Rosemary and Elizabeth caught up again on Saturday afternoon while Abby and Jack napped. They were back in Elizabeth's kitchen having tea and scones that Elizabeth had picked up from the bagel shop earlier in the day.
"Rosie, are you and Lee sure you don't mind watching Jack tonight? I know you don't get much free time right now." asked Elizabeth.
"Of course we don't mind! We are just so happy that you decided to go out with Nathan. And besides, I'm exhausted and on vocal rest so I am taking advantage of any time I can spend at home right now before the show starts. We will keep Jack overnight so you don't have to worry about rushing back after your date. You can join us for bagels tomorrow morning and pick him up then."
Elizabeth chuckled. "Rosie, if I didn't know any better I'd say you had coordinated this entire evening but I know the invitation came from Nathan spur of the moment. And thank you. I do appreciate you and Lee keeping Jack overnight."
Rosemary smiled. "What are you planning to wear? Any idea where Nathan is taking you?"
"He didn't say but he also said it's not super fancy. I was thinking maybe a nice sundress. He has already seen some of my more formal dresses that I wear to teach."
"And what time is he picking you up?"
"6:30pm"
"Oh my that doesn't leave us a lot of time, does it?"
"Rosie, it's 4pm now!"
"I know I know. Let's figure out what you're going to wear before the kids wake up."
Elizabeth smiled and led her friend upstairs to the walk-in closet in her bedroom.
"Rosie, I haven't been on a date in over 5 years. I have no idea what to do or expect."
"Elizabeth, you'll be fine once you are with Nathan. You two are so comfortable around one another. This will just be another dinner together. Now then, let's see what we have here. I haven't seen you wear some of these in a long time."
"Maybe I should have gone to the mall. Most of my wardrobe is my work attire."
"Nonsense Elizabeth! You have so many nice things. And besides there is no time for shopping now."
Rosemary carefully walked through the large closet and started pulling various items into her arms. She and Elizabeth then walked back into the bedroom. Rosemary laid out everything on the bed and started handing Elizabeth one outfit at a time to try on. 30 minutes went by and they settled on a sleeveless navy blue capri length jumpsuit that Elizabeth had ordered online the previous year but had never worn. They paired it with a pair of gold heel sandals and a red clutch purse for a pop of color. Rosemary then selected an off white pearl necklace with matching earrings to go with it. Elizabeth would be on her own for getting dressed but Rosemary offered to help with hair and makeup since the kids were still asleep.
"Maybe I should wear my hair down? I feel like it's always up or pulled back when I see Nathan."
"I think that's a wonderful idea. Your hair is so beautiful."
Elizabeth hopped in the shower quickly so that she could wash her hair. When she came out, Rosemary helped her dry and style it with the curling iron. By the time they finished, it was 5:30 already and Jack was awake. So Rosemary went home to tend to Abby with the promise to come back for Jack before Nathan arrived.
After quickly packing an overnight bag for Jack, Elizabeth settled him on her bed with some board books. She then put on her makeup and got dressed. Her stomach was filled with nonstop butterflies that she hoped would subside as the evening went on. Elizabeth was grabbing a tan pashmina from the closet when Rosemary and Abby walked in.
"Elizabeth, you look gorgeous! Nathan won't be able to keep his eyes off of you."
"Really? You don't think it's too much? Am I trying too hard?" Elizabeth asked with a frown.
"You look incredible. If you're really self-conscious, how about switching to your gold wedge heels instead? The ones with the peep toe that you wear to work sometimes. Still dressy but not as dressy as the strappy sandals."
Elizabeth thought about it for a moment and quickly ran into her closet. A couple minutes later she came out wearing the much more comfortable wedge heels.
"Still just as beautiful my friend!" said Rosemary with a big smile.
"Pretty Auntie Beth," added Abby.
"Thank you both!" said Elizabeth as she hugged both Rosemary and Abby.
Elizabeth grabbed her pashmina and purse and then picked up Jack and his overnight bag. The foursome headed downstairs. Elizabeth gave Jack a hug and a kiss.
