So uh...she picked Lucas?
It's been weeks now and I'm still kind of in awe, but this one is for all of you asking if I'm done writing! The answer is NOPE! I'm not done! I've just spent all my time working through this mini-novel of a short that I'm hopeful you'll all enjoy! I've also been toying with the idea of a plot-based, longer story of where I think Season Nine should go from here, but it's no where near sharing yet, so we'll just stick with the shorts for right now.
Like I said, this one is long but I had so much fun writing it! Hope Valley is filled with lively characters so it was great to get to explore a few of them for this one too! Enjoy!
In a town like Hope Valley, it was often difficult to find a moment of peace, a reality that everyone was aware of. Between weddings and health scares, explosions and wind storms, lost residents and new visitors, there was always something going on.
And Elizabeth, for one, was tired of it.
Granted, she had little room to complain, considering the disruption she'd caused after spending nearly three years going back and forth between two men, but that had been months ago, and now she found herself falling into a comfortable routine with Lucas.
Or at least, she would be if things would calm down for more than a few minutes.
As it turned out, a factory was on its way to Hope Valley, causing yet another population boom that filled her schoolhouse to the brim with new students and packed the Queen of Hearts on a nightly basis. Where she and Lucas had once been afforded leisurely walks through town, they now found themselves struggling to steal moments together. And on top of everything else, Christmas was fast approaching and for the first time ever, the oil business was booming, meaning that both Lucas and Elizabeth were regularly pulled in different directions.
But today, Elizabeth was bound and determined to carve out some time for the two of them. She missed him. She missed the feeling of his lips against hers, missed just being in his presence and talking to her closest confidant, and suddenly the idea of marriage was lodged in her mind only because it would mean that, at the very least, she could fall asleep in his arms each night and wake there each morning.
Thus, she set out early in an attempt to catch him before he headed to the oil office. Leaving Little Jack in Robert's more than capable hands, Elizabeth made her way to the Queen of Hearts, climbing the familiar stairs inside that led her to his suite. She rapped on the door, figuring that he'd be up already, likely pouring over the orders for the saloon, and waited for him to answer.
When he didn't initially, she knocked again, a bit lighter this time, suddenly afraid that he might still be asleep after all. "Lucas?" she whispered into the door, and immediately she heard movement on the other side. It swung open, revealing her suitor looking a little worse for wear.
"Elizabeth?" he questioned, his voice rough. Judging by the dark circles under his eyes, she quickly assumed he'd been up most of the night and she had indeed woken him.
She opened her mouth to apologize, but closed it again when he ushered her into the living area of his suite. Sure enough, the table in the corner was littered with ledgers and the chair was pulled out at an angle, signaling that he'd likely been sitting there only a few moments prior. "Lucas, I can come back…"
"No, no" he insisted, closing the door behind her. He yawned as he turned back to face her. "What can I do for you this morning?"
A blush colored her face as she realized the state he was in. He was still wearing his button up shirt, but the sleeves were rolled to his elbows and he was lacking his customary vest, tie, and jacket. His clothing was rumpled, hair mussed, and she found herself shifting awkwardly from one foot to the other as she tried to hide the impact his state of dress - or undress, rather - was having on her.
Elizabeth cleared her throat, "I was just hoping we could have breakfast together. It's been sort of insanity lately and I miss…"
Another knock sounded at the door, causing Lucas to cringe and Elizabeth's eyes to dart in the direction of the sound that had interrupted her.
"Lucas, did you complete those orders I asked you to get done? If you didn't we'll be short on food for the weekend rush" Gustave's accented voice inquired from the hallway. Lucas pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed as he tried to remember whether or not he had finished his chef's request.
"I'll be right out and we can go over it, Gustave" he replied. "Elizabeth, if you'll excuse me. If I don't get these orders done…"
She waved her hand. "Of course. We don't want a repeat of the mushroom situation, now do we?"
"You two are never going to let that go, are you?" he quipped, a slight smile on his face as he walked toward her to wrap his arms around her, if only for just a moment.
"Gustave and I are a united front on that count, Sweetheart, so I would venture to guess that no, we will not let you forget the mushroom situation."
Lucas shook his head. "Well, even so, perhaps we could have lunch later?"
