Trust, Love, Happiness
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or anything else in this story. All credits go to the Hallmark Channel, Janette Oke, Brian Bird, Michael Landon Jr., the actors, and the writers of this amazing show. No copyright infringement intended.
Chapter 10
October 4
9:00am
Jack had woken up and was enjoying the quiet. His phone loudly vibrated on the table next to his bed and grabbed it seeing that Elizabeth had texted him. As he read the text, he smiled.
"Happy birthday, Handsome! Just finished my morning routine and I will be there in a little bit. Can't wait to spend your special day with you. I love you." After reading the text, he rolled out of bed and began getting ready, so he can spend the day with his love.
After getting dressed and ready for the day, Jack grabbed his wallet and keys and headed over to Elizabeth and Rosie's house. When he arrived, the three ate a light breakfast before Jack and Elizabeth left for the day. After they were done eating, the couple hit the road and Rosie left for VBS.
Elizabeth decided that she and Jack would go to Daufuskie Island to celebrate Jack's birthday. When they arrived at Daufuskie Island, the couple headed to Sea Island Trails to go on a horseback ride. An hour after the ride, they had lunch at Daufuskie Crab Co. and visited Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation Museum. The two of them enjoyed their day before heading back to Beaufort to spend the rest of Jack's birthday at Elizabeth's place.
Once they arrived at Elizabeth's place, Jack and Elizabeth played two games of Scrabble which Jack won and was excited. Elizabeth laughed seeing the excitement on his face as if he was a kid excited on Christmas morning. Elizabeth was blessed to have Jack Thornton in her life and prayed every day that she would become Mrs. Jack Thornton. Jack prayed for it too and hoped it would be in the near future that he would ask her to marry him. His deal was to wait until the timing was perfect to propose.
After cleaning up Scrabble, Elizabeth said to Jack while he was on the sofa flipping through channels, "Babe, I'm going to make you dinner then we'll enjoy the rest of the quiet evening together. Rosie won't be back until late anyway so there will be no interruptions. Does that sound ok?"
Jack got up from the sofa and walked over to his girlfriend, "Sounds perfect." He leaned in and kissed her which she gladly accepted.
Elizabeth got dinner going then before they knew it, the couple were sitting down to eat.
After they were done eating, Jack and Elizabeth cleaned up their dishes and silverware then went over to the couch, so Elizabeth could give Jack his gift.
She handed it to Jack and when he opened it, he became teary. In the nicely wrapped box that he had just opened, there was a bottle of Ralph Lauren Polo Black Cologne Bottle in it. What made him teary was that his father used to wear it before he died, and it was a cherished memory Jack had held close to him since he was 12 years old.
"Babe, I'm not sure what to say. My dad wore this until he died and it's something I always hold close to me. It's one of my favorite memories of him. Did my mom or Tom tell you about my dad and wearing Ralph Lauren?" Jack was still teary and stared at the cologne thinking about his father.
"No one told me anything about your dad wearing it. My dad wears it and I've always loved the smell of it, so I thought you would too. I'm sorry if I upset you."
Jack looked at his girlfriend thinking why he would be upset. "Lizzie, you didn't upset me at all. This is a very special gift, and, in a way, I feel connected to my dad. Thank you for getting this for me. I love you so much."
Elizabeth replied, "I'm glad you love it. I love you too, babe." The couple passionately kissed then discussed on what Jack wanted to do next which was to curl up on the couch together and watch 1 or 2 movies before he headed home.
When Elizabeth and Jack were settling down to watch a movie, Jack wanted to watch his favorite which was "Love Actually." Elizabeth had turned it on then the two made themselves comfortable on the sofa. Elizabeth curled up next to Jack and lay her head on his chest with one arm resting on his torso and the other she had on his chest next to her head. Jack put one of his arms around her and his hand of his other arm rested on top of Elizabeth's hand on his chest. The couple watched the movie as they cuddled up comfortably and neither of them wanted the night to end.
