Saturday night, it was time for Elizabeth's birthday dinner. Jack and Harper knocked on the door at the cottage around 3pm that afternoon. It gave them two hours to get the food done and the table set for dinner.

Jack was pleasantly surprised Harper wanted to come, especially since she had the option to go to her Nana and Papa's house. Instead, she said she would come decorate the dining room and living room with balloons and streamers.

Jack found Dylan in the kitchen staring at the food in the refrigerator. "Hey, bud. How's it going?"

"Hi, Mr. Thornton. I hope this turns out okay."

"It will. If not, it's the thought that counts, right?"

"I guess."

"Don't worry. I can follow a recipe and I've cooked Greek before."

"That's good. I haven't cooked… well anything."

Jack had studied the recipe beforehand and had picked out things that Dylan could definitely do. They were making Chicken Souvlaki and Lemon rice and Jack had purchased some hummus and pita chips for an appetizer. Then for dessert he had picked up the cannoli cake and she was going to love that for sure.

"Grandma said she was bringing Greek pasta salad and spanakopita."

"Yum. I can't wait to eat all this."

As they cooked and chopped and diced, it was mostly quiet until Jack suggested that Dylan play some music on his ipod. So then it was much more entertaining. After Harper finished decorating, she joined them in the kitchen. Surprising Jack again, she sang along to the lyrics, not holding back.

"Wow! You're good!" Dylan told her. "You should be in the school choir."

"Nah. I don't like to sing in front of a lot of people." Harper's cheeks turned red just thinking about it.

"You could though. You could sing circles around everyone else."

"I think so too," Jack threw in.

"Dad. You know I don't like to be in front of people. Can we just drop it?"

"I would do it with you," Dylan told her.

Harper looked at her best friend. She had no idea why he would offer to do that. "You can sing?"

"I'm not terrible, I don't think. But I could always get better."

"Dylan, I just don't want to. Thank you for offering though."

"Okay," he said with a shrug.

Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher and Cooper, Vi's son, showed up shortly after that conversation so Dylan re-introduced Harper and Jack to his grandparents.

"This is my friend Harper Thornton and her dad Jack."

William shook his hand. "Jack, good to see you again."

"You too, sir." Jack was glad he seemed to be accepting him now. Must have just needed time.

…..

Vi drove around a bit after she and Elizabeth had finished at the salon. After a mani/pedi, a facial, and a massage, she had run out of stuff to do to keep her away from home.

Now they had thirty minutes before they were expected.

"Where are we going, Vi?" She noticed Vi had driven aimlessly for the last twenty minutes.

"Just driving around. It's a nice evening."

"True, but why not just go home?"

"I just want to spend extra time with you. We don't do things just the two of us very often."

"No, I guess we usually have the boys. Let's go get some coffee then."

"Great idea."

They sat in a booth at Geno's coffee about ten minutes later. "So what's going on with you and Jack?"

"What do you mean?" Vi raised her eyebrows. "Alright. We decided to date."

"I knew it! That's so great. You two are perfect for each other. Always were."

"I guess our timing when we were 18 wasn't right."

"And you were a chicken," Vi said with a smile.

"So was he!" They laughed.

"How good a kisser is he?" Vi asked in almost a whisper.

"Vi!"

"Come on, Beth. Give me something."

"He amazes me. He can tell me how he feels without saying a word," she confessed, blushing.

"How do you feel?"

"What is this? 20 questions?"

"Nah. I'll cap it at 10."

"I'm still in love with him. After 16 years, Vi. How is it possible?"

"Because what you feel is real. Time doesn't make that disappear."

"We are going slow. His daughter isn't thrilled and Dylan…well, I just think maybe slow is best." Elizabeth finished her coffee. "Now, can you take me home, please?"

"Sure."

As they pulled up to the cottage, Elizabeth gasped. "Viola! What's happening?"

"With what?" she asked innocently.

"Jack's truck and Mom and Dad's car. And I see balloons and streamers through the window. What did you do?"

"It wasn't me. My job consisted of you staying away from the house until 5pm. Which it is right now. Let's go inside."

Inside, Cooper announced their arrival. "Mom and Aunt Beth are here! And they are walking to the door." Everyone took their places in a semi circle in the living room.

The door opened and everyone yelled, "Happy Birthday!"

Jack winked at her when her eyes met his. She gave everyone a hug and then walked up in front of Jack. "You remembered my birthday?"

"I can't take the credit. Dylan told me. Do I get a hug?" he asked boldly, well aware everyone was staring.

She walked into his open arms and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

"Mom, Mr. Thornton and I cooked!" Dylan told her.

"You did?"

"Yeah! Greek food."

"Yum. Jack can cook Greek very well. It smells great."

"Let's say a blessing and then we can eat," Jack suggested. He put one arm around Harper and held Elizabeth's hand with his free hand.

"Dear God, bless this food that we are about to eat. Also bless this family as we spend the evening together. Thank you for all the wonderful things you give us daily and forgiving us when we make mistakes. Through Jesus name, Amen."

