Jack arrived at the café for the second time that day. He found a table in the corner and unfolded his newspaper, which he intended to use as a prop as he surreptitiously watched Faith and Peter's interactions. The couple arrived at the café moments later, their body language stilted and tense. Nathan was right behind them. Jack saw that his friend noticed the tension as well. He said something to Faith while Peter marched toward a table three away from Jack. Faith smiled her appreciation at Nathan, shaking her head, before she followed her fiancé. Nathan watched her go with a slight frown.

Clearing his throat a little louder than necessary, Jack stared at Nathan, hoping his friend would notice. He did. Nathan glanced his way. Recognition lit his eyes. He made his way to Jack's table and sat.

"It looks like Miss Carter is distressed," he said quietly. "I saw that man leading her here, but she looks like she'd rather be anywhere else."

"She probably would," Jack said just as quietly. "That man is her fiancé. He wants her to leave Hope Valley."

"Ah," Nathan replied. The two men lapsed into silence, both watching the conversation discreetly. Abigail brought some coffee and sandwiches. She smiled at them but didn't try to speak. Jack was thankful for her observation skills. It was clear she knew he was in the middle of something, even if she didn't know what that was. He smiled in return, then turned his attention back to Faith and Peter.

Their conversation didn't last long. Peter stood and said something. Faith shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. Peter's head bowed for a moment as his shoulders slumped. Faith sniffed, then slowly pulled the engagement ring from her finger. She stood as well, pressing the ring into his hand. Jack watched as she looked up with tear-filled eyes, reading her lips. "Goodbye, Peter."

Jack and Nathan remained motionless as Peter left the café. As soon as the door shut behind him, Jack stood and walked to Faith. She was still standing, arms wrapped tightly around her body, tears slipping slowly down her cheeks. He placed an arm around her shoulder. He didn't ask if she was alright – one look at her answered that question. Instead, he guided her to his table.

"You look like you could use a strong cup of coffee," Jack said quietly. Faith simply nodded, taking the seat he pulled out for her. Nathan slid her a plate. "Abigail brought me two sandwiches," he said, smiling gently. "I'm still working on the first. Would you like the second?"

Faith gave him a wobbly smile, nodding. Jack signaled Abigail, who read his silent request. She brought a carafe of coffee to the table with an extra cup. "Here you go," she said, placing a hand on Faith's shoulder. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"No, thank you," Faith said. "This is good."

Abigail squeezed her shoulder with a reassuring smile, then headed back toward the kitchen. The three companions commenced eating, no one feeling the need to talk. Jack kept an eye on Faith. Her tears slowly dried up. She ate calmly, but she was clearly still sad. When they finished their meal, Jack stood. "Would you like to take a walk with me, Faith?" he asked, putting some money on the table to pay for their meal.

She rose, accepting the arm he offered her. She smiled at Nathan. "Thank you for the sandwich, Mr. Grant," she said.

He shook his head. "Call me Nathan, please," he said.

"Thank you, Nathan," she repeated, slipping her hand into the arm Jack offered. "I hope we meet again soon." She glanced toward the door, her face shadowing slightly. "I think I'm going to need some friends after … well, being in a new town."

After breaking up with Peter.

Both men understood her silent meaning, but they didn't comment. Jack nodded a farewell at Nathan, then led Faith from the café. She walked close beside him. Her head was down, her grip on his arm tight. Jack's heart hurt for her. She'd arrived in town less than twenty-four hours ago, and her entire world had been turned upside down.

After ten minutes of quiet walking, Jack looked at Faith. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked gently.

She sighed. "Peter took that a lot better than I thought he would," she said. "I half expected him to drag me back to Union City, but he accepted my choice to break things off." Her grip on Jack's arm tightened. "I know I made the right choice, Jack. But I didn't expect it to hurt this much."

He stopped walking. Turning to face her, he placed his free hand on her shoulder. "How can I help, Faith?"

She smiled sadly. "You're already helping. Just being here, being a friend – that's what I need right now."

Jack nodded. "Alright. Would you like to keep walking?"

"Yes, please," Faith replied.

They continued their walk. Jack silently prayed that Faith would find the strength she needed in the days to come. She might have made the right choice, but that didn't mean things would be easy. He intended to be there for her in whatever ways she needed as she grieved her lost relationship.


On Saturday, Nathan sat on the front porch of his new home with Allie. His daughter was tucked against his side, resting her head on his arm, watching a pair of squirrels chase each other around a tree. She giggled at their antics. The sound warmed Nathan's heart. He sipped his coffee slowly, basking in the time with his little girl before their day began in earnest. On Monday, he would begin working, and he and Allie would fall into a new routine. At least Allie was excited about the fact that Elizabeth would be watching her. She didn't like that Nathan would be gone during the days, but she was slowly growing used to the idea. Nathan wondered if Elizabeth's first days as a nanny would be rough ones, as he knew Allie could act out if she was scared or upset.

