Colleen stared at the doctor, face devoid of color. Nathan stood beside her. He also felt a sense of shock. "Are you sure, Dr. Shepherd?" he asked, speaking for his sister. Colleen seemed to have lost the ability to speak, a rare occurrence for her.

Carson Shepherd nodded. "Absolutely. There's no doubt. I could hear a heartbeat immediately with the stethoscope, which means this pregnancy is at least five months old."

Colleen finally found her voice. "Five months!" she exclaimed. She rested her head in her hands. "How did I miss this?"

Carson sat in the chair beside her bed. "You didn't notice that your cycle was irregular?" he asked. His words were gentle, no judgment in them, simply a desire to understand and help her understand as well.

She shook her head. "I've never had a regular cycle," she admitted, her cheeks turning crimson as she glanced up at Nathan. "Allie was a surprise as well."

He took pity on her obvious discomfort. "Would you like me to leave so you can talk to the doctor alone?" he asked.

Colleen nodded, relief rushing into her eyes. Nathan placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll finish shopping at the mercantile," he said. "I'll be back shortly." He glanced around for Allie, finding her in the arms of Nurse Faith Carter. He smiled. "Should I leave Allie here?"

Faith nodded immediately, then looked at Colleen. "If that's alright with you?"

Colleen chuckled. "Of course." She waved Nathan out of the room. "You go finish shopping."

He obeyed. As he walked back to the mercantile, he pondered the implications of Colleen's pregnancy. Nathan knew nothing about babies, but he did know that his sister already struggled to provide for herself and Allie. They had just moved to a new town and she didn't even have a job. Neither did he, for that matter. The money he had saved up would last them several months, but he now felt an additional pressure for his business to be successful quickly. So absorbed was he in his thoughts, he didn't see Elizabeth until they ran into each other for the second time that day.

"Oof!" she grunted, meeting the wall of his chest hard.

Nathan reacted immediately, wrapping his arms around her to keep her upright. "I'm so sorry!"

Her cheeks were red, but she smiled up at him. "We really need to stop meeting like this."

Nathan laughed. Once he made sure she was steady, he released her. The scent of lavender enveloped him like a cloud. The scent suited the woman before him.

She shuffled on her feet, a guarded look filling her eyes. "That woman with you - she looked ill. Is she alright?"

"Colleen? Yeah, she'll be fine," Nathan said. "Dr. Shepherd just told us she's expecting a baby."

Elizabeth blinked a few times. Belatedly, a smile graced her lips. "Congratulations," she said. "I'm sure that's very exciting for all of you."

"More like a shock," Nathan muttered, running a hand through his hair. "I don't understand how this happened!"

Elizabeth regarded him with a funny look on her face before chuckling. "I may not be married, but I'm pretty sure there's a straightforward explanation for her pregnancy," she deadpanned.

Nathan blushed. "Well, of course…that's not what I…that is…I mean…" His blush deepened as he fumbled for words. "The timing is off, that's all. We're just getting settled into our new home. Neither of us have a job, and now we'll have a second child to provide for." He exhaled, closing his eyes. "It's an unexpected complication."

A furrow appeared between Elizabeth's brows. "But a good one?" she asked, the short sentence a question.

Nathan paused for a few seconds, considering her words. "I think so," he said finally. "Allie was a blessing in hard circumstances, and I'm sure this baby will be too."

Elizabeth smiled. "Then I'm sure it will all work out," she said.

Nathan opened his mouth to reply, when he heard an excited exclamation from the opposite side of the street.

"Nathan Grant!"

He turned, a smile on his face at the sound of Gabe's voice. "Gabe!" The two men met in a tight embrace, laughing. "It's been far too long!" Nathan exclaimed, slapping his friend on the back.

"Look at you!" Gabe said, his eyes running over Nathan. "You don't look any worse for wear. I'm so glad those bullets didn't knock you down permanently."

Nathan grinned. "Me too. It was a little scary how touch and go it was for a while."

A sound from Elizabeth brought both men's attention to her. She was looking at Nathan with wide eyes. "You were shot?"

Nathan nodded. "I sustained two bullet wounds in the ambush," he said quietly, not wanting to remind her of Jack's death but unwilling to tell a falsehood. Elizabeth turned white, but she reached out to touch his arm.

"I'm glad you survived." The soft words held a strong sincerity, one that touched Nathan deep inside. He smiled at her, all else vanishing for a few blessed moments.

"Me too."

