She was so caught up in her thoughts that it took her a moment to realise they had arrived at their destination. She looked around, puzzled. Jake had taken her to the parking lot. She glanced around for his truck.
“Are we going somewhere?” She asked worried. “Because I shouldn’t be too long. I don’t want to take advantage of Martha after leaving like I did, without notice. She’s been so good to me about it as it is.”
“No we’re not going anywhere. I just wanted to give you this.” Jake handed her a key. She stared at it in surprise. Tugging on her hand, he walked her over to a sweet little red car parked in the spot she usually headed for when she came to work. “I thought you’d need your own car for travelling to and from town as soon as possible. I hope you like it.”
Laura could hardly breathe. “You bought me a car?” she said faintly. She could hardly take it in. Her hand traced over the car in awe.
“You do like it don’t you?” he asked worriedly, when silence stretched out and she still hadn’t said much. She glanced up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
“Like it? I love it. But Jake, it’s too expensive. I can’t let you buy me a car!” she protested. Nobody in her entire life had ever cared enough about her to give her something as amazing as this. Tears spilled down her cheeks, splashing onto her top.
“You deserve it. And I wanted to show you how very much I want you in my life, permanently.” Jake hugged her tightly, dropping a kiss onto her head. “Please accept it. I really want to do this for you.”
She turned in his arms and hugged him fiercely. “Thank you so much. I can’t believe you’ve done this for me. It’s so thoughtful and wonderful.”
He took the key from her hand and opened the car door. “Here, see how it feels.”
Laura grinned, seating herself in the driver’s seat. It was a beautiful little car. She couldn’t have picked better herself. “I love it Jake. It’s perfect.”
“There is one more thing,” Jake said softly, kneeling by her side in the open doorway. He tapped the glove box. “Look in there.”
“You bought me something else?” she cried. “Jake you shouldn’t have. Buying me a car is more than enough. You don’t have to make up for what happened yesterday. It wasn’t your fault!”
“That’s not what this is about,” Jake assured her. “Open it.”
Puzzled, Laura opened the glove compartment and gasped. Laying in an open box was the most beautiful diamond ring she’d ever seen in her life. One beautifully cut stone sat in a gold band, its flawless perfection took her breath away. Shaking, she closed her eyes. She had to be seeing things.
Jake gently took her hand in his, drawing her attention to him.
“Laura, I nearly lost you yesterday. I know I’ve put you through so much since we met. It hasn’t been an easy ride. But you are the woman I want so spend the rest of my life with. I have never loved anyone before you, I only thought I did. I will never love any other woman now that I’ve found you. Would you do me the incredible honour of becoming my wife and share the rest of our lives together?”
Laura could barely see past the tears pouring down her face. She was shaking so badly, she was sure he’d hear her teeth clattering. She pinched her arm. “I’m not dreaming this am I?” she whispered, finding it hard to believe this was really happening.
Kissing her gently, he wiped at her tears with the pads of his thumbs, his gentle warmth penetrating her with tender care. “No, you are not dreaming this. It’s all very real,” He smiled warmly into her eyes. “What is your answer sweetheart? And believe me, I won’t be taking any other answer than yes.” He gave her a cheeky wink.
She laughed, hugging him tightly. “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!” She smothered him with kisses, gently cradling his precious face in her hands. She gazed deeply into his eyes, both of them getting lost in each other. Both felt the incredible connection between them growing stronger, a bond that was real and totally unbreakable. Laura knew in that moment that what they had was forever. She swallowed hard. Somehow, she’d been incredibly blessed and she gave thanks for it with her whole heart.
Breaking eye contact, Jake took the ring from its box, sliding it over her finger and settling into place. It was a perfect fit. “How did you know my size,” she whispered in awe, staring at the ring on her hand. Sunshine caught the jewel, setting off a thousand rainbow sparkles dancing all around them.
“I stole one from your room. I hope you don’t mind,” he grinned wickedly.
