Heart of Love Read online

  She raced through town and pulled onto the highway, unaware of the dark blue pickup hot on her blistered heels.

  Jake realized the party was a mistake as soon as they walked in the door. He should have taken Anna and left immediately. It was loud and crass, and other than a few friends, there really wasn’t anyone there he wanted to see.

  What used to be a fun night out now only served to annoy him. Filled with a sense of self-loathing that he used to be a part of this crowd, he couldn’t believe he used to think this was what life was all about.

  That was before he met Anna.

  She looked amazing in a sleeveless purple dress. Simple yet elegant, it was perfect for her.

  The only accents she wore were black heels that made her legs look a mile long, a black necklace, and her glasses. Her hair hung in cascading waves over her shoulders, practically begging his hands to get lost in the silken locks.

  She was taller, more toned, and honestly tanned than any of the other girls, making them look fake and dull in comparison. He’d noticed several guys giving her interested glances. A few were even bold enough to stare openly when she wasn’t looking.

  Anna may not know it, but she stood out in the crowd like a beacon, and it wasn’t just her height. Most of the girls attending the party were the regular groupies — cheap and easy, or at least dressing the part.

  With her wholesome appeal, Anna looked like a queen among paupers.

  It was obvious she wasn’t enjoying herself. The noise was too much for her, although she never said anything. He decided they’d stick it out a few more minutes then leave. When Anna asked for something cold to drink, he’d gone in search of a soda.

  Stopped by various groups of people he used to hang out with, they all wanted to know why he dropped completely off the radar. One look at Anna, and it wasn’t hard to explain. It was easy to see the change in him. Gone was the good-time guy looking for fun. In his place was a man in love.

  Jake had nearly made it back to her when a group of malicious girls, claws extended, prowled by.

  “Jakester, where did you find that girl? The ice queen convention?” one asked as she laid her hand on his arm. He pointedly removed it and shot her a cool glare. “You can’t even have a decent conversation with her. Is she kind of slow, Jakester? She acts like she can’t hear what you’re saying. What kind of accent is that? She talks funny. Is she a foreigner?”

  Jake’s irritation quickly moved to disgust. He continued across the room, heading back to Anna to suggest they leave, when a group of his old friends stopped him. Not wanting to be rude, especially since one was the host of the party, he stopped to talk. They congratulated him on making the “catch of the year” with Anna and asked how they met. He said they literally bumped into each other.

  “I knew from the start Anna wasn’t my type. She’s shy, quiet, and a librarian, of all things. You guys know me, loud and obnoxious. It didn’t take long to realize Anna’s the perfect girl for me, though,” Jake explained to his friends.

  They visited a few more minutes before Jake excused himself to find Anna. When he returned to where he’d last seen her standing, she was nowhere to be found. Jake looked all around the house, in the backyard where the party had spilled over, and even made a loop around the perimeter outside with no luck.

  He went back inside and finally located Dave with his date. “Dave, have you seen Anna? I can’t find her.” His worry gave way to panic.

  “She went out the front door a while ago,” Dave said, glancing around the room to try and locate her. “She didn’t look like she was having a good time.”

  “Thanks.” Jake hurried outside to his pickup, hoping Anna waited there. He opened the door, but the cab was empty. He tried her cell phone and got her voice mail.

  “Anna, where are you?” Jake hoped some answer would present itself. Unsure what to do, he ran back inside and found Dave again.

  “If you see Anna, would you please keep an eye on her and have her call me?”

  “Sure, Jake,” Dave said, trying to remove himself from his date’s possessive clutch on his arm. “Is there anything wrong?”

  “I don’t know.” Jake ran an anxious hand through his hair. “But I plan to find out.”

  Jake jumped in his pickup and drove to the library. Anna surely had sense enough not to walk back to her car. Not in those shoes. With the gathering darkness, it wasn’t smart or safe for her to walk alone.

  When he pulled into the parking lot, he saw her car was gone. Frustrated, he thumped his steering wheel with his fist. Quickly turning around, he drove through town. He was almost to the highway when he thought he spied her car racing through lights up ahead. Accelerating, he hoped he could catch her. Maybe she had a family emergency, but he knew if that were the case, she would have told him she needed to leave.

