Chapter One
Elizabeth stood on the bridge-their bridge, or so she thought. Staring out at the gentle swaying autumn branches, she saw nothing but emptiness. Felt nothing but emptiness from an ache so deep, she couldn't name it. Yet tears tainted her pale cheeks because as the flowing stream beneath her feet reminded her, the ache had a name. Lucas.
"I hoped I'd find you here."
Impossibly, his voice broke through the brokenness. His timber, often so sure, was a tremulous waver.
Elizabeth dared to turn. Across the short distance, Lucas and she met, gaze to gaze, heart to heart. She gasped once, twice. Their breathing quickened as their hearts quickened, and in a serendipitous moment out of time, they ran toward each other, arms outstretched, hearts open and full, hope reborn again...and crashed into an all-consuming kiss.
Neither could stop, their emotions finding their sweet release in that pent-up kiss. After they caught their breaths, they stayed locked, forehead to forehead, noses touching, as close to one as two people could be.
"I thought you'd left," Elizabeth managed, her voice trying to find itself. Her hands rested on Lucas' chest, feeling the reality of him beneath them, afraid if she let go, he would disappear.
"No," Lucas said into a kiss. On a breath, he continued, "When I hadn't heard from you, I thought perhaps…"
Foreheads still connected, Elizabeth said, "No, I just needed time to find my way back." Tears threatened all over again at the thought of losing her Lucas.
He shared a dazzling smile, those sweet dimples alighting his handsome face. "I told you I would wait as long as I had to."
Elizabeth gave him a little push. "You were ready to leave," she half-chided, choking on emotion, but she smiled.
Lucas' smile grew. "And that would've been the biggest regret of my life."
Her eyebrows rose as she looked into his eyes. His words were a balm to her heartache, and in that moment, she knew he would never leave her.
"You're all that matters. You're all that's important." Lucas stressed each word with passion, wanting to impart these truths to the woman he loved.
Her hand rested on his chest, just below his shoulder. His hand covered hers, and as Lucas smoothed his fingers over her skin, he looked down and noticed her ring was gone. His gaze rose to meet hers.
"You've taken off your ring." Realization struck Lucas about what this meant. He stared at her in awe.
She nodded. Elizabeth struggled to find her voice, and it came small when she spoke, but hope reignited in her soul. "Thank you for waiting for me."
Lucas melted into her kiss. For a time, they couldn't know how long, they lost themselves in the other. Irrelevant matters like time didn't exist as Elizabeth and Lucas finally united.
"Hold me just a moment longer." Elizabeth's words came muffled against Lucas' chest.
"What's that?" he asked, gazing down at the amazing woman in his arms, the recognition of his heart's wishes still reeling through his mind.
Elizabeth pulled back enough to look into his dark eyes. Her smile mirrored his. In that blissful moment, she couldn't imagine an end to her happiness. "I said to hold me a moment longer. I don't want this feeling to stop."
He chuckled and gave her a gentle squeeze. "I'm trying to process it all as well." Stroking her cheek with the back of his hand, he added, "Part of me expects to wake up from this dream."
Elizabeth laid a kiss on his bearded lips, long having lost track of how many kisses they'd shared in the past few minutes. Reunited after thinking she had lost him forever, she vowed to never let this patient, kind, thoughtful, and adoring man go. A pang shot through her as Elizabeth cradled his face in her hands. Tears formed anew.
"What's the matter?" he asked, concern etched on his brow.
She shook her head. "Nothing. I'm so happy, Lucas. You have no idea-"
"I might have some idea." He laughed.
This drew a giggle from her. "Okay, fair enough." Continuing to hold his face, Elizabeth's thumbs tracked his cheekbones, then gently wove their way through his beard. "I'm just sorry I didn't say yes sooner, that I put you through so much unnecessary pain."
Lucas silenced her with a tender kiss. She dropped her hands and embraced him again.
"Don't apologize, Elizabeth. Like you said, you just had to find your way again. Never be sorry for the path you had to take. Had we kissed too soon, I fear the time wouldn't have been right."
"Then your patience has truly paid off. You are a saint, Lucas."
He laughed. "I don't know about that, but I do know that those clouds look threatening." Lucas pointed skyward.
Grey nimbuses drew in from the west like waves on a stormy sea. The breeze picked up around them, ripping orange and red leaves from their summer homes. The vestiges of foliage wound in one last dance before falling to the ground.
Elizabeth nodded.
"Shall we?" Lucas offered his hand.
She took it, and he led her to his car around the bend. Lucas held open the door for Elizabeth. She expressed her thanks and entered. A moment later, he got behind the wheel.
So close yet again, their eyes connected. Lucas' travelled to her lips, then her eyes copied. They leaned forward and kissed. After breaking apart, they shared a laugh.
"That went better than the last time we were in this car," Elizabeth said, beaming.
"You weren't ready. I understood and still do. Now, however-" He took her hands in his and cupped them. "Now, there's no looking back. Let's get you home to Little Jack before we're caught in another storm."
After another round of laughter, they were off. Lucas pulled up in front of Elizabeth's house. She glanced from him to the front door and back again.
"I need to get back to my son. I kind of left poor Robert just hanging when I rushed off looking for you."
Lucas furrowed his brow. "Elizabeth, I'm sorry if I-"
She held up her hand. "Now who's giving unnecessary apologies?" The corners of her mouth turned up slightly.
"Duly noted." He nodded.
"Anyway, I gave Robert a letter to deliver to you. When he returned to say the saloon was closed, that was when I feared the worst. I left Jack in his care and told him to bring him back home, but before we part, I want to give you that letter. It's very important." She winked.
Lucas watched her leave the car before he had a chance to reply or get the door for her. She glanced back at him one last time before opening her front door and flashed him a smile. Left to wonder what her letter said, Lucas stared at the closed door, bemused.
She returned a few minutes later, standing outside the driver's side window. "Here it is." Elizabeth passed him a small envelope with his name written on it in her curly script.
"Should I open it now or later?"
"First things first, do you have plans tonight?" She caressed his arm, which rested on the window ledge.
Lucas warmed. "No plans. I can keep the saloon closed. Why? What do you have planned?" His eyes crinkled in the corners as a smile crept onto his face.
"Open the letter when you get home. I'll see you tonight then...at the library," Elizabeth said cryptically, then leaned down and kissed him.
"I wouldn't miss it." Lucas took a deep breath, eagerly anticipating tonight. He started the car, but before he drove away, Elizabeth placed a hand on his arm.
"Lucas?"
"Yes?" He gazed at her intently.
"Please... don't ever scare me like that again. I couldn't bear the thought… of losing you." Elizabeth's chest tightened as she relived receiving news of Jack's death, then hours ago, calling Lucas' name as she pounded on the saloon doors, thinking that chapter of her life was as locked as those wooden doors.
Lucas saw the glassy appearance her eyes took. He exited the car and embraced her, holding her to him. "Feel these arms around you?" he whispered into her ear.
She nodded. "Yes," she replied on a shaky breath.
He kissed next to her ear, then trailed along her cheeks until their lips met. "I'll hold you forever. I'll love you forever, Elizabeth. I'm not going anywhere."
Elizabeth returned the kiss with fervor, her tears mingling with their connected lips. "I love you, Lucas Bouchard. And I don't want to live my life without you."