Chapter 7 A Sister's Conversation

It was Saturday morning Julie and Elizabeth were both sitting at the table drinking their coffee and eating their breakfast.

"Okay Beth it's time for you to tell me how you and Lucas ended up together!"

"Alright! It started when he donated the building for the library. I was so overcome by his generosity I couldn't even believe that he had done it. After that he jumped right in and helps me get it cleaned up, build shelves, and organize the books, set up the check in check out log. Since then he has been the one to order new books and keep it stocked and we spend hours in there together just the two of us. We have had so many meaningful conversations in the library. It has come to be our special place! We have spent hours learning about each other and our interest. He always asks about things that are important to me. We've talked about life growing up in Hamilton and life in Montreal. He likes to keep things pretty private. When he first moved here, the town didn't take to him to well, because they felt he was too secretive. Since then he has been a huge asset to the town. We quickly became good friends! Then things started to change after the Founder's Day dance 3 years ago. He started to make it clear that he was interested in more. He organized a Christmas Festival and surprised us with this beautiful paper lantern display, which I later learned was because of me. He continued to buy more books, that is how I learned about his mother being an editor and he encouraged me to dust off my writing and put myself back out there. He inspired me to write my novel. I remember the day he read my short stories and told me they weren't good enough. He told me I had to go deeper. I was embarrassed, heart-broken; it felt really awkward for a few days. Then I realized he was right. I told him so after Rosemary and Lee's anniversary party. I told him I was going to write a novel. He was so excited for me. He would read my novel chapters and give me his thoughts. Then one day he sent my chapters to his mother without my permission."

"He didn't?" Julie scoffed.

"He did! I was so furious with him. He said he only did it because he knew I would not agree and it was good enough, but he had learned his lesson and would never do it again. One of his many good qualities, he learns from his mistakes. The rest is history I am now a published author waiting on my book release next year in the spring. His mother actually edited my book for me and helped me get it to the right publisher. I am so grateful for both of them. He bought tickets to see Virginia Wolfe in Union City and we had a perfect weekend. The truth is every-time we are together the feeling is perfect. He bought a copy of her new book for me and had her autograph it and had it re-bound with a leather cover. It was so sweet! He was part owner in the oil business until it encountered some financial difficulties and I learned he was going to pull his backing and let it go bankrupt. I was furious that he could do such a thing. Then I found out from him that he had been paying the workers out of his own pocket for awhile and I felt horrible for him. I could see his struggle with that decision, at the same time I found myself more attracted to him, because once again he was so selfless. He ended up making a deal with the owner and became full owner of the oil company which he absolutely hates! It wasn't until after he bought Gowen Petroleum we started to advance our relationship."

"What happened then?" Julie asked curiously.

"Nathan Grant! I ran and hugged him in the middle of the street because I was thinking about Jack when I thought he had been killed. For some reason every-time I saw Nathan I kept seeing what my life could have been like with Jack. The truth was Nathan is nothing like Jack! Lucas saw the whole thing and left town for a long time. I wasn't even sure if he was coming back. He thought I had chosen to be with Nathan. My heart broke in a thousand pieces when I watched him get on that stage coach. My feelings were so conflicted between Lucas, Nathan and Jack. My grief was weaving me into this love triangle and I just kept feeling confused. It made me hurt a lot of people over and over. When I finally got the guts to tell Nathan I couldn't be with him and start a relationship with Lucas after he returned; I realized how much I wanted to be with Lucas! We were starting to progress and then Nathan brought up a big secret that threw me back to square one and once again I hurt Lucas badly as well as Rosemary. It got so bad Lucas actually let me go. It was at that moment I realized, what I had been doing to all of them. By the time I figured it out I thought it was too late. Lucas had left town! I thought I had lost him forever. I ran after him. I ended up at the bridge where we took our first horseback ride together wishing I had made my feelings clear. As I was standing there about to break down into a puddle he spoke and when I turned he was there. I ran to him and the rest was history. At that moment we both knew we had come to the same place. We embraced in a passionate kiss that had been building over the last three years. It sent heat shuttering through my body the same way it does every-time he kisses me. There is only one way this love story is going to end for me Julie and that is as Mrs. Elizabeth Bouchard!

"Beth, that has to be the best love story I have ever heard! I love that he came back for you! He is so handsome and charming!"

"Julie, back off!" she giggled.

"I can't help it! I will try after all he is going to be my brother-in-law some day. Your life is always so exciting. Maybe I will move to Hope Valley!" Julie smiled back.

"How long do you plan to stay Julie?"

"I don't know. Awhile, I love spending time here and don't have anything tying me down."

"Why don't we get Jack and go into town. We can eat lunch at the saloon and see Lucas.

Jack, do you want to go see Lucas?"

"We go to Lucas house? I wanna go!" Jack exclaimed excitedly.

"No Jack we are going to where Lucas works for lunch."

"Okay."

"I wonder what is so special about Lucas's house." Julie asked.

"To be honest, I don't know. I have never been there!" Elizabeth said curiously.

"You're kidding!"

"No. I don't even think anyone in town knows where Lucas lives." Elizabeth said.

The wheels were spinning in Julie's head. "Well we are going to have to find out."

"Julie! Don't press."

"Beth, you know I love a good mystery! This is going to be so much fun!"

They got everything ready and cleaned up and headed into town to surprise Lucas for lunch.