"Pa, what do you mean? I brought him here to meet you".
"I turned on the tv and see a press conference that says that he kidnapped you. I'm just wondering why you brought your kidnapper to my home".
"Because you invited us. And he didn't kidnap me".
"I invited you, I never said anything about guests".
"I'm sorry sir, she told me that we were invited. I can get a hotel room".
"Very well".
"No, wait. Now everyone just calm down. Let's all go talk in the living room."
She led the way and sat on the couch. Jonathan followed her and finally, her father did too.
"Now, I'm assuming you saw Elliott Manning's press conference?"
"That is correct".
"He is the only one saying I was kidnapped. I wasn't kidnapped. I left him, ended our relationship and willingly flew back to the states with Jonathan. Jonathan has never and would never harm me in any way, including kidnapping. Did you watch the press conference that he and I gave?"
"No, I didn't catch that".
"Well, that's a shame, because we basically cleared that up. Do you honestly think that if he kidnapped me, I would bring him here and introduce him to you as my boyfriend?"
"That's a good point. Son, I apologize for accusing you of kidnapping my daughter".
"Thank you".
"Now when I spoke with you at Jonathan's office, I assumed that you had just seen our press conference. So when you invited me to come for a visit, I assumed you were inviting me and him. So, that's my fault and I apologize. We can get a hotel room if you really don't want the extra company".
"No, that's not necessary. We have the room, both of you can stay".
She turned to Jonathan.
"I'm sorry, darling."
"It's alright".
He leaned over and kissed her temple.
"So, I take it after the plane crash, you two became more than friends?"
"Yes, that's correct".
"Son, what are your intentions where my daughter is concerned?"
"I love her with all my heart and soul. I intend to do whatever I can to make sure she is happy, safe and has whatever she wants or needs".
"Are you prepared for the mornings when she wakes up cranky, or the moments when her temper is stronger than her patience?"
"Pa!"
"I am definitely prepared for those moments".
"Not to mention her tendency to get overly excited about things? And she has a stubborn streak that runs pretty deep sometimes. Do you think you can handle that?"
"Pa! Lay off."
"Ok, ok."
"I think with as much as we've been through, I can handle whatever she throws at me, and I will do so happily".
Jennifer put her hand on top of his.
"He makes me happy, Pa. Really, truly happy".
"Well, I'm glad. It's about time you had someone in your life that makes you happy. I can only hope that you and Jonathan are as happy as your mother and I were once upon a time".
"I'm sure we will be."
"Now, tell me how you got mixed up with this putz, Elliott".
"I was working in Australia and the paper put me up in a hotel because it was a short contract. He owned the hotel, and saw me in the lobby. Jonathan and I weren't together at that time, so when Elliott pursued me, I accepted his invitation to dinner. We were only together for a couple of months, because I could see he wasn't the one for me".
"So you break things off with him and he tells the world you were kidnapped?"
She nodded.
"Failure is simply not an option in his eyes. He couldn't accept the fact that I walked out, so he has to make himself look like the victim."
"Well, I'm glad you are away from him."
"Me too".
Jennifer looked over and smiled at Jonathan.
"Me three".
Walter came and told them that lunch was ready.
"Miss Jennifer, I made one of your favorite dishes- Chicken stir fry with sesame noodles".
"Wonderful! Walter, you spoil me".
"My pleasure, Miss Jennifer".
After a lovely lunch, Jonathan and Jennifer went riding and she showed him the property.
They had a nice long ride, and stopped a few times to let the horses rest.
"You look so beautiful up on a horse".
"Thank you. Horses are my passion".
They rode along and made it back to the house about 3 hours after they had left.
They went inside and discovered Stephen on the phone in his office.
Jonathan and Jennifer went to the back patio.
"Darling, I wanted to tell you I was so impressed by you today."
"You were?"
"Yeah. When you made your father and I sit down and listen to you and you got everything sorted out."
"Darling, you and Pa are the two most important men in my life. I wasn't going to let our visit end after 30 seconds."