"Ok Jack you be good for Auntie Rosie and Uncle Lee! I love you and I will see you for breakfast tomorrow. Bye sweetheart. I love you."
"Bye bye Mama! I wuv you."
Elizabeth handed Jack to Rosemary who promptly put him down next to Abby. She grabbed Jack's bag from Elizabeth and smiled once again at her friend.
"Enjoy tonight Elizabeth. You deserve every happiness in the world and I hope Nathan can be the one to make you happy. He's a great guy. I love you and we will see you tomorrow."
"Thank you Rosie for everything. I love you too."
The friends hugged and then Rosemary took the kids home via the patio door. Elizabeth made sure it was locked behind them. She tried to relax herself by doing breathing exercises on the couch and then the doorbell rang. Elizabeth opened the door and her breath caught immediately.
"Hi Elizabeth. You look beautiful." said Nathan with his crooked smile.
"Hi Nathan. You look very handsome yourself."
Nathan was wearing navy slacks with a short sleeve light blue shirt. He was wearing tan suede oxfords so Elizabeth was glad she had opted for the more casual shoe. It wasn't lost on Elizabeth that she and Nathan were color coordinated. It wasn't lost on Nathan either.
"These are for you." he said as he handed her a dozen roses once again.
"Oh Nathan you shouldn't have! These are so beautiful just like the last bunch. Come in please while I put these in water."
Nathan followed Elizabeth into her kitchen while she quickly put the roses in her crystal vase. This time she left them on the kitchen island and would move them to the sunlight before morning.
"Ready to go?" Nathan asked.
"Yes! I'll just grab my wrap and purse on the way out."
Elizabeth grabbed her items, set the alarm, and walked out the front door with Nathan closely behind. She then made sure to lock it before they headed to Nathan's SUV in her driveway. Nathan opened the passenger door for Elizabeth and waited until she was situated with her seatbelt on before closing it. He then walked around to the driver's side and got in.
"I love your car. It still has the new car smell. And it's so impeccably clean. Very impressive for a single parent, Detective."
Nathan chuckled, put on his seatbelt, and started the car. "It's all in the air freshener. I've actually had this beauty for about 2 years now. And I guess it's my OCD but keeping the car clean is something I can easily control, especially since I use the police cruiser at work. Thankfully, Allie respects my quirks too."
Now Elizabeth chuckled too. She and Nathan got lost in each other's eyes again. This seemed to be becoming a regular habit.
"As much as I would love to sit here all night and stare into those beautiful eyes of yours, I imagine you're hungry and we do have a reservation at 7." Nathan said with a smile.
Elizabeth smiled and nodded. Nathan reluctantly turned away and backed out of Elizabeth's driveway. The 10 minute drive to the restaurant was filled with conversation about their children and work. Elizabeth noticed that they were at the town waterfront area which overlooked the local bay. It was a beautiful night and sunset wasn't for another 90 minutes or so. Nathan pulled the car into the parking lot of a local American restaurant called Yost's Waterfront Grill.
"I've always wanted to try this place, Nathan. I've heard so many great things about it."
Nathan quickly pulled into a parking space. "I'm so glad. I've never eaten here either but the owner, Ned Yost, is actually engaged to my neighbor Florence. She's been bugging me to come here for a while now but, I just didn't have a reason to until now." Nathan said as he got lost in Elizabeth's eyes again. Both of them were trying to control the butterflies in their stomachs until Nathan finally spoke up.
"Shall we?"
Elizabeth nodded and Nathan quickly got out and walked over to the passenger door and opened it for Elizabeth. She took the arm he offered and they walked into the restaurant together.
"Would you like to eat outside overlooking the water or we can stay inside and ask for a table by the window?" Nathan asked.
"Could we get a table by a window? It's still a bit muggy outside and this way we still get a great view while staying comfortable."
"Spoken like a true New Yorker!" said Nathan as they both laughed. They had approached the hostess stand inside the restaurant.
"Hi Nathan! You finally made it. Welcome!" said the man behind the counter.