"Amen."

After dinner, they moved to the living room and she opened gifts. "You didn't need to give me anything. Just spending time together is plenty."

"Nonsense," Grace said. "Dylan, you want to go first?"

He stood and gave her a flat box. She smiled and carefully unwrapped the box, slowly.

"Come on, Blue Eyes. Rip it open."

"I can use the paper for something else. Patience," she said with a smile. Finally she had the box free. "Oh, Dylan! This is great!" It was a selfie they had taken at bowling the last time they had gone in a nice frame, both of them sticking their tongues out.

She stood and hugged him. "Thank you, sweetheart. I love it. And the food was great." Dylan smiled and gave a thumbs up to Jack.

"Your turn, Grandma," Dylan told Grace.

Grace handed Elizabeth an envelope. Elizabeth opened it. "Tickets? To Florida and Disney World? Thank you!"

"Yahoo!" Dylan said. "We've never been there!"

Harper watched Dylan, a bit of jealousy in her heart. She had always wanted to go there. Dad had always worked so much and Mom said it was a waste of money.

Jack knew how much she had always wanted to go and he saw her face fall when she realized Dylan was going. He promised himself he would take her very soon.

"Your turn, Harper," Grace told her.

Harper stood and walked to the kitchen, returning with a bouquet of pink roses.

"Happy Birthday, Ms. Thatcher. These are from me and my dad."

"Thank you, Harper. Pink roses are my favorite." Elizabeth put the flowers down and gave Harper a hug. "Thank you so much, sweetie."

"You're welcome."

Elizabeth gave Jack a side hug and a smile. "They're lovely."

"You're lovely, Blue Eyes," he whispered in her ear, pressing his lips to her temple.

"Meet me on the beach later?"

….

Later, after Dylan was in bed and her parents offered to stay with him, Elizabeth walked down to the beach where they used to meet in high school with their friends. As she walked, she heard the waves on the shore and the crisp air made her shiver. As she got closer, she heard his guitar and saw the fire he had lit in the pit. He looked so handsome by fire light. Her heart sped up, reminding her what she felt.

"Hey," she said, taking a seat next to him on the

"Hey, Blue Eyes. Did you enjoy your birthday?"

"I did. Thank you."

He put his guitar down and grabbed an oblong black box with a red ribbon. "For you." He turned toward her and smiled.

"You've given me so much, Jack."

"Open," he whispered.

She untied the ribbon and removed the lid. "Oh, Jack. Its beautiful." He gently took the delicate gold bracelet and fastened it on her wrist. "Two hearts," she mentioned, running her fingers over them.

"Yours and mine, Elizabeth. Together." He leaned toward her and kissed her softly. "Sixteen years. Somehow, through college and my marriage and divorce, my heart never forgot you."

"Jack," she said, closing her eyes. She could tell what he wanted to say. His eyes gave him away.

"I know, but I can't hold it in anymore. I need to be honest with you. I love you. With all that I am."

She stared at their hands, fingers intertwined tightly. Those fingers belonged to a strong, kind, loving man. Not someone that would physically or verbally hurt her, but someone that would love her completely. She knew that now more than ever.

"Elizabeth?"

She felt tears filling her eyes, ready to spill. "I love you too," she admitted. He pulled her into his arms and held her close. "I've loved you for so long. My heart never forgot either."

He couldn't believe it. They finally told each other and it felt so right, so good.

A bit later, after many shared kisses in the moonlight, he picked up his guitar and played Chris Stapleton's Millionaire for her. He sung it from his heart to hers.

"They say "Love is more precious than gold"

Can't be bought and it can't be sold

I got love enough to spare

That makes me a millionaire

I got a woman with eyes that shine

Down deep as a diamond mine

She's my treasure so very rare

She's made me a millionaire

When we ride around, ride around this old town

In the beat-up car, with the windows down

People look at her and they look at me

And say "That boy is sure living in luxury"

Sweet luxury

'Cause love is more precious than gold

It can't be bought, no, never could be sold

I got love enough to share

That makes me a millionaire

When the kisses fall from everywhere

Life reaches on, millionaire

When the pocket's are empty and the cupboard is bare

I still feel like a millionaire

'Cause love is more precious than gold

It can't be bought, no, and it can't be sold

I got love enough to spare

That makes me a millionaire"

….

Back at the house, William watched out the back patio doors like a father whose daughter was about to miss her curfew.

"William," Grace kindly spoke from the kitchen table. "Come sit with me."

"In a minute." He smiled back.

"Now would be good."

He laughed, his wife was reading him like her favorite novel. "I'm coming."

Vi and Cooper had already headed home. Dylan and Harper were in the living room playing video games. Neither were concerned where their parents were or what they might be doing.

"You're worried?" Grace asked, taking her husband's hand.

"I wouldn't say worried. I trust Beth and her judgment."

"And what about Jack?"

"We don't know him well. I remember Jack the boy, he was nice, but Jack the man?"

