Chapter 14 – Reassuring Elizabeth
Elizabeth looked at Jack. She knew that he wasn't saying something.
"Tell me." Elizabeth said.
"Going out right now, might be a little more difficult." Jack said.
"Why?" Elizabeth asked. "What happened?"
"Nothing, really." Jack said. "I talked to my dad when I was on my way back here. He just wanted to let me know that Charlie was out and that your dad filed paperwork to challenge the orders that Devin gave him."
"What does that mean?" Elizabeth asked.
"As far as Charlie." Jack said. "He was let out with bail. The restraining order is still in effect, so the Kensingtons have to stay away. As far as what your father filed, I am not sure. Dad didn't get into it. We can call him and ask. But given that you are an adult, I don't think that there is much that your father can do to stop you from doing what you want."
"I just don't want him to know where I am right now." Elizabeth said. "Right now, I don't know if I can trust him. He had no problem putting business over my safety once."
"Okay." Jack said. "I don't want you to get worked up. I will call dad."
Jack pulled out his phone and dialed his dad's direct number.
("Hello." Thomas said.)
"Hey Dad." Jack said. "I am sitting here with Elizabeth. I was telling her that you called and said something about her dad filing paperwork. She is worried."
("Hi, Elizabeth." Thomas said. "There is nothing to worry about. Your father filed paperwork challenging us removing him from your accounts and not telling him where you are. I don't want you to worry about it. I already have people working on a response. You are legally an adult, so the judge will most likely side with us about the removal of your parents from the accounts. I also have signed paperwork from Chief Burke, Devin and his guys about what happened last night. That will go a long way with the judge.
As far as telling them where you are, well that could go either way. If we have to tell them, then we have to tell them. Just because they know, it doesn't mean that you have to see them or that you have to allow them into the building. Right now, if you don't want to see someone, you don't have to. If they show up at the building, they will not be allowed in without your permission. If there is a problem, security is always there if you are. Does that help?")
"Yes, Sir." Elizabeth said. "Thank you for everything. My mother, sister and best friend have been calling and texting me all day. I haven't responded, mostly because I wasn't sure what to say and also because for right now, I don't want them to know where I am."
("That is fine." Thomas said. "What you tell people and when is up to you.")
"I am afraid that I am going up to Saratoga will get out." Elizabeth said. "I don't want to cause you problems up there."
("Don't worry about that." Thomas said. "The farm is pretty big and we have security up there if needed.")
"That is what Jack said." Elizabeth said.
("JP." Thomas said.)
"Yes, Dad." Jack said.
("Have you talked to your mother?" Thomas asked.)
"Yes Sir." Jack said. "I went to the house this morning when Katie was here with Elizabeth. We talked, after she calmed down. She doesn't really understand, but since you and Grandpa James are okay with things, she said she will have to be."
("Good." Thomas said.)
"Are you coming up on Saturday?" Jack asked.
("I probably won't be up until Tuesday or Wednesday." Thomas said. "I need to handle a few things here first, I was hoping to get away, but it isn't looking like I will finish up before Monday night at the earliest.")
"Okay." Jack said. "Devin took us to the bank this morning, and we removed Elizabeth's parents from her accounts. The bank manager was pretty good, even better after he saw my name. I would follow up with him though. He had wanted to call Elizabeth's father when we first got there. At Elizabeth's insistence, she added me to her account just in case. I also made sure that her card would work up north, not that I am going to let her pay for anything."
Elizabeth shot Jack a look and he flashed her a dimpled grin.
("I will." Thomas said. "Glad you got that done. Let me know if there is anything else. Elizabeth?")
"Yes, Sir." Elizabeth said.
("I want you to relax." Thomas said. "We won't allow anything to happen to you.")
"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "I will try."
("That is all I ask." Thomas said. "If I don't see you two, have a safe trip and see you middle of the week.")
