Jack knocked on Faith's door later that evening, a bouquet of fall flowers in hand. They had settled on an early dinner. After hanging out with the Grants and Elizabeth at the zoo, Jack had come home, showered, and purchased the flowers and a bottle of wine. Faith had told him he didn't need to bring anything, but his mother had taught him never to show up empty-handed for a date.

Faith opened the door, a smile on her face. "Hi," she said.

Jack's heart skipped a beat. Faith's hair was hanging in loose curls over her shoulders. She was wearing a crimson colored dress that brought out the color in her cheeks, and her eyes had their perpetual sparkle in them. She looked lovely.

"Hi," he managed to stammer. Holding up the flowers, he handed them to her. "These are for you. As is this." He held up the wine.

Faith gasped, drawing in the scent of the flowers. "These are beautiful," she said. "Thank you." She stepped aside. "Please, come in."

Jack walked into the house, a small but prettily furnished home. He could smell something enticing coming from the kitchen. "It smells great in here," he said, shrugging out of his jacket.

Faith smiled. "Thanks! I made cashew chicken."

"Sounds delicious," Jack replied. "Thank you for making dinner, Faith."

"Thanks for coming," she returned, motioning him toward the kitchen.

Jack placed his jacket neatly over a chair before following her. "I must admit, I'm surprised you asked me out," he said. "For some reason you didn't seem like the kind of woman who would ask a man out first."

Faith chuckled, filling a vase with water for the flowers. "I'm not," she admitted. "That surprised me as much as it surprised you. I'd never done that before." She put the flowers in the vase, then placed the vase on the table. Glancing up at him, her cheeks turned pink. "But I don't regret it for a moment."

Jack felt a warmth fill his heart, breaking down some of the barriers he hadn't realized he was holding there. Faith was so open, so natural. He had a sense that she could break past all his defenses and open his heart once more.

He didn't know where that thought came from, but it terrified him. He hadn't had that kind of sense about a woman since Rosemary. Maybe that was why he had asked Elizabeth out first instead of Faith - Elizabeth had seemed safer, even if he only knew that subconsciously. But despite the sudden fear, he also felt a determination to push through it. He was tired of running from potential relationships because he was afraid. He realized his excuse for not marrying or having children had more to do with the fact that he didn't want to get hurt again than it did him thinking his job was dangerous. Plenty of detectives in big cities were married with families. Jack could no longer use that as an excuse to refuse to get emotionally attached to someone.

He studied Faith, who was still looking at him, waiting for a reply. Maybe she was someone he could get attached to. He determined in that moment to be open to it. Maybe nothing would come of this date, or maybe they would pursue a relationship. Whatever happened, he wanted to keep himself open to the possibilities.

"I'm glad you asked," he said, taking her hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze.

She blushed prettily. They both gave a nervous laugh, feeling slightly self-conscious about their admission. Jack cleared his throat and held up the wine. "Can I pour each of us a glass?" he asked lightly, getting back on safe ground.

Faith nodded, pulling open a drawer and handing him a wine opener. "The glasses are in that cabinet," she said, pointing to the correct one. "The food is ready, too, so I'll serve it and then we can talk over dinner.'

"Perfect," Jack said, pouring the wine. Faith served up two bowls of rice and chicken. They sat down to eat, sitting across from each other so they could easily talk.

"Faith, this is delicious!" Jack exclaimed after taking his first bite. "You are quite a cook."

She grinned, taking a sip of her wine. "I'm glad you think so. I really had to work at it." She laughed outright. "I used to burn water when I tried to boil it. That's how bad of a cook I used to be."

"Burned water…?" Jack laughed. "It couldn't have been that bad."

"Oh, it was," Faith assured him. "I lost count of the number of times I set off the fire alarm while cooking. It's only been in the past couple of years that I finally mastered the art of making food."

Jack smiled. "Well, it was well worth the effort. This is incredible."

"Thank you," she said. "I'm glad you like it."

"Have you always lived in Hope Valley?" Jack asked, taking another bite of food.

Faith nodded. "Born and raised. It's a wonderful place to live."

