"Wow," Elizabeth said, taking in the scene in front of her through the window. She and Nathan had been seated at their table in an Italian restaurant a couple towns over from Hope Valley, a town that was situated by a large lake. The restaurant was built right over the lake, and the expanse of water sparkled in the light of the sunset. A forest of pines spread across the opposite shore. "Nathan, this is a beautiful view! How did you find this place?"

He chuckled. "Colleen introduced it to me. She found it almost immediately after moving back to Hope Valley, and she made me come with her every chance she got. I always thought it would be the perfect place for a date."

Elizabeth smiled at him shyly. "Our second date."

Nathan smiled back, taking her hand in his briefly. "Our second date," he repeated, letting her hand go. "I can't quite believe it's true."

She grinned. "Believe it. I'm glad we're taking this chance on each other."

Nathan found himself getting lost in her sapphire eyes. "Me too," he said softly. "Even if we have to keep it a secret for now."

Elizabeth picked up her wine glass, smiling at him over it. "It won't be forever," she said. "If we decide we like each other enough to take the next step in this relationship, it'll come out sooner or later." She took a sip, placing the glass back on the table. "And really, what's the worst that could happen? They can't fire me for it, since it's not an official rule. At most, things would be terribly awkward around my coworkers and the parents." She looked him in the eye. "And if it means dealing with some awkwardness or being with you, the choice is obvious. I choose you."

Nathan caught his breath, Elizabeth's admission going straight to his heart. The waiter chose that moment to come take their order. Nathan sighed slightly, gazing at Elizabeth as she ordered lasagna. Nathan ordered ravioli, and the server said he'd be back with their food shortly.

"I'm glad you're willing to take this chance, Elizabeth," he said, refraining from reaching out to take her hand again. He knew if he initiated too much contact, he would never be able to keep his resolve not to kiss her until Christmas. "Especially considering we hardly know each other. Not yet."

Elizabeth's eyes sparkled. "I have a solution for that," she said, grinning. She pulled a piece of paper from her purse. "I think we should have phone conversations each night. We can talk about this very long list of interesting questions. They're random, but I think they'll help us get to know each other. They could lead to good conversations."

"Alright," Nathan said, smiling. "That sounds fun. Did you want to start now?"

Elizabeth hesitated, slowly placing the paper back in her purse. "Actually, Nathan, something's been on my mind. I want to ask you about it, but I'm afraid I might be crossing a line."

Nathan leaned forward. "Elizabeth, you can ask me anything. I believe that being open and honest in a relationship is key. Otherwise we'll have a communication breakdown, and that rarely ends well."

She chewed her lower lip, her eyes vulnerable. "Okay." She took in a deep breath. "What happened in your last relationship? You said you fell hard and fast."

Nathan's stomach dropped. He hadn't expected her to ask about Jenny, but it made sense that she would. And he had nothing to hide, though the story could be painful at times.

"Last November, I met Jenny at a work event. She was a police secretary. We hadn't really crossed paths before, but I felt an immediate connection to her. She was pretty and funny and made me feel like she felt the same attraction I did. We started doing things together, going on dates and spending all our free time talking and dreaming. After a month of that, I thought I was in love."

Elizabeth arched a brow. "You thought?"

He nodded. "I thought. I can see now that what I was feeling wasn't love. It was a serious infatuation, being in love with the idea of love more than being in love with Jenny." He shook his head. "I even started thinking of telling her how I felt, but we weren't officially a couple yet. We'd kissed enough for me to feel like the feelings were strong between us, but we hadn't defined our relationship."

Elizabeth's eyes turned soft. "That's why you want us to take that part slow."

He nodded again. "Exactly. I want to know you, Elizabeth. I want us to be connected on a deep emotional and spiritual level before we get too confused by the physical. I know from experience that those feelings can be distracting. There were red flags everywhere with Jenny, but I couldn't see them because I was so focused on how she made me feel."

"So what happened?" Elizabeth asked.

Nathan's throat tightened. "Colleen died," he said. "When Jenny found out I was adopting Allie, she about hit the roof. She didn't want a child in her life. She said it was her or Allie. Obviously, I chose Allie."

Elizabeth gasped. "Nathan! That's awful."

He nodded grimly. "I was shocked. For all the time we had spent talking, I realized in that moment that I didn't truly know her. But that wasn't all."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "There was more?"

"Oh yes," he admitted. "Jenny told me she was glad our dating life was coming to an end. Said it made choosing a boyfriend that much easier." He took a breath. "Turns out she was dating both me and another guy at the same time, without telling either of us about the other man's existence. In my naivety, I assumed that she and I were a couple, since that's what it felt like. But she bluntly informed me that we were only ever dating and that her feelings for me were never that strong anyway. She went off with the other guy."

"Oh dear," Elizabeth gasped. "That's why you were shaken when you thought I was dating Jack."

Nathan nodded. "Exactly. It brought back many memories. She hurt me, and I was still feeling a little gun shy. When I thought Jack was interested, I had no desire to be part of a love triangle again. I figured it was better to let you be with him."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm glad we got that cleared up. I was never interested in Jack."