"Thanks Ned! I'm excited to be here finally. This is Elizabeth Thornton."
Ned and Elizabeth shook hands and exchanged greetings. After Nathan explained what kind of table they wanted, Ned led them into the main dining room straight to a table in front of one of the large floor to ceiling windows overlooking the bay. Ned pulled out Elizabeth's chair for her. He then did the same for Nathan. A young brunette woman in a black pants suit walked over.
"This is my daughter Katie. She helps me run the place. If you two need anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask one of us." Ned motioned to a young waiter to come over. "This is Timothy. He will be your server tonight. I'll leave you in Timothy's capable hands and will come and check on you later."
Ned smiled at Nathan and Elizabeth and walked back to the front of the restaurant.
"Good evening folks. Can I start you off with something to drink?" asked Timothy.
Nathan picked up the wine list and opened it. "Would you like to get a bottle of wine, Elizabeth?"
"I never say no to that. Do you prefer white or red?"
"Both actually," laughed Nathan.
"So do I."
"Timothy, what do you recommend?" asked Nathan.
'We have a really good German Riesling from the Mosel region that has been a favorite recently."
Elizabeth and Nathan looked at each other and nodded and smiled.
"That sounds perfect. We will have a bottle of the Riesling." said Nathan.
"Very well. I will go and get that for you while you look over the menu. You'll find the specials on the first page. Let me know if you have any questions." Timothy smiled and walked over to the bar area.
Elizabeth and Nathan opened their menus and both immediately gravitated to the Specials page.
"Lobster ravioli. Now that is something I have not had in a long time. And it sounds fresh and delicious." said Elizabeth.
"Ned sources almost all of the seafood locally from what I understand. Whatever he can't get locally, he brings in from New England." replied Nathan.
"My tastes are pretty simple and this sounds perfect to me so I think that's what I will get tonight. It saves me from looking over the rest of the menu and becoming indecisive about what to order." laughed Elizabeth.
"Well maybe we will need to come back again and try something different." Nathan realized he should have stopped himself as Elizabeth gave him a shy smile. "I'm sorry Elizabeth. I know this must be difficult for you and I'm not trying to pressure you at all. I know we've known one another less than a month but, I care about you and would like to explore these feelings with you if you're willing."
Elizabeth had tears in her eyes. She reached across the table and took his hand into hers. "Thank you Nathan for being so thoughtful. This has been very difficult for me. I care about you as well and I think that has just caught me a bit off guard as I wasn't expecting this to happen so soon or ever for that matter." She squeezed his hand as Timothy came over and set down a large tray on the nearby tray stand.
Timothy held the bottle of Riesling at an angle in front of Nathan so he could read the label. Nathan nodded and Timothy poured 2 glasses and placed them in front of Nathan and Elizabeth. He then placed a plate of fresh bruschetta and a cheese board in the middle of the table.
"All of this including the wine is compliments of Mr. Yost. Are you ready to order or do you need a few more minutes?" asked Timothy.
"That is not necessary at all. Please ask Mr. Yost to stop by our table. Elizabeth, are you ready? I can figure this out while you order."
"Sure Nathan. I'll have the lobster ravioli special, Timothy."
"And I'll have the baked salmon with glazed carrots and rice pilaf."
"Very well. I'll put these orders in and send Mr. Yost over. Enjoy your appetizers." Timothy nodded at them and walked towards the order station.
"So Nathan, I've been meaning to ask you. Are you a runner?"
Nathan chuckled. "What makes you ask?"
Elizabeth smiled as she put a couple of pieces of bruschetta on her plate. "Well for starters the way you chased after that robber the other day. And you seem to have a runner's build. And that meal is something an athlete would order."
Nathan started serving himself from the cheese board as he spoke. "You are very observant Professor Thornton. I do run a few times a week but I also do other things. I've actually done quite a few races. I've been trying to get Allie into it with me. We've been talking about trying one of the RunDisney races, maybe a 5K."
"I've heard those races are a lot of fun. I used to run before Little Jack was born. It was a great workout back in my theater days. Now it's easier for me to use the treadmill at the gym so I can take Jack with me."
