About a week later, Jack laid on top of the covers on his brand new king size bed. It was a rustic but elegant model similar to one Elizabeth had put on a "Jack's Home" Pinterest board for him. He rather liked it. When it came to interior decorating, he was pretty hopeless. So he'd asked her for suggestions and she was more than happy to tell him what to do.

Outside the open bedroom window, Jack listened to the crickets in the grass. There were even a few bullfrogs making noise by the lake, even though it seemed late in the season for that. He loved the sounds of nature at rest. Though sometimes that rest was disturbed whenever Ranger heard an unfamiliar noise and went into watchdog mode. For now though, he was snoring away on this bed in the corner.

"You awake?" Jack asked into the phone.

"Mhmmm," Elizabeth said sleepily on the other side of the line. "Why do you ask?"

"You've gotten pretty quiet over there."

"Sorry. I guess I am a little extra tired tonight."

"We could hang up for the night and you could get some sleep. Tomorrow's Monday, you know?"

"But I love talking to you," she whined a bit, he laughed.

"I love talking to you too. A lot, actually. That's why neither of us have gotten much sleep all week."

"Is it worth it?"

"It is."

Since their Friday night date a week before, they couldn't get enough of each other. Their schedules as of late didn't allow for them to see each other everyday, so they called or FaceTimed every night once Levi was in bed.

Elizabeth wondered if maybe things were getting a bit too real too fast. It was obvious to her that she was very much attached to Jack. Levi was too.

"Did you fall asleep?" he asked when she fell quiet again.

"No. Just thinking, I guess."

"Penny for your thoughts, beautiful?"

"I'm not sure I can tell you just yet," she said with a giggle.

"Oh, intrigue."

She laughed. "I do think you're right though. Sleep is good. Can we talk tomorrow?"

"You bet."

"Goodnight, Thornton. Give Ranger a pat for me."

"Night, Liz. Sleep well."

"You too."

After ending the call, Jack placed his phone on the night stand and sighed heavily. It wasn't easy living in this big house with just a dog. Especially with Elizabeth and Levi across town. It never used to bother him. Oh how times were changing.

Ranger was awake now and nosed Jack's hand for attention.

"Hey Ranger pup," he said, petting the dog's head. "Want to hear a secret? I'm pretty sure I'm in love. Is that crazy?"

Ranger let out a woof and hopped on the bed to snuggle beside him.

"You're probably right, friend. Doesn't change how I feel though."

What Jack couldn't have known was that Elizabeth was laying in her bed, feeling that same overwhelming emotions. She didn't have a dog to spill her feelings to or calm the sudden rise in her anxiety. Instead she picked up her phone and texted Rosie. Even with the late hour, Rosie read the text and called Elizabeth right away.

"I need details!" her spunky friend demanded. "You've been playing this relationship close to the vest for weeks now. Gush girl! I need details."

"I've fallen so hard, Rosie. He's so perfectly imperfect."

"Okay," she giggled. "What does that mean?"

"It means I want to see where this goes. I want to be with him all the time and…." she sighed. "I'm pretty sure I love him."

Rosie squealed so loudly that Elizabeth had to move the phone away from her ear.

"Tell me more!"

"Well for starters," Elizabeth giggled. "His kisses were so worth the wait."

….

Monday morning arrived far too early for Jack's taste. It took all the effort he could muster to drag his tired butt out of bed and into the shower. After chatting with Elizabeth until late, he couldn't shut off his mind. Vision of her, them, and a future whirled around aimlessly. It wasn't until around 2 am that he finally fell asleep. Even then, he dreamed of Elizabeth.

Between the distraction of his beautiful girlfriend and the presence of his furry therapy friend, Jack's nightmares were at an all time low. It wasn't that they weren't there, but Ranger could sense the tension rise before it settled in. At least that's what Jack assumed since he'd wake up with Ranger laying on or against him occasionally.

With deep groaning, Jack took the stairs in the main barn at the orchard up to his office. Ranger following close behind. The benefit of being one of the bosses, you could easily bring your dog to work.

Charlotte was already up there, setting up the small but sufficient conference room that they used for staff meetings on occasions.

"What's on the agenda today, Mom?" He asked, giving her cheek a kiss.

"Apple Fest! It's only a week away."

Jack had little to no hand in the marketing/event side of the business. That responsibility was left to Charlotte and the orchards marketing manager, Christa. He liked it this way. He'd show up of course, and help out doing whatever was needed.

With a few minutes to spare before others would be showing up for the meeting, Jack took a seat at his desk to text a certain someone.

"I miss you. If I can get out of here in time, can we do dinner?"

