Rosemary was absolutely delighted to hear that there was a wedding to plan in Hope Valley. Colleen was surprised at her friend's passion for helping out, but she soon discovered that meant things would go smoothly. She didn't have the energy herself to plan a wedding, and if it had been just her and Gabe, it would have been a simple exchange of vows in front of Bill. But with Rosemary's plans, it was turning into a full-blown wedding.

"You deserve this," Rosemary told her. "You're marrying a wonderful man and you deserve a special day with him."

"Even if I don't love him?" Colleen asked, holding her breath as she made the admission.

Rosemary's face softened. "I think you love him more than you realize," she said gently. "There's a look on your face that only appears around Gabe. You light up."

Colleen's hands went to her cheeks. "I do?" she whispered.

Rosemary nodded, a little smile tugging at her lips. "You do," she confirmed. Seeing that Colleen was baffled by the statement, she smiled. "Now, let's get you measured. I'm going to make you a wedding dress."

Colleen tried to protest, saying it was too much, but Rosemary would hear none of it. "A bride should look stunning on her wedding day," was all she would say in response.

Elizabeth insisted on watching Allie and Daisy on the Kinslow's wedding night. Colleen had flushed crimson at the thought, despite the fact that she knew Gabe wouldn't ask anything of her if she wasn't ready. Elizabeth recognized her discomfort and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Your wedding day will bring about a life-changing adjustment," she said softly. "You and Gabe deserve to have some time alone together to talk about those adjustments and to start melding your two lives together. Despite how well you get along, this change is going to be a bumpy one."

Colleen knew Elizabeth was right. She relaxed slightly and thanked her friend for her offer. It might be nice to have some time alone with Gabe, time to really talk about what their marriage would look like. She was nervous about the whole idea, but she also knew she had nothing to fear. Gabe was already a huge part of their lives – now he would simply be so in a more intimate manner.

It was decided that the wedding would take place under an arbor beside the pond next to the church. Nathan was building the arbor, and Rosemary was busily planning flower arrangements to decorate it once it was complete. The café was selected for the reception, where the invited guests would gather after the ceremony. Colleen and Gabe wanted to keep the wedding small. Those invited were the Coulters, Bill, Abigail, Faith, Carson, Jesse, Clara, Florence, Ned, Molly, and Henry. Nathan would stand up as Gabe's best man, while Colleen asked Elizabeth to be her maid of honor. Allie was going to be the flower girl, while Elizabeth would carry Daisy in with a small pillow holding the rings that Gabe had chosen for them. Elizabeth and the girls would wear yellow dresses with white sashes – chosen to match the bouquet of daisies Colleen would carry down the aisle. Gabe was going to wear his dress uniform while Nathan wore a traditional suit in brown.

Everything was coming together so fast. Sometimes Colleen had to pinch herself to remember that it was real.

There was one week exactly until the wedding. Tomorrow, Rosemary was throwing a bachelorette party for her while Nathan organized a bachelor party for Gabe. Colleen was looking forward to spending time with the other women. A day with the girls would be fun.

A soft cry from the bedroom caught her attention. She followed the sound until she reached her baby daughter. She lifted the little girl from the crib, holding her gently. "It's okay, sweet Daisy," she whispered. "Mama's here."

Daisy calmed instantly, nestling against Colleen. Her daughter was a month old and had quickly become a primary joy in her life. She shuddered to think she had considered giving her up because of Daisy's father.

Colleen shook her head. Gabe was Daisy's father. That was all that mattered. She'd watched him with her girls ever since she agreed to his marriage proposal. He'd come to the house every night to spend time with them and to help out, even if it was just putting Allie to bed or giving Daisy a bottle.

When they told Allie that Uncle Gabe was moving in soon, the little girl had been curious.

"Why?" she asked, looking between Gabe and Colleen.

"Because Uncle Gabe is going to be your new daddy," Colleen said. "Mama is going to marry him, and he's going to come here to live with us."

