Colleen answered a knock at the door. Wondering who would be there in the middle of the afternoon, she was surprised to see Nathan standing on the porch. She was even more surprised to see a wide grin on his face. He'd looked downcast and sad for over a week, so the sudden change was a little shocking.

"You look happy," she said, reaching out to pull him into the house.

He laughed, wrapping his arms around her and swinging her in a circle. "I am happy." Setting her back on her feet, he grinned. "How are you on this fine day?"

She eyed him, wondering what had brought about this transformation in her brother. "I'm doing just fine," she said. "The girls are napping and Gabe won't be home for another couple of hours." She raised a brow. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

Nathan chuckled. "I should, but something happened that brought me out this way."

Taking his arm, Colleen tugged him to the kitchen table. "Alright, I sense a story. Let me make some tea. Why don't you get some cookies from the jar and put them on a plate?"

Nathan obliged her. Once they had their afternoon refreshments before them on the table, they both sat. Colleen curled her hands around her mug and gave him a pointed look. "Start talking."

The goofy grin filled his face again. "I'm in love, Colleen."

She felt one side of her mouth quirk up. "Of course you are. You have been for a while." She studied him, hope welling up inside. "Does this mean you finally plan to do something about it?"

A slight flush stained his cheeks. Colleen's mouth dropped. "You already did do something about it! Didn't you?"

He chuckled. "Well, not really. It was all Elizabeth."

Colleen felt a full smile tug her lips. "This ought to be good. Let's hear it."

Nathan told her what happened. Colleen laughed out loud when he told her about Elizabeth sitting in his lap and planting a kiss on him that finally broke through his defenses. She wiped away a tear when he told her that they had definitively proclaimed their love. And she sighed happily when he told her that he officially asked Elizabeth if he could court her.

"How romantic," she sighed, clasping her hands in front of her. She shot him a snarky smile. "And it's about time!"

His smile faded slowly. He nodded, a serious look on his face. "I almost let her get away," he said, regret heavy in his voice. "All because I was too scared to face my fears." He shook his head. "I don't know what I would have done without you and Gabe and Bill pointing me in the right direction, regardless of how stubborn I was."

Colleen arched a brow. "You made a mule look like a docile animal," she said, teasing him lightly before becoming serious herself. "I'm happy for you, Nathan. You deserve this. Elizabeth is a wonderful woman, and I'm so glad the two of you found your way together." She reached out to squeeze his hand. "I'm glad you found the strength to move forward and leave the past behind."

Nathan smiled again, this time tenderly. "Thank you, Colleen." He leaned forward to kiss her cheek. "I love you."

She fondly patted his arm. "I love you too."

Later that evening, when she was at the baby shower for herself and Rosemary, Colleen found Elizabeth at the appetizer table. Speaking softly, she smiled at her friend. "Nathan told me what happened earlier today," she said. "I'm thrilled, Elizabeth. You've loved my brother through some hard times, even when he acted in a way that would have made most women give up. Thank you for sticking by him until he came around."

Elizabeth's face held a joy that was identical to what Nathan had displayed. "I'm just happy he stopped running," she said, matching Colleen's soft tone. A reflective look filled her eyes. "I will admit a part of me is still shocked that I fell in love so quickly after Jack's death," she confessed. "But whenever I read the letter he left me, I'm reminded that he wanted me to find love again. I found that with your brother." She smiled, her eyes light. "He's a good man."

"The best," Colleen agreed. She placed a hand on Elizabeth's arm. "The kind of man you could spend a lifetime with."

A shy look crept onto Elizabeth's face, along with a hint of pink in her cheeks. "Yes," she said quietly. "He is that."

An announcement from Abigail brought their attention to the front of the room. "It's time for presents!" she called out. "Can we get Colleen and Rosemary to come up here, please?"

Elizabeth and Colleen shared another smile, then Colleen made her way to Abigail. Rosemary met her there. As the two women sat in the chairs assigned to them, Colleen reached for Rosemary's hand. "Have I told you how much I appreciate the fact that you let me share in your special day?"

Rosemary waved a hand theatrically. "Many times, my friend. I'm happy to have someone to share it with." She grinned. "Besides, little Daisy is growing so quickly. She needs the new clothes and diapers that are sure to be in some of those bags." She nodded toward the gifts.

Colleen could tell Rosemary was trying to deflect the praise, so she kept it simple. "Thank you. Your welcome when I came to Hope Valley was a huge help. I don't know what I would have done without you and Elizabeth and the others."

Rosemary smiled. "We were happy to have another lovely woman in town," she said. "You have been a joy to work with." She sat up straighter. "Now, let's see what we've got."

Abigail handed them each a wrapped box. The rest of the shower was spent admiring gifts and sharing fellowship and food. Colleen felt blessed to be a part of it all. Her life was happier than ever before.

She was so thankful.

Gabe stared at Nathan, a smile growing until it filled his entire face. He slapped his friend on the back and hooted. "It's about time!"

Nathan chuckled a little self-consciously. "You were right," he said. "As usual. I don't know why I let this drag out for so long. I was a stubborn fool."