Elizabeth looked up at him incredulously, "Lucas, it's Tuesday. I have school."
He laughed at his mistake, suddenly realizing that he had no idea what day it was with everything going on around them. "How about I come to the schoolhouse then? Surely even the lovely schoolteacher deserves to have someone to eat her lunch with."
A warm smile appeared on her face and she hugged him a bit closer, reaching up on her tip-toes to kiss him when Gustave knocked at the door once more, halting her movement and causing them both to let out a frustrated sigh.
"I'll be with you in a moment, Gustave," Lucas yelled again, and they could practically feel the chef rolling his eyes on the other side of the door.
"I'll see you at lunch then?" she confirmed.
Nodding, he quickly kissed her forehead before letting her go to grab his vest, tie, and jacket, quickly pulling them on before opening the door to reveal a rather irritated looking French chef, although his expression softened when he saw Elizabeth.
"Make sure he gets extra mushrooms" she told him as the couple exited his suite. Lucas only rolled his own eyes as Elizabeth and Gustave headed to the stairs ahead of him, chattering all the way.
~ E & L ~
By the time Lucas made his way up the dusty road to the schoolhouse, he could feel his feet beginning to drag. Even his usual morning cup of tea hadn't given him the boost it usually did, and he knew exhaustion was setting in. Still, the prospect of having lunch with Elizabeth kept him going, and the thought of seeing her smiling face alone put an extra pep in his step as he passed the lake.
Just before he reached the schoolhouse, the doors swung open and children of every age piled out onto the front lawn. He nodded to the first few and smiled when he met Allie's eyes. Since their discussion at the saloon, she'd warmed to him, and the positive relationship he now had with Nathan certainly helped as well. She waved to him before joining her friends on the side of the building.
Scaling the steps, Lucas expected to find Elizabeth waiting at her desk, but when he reached the doors he found her back toward him, Opal sitting next to her on one of the benches. He couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but he knew that the conversation looked serious enough that he didn't necessarily want to intrude. He was in the midst of debating knocking when Elizabeth turned just enough to see him, motioning him inside.
"I'm sure he'll turn up somewhere, Opal" Elizabeth comforted the young girl as he approached them.
When he stopped next to them, Elizabeth looked up once more, an apologetic look on her face. Opal caught her movement and looked up at him too, and his heart immediately broke when he recognized her disappointed expression.
"Hello Mr. Bouchard" she sniffled in greeting.
Lucas smiled softly, his hand gently resting on Elizabeth's shoulder in a silent greeting of his own. "Hello Opal. What seems to be the matter?"
Another sniffle escaped the girl as she responded, "I can't find Brownie."
"I see" he returned, setting down the basket of food he'd brought on Elizabeth's desk before moving to sit on the opposite side of Opal. He met the teacher's gaze before turning back to look at her once more. "Do you know where you last saw him?"
"I had him on my way to school today, but now I can't find him."
"We've already checked the schoolhouse for any sign of him," Elizabeth explained calmly, running her hand up and down Opal's back in an attempt to soothe her.
Lucas hummed, a thoughtful look on his face as he took in this information. "And what does Brownie typically like to eat?"
Opal shot him a confused look, curious as to why Brownie's eating habits were important at this moment, but she answered regardless. "He sometimes likes to eat honey, but berries are his favorite."
"And have you tried setting out some honey or berries to see if he'll get hungry and come back?" Lucas suggested, and suddenly Elizabeth caught the spark of an idea in his eyes.
"I don't have any berries," Opal answered, "or honey." Her face turned downward and she let out a small sigh.
"Well as it just so happens, I brought some berries for Mrs. Thornton and I to eat for lunch, but I think using them to help find Brownie would be a much better use. What do you think, Mrs. Thornton?"
Elizabeth nodded. "I think that's a wonderful idea. Maybe we could set out some berries on my desk and then we can go look outside for him?"
Opal brightened at the idea, sitting straighter in her seat, obviously excited about their plan. "Okay! Like I said, Brownie loves berries and he never misses a meal, so if we don't find him outside maybe he'll find the berries in here!"
