There was one other person she knew would understand. And she could hardly wait to tell him.
Thursday, March 12
Cut it out, Lucky!” Jenna put down her calculator and pushed the pesky cat off her lap, but not before she gave his head a good scratching. She might have to get herself a cat if she found a place that allowed pets.
The television droned in the background, but she tuned the babbling out, looking over the bank statements spread across the dining room table. She’d spent the last hour trying to get her checkbook to balance. Still, she never thought she’d see the day when she’d find it so utterly rewarding to watch her balance grow, penny by penny.
She’d been at the Vermontez house for over two weeks now, and already it felt like home. But she’d promised herself she wouldn’t get too settled there. She felt guilty enough about how long she’d sponged off Bryn.
“Oh, God,” she whispered. “I’m not asking to be rich, but please let me be able to pay Bryn back someday.” She smiled to herself, thinking how natural these little conversations with God had become over the last month.
She’d been watching the papers and talking to Maggie at the real estate office. There was a two-bedroom apartment—much like Bryn’s—available, but even with the two thousand dollars she’d made from selling some furniture, she knew she’d be better off with a smaller place and a lower price tag. She’d even thought about calling Garrett to see if that trailer out in the country was still available. But it hadn’t been in the classifieds since last week, and she was content to let it go at that. Baby steps, Jenna. Baby steps.
She glanced up at the clock. Emily had said she’d stop by sometime today to pick up a few things she wanted for the house in Springfield. Jenna had cleaned the house from top to bottom yesterday and tidied the kitchen again after breakfast. She’d even spent several evenings raking the flower beds in the beautiful garden in back, wanting to prove to Emily—and to Lucas—that she was taking good care of the place, that she didn’t take the gift lightly. She hoped Emily would get there before she had to go to work.
She finished reconciling her checkbook, then pulled up the spreadsheet where she was keeping track of her eBay and craigslist sales. She’d sold several of the larger pieces of furniture and a lot of the fancy decorating pieces. She got a fraction of the price she’d paid, but that wasn’t the point. She was just happy to be paying off some bills and socking a little away in savings.
She added up her earnings again, absently sliding her goldfish charm on its chain. She looked down at the necklace. Maybe she should sell her jewelry. She’d gotten some nice pieces as gifts from Zach and his parents. She had no idea what this necklace was worth, but it was real gold. Clarissa had made sure she knew that.
Her wedding set would probably bring several thousand. She didn’t wear it anymore. It was just sitting in a dresser drawer in the tiny jeweler’s box. Would it be wrong to sell it? Maybe she should offer it to Clarissa first. But what kind of message would that send?
Yes, she was ready to move on. Luc made that an easy decision. But she didn’t need to throw it in Clarissa and Bill’s faces. The Morgans had seemed to be making an effort to be friendlier, to include her in their lives again ever since that day she and Luc had gone to Clairemont Hills to move her things.
Luc. How she missed him.
She and Luc had spoken—or communicated was more accurate—almost daily. They’d talked on the phone a few times since the wedding, but several times a day they shot text messages back and forth or wrote longer e-mails when texting just didn’t cut it.
Jenna was starting to believe Lucas was right when he’d declared that his time away in Tulsa was an answer to prayer. In some ways she felt she’d gotten to know him so much better long distance than she had when they were face-to-face. And while Lucas claimed the distance kept them from temptation, she hadn’t admitted to him that she was plenty tempted to dream about those kisses they’d shared and wish that there might be more in the future. He’d been so sweet to her when they were together at Emily’s wedding.
She heard the lid on the mailbox slam and went out to collect the mail. She’d had her mail forwarded here, not knowing what else to do after Bryn’s lease was up. But most days the mailbox yielded only Vermontez mail—usually junk mail, but she saved everything in a box for Emily.
She flipped through today’s offering of catalogs and credit card offers, smiling when she came to an envelope bearing a Tulsa postmark—and addressed to her.
It looked like a greeting card. She slipped her finger under the flap and pulled out a card and a photograph. Lucas and Sparky standing in front of the training center, both looking serious and posed. She laughed out loud, her heart warming.
She turned over the card. It was a formal-looking invitation to graduation ceremonies for Lucas Vermontez and Sparky, on Saturday, March 21, at two o’clock in the afternoon. The first day of spring—a day she’d dreaded and anticipated equally. The former because it meant she’d have to be gone from this house. The latter because it meant Luc would be coming back to the Falls.
An image of Lucas and Sparky in tasseled graduation caps made her giggle. She wouldn’t miss that event for the world.
She made a note to check her schedule at Hanson’s and ask Mr. Iverson for the day off.
For one awful moment it struck him that maybe she was moving away from the Falls.
41
Saturday, March 21
Lucas Vermontez … and Sparky.”
Lucas clicked his tongue at Sparky, took a deep breath, and walked across the stage. He’d expected to feel a little silly walking in front of an audience to receive a diploma for a dog, but the announcer had added a humorous touch to the ceremony, and the crowd was eating it up.
