Love Finds You: A Helena's Grove Novella (5 page)

The fair was full of people. A Ferris wheel, cotton candy, kettle popcorn and even a ‘deep fried anything’ booth were among the many attractions that scattered the area. Jen was having a blast! Who knew these things could be so much fun? Aunt Gabby had shown her around and introduced her to quite a few people. The day was beautiful; not too hot. At least, Jen didn’t think so. She actually felt quite cool in the outfit Annie had picked out for her: a pink and blue plaid shirt with sleeves that went to her elbows, tucked into a pair of cut-off jean shorts that sported a belt with a downright legitimate western buckle! The outfit was pulled together by a pair of brown cowboy boots that Jen felt were quite comfortable. Annie was right; she looked like a born and bred country girl.

Jen separated from her aunt and walked into a grassy area away from the main bustle of the fair. There was a slight breeze and Jen lifted her head to let it catch her hair. She closed her eyes and breathed deep.

“Looks like Annie got her way.”

Jen spun around to face Zack, a smirk on his face.

Smiling, Jen folded her arms, “Her way with what?”

Zack walked up to stand beside her. “Annie told me she was going to give you a makeover, so I bet her that you wouldn’t agree to it. Looks like you did, so she won.”

“What did you bet?”

Zack smiled and popped a couple pieces of kettle corn into his mouth as Jen waited for him to explain. “Kettle corn?” he offered, still grinning like a child.

Hmmm, so you’re going to be like that!
Jen rolled her eyes and turned to start walking.

“You wanna go on the Ferris wheel?” he asked, clearly changing the subject.

“Are you serious?” Jen laughed. Stopping, she turned to look at him. “Aren’t you a little old for that?”

“Ouch. I’m not that old. Besides you are never too old to have fun at the fair.” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down. “Am I right?”

“That’s a common misconception,” Jen stated as she began walking again. “You can definitely be too old to do certain things.”

Zack followed her. “Why are you always so uptight?” he asked, chewing his popcorn as he walked.
“You seem a little young to have forgotten what it’s like to be young.”

Jen stopped, and for a moment seemed far away in thought. “I guess the last few years of my life have been so busy with law school and work that I
sometimes forget that I can have fun,” she finally said.

“So, what could we do to fix that?” he asked, his head slightly tilted to one side. Again, Jen thought of a puppy.

“Fix what? How to have fun?” Jen wanted to make sure they were on the same page. Zack asked a lot of questions and she didn’t like trying to fill in the blanks. Why couldn’t he just say what he wanted to say? After all, that’s how miscommunication happens. People assume and don’t communicate clearly what they mean. She saw it a lot working with her cases. Miscommunication leads to a lot of problems in today’s society.

He smiled at her.
“I would like to fix…” he paused, “I want to get to know you better. I want to show you how much fun you can have. I thought we had a lot of fun together the other day, going riding. I want to create more experiences like that one. After all, we’re friends, right?”

Jen thought a moment, looking up and tapping her foot, as if it were a very big decision. She finally smiled and nodded but didn’t say anything.

Zack laughed, “See! We’re friends, and friends have fun together.”

“So this friendship,” Jen paused as if she were thinking deeply. “What are the benefits? Do I get your first born if you make fun of my wardrobe?”

Zack laughed out loud and Jen realized again how handsome he was. “Oh, well no, unfortunately, being friends with me does not protect you from the teasing. But I could probably take it down a notch, just until you get a little more used to my style.”

“I counter your proposal with one of my own. If you still get to tease then I get to ask you five questions, and when I do, you have to answer them, truthfully,” Jen proposed.

“Oh wow!” Zack laughed. “I forget you’re a lawyer. Are you using your lawyer tactics on me right now?” He gave her a suspicious look and Jen couldn’t help smiling.

Zack continued, “This is good, I feel like we’re making head way. I’ve learned a lot about you this week.” Holding up his fingers he began to count off. “You’ve grown to like horses…”

“One horse,” Jen corrected, “Stallion.”

“Okay, Stallion…” he
continued counting. “You’re nosy, I mean, you want to know everything about me… you don’t own a pair of boots or jeans… and you are against kettle corn?” He lifted the bag and gave her a questioning look.

Jen looked him in the eye for a moment. “Just because you like to analyze everything about me does not mean you know anything. I happen to LOVE kettle corn!” She accepted a handful of the corn offered to her.

“You,” he said shaking his finger at her teasingly, “you’re a tricky one.”

She laughed as she chewed.

“Okay, what would you like to know about me?” Zack offered.

Jen hid her smile. “What did you and Annie bet?”

“Ahhh,” Zack said with mischief in his eyes. “Does this count as one of the five questions?”

Jen shook her head, pretending to be serious, “Oh no, I’ll save those for emergencies only.”

“Good to know. So what happens if you ask me a question and I lie?” Zack raised his eyebrows in question.

Jen thought a moment, “Then you will have lied to me. And you’ll have to live with the guilt.”

Zack nodded and grinned at her, “Fair enough.”

“The bet…?”

“Oh, I just said that she couldn’t get a beautiful, sophisticated girl like you to wear country jeans and a t-shirt. She took the challenge and said I had to buy her lunch if she won. So, looks like I’m taking my sis to lunch.”

There was a moment of silence. Jen shifted her feet; she wasn’t used to not having something to say. She couldn’t quite figure this guy out. He was charming; a little too charming at times. She had mentally promised herself that she wasn’t going to spend
any more one on one time with Zack because she couldn’t afford to get involved with him. However, she liked him. In fact, she liked him a little too much, and that could lead to problems.

Despite Jen telling herself this wasn’t a good idea, she couldn’t resist walking and talking with Zack. He was so different from the other men she had been with. He seemed to enjoy life, and was driven only by what each day had to offer,
rather than schedules, deadlines and appointments.