"You'll get no argument from me," Gabe said good-naturedly. Happiness for his friend warmed his heart. Nathan was finally committed to facing his fears and giving his love for Elizabeth a chance.

They were in Gabe's office, standing beside the desk. Nathan sank into a chair and let out a long breath. "I'm done running," he said. "But I have to admit, Gabe, I'm still scared. I can't help feeling like I'm going to fail Elizabeth in some way."

"You will fail Elizabeth," Gabe said bluntly. Nathan looked up sharply, clearly surprised at his comment. With a light shrug, Gabe continued. "You'll fail Elizabeth just like she'll fail you. Just like I'll fail Colleen and she'll fail me."

Nathan stared at him, brow wrinkling. "What in the world are you talking about?"

Leaning back against his desk, Gabe crossed his arms comfortably over his chest. "I mean we're all human, Nathan. Human nature means we will fail the ones we love. It's inevitable. Your relationship with Elizabeth is never going to be perfect. Perfection is an illusion." He pursed his lips. "I can't tell you how many times I've already failed your sister in some way in our short marriage. She gets so annoyed when I don't hang my serge on its hook when I get home. I try to remember, but for years I've just slung it over the settee, so it's become a habit. Colleen likes order, and when I continually forget to hang it up, she sometimes snaps at me. Sometimes I snap back." He leaned forward. "That's a failure on both our parts. But we keep trying, Nathan. That's the point. As humans, we keep trying and we keep failing. It's a part of life. But it can make us stronger."

Nathan relaxed slightly. "That's not exactly failure, Gabe."

"Oh, yes it is," Gabe returned. "You just have it in that head of yours that failure is something big. I think you need to accept the fact that you will fail Elizabeth in a million little ways as you navigate your relationship, just like she will fail you. Once you accept that, you might be able to let go of some of those fears."

Nathan frowned, looking for all the world like he was baffled by Gabe's words. "So you're saying if I accept the fact that I'm going to fail, I'll find freedom?"

Chuckling, Gabe nodded. "Basically."

Still frowning, Nathan shook his head. "Are you sure about that? It seems counterintuitive."

"I am sure, Nathan," Gabe said, his voice serious. "I think because of your situation, this is an imperative lesson for you to learn. You are a perfectionist, my friend, but perfection is impossible in this life. Accept that you will fail, and that you will have to try again over and over and over."

His words seemed to make Nathan uncomfortable. He let his friend sit with the emotion for a few moments, pleased to see that Nathan wasn't trying to brush off the idea or hide from it. Though the look on his face was slightly pained, it was clear he was thinking over Gabe's words. Letting him think, Gabe pushed up from his desk and went behind it to sit in his chair.

Silence filled the room. Gabe began to work on some Mountie business as Nathan was lost in thought. Their relationship was such that he knew to give Nathan the space he needed to mull things over before trying to get him to talk. Gabe was completely comfortable with the quiet. A full ten minutes passed before Nathan finally spoke.

"I can see your point."

That was all he said. But Gabe could see that Nathan was taking his words to heart. He would think about them in the days to come. That encouraged Gabe. Seeing how much his friend had grown over the past months gladdened his own heart. Nathan was healing, and in opening himself to Elizabeth, he had finally wrestled his life back from his fears. Those fears might linger, but they no longer controlled him.

For that, Gabe was thankful.

Elizabeth felt a sense of excitement and anticipation inside. Tonight was her first official date with Nathan. He'd asked to take her out, but hadn't told her where they would be going or what they would be doing. All he'd said was to dress warmly and wear shoes for walking. She put on a purple skirt with a white ruffled blouse, then slipped her light purple jacket over the ensemble, along with a warm white hat on her head. As soon as she had it positioned right, there was a knock on the door.

She pulled it open, her breath hitching as she took in Nathan's appearance. He wore a red checkered shirt under his brown jacket, with lighter brown pants. Holding out a bouquet of roses, he smiled his devastatingly handsome smile. Elizabeth accepted them, smiling at him a little shyly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

The soft words filled her with butterflies. She had a feeling it had more to do with the look in his eyes than the words themselves. There was a tenderness and love resting there that took her breath away. Elizabeth quickly found a vase for the flowers, filling it with water before putting them on her kitchen table, the one he had made for her. Then she joined him on the porch. He offered his arm, and she took it.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

He smiled again, a light of mystery on his face. "You'll see."

They talked comfortably as they walked. Elizabeth marveled at how this time together felt like an extension of their friendship. The only difference now was that they had committed to one another. Nathan was no longer fighting his love. They were finally able to be open and honest with each other about everything, including their true feelings.

Elizabeth couldn't have been happier.

Nathan led her to a dock by the pond, one she frequently came to in order to think. She glanced at him with raised brows. "The dock?"

He smiled and nodded. "The dock. How does dinner and music by the pond sound?"

She grinned. "That sounds perfect." They walked the remaining distance to the dock, and Elizabeth noticed a few things right off. There was a mini table constructed out of two stumps, with a picnic basket sitting beside them. Pillows sat on the ground on either side of the stumps.

"High society dining," Nathan said, giving her a wink and motioning to the pillows.

