Read Love Finds You: A Helena's Grove Novella for Free Online Page A

big brown horse.
    “No, this isn’t a good idea.” Jen was holding her hands up. “Seriously, I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve even seen a horse in person.”
    Zack was suddenly beside her. “Horses have a sixth sense. They can feel if you aren’t comfortable. Just pet him. He’s a Stallion, hence his name,” he said and then winked at her.
    Jen looked at Annie, who was still petting her black horse. “What’s its name?” she asked.
    Annie smiled. “Her name is Ember. We helped raise all of these horses. Ember is the youngest.”
    Jen relaxed a bit. “You raised them? That’s really cool.”
    Zack piped up, “Stallion is the oldest, the most experienced and the calmest of the three.” He looked at her teasingly. “He’s the only one that would be able to handle you.”
    Jen glared at him and responded sarcastically, “Really?”
    A chuckle escaped him and Jen rolled her eyes. She turned toward the horse in front of her; he was big, really big. She was sure he was bigger than the other horses. I can ride this thing, she encouraged herself. She took a step towards him, then two; she held out her hand and closed her eyes. She touched the tip of his nose and he reared slightly. Jen jumped back and so did Stallion.
    “I can’t do this! I tried and he doesn’t like me.” Jen backed away and put her hand over her heart, breathing deep to try and slow it down.
    “I thought New Yorkers weren’t afraid of anything,” Zack said mischievously as he put some things in the back of the truck. He jumped off the truck bed and jogged to where she was standing; about fifteen feet from the horses. “You need to let him know that you trust him,” he said. “He’ll take care of you.”
    “But I don’t trust him,” Jen stated honestly. She glanced at Stallion and he seemed to be watching her. She looked back at Zack, awaiting his response. He smiled at her, his dimple appearing. Damn it!
    “Do you ever get tired of not trusting?” Zack asked her.
    Jen scoffed, “I trust. I trust some people.”
    Zack raised his eyebrows and tilted his head to the side. He looked like a puppy when he did that. Jen was still angry at him from the branding episode and was a little annoyed that he was so adorable.
    “I do! I trust my Dad and Aunt Gabby,” Jen declared ardently when she realized Zack didn’t believe her.
    “I didn’t say you didn’t trust any people, I asked if you got tired of not trusting in general,” Zack replied.
    Jen felt slightly confused but before she could respond Zack went on. “Sometimes we lose trust because we believe that there isn’t anything we can’t do on our own. But that isn’t true. People need people. And I believe,” he reached for Jen’s hand and poured some grains into it, “I believe that people can learn a lot from animals, horses in particular.” He walked behind Jen, and slipping one hand around her waist and the other under her outstretched hand, he gently pushed her toward the horse. “Horses can teach you how to trust.”
    “But what if he just doesn’t like me?” Jen asked, truly concerned.
    “Not possible,” Zack whispered.
    Jen tried to focus on the large horse that was getting closer with every step, but all she could concentrate on was Zack’s hand around her waist and his breath on her ear. When they were a couple feet from the horse Zack stopped her. “Now wait,” he said softly.
    Jen stood there, arm outstretched, waiting. Stallion looked at her for a few seconds as she gazed back at him. She realized for the first time how pretty his coloring was. He looked like he was wearing white socks and had a white mark on his forehead much like Annie’s horse. But Stallion’s wasn’t a diamond; it was more like a star. She smiled inwardly at that and when she did, Stallion took a step toward her. She instinctively tried to step back but Zack still had his arm around her and stopped her. “Just wait,” Zack encouraged, “don’t be afraid of