After the movie was over, it was 9:30 and Jack had to get home since he had a shift scheduled at 6am. Elizabeth walked him to the door and they both stood out on the porch for a few minutes with Jack thanking her for a wonderful birthday. They said their good night's and gave each other a kiss then Jack left to head home and Elizabeth went inside for the night.
As Jack drove home, he began praying that it would be the right time to propose to her very soon. What he had to figure out was what had to be done to make it happen and as romantic as possible. He would also enlist the help of his best friend and a couple of other people to help him make the moment as special and wonderful as possible.
October 10
On the beautiful and cool Wednesday morning as they were getting ready, Elizabeth and Rosie were having one of their enjoyable morning conversations. "Rosie, I can meet up for lunch today if you're available."
Rosie chuckled, "I'm actually taking the day off. Jack is helping me with something for Lee while he's at work. Jack doesn't have to work so we thought we would do what we have to before Lee gets off."
Elizabeth wasn't sure if she was buying her best friend's story. "I hope everything is alright. Is there something I can do to help?"
Rosie smiled as she tried to think of a response that wouldn't give away the truth since she promised Jack she wouldn't say anything. "Oh yes, everything's fine. Jack and I have it covered so we're good. Thanks for asking. Well, I'm off to do my errands and meet up with Jack. Have a good day and I'll see you later."
Elizabeth wasn't sure what to think of the conversation that just occurred between the two of them. She shook it off, grabbed her stuff, and left for work.
A half hour later, Jack and Rosie met at Yost's Café for breakfast and to discuss the plan for what Jack's goal was for that day while eating some great food. They made sure they were in an agreement, finished eating, then left to go to their next stop.
Their next stop was The Jeweler's Bench where Jack was shopping for an engagement ring. He asked Rosie to tag along while planning so he could get an opinion both from a woman's perspective and as Elizabeth's best friend. After looking at the different rings for almost an hour, Jack settled on a ring and it was perfect for his soon-to-be fiancée. Rosie loved helping people plan things and most of the time she couldn't keep quiet. Knowing how important this was to not only Jack but to Elizabeth as well, she promised she wouldn't say anything and was also asked to think very carefully before saying something regarding what was going on. Even with the knowledge of Rosie not being able to keep secrets, Jack knew he could trust her to not say anything and that was important to him.
Late that morning, Elizabeth headed to her desk after teaching a Math lesson and giving her students their assignment. While she was working on some lesson plans for the rest of the school day, her phone buzzed, and she looked at it seeing there was a text from Jack. "Hey, honey. Just wanted to check in. Hope your day is going well. I know you're doing a wonderful job shaping those young minds. I'll be there to pick you up at 3:15. Can't wait to see you. I love you."
Elizabeth smiled at the text then looked up at her students to make sure they were doing ok before she responded to Jack. "Thank you, Jack. You're so sweet. I hope you're having a great day as well. Can't wait to see you at 3:15. I love you too, Cowboy."
Jack responded telling her he loved her, and they went about their day.
Around noon, Lee had finished his 2:00am to 12:00pm shift and was meeting up with Jack and Cat at her place to discuss the candles Jack was hoping Cat would make for him that he wanted to have for when he proposed to Elizabeth. After an hour of meeting and discussing his plan with the candles and paying for them, the three headed over to WayBack Burgers for lunch. While there, Jack noticed Abigail walk by. "Hi, Abigail. How are you?"
Abigail turned around and saw the three and walked to their table to say hi. "Oh, hi. I'm great. How are you all doing?"
Lee responded, "We're all doing very well. We're actually helping Jack plan something very special and exciting."
Before Abigail responded, Jack spoke up. "Would you like to join us? We could use your help."
