A/N Just a few things:

1. I don't own these characters, Hallmark does.

2. This is the second of two stories I'm working on. My current plan is to alternate which one I update (so my other story [The Greatest of These Is Love] will likely be updated again before I put chapter 2 of this story up). Also, I am a full time graduate student, so I can't promise that I will be able to update either of the stories frequently, but I will try to update them as often as I can.

3. I have a big chunk of this already written. That being said, I still edit/add to what I have written already before I post, so I welcome any comments or suggestions on things that you guys would like to see in this story.

Now, on with the story...

...

Abigail set my plate on the table in front of me. "Hey, Elizabeth. I brought your usual." I had been coming to Abigail's Café at least once a week ever since I moved to town. Though she was closer in age to my mother than she was to me, we had quickly become good friends.

"Thanks. Hey," I stopped her before she walked away. "What do you know about the new sheriff?" I nodded toward the young man sitting alone across the room, sipping his coffee.

She slid into the booth across from me. "Not much. He's mostly been keeping to himself since he got to town. I do know that his name is Jack Thornton. I also know that he's single." She raised her eyebrows and smiled at me.

I quickly turned to face her, feeling my cheeks turn red. "Abigail!"

She put her hands up. "Hey, you're good looking and single, he's good looking and single. I can dream, can't I?"

I shook my head and laughed. "Don't get your hopes up."

"Okay, okay." She stood up and started to walk away before turning back once more. "Elizabeth, not every relationship you have is going to be like your time with Charles." She was in the kitchen before I had a chance to respond.

I picked at the scone sitting on my plate. I hadn't thought about Charles in months. He and I knew each other when we were young, and we dated for a few months in college. I was so anxious during that time that, years later, I still didn't know how I really felt about him. Part of me genuinely enjoyed spending time with him, and he was so nice to me. But there was another part of me that dreaded his calls. I made excuses as to why I couldn't meet up with him. The stress made me physically ill, and I finally found the courage to end things with him. I felt badly, because he was a good man, but I knew it was the best decision for me.

He was the first and only person I had ever dated. Abigail's words had me thinking about my life since that time. Was that experience the reason why I had felt no desire to meet someone? I always found an excuse for why I wasn't dating, but was I just fooling myself? Was I really just afraid of entering into another anxiety-ridden relationship? I was so lost in thought about my non-existent love life that I didn't recognize when Abigail returned to the seat across from me.

She cleared her throat. "Elizabeth, don't you have to get to work?"

I glanced down at my watch. "Oh my gosh, yes. Thank you, Abigail." I handed her the money for my meal and waved as I left the café.

...

I drove to the school, expecting my mind to be on Charles for the rest of the day, but I kept finding my thoughts drawn to the new sheriff. Jack Thornton; it was nice to finally have a name to put with the face. I had seen him around before that morning—it was a small town, after all—but he was always on the move. He had looked so serious as he ate his breakfast. I wondered what had brought him to Hope Valley.

"Miss Thatcher?" A small voice shook me from my thoughts.

"Yes, Robert?"

"Is it time for recess yet?"

I looked up at the clock and shook my head. "Not yet. Five more minutes."

The students returned to their books, and I pulled a paper from the top of the stack sitting on the desk in front of me and began grading.

The next five minutes passed quickly, and I took the children to recess. I knew I should grade more papers during the lunch break, but I couldn't get my mind off of Jack. Hope Valley was a small town; it was rare for someone new to arrive. I could count on one hand the number of people who had moved to town in the year and a half that I had been living there.

I also had to admit that, despite my reaction to Abigail's suggestion that Jack and I could be a couple, I did find him attractive. There was a part of me that was drawn to him—even though I had never spoken a word to him.

Before I knew it, recess and lunch were over, and I had to pull my thoughts away from Jack Thornton and back to my students.

...

I was so distracted when I pulled into my driveway after work that I almost didn't notice the moving truck parked in front of the house next door. I stayed in my car for a moment, waiting to catch a glimpse of my new neighbor. I eventually gave up and went into my house.

"Bee, I'm home." The speckled dog rushed out to greet me. "Hey, girl. Did you behave today?" She licked my face in response, and I laughed. I opened the back door to let her outside.

I changed out of my work clothes before heating up some leftover pasta for dinner. I glanced out the kitchen window and saw him. My new neighbor was Jack Thornton, the man who had been filling my thoughts all day, even when I tried to push them away. My cheeks grew warm. Abigail was going to have a field day when I told her he was living right next door.

I ate quickly. It was a beautiful evening, and I wanted to take the dog for a walk before it got dark. I grabbed my jacket from the hook by the door and slipped it on. Once I brought the dog inside, I clipped the leash to her collar. I glanced out the window before heading out the door.