She smiled softly. “How could I possibly mind when you’ve just made all my dreams come true.”
Then he kissed her, gently running his hands through her hair. She sighed blissfully, deepening the kiss. Jake slid his tongue into the warm recess of her mouth, sending her pulse racing. It felt different this time. The deeper feeling of connection that had grown between them, made the kiss feel like their souls were touching, their spirits blending together giving them a feeling of belonging so completely to each other. Laura had no idea where she ended and where Jake began.
Her heart hammered in her chest, the feelings of doubt melting away in the face of his tender love. Finally, she could believe that she was the only one Jake loved and wanted. The feeling was euphoric. Feeling giddy and drunk on his kisses, she clung to his shoulders, wishing they were somewhere private to celebrate this momentous occasion. Sighing blissfully, they finally pulled apart.
“I wish I didn’t have to work still,” she admitted wistfully. “Right now, I’d like us to be somewhere special and private.” She gave him a naughty look.
“Don’t go tempting me like that,” he growled. “We’ll celebrate tonight. I have plans.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her.
“More surprises?” she giggled. “You’re spoiling me!”
“I think it’s about time that you were spoilt a little,” he told her. “And I have something very special in mind! You are going to love it!”
Laura sighed dramatically. “How am I supposed to survive until then?” She kissed him one last time before he helped her out of the car. She locked the door, running her hand once more over the car in loving appreciation, her ring catching the sun again. “I can’t believe you’ve done all this for me?” She felt slightly stunned. She’d never imagined someone loving her that much. “This was all so completely perfect!”
“You are more than worth it,” he whispered in her ear, making her shiver. Laura hated to see him leave, but she knew she had to get back and help Alfie prepare for lunch. Reluctantly, she said her goodbyes with a promise to get back home as soon as possible for Jake’s next surprise. She could hardly wait to see what he had planned for them next.
Laura headed back to the diner as if she was floating on air. She still couldn’t believe all this was happening to her! Everything she’d ever dreamed of and more. She knew now, no matter what happened, she’d never doubt Jake ever again. Their love was real, strong and forever. She could feel it in every beat of her heart. There would never be another man for her, not as long as she lived.
She entered the diner, her face beaming in her joy. “It was a good surprise then?” Martha asked laughing.
“He bought me a car,” Laura said in awe. “And this!” She held up her hand to show Martha the ring.
Martha gasped at the beautiful diamond glinting in the light. “Is that what I think it is?” she asked excitedly, grabbing Laura’s hand for a closer look.
Laura nodded, laughing and crying at the same time. “He asked me to marry him and of course I said yes!”
“You’d be crazy not to!” Martha cried, hugging her. “Congratulations!”
“What’s all the fuss about?” Alfie inquired, coming out of the kitchen to find out what the noise was about.
“Laura’s got engaged,” his mother informed him. Alfie beamed, giving her a hug. Laura could hardly concentrate as lunchtime service began. She kept staring at the ring on her finger, her mind wondering off into pleasant daydreams of her life with Jake. Al
fie kept yelling at her to keep her mind on the job. She giggled to herself at the changes happening in him. Little by little her assistant was gaining confidence. In a few months she could probably leave him to cook a full service.
Blissfully happy, Laura left the diner once lunch was over. She knew she’d promised Jake she’d be home soon, but she dearly wanted to wear something special tonight and she didn’t really have that much with her. She didn’t feel like wearing her little black dress after the last time she’d worn it and the unhappy memories she associated with it. She didn’t want anything to colour their evening together. Decision made, Laura took some time to hunt through a couple of the boutiques in town. There wasn’t many places to choose from, but Laura didn’t want to take the time to drive to a bigger town.
At last she found a beautiful dress in a soft romantic pink. The cut of the skirt flattered her figure and made her waist look tiny. She adored the sweetheart neckline and the delicate lace that covered the dress, giving it an elegant look. It was a little more expensive than Laura would normally buy, but this was a special occasion. Laura wanted it to be perfect. After all, how many times did a girl get to celebrate her engagement?