Abigail accepted the offer to join them but had to check to see how things were going with her staff since she was off for the day. When she came back, Jack started explaining to Abigail what was going on. "Abigail, on October 30th which will be one year since Elizabeth and I became a couple, I'm going to ask her to marry me. I'm taking her to Sanibel and that's where I'm going to propose. Cat is making candles and I took Rosie with me to pick out the ring this morning. Now we're discussing plane tickets, hotel, activities, and anything else that we need to take care of. Do you have any thoughts on this?"
Abigail knew Jack would eventually ask Elizabeth to marry him but was thinking it would be longer than a year before he did. She ordered food as well as the other three then they discussed the details.
Right at 3:15, Jack was waiting outside the school for Elizabeth who was making way her out to meet him as she had looked forward to her time with him since early that morning. The couple had kissed before doing anything else. Jack then helped his girl get settled in the truck and made their way to Spanish Moss Trail for a walk before heading to Elizabeth and Rosie's house. While the two were spending time together, Rosie and Lee had met up and were spending time together as well. After their walk, Jack had offered Elizabeth to make her dinner when they got to hers and Rosie's place which she happily accepted. Elizabeth couldn't help but have more and more love for her boyfriend as time went by. She may not have always mentioned or showed it but that's how she genuinely felt about him. Jack genuinely loved her more and more as the days passed. They were both very happy and in love even though they were together for only a year. Anyone who knew them could see it was obvious of how they felt about each other.
After finishing dinner, Elizabeth had asked Jack what he wanted to do, and the couple decided on relaxing on the sofa cuddling while watching Netflix. Before they settled down, Elizabeth wanted to go change into her pajamas. "Jack, I want to go change really quick before we settle down to watch a movie. I'll be right back."
Once the woman left the room, Jack received a call from Cat. He quickly answered it hoping Elizabeth wouldn't hear anything. "Hey, Cat. What's going on?"
Cat chuckled, "I'm done with making the candles. I can have them ready for you to pick up or be delivered on the 24th."
Jack couldn't believe how quickly Cat made all 70 candles he ordered and paid for. "That's perfect. How were you able to finish so fast?"
Cat laughed at the question. "I already had half of them made so didn't take as long."
Jack was surprised. "Ok that's great. Abigail and I will pick them up around 6:00pm if that works for you. She's going to keep them at her place and drive them to Sanibel for the proposal."
The two friends finished their conversation with Jack hanging up quickly when Elizabeth walked back into the room. "Who was that?"
Jack had to think quickly and smiled hoping she would believe him. "It was Michael. He needed some advice on girls. All good."
Elizabeth just looked at him squinting her eyes a little bit and smiled slightly. She wasn't buying his story but knew that he was sticking to it. Knowing she wasn't buying his story, Jack didn't want to say anything else and instead went for his temporary "save" which was a kiss knowing she would accept it. He knew her too well since she did give in. In her mind, she couldn't say no even though she was starting to get suspicious. They kissed for a good minute or two then moved on to cuddling up on the sofa and watching Netflix. After watching a movie, it was late, and Jack needed to head home. Neither of them wanted Jack to leave but he had to. They said their goodnights to each other with a kiss and "I love you" before Jack got in his truck and left.
October 26
5:30am
Jack had arrived at Rosie and Elizabeth's to pick up his girlfriend for a very special trip. He had kept everything a secret and even though Elizabeth wanted to know where they were going, he wouldn't budge telling her, but she would find out that morning. Rosie answered the door and Elizabeth was behind her. She had just brought her luggage downstairs when she saw Jack. He had stepped in the house and kissed Elizabeth when she had approached him. "Hey, Beautiful. Ready to go?"
Elizabeth smiled looking back at Rosie then again at Jack. "Of course, I am. Can't wait."
The couple kissed again then said their goodbyes to Rosie.
"Enjoy your trip you two. Can't wait to hear about it. Safe travels and I'll see you next week."
Rosie hugged both of them then Jack and Elizabeth took off in his truck once they loaded the luggage and made their way to the airport.
