Nathan stepped into the cafe at noon. He took a deep breath before looking around to find Elizabeth. She was sitting at their usual table. Her face lit up in a smile when she saw him, and she waved. Nathan waved back, one thought running like a mantra through his brain.

Guard your heart…guard your heart…guard your heart…

It was getting harder with each passing day to deny that he had feelings for Elizabeth Thatcher. And that made him feel guilty. As he made his way to their table, he felt a flicker of annoyance at the traitorous leap of his heart when he saw the softness in Elizabeth's eyes.

"Hi," she said, holding a cup of coffee in her hands.

"Hi," he returned, finding it all too easy for the annoyance to fade and to smile back at her. He felt like he was in the strangest of dichotomies: his rational side knew all he could ever have with Elizabeth was friendship, while his heart yearned for something he dared not analyze. He found it easy to be with her. When they were together, his fears and resolutions seemed to melt away. But when he thought about it later, he knew he was playing with fire. He loved being around her, but he knew his heart might get burned in the process.

"How was your morning?" he asked casually, leaning back in his chair and trying to calm his racing heart. Maybe he should find an excuse to move their lunches to once a week instead of daily. That would be the prudent thing to do. But as Nathan looked into Elizabeth's eyes while she began to relate a story about a student from that morning, he realized he couldn't do that. He was one of her last links to Jack. Their friendship had formed through their mutual love for him. He couldn't just abandon Elizabeth because he was scared. Besides, the last time he had tried that in an effort to protect his heart, she'd come looking for him. And brought him lunch to boot. Clearly she enjoyed their meals together as well.

He simply needed to be extra careful to think of her as a friend and only a friend. With that resolution in mind, Nathan turned his attention completely on Elizabeth and her story.

When she finished, Clara came to take their order. Nathan ordered his usual, noticing that Elizabeth tried something different yet again. He smiled at her, a hint of teasing in his tone as he spoke. "I don't think you've ordered the same thing since we started having these lunches," he said. "I take it you like variety."

Elizabeth laughed. "I can't deny that. A part of me has always loved adventure and the unknown. Maybe ordering different food each day is a way to live that out." She smiled. "That sense of adventure brought me here to Hope Valley. I wanted to make a difference in the lives of children, but I also wanted to try something new. I wanted to prove I had what it took to stick it out in difficult circumstances." The smile faded from her face and she slowly became pensive. When she spoke again, her words were soft. "Maybe that's part of the reason I was intrigued by Jack from the moment we met. He represented adventure." She shook her head. "But that grew into a deep love that I never dreamed existed." A small sigh escaped her. "Oftentimes I lie awake at night and wonder how life would have been different if Jack had survived and come home to me." She stared down at the table, a single tear falling down her cheek. "I wonder if we would have been married by now. I wonder if I would have been expecting his child."

Her admission and the sorrow in her voice tugged at Nathan's heart. He reached out and covered her hand with his. "I wish you could have found out," he said gently. "I know you would have had a good life together. Jack loved you with an intensity that was unparalleled."

Elizabeth gave him a watery smile. "Thanks, Nathan." She turned her hand in his to give it a squeeze, then let go and fiddled with the napkin in her lap. Nathan was at a loss for what else to say. He didn't want to spout empty words that would make her feel worse. He opted for silence, knowing that sometimes the presence of another person was exactly the comfort that was needed.

She soon composed herself. After taking a sip of water, she glanced at Nathan again. "Bill mentioned something recently about Jack and some snakes," she said, her voice strong once more. A smile tugged at her lips. "Can I hear the story?"

Nathan chuckled. "Gabe tells it much better than I can, but yes, I'll tell you the story."

The same excitement that had lit Bill's eyes shone in Elizabeth's. She leaned forward, elbows on the table, waiting for him to start. Nathan was interrupted before he could begin by Clara bringing their food, but once they were settled and began eating, he started the tale.

"Jack had a reputation for not being afraid of anything," Nathan said. "We all knew that wasn't actually true, but if he was ever frightened by something, he didn't let it show. One day, when we were on a wilderness mission, he found a den of garter snakes. They are harmless, but most of the men in our units were wary of them. Jack wasn't. Without telling anyone, he gathered up a few snakes and slipped them into the men's sleeping bags." He grimaced. "Mine included."

Elizabeth bit back a laugh. "I take it you don't like snakes?"

Nathan shook his head. "Not at all. They give me the willies." He lowered his voice and leaned forward, as if he had just revealed a giant secret. "But let's keep that between us, shall we? Gabe already knows, and he's used that to his advantage a time or two." He winked.

