Jackson took Abby out for a fancy dinner. They were all dressed up and in the most beautiful setting. There was so much running through Abby’s mind at dinner. Why was he doing all of this? She was not a fancy girl. She didn’t need fancy things and she certainly didn’t deserve fancy dinners.
Jackson was so used to having things that were more expensive than Abby could ever afford. What was the draw? Why did he do the things he did for her? She still couldn’t figure it out, but it was time to start enjoying it. If it lasted the rest of her life, she’d be grateful, but if not she was going to enjoy every moment until it was over.
Abby looked at Jackson across the table from her and she knew that she loved him. There was no denying it. She had fallen head over heels in love with him somewhere along the way. Actually that wasn’t true. She fell in love with him the first time his eyes held hers. She knew it then, but she didn’t want to accept it. The night she spent with him and she left him she told herself that was it. No more. She would not fall in love with him and she was never letting herself have him again. They were over.
Jackson was not an easy man to forget or to move on from. There seemed to be something about him that just pulled her to him. There was no explaining it, there was no stopping it and there was no way she wanted to. Jackson could make her feel so alive. Her heart pounded in her chest and it was part fear as well as excitement. All Jackson had to do was look at her with those eyes and she was melting into him.
Abby was sure one day he would tire of her and her simple ways. She was sure that he would decide that he’d had enough of her then leave her just as everyone else had. For now, she was happy enough lying to herself and believing that it was all real, that it would last forever.
The night of the fancy dinner, Jackson opened his heart. He told her the reason he held his heart under guard. It was not a nice story and after hearing it, Abby could understand why he didn’t want to love. That next morning, she woke up before him and needed some time alone. She dressed while looking at him lying in a tangle of sheets and pillows on the bed. He was so damn sexy. It took all she had to walk out of the room and down to the lake.
Abby stood in the gazebo, watching as the sun started to make her presence known. She decided the sun was definitely female. It was bright, beautiful, warm and rose over a perfect sky with vibrant colors making her presence known. The moon was a him. It was dark, mysterious, sexy and held a power unlike anything a woman could ignore. The night was definitely male. So last night was Jackson’s, this morning was hers. She needed to feel. She needed to feel it all. It was time to let go or run again.
Abby let the sun rise and warm her. Her mind was racing. Her body was sore and pulsing. She was relaxed despite the things running through her mind. She wrapped her arms around herself and raised her face to the sun. The voice in her head took over.
‘Baby girl. You deserve this. You need to let go. You need to let him take care of you. Find a way to open your heart again. Let the love in. Don’t be afraid to fall. Take a leap of faith. I will guide you. I will hold you up and I will always love you.’
There were times in her life when she could hear him. She could feel him around her and she embraced those moments. Her dad would never truly be gone. He was always there talking to her and wrapping himself around her to protect her.
The voice talked her through her fear.
‘Love is beautiful Abby. It is beautiful, just like you. You are strong, brave and you deserve a happiness that sears into your soul. Here he comes Abby. Let him in.’
Abby knew he was coming already, she had felt his presence before he made a sound. Her dad confirmed it. Her mind was racing, her heart thudding so loudly she feared it even scared the birds away. Jackson reached her and spoke out to her. But it was time for Abby to speak out to him. It was time for her to let it all slip out. It was time to give of herself.
Abby spoke the words of her heart. She told Jackson all that she felt. She let everything rise to the surface. She even told him she loved him. She told him she was in love with him. This was her moment this was the freeing of her soul. No holding back and the words hung there.
He crushed himself to her and took her in his arms. He kissed her but then the phone rang. He didn’t answer it at first but then it rang again. The caller was adamant about getting through, so he took the call. It turned out it was actually our friends waiting for us but the moment was gone. The love she had professed was not returned. The words were not said back and now she worried. Was it too soon? Was she pushing him into more than he was willing to give? What did she do now?
There was no time to dwell on things. It was time to get dressed to go out for dinner. Our friends called a babysitter and we were going to hit the town. Of course it was Brooketown so not a lot happening, but we were going to have dinner then hit the bowling alley to have a little fun. It had been years since Abby bowled and Jackson couldn’t wait to have some friendly competition. Well he was on, because she was in the bowling league and she was sure it was like riding a bike, once you were on it and good, you never forgot. Right?