The couple arrived at the airport, went through security, talked a little bit before their flight number was being called then boarded the plane. Just a few minutes before take-off, the pilot came on over the speaker system and mentioned their planned destination which was Sanibel, FL.
Elizabeth looked at Jack and kissed him once she heard the pilot. She still had no idea about the purpose behind the trip, but she knew it had to be special especially since Jack wouldn't budge telling her anything.
A few hours later, Jack and Elizabeth arrived at the Sundial Beach Resort & Spa where they would be staying for the week in Sanibel. While Jack was getting them checked in, Elizabeth received a text from Rosie saying she hopes the couple would have a great time and couldn't wait to see them just like she had stated earlier that morning when saying goodbye.
After getting settled in their suite and having dinner at Slice of Paradise, Jack and Elizabeth went back to their room for the night to relax. Jack had brought his guitar and wanted to play a couple of songs for Elizabeth. The first one he played was "I'll be" by Edwin McCain and the second was "God Gave Me You" by Blake Shelton. Elizabeth loved listening to Jack play and sing. While he did, the couple exchanged loving glances occasionally and Elizabeth rubbed his back which made both of them smile. They enjoyed being together and Jack couldn't wait to propose in just a few days.
Once Jack finished playing, he and Elizabeth were both tired and decided to go to bed. Since their suite was one room which meant there was only one bed, Jack let Elizabeth have the bed and he would sleep on the sofa. As he grabbed a pillow and blanket, she spoke up. "Jack, I don't want you to be uncomfortable sleeping on the couch so come sleep here with me. As long as we don't do anything, it'll be fine."
Jack respected Elizabeth and wanted to be a gentleman so of course he wasn't going to pressure her into doing anything and also not make her feel uncomfortable. "Babe, it's ok. I don't mind sleeping on the sofa. I respect you and don't want to make you uncomfortable in any way."
Elizabeth smiled knowing he meant what he said. "Jack, I wouldn't have said anything if I didn't mean it. Please, come share the bed with me. I'm perfectly fine with it."
Jack hesitated for a minute then realized Elizabeth was right about her not saying anything if she didn't mean it. He then slipped into bed and they talked a little bit before falling asleep.
"Jack, what are you looking forward to while we're here? I can't wait for our walks on the beach and making wonderful memories with you."
Jack smiled, "I can't wait either and I'm also looking forward to the Historical Museum. I've wanted to go there for quite a while now. What I'm looking forward to the most though is the memories we'll make and I'm positive they'll be treasured. I guarantee you this will be a wonderful trip."
Elizabeth still wasn't sure about why this trip meant so much to Jack but what mattered to her was being with the man she loved and enjoying every moment of their time together.
Elizabeth was starting to fall asleep and Jack could tell so before she did, he wrapped his arm around her and they gave each other a goodnight kiss along with saying they loved each other before both falling asleep. This was just the start of a very special and memorable trip.
October 28
8:30am
Jack and Elizabeth had both woken up an hour earlier and discussed briefly that they were hungry but didn't want to move. Jack got out of bed and made Elizabeth get up, so he could take her out to breakfast at Sea Breeze Cafe before doing what they planned that day. While at breakfast, Jack and Elizabeth ran into Abigail. Jack knew she was coming but Elizabeth didn't as it would ruin the special event. "Abigail! What are you doing here?"
Abigail looked at Jack who was trying not to give away any indication that something was going on. Abigail had to think quickly, "My brother lives here, and I came to visit him since he's moving to Montana next month."
Elizabeth never heard Abigail mention any siblings and it seemed way too quick of a response as she also seemed a little nervous, so she wasn't buying her story. The couple finished their conversation with Abigail as well as their meal and headed out for a bike ride around the resort.
After their bike ride, Jack and Elizabeth went to the Bailey Matthews Shell Museum for a couple of hours then had lunch at The Clam Shack - New England Seafood.