Nathan chuckled. "I know that now. And I trust you, though we've only known each other a short time." He smiled at her. "I now know that I was nowhere close to being in love with Jenny. What I feel for you is much deeper and real. But I wouldn't have known that without having known the pain of rejection."

"The beauty of the broken road," Elizabeth said softly.

"Yes," Nathan agreed. "I'm thankful for it, since it brought me to you."

Jack slowed to a walk, breathing hard. He had pushed himself more than usual on this morning's run. Placing his hands on his knees, he bent over, sucking in air. He was scheduled to meet Rosemary for breakfast soon. They had met at the police station a day after the attack for her to give him a description of the man who had assaulted her. Once they had finished with that, Jack had plucked up his courage and asked her to breakfast so they could talk. Rosemary had agreed. Today was the day, and he was nervous.

His run-in with her last week had led to some serious soul-searching. If they were going to have a conversation, he wanted to remember what had happened, without sugar-coating it or leaving out details. He knew there had to be reasons for her leaving him that went beyond the stated reason. Jack had resolved to truly listen to Rosemary without giving in to the urge to defend himself after every sentence. He prayed for the strength to listen, knowing it wasn't his natural tendency.

Glancing at his watch, he could see that he had an hour before he had to be at the café. Hurrying home, he showered and readied himself for the day. Taking a deep breath, he headed back out the door.

Nathan was just leaving his house with Allie. "Hi!" Allie called, waving at him as she skipped along beside Nathan.

"Hey, Allie," Jack said, a little of the nervousness breaking at the sight of her happy smile. Nathan had told him Allie was having good days and bad days at school, but that he counted every good moment as progress. They all knew there was a long road ahead. Allie would likely have relapses at times. But the fact that she was starting to make friends and playing with the other children in school was a huge victory. Nathan had been smiling more lately, his joy evident.

Jack was happy for him.

Nathan buckled Allie into her booster seat, then shut the door. He looked over at Jack. "How are you feeling?" he asked, knowing about Jack's upcoming meeting with Rosemary.

"Nervous," Jack admitted. "I spent eight years being angry at Rosie, wondering what went wrong and what we could have done differently. Now I might get some answers."

Nathan nodded, his eyes compassionate. "And you might get some closure," he said quietly. "It sounds like you need that."

Jack sighed, closing his eyes briefly. "Yes," he said, his voice rough. "Closure would be good."

"I'll be praying for you, my friend," Nathan said. Jack knew he was sincere.

"Thank you, Nathan." He waved. "I hope you have a good day."

"You as well," Nathan replied, opening his car door and sliding into the driver's seat. Jack waved again as they pulled out of the drive, then headed down the street on foot. It was only a ten minute walk to the café, and he needed the time to think and clear his head.

All too soon he arrived. He stood outside for a few minutes, trying to gather up the nerve to go in and face his past. An urge to run hard and fast in the opposite direction swept over him, but Jack pushed himself forward. He breathed in deeply, put a hand on the door, and entered the restaurant. Rosemary was sitting in a booth in a corner. He deliberately walked toward her, ignoring the voice screaming inside of him to leave.

"Hi, Rosie," he said, sitting across from her. Her face was still bruised and cut, but a week had lessened the harshness of her assault. As had some expertly applied makeup.

"Jack," she replied, giving him a small smile. They had no time for anything else; the waiter came by to take their order. Rosemary asked for a ham and swiss omelet with hash browns and fruit. Jack ordered the same, and the serve took their requests to the kitchen.

Jack tilted his head. "I thought you were vegan."

She took a sip of her water. "I was. But I gave that up about five years ago. It ended up being one of my phases."

Jack raised a brow. "You recognize that you had phases?"

The Rosemary he knew would have been offended at that offhand comment. This Rosemary simply smiled and nodded. "Yes, Jack. I'm well aware of my many phases." She paused for a long moment. "Acting was one of my phases too."

Jack felt a hammer blow against his heart, the way he always did when he thought of her leaving him for Hollywood. "Why did you do it, Rosie?" he asked, almost choking on the words.

She didn't have to ask what he meant. There was a sorrow in her eyes as she looked back at him. "I have no explanation, Jack," she said softly. "I was young and immature, thinking more of myself than anyone else. I thought being married to a police officer would hold me back. Your dream was to become a big-time detective, mine was to become an actress. The more I thought about it, the more incompatible it seemed." She looked down, her throat constricting. "I know I hurt you, Jack. I threw away our life-long friendship and our love because of a selfish desire. I didn't want to sacrifice anything. My method of handling it was to run away." She looked up at him, tears swimming in her eyes. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

Jack sat in stunned disbelief. As long as he'd known Rosie, she had a flair for making excuses for herself, not fully taking the blame. This admission of hers was honest and sincere. He wasn't sure how to take it.

Rosemary was watching him, a strange vulnerability in her eyes. "Say something," she said, her tone pleading.

Jack swallowed. "Was there anything I did, Rosie? Anything at all that led to you breaking our engagement?"