Lucas gave her a nod, confirming the plan. He held out his hand for Opal to take, helping her to stand up before leading her to the basket on the desk, Elizabeth just behind them. Together, Lucas and Opal pulled out a bowl of brightly colored raspberries and set them on the desk, careful to leave a few scattered nearby in case Brownie needed some help finding them. When they finished, Elizabeth took Opal's hand and led her toward the door. They'd decided to split up, figuring that it would make the search easier, so Lucas quickly headed off toward one side of the schoolhouse while Elizabeth and Opal took the other.
Together, the schoolteacher and student searched high and low for the bear, asking other students if they'd seen him along the way. But as the lunch period went on, it became obvious that Brownie was having far too much fun to be found, and Opal's enthusiasm for the search diminished the longer it went on. Eventually, however, they met up with Lucas in front of the steps once more.
"Any sign of him?" he asked, bending down on one knee so he was at Opal's level.
She shook her head back and forth, eyes downcast once more. "No. I don't know where he could've gone."
"Why don't we check inside and see if he found the berries then?"
A defeated looking Opal slowly shrugged, but once again took Lucas' outstretched hand, her other still firmly grasped in Elizabeth's, and the trio made their way up the stairs. They'd barely made it to the top before Opal ripped her hands from theirs as she rushed toward Elizabeth's desk.
"Brownie!" she cried, racing to pick up her beloved bear, hugging him tightly. "Mrs. Thornton! Mr. Bouchard! Look! Brownie came back!" Opal exclaimed, looking back at them. "The berries worked!"
Lucas and Elizabeth walked toward her side by side to see for themselves what Brownie had been up to all this time. The bear had obviously been sitting on her desk, a good half of the berries missing and a few more scattered across the top. Elizabeth couldn't even be mad about the bit of berry juice that had gotten on some of her lesson plans, because in addition to the berries, a small bouquet of wildflowers sat on the desk next to where Brownie had been moments earlier.
"It looks like he had a busy morning, too" Lucas added. "He must've been out picking those flowers for you and lost track of time."
Opal beamed, looking at the flowers for a moment before picking them up and holding them out to Elizabeth. "I bet he picked these for you, Mrs. Thornton. He was just saying this morning how much he thought you'd love them."
Elizabeth reached out to accept the bouquet, immediately bringing them up to her nose to smell their sweet scent. "Thank you, Brownie" she returned kindly. "Now, since it appears Brownie has already had his lunch, I think it's about time to eat yours. There's only a few minutes of lunch left."
With a nod, Opal shot toward the door, but suddenly turned around and raced back, stopping just short of Lucas. "Thank you for helping, Mr. Bouchard!"
He smiled, "of course. And if he ever gets lost again just come let me know. I'll make sure to order a few extra berries just in case."
The little girl grinned and then hurried out to join her friends, grabbing her lunch pail on the way.
Lucas watched her go, and was surprised a moment later when Elizabeth hugged him from the side. She wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning into him. "Tell me, Mr. Bouchard. Where really was Brownie all this time?"
"I told you, he must've been out picking those wildflowers" he kidded, grinning as he turned to wrap his arms around her as well. "Perhaps he had some help carrying them all in, but…" he trailed off, tilting his head to one side for a moment before giving into her pleading eyes. "I happened to see him on my way in. Opal must've accidentally left him sitting on the bench by the water, so when you went to search for him I went and retrieved him."
"And then you picked wildflowers and ate half of the raspberries intended for our lunch?" Elizabeth continued for him, a playful look in her eyes.
"I think you're mistaken, Mrs. Thornton. The wildflowers were all Brownie's idea."
She hummed in response, leaning in closer to him. "Sure they were."
"Mrs. Thornton!" Emily's voice rang out from the doorway, and the couple quickly put a respectful distance between themselves, although Lucas couldn't hide the amused grin on his face. "Isn't lunch supposed to be over?" she asked, paying no attention to the situation she'd walked in on.
Elizabeth cleared her throat, "You're absolutely right, Emily. Could you ring the bell for me?" she continued, reaching behind her to grab the cowbell from the desk to hold out for her to take. Emily nodded, grabbing the bell before heading back to the door to ring it.
"So much for our lunch," Lucas remarked, obviously a little disappointed. "I'll head back to the saloon and eat there, but you should enjoy the rest of these raspberries and the other food in the basket. Just bring it to the oil office after school."