The couple enjoyed their time at the museum and lunch then went to tour the Sanibel Historical Museum and the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Center. They spent a couple of hours at each place then went to have dinner at Thistle Lodge Beachfront Restaurant.
Before going back to their suite, they took a moonlit walk on the beach near the restaurant. "Jack, it's so beautiful out here. I really enjoyed our day together as always. Can't wait to see what else happens on the rest of our trip."
Jack so wanted to tell her what was coming but he didn't want to ruin it, so he very briefly agreed then changed the subject.
October 30
9 am
It was the one-year anniversary since Jack had asked Elizabeth to be his girlfriend and he couldn't wait for that night to come as he had planned a very special night for his girl.
The couple made their way to Lighthouse Cafe for breakfast then went shopping at Sanibel Outlets for a couple of hours. Jack loved watching Elizabeth contentedly browse through the items in the stores and somehow it made him feel good inside. He wasn't sure why he felt good but maybe it had to do with Elizabeth feeling happy and safe when it came to leaving the house. Before she had met Jack, she didn't feel safe or comfortable while not home, so it was good for both of them to experience what they were in that moment. After shopping for a couple of hours, they had an early lunch at Sanibel Cafe then went to Lighthouse Beach Park and take a walk.
While they were out, Jack was looking for the perfect spot to propose but did it while talking with Elizabeth and without her noticing. They held each other's hand and intertwined their fingers while looking at each other occasionally. "I can't believe we've been together for exactly one year today. Where does the time go? Hope we stay together for a long time."
Jack had to figure out what to say in response once again without giving anything away. Before he could say anything, Abigail showed up while walking down the beach as well. "Abigail! We see you once again. Are you enjoying your brother?"
Abigail smiled, "Hey. Yes, I am enjoying my visit with him. How are you two, today?"
The couple looked at each other and smiled, "We're doing well. My girl and I are enjoying each other especially with it being our one-year anniversary since we became a couple."
The three of them talked for another minute or two then parted ways.
"Jack, do you think it's strange that Abigail is here the same time we are, and she claims she's visiting a brother she has never even mentioned?"
Jack couldn't figure out how to respond to Elizabeth and her questions without giving anything away. He felt like she had already known something was going on and was trying to trap him into saying something.
Elizabeth did know something was up but had no idea what was waiting for her that night.
1pm
Jack and Elizabeth made their way to the spa at the resort where they were staying. Jack had told her they were doing a photo shoot for their one-year anniversary to cover what was really going on. He had talked to her about doing a spa day and she went for it. When they arrived, Elizabeth smiled at Jack who smiled back at her.
"Thanks Jack for dropping me off for my much-needed spa day. I'll see you back at the suite tonight. I love you."
Jack responded, "I love you, too. Enjoy your spa day."
They gave each other a sweet kiss then Elizabeth was taken for the first thing on the list which was a massage. Jack stayed an extra few minutes to pay for everything without her knowing. He thanked the lady at the desk after getting the payment taken care of and went to freshen up before heading to the beach to set everything up with the help of Abigail.
After changing clothes and doing whatever else he needed to freshen up, he received a quick text from Lee wishing good luck and had no doubt in his mind that Elizabeth would say yes and how happy he was for them. Jack sent a quick text back thanking him then left to meet Abigail for the big night.
4:00 pm
Elizabeth wanted to try a new haircut. She ended up getting a cut, style, retouch on her roots, coloring which she had chosen very dark brown almost black, shampoo then a blow dry.
When her hair was done, she loved the new cut and style on her as well which was a bob cut on the longer side.
Elizabeth couldn't wait for what she thought was a one-year anniversary of dating photo shoot. She thanked the ladies who did all of her treatments then left to go to the suite and get ready for the night.