Elizabeth giggled, hiding her mouth with one hand. Her eyes were sparkling. "Your secret is safe with me." She wiggled her eyebrows. "What happened next?"

Nathan laughed. "Once it was time for bed, everyone got into their sleeping bags. There were about ten seconds of calm before I felt something crawling around my legs. The snake was not happy that its warm bed had been disturbed. It reached my chest before I realized what was happening. Simultaneously, the other men discovered their snakes too. We all jumped out of our bags and were hopping around like crazy people. Jack was laughing so hard off to the side, we knew immediately he was the one who put them there." He grinned. "But then sweet justice occurred."

Eyes widening, Elizabeth clasped her hands under her chin. "What do you mean?" She was clearly invested in the story. She looked alive in a way Nathan hadn't seen before. It made her even more beautiful than usual.

Swallowing hard, Nathan concentrated on delivering the ending. "We couldn't see where the snakes went. They all slithered off in one direction, but since it was dark we lost sight of them. It took a good half hour for everyone to calm down. Jack gave us some good-natured ribbing. By the time we were settled again, we thought all the excitement was done for the evening." He grinned. "But it seems the snakes decided they liked the warmth of the sleeping bags. Every single one of them found their way into Jack's bag before he turned in for the night."

Elizabeth gasped. "No!"

Nathan laughed. "Oh, yes. It was his turn to hop around and holler. Turns out he didn't like snakes all over him either. Naturally, the rest of us couldn't resist teasing him for some time after that."

Elizabeth covered her mouth again, but Nathan could hear her muffled laughter. "Oh, Jack," she said, shaking her head. She lowered her hand, smiling at Nathan. "Thank you for sharing that story. It shows me a side of him I didn't know existed. He never played practical jokes on anyone here. I didn't know he had that in him." Her smile became tender. "You and Gabe have been such a blessing to me," she said softly. "These stories about Jack have helped me process his loss and heal faster than I would have otherwise." She reached out, placing a hand on top of his. "Thank you."

Briefly, Nathan allowed himself to get lost in her eyes. He let himself savor the feel of her hand on his. For the barest of moments, he wondered how things might have been different if they hadn't experienced such intense pain in love.

He closed his eyes for one second, then opened them and placed his free hand on top of Elizabeth's. "It's my pleasure," he said softly, responding to her words. Then he released her hand.

Colleen walked home with Gabe at the end of the week. As was his custom, he brought a bouquet of daisies with him on Friday, presenting them to her with a big smile. Colleen's heart skipped a beat every time he did. But it wasn't the flowers that provoked her reaction. It was his smile.

She held them now, inhaling their sweet scent as they walked at a leisurely pace toward her rowhouse. As her stomach expanded with her child, Colleen found herself slowing down. Gabe didn't seem to mind. He simply matched her pace.

Colleen glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Ever since their evening in Union City, she hadn't been able to shake the newfound attraction that she felt every time she was in his presence. It baffled her. She'd known Gabe her entire life. How was it possible to feel an attraction after nearly thirty years of nothing but friendship?

Gabe's voice broke into her thoughts. "So, tell me something. How are you feeling about the baby?"

Colleen rested her free hand on her stomach. Her child moved within her in response, kicking its little foot against her hand. She smiled, rubbing her belly. As time had passed and she accepted her lot, she'd been experiencing a change of heart regarding her baby.

"I'm starting to think of it as mine instead of Dylan's," she admitted. "The longer I'm removed from him, the more I realize that this child is innocent of his actions. I initially asked Nathan to see if there was any interest in people in Hope Valley adopting a baby." She bit her lip. "But I've been thinking of what that would mean."

Gabe studied her without judgement. "And what would that mean?"

Even thinking about it made her shiver. "This town is small. It would mean I'd watch my baby grow up in the care of strangers. It would never know that it's biological mother and sister lived in the same town. I don't know if I could handle that, watching my child grow up and knowing I couldn't be a part of his or her life." She shook her head. "And can I really rob Allie of her full sibling? She would make a wonderful older sister." Her hand curled protectively around her baby. "I think I've made up my mind, Gabe. I think I'm going to keep this baby." She let out a breath. "Even if it will be a struggle financially." She chewed on her bottom lip, hating to admit the truth. "And even if it will sometimes be a struggle emotionally."

They reached her house. Gabe led her between the rowhouses, away from the view of anyone on the street. He met her eyes, searching them for veracity. "You're sure?" he asked softly.

