Lucas closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The steering wheel was hard under his firm grip. The cushioned seat pressed back unrelentingly, an image of Elizabeth and him sitting in the same spot as rain poured. An almost kiss, then his understanding, and their shared laughter.
He opened his eyes and glanced one last time at the Queen of Hearts sign. Three years ago, he had arrived in Hope Valley as a suspicious stranger, but in those three years, the town had embraced him as one of its own. The saloon had become an accomplishment, more than just a place where people ate and drank. It was a gathering place, the location of wedding receptions, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and holiday festivities. And bringing the silver screen to Hope Valley for the first time. The Queen of Hearts had become a legacy, but for Lucas, his Queen of Hearts eluded him.
He shook his head, told himself he was doing the right thing. There was no longer hope in Hope Valley, at least not for him. Lucas started the car and headed for the road out of town.
As he drove, the rowhouses passed in the distance. Lucas forced himself to keep his gaze forward. What good would come from rehashing his words to Elizabeth that night three days ago?
He'd approached her house after dark, his palms sweaty, his steps unsteady. Lucas had lost track of the number of times he'd almost turned away, but no, he had to speak. Ever since Nathan had revealed his indirect role in Jack Thornton's death, Elizabeth had been different. Distant. Distracted. Even with him. Maybe especially with him.
Their courtship had been blossoming with the green of summer, but when fall arrived, death slowly began to grasp at the world outside and inside. Their world was fading, the colors muting, the laughter echoing in the background, their hand holds the phantom brush of memory, their almost kisses just that...almost.
But Lucas found his resolve to speak his heart for what might be the last time to Elizabeth on her darkened doorstep.
"Elizabeth, you've always maintained that love is worth fighting for. And that includes when it needs defending."
He would defend the virtues of love even if it meant sacrificing his happiness. He would put her happiness first, as he said he always would, even if it meant he would lose her. Lucas confessed to seeing her with Nathan outside at the wedding reception. She had no explanation, no reason she had continued to allow the Mountie into her heart, or so it seemed. All she had were apologies.
When she had said his name, his knees almost buckled on her stoop. He was nearly undone. How tempting it was to enter her sacred space. How many times had she invited him to cross the threshold into her house, yet Lucas had maintained a line of separation, needing her to be sure?
He'd forged on.
"Love is not just an emotion. It's also an act of will. It can't be demanded. It can't be forced. I want you to find your true love. And in order to do that, I want… I need to set you free."
He'd wavered for a second. Lucas didn't want to set her free if he were honest, yet in the deepest part of his heart, he needed to give her the freedom to choose her own path to true love.
And so he'd turned from her, from the woman he loved. His legs were like massive tree trunks planted in the ground, but he uprooted them as he trudged away that night. Lucas dared not one glance at Elizabeth. Her shattered, beautiful face still haunted him.
So he waited.
Three days later, she bumped into him in the cafe and started to speak.
"What you said the other night, about love… you were right."
Lucas had stared at her, shocked, relieved, flustered. People were all around them. How he longed to take her somewhere private and continue the discussion, but they were interrupted. Minnie again, expressing concern over the school inspector. Elizabeth apologized, and she was gone.
He waited. And waited.
Lucas had paced his office and the street in front of the saloon, staring at the sign. Investors were in town. Selling the saloon would be only too easy. So he sold and told himself the lie that he wouldn't look back.
As the autumn foliage swallowed Lucas' car on the dirt road, he told himself he could do this. As he'd told Carson, he had left towns and cities before. His own mother knew he never settled, yet here Lucas had made a home based on some hopeful romantic's belief that Elizabeth was his soulmate.
When he was several miles out of town, the rapid clop-clop of horse hooves approached from behind. He thought he heard someone calling his name. Frowning, he stopped. Turning, he gazed upon Nathan on his horse. The Mountie halted right outside Lucas' car.
"I've been looking for you," Nathan said.