"I will." They stood there for another moment before Lucas quickly kissed her hand and then headed toward the door. "And Lucas?" she asked, halting his progress. He turned back to face her just as students began to hurry in through the door.
"Yes, Mrs. Thornton?"
"Thank you for helping."
"Of course. I'll see you later" he returned before making his way out of the schoolhouse. As she watched him go she popped a few of the tart raspberries into her mouth before picking up the flowers and pulling out a vase to display them proudly on her desk.
~ E & L ~
The remainder of the school day passed slowly for Elizabeth. Even with the additional students to distract her and a private lesson with Angela to keep her busy, she still found herself longing for the end of the day to arrive.
Not that any of the students complained when she let them out a few minutes early.
Finished for the day, Elizabeth grabbed her own basket in addition to the one that Lucas had brought as she headed back toward town, hopeful that perhaps finally they might have a moment alone at the oil office. Usually by this time of day, Hickam was out at the oil derrick and wouldn't return until the last person went home, and since Henry was still away, Lucas spent most afternoons there alone, making calls to customers and investors or ensuring that the ledgers were accurate.
As she approached town, however, things seemed mysteriously quiet. Too quiet. Swinging the larger basket back and forth a bit as she walked, Elizabeth tried to not let it unnerve her. Perhaps this was, indeed, just a moment that they'd be able to enjoy together in between the drama that seemed to plague their town.
Stepping up to the oil office, Elizabeth balanced the baskets so she could open the door, knocking as she did so. Lucas was sitting at the desk, the phone held up to his ear as he spoke, but he motioned for her to come in. Quietly, she stepped into the space and carefully shut the door.
"That sounds wonderful, Mr. Hennecken. I'll be sure to update you at the end of the quarter. Thank you again" Lucas spoke into the phone as Elizabeth set down the baskets. He hung the receiver back on the stand a moment later, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair.
"That sounded promising" she commented as she sat in one of the chairs opposite his.
"It is. Another investor interested in buying a larger share if the numbers keep up like this. It's exactly what we need to keep things on the right trajectory."
"I'm just glad things are finally improving around here."
"I owe most of it to Fiona and Hickam" Lucas admitted, finally standing so he could walk around the desk to join her. He sat in the chair next to her, instinctively reaching out his hand for her to take, which she did. "I'm fairly certain we would've gone under a long time ago without their help, especially with Henry gone."
"Any word from him?" Elizabeth asked, squeezing his hand a bit.
"Nothing yet. Anything from Abigail?"
Elizabeth shook her head in defeat, "Not that I know of. You're sure he was going after her? I haven't written anything to her to suggest that he might be but…"
Lucas let out a breath, his expression softening as he tightened his grip on her hand. "If you'd only heard the way he spoke just before he left, Elizabeth. I'm certain he's going to find her."
"Well, considering his speech convinced you to stay, I'd say that his feelings must run pretty deep. I do hope he finds her. They deserve to be happy."
Lucas ran his thumb over the back of her hand, "I will admit he played a part, but as you well know I would have regretted it every day of my life if I'd left, and I'm not sure I could've done it in the first place. You, my love, are all I need, and I couldn't have found that anywhere else." He punctuated his words by kissing her fingertips, an action that, like the first time he'd done it, caused her breath to hitch in her throat.
When his eyes fluttered back open to look at her, they were dark, and she instantly recognized the familiar longing she saw in them. "You know," she started before clearing her throat, "this is the first time we've actually been alone for more than a few seconds today."
Lucas chuckled, "you're right. And maybe…" he continued, standing and pulling her up with him so her body was flush against his, "...we should take advantage of that."
"I like the way you think, Mr. Bouchard," she responded, and finally, finally, they leaned in closer, his hands automatically moving to her back as hers found their home on chest. Their lips were just brushing against one another when the front door of the office swung open.
"Lucas! I have wonderful news!" Mike chimed with enthusiasm, but he stopped short in the doorway. Lucas and Elizabeth had pulled back, but remained with their arms wrapped around each other, heads turning to their friend just as he took a step back and pulled the door shut behind him. "I'm so sorry!" he yelled through the door. "I can come back!"
Elizabeth groaned lightly, and Lucas sighed as he tore himself away from her to open the door once more.