The conversation flowed effortlessly as they continued walking together. They talked about summer, the fair, and riding together. Zack opened up and shared some stories from when he was young and Jen found herself listening intently. They talked of places they’d like to see and the difference between Ohio and New York. Laughing, they quoted favorite movie lines, and divulged embarrassing stories about high school. Zack revealed he played the saxophone and loved ballroom dancing. Jen told him how much she loved to paint, and that she secretly wished she could be an artist. The afternoon sped by and Jen couldn’t remember the last time she opened up on this level with a guy.

“So,” Zack started, when they had come to a break in their conversation about favorite foods, “can I buy you a deep fried Twinkie?”

“Seriously?” she asked.

“Oh we don’t joke about deep fried things here.”

Jen giggled, “I thought that was more of a southern thing.”

“It’s a country thing,” Zack stated matter-of-factly. “Deep fried items are a staple, an icon in the society of line-dancing, horse-riding, and cow-wrestling people like us.”

“Ahhh, I see.” Jen feigned serious interest.

“You don’t believe me; I can see it in your eyes. But if you want to fit in, if you want to get that true Ohioan feel, you are going to need to eat a deep fried item.”

“What if I don’t want to get that true Ohioan feel?”

“If you aren’t here to get a feel for the culture, why are you here?”

“I’m here to spend time with Aunt Gabby.”

“Aunt Gabby’s been here for a long time, and I’ve never seen you around here before now.” Zack looked at her curiously. “When was the last time you saw her?”

Jen bit her lip, Zack was getting nosy again. She decided honesty was best. “I haven’t seen her since I was five.” She looked at Zack to gauge his reaction; he seemed interested so she went on. “I’m not close to any of my family. It’s been my dad and I for as long as I can remember.”

“Your mom?” Zack asked.

Jen weighed her emotions; she wasn’t sure how much of her personal life she wanted to share with this man. In all reality, she barely knew him. And yet, she felt comfortable sharing things with him. “My mom split when I was four, and my dad isn’t close to any of his siblings.”

“I’m sorry.” Zack seemed genuine. “Did your dad ever remarry?”

“Oh yes.
” Jen’s voice was laced with sarcasm and disdain. “Five times was I blessed with a new stepmother.”

“Oh wow,” Zack said,
“lucky you.”

“Yeah,” Jen said sarcastically.

“Grandparents?” Zack continued, breaking the awkwardness.

“All deceased.” She thought a moment. “At least, I think so.”

“You think so?” Zack was incredulous. “You don’t know for sure?”

“I told you, my mom left. I don’t know her parents. My dad’s parents have passed away. Aunt Gabby is the only sibling my dad has ever talked about.”

“You should check up on the grandparent situation,” Zack insisted through a mouthful of popcorn. “Everyone needs grandparents.”

Jen smiled
warily, “What you don’t know…” She shrugged.

Zack nodded.
“Family’s important, even if you don’t want to think so.”

“What about you?” It was time for her to ask the questions.

Zack took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “My dad died in a tractor accident when I was eleven. Annie was only seven so she doesn’t remember him as well. My mom passed away almost five years ago; breast cancer.”

“I’m so sorry,” Jen said honestly. She couldn’t imagine losing both parents.

“Thanks,” Zack smiled at her. “Aunt Gabby has been a great comfort. She was close to my mom. They were really good friends, like sisters, which is why we started calling her Aunt Gabby. After so many years, the name stuck.”

“She’s a special person,” Jen said. “I’ve really enjoyed getting to know her. She’s treated me so well.”

“So what made you just up and decide to visit her for the entire summer?”

Jen thought she detected a hint of suspicion in his tone, but more than that, she wondered why he was asking such a question when Aunt Gabby needed people right now. Then the thought struck her –
maybe he didn’t know Aunt Gabby was sick!
Jen dismissed it the second she thought it. He would have to know. There is no way she could keep that from him. Maybe he didn’t say anything because she didn’t like people talking about it. After all, Aunt Gabby had never even mentioned it to her in the entire time she’d been there. Maybe Zack was testing her; seeing how much she knew. Jen looked at Zack and he returned her gaze, waiting for her answer.

“Like you said, family’s important. And since Aunt Gabby was really the only family member my dad talked about I thought I would take the summer and really get to know her. My job is at a place that I was able to get away.” She shrugged. “It was the right time.”

Zack listened intently, nodding at the appropriate times. He seemed truly interested. “So you just wanted to get to know her? No material reasons or trying to gain something from it?

Jen’s eyebrows furrowed and she turned towards him. “What do you mean by that?” she asked defensively. Her heart began to beat
a little faster.

Zack shrugged, “I don’t know, I just think it’s really great of you to take time out of your busy life to spend your summer with your seventy-five year old half-aunt
that you hardly know.”

Jen couldn’t ignore it anymore. Zack was definitely fishing. She realized he was acting suspicious of her, but why? There was no way he could know that she was gaining a promotion and salary increase by coming out here. That conversation was between her and her dad only. No one at the office knew. No one. The complexity of Zack’s character was evident, and the more time Jen spent with him the more she realized that he was not ignorant; he was smart. And although he seemed to play the ‘flirty country boy’ role, there was more to him than met the eye. Jen had a sixth sense about people. She could usually tell when they were lying or just not saying what they were actually thinking. Zack clearly had questions that he couldn’t, or wouldn’t, ask straight out. But what were they? What was he suspecting her of?

Jen suddenly felt self-protective and decided to cut the crap. If he had a question he should ask it. “Is there something you want to ask me?” she inquired, her lawyer face on.

Zack faced her.
“Why do you ask that?”