Early November
Charlotte met Beth up in LA to look at condos and townhouses.
"I am so grateful you are here with me. It makes it a bit easier," she told Charlotte.
"Happy to help my soon-to-be daughter."
"Thanks." She gave her a smile and then they walked up to the first building where her realtor was waiting.
"Good morning, ladies," Mike Hickam greeted.
"Morning, Mike. This is my mother-in-law, Charlotte."
"Nice to meet you. How is everything going, Beth?"
"Fine, a bit stressful but with school and the wedding…it makes sense."
"Well, I think this condo will fit your needs. Maybe that will ease some of your stress. Let's go inside."
They followed him inside the lobby, into the elevator, and up to the eighth floor.
"This is a nice building. Are you sure it's in our price range?"
"It is." He told her the monthly cost, including HOA fees.
"It's at the top of the budget. Is there anyway to talk them down?"
"No, it's a fixed amount. Let's look inside and hopefully you will see it's worth what you'll pay."
They followed him into the condo and gasped. "Charlotte! Look at that view!"
"The San Fernando Valley," Mike confirmed. "Its something isn't it?"
"It is." Beth imagined sitting in the living room, snuggled on the couch with Jack, enjoying the view by the fire.
"As you can see, there's a gas fireplace, and the living area is large, opening to the eat-in kitchen."
"It's brand new," she mentioned, running her hands along the gray granite countertops. The shaker style cabinets were gorgeous and the stainless appliances. "I wish Jack could see this."
Charlotte gave her a side hug. "Just pretend I'm Jack," she said with a wink.
"Funny. Can I take pictures to send to my fiancé, Mike?"
"Absolutely."
She snapped pictures of the view, the kitchen, and the half bath by the second bedroom, and the large master suite. "Mike, I will talk with Jack on Saturday. Can I get back to you then?"
"Honestly, this probably won't still be available by then. These condos are in high demand, especially at these prices."
Charlotte saw her struggle with deciding for the both of them. She felt for her situation. "Beth, sweetie. What's holding you up?"
"What if I lease it and he doesn't like it?"
"He trusts you. That's something very essential in a marriage. This has two bedrooms, which is what you want, and it's in your budget. If you think this is at all what you and he will be happy with, he would want you to snatch it up."
"Can we do a one year lease, Mike?" Beth wondered.
"Yes, that's actually what it is."
"Ok, we will take it."
…..
The great part was, she could move in within a month, so she could be living there and everyone could be moving his things from Hope Valley while he finished up at the Academy.
She talked to him that Saturday and he agreed to let her parents foot the bill for their living room furniture, along with a bed for the guest room. She picked out everything that they agreed on, including a small table for their kitchen dining area.
About a week before he was due to graduate, she was sitting in their new bedroom and folding clothes she had just washed when she heard the door open in the other room. She wasn't expecting anyone and that scared her. She thought she had locked the door.
"Hello?" She grabbed a pillow, the only thing within reach and looked into the hallway. "Who's there?!"
"Babe, it's me," Jack told her.
"Jack? What are you doing here? Oh my goodness!" She dropped the pillow into the hall and threw herself into his arms. "You scared me! Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"
He put her back down on her feet and kissed her smiling lips. "I wanted to surprise you. Why wasn't the door locked? Babe, this is the city."
"I thought I locked it." She thought back. "Oh, when the pizza guy brought my lunch, I must have forgotten."
He looked down on the floor. "Were you going to challenge the intruder to a pillow fight?"
She smacked his arm and laughed. "It was the only thing within reach. That or my underwear."
"Hmm. Yeah. Pillow is probably more affective."
She reached up and cupped his face with her hands. "You are so handsome. I can't believe you're here."
"We are pretty much done with class work so we can go home some evenings. This is the only home I have close by."
"Yeah, but I don't know if that's a good idea. You staying here."
"Just tonight? I will stay in the dorms after tonight."
"Ok, but only because Julie is coming over and you are sleeping in the guest room."
"Deal. Now show me around our house, Beth."
She dragged him by the fingers down to their bedroom. "This is our room. Isn't it huge?"
"Yeah it is. Is that the bathroom?" He walked over to the door on the next wall.
"Nope. It's the largest closet in the world," he said from the half-filled room.
"It's not that big."
"Babe, you can park your Jeep in here and have room to spare. It's huge."
"I have a lot of clothes."
"Yes, and shoes and purses. Why do you need that many purses?" He walked back out of the closet and smirked.
"I need to have one for every occasion that matches every outfit. Or at least that's what I used to think. Plus I kind of like some of them."
He walked up and rested his hands on her hips, pulling her really close. "I kind of like you," he whispered, his lips teasing hers.
"What a relief." She put her hands on his arms and smiled. "I was worried."
"Why is that?"
"Because you left me for six whole months, hon," she teased.
"I did it for you and our babies. I was pretty sure that you all would like a roof over your head and food."
"Mm. I guess I can forgive you then."
"Eighteen days, babe. Then I won't have to leave anymore."
"Thank goodness. It took forever to get here."
"Beth?" Julie called from the other room.
"In the bedroom."
