(Complete) When Jennifer Dixon entered their impeccably decorated apartment, she was glad it was quiet and empty. She could call home. She missed her mother and father. When she went into the bedroom to change, she found Sterling in their bed and...
By the time the afternoon was over they had more company including both Jen's parents, one at a time because of the market. He was struggling to keep his eyes open. Jen ushered him upstairs and settled him in bed. When he woke, it was dark, and Jen was curled up to his right side asleep. He turned towards her, but his movements woke her. She smiled at him.
"I can't hold you."
"I can help."
She moved closer and kissed him. They kissed for a long time. After the emotion of the past two days, he wanted to be a part of her.
"What did he say about sex?"
"Your arm and incision." Jen reminded him.
"You'll have to do all the work then."
Although she fought him, he insisted that she leave on Sunday. Knowing he had a cardiac problem, she was worried it would happen again. She was also concerned he would do too much.
The day after his surgery, she had driven him to his three projects so he could visit, but not work all day. The following day he got a ride and was home at noon to rest.
It frustrated him that he was not back to full energy. By Sunday he was better and planned to work most of the day on Monday. In the past, they talked in the morning, but not always. Jen was calling him every morning shortly after his alarm. It was as if she wanted to make sure he made it through the night. She had fears that she never had before because of the ordeal and it didn't matter how many times he reassured her. He was worried about her worrying about him.
On her second week away, he had slept late Thursday morning and rushed to get dressed. He stopped to grab a quick coffee and when he walked in, he heard Rick say "Honey, he just walked in." Rick looked at him and said, "Call my daughter."
He looked at his phone and saw five missed calls, and his phone muted. He always muted it at night, but had stopped because Jen called him every morning. He must have muted it out of old habit after they had said goodnight.
"Baby, I'm sorry."
"I was so scared." He could tell she'd been crying.
"I know. I'm really fine. I wish you wouldn't worry so much."
"I can't help it. You don't know what that day was like. The unknown emergency. I was afraid I'd lose you," she cried.
"I know, but you didn't. You won't." He assured her.
"I love you so much."
"I know love, I know."
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Jen
When Jen went back to New York, she was worried about Alex and afraid her phone would ring. Both Lexi and Sterling were concerned when she returned. She told them a close friend had a medical scare, but was fine.
Lexi commented privately. "Close friend with you as their emergency contact."
"So," Jen said.
"So, I say good for you and I hope he's really alright."
"Recovering." Jen clarified.
Still, she was a wreck and barely ate her first week away from Alex. She was so happy to see him on Friday. He drove the car and let her drive home. They had a quiet weekend, and she rested and ate and on Sunday afternoon as she was getting ready to leave the tight fist of fear formed in her belly again.
The morning she couldn't reach him, she was in a state. She finally couldn't take the fear any longer and called her father. Alex was fine and sorry, but she was a wreck. She would have an ulcer. She was convinced the stress was causing her hair to fall out, and she'd lost weight since his incident.
She walked in the office and said to Sterling, "We need to talk."
"Jennifer darling, why so serious?"
She didn't even flinch at the darling. "I thought I could make it to the end of the year, but I can't."
"Can't what?"
"I can't live in New York anymore. I need to be home. I know I owe you sixty days, but someone I care about needs me in Maine. I will finish my existing projects and support Trevor from Maine. I can do design work and he can do on-site for as long as it works. Plus, we have tons of Maine requests since the magazine article came out. I need to live in Maine."
"Are you in love with this sick person?"
"Yes, and he's not sick. He has a heart condition, and I worry when I am away. I'm worrying myself sick."
"Who is he?"
"He's the builder I worked with."
"The builder," Sterling said with a snicker. "That's why I never wanted you to go back there. You've turned back into one of them."
"I will not let that comment bother me. He is very successful and caring and I love him more than I realized was possible. So can we make this work?"
"Do I have a choice? I hope Dixon Design survives."
Sterling was scared and hurt. She wanted to assure him she wasn't abandoning him completely.
"It will. Trevor is very good." She assured him.
When Alex picked her up the next evening, she greeted him with a kiss. She waited until they were home after she put her ring on.
"I did it. I told Sterling that I'm leaving New York. If not, I'm the one who will be dead from worry."
"You told him about me?"
"Yes, I told him I was in love with the builder. Hank looks good compared to the way Sterling envisions builders. It was just as well since he would have trouble accepting being replaced by a guy sexier and more handsome than him."
"You're really coming home for good?"
She smiled. "I have a few obligations, but I will do some work from here after that."