Elizabeth cleared her throat, taking a step back. "I'd like to extend an invitation to you both," she said. "A dinner invitation. I'd love to hear more about your time with Jack in the Northern Territories." She smiled, looking first at Nathan, then at Gabe. "How's tomorrow at 6:00?"

"Perfect," Gabe replied, touching the brim of his hat. "Thank you, Miss Thatcher."

She waved a hand at him. "I told you, Gabe, call me Elizabeth." She looked at Nathan, a suddenly pensive look on her face. "You should bring your family, Nathan."

He smiled. "I'm sure they'll appreciate that."

She smiled back, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Excuse me, gentlemen. I will see you tomorrow." She nodded at them both, then began walking down the street.

Gabe looked at Nathan, confusion in his eyes. "Your family? What family?"

Nathan blinked, taking his eyes off the beautiful woman walking away from them. He turned his attention to Gabe. "Colleen moved here with me." At the question in Gabe's eyes, he shook his head. "It's a long story. I'll fill you in later." He gestured toward the mercantile. "I have a few things I need to pick up before I get Colleen and Allie from the infirmary."

"Infirmary?" Gabe's eyes widened. "It's your first day here, and you've managed to gain a family and have your sister end up in the infirmary?" He chuckled. "This must be quite a story. Is Colleen okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine. I think," Nathan replied. "I'll tell you all about it soon, I promise."

Gabe laughed, started to back down the street toward his office. "I'll hold you to that." He winked. "Welcome to Hope Valley, Nathan!"

The next day, Nathan made his way to Lee Coulter's office in town. His sister was at home, turning their rowhouse into a comfortable place to live. She wanted to get everything in order before looking for a job. Nathan had a feeling she wanted to further process the news that she was pregnant as well.

"I don't understand it, Nathan," she said, staring out at the field across from their house after the revelation. "Dylan barely touched me after I became pregnant with Allie. Occasionally he demanded his 'right' as a husband, but more often than not he found a willing saloon girl to 'take care of his needs as a man'." She said the last words with a sarcasm dripping in disdain. "So how in the world did I become pregnant with my irregular cycle and a husband who rarely saw fit to be a husband?"

Nathan didn't have an answer for her. He couldn't tell if she was happy about the baby or not. When he asked, she sighed and said she was thinking about it. He chose not to push her. Eventually she would open up. She always did.

This morning he had left the house as Colleen vigorously scrubbed the floors, attacking them with a ferocity that rivaled that of a lion with its prey. That was enough to tell Nathan she was still processing.

He reached Lee's door and knocked firmly. A cheerful voice bade him come in. Nathan obliged. He entered the office to find a man standing behind a desk studying maps. As Nathan moved into the room, the man grinned and came around the desk.

"Good morning!" he said, reaching out to shake Nathan's hand. "I'm Lee Coulter."

"Nathan Grant," Nathan said in return.

Lee's eyes squinted, as if he was trying to remember something. "That name sounds very familiar," he said, leaning back against his desk and crossing his arms. A light of recognition filled his eyes. "Any chance you knew Jack Thornton?"

Nathan nodded. "Yes, I did. We served together in the Northern Territories."

Lee snapped his fingers. "That's it! Jack mentioned you in some of his letters. You're the woodworking Mountie, aren't you?"

This was going better than Nathan had anticipated. "Yes, Mr. Coulter. That's why I'm here."

Lee waved a hand. "You can call me Lee. Any friend of Jack's is a friend of mine." He eyed Nathan. "How can I help you?"

"I just moved to Hope Valley," Nathan said. "I left the Mounties in the hopes of building my own woodworking business. I'd like to sell furniture, along with some other wood crafts. Jack told me you would be the man to talk to about getting lumber for the furniture." Nathan put his hands in his pockets. "I thought maybe you could tell me where a good spot to build my shop might be. Somewhere close to the lumber, but close enough to town that people could easily get there to buy the goods."

Lee waved a hand. "A wagon will allow the lumber to get to you from anywhere," he said. "I have one you can borrow any time. The key will be having your shop in town. I'm assuming you'll need both an area to do your work and an area to display and sell the furniture. Am I right?"

Nathan nodded. Lee smiled. "It just so happens I know of the perfect place." He grabbed some keys from a drawer. "Come with me."

They walked to a building not far from Lee's office. Lee opened the front door and stepped back for Nathan to enter first. As he did, he noticed several things at once.

