Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. All rights go to the actors, writers and creators of the show "When Calls The Heart".

Chapter 2 of 2 posted today … don't miss Chapter 9!

Here it is! The one you were all waiting for!

(13/9/2018)

Chapter 10

Present Day Recap … (Chapter 1)

Jack went back to the bar, sliding into a spot at the counter. He looked around for Elizabeth before he found her in a booth nearby with the same guy and a few other couples. Jack sat there watching her. She was laughing and talking with them. Jack didn't think she could look that happy without him.

If he breaks your heart, I will be waiting here for you. Jack picked up his coat and as he went to leave, he glanced back toward her one last time. Her bright blue eyes met his.

Continued …

Jack froze, unable to move, unable to tear his eyes away from hers.

Elizabeth stood up and approached him slowly, he could feel the eyes of the others on her table follow her.

"Jack?" she said as she got closer.

"Hi Elizabeth."

They stood awkwardly opposite from one another.

"What are you doing here?" Elizabeth asked him.

"Just dropped in after work."

"How's it going?"

"Fine. How are you?"

"Good." Jack noticed her smiles from earlier had disappeared when she was near him. That was not a coincidence. She deserved to be happy. Hopefully her father approved of this guy.

Jack nodded. "I better go."

He turned and began to walk away.

She reached out to grab his arm. "Jack."

He stood there facing away from her for a moment longer.

He turned back and she was closer than he thought. He could smell her perfume. The smell of coconut and jasmine flooded his senses. She looked up at him with those big blue eyes, searching his own.

Then he did the unthinkable.

He leant down and as his hand slipped around the side of her neck, he kissed her. It was soft but as soon as he could taste her lips, his eagerness took over. Man, he missed her.

Jack realised what he was doing and he pulled back quickly. She stood there, her eyes opening and he could see the surprise, before he turned away and walked straight out the door.

You idiot. What were you thinking?

Jack took off down the street towards home, his mind still on Elizabeth. The way she smelt, the way she tasted, the way her beautiful lips felt.

Just when he thought he was reaching a turning point regarding seeing Elizabeth with someone else, he went and did that. Not to mention what she was thinking. Jack cringed.

He went home, threw himself onto his bed and pulled out his phone.

"Lee."

"Hi Jack. What's up?"

"I just saw her."

"Oh no, Jack."

"Yeah. She was with a new guy."

"You knew that would happen."

"It's only been a month."

"It's been longer than that. You've been too busy to realise. It's closer to two."

"I was watching her. She looked really happy."

"I'm sorry, man."

"She came over to talk to me."

"What did she say?"

"Just asked how I was going. I asked her the same thing."

"Then you left?"

"Kinda."

"Kinda? What does that mean?"

"Ummm …"

"What did you do?" Lee knew him too well.

"I kissed her."

"Jack! She's on a date with another guy and you kissed her? Are you insane?!" Lee yelled through the phone.

"Yes, I did act insane. That's why I just pulled away and left."

"You just kissed her and left? Are you nuts?!"

"Yeah, I think I am."

Lee was quiet. Neither of them said anything. Lee finally broke it though.

"How was it?" he asked quietly.

"Amazing. I miss her so much."

"You can't do anything about it. You tell her about her father and he will probably have you fired anyway."

"I know. I know. But what if she is the one? What if I never meet another girl like her? Every single girl I meet, I subconsciously compare them to Elizabeth."

"I don't know, but there's nothing you can do."

That was the truth of it. There was nothing that Jack could do.

After the kiss, Elizabeth had stood there, her feet stuck to the ground as she watched Jack disappear out the door.

When Jack had broken it off, she had been heartbroken. Their vague conversations about getting married and having a family had gotten her hopes up. She thought they were on the same page and then just like that, after dinner with her family, he had walked out saying he didn't love her.

Elizabeth put a finger to her lips. That was not the kiss of a man who didn't love her.

Broken from her trance, her new date pulled her arm.

"Elizabeth! Who the hell was that?" Charlie asked.

"Um, that was … Jack."

"Why did he kiss you?"

"I have no idea."

Elizabeth turned back toward their table and went and sat back down with Charlie close behind her. The silence at the table indicated that they had all seen what happened.

"What are you guys up to tomorrow?" Elizabeth asked Charlie's friends, Belle and Steve.

"Um … we …" Steve began.

"We're going to go for a run along the harbour in the morning and then brunch with my parents" Belle finished.

"That sounds nice. It's supposed to be a really nice day tomorrow. The warm weather is thankfully hanging out for a bit longer. Where are you heading for brunch?"

The conversation bounced backward and forward between Belle and Elizabeth. Elizabeth could still feel the glances passing between the men on the table but she ignored them.

Eventually the other couples decided to call it a night and Elizabeth reached the point that she had been dreading. Charlie took her hand and helped her from her seat.

They all walked out the front of the bar. They stood on the sidewalk saying goodbye and the other couples headed off in separate directions.

Charlie went to take her hand and begin walking back toward his apartment.

"Thanks Charlie for dinner, but I think I better just get a taxi home."

"Elizabeth, I want to talk to you about what happened."

"It was nothing" Elizabeth said trying to brush it off.

"It was not nothing. He kissed you in the middle of the bar in front of me and my friends. Do you know how humiliating that was?"

"It didn't mean anything. Don't worry about it."

"It meant something. Who is he?"

"He's my ex."

"Which one?"

"The most recent one. We broke up two months ago."

"Who broke it off?"

"I did."

Elizabeth didn't know why she lied but she thought he would take her explanation easier than if he knew Jack was the one that broke it off. Maybe Charlie would think that was the kiss of a heartbroken man that way.

"Look I have to go. I will call you tomorrow."

Elizabeth went straight to the curb and held out her hand for a cab. One immediately pulled up.

"I should come …" Charlie began.

"No, it's fine. Thanks for tonight."

Elizabeth climbed into the cab quickly and told the driver to go before Charlie could follow. As the cab drove off, she knew she should direct the driver to her own apartment but instead she made him drive the two blocks to somewhere else.

Jack lay there on his bed, so exhausted but unable to sleep. His mind wouldn't rest.

He heard a knock at the door. Jack looked down at his phone. It was 11 pm.

Who would come by at this time? It must be Lee coming to check up on me.

Jack opened the door and was immediately overwhelmed as Elizabeth's lips crashed into his. It took him less than a second to react as he pulled her into his arms and shut the door behind her. Her hands were in his hair, pulling him closer to her. Her lips were warm and wet and her tongue was driving between his lips.

He carried her back to his bed and laid down on top of her, their lips never parting. His hand slipped underneath the edge of her sweater, running along the smooth skin of her side. Her hands drifted down and he could feel her rucking up his shirt, her cool hands resting on the back of his hips.

He pulled his lips back from hers for a moment, looking down into her eyes. The bright blue stared straight back at him. They didn't need to speak. He knew what she was thinking.

His lips went back to hers, slower now, more deliberate as she kissed him back.

They got to a point where things had to slow down. Jack pulled back, easing himself down next to her. He nestled into her side, drawing her in close, his arm around her waist.

Elizabeth put her hands on his arm, holding it tight against her. This is where she belonged. She had missed him so much and right now this is where she wanted to stay forever.

Jack could hear her breathing slowing down and just like that she had drifted off to sleep.

He watched her as she slept. Her long eyelashes, her button nose. She was so beautiful. He wanted to stay with her forever.

He just had to find a way that he could do that and not lose both his and Abigail's jobs.