"I'm glad."
She leaned up and kissed him nice and slow.
"Ahem….the place for that is not here".
"Pa, it was just a kiss".
"Did you two have a nice ride?"
"We did, we did. I showed him the whole property".
"You have a lovely estate, sir".
"Thank you, son. It has served me well".
"Jennifer, I have some papers for you to look over and sign, while you are here".
"Papers? What kind of papers?"
"Well you turn 30 this year, so that means that you get a portion of the trust your mother left you. In the interest of good bookkeeping, my accountant took the portion that you have access to and put it into a separate account. So, when you sign the papers, it will be me signing the account over to you".
"Oh, ok".
They walked inside and he went and got the papers.
Jennifer signed on her part, and Stephen signed on his.
"Oh, we need a witness. Darling, can you sign this as a witness?"
"Certainly".
"No, no. Let's get Walter to do it".
"Pa, why would you say that? Jonathan will make a great witness".
"Darling, this is a private family matter".
"Private? So private that you can talk about it in front of him, but he can't witness that our signatures are real?"
"Walter is family, sweetheart".
"Pa, I love Walter, I do. But he is no more related to you or I than Jonathan is. So if Jonathan isn't suitable in your eyes, then Walter isn't suitable in mine".
"Fine. Son, would you mind?"
"Not at all".
He came over and signed the forms and then handed them to Stephen.
"Thank you".
"Darling, I'm a little dusty from the ride. Is there a bathroom where I can shower and freshen up?"
"Absolutely. Upstairs, at the end of the hall."
"I'll take your bags upstairs too".
"Sweetheart, you will be staying in your room, and Jonathan can stay in the green room down the hall".
"Fine, Pa."
She waited till Jonathan was upstairs to confront her father.
"Pa, what is wrong with you? How could you be so rude to Jonathan like that?"
"Sweetheart, I'm just trying to protect your interests. For all we know, he could be after your inheritance. We aren't talking pennies here, sweetheart. This portion that you are getting is less than half of the entire trust and it's well into 7 figures".
"He just sat there and told you that he loves me, and he cares about me, and that he wants to make me happy. And you think he's only after my money? He doesn't need my money, or yours."
"How do you know?"
"When I introduced him, did you catch his last name?"
"No, I'm afraid I didn't".
"Hart, as in Hart Industries. He's Jonathan Hart, the founder and CEO."
"Well, that's very impressive. I take it back".
"Thank you. And I'm telling you right now, if you don't lighten up where he is concerned, you won't see us here again. I don't want it to come to that. I promise, Jonathan is absolutely wonderful, you just need to give him a chance".
"You're right. I'm sorry".
"It's not me you should apologize to, it's him".
With that, she turned and went upstairs to shower and get ready for dinner.
He came and found her in her room after he was ready. She was fresh out of the shower and having a hard time getting her dress on.
"Hey, does this look ok?"
"Darling, can you help me out, please?"
"Certainly".
He zipped her up and then she turned around to him.
"You look so incredibly handsome".
She leaned up and kissed him.
"I apologize for my father's rudeness. I've never seen him act like this".
"Once he gets to know me, he'll either change his opinion or he won't. I can't control that".
"He better. I told him if he didn't lighten up on you, you and I would never come here again".
"I don't want to come between you and your father".
"I know that. And you won't be the one causing the rift."
They went downstairs and had a cocktail with him before dinner.
Jonathan impressed Stephen with his knowledge of history and conspiracy theories and business acumen.
Jennifer could literally feel the air in the room shift in a positive direction.
Walter made another one of her favorite meals for dinner-grilled shrimp quesadillas and tequila lime rice.
"Yum! Darling, you are going to absolutely love these!"
He took one bite and agreed with her.
After dinner, they played cards with Stephen till he called it a night.
"I will see you two in the morning. Remember, you are staying in your room and he is in the guest room".
"We remember, Pa".
She kissed him goodnight and they snuggled on the couch for a bit.