Hickam stood just outside, face as red as a tomato, hands wringing in front of him as he looked between the two of them. "I really can come back. I wasn't aware that Elizabeth was here and that you were...busy" he stumbled out.
"No, this is your office too, Mike" Lucas replied calmly, despite the fact that Elizabeth knew he was just as frustrated as she was that they kept getting interrupted. "What is this exciting news you have to share?"
The other man seemed to steady at the question, quickly launching into his explanation. "We hit oil at the new derrick! If everything goes well, we should be able to make all of our orders early."
A grin appeared on Lucas' face and he quickly clapped Hickam on his shoulder, "that's fantastic, Mike. And I'm positive that Mr. Hennecken will be thrilled to hear it as well."
"The call went well then?" Mike asked, genuinely curious.
Lucas nodded, "it most certainly did. Another couple of weeks like this and everyone will go home with a generous bonus for Christmas."
Elizabeth made her way to stand next to her suitor, obviously proud of the work that the two men were accomplishing, and looperd her arm around Lucas'. "You two make quite the team, and it shows."
"I'll second that," came yet another voice as Fiona walked through the door, stopping to stand next to Hickam, who turned red yet again. "And I'd also say that the same goes for you two."
Lucas glanced at Elizabeth out of the corner of his eye and covered her hand with his in the crook of his elbow. "We aren't the only ones. I couldn't have done any of this without the two of you" he praised, looking between Fiona and Mike.
Fiona beamed, and she inched closer to Hickam, nudging him with her arm. "Why don't we let Lucas and Elizabeth get back to whatever they were doing. We can meet later about the oil orders."
"No," Lucas insisted. "You two stay here and finish up work, and then I want you both to head to the saloon for some dinner, on me. We were just on our way out anyway, right?" he continued, looking at the beautiful woman on his arm.
"We most certainly were," she confirmed, tugging him toward the door. "I hope you two have a lovely evening because we aren't the only team in this town that's perfect for each other."
Still arm in arm, Lucas and Elizabeth made their way out the door, leaving a rather flustered looking Hickam and an amused Fiona behind. "Thank you, Lucas!" Fiona called to him out the door as they left.
"My pleasure" he called back as they walked away, slowly strolling down the street, naturally moving in the direction of her house. "So much for our time alone" he chuckled.
Elizabeth leaned into him, "Well we're alone now, and I don't know about you, but I don't have any plans for the rest of the evening. I was going to grade papers, but that can most certainly be postponed" she continued, looking up at him with a spark in her eyes.
He was about to respond in kind when they heard footsteps hurrying behind them.
"Elizabeth!"
Lucas shut his eyes, letting his head fall back in defeat as they halted their movement. Elizabeth cringed, her grip on his arm tightening.
"Elizabeth!" Rosemary called again as she caught up to them. "I'm so glad I found you. I need your help with plans for the Christmas festival."
"Now, Rosemary? I was just…"
Rosemary looked shocked. "Yes now!" she exclaimed. "The festival is only a couple of weeks away and we still haven't found a time to get the tree, several of the vendors pulled out because of the snowstorm on its way, and on top of that we still have a myriad of things to plan for Jack's birthday party!"
Elizabeth bit her lip, obviously torn between helping her friend and finally spending some time with Lucas, but he sensed her struggle. "Why don't you two go figure out a few of those problems. I'll take on the vendors and see what I can do. I have a few friends in Union City that might be able to help fill the spaces."
"Are you sure?" Elizabeth asked him.
"Of course" he returned, quickly kissing her on the cheek. "Is it still alright if I come over for dinner?"
She laughed, "more than alright."
Rosemary nodded, handing over a paper to Lucas as Elizabeth moved to join her. "Here are the vendors that pulled out. Thankfully there aren't too many, but it's still enough to be concerned about."
"I'll take care of it, Rosemary."
"Thank you!" she chimed and then started out toward the rowhouses. She turned back when Elizabeth didn't immediately follow her. "Are you coming?"
"I'll be right there" the schoolteacher replied, pausing to turn back to Lucas and return his kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you later" she finished, beginning to follow her friend.
"Not soon enough!" he called after her, and he could only chuckle at her expression when she turned to look back at him over her shoulder.