He checked his email while he waited. Fall was always a busy time at the orchard. Add to that the many nights Jack spent trying to work on the house, and his afternoon "therapy" sessions with Gowan and Avery, there wasn't much time for anything else.

Elizabeth had been busy too. Levi had basketball practices and games after school most nights and she held tutoring sessions with some of her AP bio students.

Levi hadn't forgotten Jack's promise to make it to some games. So far Jack had made time for the two he'd had. The whole schedule was blocked in on his calendar. As long as he could, he'd be there.

The phone buzzed next to him with Elizabeth's message.

"Yes please! Even if it's after dinner, can you come over? I miss you too."

Jack wore a big goofy smile as he typed back.

"Think I can steal a kiss or two?"

"If you play your cards right, I bet they'll be given to you."

"I like the sound of that. See you tonight."

Checking the clock, Jack placed his phone in his back pocket and gathered what he needed for the staff meeting. As one of the owners, he wanted to be in and settled before the others.

"Come on, Tom," Jack said, giving his brother a playful smack on the back of the head. "Time to be adults."

"Are you sure about that?" Tom said with a laugh.

Five minutes later at the top of the hour, Charlotte stood up at the head of the table ready to call the meeting to order. Around the table sat five others. Tom and Jack, of course; as well as the marketing manager, the accounts manager, and their residiant horticulturist.

"Morning everyone! I must say, we've gotten off to a great start this fall." Charlotte exclaimed. "There have been many school field trips, and we're way ahead on production, right Jack?"

He nodded, "Looking at the numbers, we've already surpassed where we were at this time last year. I've spoken with Lou down in production and he's set for the weekend festivities. I've advised him to call in as many employees as he deems necessary to allow for a smooth event."

"Sounds good. Tom?" Charlotte turned to her youngest son. "How are things with our new distributor?"

"So far so good. In fact, they'll have a few reps here for Apple Fest this weekend. There will also be a few reps from markets we are trying to get our products into."

"Wonderful! Now Christa, how are things going on your end of the event?"

"Mostly good!" The long dark haired young woman said as she nudged her dark rimmed glasses up on her slender nose. "We will have six food trucks here to sell lunch items. The orchard of course, will be providing cider and our famous cider donuts, thanks to Jack and his team," she smiled at him.

Christa Longwell had had eyes for Jack for a few years now. He never gave her a reason for it. Jack was polite, of course, and they'd shared a few lunches and cups of coffee while on break at the office but that was it. She worked most closely with Charlotte, and her office was down stairs. It had always been Jack's goal to spend as little time as possible at his desk so it wasn't like they conversed often.

Even now in the meeting, Christa watched Jack closely and hung on his every word. Her eyes pining away. It was as if she couldn't get enough of his handsome green eyes and how the light would cause the little golden spects to shimmer. Then of course there was the way he served not only his country, but his family. To her, he was a man worth chasing.

"Christa? Anything else to share?" Charlotte asked.

"Unfortunately there is a small hiccup in the entertainment area. We're planning on highlighting four local bands as usual, but one has just backed out. It's manageable, but we'd need to decide what to do during the gaps."

"Do you have any leads?" Tom asked.

"I have some feelers out. One got back to me but they aren't really in need of the exposure, so they're asking for a hefty paycheck from it."

"Are you kidding?" Tom scoffed. "This is a community event. Not a woodstock. We don't even sell admission."

Each year near the end of apple picking season, the Thorntons would open up the orchard. People would drive through with their trucks or cars and fill it to the brim with the apples that had fallen on the ground, called drops. The Thorntons would charge by the car load at a very low and reasonable price. Families would then use the orchards presses to make cider, or take it home to do themselves. The apples, even though they were drops, could also be taken home to make applesauce, apple butter and more.

After the meeting was over, Jack held the door open as everyone left. Christa hung around a bit longer, making herself the last one besides Charlotte to leave the conference room.

"So I'm thinking about checking out a few more bands tomorrow night. Care to join me? I'd love an extra set of ears on them, you know?"

"Tempting, but I probably wouldn't be the best judge. It's been years since I've played."

"Wait, you've played?"

"Yeah. Tom and I were in a band with friends decades ago. Though to tell you the truth, I'm not sure I'd know which end of the guitar is up now," he said with a laugh.

"Well then, you guys should be our 4th band! It'd be such a draw!"

"What!?" Jack said in terror. "Did you miss the part about how long it's been? No, it wouldn't be pretty."

"Charlotte, back me up!" Christa'a voice was full of excitement. "The Thornton Brothers, has a great ring to it."

Charlotte looked intrigued at the thought. "I do miss listening to you boys play. You had so much fun on the stage."

"Mom, no. Don't even think about it. Tom would hate it."