Allie's little head tilted as she tried to comprehend what was happening. "Where Unca Gabe sweep?" she asked innocently.

Colleen blushed, but she answered honestly. "He's going to share a room with Mama, like you share a room with Daisy," she said. Nathan had moved out a couple days before, allowing Colleen to set up a room for the girls in their two-bedroom rowhouse. Allie had shared a room with her while Nathan lived with them. Now, her girls shared Nathan's old room while hers would become Gabe's as well.

Allie accepted the explanation with a nod. "Daisy cwy a wot," she said, her little face screwing up. "Why, Mama?"

That had been the end of their conversation about Gabe moving in. Allie was nearly two years old and smart as could be, but Colleen wondered if she realized the change that was about to fill their lives. There was already a big change with Daisy joining their little family. Allie was a perfect older sister. She adored Daisy and constantly asked to hold her. Colleen wondered if that would last, or if Allie would eventually develop some jealousy. Now they would be facing another change as Gabe joined their family.

She smiled softly to herself as she cuddled Daisy to her chest. At least she knew that would be a good change.

Nathan pulled the horse-driven wagon to a stop outside Elizabeth's house. He took a deep breath, looking at the door and trying to find his courage. With all the drama surrounding Colleen's childbirth last month, he'd never finished the dining room set. Now it was ready, and he was dropping it off. He knew Elizabeth expected him to have a meal with her as payment. His courage nearly failed him, but he jumped down from the wagon seat, determined to act normally.

Elizabeth was his friend. That hadn't changed. Just because they had feelings for each other didn't mean things had to be weird between them.

Right.

He sighed. Who was he kidding? Ever since he'd admitted his feelings for her, he realized that he loved Elizabeth with an intensity that startled him. There was no way he could just be her friend. There was also no way he could be anything more than her friend. He was stuck in a conundrum – he didn't want to lose her friendship, but he knew he would only fall harder if he continued to be around her. Nathan didn't know what the answer was.

You could take a chance on love. The thought whispered across his heart, giving him a moment of hope. He'd talked to Gabe and Colleen and Bill at length over the past few weeks. He found himself talking about Sarah more frequently and allowing the memories to fill his mind, and not just the bad ones. He started remembering the good times they shared.

Gabe had been his rock. The two friends spent many evenings talking long into the night, working through Nathan's grief and trauma and guilt. He still had a ways to go, but he knew he was making progress. The past no longer held him in a vice grip. The guilt was lessening. Every time he put words to his emotions, they lost their power over him.

The only thing he couldn't shake was his fear to take a chance on love with Elizabeth. He still thought she would be better off with someone else, someone who was unhindered by demons from the past. His demons were losing control of him, but he wrestled with them more than he wanted to.

A heavy sigh left his body. He shook himself, then climbed down from the wagon and walked up the steps to knock on Elizabeth's door.

She greeted him with a sunny smile and a soft hello. Nathan caught his breath. Not only was she smiling, she was wearing a dress he'd never seen before. The crystalline blue material brought out the lovely color of her eyes. He stared at her, enraptured by her beauty, struck dumb.

Elizabeth's smile grew, as if she knew exactly why he couldn't respond to her greeting. "Cat got your tongue?" she teased lightly.

Nathan flushed. He had a sinking feeling Elizabeth had chosen that dress for the specific purpose of highlighting her already stunning natural beauty. Clearing his throat, he fumbled for words.

"New dress?" Immediately, he wanted to kick himself. He should have stuck with a simple hello.

She twirled in a circle, a pink hue of delight in her cheeks. "It is. Do you like it?"

"Uhm…yes. It's very pretty." That was the understatement of the century, but it was the best he could do. He motioned to the wagon. "I'll just get your items and bring them inside."

He was almost to the wagon when he realized Elizabeth was on his heels, alerted to the fact by the heady scent of lavender that enveloped him.