"Looking for me?" Lucas echoed. "Why?"
Nathan sighed, then dismounted his horse. He came to stand next to Lucas' door. "Elizabeth went looking for you."
Lucas' chest tightened. His lunch churned in his stomach as he swallowed down his guilt. "When?"
"In the past hour."
Lucas pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. What have I done? he thought. "Did she say why she was looking for me?"
"Apparently, she'd written you a note, asking you to meet her. Robert took it to the saloon, only to discover you'd sold it. When she found out, anyone who was outside witnessed… Well, I've never seen her so distraught, even when…" He shook his head.
Lucas wondered what the other man had been about to say. When Elizabeth had thought Nathan died a year ago? Lucas squeezed the steering wheel, then released the pressure. Gazing directly at Nathan's piercing blue eyes, he asked, "What happened?"
"Elizabeth… She was in tears, Lucas. She ran down the street toward the edge of town like she was chasing you down, only you'd gone."
Lucas' breath hitched in his throat. What have I done? he asked himself again, all-consuming guilt slowly devouring him. He searched for the right words, but when nothing came, Nathan spoke again.
"Look, Lucas, I know you and I haven't exactly seen eye to eye, but I owe you, and Elizabeth, an apology. It's clear to me now that she loves you." The man in red's eyes were on his feet, his head hung. Then he raised his gaze to meet Lucas'. "I'm sorry, Lucas. I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you both. Elizabeth came to me today and told me she'd chosen you. She only saw me as a friend. I didn't want to accept it at first, but seeing her so distraught… seeing her run down the street like her world had ended…" He trailed off, a haunted look in his eyes. "My doubts died in that moment. I offered to help find you because… well, I was already responsible for the loss of one man who loved her. Who she loved. I won't be responsible for another."
Lucas sat there, stunned into silence. Am I dreaming? he wondered. "Well, thank you, Nathan. That's very… Thank you." He could have said so much more, could have asked the other man why he hadn't realized sooner the undue distress he'd caused Elizabeth, but he gave Nathan a nod, then said, "I'm returning to town."
Nathan nodded, then mounted his horse. "I'll leave you to it, then."
Lucas started his car, staring at the red serge growing smaller in the distance until Nathan disappeared behind the trees. His heart and mind raced. Turning the car around, Lucas wanted to drive at full speed back to Hope Valley, but being reckless and getting into an accident wouldn't help anyone. On the drive, hope surged through his body anew. His heart thumped with overwhelming, all-encompassing love for Elizabeth. Every second was a second too long. Every foot was a foot too far away.
Lucas arrived in town and parked his car. He got out with renewed vigor, a spring in his step. His legs wouldn't work fast enough as he made his way to her house. He stood in the same spot as three days ago, only sunlight bathed the world. The world was alive with endless happy possibilities again. Composing himself as much as possible given his elation and nerves, Lucas rapped on the door.
When no one answered, he frowned and knocked again. Lucas turned to leave, figuring he would try the schoolhouse next, when Rosemary stepped outside next door.
"Lucas!" She stopped in her tracks, staring at him with her mouth agape. "What- what are you doing here? We thought… well, last we heard, you'd left town."
He approached her with urgency. "Rosemary, do you know where Elizabeth is? It's important I speak with her."
Rosemary frowned. "I was in Lee's office when she found out you'd left. She ran down the street in tears. I tried to comfort her, but she wanted no part of it. Thinking back now, I shouldn't have left her. I assumed she'd return home. She's… she's not there?"
"Apparently not. Do you have any idea where she could've gone? I thought to check the schoolhouse next."
Rosemary nodded. "Why don't you check there, and I'll look elsewhere? I'll get as many people involved as possible if you want…"
Lucas held up his hand. "That won't be necessary, please. I don't want the whole town involved." He knew once Rosemary took action, everyone would know he was looking for Elizabeth.
