Baby, you burn so hot
You make me shiver with the fire you got
This thing we started, I don't want it to stop
You know you make me shiver-er-er
…
Ooh, I love it when you do it like that
And when you're close up, give me the shivers
-Ed Sheeran, "Shivers"
In hindsight, Nathan realized that he should've explained that they weren't going to the cafe before they reached town so Elizabeth wouldn't have worried that they were going to the saloon since Lucas had asked them not to dine there for a time. Nathan didn't mind honoring his request. He didn't much like the idea of being scowled at during dinner with Elizabeth. The atmosphere would probably be tense and not the best mood for a meal, especially a date.
Although Nathan was certain his mom's suggestion to use the library was the best location for his and Elizabeth's first date, the anxiety he felt was causing him to second-guess his decision. He could've still had Bill cook and just brought the food to his or Elizabeth's house. The library had felt like it would be more memorable, more unique, for them, though. He just hoped Elizabeth felt the same way.
"…the library is the perfect place for our first date."
Nathan was so relieved to hear Elizabeth say that. He was going to have to send a large 'Thank You' gift to his mom. And knowing that moment in the library last year had been special for her as well lifted his heart higher than a hot air balloon floating across the sky.
Taking Elizabeth's hand, Nathan stepped up onto the boardwalk and opened the door, then stepped backward to allow Elizabeth inside first. He heard her gasp and he hoped it was a good gasp. He hadn't seen what Clara had set up, so he was in for a surprise just as much as Elizabeth. The only other contact he'd had with Clara was her calling that afternoon to let him know the library was 'perfect' and to tell him what time Bill would deliver the food so it would be hot when they arrived.
She'd also said to leave the dishes, that she and Jesse would retrieve them after they'd left. He'd tried to object, but Clara had metaphorically put her foot down. The young woman could be quite formidable when she wanted to be. Nathan had learned over the years that it was best to pick your battles, and this was one battle he instinctively knew he wouldn't win and had no choice but to acquiesce. He would just pay it forward by doing something nice for the two of them someday.
Nathan followed Elizabeth inside and took a look around the room. He was in awe! He had no idea how Clara had managed to transform the library into such a romantic setting. Perfect, indeed! he thought, beyond impressed.
The tablecloth was a very light shade of what Nathan would learn was called periwinkle, with a round, ivory satin doily in the center. Placed in the middle of the table was a crystal vase with a bouquet of white roses and short, silver candlesticks on either side, the candles also periwinkle. Several candles had been placed around the room, giving enough light to see, but not the stark brightness electricity emitted. The chairs had been placed next to each other instead of directly across from the other. It gave a more intimate feeling, in Nathan's opinion.
A bottle of wine was chilling in an ice bucket. There were two dome-covered plates and small bowls, and to Nathan's relief, a very simple placing of utensils. He was sure this would not have been acceptable at a high-class restaurant in Union City or Hamilton. On the other side of the table in a basket were two dessert plates, a small-sized square covered dish, and a serving spatula. Nathan wondered if it was the tiramisu Bill mentioned or something else. There was a note included that it had been placed in the basket to be taken home to enjoy with fresh coffee.
"Oh, Nathan, this is lovely!" Elizabeth exclaimed.
Nathan grinned. "It really is, but I can't take credit for it. This was all Clara." He would give credit where credit is due. "I…don't know how to romance a woman." He ducked his head, embarrassed at his lacking knowledge in the art of wooing.
Elizabeth took his hand and squeezed assuringly. "Nathan, you might not always be a Lord Byron or William Shakespeare with your words, but your actions, while a bit awkward at times, have often been romantic in my eyes."
"Really?"
"Really," she said with a tender smile.
Nathan brought her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss on the back of it. Elizabeth blushed prettily. It was enough for him if she thought he was romantic, even if he didn't agree. Maybe he should take another look at some of Shakespeare's sonnets, he'd not read any since graduating from high school. See if maybe he could find some inspiration to create his own romantic dates in the future. It might be worth it to take a look at some of Lord Byron's work as well. It certainly couldn't hurt.