  Jake attempted to catch her on the highway. Although he drove as fast as he could, he fell farther behind instead of gaining distance. He rued the day Anna bought that sporty car.

  Barely slowing down, she whipped off the highway onto the gravel road that led to the Zimmerman’s lane. Gravel splayed in a wide arc and the car started to slide. Afraid at one point the car might roll, Jake clenched his steering wheel and prayed. Shocked by her wild driving, he had no idea what to think. Grateful when the car straightened instead of flipping over, he released the breath he’d been holding as she braked the car and stopped on the edge of the road.

  Anxious with worry, Jake parked alongside her, jumped out of his truck, and ran to her door.

  When he pulled it open, the look she turned on him sent a warning chill racing down his spine. Her wide violet eyes weren’t gazing at him with the adoration he’d come to expect. Instead, a wild, wounded look bore through him.

  He squatted down and reached inside to undo her seatbelt. “Anna, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?” he asked with a calm he was far from feeling. His heart pounded madly and his legs felt wobbly.

  Anna slapped at his hands before he could touch her and turned on him with a cold fury he’d never imagined her capable of possessing.

  “You stay away from me, Jake Chandler. Just leave me alone.” Her chest heaved and tears formed in her eyes. “I never want to see you again!”

  Jake scrambled to think of a reason for her distress. “Did someone say something to upset you, Anna? What’s wrong? Talk to me.” He reached out a hand to stroke her arm.

  The second he touched her, Anna shoved him hard enough he landed on his backside in the gravel.

  Anna started the engine, shifted the car into gear, and yelled, “Leave me alone! Why don’t you go find a girl more your type?” She took off and left Jake sitting in a wake of dust and hurt.

  He had no idea what he’d done to anger Anna. Uncertain if he should follow her or give her some space, he dusted himself off, watching her taillights turn down her lane and disappear behind the trees.

  After taking a deep breath, he dialed the Zimmerman’s number, relieved when Sue answered.

  “Sue, this is Jake. Anna’s pretty upset and I’m not sure why. She won’t talk to me and I wanted to make sure she got home safely.”

  Sue heard the kitchen door slam. “I believe she just came in the door, Jake. Why don’t you try calling tomorrow? I’ll see if I can find out what’s wrong.”

  Sue hung up the phone and looked at Ken, shaking her head. Anna rarely lost her temper, but when she did, it was a sight to see. From the banging in the kitchen, Anna appeared to be in a fine fettle over something.

  Ken stood but Sue motioned for him to stay seated in the couch. “Let me handle this one.”

  “Anna, what in the world is the matter?” Sue asked, as she walked into the kitchen and watched Anna pour a glass of iced tea, drinking it down in one long swallow. After slamming the empty glass on the counter, Anna limped over to a kitchen chair and sank down.

  Sue flicked on the light over the table and gasped when she saw Anna’s feet, covered with multiple blisters, some oozing a
nd bloody. Anna’s discarded shoes sat by the door.

  Kneeling in front of her daughter, Sue grabbed her hands. “Oh, sweetie, what happened?”

  “Jake,” Anna finally whispered. “He… he said… he…”

  “He said what, Anna? What did he say that made you this upset?” Sue gently rubbed Anna’s back, wondering what in the world her daughter had done to her feet.

  “We were at a party. Couldn’t hear… reading lips. Saw him tell his friends I wasn’t his type of girl. I got mad and left… walked back to my car… came home,” Anna said between her tears.

  “Did you give Jake a chance to explain? Maybe you missed part of the conversation. Maybe that wasn’t what he meant.” Sue wasn’t trying to defend Jake, but Anna could be overly sensitive. “He really cares for you, Anna. I don’t think he would intentionally hurt you like this.”

  Anna stiffened and started to get up, then winced in pain. “Fine, Mom. Take his side.”

  “I’m not taking sides, Anna. I’m just encouraging you to think things through before you do something you’ll regret. Now, sit here while I get something for your feet.”