They’d impressed everyone earlier in the day with an exhibition, showing off the skills the dogs and their handlers had learned during the past six weeks. Sparky had performed flawlessly, and Lucas couldn’t imagine feeling much prouder if the dog had been his own son.
He took the certificate Wyatt offered, shook his hand, then turned to pose for the professional photographer as they’d been instructed. Stepping off the stage, he caught Jenna’s eye and mirrored her ear-to-ear grin. He hadn’t seen the woman for five weeks, and it was all he could do to let a look at her suffice.
Finally the diplomas and awards had all been given out, and the handlers were dismissed to kennel their dogs while the audience was ushered to the back of the room for refreshments. When Lucas got back to the reception, Jenna was laughing and talking with his sisters and Ma. She fit right in.
They had cake and punch and he introduced them to a few of the guys he’d gotten to know so well over the past six weeks.
A few minutes later he realized Geoff was missing.
He turned to Ma. “Where’d Geoff go?”
“He went to bring the car around. I wish we could stay and take you guys out to dinner, but Geoff is speaking at early chapel tomorrow, so we need to get on the road.”
He leaned to give her a hug. “I understand. I’m glad you guys could come.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it.” She tightened her arm around his waist. “I wish your dad could have been here today. He would have been so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Ma.” The only thing that could have made this day better would have been having Pop there. “Tell Abi and Baba I’ll come visit them on my way back to the Falls. It’ll probably be Wednesday or Thursday before I get everything tied up here.”
Victoria and Gina were following Geoff and Ma home and staying in Springfield for the night, so Lucas gave his sisters the obligatory punches before drawing them into genuine hugs. “You guys be careful on the road. They’re saying it’s supposed to get cold tonight. Maybe below freezing. It could get icy.”
Victoria rolled her eyes. “Great. There goes our spring break.”
“I told you, you could spend it in Tulsa with me,” he teased.
“Thanks anyw
ay, big bro, but I think I’ll pass.”
“Yeah, me too,” Gina said, ducking out of reach before he could ruffle her hair.
Much as he loved his family, and happy as he was that they’d come all this way to see him complete the program, he was eager for them to get on the road so he could have a little time alone with Jenna. She had to go back tonight, too, but he’d talked her into staying long enough to go out to dinner with him.
I have some news for you.” Jenna’s eyes sparkled and Lucas was instantly curious.
She wiped her mouth on the cloth napkin and put down her fork. They’d decided on dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and were sharing the famous meatloaf plate, anticipating large slices of cheesecake later.
“I found a place to rent,” she said.
“You did! I wondered about that. Ma said you were planning to be out of the house by Monday, but you’ve been all mysterious about it every time I asked. So have you moved yet? Tell me about it.”
He waited. She took a sip of her water and swallowed hard. She seemed to be having trouble forming her words. For one awful moment it struck him that maybe she was moving away from the Falls.
But when she looked up, there was a mischievous glint in her eye. “I rented a place in the country.”
“You’re kidding.” He was a little surprised, thinking about the day he’d gone with her to look at the trailer. “How far out?”
“About a mile and a half.”
“So what’s it like? Not a trailer, I presume.” He winked, hoping he wasn’t pushing it. “When do you move in?”
“I’m already in.”
“No wonder you haven’t been answering my messages as quickly lately. So what does it look like?”
She bit the corner of her lip, smiling. “The outside is turquoise and white.”
“Ha! That’s funny!”
“The inside is … wide—double-wide, actually. With narrow hallways … Oh, and the whole place kind of rocks you to sleep.” Her grin grew to a full-blown smile.
“What?”
“I rented the trailer house, you goober.”
“No way!”
“It actually looks surprisingly nice with my furniture and stuff in it. You’ll be amazed at the transformation.”
He regarded her with a soft smile. “I am amazed at the transformation.”
Tears sprang to her eyes, but she smiled through them. “I … I’m seeing things with such different eyes now, Luc. It’s hard to describe.”
“Well, I like your new eyes.”
She smiled and dipped her head.
“I liked your old eyes, too,” he said quickly, afraid she might have taken his comment wrong.
“I know you did. Honestly, that amazes me as much as anything. How on earth did you ever put up with me before?”
He chuckled. “If you’ll recall, I didn’t always.”
She frowned. “That’s right! You called me a brat!”
He feigned ducking out of range of her fist, which made her laugh harder. He liked making this woman laugh. “Yep, I called you a brat. The day we went to look at your new home, as I recall.”
“That’s right!” She rolled her eyes. “Oh, brother, how rich is that?”
“Pretty rich, I’d say.” He didn’t have to work at looking smug.
They had so much to catch up on, they talked nonstop through the main course. But he started to watch the clock. “I don’t want you to go, but I don’t want you driving back too late either. It’s a good four hours back to the Falls. Not to mention my mother will shoot me if she finds out I put you on the road this late.”
She laughed, then turned serious. “Your mom seems really happy. Are you … okay with her being remarried?”
He thought for a moment, then nodded. “Like you said, she’s happy. That means a lot. And Geoff’s been good about … acknowledging Pop.”
“I noticed that at the wedding.”
