Chapter Eight

The Break Up

Elizabeth had traveled ahead of Lucas but after not hearing from him for a week, she decided to call his parents and ask to speak to him. She thought she should be more worried about him but found herself just irritated at him. His behavior lately seemed to have been a bit self-serving.

Helen Bouchard was apparently unavailable for Elizabeth's phone call. Mr. Bouchard broke the news to Elizabeth saying that Lucas had telephoned them from Hope Valley and said he could not make it. Something had come up having to do with French art business dealings plus the sale of the saloon had fallen though. Lucas told them he needed to stay in Hope Valley until he worked it out. Instead of calling Elizabeth himself he took the easy way out and asked his parents to let her know.

That was odd, Elizabeth thought. Why didn't he just call me at my parents instead? She felt a sudden feeling of…relief. That was not what she was suppose to be feeling yet she was relieved he was not coming. She could spend that quality time with her family and let them get to know Little Jack.

Elizabeth had already admitted to herself that deep down something with her and Lucas's relationship was amiss. She should have told him about her real feelings before they ever planned this trip. Had she mistaken her need to be acknowledged as a writer…romantic picnics, being wined and dined with actually being in love? She suspected she had. She'd actually suspected this after that first kiss on the bridge and after the date that night. All along she had not wanted to acknowledge the truth so she did not. She had already hurt so many people with her actions and decision making that she feared to pull back now would cause her the worst of humiliation.

Before leaving for the trip, she had not liked the fact the Lucas had wanted her to leave Little Jack behind in Hope Valley with Rosemary and Lee. Nobody puts my Jack in the corner, she had thought resentfully towards Lucas.

Now in fact, Lucas was still in Hope Valley but did not care enough to call her directly to let her know. That alone told her a lot about the situation they had created for themselves. Defying all the naysayers they continued to put on this farce…this public face. Had they both just simply played out their own personally perceived love story? Could they still remain friends if they both confessed they felt the same about their relationship…friendship only?

Before she had left for the train station, Lucas had caught her watching Nathan from afar. She had been deep in thought.

"Elizabeth?" No answer. "Elizabeth?!", he said in a louder voice.

That got her attention and she snapped out of her deep thoughts about Nathan. It seemed everywhere she turned she saw Nathan's face. Was it just in her mind? Why would she be thinking about him, have a fluttering yearning for him when she was suppose to be in a relationship with Lucas? She knew why. She had said the wrong words to the wrong man and now it was too late to right that wrong.

She blushed. "Oh I'm sorry Lucas. Obviously I was just in deep thought."

"About Nathan?", he asked in a catty tone, raising his eyebrows while sipping from his teacup.

"I would be lying if I said I was not thinking about him and wondering how him and Allie are. I think I hurt them pretty bad and my heart aches over it. That is not the person I want to be."

Snickering, Lucas says, "I'd swear you are in love with him," Then he chuckled while saying, "You are going to have to get over it. What is done is done. I won. He lost. Simple as that."

"You make it sound like a game Lucas!". She was starting to get irritated at his devil-may-care attitude. Was she actually detecting a spiteful side to Lucas?

Was it a game?, she had wondered. What an arrogant thing to say, she thought.

Ever since the kiss on the bridge and the seemingly romantic fabricated book signing date, she felt there had been a gaping hole in their relationship. Had the flames burnt out that quickly? She barely had time to light all the candles before the flames went poof. She had told herself she was in love with Lucas and had poured herself into that first kiss but there was that hole…that hole in her heart…that Lucas was not filling. She had brushed that thought aside and did her best to hide those feelings. Rosemary knew it. Bill knew it. Nobody said a word in fear of a backlash of denial from Elizabeth. She knew they knew though.

Lucas had seemed distracted by his business dealings and has several times brushed Elizabeth aside to make private phone calls. What could he not talk to her about, she wondered. The hot flashes she had earlier gotten when she was close to Lucas had faded to a cool draft. A sign of what was to come? A passing phase perhaps?

Maybe getting away from Hope Valley for a while would help them both get back to the previous romance. They'd not had much to say to each other since they decided to be a couple. The romance was gone. Her heart was just not in it and obviously neither was Lucas's. Kaput. What to do now?

Elizabeth's thoughts again went to Nathan and Allie. Why was she even thinking about them? She shook her head trying to shake out those thoughts.

Earlier when Bill had taken her to the train station, his observation had made her stop and think.

Bill had said, "Thinking about Nathan and Allie are you?"

"Well yes. I guess I was but how did you know that?"

"Because you are staring at their house Elizabeth. What is it?", Bill had asked although he already a had a good idea.

"Nothing.", she denied. "Nothing", she said again with her voice trailing off while fighting back tears.

Now back in Hamilton, thinking back about the whole situation, Elizabeth knew without a doubt, exactly what she had to do. She picked up the phone and called the saloon first.

"Hello?," answered Gustof, his cook and manager.

"This is Elizabeth. I need to speak to Lucas."

Gustof hesitates. A moment of audible, muffled whispering then, "I am sorry Elizabeth. He just stepped out. May I have him call you."

"Yes, please do." Hesitating she asked, "Gustof…what happened with the sale of the saloon?"

Another hesitation from Gustof with a muffled familiar voice in the background then Gustof came back with, "I'm sorry Elizabeth. I am not allowed to discuss Mr. Bouchards business dealings."

"I see. I will try his oil business office but thank you Gustof."

Pushing the receiver a couple of clicks, Florence came back on the line. "Florence, do you know where I can get ahold of Lucas? I really need to talk to him."

"Elizabeth. You don't know?"

"Know what Florence?"

"Well…it's not my place to say, but the sale of the saloon fell through. Lucas is still there while Fiona and Hickman are helping him with his oil dealings. I asked him about you and he did not answer me. I don't know what's going on Elizabeth. He has been on edge for a while now. Are you OK?"

"Yes I am fine Florence. Thanks so much for the information."

"When are you coming home?", Florence asked.

"I will probably come home sooner than I had anticipated."

"Well good. We all have missed you."

"I imagine there are some that have not missed me too much."

"Lucas has seemed very busy with his businesses so I'm not sure about him but the rest of us have missed you. All the rest of us have missed you. Safe travels when you do come home Elizabeth."

Elizabeth was on a slow burn now.

Two hours later, the phone rang at her parent's house. Elizabeth answered the phone to hear Lucas's voice on the other end.

"Elizabeth?'

"Yesssss?"

"This is Lucas. I'm sorry I was unable to make the trip."

"Lucas, please say no more. I want you to know that this relationship is over…over before it ever got started. In fact, it never truly was. If we can be friends…great. If not, then maybe we can simply be cordial."

She heard him let out a breath on the other end of the line.

"I feel the same way. I will talk to you when you get back to Hope Valley."

"Lucas, there is nothing we really need to discuss."

Elizabeth hung the phone up with a slam and let out a relieved sigh. She would face the music when she got home to Hope Valley but for now she felt much lighter. She could breath again. She went into the parlor to tell her parents she would be leaving sooner than she thought.