"You'll need some help," she stated. "With the table."

He nodded mutely.

Elizabeth climbed into the wagon. As she took in her new dining set, she gasped. Her hands covered her mouth. "Oh, Nathan," she whispered, rounding the furniture to survey it from every angle. "It's beautiful!"

Her unadulterated praise and delight lowered his defenses. A smile made its way into his lips. "You like it?"

She looked at him, her hands lowering to her sides. "Like it? This is incredible! It rivals the pieces I saw in Hamilton growing up."

That lowered his defenses even more. "That means a lot coming from you," he said softly.

Their eyes locked. For an unguarded moment, a million words were communicated in a matter of seconds. Nathan inhaled slowly to collect himself, then reached into the wagon to take hold of the table.

"Let's get this inside."

Together they worked to bring the new set into her kitchen. Elizabeth had already moved the old set to her backyard to act as an avenue for outdoor entertainment. It didn't take long. The new table and chairs looked perfectly at home in her kitchen. She smiled at him gratefully.

"Can you stay for dinner?" she asked. There was a vulnerability in her voice that unleashed the protector inside of Nathan. There was no way he could refuse her.

"Yes," he said softly, no hesitation in his words.

Elizabeth's eyes lit first in surprise, then in happiness. She had clearly been expecting him to refuse. That knowledge smote Nathan's heart. He'd callously acted as if their friendship wasn't important recently in an effort to protect his heart. Remorse swept over him. She didn't deserve that.

He reached out, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth," he said quietly. "I've been a terrible friend to you lately. Please forgive me."

Tears swam in her eyes, but she blinked them away. "All is forgiven," she said, reaching up to cup his cheek. "I know why you've stayed away."

Once again, their eyes communicated wordlessly. Nathan felt a sliver of fear run through him, but it was overpowered by the sheer feeling of rightness in being with her in the moment. He knew that she knew about his love, yet she hadn't run from him. If anything, she seemed intent on pursuing him. She'd given him space over the past month, but she also did little things that told him she cared.

Bringing him lunch at his shop on busy days. Leaving him a note to let him know she was thinking of him. Smiling at him when they happened to pass in the street. Sharing a book that she thought he might like.

It all added up to unmistakable evidence that she cared.

Nathan remembered the day in his shop when she quoted Emerson to him. Her words that day hadn't exactly been a declaration, but it had certainly felt like one. She clearly had feelings for him. The only question was what those feelings were.

He had a feeling he knew. But he hoped he was wrong.

Elizabeth rescued him from his thoughts. "Have a seat," she said. "I'll start dinner." She smiled brightly. "Why don't I make us a nice chicken salad?"

Nathan nodded. He loved chicken salad. He suspected Elizabeth had followed through on her claim that she would ask Colleen about his favorite foods.

"How can I help?" he asked.

Elizabeth put her hands on her hips. Nathan tried to ignore the way it accentuated her curves. "This is payment for you making the table and chairs," she said in her best teacher voice. "You are not helping."

Nathan planted his hands on his hips, intentionally mirroring her. "I am not sitting by idle while you do all the work," he retorted.

They stared at each other for a few moments before a slow smile crossed Elizabeth's face. "Alright," she said sweetly. "On one condition."

"What's that?" Nathan asked, his instincts suddenly buzzing.

Her smile grew. "You have dinner with me at least twice a week for the next month. I figure if you're going to be helping, that means I owe you quite a few meals to make up for both that and the furniture. Besides, we haven't had a meal together in a while." Her face grew slightly sad. "I miss our lunches and conversation."

So did he. Nathan closed his eyes, knowing if he agreed, he was a goner. But he also knew he couldn't refuse. Not when that vulnerable tone was back in Elizabeth's voice, combined with the hopeful look in her eyes. He'd hurt her enough already; how could he refuse such a simple request?

He nodded without a word.