"Maybe, but he used to come alive on stage. You remember?"

"A lot's changed since then, Mom."

"Believe me, I know." She sighed. Tom had been the lead singer back then. Meg had been his precious muse. Charlotte wasn't sure Tom had even looked at a guitar since her death. "Maybe you could ask Tom?"

"Pretty please!" Christa was almost bouncing. "You guys are already like the two most eligible bachelors in the city. It would be a huge draw."

"Ugh!" Jack groaned. "That's not really encouraging me here, okay?" Both women shot him pleading eyes. "Fine, I'll ask, but I already know what he'll say.

….

"Hell no!" Tom said immediately. "What was Mom thinking? I don't even know if I still have a guitar." Tom shook his head vigorously.

The brothers had gone into town to a favorite deli of theirs. The owner, an old potbelly man named Hank, had been running it for years. His father before him and so on. Tom Sr. would come here often back when he was alive.

"I figured that's what you say. You should have seen them. If I hadn't agreed to ask you I think they never would have let me leave."

"Dude, I haven't played since Meg died and Ryan was born. Not a single chord."

Jack nodded. "Ever miss it?"

"I miss her." Tom winced as he said the words, feeling his emotions burning in his eyes. "What was the point, you know? I loved playing but mostly I loved doing it for Meg. Any song we'd play, I could sing it straight to her. Then when she was gone… I don't know. Didn't seem right to play when Ryan even couldn't hear it. My life became all about him. It's still all about him and I'm not ashamed of that."

"I didn't think about that, sorry man. It was a bad idea."

"It's alright." He took a large bite of his reuben on rye. "Tell me the truth, am I being ridiculous?"

"No, not ridiculous. If you don't want to do it, then don't. But I have to say, playing again might get you out of that funk."

"I'm not in a funk," Tom said sternly.

"If you say so."

"Hey, Jack, can I ask you a question?" There was a slight teasing tone in his voice now.

"Go ahead, little brother."

"After the meeting, did I hear Christa ask you out?"

"No changing the subject!" Jack laughed embarrassed.

"Oh Jack!" Tom began talking in a feminine tone. "Come listen to music with me in a dark bar so I can stare lovingly at you."

"Wow… your female voice needs work."

"Maybe, but I'm not wrong."

"Neither am I."

They stared at each other for a long moment.

"Fine. I'll think about it."

"Good. Now what was that you said about Christa?"

Tom laughed. "You're blind with women, bro."

"No I'm not!"

"I'm sorry, do you not remember pushing Lizzie at me not long ago? Even though it was you that was falling for her."

"I believe I came to my senses on that one. Now I have her and I'm not letting her go. We've been making up for lost time too."

"You're not thinking about proposing already, are you?" Tom teased.

"No! Well… no. Not yet."

Tom couldn't stop laughing. "Bro, when you're in, you're in BIG aren't you?."

"Look, she means a lot to me. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't pictured us...as a family and all; but it's too fast. Isn't it?"

"I'm not a good one to give advice here. I fell for Meg the moment I met her. If I actually thought our parents would have let us, I would have married her at 16."

"So what you're saying is, we're both crazy?"

"Basically, yup."

….

Later that day, Elizabeth stood over her stove making spaghetti sauce from scratch. It was one of Levi's favorite meals. Spaghetti and meatballs.

Next to her at the counter, Levi worked with laser focus to form the meat perfectly.

"You're making a mess." She spoke and signed.

"So? It's how you cook."

Elizabeth laughed. He wasn't wrong.

The lights flashed three quick times, then again. It was the non-audible "ring" of the phone.

"Me!" Levi said, wiping his meaty hands on his jeans.

"Gross… guess I'm washing those tonight."

Levi clicked the button to answer the incoming video call. An older man with salt and pepper hair and a big smile appeared.

"Hello, my favorite grandson!" William Thatcher signed.

"Hi! I miss you!"

"I miss you too. How's the new school?"

"So good! I'm playing basketball on the team."

"Good job! Maybe Grandma and I can fly up for a game."

"Yes please! Mom and Jack come to all my games. It's so much fun!"

"Jack?"

Levi gasped. Was Jack supposed to be a secret?

"Want to talk to Mama?"

"I sure do!"

Levi nodded and ran off towards the kitchen, stomped on the ground to get Elizabeth to turn.

"Grandpa, phone, and I'm sorry." he signed rapidly.

"Huh?"

"Just talk to him!"

"Ooookay." Quickly she washed her hands and went to grab the phone in the living room. "Hey Dad!" She said turning off the video and just using the hand held. "To what do we owe this call?"

"Who's Jack."

"Ohhh, so that's what the "sorry" was about."

