Nathan waited a few days before deciding to confront his sister. She had been quiet and non-responsive, caring for Allie and not doing much else. Colleen was set to start working at the dress shop soon, but Nathan wondered if she would be in the right frame of mind come Monday. He resolved to talk to her when he got home from work that evening.

He looked around his new shop, pleased with how it was coming together. He'd stacked all the lumber in the back room, built and arranged shelves for his tools, and thoroughly swept both rooms. Everything was clean and organized. Now all he needed to do was build some furniture and set it up in the front room for display.

Turning his attention back to his current project, Nathan carefully chiseled words into wood. He knew a well-made sign was key to grabbing the attention of people on the street. He needed to get this right. For the next hour, he poured his skill into his craft.

A rumbling in his stomach reminded him it was time for lunch. Blinking, he looked up to see that it was half past noon. Standing, he stretched, then decided to head to the cafe for his midday meal.

As he entered, he nearly bumped into another man who reached for the door at the same time he did. Nathan pulled back, giving the man a friendly smile. "Sorry about that."

"Humph," the man muttered, peering up at Nathan with sharp eyes. "Who're you?"

"Nathan Grant," he replied. "I just moved here this past week."

"Grant, eh?" the man said, sizing him up. "I heard from Lee that you bought the woodshop in town."

"Yes," Nathan said. "Lee was very generous."

"I'll bet he was," the man said, a reluctant smile filling his face. He held out his hand. "Bill Avery, town sheriff."

Nathan shook his hand. "I've heard a lot about you, Sheriff Avery," he said. "I served with Jack Thornton in the Northern Territories. He spoke highly of you."

Bill's eyes softened further. "Jack was a good man," he said, a sheen of moisture clouding his vision. Blinking, Bill held open the door. "Have lunch with me, Mr. Grant. I'd like to talk with you a bit."

"Of course," Nathan said. As the two men made their way to a table, Nathan wondered why he hadn't met Bill Avery before today. Gabe hadn't said much about the town's sheriff, but he had said they would be working together.

Speaking of Gabe…

His friend was sitting at a table, giving his order to a waitress. Nathan tapped Bill on the shoulder. "I heard you and my friend Gabe are working together," he said, smiling. "Why don't we join him? I'm sure he would love the company. We can both tell you stories about Jack."

Bill stopped in his tracks. "Both?" he said, looking between Nathan and Gabe. "Are you saying Kinslow served with Jack too?"

Frowning, Nathan nodded. "Didn't he tell you that?"

"No," Bill muttered. Something glittered in his eyes, something Nathan couldn't pinpoint. The other man lifted his chin and began marching toward Gabe's table.

"Why didn't you tell me you served with Jack Thornton?" he demanded, plunking into the seat across from Gabe.

Gabe's brows shot up at the abrupt arrival and accusatory question. Nathan blinked, sitting beside Gabe and wondering how this was going to play out.

"I didn't think it relevant," Gabe said, taking a sip of his coffee and watching Bill with wary eyes. "Would that have made a difference in the way you treated me?"

"Yes!" Bill exclaimed, rubbing a hand over his face. "If Jack knew and trusted you, that's enough for me. I would have been less…"

"Intimidating? Gruff? Harsh?" Gabe supplied, fighting a smile.

Nathan found himself wondering what exactly Bill had been like when he and Gabe first met. Gabe met his gaze, still trying to smother a smile. I'll tell you later, he mouthed, as if reading Nathan's mind.

Bill changed the subject abruptly. "Why did you end up in Hope Valley? After serving in the Northern Territories, I'm sure you could have had your pick of assignments, yet you're here."

Gabe's face clouded slightly. He took another sip of coffee before setting his cup on the table. Squaring his shoulders, he looked Bill in the eye. "The night before he died, Jack was talking with me and Nathan about what a great place Hope Valley is. I asked if Hope Valley needed two Mounties, thinking this would be a nice home to settle in. Jack said it was too small, but then he said if anything were to happen to him, he'd want me to take care of his town." His voice hitched, but he went on. "After he died, I took that to heart. I requested a transfer here as a way to honor his memory."

Silence stretched between the three men. Nathan felt the heaviness of grief settle over him. He missed his friend deeply, but he also had a new source of sadness in knowing how Elizabeth suffered because of Jack's death. There was sadness on Gabe and Bill's faces as well. All three of them were remembering their fallen friend.