Jack smiled wryly. That seemed to be the common consensus. "I don't suppose you ever want to leave?" he asked, fully expecting her to say no.

She surprised him once more. "I'd be open to it, for the right opportunity," Faith said. "Hope Valley would always be my first choice, but I have to admit I've thought about moving to a big city a time or two, to teach in an inner-city school. There's so much good that could be done there. I want to make a difference in this world, you know?"

Jack stared at her, open-mouthed, as she continued. "I know I'm making a difference here as well, and I'm content. But if the right job came around at the right time, I'd consider leaving Hope Valley."

He could only gaze at her in wonder. Faith looked down, a blush staining her cheeks before looking back up. "Do I have something on my shirt or face?" she asked, grabbing her napkin.

Jack blinked. "No! Sorry, I didn't mean to stare. I'm just surprised that someone in Hope Valley is willing to leave. Everyone I've talked to so far thinks this is the best place on earth."

Faith smiled. "It is, Jack. But sometimes there's a higher calling on the heart." She shrugged. "But sometimes there isn't. It all depends." She tilted her head, looking at him over the rim of her wine glass. "What about you? Where are you headed?"

"A big city," Jack said, smiling back. "It's always been my dream to fight crime in New York or LA. As long as I can remember, that's been the goal."

Faith lifted a brow. "Is there anything that could keep you in a town like Hope Valley?" she asked, her eyes somehow serious and twinkling at the same time.

He stared at her for several long moments. "Not too long ago, the answer would have been no," he said reflectively.

"And now?" Faith said softly.

Looking at the woman across from him, Jack suddenly wondered if perhaps there was something that could convince him to stay. He'd only been here a couple of weeks, and already people were wiggling their way into his heart. He felt like he was a part of an actual community, and he liked it. Now, with Faith looking at him with her big blue eyes and innocent expression, Jack thought there was a small chance he could be convinced to make a small town his home.

Perhaps.

He shook his head, coming back to the present. "I don't know," he said, looking directly into her eyes. "A year is a long time. Anything could happen."

She nodded, a small smile on her face. "True." She took a sip of wine before switching topics. "Where did you grow up?"

"Here and there," Jack said. "I was in the foster system for several years before being adopted, so I don't know exactly where I was born. I was five years old before I was adopted by Tom and Charlotte Thornton. They are wonderful people, and I love them very much. Dad was a police detective, and I always admired him and wanted to follow in his footsteps."

Faith smiled. "That's admirable." She tilted her head. "Did you ever know who your birth parents are?"

Jack shook his head. "No. I was never able to find out." He chuckled wryly. "Funny, considering I want to be a detective. You'd think I could have found that out by now."

"If the records exist," Faith pointed out. "They might not."

"True," Jack said, nodding. "And I'm at peace with that. The parents who chose me are the only parents I need. If I never find my birth parents, I'll be okay with that."

Faith placed a hand on his shoulder. "Contentment is a good quality to possess," she said, giving him a smile.

Sitting here with Faith in her cozy kitchen, feeling her hand on his shoulder and seeing the warmth in her eyes, Jack felt a contentment beyond any he'd known before. He shook his head, marveling at the magic of Hope Valley. It had drawn him in, something he had not expected in the least.

But he felt happy. And for now that was enough.

"Remind me how I let you talk me into this?" Nathan grunted, pushing some heavy tires across the football field.

Lee grinned at him. "You're one of my best friends and you love helping out?" he said, laughing. They were setting up the football field for Monday's practice. Lee was the coach for the Eagles football team, and they were set to play Notre Dame on Saturday. He'd asked Nathan for help getting the field ready. Football had never been Nathan's favorite sport, but since Lee was a good friend, he said he would lend a hand.

As if reading his thoughts, Lee chuckled again. "I know you're a baseball guy, but I appreciate the help. I'll be sure to watch a Tigers game or two with you when baseball season starts."

"I will hold you to that," Nathan said, grunting again as he pushed the final tire into place. "There! That should do it."

Lee clapped him on the shoulder." Thanks, Nathan. I appreciate it." He gave him a sly grin. "And I understand you have a date to get ready for now."

Nathan's jaw dropped. "How did you know?"