Elizabeth's entire face lit up, taking his breath away. "Wonderful!" She placed some vegetables on the counter and pointed at them. "Start chopping."

Nathan couldn't help smiling. "Yes, ma'am."

As they worked together to create a meal, talking as easily as they had during their lunches at the café, it slowly dawned on Nathan that this was what they could have together. The easy conversation, the simple work of cooking together in her kitchen – these were the moments life was made of. He let his reserve melt away and envisioned what it would look like to overcome his fears and allow himself to pursue Elizabeth.

His heart warmed as visions danced in his head. He closed his eyes, an aching desire filling him, a desire to choose love over fear. His heart rate increased.

Was he strong enough to reject the fear?

"Nathan?"

Elizabeth's soft question and gentle hand on his arm jolted him back to the present. His fears all came crashing into him once more. He sucked in a breath as the knife he was chopping with sliced into his thumb. He drew in another sharp breath, this time in pain.

Elizabeth gasped and hurried to action. She pushed him into one of the chairs he'd made and grabbed a kitchen towel. Sitting beside him, she applied pressure to his wound. Nathan was shocked at how painful the cut was. When the bleeding finally diminished, Elizabeth got a medical kit and began cleaning and bandaging his wound.

Her tenderness made him catch his breath. Every movement was gentle, every touch intended to heal. When she finished ministering to him, she raised his hand to her lips and kissed the bandaged thumb before looking up into his eyes.

Pure love shone there. It touched his heart and sent an intoxicating warmth through his entire body. Before he realized what he was doing, he leaned forward, his eyes on Elizabeth's pink lips, drawn there by a magnetism he couldn't deny.

A dreamy smile formed on those lips. Her hand went to his cheek and she murmured his name, closing her eyes and tilting her head up toward him.

Her voice sent a cold splash of reality over him. He pulled back abruptly, horrified at what he'd almost done. How could he have been about to kiss her? He had no intention of promising her a future. If he kissed her and then insisted only on friendship, he'd be the worst kind of heel.

He swallowed hard, gut punched at the look of confusion on Elizabeth's face as her eyes opened again. "Nathan?" she said. This time, it was a question.

"I'm sorry," he rasped, swallowing again. "That would have been a mistake."

She blinked. "A mistake?" The confusion slowly started to fade, replaced by a knowing look. "You still think you can't let yourself love me."

His throat convulsed. "Elizabeth…"

She held up a hand to stop him. "Nathan, I get that you're scared to love again. I truly do. With everything you went through with Sarah, how could you not be?" She leaned forward. "But you need to know something about me. I believe that love is always worth fighting for." Her eyes bored right into his. "You said you fell for me, that you love me. And the truth is that I feel the same about you." Elizabeth reached up, cupping his cheek again and speaking softly. "I fell in love with you, and therefore I will fight for you. No matter how long it takes." Her thumb rubbed gently against his jaw, making his heart ache with longing to accept her words. She leaned a little closer. "I'm not going to push you to be ready if you're not. I know it takes time to heal and process from grief. But I want you to know that when you're ready to stop running, I'll be right here waiting for you." She leaned all the way toward him, brushing her lips against his cheek. "You are worth waiting for," she whispered, her breath tickling his ear.

Nathan wanted to believe her. He was still reeling from the fact that she spoke her love for him out loud. It seemed too good to be true, that someone like her could love someone like him. But once again, the icy tentacles of fear clutched his heart, whispering that he wasn't worthy of her love, no matter what she might say.

She pulled back, smiling at him tenderly. "I'm not going anywhere, Nathan." With that, she stood, holding out a hand to him. "Shall we continue making dinner?"

He blinked at the abrupt change in topic, but he gratefully accepted her hand and allowed her to pull him to his feet. She had said what she needed to, and now she turned the conversion to lighter topics.

Nathan was glad. He needed time to process what she had told him. Tucking it away for later, he focused on simply being a good friend to the woman who had completely captured his unworthy heart.