Finally, Bill cleared his throat. "I think I misjudged you," he said quietly. "I'm sorry."

Gabe held out his hand. "All is forgiven, Bill," he said. "I know you were just trying to protect the town you love."

Bill reached out, firmly shaking Gabe's proffered hand. "I guess we had better figure out how this Mountie-sheriff combination is going to work."

Gabe laughed. "I think we should start with you giving the chair behind the desk to me. Since that's the NWMP office, it technically belongs to me as the Mountie."

"But I've been protecting this town longer," Bill countered. "You're the newbie. I think we should let seniority come into play."

Nathan chuckled, watching the two of them. As their half-serious, half-lighthearted banter continued, he sat back and grinned. Though they had a tendency to bicker, he had a feeling they would work together well when needed.

Hope Valley was in good hands.

Colleen arranged dishes for the tenth time, then stood back with a grunt. They still didn't look the way she wanted them to. With a frustrated groan, she began stacking them on the table once more, with more force than necessary.

"What did those poor dishes ever do to you?"

Her brother's voice made her turn. He was leaning against the doorpost, watching her with raised brows. There was amusement in his voice, but a seriousness in his eyes. When Nathan got that look, it meant he had something to say.

She had a feeling she knew what it was.

Turning her back to him, she straightened the tablecloth with trembling hands. "How was your day?" she asked, hoping to delay the inevitable.

Nathan moved toward the kitchen, his voice mild. "Good. I've got the shop all cleaned up and ready for furniture. Now I just need to make the pieces and start selling them." He pulled out a chair, motioning for her to sit. "Why don't you have a seat, Colleen?"

She sighed silently before granting his request. Maybe it was a good thing they were about to talk. This depression that had taken hold of her was strong, and she wasn't helping matters by keeping things bottled up inside. Nathan always had been the wise, practical sibling. Maybe he could help her.

Though she was sure his version of help would include some tough love.

He sat beside her, taking her hand in his. The gentle, non-judgmental look in his eyes seared her heart. "What's going on, Colleen?" he asked softly. "You haven't been yourself."

Tears sprang to her eyes, immediately falling down her cheeks. She let out a sob. Nathan pulled her close, and she buried her face in his shirt. He let her cry, one hand stroking her hair the way he always did when he comforted her. Though she was older, it sometimes felt like Nathan was the more mature sibling.

"I'm so scared, Nathan," she whimpered, echoing what she told Gabe not too long ago. "This pregnancy has shaken me in a way I didn't think was possible. I was so happy to start a new life here in Hope Valley, without the ghosts of the past haunting me." She choked on another sob. "With this pregnancy, I realized all those ghosts followed me. I can't get away from them. I can't get away from him."

Nathan didn't have to ask who "him" was. His arms tightened around her. "Oh, Colleen," he whispered, his embrace offering her a measure of comfort. He glanced down, catching her eyes. "I know you said he didn't physically abuse you. Right?"

She sniffed, nodding. "He never laid a hand on me. But…but emotionally, he was cruel and manipulative and hard. Just like…" Her throat worked, eyes closing as she drew in shuddering breaths. "Just like Father," she whispered.

Nathan flinched. All three Grant siblings knew what it was like to receive a verbal lashing from Archie Grant. Part of the reason Joshua and Nathan had joined the Mounties was to exact justice on men like their father. Men like Dylan.

Colleen burrowed more closely to her brother. "It was worse with Dylan," she whispered. "He wooed me and romanced me and made me feel special. He made me think he loved me. I thought I had found someone who would be a shelter in the storm." She gave a dejected snort. "I was sadly mistaken. He used me, he manipulated me, and he said things that beat me down until I felt like a broken shell of myself. When he died, I thought I was finally free." Her hand pressed against her stomach. "But this baby proves otherwise."

Her brother was quiet for a few moments, moments that felt like an eternity. He drew back slightly, lifting her chin with his finger and scrutinizing her. "Do you want this baby, Colleen?"

She wavered. A large part of her wanted nothing to do with the child. But another part of her, a smaller yet stronger part, desperately wanted her baby. It might be Dylan's child, but it was her child too. Nathan's kind eyes searched hers, seeking the truth. She shook her head with a little shrug.

"Honestly? I don't know," she admitted. "Does that make me a terrible mother?"

