Epilogue One. A Ride Through the Woods on a Snowy Evening

December 15, 1919

At the end of the meal, Fiona couldn't help but wonder what was up with Jake tonight. It had been nearly three months since his injury, but tonight he was acting strange. Nervous. Which was completely unlike him, even with her.

Their relationship had been progressing nicely since he'd been released from the infirmary. Just after, she'd visited him everyday, sometimes more than once, at his apartment. She'd brought him lunch, or dinner, or cookies, sometimes ice cream. She'd completely spoiled him, and he hadn't even tried to hide how much he liked it. Those days had cemented their affection and appreciation for each other, made it blatantly obvious. And there was no going back now.

Since then, their dates had been regular, their sighting as a couple had become a rather fixed occurrence around town. Fiona on his arm, or Jake walking beside her, swinging their hands intertwined together. Even when they were alone, somehow, someway, he always seemed to find a way to touch her. A sort of constant connection. Whether it was their hands, or a palm at the small of her back, or his arm securely around her. And she ate it up, loved his strong presence nearby and his tender touch that always seem to find her.

But tonight, there was something off. The usual relaxed and confident Jacob Matthews was anything but. Was there something on his mind?

Was it just because he'd been out of town recently? He'd been called away on assignment and had just returned home yesterday. He'd immediately asked her for this date, but then, ever since, had acted the slightest bit strange.

As they exited the cafe, after a lovely dinner, at a special table, Fiona realized why. Jake had prepared a surprise. When they walked out of the cafe, Jed was waiting there, with a horse and sleigh.

Jake turned to her and asked. "Sweets, will you take a ride with me?"

Fiona glanced at the sleigh, and the warm blanket that Jake had prepared for them. It was a wonderful idea, the downy snow had fallen all afternoon and turned everything white, making the world soft and brilliant. Now, the smooth, pillowy ground just begged for someone to come along, and leave their mark. And Fiona wanted to be the one, her and Jake, to leave such a mark, two lovers, stealing away, to cuddle up warm and close, in the dusk of evening.

She rasped. "Yes, Jake."

He looked like he'd won all the stakes at poker, just like he always did, whenever she accepted one of his romantic proposals. And she did accept, every single time.

His smile was ever fixed as he helped her into the padded seat of the old sleigh. When his arm was firm around her, and they were warm and cozy under that blanket, he snapped the reins. And off they went, pulled by Jed's old draft horse.

As soon as they got on the trail, they entered a whole new world. Surrounded by an infinity of white, all the familiar forms had taken a whole new shape. Stars shone bright above and made the velvety snow glisten like glitter, all around them.

The only audible sound was Ezekiel the horse, as he clopped, clopped, clopped along. The rest was silence, as the sleigh cut through the snow. It was if the snow had turned down the volume on the world they knew, muted all the frenzy, that was normal life.

Fiona glanced up at Jake, who was carefully watching the landmarks, to keep them on the right path, now hidden by the fleece of white. This was a stolen moment, a kismet ride, a world, meant only for them. And that made her heart full, as she gazed up at him. Bathed in moonlight, he was wonderfully handsome, and his eyes so alluring, she had to fight to keep her breath steady. It made her suddenly aware of the blessing it truly was, to be loved by him. For he loved deep, and honest, and true.

Fiona turned her attention back to the trail, as trees bathed in glittering white floated past. She snuggled in closer to Jake, and he, without taking his eyes off the path, placed a tender kiss at her hairline.

They made a wide circle across a large meadow and entered the forest on the other side. And there, Jake found the path again. The swoosh of the sleigh runners and Ezekiel's muffled clops echoed through the trees, but was the only sound, as they rode along. Fiona laid her head back and looked up at the stars, so bright against the canopy of night that was visible between the two white lines of trees, on either side.

"It's so beautiful." She whispered onto the wind going past.