"Okay." Jack said. "Have a good night. I am going to stay here again. I have almost everything I need for the trip packed here. I was just going to grab a few more sweatshirts in case Elizabeth wants to borrow one or two."
("Do you care which ones?" Thomas asked.)
"No." Jack said. "Any of them will do."
("Then don't worry about it." Thomas said. "I will have Molly pull a handful and pack them to send with.")
"Thank you." Jack said. "Talk later."
("JP." Thomas said.)
"Yes, Sir." Jack said.
("Just so you know." Thomas said. "I talked to your Grandpa John. I felt he needed to know just in case he goes to Saratoga. He might be at the charity event. I also know that he will be there for the opening day at Saratoga, not sure what your plans are, whether you are coming back in between or going to stay up North.")
"Okay." Jack said.
Jack hung up with his father and then looked at Elizabeth and he could see that she had visibly relaxed.
"Feel better?" Jack asked.
"Yes." Elizabeth said. "Thank you, for everything. I will have to remember to thank your father. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there or if you wouldn't have listened to me."
Jack stood up and walked behind Elizabeth. He stopped and leaned down and kissed her head.
"Well." Jack said. "You don't ever have to think about that."
Jack continued to the kitchen when he realized what he had done. He didn't dare look back at Elizabeth and see her reaction. He couldn't believe that he had done that. Jack knew that he had fallen for Elizabeth, but he needed to keep his distance and allow her time to process everything. After Jack kissed her head, Elizabeth sat there stunned. She couldn't believe that he had done that, but then again, she didn't mind. She knew that Jack had said that he would like a relationship, but he also told her that he would give her all the time that she needed. Elizabeth was surprised that he had done it, but maybe it was a sign that he was comfortable with her. She also remembered that she had kissed him on the cheek in front of her father the day before. They had had another emotionally charged conversation and maybe it was just a result of that. Elizabeth had blushed when Jack kissed her, so she didn't dare turn and look at Jack. Luckily she heard the timer on the dryer, so she got up and went to deal with her laundry.
Elizabeth went to her bedroom and grabbed a handful of hangers. She then went and hung up her jeans. She realized that there was a spot in the closet that held the washer and dryer to hang up things to allow them to continue drying. She left the doors open and while she had her jeans hung up. She then pulled her shirts. She put them in the dryer on low. She didn't want them to shrink either. Elizabeth also knew that she was going to have at least one more load to do when Katie dropped off the rest of her stuff. Elizabeth walked back out into the living room area.
"Jack." Elizabeth said. "Would it be possible to have Katie pick up some more hangers?"
"Sure." Jack said. "But if you need some, go ahead and grab them from the other bedroom. I had put my bag in there, but I don't need them at the moment."
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "I might do that. I hung up my jeans. I also want to hang up some of my shirts. I have them in the dryer on low and then will hang them up. I will also need to hang things up later when Katie drops them off."
"I will text her and have her pick some up." Jack said.
Jack picked up his phone and sent a quick message to Katie about the hangers and also checked when she was planning on being back. It only took a few minutes for Katie to text back.
"Elizabeth." Jack said. "Katie said no problem on the hangers and she will be back in about an hour and half to two hours."
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "What time do you want to eat? I haven't had much today."
"Well." Jack said. "If you want a snack now, we can have a later lunch. I ate a little while I was at the house."
"Sounds good." Elizabeth said. "Let's plan to eat about seven then."
"Sounds good." Jack said. "I think I am going to work on the computer for a bit. I want to take care of a few things. Did you find the wi-fi password?"
"Yes." Elizabeth said. "I think I am just going to relax. I don't usually have a lot of time to watch TV. Normally, my sister Julie has the remote. We have very different tastes, so I usually just go to my room and read a book."
"Well." Jack said. "There are plenty of books in the library, but if you want to watch TV, go ahead. I think that there are a couple hundred channels."
