Desert Storm (5 page)

             
“Hey, I'm sorry I shouldn't have brought it up.  It's okay we don't have to talk about it right now.  So would you like to go fishing later?”  He asked, changing the subject.

             
“Sure.”  She smiled, trying to put on a positive face.

After they were done eating they both cleaned up the dishes, as she washed the plates, he went and got the fishing equipment ready.  “So everything done yet?”  He said walking back in with the poles and tackle.

             
“Almost.”  She looked up and smiled.

As she finished doing dishes, his phone rang, he answered, “Yes.  No I'm not in town, I can't.  What?  Can't it wait?  Shit, it's going to take me a few hours to get back into town.”  He hung up.

             
“Um, I have to take a rain check on the fishing, there was a problem with one of the contracts and well they can't wait, it has to be fixed today.  I'm the only one who can approve it, so I have to go back for a bit.” 

             
“How long?”  Jenna said disappointed she had been looking forward to just hanging out with him all day and doing nothing much.

             
“Shouldn't be but today.  Take care of her Rufus, I'll stop and ask the deputy if he can run past here every once in a while, not that Mike should be out though.”  Jeff said.

             
“He's not getting out yet, but I appreciate it my nerves are shot a bit.”  Jenna admitted.

He came over gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.  “Jenna, I'll miss you while I'm gone, you be careful okay?”  He looked at her and kissed her on the lips before he left, it was a passionate kiss, all though it was short.

******

After he left the day seemed to slow to a crawl, she didn't feel like fishing by herself, so instead she just went out back and sat in the yard with a book.  Every once in a while she would play with Rufus and throw his toy for him too.  But in the end it was only Jeff she could think about, she missed him a lot.

             
“Shit, this isn't good.”  She looked at Rufus.  “You know what your damn daddy has me thinking?”  The dog didn't answer her, but wagged his behind and picked up his toy dropping it by her feet.

Shaking her head she thought back to their child hood and growing up with Jeff, and then how they had gotten romantically involved while in high school.  She had cared deeply for him, he had been her first true love.  When he had come to her and said he wanted to date other people, she had been devastated, thought her world would end, and it nearly had.  Mike was the next guy she'd ever date after Jeff, and had she ever really been happy?

It was a question that brought up a lot of memories that weren't happy, but more her just going along for the ride, or better yet settling on a second choice.  Each time she would talk to Jeff she would find out he was dating someone new, she would feel her heart sink once again at the memory of those years long ago.

Mike had just been a fill-in, she was suddenly beginning to realize that, the point that hit her square in the forehead was that Jeff had been the only guy she'd ever even think of sleeping with.  It was true, even when Mike had tried to convince her to have sex with the use of kisses, touches, and caressing, Jenna had always held strong. 

But the truth was that when Jeff kissed her before he'd left, and it was passionate, yet short, she had wanted to sleep with him.  Jenna had wanted to rip his clothes off and show him that she loved him just as much as he professed he loved her.

Wait, she stopped cold in her thoughts, I love him?  She looked around at the beautiful scenery and at Rufus, and wondered.  Do I love him and have I loved him all these years and only recently I filled the hole with a man, who didn't even match up to Jeff, not ever.

             
“Wow Rufus, you know what, he was right.  How do we let love get so lost and hidden?”  The dog looked at her, again wagging his butt, and bringing her the toy.  She picked it up and threw it, she smiled, wondering just how much longer it would be before Jeff would drive up to the house.

             
“I can't wait.”  She picked up her phone, dialing Jeff's number.

             
“Hello, everything okay?”  Jeff answered the phone.

             
“Yes, it's fine, just wanted to see how much longer until you got here?”  Jenna asked.

             
“Actually, I had just stopped at the corner store for a second in town and then I was coming out, so maybe fifteen minutes.”  Jeff answered.

             
“Stay there, I'm coming to meet you, I have something that needs to get done.”  Jenna said.

             
“Okay, what's so important.”  He asked.

             
“You'll see.”  Jenna hung up the phone and went to get her keys and go into town.

On the way in she called the small sheriff's office and asked for the name of the local judge, getting it she hung up and phoned him.  After she was done with him she smiled and hung up, Jeff would be shocked she was sure, but hell she would be happy, finally.

             
“Hey, come with me.”  Jenna said as she found Jeff standing by his car.

             
“Where are we going?”  Jeff asked.

             
“Just down the street.”  Jenna stated.  The town was all of two streets so the judge's address was very simple to find, they pulled up on the outside of the house.

             
“Who lives here?”  Jeff inquired.

             
“The judge, he's going to marry us.  I love you Jeff, it just was hidden a bit inside.  I want to marry you, because I'll be damned if I'm waiting any longer to have sex.”  Jenna said determined.

             
“Alright, I don't have a problem with this, how about a witness?”  Jeff asked.

             
“Everything is taken care of I called him on my way in to town.”  Jenna stated.

             
“So soon your going to be Mrs. Zest, attorney at law?”  Jeff asked.

             
“Sure, but I plan on having a few kids too, so don't think it's just going to be me and you.”  Jenna laughed.

             
“Don't forget Rufus.”  Jeff said.

             
“Oh never, I love you Jeff, let's get married.”  Jenna said.

He took the ring back out of his pocket and placed it on her finger, “better, let's go.” 

It took all of ten minutes to get married, they we're tempted to leave one of the cars in town, but decided to drive back to the cab