  Sue filled a clean dishpan with warm water and left Anna soaking her feet while she gathered antibacterial ointment and bandages. When she returned to the kitchen, Ken listened to Anna’s tirade about what a despicable skunk Jake turned out to be.

  Wisely, Ken refrained from making any comment. Instead, he sat across from Anna nodding his head sympathetically.

  After Sue treated Anna’s blisters, she encouraged her daughter to get some rest and see how things looked in the morning.

  As they watched Anna hobble out of the room, Sue and Ken contemplated what had taken place. One thing was perfectly clear — their shy, timid daughter came vibrantly alive when she was with Jake. Even when she wasn’t mad, brilliant sparks danced in her eyes when all she did was talk about him.

  “Well, Susie-Q, what has our little Sugar gotten herself into this time,” Ken asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

  Anna had a stubborn streak a mile wide when she got her back up about something. She’d set her jaw and refuse to listen to reason. Her sore feet were a perfect testament to the extent of her obstinacy.

  Suddenly, Ken laughed aloud.

  “What’s so funny?” Sue looked with annoyance at her husband. Anna was in pain, both physically and emotionally, and Jake sounded terribly upset when he called. She couldn’t think of a single thing about the situation that warranted Ken’s humor.

  “I bet ol’ Jake didn’t know what hit him when he got Sugar’s dander up,” Ken said, unable to stop the grin that spread across his face. “If I was a betting man, I’d wager he had no idea she could be so stubborn or owned such a hot temper.”

  Sue laughed in spite of herself. A picture of Anna in full fury and Jake not knowing what hit him did make for an amusing image. “We all know where she got those two particular traits, don’t we? They sure didn’t come from me.”

  “Are you insinuating I’m the one with a temper and bullheaded?” Ken innocently asked his wife.

  “Who’s insinuating? I’m telling you straight out.” Sue rose from her chair and tugged on Ken’s hand. “Come on, let’s go to bed. I have a feeling tomorrow could be a long day.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Tell him to go away. I won’t see him. I won’t!” Anna yelled as she sat on her bed with her feet propped up. The blisters that were painful the previous night were excruciating today. Sue gave her pain reliever, cold compresses, more antibacterial cream, and offered to drive her to the doctor.

  In a stubborn frame of mind, not to mention heartbroken over Jake, Anna accepted the medicine and cold packs but refused to leave the house. Good thing it was Saturday. At least she didn’t have to go back to work until Monday.

  Jake called Sue at nine that morning. He seemed to know Anna wouldn’t answer her cell phone and tried the house number. After Anna refused to speak with him, he proceeded to call every hour on the hour until noon, begging to talk to her.

  Sue hated telling him no. He sounded so hurt and miserable, it was about to break her heart.

  When the phone didn’t ring at one, Sue hoped Jake had given up. She’d just breathed a sigh of relief when a knock sounded at the back door. It didn’t surprise her to find Jake on the step, holding a bouquet of flowers and a bag of peanut M&Ms.

  While she put the flowers in a vase, Jake gave her the details of what he thought happened the night before, leaving out the part about Anna’s reckless driving. He still had no idea what had set her off into a blind fury.

  Sue marched into Anna’s room with the flowers and demanded she at least listen to what Jake had to say. Her insistence resulted in Anna’s current tirade, resonating throughout the house and carrying out to the shop where Sam worked on a tractor.

  “I won’t see him, Mom. I just won’t!” Anna’s volume increased as she stubbornly set her chin. “Tell him to go away and never come back.”

  “No can do,” Jake said, standing in the half-open door to her bedroom, surprising both Anna and her mother. “I won't go away until you tell me what made you mad.”

  Sue turned around, grinned at Jake, and mouthed, “good luck,” before leaving the room.

  Anna rested on the bed, eyes shooting sparks, cheeks painted a rosy hue from an angry blush. “I don't believe I have anything further to say to you, Mr. Chandler. Please remove yourself from my presence posthaste.”