"I think you really impressed him tonight. After my chat with him, I could feel the air shift. I think you won him over, darling".
She leaned over and kissed him.
"I did? How long did it take for me to win you over?"
"Darling, if you think back, I think you will realize that you had always won me over. It was you that had sell yourself on the idea of us being together".
He thought a moment and then agreed with her.
"Oh yeah".
"I love you, regardless of how long it took".
"And I love you, always and forever".
"I'm so thankful you kidnapped me and brought me home from Australia".
She was smiling at him.
"You're the only person I would ever kidnap, darling".
He gave her a few sweet kisses and then she took his hand and pulled him up off the couch.
"Where is your father's room?"
"Down that hall, at the very end".
They were whispering.
"Where are we going?"
"Upstairs. I want us to do something".
She took his hand and led him up the stairs.
They walked into her room and she motioned for him to close the door behind him.
He went and sat on the bed.
"What are we doing?"
She straddled his lap and kissed him passionately.
"That".
"I love the way you think".
They quickly undressed and climbed into her bed and quietly made love to each other.
After they were finished, they both changed into their pajamas and then he came back to her room and she showed him some old photo albums.
"This is my mother. She passed away when I was little. And that is me with my first and favorite horse, Sweet Sue."
"She was gorgeous, and so were you".
"Thank you".
She showed him some more pictures of her mother.
"You look just like her".
"Yeah, I favor her a lot. I have Pa's eyes, and some of his mannerisms, but I have most of her facial features and her red hair".
She put the albums away and they laid there and talked and chatted for a long time, mostly about her childhood.
She drifted off to sleep next to him. He held her a little longer, and then leaned over and kissed her cheek.
"I love you, goodnight darling".
He covered her up and tiptoed to his room.
***The next morning***
Jennifer woke up when her alarm went off, and headed to Jonathan's room.
She sat on the bed and leaned down and gave him some kisses.
"Morning darling".
"Morning".
"How did you sleep?"
"Like a rock".
"Wonderful".
She gave him another kiss.
"Meet me in the shower in ten minutes".
She went and quickly showered and he showed up right on time.
After a very sensual shower, she stepped out and went to get dressed.
When they were both ready, they headed downstairs for breakfast.
"Good morning you two. How did you sleep?"
"Wonderfully".
"Very well, thank you".
"Good, good. Glad to hear it".
"Pa, are you going to the gallery today?"
"Just for a little bit. What are you two up to?"
"Well, Jonathan has a conference call to take and I was going to get a long ride in and maybe go into town and do some shopping".
"Sounds wonderful".
After they ate, Stephen headed to the gallery.
Jennifer helped Walter with the dishes and then came out to find Jonathan.
"Darling, why don't you drop me off and then come back and pick me up? That way you won't be stranded without the car".
"I don't have a current license. So, you will have to drop me off and pick me up".
"Deal".
She grabbed her purse and they headed out.
He dropped her off in town and she spent the next couple of hours shopping. She found some new lingerie, a few new tops, some new boots, and a couple of new dresses. She also found Jonathan some new long sleeved shirts and new pajamas.
He spotted her coming out of a store with several packages and got out to go help her.
"Hi darling".
"Hi. You are right on time".
He took the packages from her and put them in the backseat while she got in the passenger seat.
"Let's see if this car can reverse with all the added weight of your new purchases".
"Jonathan! I didn't buy that much. And some of that was for you, I'll have you know".
"I was kidding. You buy as much as you want".
"How was your conference call?"
"Good. I think I'll be able to work in New York for the next few weeks".
"Wonderful!"
She leaned against his shoulder for the rest of the drive.
"Want to go riding with me, darling?"
"Sure".
When they pulled up to the house, she figured out what packages to take inside and ran them up to her room.
"Jonathan, my boy, how was your meeting?"
"Very well, sir. Very well".
Jennifer was at the top of the stairs when she heard Jonathan say to her dad, "Sir, if I would, I would like to ask you for your blessing. I would love nothing more than to marry your daughter if she'll have me".