The front room was clearly made for display. The front windows were floor-to-ceiling, providing a good view in from the street. Lumber was stacked throughout the large room, lots of it. It almost looked like a storage room with the amount of wood scattered throughout. Nathan followed Lee to the back. A long window ran along the back wall, with a door to the far right. Lee pushed open the door, revealing the second room to be just as large as the first. It was obviously set up for working. Tools of every kind were stacked in a corner, with work tables and benches already set up. Nathan's mouth gaped in surprise. He turned to look at Lee.

"What is all this?"

Lee was grinning. "Six months ago, someone came through town wanting to set up a shop like the one you're proposing. He got it all ready to go. We even struck a lumber deal." His face shadowed briefly. "Unfortunately, he was killed in a car accident a couple months later. He had no one to leave his business to. The town sold this workshop to me for a pittance, thinking I needed more space for my lumber. It's just been sitting like this ever since." He raised a brow. "It's yours if you want it. I'll sell it to you for a very reasonable price."

Nathan's jaw dropped. "I…I…" he stuttered, gaping. "I don't know what to say!" He glanced around the fully furnished workroom once more. He'd saved up money to buy his own tools and gear for his shop. Now he wouldn't have to invest in them – they were already here. He looked at Lee. "This feels too easy."

Lee laughed. "Easy…or providential." He winked. "I've been saying this town needs a woodworking shop for years. You would be doing us a favor." He looked around the room. "To be honest, I've been wanting to dabble in woodworking myself, but I have no idea how to do so. Perhaps you can teach me a few things in exchange for discounted lumber."

Nathan was speechless. Things were falling into place, and they were falling into place fast. "What would this shop cost me?" he asked, saying the first thing that came to mind.

Lee thought for a few moments, then named a price. Nathan lost his balance, sitting hard on a bench. "Come again? That seems far too low." He looked at the tools. "What would it cost with the addition of all the tools and tables?"

Lee chuckled. "Same price, Nathan. It's all-inclusive."

"What?" Nathan couldn't believe it. "That's a steal, Lee! You can't possibly mean it!"

"I can, and I do," Lee said firmly. "Currently this shop is making me no money at all. If I sell it to you, even at the lower price, I make quite a bundle of cash. It's a win-win." He raised a brow again, holding out his hand. "Do we have a deal?"

Nathan stood slowly, still slightly dazed. "Are you sure about this?"

Lee's face turned serious. "I know what it's like to struggle to start up a business, Nathan. I made a lot of mistakes along the way. I wish I'd had someone to help me the way I'm helping you." He nodded. "So yes, I'm sure about this." He smiled, a poignant look briefly crossing his face. "Besides, it's what Jack would have wanted."

Nathan felt tears prick his eyes at Lee's generosity. "Thank you," he whispered hoarsely. "This means so much to me."

Lee clapped him on the back. "I know." He held out his hand again, and this time Nathan shook it without hesitation. Lee's grin returned. "Wonderful! I'll draw up the papers for the sale immediately." He handed Nathan the keys. "It's all yours, Nathan."

Awe filled him. He was standing in his own shop. He could begin to make a livelihood. He could support his sister and niece and the baby. He could build a life for himself and his family.

He sent up a prayer of thanksgiving, grateful for this unexpected turn of events. Turning in a slow circle, he realized there was a lot of cleanup and organization to do, even with the materials ready at hand.

Lee was talking again. "When you come by the office again, let's talk about your lumber needs," he said. "We'll be happy to provide it for a very reasonable price."

"I'm sure you will," Nathan said. "You have already been more than generous, Lee."

"Just doing my part. And it's not going to hurt me either!" Lee said with a laugh. "More business for the sawmill is a good thing."

They moved into the front room. Nathan peered out the window, taking in the view of the street and the shops opposite his. One in particular caught his eye. He looked at his new friend. "Lee, do you happen to know who runs the dress shop?"

Lee chuckled. "Indeed I do. Why?"

"My sister is a fine seamstress," Nathan replied. "She was hoping to find work in that area. Do you know if they're hiring?"

Guffaws broke from Lee. Startled, Nathan stared at him. Lee laughed so hard, he started wheezing. Once he finally collected himself, he looked at Nathan with mirth-lined eyes. "Just last week my dear wife was lamenting the fact that the dress shop was understaffed. She finally convinced Dottie to let her hire someone else on." He grinned. "Shall we go talk to her?"

Once again, Nathan's jaw dropped. If he'd wondered whether coming to settle in Hope Valley was a good idea, it was confirmed time and again in the past hour alone. He nodded, and together he and Lee walked from the new woodworking shop.

Nathan glanced back at it as they walked. A sense of pride and homecoming filled him. He finally had a shop of his own. Everything was falling into place.