Elizabeth sat down on the couch with one of the throw blankets. She curled up and flipped on the Hallmark Movie channel. She didn't get that at her parents house and she loved the Hallmark movies. Jack had walked to the library to grab his computer and when he sat at the table, he looked over at Elizabeth and smiled. She looked so sweet curled up on the couch watching a sappy Hallmark movie. Hallmark movies weren't what he would have chosen, but for Elizabeth he was willing to watch them if it meant spending time with her.
Jack had to remind himself to slow down and not get too comfortable. He knew that he wasn't in a position to take things too far with Elizabeth. He also knew that they would need to have a few hard conversations. Jack wasn't sure what Elizabeth's feelings were on being intimate, but he knew exactly where he stood and he wasn't going to compromise what he believed.
Jack moved spots so he wasn't facing the TV and Elizabeth. He needed to focus and do some research. He knew that if Elizabeth was in his line of sight it would be harder for him to focus. Jack pulled up his email and checked it again, but there was nothing from his grandfather yet. He then moved on to looking at more information about the charity jumping event. He realized that his grandfather had reserved a spot, but hadn't named a jumper. Jack realized that Ryan must have recently been hurt. Jack looked at some of the competition. There were currently fifteen spots filled, but Jack also realized that registration was open until the night before the event. They had twenty spots for jumpers. Jack wondered if they would have that many. He knew that it could be a long afternoon if they had twenty riders.
As he was looking through the names, he realized that at one point or another he had beat everyone of them that was in his age group. As he was looking up their personal best times on comparable courses, he also realized that his personal best was two to three seconds faster. He knew that was a lot in show jumping, but Jack had to remind himself that he hadn't been jumping in almost two years. Yes, he was in shape and still rode, but there was something about riding and jumping everyday. Then Laura's words came back to Jack – you are a natural with a horse, if we were closer in age, I would have to worry about you beating me. Jack wondered if he made a mistake walking away from show jumping. He loved it, but after Laura was hurt, it was just too hard to compete without her there. Jack realized that Laura may not be there in person, but she would always be there in spirit with him. He knew that he would have to at least see if he could do it. It was a matter of if he clicked with Ryan's horse or if his grandfather had another horse that was ready for that level of competition that he clicked with. Jack thought about his own horse, but wondered if he had been ridden enough to be ready.
As Jack was sitting there looking at the competition and competitors, he realized he wanted to jump for no other reason than to show Elizabeth what a great athlete that he was. It wasn't that he was trying to impress her, but there was something about her believing in him that gave him confidence to compete again. Jack just hoped that he wouldn't make a fool of himself. Jack also knew that he wanted to teach Elizabeth to ride and hoped that she enjoyed trail rides as much as he did. One of Jack's favorite things was to jump on a horse or be out for the day riding the trails. Jack also knew that he would have to be careful on the trail rides. It wasn't that he was afraid to be alone with Elizabeth, but he also knew that he didn't want to push her into a relationship or anything that she wasn't comfortable with. Jack was afraid of what other people, especially their families, would think if they jumped into a dating relationship.
Jack knew how he felt about Elizabeth and decided that he would wait a lifetime if that was what it took. He just wanted to be with her. It had been just over twenty-four hours and he realized that he was hopelessly in love with the angel that had crossed his path. He wanted to know that she was his and his mind drifted to getting married. Jack hadn't ever really thought about actually being married, even though he knew that he wanted a wife and family some day. Maybe it was because he could never see himself with any of the girls that he had been around before Elizabeth. In just about twenty-four hours, Jack had completely changed the way that he was looking at his life. Not only was he thinking about getting married, but he was also thinking clearer about what he wanted for the future. He wasn't sure how his family was going to react to the changes that he was making, but at that point he really didn't care. As soon as he possibly could, he was going to put a ring on Elizabeth's finger – promise or engagement if he was lucky.