"Jack! Good to see you," Julie said as she walked in.
"You too! You look great!" Jack gave her a hug. "How's that nephew of mine doing?"
"He's sleeping now, I think." She rested her hand on her belly and smiled. "I'll put my things in the guest room."
"Actually I'm sleeping in there tonight," Jack told her.
"You're with me," Beth told her.
"Oh, are you sure?"
"Of course. We have eighteen days, right babe?" Beth said with a wink.
"Yep."
The three of them watched a movie until Julie excused herself to go to bed around nine o'clock.
"Do we have any coffee?" Jack asked, getting up and heading to the kitchen.
She stood and followed him. "I love that you said we." She watched as he searched the cupboards, finally finding the pods above the Keurig sitting on the counter. "Still drinking coffee, huh?"
"Yep, since day one of training. I'm kind of hooked now and I always have some before I settle in for three hours of homework."
"No homework tonight," she pointed out.
"No, but I was hoping we could catch up a bit? I missed talking to you face to face. Having you in the same room is something I've been looking forward to since the day I left."
"Better make me some too then," she said, reaching into the cupboard to get two mugs. One was white and said "Bride" and the other was black and said, "Groom".
"Cute," he said with a laugh.
"I thought so."
"You did an amazing job picking out this place. It's crazy we can afford it."
"It was hard. Making such a huge decision without you."
"I trust you. You're going to be a wonderful wife."
"That's very sweet of you."
She got out the peppermint creamer from the fridge. Jack opened the fridge in search of plain old milk. "No milk?"
"I need to go to the store."
"We could go now."
"Its ten o'clock."
"Its been a long time since we went on a date. Lets go."
"The grocery store is not a date."
"Sure it is. I'll show you." He took her hand and smiled, leading her to the door where he helped her put her jacket on before he slipped his on. Then he took her Jeep keys and they walked to the elevator, stealing a kiss or two while they rode down to the lobby. He held the Jeep door open for her and closed it once she was safely inside. Then he held her hand as they drove ten minutes through traffic to the grocery store.
He was right. It certainly felt like a date to her. His touches and the way he gazed at her, made her feel cherished. She had missed that over the past six months.
She squeezed his hand causing him to look at her briefly. "I love you so much."
He smiled and kissed the back of her hand. "I love you too."
After shopping they headed back to the condo, parting ways at the guest room door. "What time do you leave in the morning?" she whispered.
"5:30."
"Ok. When will I see you again?"
He saw tears welling in her eyes. "Hey, what's wrong? My training is almost done, sweetie. Less than a week and then we will see each other every day." He kissed her forehead, leaving his lips there as she gripped his shirt, keeping him close.
"I'm sorry. I'm tired, I guess."
"Are you sure that's all it is?"
"No, but you standing here in our house and we are sleeping apart….it feels wrong. I'm not saying we should sleep together but I want us to be close. Am I making any sense at all?"
"Yes. It's hard. I do understand because I feel the same. But we've waited this long, we can manage a few more weeks, right?"
She nodded and hugged him. "I love you, Jack."
"I love you too. To answer your question, you will see me very soon, at the longest, Saturday at my graduation."
"Six days. Ok." She stepped away to walk down the hall but he grabbed her hand, pulling her back.
"One more thing." He gave her a long, slow kiss, stopping before they got carried away, but just long enough to hopefully tide her over until Saturday.
"Night, babe."
"Night."
…..
The next week took forever, in her opinion. Julie stayed the whole week, finishing her semester online during that time. Beth finished hers as well, Thursday being her last class until January 6th when she returned from Vermont as Beth Thornton. The thought made her so happy.
On Saturday afternoon, Beth dressed in her new outfit, bought just for the Police Academy graduation. Her parents, his parents, Tom, and Julie were all in their condo getting ready.
She was nervous and proud and excited, all mixed into one. This day seemed to mark the beginning of their life together. After today, they would concentrate on final details for their wedding. He and Tom and Carson, his friend from the academy, would pick up their suits. She, Julie, and Faith would pick up their dresses. The rehearsal dinner, which was going to be in Hope Valley at the Thatcher estate, would be simple, yet elegant, according to Grace. The women would all head to the spa for manicures and pedicures two days before, which happened to be Christmas Eve.
Then, the day after Christmas, she and Jack would finally say their vows on the beach at the lake house where they spent their perfect summers and became best friends and eventually fell in love.
Beth sipped her coffee by the window overlooking San Fernando Valley, enjoying the view, thinking of Jack.
"Beth?"
"Yes?" Grace walked up to her and smiled.
"Doing ok, dear?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Good. This is a lovely home. You made a good choice with it and with Jack."
"Thank you. That means so much."
"I'm very proud of both of you."
That did mean a lot, but she wondered if her mom was proud because they had made good choices or because they hadn't made a questionable decision like Julie had. Personally, Beth was extremely proud of her sister. She had stepped up, grown up, and made the best decision for herself and the baby boy she carried. "What about Julie, Mom?" she asked quietly. "She has done so well with working and school and taking care of her son. Are you proud of her too?"
"That's between your father and me and Julie, dear. You just enjoy your day."