Two weeks later-Early May
Elizabeth stood in her house by the kitchen, with Jack's hands covering her eyes. "Jack, I see it every day. I know what it looks like."
"But I want you to be surprised."
"So I'm supposed to pretend?" she teased.
"Yep."
He moved his hands, but left them on her shoulders. "Oh, Jack. This is perfect." She loved the color, the appliances. She loved every detail.
He knew she was being genuine and that made him feel good. "Do you think it will be functional for you?"
"Yes. Absolutely." She turned, gave him a big smile and hugged him, so of course he had to hug her back and he enjoyed every moment of it. Holding her in his arms was like heaven.
"So I'm thinking of doing the dining room next. It shouldn't take long. The floor is done and I just want to tackle the walls. You still want shiplap on the side walls?"
"Yes please. Now I'd like to find a long table. Maybe with a bench on one side." She stepped back and tried not to wish she was back in his arms.
"Well, I heard there's an auction in Burlington. It's an Estate auction so I bet we can find a table for you."
"Great. When?"
"The auction is this afternoon. If you want to go, we should leave soon."
"Okay. Let me let Ginger out and then we can go."
Twenty minutes later, they were pulling out of the driveway, a bag of Fritos in hand and two sodas in the console of Jack's truck.
She insisted since the drive was a "road trip" and "you have to have snacks for a road trip". It didn't make one bit of difference that Burlington was only like twenty miles from Maple Hills.
"Hey, is this a new truck?"
"New to me. Definitely can't afford brand new but it will get the job done."
"Like hauling a table from an auction?"
He looked at her, his dimples in full view. "Yeah, like that."
"The remodel, bringing dinner a few nights a week, getting me Ginger, and now this auction. You do so much for me, Jack. Why?"
"I care about you, Beth. You know that. I like to do things that make you happy."
"I care about you too."
He more than cared. They spent three to four evenings a week in each others presence. They talked all the time and then on the weekends, Saturday was an all day thing. He had breakfast, lunch, and dinner with her and they usually went shopping for something or another. He was falling hard and he had to keep himself reigned in for now. It was hard but he certainly didn't want to distract her from the B and B.
"Do you mind if I turn on some music?" Jack wondered.
"No, I don't mind."
He found his favorite classic rock station and immediately started tapping his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat.
"Classic rock, huh?"
"Yeah. A little Bon Jovi, The Eagles, maybe some Journey. Dad loved it and I guess I inherited it from him."
"That's cool, Jack."
"What kind of music do you like, Beth?"
"This is fine. I'm more of a country girl but I'm pretty easy to please."
"What about movies?"
"Hallmark all the way," she told him with a laugh. "Always good, wholesome movies all year round."
"Nothing wrong with that. I guess chick flicks aren't all that bad."
"Not chick flicks, good, wholesome, sweet movies."
Jack pulled onto a side road that was familiar to both of them. "Zeke's farm?" Beth asked, confused.
"There was a sign for a farm stand out on the road. Thought we could get some berries."
"Sure. Sounds good."
They pulled up to the stand and parked. As they walked forward, Elizabeth felt the familiarity of the farm. They had ridden their bikes, with Jesse, when they were teenagers.
"Well, if it isn't Deputy Thornton," old man Zeke said with a crooked grin."
"Morning, Zeke. You remember Beth Thatcher, don't you?"
"I'm not senile yet, son. A pretty lady like Beth? Of course I remember. I always knew the two of you would end up together."
Jack chuckled and leaned closer to the old farmer. "I'm still working on that."
Jack walked a few steps over to where Elizabeth was standing. "You know, you're turning about as red as that strawberry you're eating. It's pretty adorable."
She nudged him with her elbow. "Shush, Jack."
He put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. "I changed my mind. Not adorable. Beautiful."
"Jack, I….we…"
"I know and the words just came out. Let's buy these strawberries and get to the auction. I have a feeling we are going to find what you're looking for."
She had already found it. Him. It was always him. "Darn it!" she mumbled.
"What?"
"Nothing. Let's go find a table."
They did. They found two dressers, a full length mirror, the exact rustic farmhouse dining table she wanted complete with six chairs and a bench and a few antique lamps. They couldn't get all of those things in one trip so Jack went back the next day to get a second load.
Elizabeth took Ginger outside in the back yard and played with a tennis ball for awhile while she waited for evening when she could see Jack again. There it was. The feeling of longing that Clara had said was inevitable. She wanted to see him, enjoy the sight of him in his shorts and tank top, blush at his dimples, listen to stories about work or his Mom and David.
Ginger came running back and sat, staring at the ball between her feet. "Hey, girl. Why don't we rest for a bit?"
As if she could understand her, Ginger laid down, her muscle on her front paws and sighed.
"Sorry, Ginge, I've got things on my mind."
Someone, more than things and that's what she was afraid of. She should be worrying about details on the B and B but instead, she worried about when Jack was showing up.
She pulled out her phone and texted him. "Making pot roast with carrots and potatoes for dinner."
"Yum! I'll grab dessert."
"Okay as long as chocolate is involved."
"Noted. C U at six."
"I'll b waiting." She gasped when she realized what she had typed. "I'm hopeless."