"Lucas," Lee said, still grinning. "And I have eyes, my friend. You and Elizabeth about lit the house on fire at that barbeque last week with those looks between you. The sparks were palpable. I would have been shocked if you didn't ask her out."

Nathan decided to ignore that. No sense getting into his intense feelings for Elizabeth, feelings that still didn't make sense to him considering the short amount of time they had known each other.

"Speaking of lighting the house on fire…" Nathan said, glancing at Lee out of the corner of his eye.

Lee pressed his lips together. "Jack and Rosie?" he asked.

Nathan nodded. "How did that make you feel?"

Lee shook his head. "Honestly, Nathan, my heart hurt for both of them. Rosie has told me everything about Jack, including how she hurt him. She knew that, and she regretted it. Did you know she went back about a year later, wanting to make amends?"

Nathan shook his head. "Jack said he hadn't heard from her since the day she left him."

Lee let out a breath. "That's true. But she went to his house to talk to him. She just never knocked on the door."

"Why not?" Nathan asked, his brow furrowing. "Rosemary doesn't seem like the type to chicken out on something like that."

"Normally she wouldn't," Lee said. "But she happened to see Jack through the window. Apparently he was on the couch, locked in a rather passionate kiss with a woman Rosie had never seen before. She turned around and never looked back, figuring Jack had moved on."

"Ah," Nathan said. "I can see why she would leave."

"Yeah," Lee agreed. "Me too." He sighed. "As much as I would like for them to pretend that the other doesn't exist, I think they need to talk. There's too much that was left unsaid. I keep trying to convince Rosie to talk to him, but so far she's refusing. This unforgiveness between them has got to be eating at them both."

Nathan nodded. "They do need to talk. The sooner the better."

Lee took a deep breath. "And on that note, I need to finish prepping for tomorrow's practice, and you have a date." He slapped Nathan's shoulder, his easy-going grin making an appearance again. "Have fun!"

Nathan grinned, waving and heading for his car. Excitement had been building inside all day and had now reached a bursting point. He was nervous too, but he knew this chance they were taking would be worth it.

Elizabeth was worth it.

Elizabeth heard the doorbell ring, and she let out a deep breath to calm the butterflies racing in her stomach. She smoothed a hand down the full skirt of her deep blue dress, willing her heart to slow down. Pulling open the door, she caught her breath at the sight of Nathan in a black suit and tie.

He looked incredibly handsome.

"Hi," she said, unable to keep the breathiness from her voice.

"Hi," he returned, his eyes taking in her appearance. "Elizabeth, you look beautiful."

A compliment had never sounded so sincere. She blushed, ducking her head. "Thank you."

He held out his arm. "Ready?"

She nodded, taking it and closing the door behind them. Nathan opened the car door for her, letting her get situated before closing it. The short drive to the restaurant was filled with friendly chatter about their days. They reached Lucas's restaurant, and once again Elizabeth took Nathan's arm. She studied the restaurant, frowning. "It looks like most of the lights are off. Did Lucas close it down for the night?"

Nathan smiled. "You'll see." He knocked at the door, and within moments Lucas appeared. He was also wearing a suit, and he bowed formally when he saw them. "Right this way, please," he said.

Elizabeth glanced up at Nathan. "What's going on?"

He looked down at her, the look in his eyes melting Elizabeth's heart. "Lucas wanted to set up a fancy date for us," he said softly. Looking around, he chuckled lightly. "He wanted to go all out."

Elizabeth followed his gaze. The restaurant was filled with dozens of flickering candles, providing the light for the large room. Soft, romantic music was playing. Rose petals were scattered over the floor. Delicious smells were emanating from the kitchen.

Taking in a deep breath, Elizabeth tried to absorb everything she saw. "This is amazing," she said, looking up at Nathan once more. His blue eyes looked darker, but they flickered in the candlelight. She realized once again just how handsome he was.

"Have a seat," Lucas said, inadvertently breaking the spell. He poured their wine as they sat. "Dinner will be served shortly," he said, giving them a knowing grin. He vanished into the kitchen, leaving Nathan and Elizabeth alone.