6:30pm
Jack headed to the suite to pick up Elizabeth for their special night. When he entered the room, he was hit by the beauty of the woman he loved. Jack's heart melted as he looked up and down at the sight before him. Elizabeth knew he was admiring her and would say something eventually. She smiled and waited patiently as he tried to find the words to express what he was thinking. "Wow, Elizabeth. You look absolutely beautiful. I love the length and color of your hair too." He caressed her cheek then kissed her. "I love you."
Elizabeth smiled, "Thank you. You look pretty handsome yourself and I love you too."
Jack thanked her with another kiss and they left the room making their way to the beach.
A few minutes later, Jack and Elizabeth arrived at Lighthouse Beach Park where
Jack was going to propose and had made Elizabeth believe they were there for the photo shoot which wouldn't last much longer.
Elizabeth smiled and became teary as she took in the beautiful sight in front of her. "Jack, what is all this?"
Jack grabbed Elizabeth's hand and gazed into her eyes with the love he felt for her. "Just a little something to let you know how much I love you."
Elizabeth didn't let go of Jack's hand and expressed what was on her mind. "I can't believe you did all this for me. It's beautiful and so sweet. I love it and love you even more. You're so amazing, darling."
Jack replied immediately, "Thank you, honey. I'm so glad you love it. You're amazing too and deserve the world."
Elizabeth and Jack walked over to where a big heart was formed by candles then she saw a bottle with a message and picked it up. "Jack, what's this?"
Jack smiled knowing this was the moment he had been waiting for. "It looks like a message in a bottle. I wonder who it's from and who it's for. Would you like me to read it, sweetheart?"
Elizabeth smiled as she looked at Jack. "How'd it get here? Did you write it?"
Jack looked at Elizabeth then down as he took the message out and didn't say anything.
Elizabeth had a feeling something was up, "Jack, what's going on?"
Jack opened the message and took one of Elizabeth's hands rubbing her fingers with his thumb while gazing lovingly into her eyes. "Honey."
Elizabeth then caught on to what Jack had up his sleeve. "Oh, my goodness. Jack, is this really happening?"
Jack continued holding Elizabeth's hand rubbing her fingers with his thumb and gazed into her eyes as he started tearing up himself while reading the message. "Oh, Lizzie. My dear sweet Lizzie, where do I even begin? From the moment we met, I knew there was something special about you and that God had put you in my life for a reason. I also prayed that we would become friends and that God, and His will would bring us together as a couple in the future. I didn't want to push or force it on you though because of everything you went through in the past with Charles. You were and still are the most soft-spoken and sweetest woman I've ever known. To this day, I still don't understand how anyone could live with themselves treating you like Charles did. It breaks my heart every time I think about it. I'm so glad I met you when I did and so happy to be standing here in this beautiful place with the most amazing beautiful woman in the world. It's so crazy to think that exactly one year ago I asked you to be my girlfriend. I've loved every moment spent with you and all the memories we've made this past year, but it doesn't even come close to the amount of time and the memories I want to spend and make with you in the future. I can't wait to see what amazing things God has planned for us next. I want to be able to wake up with you in my arms, look into your gorgeous blue eyes and see your beautiful smiling face every day. I will be the one person you can always count on, the one who will encourage and support you, the one who will share your joys and disappointments, be a shoulder to cry on when you're sad, the one who will wrap their arms around you, hold your hand, and tell you everything's going to be ok when you're worried or scared, the one who will laugh with you till it hurts, the one who will protect you when you feel like you're in danger, the one who will always respect you, the one who will always make you feel loved and cherished, and the one who will be by your side in every single thing. There is not one single day that goes by that I don't think about you. You are the first thing on my mind when I wake up and the last thing on my mind when I go to sleep. I never want to live one second, one minute, and not even one day without you. I want to spend every moment with you for the rest of my life. I can't even put into words how special you are to me. Nothing in this whole world will ever be more precious to me than you. I love you from the bottom of my heart, to infinity and beyond, to the deepest depths of the ocean, and with every ounce of my being I can possibly give. You're my best friend in the whole world and I can't and won't live my life without you. Your sweet man,
Jack."