Jake glanced at her and smiled. Her eyes were dark and captivating in the starlight, and she smelled so good, snuggled against him. He confessed. "You are beautiful."

The way he looked at her, held her attention. She gazed into his eyes, that sparked now. There was only one answer she could muster, to his beautiful confession. "I love you."

He was lost too, and without taking his eyes off her, he pulled old Ezekiel to a halt. And he moved to kiss her, though he answered on the way. "And…I love you."

When their lips met, liquid fire pulsed hard through his veins, despite the bitter cold that surrounded them. It had been like that for both of them, as of late. And it was getting harder and harder to part ways at the end of an evening.

He kissed her with all the emotion of this day, and missing her while he was away, and what he'd been preparing. Though she was still completely unaware. He liked it that way, and let himself get lost in the emotion between them.

When he finally pulled back, he touched her gently with the back of his knuckles, one sweet caress of her cheek.

Then he quietly told her, "We should keep moving." For they had a destination and he had a goal.

He kissed her once more, on the cheek, before he picked up the reins again, and gave Ezekiel a snap.

When they rode back into Hope Valley after a breathtaking ride, Jake stopped right next to the big, beautiful Christmas tree that illuminated the middle of town. At this hour, the streets were mostly empty, so it was just as Jake had hoped, they had the tree all to themselves.

He stepped out of the sleigh and extended his hand. Fiona was sad to see the ride end. "Will you come with me, Sweets?"

Fiona pulled her scarf tight and placed her hand in his. "Where are we going now, Jacob?" She asked with a curious smile.

"Come and see." He rasped a challenge. And the way he said it, made her follow him with her eyes. She suddenly had the feeling he was up to something, there was even more.

Still she followed, of course, she followed. He stopped in front of the tree, smack dab in the middle of town. "Stand here." He implored cutely, then took a full step back from her, which wasn't at all like him.

That alerted her, once again. He'd been acting strange all evening, and now, was acting even stranger. What was going on?

And then it hit her. As soon as he dropped down on one knee, she realized.

"Jake." She rasped on an inhale, as she covered her mouth with both hands.

"Fiona Miller." He gazed up at her, holding a ring between two fingers. "I have a question I'd really like to ask you." He gave her that handsome smile, and her heart galloped. "Will you make me the happiest man on earth…and...be my wife?"

Fiona didn't hesitate. She dropped her hands, already nodding yes as she said it. "Yes. Yes, Jacob Tommy. Yes!"

Jake, moved with emotion, gathered her up in his arms, and hugged her. In the snow, just before the brilliantly lit tree, he lifted her off the ground, and spun her around a few good times.

When he set her down, he slipped the ring on her finger. His mother's ring. And it fit perfectly. She looked down and wiggled her fingers as she inspected its beauty. "Jacob." She rasped. It was a very beautiful ring.

"It was my mother's." He made a point to tell her, which brought her eyes back up to his.

"I love it." She told him, honestly. And she did. It was made even more special because it had belonged to his mother. "And I love you."

At that, Jake stepped forward, pulled her close, and into his arms. And he gently placed one tender kiss on her beautiful lips. Fiona kissed him back, wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. And when they finally pulled back from each other, Fiona smiled happily up at him.

But then, Jake, out of nowhere, gave a funny sort of little wave behind her back, and it didn't seem to be for her.

And what happened next, was a curious thing. All of a sudden, the lights of the barber shop turned on, and the door opened. And a line of people filed out, came down the stairs right toward them. Fiona looked from Jake, to the group, and back again.

And that's when a chorus of voices called out, "Congratulations!"

The group walked right up to them, and one by one, offered their congratulations to the happy couple, by the light of the tree. Faith and Ben, then Mike and Alex, and Allie, then Julia and Nathan. But then, hidden behind Nathan was someone else. One more person, who obscured themselves in the shadows.

When Nathan moved and the light caught his face, Fiona's eyes became wide with disbelief. "Henry?!" She cried out, stunned.