A shriek sounded nearby. Nathan leapt to his feet, instantly alert. The noise sounded again, coming from the second cabin on the property. Setting his coffee mug on the porch railing, Nathan crouched in front of Allie. "I need to go see what's wrong. Do you want to stay here or come with me?"

"Come with you," Allie said immediately, holding up her arms.

Nathan picked her up and settled her on his hip. He then made his way with long strides toward the other cabin. The door was open. He stopped at the bottom of the porch steps and called out. "Hello? Is everything alright?"

A woman scurried out of the house. She wore a large apron over her dress and a bandana over her hair. "A mouse!" she exclaimed, hurrying down the steps. "A mouse was in my icebox!" When she finally looked up, allowing Nathan to see her face, he nearly gasped.

"Miss Thatcher?"

Her blue eyes were wide. "Mr. Grant?" She blinked. "What are you doing here?"

Words failed him. Again. Nathan couldn't think of a single thing to say as he was caught in Elizabeth's gaze – which was quickly turning puzzled the longer he remained silent. Allie inadvertently came to his rescue.

"We live there," she said, pointing toward their cabin. "Daddy found us a house."

"Oh!" Elizabeth blinked for several moments, absorbing that information. "Does this mean we are neighbors?"

Nathan finally found his tongue. He stared at the dilapidated house, then at Elizabeth in disbelief. "You live here?" he asked, incredulous.

She nodded. Her chin lifted into the air as if she expected him to lecture her about something. "I do." There was a touch of defiance in her tone. It served to disarm Nathan's nerves. He chuckled.

"Forgive me, Miss Thatcher," he said. "I am just surprised. This house was available just a few days ago when I leased the other cabin on this property. I didn't realize you were taking this one."

Elizabeth's look softened. "I'm sorry," she said. "There are many who think a single woman has no business owning something like this." She gestured to the run-down cabin. "I am focused on getting it fixed up. I thought I'd start with some cleaning." She shuddered. "That's how I found the mouse."

A smile worked its way over Nathan's face. "A mouse, huh? Terrifying little creatures." His tone held a hint of teasing, aimed at making Elizabeth laugh. It worked. Her laughter rang out, making his heart leap in his chest.

"I like mouses," Allie piped in. "They're cute."

Elizabeth stepped forward. "Mice are cute," she said, gently correcting Allie's grammar without pointing out the mistake. "But they are scary when you don't expect to see one." She shuddered dramatically, making Allie laugh. Nathan's heart leapt again, this time because the woman before him had once more broken through his daughter's defenses. Anytime Allie laughed, Nathan rejoiced.

"Can we see the mouse, Daddy?" Allie asked, putting her hands on Nathan's face. "Please?"

He glanced at Elizabeth, silently seeking her permission. He didn't want to enter her house unless she was okay with it. Elizabeth nodded with a small smile. "Be my guest," she said. "But I hope you understand if I stand back from the icebox."

Nathan chuckled. "I don't think anyone would blame you, Miss Thatcher," he said. He turned his attention back to Allie. "Alright, Allie-girl, let's go see the mouse."

The tiny creature was running hither and thither at the bottom of the icebox, clearly cold. Nathan briefly wondered how the poor mouse had gotten trapped in there before Allie squealed.

"Mouse!" she exclaimed, wiggling to get closer. "Cute mouse!"

Nathan set Allie on the floor, letting her peek into the icebox and chatter away at the mouse. He turned to Elizabeth, who was standing a good ten feet back. "Do you have a small box?" he asked.

She nodded, pointing to the table. Nathan smiled his thanks and retrieved the box. Elizabeth came closer, looking curious. "Why do you need the box?"

He grinned. "To rescue the mouse, of course."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. She squeaked and shuffled back toward the wall. "Just make sure it gets nice and far away from the house," she said, glancing at the icebox with a shudder. "I don't want it coming back again."

Nathan's grin widened. He headed back to the icebox, reaching into it with his makeshift rescue. "Come on, little guy," he coaxed. The mouse was shivering, but it was clearly afraid of the box. Allie made little noises of encouragement while Nathan reached for a stick that resided on the floor. He gently nudged the mouse until it was in the box, then stood and gave the box to Allie. "Go ahead and let the mouse run free outside," he said, smiling at his daughter. "But be careful not to touch it, okay?"

"Okay," Allie agreed readily. She took the box, talking to her furry friend once more as she headed outside.

Nathan turned to Elizabeth. "Crisis averted," he said, feeling an unusual sense of playfulness.

