Lucas nervously walked from Betty's Blooms to Shepherd's Pediatrics on his lunch, hoping to talk to Elizabeth. The daisies in his hands felt inadequate but they would have to do.
"Morning," an older woman behind the desk said to him with a smile.
"Is Elizabeth here?"
"She's with a patient. If you take a seat, it shouldn't be too much longer."
He nodded and cleared his throat, taking a seat next to a little boy and his father.
"Hi," the little boy said, probably not much younger than Catie.
"Hi."
"I'm sick," he told him. "My throat hurts."
"I'm sorry. Good thing you came here. Nurse Thornton and Dr. Shepherd will fix you right up."
"You sick too?"
"Caleb, leave the nice man alone," his dad said.
"I'm not sick."
"Oh. Why do you have flowers?" Lucas smiled at him, seeing the same outgoing, curious personality that Catie had.
"I'm here to see Nurse Thornton."
"Did you make her mad? Are you going to say you're sorry? Daddy gives Mommy flowers when he's sorry."
"Caleb, hush now," the dad said quietly, his hand on Caleb's shoulder. "I'm sorry, sir. He's a talker."
"My daughter is the same way. It doesn't bother me."
"I'm Landon Hogan," the dad said.
"Lucas Bouchard."
"Caleb Hogan?" Elizabeth said, catching Lucas' eye and then looking away. "Hi, bud. I'm Nurse Thornton."
"That guy over there has something for you. He's sorry."
"Oh, my goodness. Caleb, you need to stop. I'm so sorry," Landon said, his face red.
"That's alright." Elizabeth looked up at Lucas who had stood up. "I'm working, Lucas."
"I just need a minute. When is your break?"
"I don't know." She shook her head and walked away, feeling bad immediately. The man had spent his hard-earned money on flowers for her. Money that would buy him and Catie food and pay rent. "Lucas, give me like ten minutes," she told him.
He nodded and sat back down.
She walked out about twenty minutes later after Caleb and Landon left.
"Hey," she said, walking up to him. "Let's go for a walk."
He nodded. He had about twenty minutes left on his lunch so they couldn't go far.
"Are those for me?" she asked, after they walked a couple minutes.
"Yeah. I'm so sorry, Beth. I'm not going anywhere." He handed her the flowers. "I think...I mean I know I made it seem like you are just someone that I pass the time with but it's not true. I was just scared."
She loved daisies. She loved Lucas. She knew it for a certainty. As much as it might not be a wise thing to pursue, it was there. In her heart.
"Lucas, please don't stay here for me. I'll be fine. If you need to leave to keep Catie safe…"
She said that she'd be fine but her heart would break to lose them.
"I don't. I'm done running. I know that maybe you don't quite trust me yet, but I want to earn your trust. I need you to know that you can count on me."
He held out his hand and waited for her to do something. It didn't take too long. She slipped her fingers between his and they turned around.
"The daisies are beautiful. Thank you."
He smiled, a small one, but it was there. "Will you still go to dinner with me?"
"Only if we stay in. You bought me flowers and you don't need to buy me an expensive dinner too."
"I would like to take you out."
She looked up at him and saw sincerity in his eyes. He wanted to treat her to something. Who was she to deny him that?
"Okay, then I'll go to dinner with you."
So, she did. The next evening, he picked her up, dressed in a light blue button-down shirt and black dress pants, his beard neatly trimmed.
"You look nice," she said, kissing that neatly trimmed beard. "And you smell good."
"Thanks," he said, his face turning red right around his collar. His ears turned dark too. "You look beautiful, Beth." She was wearing a black a-line dress that came down to her knees and black boots.
"Thank you."
She grabbed her purse and walked out the door with him to his car. She didn't care that it was an old car or had a bit of rust near the rear tire. He cared though. He knew that his car could never compare to her BMW…
"What are you stewing about, Lucas?"
"I need a new car."
"What's wrong with this one?"
"Its old and its not a…"
"Lucas, I drive a BMW because it was a college graduation gift from my Dad. I didn't buy it. I wouldn't have bought it. I don't have loads of money and its not important to me what car you drive. If it gets you from here to there, that's all that matters."
"I'm never going to make as much money as you are used to," he admitted, spilling his insecurities.
She reached for his hand and squeezed when he put his hand in hers. "Lucas, I don't make tons of money. I'm a small-town nurse. I'm sure if I worked in a big hospital, it might be different. I don't want to though. I like knowing all the patients and working with my friend from school. I'm happy doing this because I love it." She took a breath and decided to go for it, to just let him know everything she was thinking.
"Luke, if you and I decided to get married one day, we would be a team. My money would be mixed with yours and we would pay our bills together. I don't care if I make more money than you because it would be yours too. Ours. I hope that you will eventually feel the same."
