Chapter Fifteen

Nate

Strolling along by the river with Jenna, I couldn’t keep my eyes off her.

She was wearing a cute little floral sundress and a pink cardigan. Her hair was loose and flowing. She looked perfect.

My mind flashed back to the night before when Jenna’s appearance hadn’t been so modest. When I shut my eyes, I could still picture her laid out on the bed, her eyes inviting me in.

Jenna was incredible and had all the qualities I looked for in a woman—smart, funny, beautiful, and with the kind of sex appeal that was subtle during the day, but overwhelming behind closed doors. Last night, Jenna had been a bombshell in the bedroom.

She noticed me staring, and gave a little giggle. She blushed, and bit down on her lip, as she did so often. “What?”

“Nothing. I’m just thinking what a lucky guy I am.”

I held out my hand to Jenna, and she eagerly clasped her fingers around mine and beamed up at me as we continued to take our time, walking on the path along the river.

There was a joy about Jenna today. She couldn’t keep the smile off her face and seemed as though she was walking on air. I was also feeling in high spirits; seeing that beautiful smile every time I glanced in Jenna’s direction made me want to smile as well.

“What do you think of the river?”

It was a mild day; not too hot, not too cold. There was a slight breeze in the air, which caused the skirt of Jenna’s dress to flutter about her knees. I thought it was cute the way she modestly held it down.

The river had a gentle current; almost still. Everything was quiet, apart from the sound of birds singing, hidden somewhere in the trees.

“It’s so pretty! And it’s such a gorgeous day. This was a great idea, Nate.”

I wanted to do something a bit different for our next date. A day trip. The nighttime electricity between us was vivid and enticing, but I also wanted to get to know Jenna and to give her a chance to get me. I thought a walk by the river was the perfect chance to spend some time together with no distractions.

“Harriet loves it down here,” I told Jenna. “She always comes back with an armful of flowers. They’re wildflowers, the kind that are too small for vases. I always end up putting them in mugs or glasses around the house. She loves them.”

“She’s adorable. So inquisitive. She’s a very curious girl; always asking questions. That means she’s smart.”

“You think so?”

“I sure do. You’ve got one clever little girl on your hands there.”

I smiled, and Jenna smiled back.

A short while later, we came to a bench along the path. I’d packed a picnic for us which I set down on the bench. Jenna and I sat down, and I handed her a sandwich. She unwrapped the foil slowly and carefully and began to nibble on the bread delicately. As she ate, her eyes wandered over the wildflowers, and I saw the appreciation in her smile. I enjoyed watching her.

Jenna looked over at me and smiled. “The flowers are so pretty. You know, we had the most amazing lake in the town where I grew up.”

“Yeah?”

“Charlotte and I used to take picnics down there all the time and swim in the water. Mom would have been so mad if she’d known. She always told us it was too dangerous.”

“She was probably right.”

Jenna looked up at me and grinned mischievously. “Well, I never listened. I liked to swim. We used to spend hours at the lakeside, racing around and playing games. Charlotte grew out of it long before I did. She met Dave when she was pretty young and didn’t have time for picnics by the lake.”

“That’s a shame. What did you do, then?”

She laughed. “Well, I just kept going on my own!”

“You seem to do a lot on your own.” I realized that the words could have sounded like an insult when I didn’t mean them to be, so I went on. “What I mean is that a lot of women seem to be afraid to get out there on their own. You just get out there and do it.”

Jenna looked down at the ground and shook her head a little. “I’ve not always stood on my own two feet.”

The way that Jenna said that made me think that there was a story behind those words, but she didn’t say any more about it. Instead, she changed the subject. “You know, I’ve found a college in Fort Wayne that’ll accept my existing credits. I can transfer what I’ve done so far and finally finish my degree.”

“You’re kidding!” I exclaimed. “That’s great news! Are you going back to school full-time?”

“No. I’ve got bills to pay. They do a night school. That’s what I’m going to do.”

“Wow. That’s really great to hear. You’re gonna be so great as a preschool teacher. I know that Harriet adores you.”

“I adore her! I adore all those kids.”

“How long will it take you to finish the degree?”

“They said four semesters.”

“That’s not too long.”

“No, not really.” She looked up and smiled at me with bright eyes. “It actually feels like it’s within reach.”

“Of course, it is! When do you start?”

Jenna gave a little shrug. “I’m not sure yet. I haven’t put in a formal application. There are still a few things left to figure out, but my parents have been really kind. They said they’ll lend me the money I need for any costs I can’t afford alone. I’ll pay them back as soon as I’m teaching.”

“That’s really great. I’m pleased for you. I bet Mrs. Gatsby will be retiring soon. You’ll be ready in time to step right up!”

Jenna laughed lightly. “It would be nice to think it would be that easy. If there’s no place for me where I’m at, there’s always that other preschool.”

“Things will fall into place. Life has a funny way of getting you where you’re meant to be.”

She looked up at me with eyes full of affection. “It sure does.”

“You know, I was so glad you changed your mind about this.”

“You mean us?”

“Yeah.”

Jenna nodded. “Me, too.”

“What was holding you back?”

“Oh, you know. New town, new job. You were a guy I didn’t know that well, and I was still finding my way. I just wanted to get settled and take things slow.”

“I was starting to get worried that I’d been outshone by Jason Hasting.”

Jenna bust out laughing. “What? No! I’m not interested in him.”

“Ah, but Carla tells me he’s a very eligible bachelor.”

“You talk about me with Carla?” Jenna’s eyes were sparkling with mischief. She was onto me, and I had to laugh.

“Maybe sometimes.”

“And what do you say about me with Carla when I’m not there?”

“It’s a well-known fact that Carla knows everything about everyone. If you want to find out more about a beautiful woman, you go to Carla.”

“Mm-hmm. Well, I hope Carla had only the best things to say about me.”

“She spoke very highly of you.”

Jenna laughed. “Funny! She spoke very highly of you, too!”

“For once, I’m not even annoyed at her match-making. I think this time she got it pretty spot-on.”

Jenna’s smile widened and, she pulled me down onto the grass with her. We sat side-by-side, facing the river, and opened the picnic basket. I poured some soda for Jenna, and she took the cup from me with a smile and then nestled up against me. I put my arm around her.

It felt right to have her close to me, and I was smitten. Jenna was an incredibly sexy woman, and her beauty had attracted me to her at first, but she was so much more than that, too. When she told me about all her hopes and dreams, and when we laughed together and walked hand in hand, she felt like a friend. Something about this woman was magnetic, and I was looking forward to spending a lot more time with her.