“Yeah, it made you cry.”
She shook her head. “It wasn’t just that. God was working on me even then.” A faraway look came to her eyes. “I just hope … that someday I can have the kind of marriage your mom has … and had with your dad.”
“Yeah, I want that, too.” With you, Jenna Morgan. If God agrees that’s what He wants for us.
“You two ready for some cheesecake?” Their perky server bounced at the corner of their table.
Jenna glanced at him with a little grimace. “I’d probably better get on the road.”
“Would you mind bringing that cheesecake to go?” Luc asked the server.
Ten minutes later they stood in the parking lot talking over her open car door, each clutching weighty hunks of cheesecake in Styrofoam containers.
He held his up like a weight-lifter. “Breakfast tomorrow.”
She mimicked him. “Midnight snack.”
He laughed.
“Thanks for inviting me, Luc. It was a fun day. And congratulations. I can’t wait to see what’s next for you.”
She was close enough to kiss. The scent of her perfume was tantalizing. Like the honeysuckle that bloomed in Pop’s garden in the spring. Man, he wanted to kiss her. He sort of thought she wanted the same thing, but … no. He wasn’t going to mess this up. He’d play it safe and take it slow.
He settled for a quick hug instead. They’d have plenty of time to work up to a kiss once he came back to the Falls.
He opened her car door wider and waited for her to climb in.
But she surprised him by standing on tipoe to kiss him on the cheek. “Don’t be a stranger,” she said. “Bye, Luc.”
“Awww, just when it was getting good.”
She laughed and reached up to touch the collar of his jacket. “I sure have missed you.”
“I’ve missed you, too. Now get in that car.”
She smiled, but she obeyed.
Checking his watch, he knocked on the window and she rolled it down. “It’s nine-fifteen. With Interstate all the way, you should be home by one thirty or so. Maybe a little after. Call me when you’re home. I don’t care how late it is.”
“I will. Don’t worry about me. I’m wide awake.” She demonstrated, batting her eyes at him.
He laughed and waved her off. “Get out of here.”
She revved the engine and backed out, waving up at him through the windshield.
He watched her drive away, feeling as if she was taking a piece of him with her.
Looking up into the foggy night sky, he sighed. “Lord, help me … I love that woman.”
Lucas had just fed Sparky and settled into his bunk with the Sunday paper when his cell phone rang.
He picked it up off the nightstand, smiling, expecting it to be Jenna. But when he glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost eleven, he figured it was probably Ma, calling to say they were home safe and sorry she forgot to call earlier.
He slid the phone’s cover open. Yep. It was her. “Hey, Ma, you made it, huh?”
“We’re not home yet, but we’re in town at least.” She sounded breathless. “Don’t you let Jenna drive in this.”
“What’s going on? Drive in what?”
“We ran into a snowstorm about twenty miles before we got to Springfield. It was awful. Geoff couldn’t see ten feet in front of the car and there were cars in the ditch all along the Interstate. It’s terrible!”
“Oh, man! She left over an hour ago.”
His mother groaned. “You call her right now and tell her to get off at the next exit. The weather people are saying the storm is headed west. Just have her go to a hotel for the night. I’ll pay for it.”
His pulse raced. “Okay, Ma … Thanks. I need to get off and call her.”
“Don’t take no for an answer. Tell her she’s driving right into a blizzard.”
The rain hitting her windshield was starting to look like more than rain.
42
Sunday, March 22
Jenna turned the radio down and flipped the wipers on high. The sky had
been spitting on her for the past hour, but it was raining in earnest now.
The clock on the dashboard had just turned to midnight. She still had an hour and a half to go before she was home … maybe longer if this rain kept up. But she didn’t care. She wasn’t at all sleepy, and the weather was perfect for daydreaming.
She’d passed the time reliving every moment she’d spent with Luc today. And praying her heart out that God thought she and Lucas Vermontez should end up together as much as she thought they should.
Slowing down to sixty, she switched her lights from bright to dim and back, trying to figure out which made it easier to see. The temperature had dropped to freezing, but the road didn’t seem to be slick.
The rain hitting her windshield was starting to look like more than rain. She drove another ten miles, and the sky swirled with white stuff. It was snowing! Beautiful white flakes, except they were hitting the windshield ever faster—and beginning to accumulate on the dry grass in the ditches. She blinked a few times, trying to keep the road and the black night sky from blending into one.
“Just watch the center line,” she heard Zachary say. They’d driven to St. Louis in a storm like this early in their marriage. She’d been terrified and angry that he wouldn’t pull over and drive. But he’d said it was too dangerous to be on the side of the road, and besides, she needed to learn to drive in all kinds of weather.
She tried to recapture thoughts of Lucas again. Maybe she should call him. At least let him know why she would be later than one thirty getting home.
She searched her purse for her cell phone, trying to keep one eye on the white line. But the snow was coming down so hard now that she could barely make out the front of the car, let alone the road.
She opened her phone and hit Luc’s number, but saw that she had no signal. She tossed the phone in the seat beside her. She’d try him again in a few minutes when she got near a cell tower.
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