Finally, she headed to her brand new car, carrying her dress carefully in its bag. She stowed it on the backseat of the car, before getting in the driver’s side. She sat for several moments, trying to take everything in. She had no idea what Jake had planned, but she could hardly wait! She was so lost in her happy thoughts, that it took her several moments to realise she was staring at Walter. He was moving rapidly down the street, every now and then glancing around him as if he was nervous to be seen. Laura’s suspicions came flooding to the fore. He was definitely not acting normal.
Jerking to attention, she slumped down in her car, watching as he hurried through town, ducking down into a narrow side street that Laura had never been down. Curious, Laura slid out of her car, locked it and hurried to follow him. She glanced at her watch. This was going to make her terribly late. She felt a tug of war start inside her. Part of her wanted to forget Walter and go home to Jake and his surprise, but the part of her that was determined to get to the truth didn’t feel like she could pass up this opportunity to find out what was going on. The latter part won.
She ran swiftly and silently down the street she’d seen Walter disappear down. It was a quiet area that had several old buildings no longer in use. Laura had never been to this part of town before. Kerry had told her there used to be a large factory here at one point, but they’d packed up years ago and moved to a more prosperous area. Now the buildings lay dormant, falling into disrepair from lack of use.
Laura could not imagine what Walter could possibly want in this part of town, unless he was up to something as she’d suspected. Nervous chills raced over her body as she slowed, listening carefully having lost which direction Walter had taken. Presently she heard a scuffling noise from a small building to her right. Swiftly moving in that direction, Laura hunched down to avoid being seen.
Creeping forwards, she stuck her head around the corner just in time to see Walter entering the building through a broken down door. Laura inched her way forwards, looking for a window she could see through, but no such thing was in evidence. Frustrated, she realised the building must have been some kind of storage shed.
Quickly, she scurried to the doorway, leaning back against the wall, she strained to hear anything from the room beyond. Her heart was banging so loudly, she felt sure someone would hear it. Taking a calming breath, she listened. The sound of Walter’s annoyed voice soon reached her ears. “I came as fast as I could. I couldn’t very well drop everything the minute you texted. It would have aroused suspicion.”
“Oh do stop with your whining and excuses!” came a woman’s voice. Laura frowned in confusion. She’d expected Walter to meet with Victoria, but this woman was English from the sound of her accent. Had someone else arrived in town that Walter knew? How did this fit into everything? She leaned forward, wanting to get a look at the mystery woman’s face.
Peering through the cracks in the door, she could make out Walter’s back but the woman was standing out of her view. Pursing her lips in annoyance, Laura strained to hear what they were saying. “What the heck is this?” came Walter’s voice.
“What does it look like?” hissed the woman. “It’s poison.”
“Again? But it didn’t work last time. Charger survived.” Laura’s heart skipped several beats. She just about stifled her gasp, covering her mouth with her hand. So it was Walter that had been behind the poisoning, him and this woman. She knew there was something going on with him, but she hadn’t suspected this. She would have sworn he’s only involvement had been with Victoria to try and split her and Jake up. This was something else entirely.
The woman sighed impatiently. “We’re not poisoning food this time and I’ve got something a whole lot stronger. This will kill a horse nice and slow, but the vet won’t be able to do anything for the animals. It is totally incurable. I want you to take it and dump it in the water supply for the breeding stock. Make sure you get every water supply they drink from. It will take them ages to discover what the cause is and by that time they will have lost most if not all their horses.” She laughed long and low.
Something about the woman pricked at Laura. She sounded familiar despite her accent. Pushing the feeling of familiarity aside, Laura quietly pulled back from the door, ducking round the corner again. She pulled her phone from her bag and quickly began to text Jake. She had to warn him before it was too late. Hopefully he’d be able to set up a trap and catch Walter before he could contaminate the water. Surely if he was caught and in trouble, he could be persuaded to give up his female accomplice.