What told her even more that it was true was how long she spent getting ready. She showered, straightened her hair and then added waves, put on mascara, brushed her teeth, and then chose her outfit.
After four tries, she ended up with a pair of white skinny pants and a sleeveless black and white flowered top.
Her phone buzzed at six so she took it out of her back pocket. "Sry, B. I won't b able to make it 2nite. There's something urgent @ work."
She took a breath and sighed. "Ok. No problem. See you tomorrow nite?"
"Sure. Sry again."
"That's ok."
It was disappointing but of course it was okay. She headed into her room and changed back into her Columbia Law T-shirt and a pair of yoga pants. Then she grabbed herself some food and sat down in front of the newly installed TV and turned on her beloved Hallmark channel.
Ginger came walking in and laid down on the floor in front of her, sensing she may need a dose of comfort.
"What is wrong with me?" She picked up her phone and called Bree. She needed best friend advice.
"Hey! I'm so glad you called, Beth."
"I miss you."
"Uh oh. What's going on?"
"You know my friend Jack?"
"Lover boy? Sure," she teased.
"Stop."
"Sorry, go on."
"He's just so wonderful, Bree."
"What's the problem then?"
"I told him I couldn't date him until the B and B was up and running."
"Why?"
"I'm beginning to wonder that myself."
Ginger barked and took off chasing poor Bella. "Ginge! Leave her alone!"
"You got a dog?"
"Yeah. Jack got her for me because he thought she looked like our old dog Hattie."
"That was sweet of him."
"Yeah. That's the problem."
"Good grief, Beth. If my only issue was the guy I liked was too sweet to me…"
"He's more than sweet. He's so adorable and he is talented. You should see this place. My bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen are done. The dining room should be by the end if the week. He took me to an auction the other day and helped me find dressers and a mirror and lamps and the most gorgeous dining room table. He brings me dinner a few nights a week and tonight he was supposed to come over so I made him pot roast and got all dressed up and then he had to work."
"Whoa, Beth. You are falling for him."
"Yes! How am I supposed to run a business when I'm like this?"
"I don't see why you can't."
"All I want is to see him. Bree, I've liked him for so long and the timing just isn't right."
"The way I see it, the timing is perfect. It's almost like your dear Aunt Agatha knew this would happen so she helped push you in the right direction."
"Maybe. She was pretty great."
"You know what I think, Beth?"
"What?"
"Get some of that pot roast you made, get all dressed up again, and go wait on his porch for him to come home."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Tell him you had lost your mind and you just got it back."
Elizabeth giggled. "I've lost more than my mind, Bree. He's got my heart."
…..
Jack sighed as the horrible accident on the interstate came into view. "Good heavens," he muttered to Lee who was riding shotgun in his squad car. This was the part of his job he didn't like.
Being called to accidents was one thing, but hearing there were multiple fatalities hurt his heart. Bad accidents like this didn't happen all that often in little Maple Hills, but when it did, there was a pretty good chance it was someone he knew.
Unfortunately for every person involved, not only in the accident but each EMT, police officer, and the victim still alive, it was tragic. Three high school students had been coming home from a party and apparently had been drinking. The car they were in had driven across the median and hit another car. The teens had all died and the driver of the car they hit was being airlifted to the major hospital miles away.
Jack felt lost by the time he returned home about eight o'clock. He wished he didn't have to be alone. He wished he was with Beth.
When he walked up the steps to his apartment he stopped. "Beth?"
"Hey. I brought dinner."
"Dinner?" he asked, his emotions a mess now that she was standing in front of him.
"Yeah. Are you okay?" She saw him fighting tears and she wanted to make it better, whatever it was.
"No, not really. It's been a rough night."
"I can go. I just thought you might be hungry."
"Please don't go."
He unlocked his door and stepped inside, waiting for her to follow. She walked in to the apartment. It was a studio so it was small but it was perfect for one person.
"I'm going to go change. Make yourself at home."
He grabbed some clothes from his closet and headed into the bathroom. She walked about ten feet into the kitchen and put the dish into the microwave. Then she found a plate for him, silverware and grabbed a bottle of beer from his refrigerator.
She saw an old picture on his dresser of him, Jesse, and her tubing down Maple Hills river. She must have been about fifteen or so which meant it was his and Jesse's first summer during college. That was a good summer.
He wandered out of the bathroom and hung up his uniform, putting his gun in his safe that was under the bed.
"I warmed up your dinner for you. And I thought you looked like you might want a beer or something."
He smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Thanks."
He sat on one of his two bar stools and ran his fingers through his hair. He looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.
"What happened, Jack?"
"Lee and I got called to an accident on the 89. We were told there were multiple fatalities."
"Oh man."
"Yeah. Three teenagers, high school kids. They had been drinking and they crossed the median and hit another car. It was bad, Beth."
She walked over to him and touched his cheek, using her thumb to gently wipe a tear away. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that."
He nodded and leaned his cheek into her hand. She was so comforting. He reached out and put his hands on her hips, pulling her between his knees into an embrace.
She in turn wrapped her arms around him and held him, knowing the conversation she wanted to have with him would wait.
"I'm glad you're here, Beth."