When he was married to Randi, she was always complaining about not having enough expensive things. That he should get a better paying job…
"Luke, look at me."
His eyes met hers. "What?"
"I need you to hear me. You are an amazing father. You work hard and you're good at your job. You are also a great friend. I know that Randi didn't appreciate all that you do but I do. I want to be here with you tonight and I want us to have a good time and enjoy ourselves. Deal?"
He leaned toward her and kissed the corner of her mouth. "I don't deserve you, Beth Thornton."
"You deserve everything good, Lucas. I'm going to try to always make sure you know that."
He sighed and hugged her tight, despite the console keeping them apart. "Let's go eat."
Elizabeth could feel the difference in Lucas after that. He was quiet, which was normal, but he was attentive at the same time. He held her hand, opened her door for her, helped her put her jacket on when she was chilly. Very chivalrous.
"So I know it's chilly and an outside concert might not seem romantic…" he started saying as she got out of the car.
"Stop," she told him, reaching up and touching a finger to his lip. What a mistake. Now the only thing she could think about was how soft his lips were and how they would feel pressed against hers, that sexy beard touching her face.
"What?" he mumbled against her finger.
"An outside concert is very romantic. Anything can be if you're with the right person." She lowered her hand. She was with the right person. The exact right one.
He pulled the back door open and grabbed two lawn chairs. Then they walked to the concert area where there were half a dozen food trucks set up.
"Ooo Italian!" Elizabeth said, clapping her hands. "Can we get that one?"
"Your choice, Beth. Whatever sounds good."
"Thank you!"
"You're welcome."
Elizabeth was excited to be doing this. She hadn't been to an outdoor concert in many years and to be there with Lucas…it made her feel so happy.
He raised his eyebrows at her as she all but skipped over to the food truck line. "Excited?"
She nodded and took his hand again, stretching up to kiss his cheek. "Did I mention that you smell good? Because you do."
"You mentioned it, yes," he said with a quiet chuckle.
"And there is nothing like Italian food, Luke."
He couldn't help but be happier too. He had been struggling for a long time to be happy, even if to Catie it appeared he was most of the time. But being here with a beautiful woman on his arm, holding her hand….maybe her happiness was rubbing off on him.
"Luke?"
"Hm?"
"What do you want to eat?"
He hadn't realized that they were that far up in line. He had let his brain run away with his thoughts.
"Um, can I get the chicken alfredo spaghetti?"
"I'll take the lasagna," she told the man.
"Okay, that's $30."
Lucas took out his wallet and pulled out the money, giving it to him. He never spent that much money on food for two people. He had rarely done it with Randi even.
Elizabeth could see the look on his face when he parted with that money. She wanted to pay for her own but she knew that wouldn't make him feel any better about himself so she didn't offer.
About ten minutes later, they were seated in the concert area with their food.
Lucas was picking at his food, planning to take half of it home for Catie or for his lunch the next day.
"Not good?" she wondered.
"Its fine."
"Thank you for tonight, Luke. This is wonderful."
"You're welcome." He hoped that she enjoyed the music. Between the concert, gas to get there and the food, he was parting with a lot of money.
The band took the outdoor pavilion stage and she squealed. "Are you serious?" she asked, standing and clapping. "I love Miranda Lambert!"
She pulled him up with her, making him almost drop his food. He put it down and accepted her excited hug, deciding then to just enjoy the moments they had and forget about what it cost.
Halfway through the concert, Miranda started playing a ballad which was more his type of music. He looked at Elizabeth who was intently watching the stage. She was so lovely in the darkness. Well, honestly, she was always lovely. But the way she looked right then, it made him want to hold her in his arms.
He stood and held out his hand. "Would you like to dance?" She nodded, taking his hand and stepping into his arms.
"See," she said, holding his arms, his hands on her waist. "Romantic."
"Yeah." He loved the way she blushed as their gazes held. He was in trouble for sure. His heart was opening more and more around her and that scared him.
As if she could read his mind, she smiled. "Just let yourself enjoy it, Lucas. I'm not going anywhere."
He pressed his lips to her forehead and held her closer. "I'm scared, Beth."
"I know. Just remember that I am not Randi. I appreciate you for who you are, for what you do, for how you provide for Catie. I will never resent how much money you do or do not make. I will never cheat on you."
"Those are big promises for only knowing someone for two months."
"I am not the type of woman that will ever treat someone that way."
He realized that he believed her and she deserved to know. "I believe you."
"Good."
It was. It brought him relief that he recognized that about her. That this woman, essentially his best friend, brought him comfort and he knew if he sought assurance or advice, he would receive it from her too.
"What's that look?" she wondered, reaching up to cup his face.
"I just realized…"
"What?"
"I'm falling for you, Elizabeth."
"That makes me happy because I'm there too, Lucas."