~ E & L ~
Lucas groaned as he saw another waitress approaching him. The saloon, for whatever reason, was packed full on this particular evening, and unfortunately two of his staff were out sick, meaning that they were unbelievably short staffed. He was already in the midst of pouring drinks for a group that had just taken up residence at the bar when the clock chimed, causing him to realize just how late it was.
"Lucas, I need another round of ale" the waitress said, exhaustion evident in her voice as she leaned against the bar.
"Coming right up, Nora" he replied, turning to grab glasses from the counter behind him. He filled them quickly, handing them over for her to take. Thankful for the brief pause, he took a moment to breathe, searching for a piece of paper and a pen as he did so.
"Busy night?" Bill asked as he took his place on his usual stool.
Lucas laughed nervously, "busy doesn't even begin to describe it. I haven't seen it this packed since Christmas a couple of years ago."
"Let's hope it's a good sign for a busy Christmas this year too, then. Although, I will say I rather enjoyed how quiet last year was."
"The quiet of last December did nothing to quell the inner turmoil I felt last year, Bill. I remember wishing it had been this busy" the saloon owner admitted as he poured a pint of beer for the judge.
"And now? Still happy things are this busy?"
Lucas paused before responding. "Most days? Yes. Today? Absolutely not."
"Trouble in paradise?" Bill inquired, raising an eyebrow in question as he accepted the mug.
"Not between us, but it certainly seems like this town has it out for us today. Elizabeth and I can't seem to find more than a few seconds alone without someone interrupting us. I was supposed to go to her place for dinner, but now even that is looking impossible."
Bill hummed, about to respond but held off for a moment so Lucas could bring a set of drinks to a group of men on the other side of the bar.
Lucas let out a frustrated sigh when he returned, bracing his arms against the counter in front of him as he closed his eyes. "I just wish we could get more than a few minutes lately, and I know it'll be better after Christmas and once I pro…"
He stopped, realizing that his exhaustion was leading his sentences somewhere he wasn't sure he was ready to admit to Bill.
Of course, the judge caught on anyway. "Well, well, well. It sounds like someone has a few tricks up his sleeve again."
"Now Bill, you can't tell a soul" Lucas insisted immediately, trying to cover his tracks. "I don't know when I'm going to…"
The older man cut him off, "Your secret is safe with me, Bouchard. But between you and me?" he continued, leaning in closer and urging the saloon owner to do the same, "make sure it's special."
When he pulled back, Bill could see the genuine warmth on Lucas' face. "I intend to, Bill. Don't you worry. Elizabeth deserves the world, and I'd give it to her if I could."
"You know, I used to be skeptical of you, Bouchard. But I can see how much you love Elizabeth and Little Jack, and I couldn't ask for anything but their happiness. If that's with you, then you have my blessing."
Lucas looked taken aback, not intending to get Bill's blessing that easily or in the midst of a hectic saloon. "Bill, I...thank you."
"I'm just assuming you were going to ask me later" he continued easily before taking a drink of his ale.
"Of course, yes!" he said, perhaps a little too enthusiastically. His attention was soon drawn away by a waiter ordering a round for yet another table, and it was a few minutes before Lucas could return. Bill was just finishing his drink and looked about ready to leave when Lucas stopped him. "Bill, would you do me one more favor tonight?"
The judge looked at him out of the corner of his eye, "what kind of favor are we talking, Bouchard?"
Quickly, Lucas scribbled down a message for Elizabeth on a piece of paper, folding it and holding it out toward him. "Could you bring this out to Elizabeth's house? I don't want her waiting for or worrying about me since it's pretty apparent that I'm not getting out of here any time soon."
It took a moment, but Bill nodded and accepted the note. "Goodnight, Bouchard."
"Goodnight, Bill. And again, thank you."
"Anything for Elizabeth" he finished before vacating his stool, leaving a rather flustered looking Lucas in his wake.
~ E & L ~
A relieved smile instantly crossed Elizabeth's face when she finally heard the knock at the door. It wasn't like Lucas to be late - usually the man was at least fifteen minutes early for everything - but with how tired he'd looked earlier in the day, she was more than a bit worried.