"Huh? Elizabeth, are you keeping secrets from your mother and I?"

"Yeah… I guess so. Just not intentionally."

"Okay," he laughed. "So who's Jack? Are you fostering again or is this a relationship? Should I be nervous?"

"Sorry I haven't told you. I guess we haven't talked in a while. Jack is the man I've been seeing. We met that day Levi got left behind on that field trip."

"He's not the teacher that left him, is he?"

"Goodness no! His family owns the orchard though. Jack was amazed watching over him till I could get there."

"I see. How is he with Levi?"

"Wonderful, it's like… well he cares for him a lot." She was about to say how Jack treated Levi almost as if he was his son, but caught herself. Bow wasn't the time.

"That's good. I guess your mother and I need to make a trip up there soon!"

"Oh, well…"

"Don't start. My grandson's playing basketball, my daughters dating some new guy. Seems worthy of a visit right?"

"I suppose so."

"Good. I'll talk to you mother."

Later that night, after Levi was fast asleep in his bed, Elizabeth had showered and was back down in her living room grading papers and listening to Michael Buble.

She set the last essay in the done pile when her phone buzzed. It was Jack.

Still awake?

Yes!

Great. I'm outside.

She opened the door and pulled him inside by the hand.

"Hi." She smiled.

"Hey." He grinned. Closing the door behind him, he reached one hand around her slender waist to pull her close. "I've missed you."

She responded with a kiss. Making it abundantly clear that she'd missed him too.

"Wow," he said breathless. "So, what should we do tonight?"

"I just finished my grading, want a glass of wine?"

"Do you have coffee? I think I need to keep my wits about me tonight."

"Oh really?" She giggled, taking his hand and leading him into the kitchen.

"Yes. If I don't," he pressed her back against the wall, pressing his lips to the warm vanilla scented skin on her neck. "If I don't I may encourage us too far."

Elizabeth stared deep into the blue green sea of his eyes. Her mind clouding over as desire rose. How was it that this man had only recently entered her life, but was already so intertwined that she didn't know how she'd lived in this state for a year without him.

"Maybe… we should both have coffee."

"Good idea." He kissed the tip of her nose then reached for the mugs.

They talked about their days as the coffee brewed. When it was ready, they took their mugs and the bowl of popcorn they'd made to the couch.

Once they were snuggled up, and the music played softly in the background, Elizabeth sighed.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"I should tell you something."

"I'm all ears." He kissed the top of her head.

"My dad called today and now my parents found out about you and want to meet you."

"I see," he chuckled. "They just found out about us? Are you ashamed of me or something?" He asked playfully, tickling her at the side.

"No!" She laughed. "Not at all. It just didn't come up till now. I guess lately we've mainly talked by me ending pictures of Levi or quick updates."

"I see. And how did I come up?"

"Levi."

"Ah," Jack laughed. "So, meeting the parents. Should I be nervous?"

"Well, no. But they are protective of us and you're the first real serious guy I've dated that they didn't already know and so..."

"So, I need to make a good impression."

"No, just be you. That's more than enough." She turned in his arms to face him. "You, Jack, are more than enough."

His hands moved to her hips, and with a slight tug he moved her from her seat onto his lap.

"Have I ever told you how amazing your lips are?" He whispered, teasing her lips with his.

"Not like yours." She whispered back between their short warm kisses. "Yours are magic."

Jack eased Elizabeth down so that her back was against the seat of the couch. Almost as if instinct, Elizabeth wove her fingers deep into Jack's dark brown hair, pulling his lips hard against hers.

The fire was burning hot between them now. It seemed like the only thing that would distinguish it would be to just let it rip through them.

Was it crazy? They'd only known each other for a few months. About half that time Jack had been pushing her towards his brother. They'd yet to talk about what their physical limits should be. Though, they'd talk about almost everything else.

With that thought in Jack's mind, he retreated. Slowly moving to the side, still holding her but trying to calm their bodies.

"I'm sorry. That was… I got carried away."

"Me too," she breathed heavily.

"I want you to know you can trust me, Liz. I will never push you. We will only ever do what you are comfortable with."

"You know," she smiled, caressing his jaw. "I believe you. More importantly, I trust you."

"Good." He sat up a little more. "Nothing more happens between us until you say you're ready."

"So, it's up to me?"

"Clearly I'm ready," he joked. "Seriously, babe, I want you to feel safe."

"And what if I said I was ready… now?"

Those words just about stopped Jack's heart and breathing all together.

"You, …yeah?"

She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, the sound of little boy cries from upstairs took over. She scuried out from Jack's hold and hurried off.

Jack rolled over onto his back and let out a deep puff of air.

"Okay, what almost just happened here..."