Chapter Twenty Seven

Jon sighed and snapped his laptop closed in frustration. Hauling himself off the chair from his office desk he walked stiffly to the window rubbing his back. Floor to ceiling glass panes offered one of the best views of the city skyline to be got and flooded the apartment in natural light. Leaning against the glass he gazed down at the streets below filled with shoppers and tourists. It had been a few days since he’d last seen Jenn, business with the Soul Foundation had kept him in the city and he was itching to get back to Jersey.

He’d met up with Richie on Monday afternoon for a goof around in the studio but neither of them had really come up with anything substantial. A new record was in the plans but they’d nothing down on paper yet. Instead the pair of them had just lazed around catching up on what each other had been up to for the past few weeks. Jon had filled him in on most of his trip to Europe but had avoided actually mentioning Jenn other than casually. Richie was his best friend and there was very little he kept from him but he wanted a little time to see how things worked out between himself and Jenn. In hindsight he was grateful he hadn’t brought her out that night to meet the boys, he’d been jumping the gun there which wasn’t usually like him. That was more Richie’s style, that boy caught a whiff of a girl’s perfume and fell in love for Christ’s sake.

Wandering into the kitchen he pulled open the fridge and scowled when he saw the substantial lack of food. When Dot and himself had decided to live separately he’d let the cleaner for the apartment go. There was enough rumours flying around about their marriage so he’d reckoned it wouldn’t have taken a genius to figure out that he was living here alone now. Making a mental note to order a grocery delivery he glanced at his watch. A little before five pm, no wonder he was hungry, breakfast had been a long time ago. A plan forming in his head, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and started creating a message.

Back across the river in Jersey, Jenn was busy finishing up the barn after another busy day of painting, ordering and organising. Steph was out the back soaking haynets for the next day, hauling them into barrows of water to sit in overnight to eliminate any dust from the forage. They had made great progress in the past few days, the barn now bright and airy waiting for it’s new occupants, the office, feed house and tack rooms all freshly painted. Turned out Steph was a dab hand at painting, a job Jenn had gladly relinquished to her. Somehow whenever she picked up a paint brush more of it got on her than did on the actual walls.

Grabbing a few stable bandages she stepped into Heraldo’s box to wrap his legs for the night. He was back in full work now, with either Steph or herself working him everyday and Jenn was delighted with how he was going. Steph had a great relationship with him and their work together so far had been beyond encouraging. Just as she stooped down to start wrapping, her cell bleeped with a message.

5.01pm Hey gorgeous, I’ve missed you! Have dinner with me tonight?

 

Grinning from ear to ear, her heart swooped as she replied;

5.03pm Definitely! Where and when?

 

Hunkered down on her heels, she quickly wrapped one of the horse’s front legs before Jon sent a message back.

5.06pm It’s a secret! Pick you up at seven J

 

Laughing at the cute smiley face he’d added at the end, she stuffed the phone back in her pocket and carried on wrapping the rest of Heraldo’s legs as he noisily munched his way through the haynet. Her stomach was doing flips a gymnast would be proud of as she started to mentally go through her wardrobe, flicking through possible combinations in her mind. Although she had been busy all week, she’d missed seeing him and had analysed every little text he’d sent since they had last been together. She was actually nervous at the thought of seeing him face to face again, four days had seemed like a lifetime.

Hearing voices at the bottom of the barn, she stood up and straightened the horse’s rugs before stepping out, sliding the door of the stall shut behind her. Glancing down the aisle squinting in the late sunshine that was pouring through the big barn doors she could see Steph’s silhouette walking towards her, talking animatedly with a companion.

“And up here is Heraldo, you remember him right?”

Steph’s voice travelled up the barn to Jenn as she brushed her breeches down with her hands to flick off a few wood shavings she’d picked up from the horse’s stall.

“Hmmm I think so” was the reply back from the woman Jenn could now make out as they approached her.

“And this is Jenn!”

Steph announced her triumphantly as they reached the stall Jenn was standing beside. Smiling she stepped forward to shake hands with the woman, only for her heart to nearly jump out of her mouth at Steph’s next words.

“Jenn, this is my Mom, Dorothea!”

Sweet divine fuck!