Brushing her hands on her apron, she made her way toward the door, eager to greet her suitor. Little Jack was already in bed since it was so late, but she'd fed him separately and had prepared a meal just for her and Lucas, thankful that they would finally have some time alone after the chaos of their day. Hand on the doorknob, she ran a quick hand through her hair to brush away the stray bangs that had fallen in her face while cooking, and then opened the door.
"Bill?" she inquired when she realized that it was not, in fact, Lucas Bouchard who had knocked on her door.
"Good evening, Elizabeth" he greeted, slightly amused by the look on her face. "I hope I'm not intruding."
She paused for a second, her mind reeling. "Oh, no. No, not at all Bill. You're always welcome here."
He nodded respectfully as she moved aside to welcome him into her home, "thank you." She closed the door behind him and again ran her hands along her apron, only this time it was less to get off stray bits of flour from the cake she'd made and more out of nervous habit.
"Is there something I can do for you this evening?"
"No, I'm actually just here to deliver a note" Bill returned, holding out a piece of paper toward her. She didn't even have to take it to recognize the fluid penmanship, but she opened it anyway, her expression falling.
"I was just by the saloon and was lucky to find a seat," he added as she folded the note back up. "I spoke to Lucas and he mentioned they were short staffed."
Suddenly, Elizabeth's expression changed from disappointed to determined, and Bill recognized the spark in her eyes.
"Bill, would you be willing to stay here in case Jack wakes up? Just for a while?" she requested, already reaching behind her to untie her apron.
A sideways grin appeared on the judge's face, "Going into town so late?"
"I can always ask Rosemary and Lee if you don't have time but…"
He held up a hand to stop her, "I'd be happy to stay here."
Elizabeth looked relieved, quickly pulling the apron over her head and grabbing her jacket from the rack by the door. "I'll be back soon. Feel free to have some of the food in the kitchen. It's still warm, and there's cake in the icebox." Buttoning up the last of her jacket, she opened the door and was about to walk through when Bill stopped her once more.
"Say hello to Bouchard for me, won't you?" he kidded, already on his way to open the icebox in search of the cake.
"Thank you, Bill" she sang, a smirk on her face as she headed out of the house and toward town.
~ E & L ~
Bill was right, the saloon must've been busy not too long ago. Several customers were still scattered at tables and at the bar, an oddity for such a late hour on a weeknight. She waved at Nora, who was busy cleaning empty plates from a nearby table, before making her way toward the back of the Queen of Hearts. She was just about to walk through the curtain into the back room when Lucas walked out, both of them stopping short.
"Elizabeth" he breathed, obviously surprised at her presence.
He looked tired, with the dark circles she'd seen earlier now just a bit darker, and the wrinkles around his eyes were present even though he wasn't smiling. She took a moment to study his face before grabbing his arm and dragging him back through the curtain and straight into his office, paying no attention to an amused Gustave who was watching from the kitchen.
Once the door was closed, she pinned a rather confused Lucas against the door, standing on her tip-toes to kiss him firmly. He relaxed into her, arms sliding around her. She kept him soundly against her, pressing him against the solid wood behind his back.
When they finally pulled apart to catch their breath, they stayed close, Lucas resting his nose against hers.
"I've wanted to do that all day," she whispered, pulling back to look at him.
His gaze was intense, eyes dark, and she thought he was about to respond when instead he leaned in again, lips moving against hers almost frantically. His grip on her tightened, and he swung them around so she was the one pinned against the door, not caring about the thunk he was certain Gustave would ask him about later.
Elizabeth laughed into his kiss, and he trailed his lips along her jaw and settled in the crook of her neck. His hands were large against the expanse of her waist, but she only held him tighter, wrapping her arms around his back as he made his way back to her lips.
"And I've wanted to do that all day" he breathed a moment later. They stood there, lips just brushing against each other, until he pulled back forcefully. "Wait, how are you here?"
""Don't question it, just kiss me" she returned, leaning in closer again, not wanting to waste a single second they had together.
So he did, and as he smiled into the kiss he felt her do the same. Hope Valley may always have something in store for them, but he wouldn't have it any other way, because his soul mate was finally in his arms, and he never wanted to let her go.
I'm hoping this one was worth the wait. Thanks for sticking with me! ;)