He smoothed her hair. "You were traumatized by Dylan, Colleen. You weren't expecting to carry his baby after his death. This has been a shock to you. I do think you need to take some time to think over what you really want. You don't have to make a decision yet. But no, this does not make you a terrible mother." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "If you want, I'll start making inquiries in town to see if there are any families looking to adopt an infant. Then if you decide you can't care for this child yourself, you can at least be sure your baby goes to a good home."

Relief flooded Colleen. "You'd do that?" Just the thought of having the option of finding a good family for her baby seemed to take the edge off her depression.

Nathan nodded. "Anything for you, my dear sister," he said, leaning forward to kiss her cheek.

She smiled at him gratefully. "Thank you, Nathan. That means so much to me."

He sat back. "You're welcome." His face took on a different look, one that told her he still had something to say. She studied him, wondering what was on his mind. She didn't have to wait long to find out.

"Colleen, I know you've been hurt by men. Hurt badly. Ever since childhood, all you've known were men who tore you down and emotionally abused you."

She felt compelled to interrupt. "Not all," she protested. "I had you and Joshua." Another name whispered through her heart, sending pin-pricks of guilt coursing over her. "And Gabe." His name came out on a whisper.

"Yes. Gabe," Nathan repeated, watching her carefully. "About that. I know something happened between the two of you. Gabe hasn't said anything, but I'd have to be blind not to notice the tension between you. Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Colleen sighed. She'd replayed that conversation with Gabe over and over in her mind. She hated that she had hurt him – again – but she simply couldn't see the two of them together. Not romantically. He was her friend and always had been. She had trouble seeing him any other way.

"He offered to marry me," she admitted. "He said he's still in love with me." She bit her lip. "But it sounded like he only offered because he felt sorry for me. He knew I was in turmoil over the baby, and he wanted to fix my sadness. So he said he would marry me and be a father to my children."

Nathan raised a brow. "And you turned him down?"

Resisting the urge to squirm, Colleen nodded. Her eyes found a small stain on the tablecloth, and she fixed her eyes on it, afraid to look at her brother.

He let out a chuckle that sounded more frustrated than amused. "I thought you said you hoped to find a good man someday," he said carefully. "One who would love you unconditionally."

Colleen swallowed. "I do hope that," she said quietly.

She heard Nathan's chair scrape back slightly. "But you don't think Gabe could be that man?"

"No," she whispered.

Nathan sighed. "Why not?"

At a loss for words, Colleen floundered. "He's my friend," she said finally. "We've been friends since childhood. We know everything about each other. There's no mystery or adventure or romance."

She glanced up briefly to see Nathan arch a brow. "And how have mystery and adventure and romance worked out for you so far?" he asked, his words pointed but gently delivered.

He might as well have punched her in the gut. She deflated, slumping against her chair as the point of his question hit her squarely in the chest. "Not well," she replied quietly. "Not well at all."

"Exactly." Nathan took her hand, willing her to look at him. "Colleen, friendship is the strongest foundation a marriage can have. Romance is all well and good, but it's not something to build a relationship on. It's not a solid foundation. It's a nice perk, but without substance, it withers and dies. Friendship is the perfect springboard to love. You know your friend, you know what he's like, and you know he would never hurt you. Love that flowers from friendship is the deepest love two people can have. The spark eventually fades, but friendship remains and grows stronger." He pressed her hand. "Gabe loves you deeply, Colleen. He might not show it the way you think he should, but his love is true. Believe me. And if you can't see that…" He trailed off, suddenly looking like he was fighting a smile.

That raised Colleen's curiosity. "Then what?" she asked, raising a brow as a hint of her old spunk returned.

He grinned. "Then, as I told Gabe, you don't have the sense God gave a duck."

Colleen's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?" she said, staring at her brother. "A duck?"

Nathan laughed. "If the shoe fits," he said, crossing his arms and sounding way too smug.

Colleen bristled. "I'll have you know that I have plenty of sense!" she exclaimed.

Raising his brow, Nathan leaned forward. "Prove it," he said, his eyes boring into hers with a challenge. "There's a good man nearby just waiting for you to give him a chance. At least think about it."

She sat still as stone for a moment, then slowly nodded. "I can do that," she said.

How could she not? Colleen had a feeling it was all she'd be thinking about for some time.