Elizabeth chuckled, shaking her head. "I don't know how you did that," she said. "I'm terrified of mice."

"They're just as terrified of you," Nathan said, crossing his arms comfortably over his chest. He glanced toward the door, where he could see Allie in the yard, watching her mouse dart toward the trees. His attention rested on the sagging door frame, which then made his eyes roam over the rest of the cabin. What he saw made him nervous.

"Miss Thatcher, this cabin isn't safe," he said, eying the hole-filled roof. "Are you staying here?"

She shook her head. "Not yet. I want to get it liveable before moving in. I'm planning on working on it, maybe getting some help from my students' fathers."

Nathan latched onto that at once. "You need help?"

Elizabeth nodded. Nathan felt a lightness settle over him. It hadn't sat well that Elizabeth offered to watch Allie for nothing. This was his chance to pay her back. "May I offer a suggestion?" he asked.

She tilted her head. "I'm listening."

"You're doing me a favor by watching Allie this summer," he said. "Let me work on this cabin for you in return. I'll have it habitable in a couple of weeks, and I can guarantee it will be finished by the time school starts again."

Elizabeth blinked. "You would do that?"

"Absolutely," he replied. "It would be my pleasure. I enjoy working with my hands. And it will allow me to feel like we're exchanging help to each other rather than me being in your debt."

She paused, a thoughtful look in her eyes. "That would be a big help," she admitted. "And it would save me from having to solicit help from others."

Nathan felt a surge of hope. "So we have an agreement?"

An impish smile crossed Elizabeth's lips. "On one condition."

"What's that?" he asked.

She placed her hands on her hips. "You let me provide dinner for you and Allie each evening. You're not going to have time if you're working for Lee and then working on my house. That way you won't have to eat at the saloon or café all the time."

Nathan nodded. "I think I can handle that," he said, his eyes twinkling. He held out his hand. "Deal."

Elizabeth placed her hand in his. "Deal. What do you say we start with dinner tonight? We can talk about your expectations for me as Allie's nanny, and I can tell you what I'm hoping for with this cabin."

Shock waves shot up his arm at her touch, rendering him mute yet again. He barely heard what she said over the thundering pulse in his ears. He stared at her for a few seconds, until confusion crossed her face. "Mr. Grant? Did I say something to offend you?"

That snapped his frozen tongue. "No! Not at all," he said quickly. "Sorry." He thought back, trying to bring to mind what she had said. Ah, yes – dinner.

"That sounds good," he replied. "Perhaps Allie and I can meet you at the café?"

Elizabeth looked down. Nathan could have sworn she looked a little shy. "Actually, I was thinking I could make something at your cabin. It would be more comfortable for Allie, and we could walk over here after eating to discuss the repairs to the cabin."

It was a practical suggestion. The fact that she was thinking of Allie made it difficult for him to breathe. Her consideration of his daughter tugged at his heart. If he wasn't careful, Nathan knew he could fall hard and fast for this thoughtful, beautiful woman he would be seeing on a daily basis.

"That sounds great," he managed to say.

Elizabeth smiled. "Wonderful. Then I'll see you this evening. Say six o'clock?"

Nathan nodded, no other words coming to him. Elizabeth smiled, a hint of impishness in her eyes. "Can I have my hand back?"

"Oh!" Nathan dropped the hand he was still holding like a hot potato. He floundered for a few moments. "I … I am so sorry!"

She chuckled, placing her hand on his arm. "It's alright, Mr. Grant. I don't mind."

Their eyes met and held. Nathan's heart turned somersaults in his chest. He said the first thing that came to mind. "Call me Nathan."

She smiled, her hand falling to her side. "Elizabeth," she returned.

It was getting harder to breathe again. Nathan wanted to say something, but he couldn't think of a single intelligent sentence. Allie proved to be his rescue once more. She came running into the house.

"Daddy, my mouse lives in a tree!" she exclaimed. She grabbed his hand. "Come see!"

Nathan let himself be led toward the door. He looked at Elizabeth, noting the soft smile she wore as she looked at him and Allie. "I'll see you this evening," he said.

She nodded. "Until then, Nathan."

His name had never sounded so sweet coming from anyone else. As Nathan followed Allie out of the house, Jack's words from a few days ago sounded in his mind.

Spend ten minutes with her, and then see what you think.

His friend had been half-serious, half-joking, but Nathan now saw his point. The more time he spent with Elizabeth, the more she wiggled her way into his heart and mind. They barely knew each other, but he reacted to her in a way he'd never done with anyone else. Nathan hadn't had time to court over the years. He'd never been interested enough to do so. But now, he wondered if his heart had finally found a kindred spirit.