Jack pulled up to the school and parked in view of the doors. At 3:30 the bell rang and kids started pouring out. Five minutes after that she walked out, her eyes searching. He got out of the truck and walked toward her, his arms open.
She saw him and walked into his arms. "Hi," she whispered.
"Hey."
After a long few moments, she stepped back. "I'm glad you're here."
"Jack Thornton!"
He tore his eyes away from Elizabeth, looking for the familiar voice. "Rosie?"
"You know Rosemary Coulter?" Elizabeth asked him.
"I was Rosemary Levoux when we knew each other."
"How do you know Rosie?" Jack asked her.
"She is the fifth grade drama teacher here."
"Of course she is. Rosie was always good with drama." Elizabeth heard a tone of annoyance in his voice telling her there was more to their story.
"Well, it's good to see you finally moved on, Jack. See you tomorrow, Elizabeth."
Rosemary got into her black Range Rover and drove off.
"Moved on, huh?"
"Rosie and I dated after college for about a year."
"Was it serious?"
"I was never what she wanted."
"Did you love her, Jack?"
"I thought so, but now I know I was wrong." He had never been in love until Elizabeth. "Ready to go?"
"I shouldn't leave my car here. Where are we headed?"
"To the ranch. I have a plan."
She smiled and kissed his cheek. "A plan? Should I change clothes?"
"Sure. We can stop by your apartment first."
"Why don't you go home and I'll go change and meet you there?"
Elizabeth smiled as she hopped in her car to drive home. She didn't know what his plans were and she couldn't wait to find out.
About an hour later, she pulled into the driveway of Thornton Acres.
Jack walked up to her with a couple blankets and a cooler and put them in the back of his truck. Then he opened her door for her. "Hungry?"
"Yeah."
"Good. I know just the place."
They drove down the lane that they had taken the horses on a few weeks back but kept going to a meadow that had a view of the valley and creek in the distance.
"Come here a lot, cowboy?" She noticed a fire pit and a few logs around it.
"It's my favorite spot on the property. That's Hunter Creek."
"It's beautiful." Jack set the cooler down on the blanket and then started a small fire. October was quite chilly in Montana but it was nothing like it could be in the dead of winter.
Elizabeth watched him setting everything up so she would be comfortable, offering her the extra blanket to help keep warm. "Do you want some wine?"
"Sure." He handed her a glass and then popped the cork.
"Is chardonnay ok?"
"It's fine." She took a sip. "Something smells wonderful."
"I have roasted chicken and risotto."
"Did you make this?"
"I did," he admitted. He handed her a plate of food.
"Were you wearing that pink ruffled apron?" She giggled as she remembered.
"Did you like that?"
"Actually yeah. You were pretty cute."
"Well, only a real man can pull off pink ruffles."
"I agree."
The sun was setting when they finished eating. Jack put another piece of wood on the fire and moved closer to Elizabeth. She wrapped her arm through his and intertwined their fingers. "Thank you for this. It was exactly what I needed."
He stared at their hands for a moment. "Elizabeth, how's your mom?"
"She's good. The doctors told her that there wasn't any cancer in her lymph nodes so she doesn't have to do chemo."
"That's good." She could see him wanting to ask the next question.
"I haven't talked to him. I'm having a hard time forgiving him."
"I can imagine it would be hard."
"You have no idea."
"But he's your dad, Elizabeth."
She let go of his hand and sat up. "Yes, he is, but…look, I don't expect you to understand. Our lives are completely different. Your father was a good one. Mine isn't. It's as simple as that."
"I shouldn't have brought it up. I'm sorry. Let's just sit back and watch the stars."
"I should probably go." She got up on her knees and started packing the cooler.
"Elizabeth, please." He held out his arm for her. "Forgive me."
"Jack, there's nothing to forgive. Can we just talk about something else?"
"Ok." He felt terrible bringing the whole thing up again. She snuggled back into his arms. "Are we ok?" She looked up at him and nodded.
"We're fine. I was being too sensitive." She kissed his cheek and looked at the sky. "Earlier, after Rosie left, you said you know now that you were wrong about loving her. Why now?"
"Because I didn't know you back then." She again sat up and looked in his eyes.
"What do you mean?"
He hadn't planned on telling her yet but he also hadn't planned on actually falling in love so quick.
"If I had met you back in college, my life would be totally different, Elizabeth. I never would have looked twice at anyone else."
"What about Faith?"
"Not Rosie and not Faith. It would have been you." He sat up facing her, taking her hands in his. "Elizabeth, I'm in love with you."
"You are?"
"Completely. I know it's quick. We haven't known each other long, but I know what I feel. You fill my heart."
"Jack, I love you too and that was possibly the sweetest thing I've ever heard." He leaned forward and kissed her.
"What a relief."
"You were worried?"
"A little. I messed up with Faith and I don't want to mess this up."
"I was scared too but you are not Charlie. You are so supportive and laid back and I was never in love with him."
They talked more, they watched the stars, and then they fell asleep.
Around midnight, Elizabeth woke up feeling cold because the fire had gone out. It took her a moment to figure out what had happened and then she remembered.
"Number 15, cowboy."
"Hmm?" He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead.
"Since I've met you, I have been able to cross three things off my bucket list. Number 15 is this, right here."
"Falling asleep next to a cowboy?"
"No, goof. Sleeping under the stars."
"Oh ok."
"That being said, we need to get up. It's late and I have school tomorrow."
On the short ride back, she sat next to him, holding his hand. "Elizabeth, what were the other two things you crossed off?"
"Um…I'd rather not say."