"Not completely," she admitted. "But I know I'm falling in love with my baby, Gabe. I can't help it. This is my child, regardless of who its father is. The more the babe moves inside of me, the more it responds to my voice, the more I know it's mine. I might be an imperfect mother, but I'll be the best mother I can be for this child." She looked down. "Even if that means staying single for the rest of my life. I can't guarantee I'll fall in love with a good man, so maybe I should just focus on my babies and my career." She sighed. "I just want to feel safe again. I want to be free from the past."

She looked up at Gabe and froze.

There was an ache in his eyes that took her breath away. "Let me give you that," he breathed, stepping closer to her. Colleen felt rooted to the spot, unable to move even if she wanted to.

And she didn't want to.

The sincerity on Gabe's face took her breath away. "Let me give you a home of your own. Let me give you security, a safe place to raise your children." He came even closer. "Let me give you my love."

Colleen stared at him, her breaths coming in gasps as he continued to speak words that pierced her heart.

"I meant it when I said I'd marry you," he said. "I want a life with you, Colleen. I want your love. I want your children. I want to grow old with you. I want to be your best friend and your lover for as long as we both shall live." He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, letting his hand trail down her neck and arm until he reached her hand, clasping it in his. "I want everything a marriage is meant to be, and I want it with you. Only with you."

Gabe tugged her to him, wrapping his arms around her. The flowers dropped from her hand, falling unheeded to the ground beside them. She let her hands settle on his shoulders as his forehead came to rest against hers.

"I'm not giving up, Colleen," he whispered, his breath floating softly around her lips. "Until another man puts a ring on your finger, I will continue to hope."

His words brought tears to her eyes. "Why?" she whispered back brokenly. "I'm just a widow with nothing to give you but ghosts from the past and another man's children."

Gabe's hand slid into her hair. "Because I love you," he said fervently. "I love you and I love Allie and I'll love this little one." His free hand caressed the side of her baby bump, making shivers run up and down Colleen's spine. "My love for you has been long and enduring. It's not going anywhere. When you're ready to accept it, it will be there for the taking. I promise."

Colleen stared up at him, wonder vying with fear inside. Unable to help herself, she reached up a hand to trace the strong lines of his jaw. Gabe closed his eyes, his breathing accelerating. "God help me," he murmured, his hands pressing her closer. "If you don't stop me, I'm going to kiss you, Colleen. My self-control is quickly diminishing."

Her own breathing quickened. Her eyes searched his when they opened again. He moved closer to her, his lips parting as he bent toward her. She marveled at the desire in his eyes, but it also triggered a strong insecurity in her heart. Right before his lips touched hers, she turned her face slightly to the side. She involuntarily began to shake.

Gabe cupped her cheek, turning her face toward him again. His eyes looked deeply into hers. "What is it?" he asked gently. "What's holding you back?"

The tears began to slip down her cheeks as words poured from her. "I'm scared, Gabe. So scared. My own husband wanted nothing to do with me. He preferred to spend his nights at the saloon, gambling and getting drunk and spending the night with one of the many available women there, claiming they pleased him more than I ever could. He called me names, names that chipped away at my worth and made me believe I was nothing. He manipulated me and chastised me and told me I was worthless. He started off making me believe he loved me, and after he married me he tore me down piece by piece." Her throat convulsed. "Do you know what that did to me? I trusted him, trusted his love, and he threw it aside like so much garbage." Her eyes focused on his lips. "I want to know what it's like to be kissed by someone who loves me, Gabe. I truly do. But I'm terrified that you'll kiss me and find me wanting, just like Dylan did." A sob escaped her. "I know you're not like him. I know you wouldn't intentionally hurt me. But my fear is strong. I've been scarred badly by my marriage. A part of me wonders if I'll ever be able to fully trust a man again."

Gabe didn't flinch away from the truth. He simply pressed her head to his chest, softly stroking her hair. "You can trust me," he said quietly. "But I know I can say that until I'm blue in the face. Words mean nothing without actions." The soothing feel of his hand running through her hair made Colleen close her eyes with a soft sigh. "I'll prove to you everyday that I love you," he whispered. "I'll prove you can trust me." His chest rumbled lightly with a little laugh. "And you can be sure if I ever am stupid enough to hurt you, I'll have your brother to contend with."

Colleen couldn't help the laugh that escaped. "Nathan would be livid if you hurt me," she admitted. She pulled back to look up at him, feeling an ease envelop her that hadn't been there moments before. "But somehow I know that would never be necessary. My head knows you would never hurt me. My heart just needs some time to catch up."

The statement of trust hung between them for several moments. Hope filled Gabe's eyes, radiating from his very being. He cupped her cheek again, his smile focused solely on her. "I'll wait as long as it takes, my love. You have my word."

Colleen smiled and leaned against his chest again, closing her eyes and absorbing the strength and love he freely offered.