You mean a shrink? No thanks. Like I said, I just need some time.”

     Stanley took a card out of his wallet and extended it to Wade.

     “Doctor Foster is the best in his field. He’s a member of our club and a close friend. I spoke to him about your situation and although he’s very busy he’s willing to see you immediately as a favor to us.”

     Wade looked at the card and tossed it on the coffee table.

     “If I feel the need I’ll call him. Now if you’ll excuse me I need to get back to work.” He turned and left, surprising both Stanley and Rose. They had expected him to resist their help, but he had been downright rude. He had never acted this way around them.

     “At this point I don’t think anyone can help,” Rose said to Stanley.

     “I agree.”

***

     Jenna’s due date had come and gone but her little bundle wouldn’t budge.

     “I know it’s comfortable in there babe, but you need to come out. You’re killing me,” she said, smiling down at her protruding belly.

     She hadn’t gained much weight, and most people wouldn’t have known she was about to give birth, but she was acutely aware of this little person who refused to come into the world.

     Carol looked at her and grimaced.

     “You must feel like crap,” she said, not envying her friend.

     “This last month has been hard. The doctor said that if I don’t go into labor by next weekend he’ll have to induce. He’d rather I go naturally but we can’t wait too long.”

     “Hopefully it won’t come to that.” 

     Carol had been such a good friend. Actually, everyone had been wonderful. Midge let her work out of the house most days, Carol and Corbin were her sounding boards when she was feeling down, and everyone else in the community had taken her in as one of their own. Carol
had spread the word that Jenna was living incognito and they had all agreed to keep her secret. When the private investigator came nosing around everyone knew to play their part. No one had ever heard of a Jenna Delaney.