Jack was done reading his message and Elizabeth, still teary, couldn't help but smile while burying her face in her other hand not being held by him without saying a word.
Jack started tearing up a little again while still holding her hand, "Sweetheart, look at me. You're my life and mean everything to me."
Elizabeth couldn't say anything because of all that was happening at that moment. She continued smiling and couldn't break her gaze with Jack.
Jack didn't break his gaze either with her and kneeled on one knee to ask her the question he had been wanting to ask for quite some time. He still held onto her hand and pulled the little box out of his pocket with his free hand then opened it revealing the ring. "Elizabeth Brooke Thatcher, will you take a walk with me for eternity?"
Elizabeth was then able to respond verbally while nodding her head, "Of course I will. Yes."
Jack then stood up and picked Elizabeth up off the ground as she lifts one foot up then wraps her legs around his waist, they passionately kiss, and gaze into each other's eyes. "I love you so much, babe."
Elizabeth was still in Jack's arms with her legs wrapped around his waist while running one of her hands through his hair. "I love you so much sweetheart. Ahh, we're engaged. I can't believe it. Is this a dream?"
Jack smiled and put Elizabeth back down, so they can stand in front of each other. "No honey, this isn't a dream. We're really getting married. I'm so happy you said yes. I can't wait to be your husband and spend the rest of my life with you." He caressed her cheek and ran his fingers through her hair with one hand while resting his other hand on her waist then on her back.
"Jack, there is no way I would've said no. There's no one else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with. I can't wait to be your wife." After that statement, she kissed him again.
Jack gently grabbed her hand and slid the ring onto her finger.
Elizabeth stared at the ring. "Jack, it's beautiful. I love it. I still can't believe this is real. You're so amazing. I love you."
She was able to stop the tears and now they were starting again as she thought about how happy she was with Jack then buried her head on his chest.
Jack wrapped both of his arms around her rubbing her back while giving her multiple kisses on the top of her head, her forehead, and temple without either of them saying anything.
Just minutes after the couple became engaged, Abigail jumped out taking pictures to congratulate them and let them know how happy she was for them.
Elizabeth slowly started putting the pieces together of why Abigail was in Sanibel. She told Abigail she was surprised but excited to have her there to witness of what just happened.
Abigail briefly explained Jack had pulled her in from the beginning of the planning and couldn't say no to helping him in any way she could. She then said her goodnight to the newly engaged couple and mentioned that they would talk when they returned from their trip.
Once Abigail left, Jack led his fiancée to a table where it had two chairs facing the ocean as a candlelit dinner waited for them. The whole time they ate, they held hands which never departed and enjoyed each other's presence.
After eating and spending a little more time at the beach, they headed back to the resort to relax and enjoy each other as they had just taken their relationship to the next level.
Jack got into bed after getting his pajama pants and a t-shirt on with Elizabeth sliding into bed next to him just seconds after putting on her pajama pants and a t-shirt as well.
Jack stayed on his back with one arm behind his head while his fiancée rested her head on the right side of his chest as she was positioned on her left side.
Once she got herself comfortable, Jack put his right arm around her and brought his other arm down and rested it on his stomach as he held her hand that was resting on his chest before grabbing it.
"Jack, I'm still in awe of how you prepared for tonight. It was so romantic and beautiful. I don't understand how you were able to keep it a secret."
Jack chuckled, "It was torture to not say anything because of your statements and questions about being together for a long time and our future. I wanted to respond but couldn't since I didn't want tonight to be ruined for you, so I had to steer our conversations in a different direction until I proposed."
Elizabeth smiled as she listened to her fiancée. She then looked at him and responded, "You did an amazing job with everything including steering our conversations in a different direction. I love you and couldn't be happier."
Jack kissed her temple and held her close to him. "I love you too and can't wait for the day we become Mr. & Mrs. Jack Thornton."
To Be Continued...