  “I don't think so, Sugar.” Jake stepped into the room and noticed her feet propped up on pillows. He nearly choked at the sight of them. The huge, raw blisters covering both feet looked painful enough to topple a tough grown man, let alone this determined, stubborn, intractable female. What was she thinking, hiking a mile and a half in the shoes she’d worn last night?

  Jake shook his head. Obstinate, independent, pigheaded woman.

  Anna sat like a princess holding court as she scowled at him imperiously in her decidedly feminine room. Violets danced in stripes down the wallpaper and deep shades of purple and green added pops of color to the otherwise white room. A laptop computer rested on a small desk and a huge bookcase took up all of one wall, filled with a variety of books, knickknacks and framed art. An overstuffed chair occupied a sunny corner while the queen-sized bed sat at an angle with a marvelous view out two large windows that overlooked the backyard.

  Jake turned his attention from the room back to the enraged woman on the bed. If he hadn’t been so irritated with her, he may have been tempted to kiss her senseless. Instead of hollering at her about how frantic he'd been when he couldn't find her last night, or how irresponsibly she'd been driving, or how worked up she had him by not answering his calls all morning, he swallowed down his anger and plastered on one of his most charming smiles.

  “I’m not leaving. Not until you tell me what's got you so riled.” Jake towered above her, standing next to the bed, smiling for all he was worth.

  “I don't have to tell you anything,” Anna snapped, ignoring his charm and his smile. If she could have stomped out of the room and slammed the door in his face, she would have done it. Lucky for him, she could barely hobble.

  With a resigned sigh, Anna hoped if she told him the truth he'd feel the least bit chagrined and leave her alone. Instead of looking at Jake, though, she stared out the window.

  “I was reading your lips last night when I saw you tell your friends I wasn't your type of girl. You made it perfectly clear you prefer the company of an entirely different type of girl. A type I’m incapable of being and have no desire to become. Now that you’ve clarified that point, I will no longer squander your time with my unwelcome presence. There’s nothing here to detain you further. Please go away and leave me alone. I don’t…” Her voice quavered. “I don't want to see you ever again.”

  “Oh, you're going to see me, Anna, whether you like it or not.” Jake spoke loudly and clearly so she could hear his words.

  Willingly, he surrendered the freedom he
’d guarded so carefully to this innocent yet wild girl with the soulful eyes, infuriating mulishness, and kissable lips. “You've got me.”

  “Got you? What are you talking about?” Anna turned her gaze to him, confused.

  Jake braced his hands against the headboard of the bed and trapped her between his powerful arms. He leaned over until his forehead nearly touched hers. His breath, warm and minty, blew softly on her face, and the scent of his spicy aftershave filled her nose.

  “It's too late, Anna. I can't go away and leave you alone. I just can't. Don’t ask me to.” Jake drew a ragged breath, his eyes burning brightly from an inner fire. “So help me, but you've got my heart and dang near all the rest of me wrapped around your finger. If you wanted me to be able to walk away, you never should have kissed me like you meant it, held me like you cared, or made my dreams seem so real when we’re together. You never should have made me fall in love with you.”

  Anna stared at Jake, taking in the look in his eyes and the sincerity written on his face. Maybe she had overreacted. Maybe he did care about her.

  If she was honest with herself, there wasn’t any maybe about it.

  “Oh, Jake.” Tears pooled in her eyes and she placed a hand on his cheek. “I don't know what to say. You... You love me?”

  “Yes, I love you. I’ve never told a girl that before and I don’t say it lightly now. Even though you are stubborn, crazy, exasperating and annoyingly independent, I love you, Anna. You also happen to be intelligent, beautiful, sweet, and perfect for me.” Jake’s smile melted Anna's heart.

  “I love you, too, you insane, obnoxious, handsome, most wonderful man.” A lone tear rolled down her cheek. “I've loved you for so long.”

  Jake brushed away her tear with his thumb and sat next to her on the bed, plunging into her eyes, drowning in their depths.

  “Jake?” she asked, leaning closer to him.

  “What, Sugar?” Unable to drag himself out of the tempting violet pools where he’d fallen, he appeared utterly distracted.