Her heart pounding, she desperately tapped out her message, feeling like her fingers had grown into big clumsy sausages that kept hitting the wrong keys. Biting her lip, Laura had almost finished when the phone was suddenly whipped out of her hand. Gasping in shock, she found herself staring into Walter’s stony face.
“I’m sorry Laura, but I can’t let you send that text.” He said it so quietly and calmly that it sent a bolt of terror straight through Laura. She sprang into action, darting around him and running for the main part of town. She had to reach people as fast as possible. Her heart hammered loudly in her ears. All she could think was she had to get to Jake and tell him what Walter and that woman were planning. She couldn’t let them win. Her breath sounded ragged and loud in the deserted street, her lungs burning with her exertion and fear.
She was only five feet from the entrance back into the main street when a piecing pain filled her head. Shocked, she turned to see Victoria standing behind her, a triumphant smile on her blood red lips. Laura had one moment of realisation that the woman she’d heard with the English accent had in fact been Victoria after all, before she slumped down into unconsciousness.
*****
Jake was in seventh heaven. Things couldn’t have gone better for him. He whistled a happy tune as he mucked out the stalls. Laura had been totally taken by surprise and best of all, she’d said yes to his proposal. His heart tripped over in his chest as he thought of the future. Finally, he could see a happy one with a family of his own. Kerry had been right. He would have missed having a wife and children to share his life with. He couldn’t wait to tell her the news. She’d been out when he got home, a note telling him she’d gone to sort out the accounts from the guest cottages as some discrepancy had been spotted by Miss Porter.
He smiled as he thought back on the conversation he’d had with his mother. He’d called her as soon as he’d got back to the ranch, knowing he couldn’t put off telling her any longer. She’d been thrilled after she’d scolded him soundly for keeping her in the dark. She’d insisted on him giving her every little detail about how they’d met and peppered him with hundreds of questions about Laura. Jake hadn’t minded really. He enjoyed talking about the woman he’d come to love more than life itself.
Finishing
in the stall, he went back to the house for a quick shower. He could hardly wait to take Laura to the romantic restaurant he’d booked a table with. She was going to love it. The place was beautiful, set into the mountains with incredible views over the valley. The food was excellent also, which he knew Laura would particularly enjoy! He tingled with excitement at the thought of her expression when she saw the place.
Heading into the kitchen, he put the coffee maker on, wanting a snack to keep him going until dinner. Taking a plate, he stuck a big slice of cake that Laura had made onto it. He was just about to pour himself a big mug of coffee to go with it when Bill strolled in. He sniffed the air appreciatively and eyed Jake’s cake.
“Any chance of a coffee and some of that cake boy?” he asked, patting his stomach in anticipation.
“Do you have a built in radar or something?” Jake laughed. “You always seem to know exactly when someone has made coffee and there’s cake available!”
“It’s a gift!” Bill quipped. “Where’d you get to this morning? I missed you at feeding time.” He took the plate and mug Jake handed him. Both men sat at the table to enjoy their food.
Jake felt slightly bad, knowing he’d left Bill to deal with ensuring the horses were fed uncontaminated food again. The poor man had shouldered most of the burden since the incident with Charger, Jake having ended up with one drama after another, thanks to Victoria.
“I’m sorry about that Bill. I know I’ve been dumping a lot on you lately. I will make it up to you, I promise.”
Bill waved him off. ”As long as you’ve sorted things out with Laura, that’s the main thing.”
Jake grinned mischievously. “I’d say it’s better than just sorted out.” He was just about to tell Bill his good news when Kerry came bounding in.
“Where’d you get to this morning?” she asked, grabbing a mug of coffee and a slice of cake. She plonked herself down on a chair next to Bill. “I expected you back straight after dropping Laura off. Speaking of which,” she glanced at her watch. “Shouldn’t you have gone to pick her up already?”
Wild Fire (The Fairy Tale Match Series) Page 29