Elizabeth laughed, allowing him to help her sit on one of the pillows. "I think it's marvelous," she said, her eyes twinkling. "Did you set this up?"

He nodded, looking a little shy. "I hope it's not too cheesy."

Elizabeth shook her head immediately. "Not at all," she assured him. "This is wonderful, Nathan. Thank you." Her eye caught something at the corner of the dock. She squinted, wondering if she was seeing things right. "Is that a guitar?"

Nathan sat across from her. The shy look hadn't diminished. "Yeah," he said. "It's mine."

She gaped at him. "You play?"

He simply nodded.

Elizabeth raised a brow. "Nathan Grant, you are a man of many talents. I'm impressed."

A blush stained his cheeks. He busied himself with setting up the food. "Well…I…uh…" He cleared his throat. "I haven't played in a while, but there's a song I want to play for you after dinner. I picked that instrument up for the first time this morning after…well, a very long time."

Though she was intrigued, Elizabeth kept her curiosity to herself. He had said after dinner, so she would enjoy this meal with him before asking him more about his musical abilities.

The dinner he had prepared was delicious. They had curried chicken sandwiches, a berry salad, crispy carrots, and cool cucumbers. Elizabeth found herself eating more than usual, impressed with the food. She and Nathan shared more deep conversation, picking up where they'd left off the last time they talked. Elizabeth loved that Nathan was willing to talk through anything and everything. They never skimmed the surface of a topic – they analyzed it and spoke their true feelings, even if they disagreed with each other. But when they disagreed, it was respectful and involved both acknowledging the legitimacy of the other side. Their disagreements weren't often, though. Most of the time they dove into layers of their own beliefs or philosophies or interests. It was always stimulating conversation. They ate and talked and watched as the sun set slowly over the mountains.

Nathan cleared the dishes when they were done eating, placing them in the basket. He then started a bonfire, lighting up the area around them as darkness fell over the valley. He helped Elizabeth up from her cushion, then helped her to sit on one of the stumps that had acted as their dining table. He sat beside her, then reached for his guitar. The nervousness in his eyes was endearing, but Elizabeth couldn't help wondering why he felt so nervous.

Swallowing, Nathan looked her in the eyes. "This is for you," he said, his voice low. He began strumming chords, slowly at first, then picking up speed as he grew more comfortable with the instrument in his hands. Elizabeth had just been expecting instrumental music, but then Nathan began to sing.

Her jaw dropped. She stared at him, transfixed. His voice was stunning. The words he sang were equally lovely. It was a song she was unfamiliar with, but it was a beautiful one about finding healing in love. She closed her eyes, letting his voice and the melody wash over her and fill her entire being. As the song went on, she realized it was one that could have been written about them. The words matched their relationship and the winding journey there perfectly.

When the last notes sounded, Elizabeth opened her eyes. "Nathan…" she breathed. "That was the most beautiful song I've ever heard. Where did you find it?"

He glanced down, his ears turning red. "I wrote it."

Stunned, Elizabeth couldn't speak for several moments. "You…wrote it?" she whispered.

He nodded. Realization dawned on Elizabeth. Her heart expanded in her chest as she reached out to touch his shoulder. "You wrote that for us."

Nathan nodded again. Elizabeth couldn't help herself; she leaned forward, finding his lips with hers. They shared a sweet kiss before pulling back. Her hand found its way to his cheek as tears danced in her eyes. "That was perfect. Absolutely perfect."

A smile spread over his lips. "You think so?"

She nodded fervently. "Nathan, that song was amazing. The fact that you wrote it for us…I just don't have words." One tear fell from her eyes. "You have no idea how special that makes me feel."

He set the guitar aside and wrapped an arm around her. "You've helped me to feel joy and love again, Elizabeth," he said softly. "This was just a little way I could give something back to you."

She leaned against him, held up by his strength. "You said you hadn't played in a while?"

Nathan hesitated, then nodded slowly. "After Sarah died, I couldn't bring myself to play again. I haven't touched a guitar since that day." He tilted her chin up to look at her. "Not until you, Elizabeth. You inspired me to play again. I wrote that song this morning. The words and the music just came pouring out of me. I couldn't write it down fast enough." He smiled, framing her face with his hands. "You've brought music back into my life." He nuzzled her lips gently with his. "You brought light back into my life."

They shared another kiss before their foreheads rested against one another. Words weren't necessary. After a while, Nathan stood reluctantly. "It's getting late. I should get you back home."

Though she wanted to stay, Elizabeth knew there was prudence in his decision. She waited until Nathan put out the campfire, then again took his arm. He carried his guitar and she carried the basket. When they arrived at her door, Elizabeth reached up to kiss his cheek. "Thank you for a wonderful evening, Nathan. I had a lovely time."

He smiled, trailing a finger down her cheek. "So did I, my sweet Elizabeth."

Her breath caught at the endearment. She hugged him. "Have a safe walk into town," she said softly.

He nodded, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I will." He took the basket from her, then smiled. "See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," she echoed. With one last smile, Nathan headed down the road. Elizabeth watched until the darkness took him from her sight. With a smile of her own, she went into the warmth of her house, memories of their first date staying with her long into the night.