Henry Miller, Fiona's oldest brother, amusedly wrapped his arms around his sister. "Yes, it's me!" He laughed, happily. "Congratulations, Fee. I'm so happy for you!"

When he set her back on her heels, Fiona, overjoyed and excited now, asked a barrage of questions. "What are you doing here? How did you know? Who called you?"

Henry gazed at her and smiled. He replied discreetly, addressed Fiona. "Nobody called me, Fee. Jake came."

Fiona's jaw dropped. She turned so the conversation was just between them. "Jake came? To see you?" She asked, shocked.

"Of course. He came to ask for your hand." Henry told her, with a contented smile.

Fiona's glance flashed to Jake, she watched him for a moment as he chatted with Allie and Nathan, and then she brought her eyes back round to Henry. "Jake came to see you, to ask for my hand?"

Henry held that contented smile. "Yes, little sis, he did." He paused and let her take that in. "He said I was the patriarch of the family, so it was only right."

Fiona's eyes made their way over to Jake again. "So that assignment he claimed to have…" She was figuring it out now.

"Was not for the Mounties. Though, he did consider it an assignment of sorts." Henry smiled at his little sister. "And I think, by the look on your face, the mission was successful?"

She smiled at him, slow and easy, with both dimples. "Yea. I guess so." Fiona paused. "And he brought you back with him?"

Henry laughed. "Something like that." He tilted his head. "Though, I insisted on coming. I wanted to congratulate my little sister on getting engaged. And I wanted to get to know this nice fellow who thinks you hung the moon."

Fiona, suddenly overwhelmed by emotion, stopped her questions, and hugged her brother again. She was very touched that he had come all this way, and she was even more touched by what Jake had done. There he went, stealing her heart, one more time, one more measure. Her voice came out all shaky. "Thank you so much for coming, Hen. How long can you stay?"

Henry pulled back and looked her over. "A week." He replied. "I promised Marie I'd be home before Christmas Eve."

Fiona's mind was reeling, making a mental list of everything she wanted to show him, about her life here. So many things they could do together. "A whole week, that's fantastic."

And there, in front of the Christmas tree, she pulled him back over towards the group. "I guess you've all met my big brother, Hen." Fiona told them, with a cute hand motion and a chortle.

Her friends gave a sort of collective chuckle, because, yes, they'd obviously all met her brother, hiding out in the barbershop with him. But it was Fiona's cute way of making him an introduction, in her own way.

Then her eyes slowly made their way to Jake, and filled with tears, as she continued to process what he'd done. The lengths to which he'd gone. She gazed at him so tenderly, across the distance, he felt his heart skip a beat.

And just like that, Fiona Miller was once again rendered speechless, for most of the rest of the evening. By the one man who could have that affect on her.

Though they stole glances, a lot of glances, she couldn't find the words to properly express exactly what she was feeling, in front of a group.

Julia invited everyone back to the barbershop, where she and Nathan had prepared two bottles of sparkling wine to celebrate. And even in the midst of conversation, Fiona still didn't say much, until everyone raised their glass, and Jake seemed ready to say something. It was at that moment, though, that Fiona stepped in front of him, faced him, and tried to make a toast.

"To Jake." Fiona spoke softly, and told him a truth. "No one can touch my heart like you do." Her voice broke, and she wasn't able to finish.

But Nathan stepped in and finished the toast. "To Jake and Fiona, a truly beautiful couple. A wonderful match." He added. "Congratulations."

And everyone added their "Here, here!" And "Congratulations!" As glasses clanked together.

But Jake's gaze was still fixed on only one woman, Fiona, and she was still lost in the moment, with him. Overwhelmed by the emotions of the day, the beautiful ride, and the heartfelt proposal. Not to mention, the wonderful surprise of her brother.

One more time, Fiona was left undone by Jake's thoughtful attention, and his deep, tender love. And he was left reeling from the sweetness of her words and the love he found, in her eyes.