Nathan pulled a chair out for Elizabeth and took his seat after she was settled. He poured the wine while Elizabeth uncovered their meal.
"Bill's lasagna!" Elizabeth said after removing the lid from her plate.
Nathan could hear the delight in her tone. "Bill suggested it and I figured he would know your food preferences better than I, so I agreed." He shrugged.
"I do love his lasagna, there really isn't anything of Bill's that I don't like, but I hope you like lasagna, too. I don't want you eating something just because it's what I like," she said, her brow creasing with worry lines.
Nathan smiled at her. "I like lasagna, Elizabeth, don't worry. Now…I'm not saying I'll like it better than my mom's, but I'm willing to give it a try before judging," he said with a crooked grin.
In a faux serious tone Elizabeth said, "That's very magnanimous of you, Nathan. I'm sure Bill would appreciate your courteous reservation."
Nathan nodded, affecting a benevolent attitude he was able to hold for only a moment. They both broke into laughter. It had been a long time, if ever, since he had felt so light and care-free. He could tell he was also becoming more playful. He could only attribute that to Elizabeth's influence. He would have to get her back someday for that stunt she pulled with the icing during Allie's sleepover, he thought mischievously.
A quick prayer said and shy smiles exchanged, they tucked into their meal.
Over the next hour Nathan and Elizabeth learned more about each other, ranging from their favorite colors (Elizabeth's pink and Nathan's green) to their favorite time of year (Christmas for Elizabeth and summer for Nathan). Despite being Canadian, Nathan was not a fan of ice fishing, and preferred to go during the warmer months. His Christmas Day tradition with Allie was one of the exceptions. He was glad they lived in the lower part of the country, experiencing warmer weather for a longer time period than the Northern territories.
They talked more about their childhoods and siblings, and the challenges of being single parents. They each learned that they liked most of the same foods, although Nathan couldn't say whether he liked escargot as he'd never tried it. Elizabeth had warned that it was an acquired taste, just like calamari or caviar. He'd take her word for it and leave it at that.
They talked about music and books they liked. The subject of books segued into Elizabeth's own writing. She said she couldn't believe Branson Books wanted to publish her novel and it wasn't even finished yet. She spoke of how awed and slightly overwhelmed she still felt to finally have her work published. After the rejections she'd received years before, she'd been sure she would never be a published author. She'd blushed when he said he couldn't wait to read her book.
Once dinner concluded, Nathan and Elizabeth walked hand-in-hand back to his house. Once inside, Elizabeth went about serving up their dessert (it was the tiramisu Nathan hoped it would be) while he got the coffee brewing. When it was ready, they took their plates and cups to the settee and enjoyed what Nathan considered the best dessert he'd ever had of Bill's to date.
The couple also shared more of their mishaps in the kitchen. Elizabeth and Nathan had both laughed until they were almost in tears as he'd told his story about baking a cake by himself for the first time. Flour had been everywhere, he was sure some eggshells had ended up in the batter, the cake had come out of the oven flat as a pancake, and he'd burned it so thoroughly it was hard enough they'd been able to use it to play fetch with the neighbor's dog.
Elizabeth had then recounted her miserable experience with her first attempts at a cake, too. She'd said that Abigail had been gentle and encouraging while instructing her, but the cake that had finally been edible had still turned out pretty pathetic, in her estimation. He was sure it had been fine.
After Elizabeth insisted on helping with cleaning the dessert dishes, they settled back onto the settee. They held hands, fingers laced together, and they took a moment to just enjoy being together. Nathan hadn't been on many dates in his life, but he knew without a doubt this was the best one he'd ever experienced. He never wanted this thing they started to stop.
Elizabeth leaned her head on his shoulder. "This has been such a wonderful night, Nathan," she murmured.
Nathan rested his cheek on the top of her head. "I couldn't agree more."