"Not to speak something you may not be ready for, but I think he and his lovely daughter will be a part of our lives for some time, if not forever."

"Harper is a sweet young girl." William smiled as he watched Harper and Dylan play Mario Kart. "We could use another grandkid."

"Now whose getting ahead of himself?" she laughed. "All I was going to suggest was that you get to know Jack better as a man. It might give you some peace about all this."

"My wife, always the voice of wisdom."

"Don't you forget it!" she teased.

…..

Jack and Elizabeth took what alone time they had left and took a slow moonlight stroll back towards the cottage.

"Thank you Jack. This is the best birthday I've had in a long time."

"You're welcome. Make sure you thank Dylan. It was his idea."

"I will. I love that boy so much. It was great having Harper here too."

"Yeah, it was nice doing this with both kids. Now I need to switch gears and think about Harper's birthday."

"When is it?"

"Next week. I want to make it special for her. Especially with everything that's changed in the last few years. I might have to pull out a gift like your parent's though," Jack laughed.

"The Disney trip?"

"Yeah, she's always wanted to go, we just never could make it work."

Elizabeth thought for a moment as the walked, their hands swung back and forth together as the went. "Maybe we can all go together. The tickets are open ended. We could go during a school break or something."

"Well, look at that, now who's moving into the fast lane of our relationship?" he teased.

She laughed, "What can I say, I'm happy. So what do you think? If the kids adjust well maybe we could go together?"

"Yeah, that would be great." He stopped and pulled her back into his arms. "It's funny, five months ago I had no idea where you were, but I missed you. Especially once I moved back here. Now I'm standing here on this beautiful night, holding you. Loving you."

"I didn't see it coming. I told myself I wouldn't try for a relationship with anyone ever. But it's you. My Jack. My best friend. My… love."

"I won't let you down. I promise. You have my heart, you always will."

"That's a gift I will never give back."

….

Sunday after church, Elizabeth and Dylan joined Jack and Harper at their house for a Sunday meal. The extended time together didn't phase the kids much. Jack started a fire in the pit out in the yard for them, Harper sat in a sleeping bag in one of the chairs reading her book while Dylan played around on one of Jack's guitars. Seemed they were capable of doing their own thing even around each other.

Inside, Jack and Elizabeth sat on the couch, her legs stretched over his lap, his hand resting on her jeans. In front of the kids they kept the PDA at a low. They meant what they said about trying to take it slow, but they couldn't deny each other how they felt. All kisses and I love you's were kept for private time.

At the moment though, neither could deny how homey and domestic the day felt, and they loved it.

Elizabeth closed her sketchbook and stared at Jack's face. She watched his eyes as he read his book. Seeing the excitement and surprise as he read each sentence. He glanced over with a grin.

"Are you watching me?"

"Maybe."

He laughed. "Thanks for coming over today."

"Thanks for having us."

The door opened and Harper walked in. Elizabeth quickly moved her legs from Jack's lap before Harper entered the room.

"Dad, can I make some hot chocolate for me and Dylan?"

"Sure, Honey Bee. You need some help?"

"Nope. I got it." She smiled at them and walked into the kitchen.

"Jack," Elizabeth whispered. "Can I run something by you?"

"Sure. What's up?"

"You said Harper's birthday was coming up. I was wondering if you thought she might let me do something for her?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"Vi and I just went to the spa. They do mani-pedis and hair cuts and anything you like. What if I took her out to lunch and we had a girl's day?"

"Elizabeth, that sounds great!"

"If she's not ready I totally understand, I just thought I'd throw it out there. I assure you I won't be offended if she says no."

"I don't mind if you want to ask. She hasn't talked much about her birthday. She sort of mentioned a sleepover but I'm not sure what to do about that. Being its just me here and all. Times have changed and people get nervous about this."

"We'll figure something out." She squeezed his hand then headed to the kitchen. Harper was pouring the hot chocolate into two thermos' to go outside. "Hey, Harper."

"Hi. I made extra if you and Dad want some."

"Thanks!" Elizabeth was nervous. She wanted things to go well with their families and the last thing she wanted was to make Harper upset. "So your Dad tells me your birthday is next week?"

"Yeah. Thursday."

"That's exciting."

"I guess."

"Do you have any plans?"

"Well, I kind of want to have a sleepover with a few friends from school, but Dad didn't seem too thrilled with the idea."

"I have an idea. What if you and I went to get our hair and nails done? We could grab a bite to eat somewhere. Make it a girl's outing and get to know each other better."

Harper felt floored by the offer. She couldn't remember her mom offering her such a treat. "Are you only asking because you're dating my dad?"

"No, not at all." Elizabeth's answer came without hesitation. "Harper, I care for you so much. It's your birthday and I'd like to do something for you to show you how special you are. That's all."

"Wow. Um, yeah. That sounds fun."

"Great! And if you want, I'll talk with your Dad about the sleepover. Maybe I can help him out there. I think teenage girls make him nervous." Elizabeth winked.