At Rosemary's frown, Lucas amended, "I appreciate your help. Thank you. We'll find her." He forced a smile.
Rosemary clapped, suddenly giddy. "Oh, I'm so happy! You've returned. When Elizabeth finds out…"
Lucas grinned. "Let's just find her first, eh?"
With a wink, he headed for the schoolhouse, only to find it locked. Elizabeth clearly wasn't there. Lucas crossed paths with Nathan as he returned on his horse, and he agreed to search for Elizabeth as well. They met up with Rosemary in front of Abigail's Cafe and concurred to return there in thirty minutes if no one found Elizabeth.
Time passed in a whirlwind. Lucas found himself pacing the walkway in front of the cafe. Nathan and Rosemary returned with no news. Even Lee and Bill had gotten involved.
"Where could she have gone?" Rosemary asked.
Lucas searched his mind, stroking his chin in thought. "Wait, did anyone check the livery?"
Everyone stared at him like he was speaking a foreign language.
Without waiting for a reply, Lucas rushed to the livery. Sergeant was absent.
I know where she is, he thought. Although Lucas couldn't be certain, the memory of them laughing and racing horses through the grass a few months earlier surfaced. He saddled a horse and took off for the bridge. Their bridge.
The cool wind whipped against his cheeks and through his hair as Lucas rode. He gripped the reins with determination, his eyes front and center. When he arrived, he pulled the horse to a stop, tied it to a tree, and dismounted. Lucas had eyes only for the lone figure standing on the center of the bridge. Every part of him longed to run to her, to sweep her up in his arms, but he held back, watching her, taking in this vision of an angel he never thought he'd see again.
Elizabeth's back was to him. She rested her hands on the rail as she stared at the water. All around her, leaves lazily fell. Her shoulders heaved as a sob released.
Lucas wasted not another moment. He stepped onto the bridge and uttered her name.
"Elizabeth."
She gasped, turning toward him. Her hand flew to her mouth. She gazed at him with tears streaming down her red cheeks.
Lucas stopped when he was but three feet from her. "Elizabeth," he repeated.
"I… I thought you left." Her voice wavered.
His arms twitched as his sides, edging toward pulling her into a strong embrace, but as he stood there, Lucas hesitated. "I did."
"Why?" She shook her head.
"I needed a reason to stay. Please tell me I have a reason." His words surprised him, for try as he might to push away the hurt, he couldn't erase the past several days.
Elizabeth closed the distance between them and took each of his hands in his, squeezing them. "Lucas, I am so, so sorry. You've been nothing but patient and kind with me, and I… I feel I let you down. I told Nathan once and for all that I don't love him. I went to find you, and you were already gone, and I…" She choked up, tears pouring now.
Lucas' whole body folded around hers as he pulled her into a fierce embrace. His fingers caressed her hair, her back. "I heard. Nathan told me."
Elizabeth drew back enough to look into his face. "Nathan?"
"He's the one who found me. Color me surprised, but you can thank him for me being here." Lucas chuckled.
Elizabeth couldn't help but smile. "Then I'll have to thank him. Stranger things have happened."
He placed his hands on her cheeks and brushed her tears away with his thumbs. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are, inside and out? How happy I am right now?"
She laughed, like bells at a wedding. Bells Lucas hoped were in their not-too-distant future.
"I might have an idea," she said.
Lucas' eyes drifted to her lips. Her eyes mirrored his. Together, in perfect serendipitous harmony, they closed the last gap that separated them and became one. Their lips crashed together as if meant to fit. Lucas breathed in every life-giving breath that was Elizabeth Thornton and vowed to never leave her again.
When the kiss ended, he continued to hold her close, the most precious treasure. "I love you, Elizabeth."
Her smile shone with the dazzling light of a hundred suns. "I love you, Lucas."
Lucas savored the feel of her warm body against his, a shield to the cooling world. He closed his eyes and thanked God for true love.
Love is a choice, he thought. And I chose right.