She shook her head, a tear spilling down her cheek. "No," she said. "You were simply being yourself. This was all on me." She sniffed. "Please forgive me."

Jack's long-held anger and resentment slowly melted in the face of Rosemary's contrition. He had expected to feel defensive. He had expected her to make excuses. He had expected anything but this. Her honesty pierced him, and he found himself saying words he'd never expected to say. "I forgive you, Rosie."

A mutual relief seemed to pass through both of them. Jack wasn't sure how it had happened so quickly. This was the last thing he'd thought would happen today. They probably wouldn't regain their friendship overnight, but he couldn't help thinking that perhaps it could eventually be restored.

Their food arrived, and after the waiter left Rosemary looked at Jack again. "Do you have any other questions?" she asked softly. "I know I would if I was in your shoes."

Jack nodded slowly. "I do have a few. Why didn't you ever try to contact me?"

Her face shadowed. "I did once."

When she didn't elaborate, Jack raised a brow, watching as she took a bite of her omelet. "When?" he asked, prompting her for more information.

She wiped her mouth, blinking. "Over a year after our breakup," she said, sounding cautious.

Jack blinked at her. "Is that all you're going to tell me?" he asked. "How did you try to contact me?"

She sighed. "I came back home, Jack. I came home over a year later, wanting to see you. I knew I had made a mistake and I wanted to see if reconciliation was possible. I even went to your house." She hesitated. "But you were otherwise engaged."

He frowned. "Otherwise engaged? What do you mean? Was I not home?"

"You were home," she said.

Jack sighed. "You have to help me out here, Rosie. I'm confused. If I was home, why didn't you just ring the doorbell?"

She bit her lip. "You were with a woman, Jack, and the two of you were involved in a very passionate kiss. It looked like it was leading to something more. I was stunned, but I figured you had moved on. So I left."

Jack frowned. "A woman…?" He thought back seven years, wondering what Rosemary meant. A memory surfaced, one he had pushed away for years. He groaned, rubbing his face with his hands.

Rosemary's brow creased. "Jack? Are you alright?"

He shook his head. "I've tried so hard to forget that night, Rosemary. It's my biggest regret." His throat worked. "And now I regret it even more, knowing that you were attempting to contact me."

She studied him with compassion in her eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

Jack couldn't speak for a few moments. He'd never spoken about that night to anyone, but somehow here in this small café with his ex-fiancée, he knew it was time.

"I took our breakup very hard," he admitted. "I was so angry for so long, Rosie, wondering what had happened. I swore off relationships, determined that I would only date casually." He swallowed. "I met Grace in a bar a few months after the one year anniversary of our breakup. She was funny and sweet and kind, and she let me tell her all about you and my sadness. I'd had too much to drink, not even thinking about the fact that I was opening up to a stranger that way. By the time I had finished the story, I felt so lonely. I...I asked her to come home with me for one night, no strings attached. She agreed. We said goodbye the next morning and I never saw her again." He closed his eyes. "I never had a one night stand before that, and I haven't since. It plagued me for months. I thought it would fill a hole, but instead it made it worse. Eventually I suppressed the memory. I think that combined with losing you made me throw myself into my job. I created a theory in my mind that marriage and family life wouldn't work with being a detective, much less a police officer, but in reality I think I was just protecting my heart from further pain. I haven't had a true relationship since you, Rosie. I've shied away from anything that seemed like it could become permanent." He shook his head. "I have walls the size of Jericho around my heart."

Pain filled Rosemary's eyes. She reached across the table, clasping Jack's hand in hers. "I'm so sorry, Jack," she said quietly. "I'm sorry for doing that to you. If I could go back and change things, I would."

Jack smiled a little sadly. "Honestly, Rosie, it's okay. I wouldn't be where I am today if things hadn't happened the way they had. Yes, it was painful, but it has helped me to grow." His smile became genuine, and he squeezed her hand. "And I suddenly feel free. Seeing you again, talking to you...it feels like healing can truly begin now."

"I hope so," she said softly, a small smile tugging at her lips. "We were always good friends. I'd like to have that again."

"Me too," Jack said, releasing her hand. He turned his attention to his food, feeling much lighter than he had moments before. Something about talking through what had happened was liberating. A weight had been lifted from him. He let out a deep breath, letting himself feel the lightness.

Rosemary tilted her head, a full smile breaking free. "You look like a new man, Jack."

He laughed. "I feel like a new man. I guess what they say about forgiveness is true - it releases you as much as it releases the other person."

She nodded. "I believe it. And thank you for forgiving me. I know we have a ways to go before we can truly be friends again, but this was a step in the right direction."

Jack smiled. "It was."

They spent the next hour talking and laughing over their meal together, catching up on the past eight years. Jack felt like the best parts of his past had been given to him once more. His childhood friend was here, and they had started the process of reconciliation.

This morning had not gone according to plan. It had gone better. In all the scenarios that had gone through his mind, this didn't even come close. But he was thankful it had gone this way.

It was nothing short of miraculous.