The dog trotted in front of me, pulling slightly on her leash. We approached the house next door, and I saw Jack pull a box from the back of the truck.

"Hi."

He jumped at my greeting, unaware that I had approached him. He set the box down beside him. "Hi."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I live next door, so I thought I would introduce myself. I'm Elizabeth Thatcher." I held out my hand.

He shook it and met my eyes. "Jack Thornton."

I lost my train of thought, getting spellbound by his eyes. I couldn't tell if they looked more blue or gold in the light of the setting sun, but they were framed by incredibly long lashes. The dog beside me whined, bringing me back into the moment. "Oh, this is my dog, Bronte."

He looked at me, eyebrows raised. "You named your dog Bronte?"

I shrugged. "Jane Eyre is my favorite book, and Charlotte Bronte is my favorite author." I felt my face grow hot, unsure as to why I was suddenly feeling so self-conscious around him. I had felt so confident when I first approached him.

Bronte touched his hand with her nose, and he reached down to pet her. "I have a dog, too. Rip."

"You question me for naming my dog Bronte, but you named your dog Rip?" I smirked.

"All he does is sleep. The name fits."

I laughed quietly. "Ah, Rip Van Winkle."

He nodded.

I cleared my throat. "Well, um, I should let you get back to unloading. It was nice to officially meet you, Jack."

"You too, Elizabeth. I'll see you around."

I waved as I continued down the street, the dog right on my heels. I could feel Jack's eyes on me as I walked. I took a deep breath and resisted the urge to turn back to look at him again.

...

Rosemary and I sat on her couch, sipping coffee. I had met her at our graduate school orientation shortly after I moved to town. We were both taking counseling classes part-time, and we became fast friends. A few months after I had come to town, she encouraged me to move into the house beside hers.

"So, have you met the new neighbor yet?"

"You mean Jack?"

Rosemary raised her eyebrows. "You're on a first name basis already?"

I rolled my eyes. "I met him once, Rosie. He was outside when I was taking Bee for a walk the other day. I just said hi." I didn't tell her that I had waited to walk Bronte until I knew Jack was outside so I would be certain to run into him. No one needed to know that bit of information.

"But you'll see him again."

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, we're neighbors, so I'm bound to run into him now and then."

Rosie had a mischievous look in her eyes. "But you'd like to see him more than just now and then…"

"Rosemary Coulter!" I gave her a playful slap on the arm.

"What did she do this time?" Rosemary's husband, Lee, stepped into the room.

"I did nothing!"

"She thinks I have a thing for the new sheriff." I looked at her from the corner of my eye.

Lee grabbed a cup of coffee from the kitchen and joined us in the living room. "Jack Thornton?"

"What do you know about him, Lee?"

"Not much. He's from OKC. He's not married. No kids."

"Lee!" Rosemary squealed as if she had a revelation.

We both jumped at her outburst.

"Why don't we invite him over for dinner? And Elizabeth can conveniently be here, too."

"Rosemary, I don't need you meddling in my life."

She smiled. "I meddle because I care. But really, it's not like it will be a real date or anything. He's new to town, so it's the polite thing to do to invite him to dinner. Are you free Sunday evening?"

I thought about making up an excuse as to why I couldn't make it, but I knew that Rosemary would see right through the lie. I sighed. "Yes. What time should I be here?"

She grinned from ear to ear. "Seven."

"Rosie, at least let me come earlier and help you cook." Then it will feel less like a date.

"Fine. Be here at six. And wear something nice."

"Rosemary. It's not a date. Remember?"

She put her hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. It's not a date." She followed up her statement with a wink.

I rolled my eyes. "You're incorrigible." I set my mug back on the table and stood up. "Well, I should be getting home. Thanks for the company. Bye, Lee." I waved at both of them before heading to the door.

"See you Sunday for your not-date!"

If I rolled my eyes at her one more time, they just might have fallen out of my head. "Bye, Rosie!" I called out as I shut the door.

...

I lay in bed, unable to sleep for the thoughts swirling in my head. I was going to have dinner with Jack—and Rosemary and Lee. But I was having dinner with Jack. I hardly knew him, so it was unlikely that anything would come out of the dinner. Wait. Did I want something to come out of it? I had never felt so drawn to someone before. It was all so confusing. What if he ended up being boring or annoying or…? Surely he wouldn't be that bad. Why did I even care so much?

I sighed and resigned myself to the fact that I would have a sleepless night. After tossing and turning for hours, I eventually gave up on sleep and headed to the kitchen. I pulled ingredients from the pantry, deciding that baking something might clear my mind. By the time the sun was rising outside, there were a few dozen cookies cooling on racks around my kitchen.

Bronte entered the room, waiting for her morning meal.

"Okay, Bee. Eat fast. I need to hurry and hop in the shower. There's somewhere I need to go before school."