Elizabeth had a hard time focusing on the movie that she had flipped on. She wasn't sure if Jack was watching her or not, but she knew that he was there. After he had dropped that kiss on her head as he walked by, Elizabeth had butterflies in her stomach. She knew that she liked Jack, but she also knew that she had to deal with everything that had happened recently before she could even think about pursuing something with Jack. She knew that she liked Jack and that she had felt an instant connection with him, but she wondered what her family or even his family would say if they jumped into a relationship. She didn't want things to be awkward when they were together, so she pushed her feelings for Jack away and didn't want to think of them.
Elizabeth also knew that as they spent more time together, that it might be harder and harder to deny what she was feeling. She knew that she would have to be careful, but there was something about Jack. She knew that they had only known each other for just over twenty-four hours, but it honestly felt like a lifetime that they had known each other. Elizabeth knew she liked when Jack wrapped his arms around her and was acting all protective, but she also knew that he had to hold back. She was just as sure that he was scared of what he was feeling as she was. Neither wanted to immediately jump into a relationship, but they also couldn't deny the connection that they felt. She just hoped that spending time with Jack would either confirm or negate their feelings. Granted she hoped that they feelings would grow and they could show others that they were truly meant to be together and weren't jumping into anything.
Before either Jack or Elizabeth realized it, Katie was at the door. She had had everything that Elizabeth and her had ordered plus a few surprises. She also had the stuff that she had needed to pick up for Jack.
"Elizabeth." Katie said. "I picked up a few extra things for you at Bath and Body, if you don't like them just let me know."
"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "I will, but I usually am not picky so depending on what it is, I may just use it."
"Okay." Katie said. "I called there and had them put together this basket for you based on what you had told me that you needed. I think that they added some complimentary scents. As well as other products that normally go with what you had asked for."
"Thank you." Elizabeth said.
"Thank you." Jack said. "I know that I didn't give you much of a heads up and you did an amazing job. Do you have a total for me or are you just going to bill Dad?"
"I will just send a bill to your father." Katie said.
"Sounds good." Jack said. "I have already talked to him, so he will know to look for it."
"Do you need anything else?" Katie asked.
"I think we are good for now." Jack said. "But if something comes up, we will let you know."
"Elizabeth." Katie said. "If you need something, please let me know. I have your sizes saved and if they change for whatever reason, you just need to let me know when you order something. For future reference, if there is something that you see online that you want, please let me know and it can be arranged."
"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "But I think you have done more than what was asked for. I don't think I have ever had this many new clothes."
"Well." Katie said. "Remember what I said. This is more than just the trip to Saratoga, this is for school as well. Again, I would suggest that you wash everything. The dresses can be steamed when you get to Saratoga, just ask Jack's grandmother. Jack, your dress shirt needs altering, so they will send it to your grandparents or depending on when your dad goes up, he can pick it up. I also see that you ordered a riding shirt and jacket. Those will be done at the same time."
"When will it be done?" Jack asked.
"Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning at the latest." Katie said.
"Well, talk to dad." Jack said. "He said he wasn't coming up until Tuesday or Wednesday."
"I will let him know to check on your dress shirt and riding clothes." Katie said. "Since you don't need it until next weekend, everything should be fine. I know that your dad said something about stopping and getting his dress shirts before he left."
"Thank you again." Jack said. "Elizabeth, I will be right back. I am going to walk Katie out."
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "I am going to get a load of laundry going."
Jack walked Katie out and when he got to the garage, he reached in his pocket and pulled out two hundred dollars.
"Here." Jack said. "This is a bonus for the quick turnaround."
"No, Jack." Katie said. "I was doing my job and I will send the bill to your father. Besides, Sara and I had fun with Elizabeth. She is sweet and was very easy to work with."
"If you are sure." Jack said.
"Very." Katie said. "Enjoy your time with your grandparents. I hope that you are not mad at me for talking to Elizabeth about Laura."
"No." Jack said. "I told her the whole story. We are good. I am just glad that you told her, I had forgotten to tell her."
"No problem." Katie said. "Let me know if there is anything else that you need."
"I will." Jack said.