Ned came over. "Hi Nathan. Timothy said there was something wrong. How can I help?"
"Ned, there's nothing wrong. But this is all way too generous. We couldn't possibly accept. Please let me pay for it."
"Nonsense Nathan. If my friend is dining in my restaurant, I want to take care of them. This is all on the house as Timothy said. Your main courses will be out shortly."
"But Ned…"
"Oh I think I see Katie waving to me. Gotta go. Enjoy you two!" And with that Ned rushed back to the front of the restaurant.
Nathan turned back to Elizabeth and raised his eyebrows and smiled. She smiled back and they got lost in each other's eyes again. After what felt like minutes, Nathan gestured toward the table. "These appetizers are delicious. Are you enjoying the wine?"
"I am! I'm so glad it's semi-sweet. It has the perfect consistency and I think it will go well with our meals."
"I agree. I'm loving it as well. Ned is always testing out new wines with Florence so occasionally a bottle will end up at my house."
Timothy arrived with their dinner and served them. Elizabeth and Nathan continued to chat throughout the meal. The conversation was natural and there was no shortage of topics to discuss. For dessert, they each had a slice of Ned's special recipe cheesecake which was delicious. The sun was just starting to set when they finished so after Nathan paid, he suggested a walk on the adjacent boardwalk. Elizabeth happily agreed.
As they started to walk, Nathan offered his arm once again and Elizabeth looped her arm through his. At first, they just walked silently and just enjoyed the sunset over the boats in the bay. Nathan eventually led Elizabeth to one of the wooden benches overlooking the dock. They could see all of the parked boats with the sun setting behind them. The late Summer sky was colorful. They sat down and immediately held hands.
"Nathan, thank you for such a lovely evening. I'm sorry again that I was so indecisive about it. Please know that it's more about me than you. I do have feelings for you that I'd like to explore. But if I can be honest, I have concerns about your job. Losing Jack was the worst thing that's ever happened to me. I'll never get over that 2am phone call." Elizabeth's voice started to crack and Nathan let go of her hand and simply put his arm around her shoulder. She then moved her head on to his shoulder. It felt like the most natural thing in the world to Elizabeth. And to Nathan. He gave her a few minutes to compose herself while gently rubbing her shoulder. He finally spoke.
"Elizabeth, I had a wonderful evening as well and I do hope we can continue spending time together, with and without the kids. I understand why my job would be concerning and please know that anytime you want to talk about what happened with Jack, I'm all ears. When you're ready, I'd love to tell you more about my career path and how hard I've worked to become a detective. I know there are no guarantees in life but all I can say is that Allie has been my entire world for the past 6 years and I do everything in my power to come home safely to her every night. She has already lost so much in her young life and I'd never want to add to that. Chief Avery is very flexible and lets me shift my hours when I need to be there for Allie. Obviously the job has its risks but, I work with a lot of really smart and experienced people and we look out for one another. Many of my co-workers have families too so we know what's important and that is coming home safely to our loved ones. I know this is all new for us but, I will do whatever it takes to help make you feel comfortable being with me."
Elizabeth had lifted her head off Nathan's shoulder shortly after he started speaking. She had turned and looked into eyes while he spoke. They held that stare now until they both started inching their heads closer to one another. Nathan shifted his gaze to Elizabeth's lips and then back into her eyes. He raised his eyebrows and she slowly nodded. Nathan leaned his head down as Elizabeth leaned her head up. They came closer until Nathan finally pressed his lips to Elizabeth's. Their kiss was gentle but filled with a passion that both had been holding back since they'd first met. They pulled back for air and just smiled at each other.
"I was not expecting to do that tonight but I also have no regrets about it." smiled Elizabeth.
"Neither do I," replied Nathan.
He once again put his arm around Elizabeth and she put her head back on his shoulder. Elizabeth knew that she needed to work on getting past her fears of losing another love but at the same time her growing affection for Nathan was superseding the feeling of fear. And after their talk tonight, she felt confident that she and Nathan could work through these challenges together.