"Come on. It's me. Your best friend." They pulled up in front of the house and he turned the truck off.
"Number 1 is fall in love. I honestly didn't think it would happen. I started the list when I was pretty young. It was kind of just a schoolgirl's dream."
"Dreams are important."
"Very. Number 9 was a perfect kiss."
"Our first date?"
"Yeah. You sure know how to be romantic, Jack. I'm always teasing Julie about her romance novels and how things don't happen like that in real life, but you proved me wrong."
"How many things do you have on that list?"
"Twenty six. I wanted thirty but twenty six is good."
After a few more kisses goodnight at her car, he let her go, knowing he'd miss her for about six more hours until they met at The Bean again.
GIRLS APARTMENT
"Beth! Get up. You're late!"
"What? No, I'm not."
"It's seven o'clock."
"No! How did I oversleep? I slept through my alarm?"
She wouldn't have time for a shower if she was going to get coffee, so she'd need to smell like a campfire all day. She threw on a pair of khakis and a polo, thankful for the relaxed dress code at the school, and tied her hair back in a ponytail.
"Thanks, Julie. How's the job hunt going?"
"If you had been home last night, you would know that I found one."
"You did? That's great. I'll call you on my way in and you can tell me all about it."
She grabbed her purse and ran out the door and then came back in because she had walked outside in her fuzzy slippers. She slipped her coat on, that she had also forgotten, and her shoes and ran out again.
Elizabeth pushed a button on her dash and said, "Call Jules."
"Hey."
"Hey, so tell me about the job."
"There's a doctor's office in town and they need a receptionist, so I applied."
"What kind of doctor? Is it the family practice right on main?"
"Yeah, next to The Bean. I start Monday."
"That's great, Julie. I can drop you off on my way."
"That's what I hoped. So you got in late last night."
"I was with Jack."
"I figured. Where were you guys?"
"Can we talk tonight? I need to get my coffee or I'll be asleep before lunch."
"Say hi to Jack for me."
"I will. Love you."
"Love you back." Elizabeth pushed the button to hang up and parked her car.
She walked inside and headed over to the booth. "Morning," she said as she accepted his hug.
"Morning. You're running late."
"That's because someone kept me up very late last night and I slept through my alarm." He smiled and kissed her. "I'm not complaining but I do have to go."
"See you after school?"
"I'll be here."
"Love you," he whispered.
"Love you, cowboy. Be careful today." He handed her an iced Mocha and croissant already in a to-go cup and bag. "Thank you."
He winked and watched her leave.
HUNTER CREEK ELEMENTARY
Elizabeth looked up as a new little girl walked up to her desk. "Good morning, sweetie. I'm Miss Thatcher. Are you Haven Samuels?"
"Yes ma'am."
"It's nice to meet you, Haven." Elizabeth noticed her shiver and the fact that she didn't have a coat and her clothes were threadbare. "Do you have a lunch today?"
"No ma'am." She assumed that she must have lunch money.
"Why don't you sit right here in front next to Opal?" Elizabeth walked over and shut the door and turned the heat up a degree.
She didn't seem to have a backpack either. She gave the tiny girl a piece of lined paper and a pencil.
"Ok, children. Time to practice our spelling words, but first, I want everyone to say hello to Haven Samuels. Make sure you all introduce yourselves at recess, ok?"
"Hi, Haven!" the children greeted.
"Thank you. Ok, as you all know our words all start with B this week. When I give you the word, I want you to write them down on your paper. Number 1 is bunny."
Haven sat quietly, staring at her paper. "Opal, would you like to help Haven?"
"Yes, Miss Thatcher." She gave them another minute and moved on.
"Number two is ball."
After the spelling practice, they each added a wish to their wishing wall. Haven again seemed to not want to do the assignment.
When it was time for recess, she stayed in her seat so Elizabeth took Opal's seat. "Don't you want to go play?"
"No thank you."
"Haven, did you forget your coat today?"
"No ma'am."
"It's awfully cold here in Montana. Do you have a coat at home?"
"No ma'am."
"Ok, sweetheart. In that case, you can stay in here with me." The poor little thing looked relieved. Elizabeth heard Haven's tummy growl. "I'm hungry, Haven. How about you?"
"Yes, ma'am." Elizabeth grabbed her snack bag she kept in her desk. She pulled out an orange for Haven and a banana for herself.
"You like oranges?" Haven nodded and tried to peel it but was having trouble. "I'll help you." She took the orange and peeled it and then handed it back to her. She went to the sink in the back of the room and washed her hands and then grabbed paper towels to protect the desks from the fruit juices.
By the end of the day, Elizabeth knew Haven was a wonderfully bright child who just happened to be needy. Whatever her circumstances were, she needed warmer clothes and a coat, not to mention school supplies. She also needed lunch and a snack everyday. Those things could be expensive and apparently that was an issue.
THE BEAN
As Elizabeth sat at The Bean, she formulated a plan.
"Hey, beautiful," Jack said as he sat down across from her.
"Hi, handsome." She kept typing and Jack could see the concentration on her face. He didn't want to distract her but he was curious so he moved over next to her.
"What are you working on?"
"A new project. I could use your help." She turned toward him with tears in her eyes.
"Of course. What's wrong?"
She told him about Haven and how much help she needed. "Is there a thrift store in town, Jack?"
"In Billings, there is."
"Let's go." She packed up her things and looked at him. "Do you want to go?"
"I would love to. Tell me about your project as we drive."
She handed him her keys. "You wanna drive?"
"Sure. You trust me with your BMW?"
"Shush. Just drive." She kissed him quickly and followed him out the door.