Elizabeth smiled. "So."

"So," Nathan responded, smiling back. He looked relaxed as he gazed at her over his wine glass. "We've found ourselves in an interesting situation."

Elizabeth chuckled. "That's putting it mildly. There are so many reasons I should have said no to this date. But I couldn't." She took a sip of wine to fortify herself. "I really like you, Nathan," she admitted quietly.

Nathan leaned forward, reaching out to take her hand in his. "The feeling is mutual, Elizabeth," he said. "There was a connection between us from the moment we met."

She nodded, suddenly feeling breathless. "So it wasn't just me," she murmured, looking at him in wonder.

Nathan shook his head slowly. "No, Elizabeth. It wasn't just you." He exhaled, swallowing his nervousness. "I've never felt this way before. I thought I knew what it was to be connected to someone, to have feelings for a woman. But I was wrong. What I feel for you…" He shook his head again, at a loss. "I can't explain it. It feels like a soul connection. I somehow know deep inside that we were meant to meet. I don't know what it means, but I know you were meant to be in my life."

Elizabeth caught her breath again. Nathan's admission left her feeling dizzy. He had put into words what she felt, and it amazed her that they both felt the same way.

"I think you were meant to be in my life too," she whispered. "It's too bad we didn't meet sooner." She smiled wryly. "Our circumstances aren't exactly ideal."

"No, I suppose not," Nathan said, his hand still holding hers. "How frowned upon is it for a teacher to date a parent?" He reached out to take her other hand in his free one. "Because now that I've found you, I have no intention of letting you go."

Her heart beat double time and her breathing came faster. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "It's never happened before at St. Cecilia's."

"So how do we go about this?" Nathan asked.

Elizabeth shook her head. "One day at a time, I suppose. It's really the only thing we can do." She paused, thinking it over. "It's October. There are seven months left in the school year. Once Allie is no longer in my class, it wouldn't be frowned on. We would be free to date without fear of judgement."

"Seven months?" Nathan asked. "You want to wait seven months?"

"No," she breathed, shaking her head. "No, I don't. But maybe...maybe we don't tell anyone for the time being. Maybe we keep getting to know each other, see where this might lead. If we decide it's going somewhere, then perhaps we can be open about it. And maybe that will be after the school year."

"What if it's before?" Nathan asked, his eyes boring into hers. He was tracing circles on the backs of her hands, making it difficult for her to concentrate.

Her lips parted slightly, and she took several breaths to calm the racing of her heart. "Then we cross that bridge when we come to it," she said, managing to get the words out.

Nathan nodded, slowly releasing her hands. "I can accept that," he said, giving her his crooked smile. "As long as you're open to seeing where this goes."

"I'm definitely open to that," she said softly.

A slow song began to play, and Nathan stood, holding his hand out to Elizabeth. "May I have this dance, Miss Thatcher?"

She smiled, accepting his proffered hand. Nathan led her to an open spot, where he took her in his arms, pulling her close as they started moving to the music. Elizabeth closed her eyes momentarily. The feel of being held by him was heady. He smelled like pine needles, the scent intoxicating and comforting at the same time. She looked up, getting caught in Nathan's blue gaze.

Time slowed to a standstill. Elizabeth could feel her breaths coming in shallow gasps as Nathan's eyes dropped to her lips. He pulled her closer, bending his head slowly, drawn to her by a force neither of them could fight. Elizabeth closed her eyes as Nathan's lips gently found hers, caressing them softly. Her hands pressed flat against his back as she returned his kiss.

The sensations coursing through her were unfamiliar and utterly wonderful. She let out a small sigh, melting into Nathan, her lips parting slightly. She involuntarily gasped when he deepened their kiss, making her feel things she hadn't known were possible. She clung to him, letting herself get lost in the sea of sensation he unleashed inside of her.

Lucas came out of the kitchen, halting when he saw his friends wrapped in each other's arms. He smiled. The food was ready, but he had a feeling he would need to put the two plates in a warmer. Nathan and Elizabeth were lost in their own world, and he was sure food was the last thing on their minds. Without a sound, he discreetly backed into the kitchen once more.

He would check again in a few minutes.