After a few more minutes passed, Nathan decided that he needed to broach the topic that was on the tip of his tongue and weighing on his heart.
"Elizabeth?"
"Hmm?" She looked up at him.
"Elizabeth." Nathan said again, then cleared his throat. "You said that we have to be honest with each other." He could see her frown. "So I want to say that I love you and I know it's probably too early to say anything about marriage, but I'm going to anyway. I already know that I want to marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and I don't want to wait a long time to ask you. I want us to have time together, however much the Lord sees fit to give us. I just hope that…" He took a breath. "I hope this isn't too serious too fast, but I figured it was better to tell you of my intentions sooner rather than later." Nathan hoped that he'd not just scared Elizabeth away by the intensity that accompanied his declaration.
Elizabeth's frown disappeared and she squeezed his hand. "You're right, Nathan, this is all happening a bit fast. We've not been courting for a week yet, so in most situations, us already saying I love you, and truly meaning it, and then saying you're going to propose soon would, by all accounts, sound ludicrous." Nathan's heart sank. "But I also think our circumstances give us a little leeway. We've both been in love with each other for a long time even if we hadn't acknowledged or admitted it.
"My fears and your reticence have already robbed us of so much time we could've already had with each other if one of us had been ready to take that first step sooner. It's understandable why we felt the ways we did, but now that we're no longer facing those obstacles, I don't want to wait, either. If you asked me to marry you tonight, I would say yes."
Her gaze was so tender and loving that Nathan felt his throat tighten with emotion, and maybe a little (lot) panic. "I-I" Nathan stuttered, the words getting stuck. He didn't have a ring yet! He couldn't ask her to marry him without a ring!!! He knew he should've bought the one he'd been eyeing at the mercantile every time he'd been in there the last several times! I'm such an idiot!!! His downward spiral was interrupted by a hand squeezing his, and he brought his mental tirade to a stop and focused back on Elizabeth.
She smiled, squeezing his hand again. "I'm not expecting you to ask me tonight just because I said you could, Nathan. I just wanted you to know that when you do ask, I won't hesitate with my answer. I also don't want our engagement to be a long one, if you're okay with that. I want to start our lives together and blend our families into one soon."
"I love you, Elizabeth," was all Nathan managed to say, throat tight with emotion again. He also made a mental note to visit the mercantile first thing the next day.
"I love you, too."
They shared their second kiss. Every time she was this close, it made him shiver.
An indeterminate amount of time later, after checking what time it was, Elizabeth said that Bill would be bringing Little Jack back home soon, so Nathan helped her into her coat and walked her home. As they passed the Weise house, Elizabeth began to laugh quietly. He looked at her for an explanation, wondering what had caused that reaction.
"The girls haven't quite learned the art of subtlety yet," she said as she imperceptibly nodded in the direction of the upstairs front-facing bedroom.
When he trained only his eyes upward so as not to be obvious either, he could see the curtains in the window swaying back and forth, as if they'd been abruptly yanked closed.
"We have an audience," he surmised, equal parts embarrassed and amused.
"So it would seem," Elizabeth agreed, giggling.
"I've never liked being the center of attention. That was always more Colleen's forte than mine."
"I feel the same as you. I don't mind being recognized for well-earned accomplishments, but it's Julie who prefers attention and adulation. But look on the bright side, Nathan. We're the center of attention together, and it won't be like this forever. Eventually there'll be something else for people to shift their attention to." Elizabeth grinned impishly at him.
Nathan kissed her temple. "I know. Doesn't mean I have to like it, though," he said dryly.
Elizabeth laughed. "I know." She bumped her cheek against his shoulder. "They're probably up there giggling themselves silly and asking Allie all kinds of questions about us now."
"I'll bet Allie's loving that," he said with a chuckle.
"Mmm-hmm." They laughed.
Reaching Elizabeth's house, Nathan escorted her up onto the porch. Elizabeth didn't immediately go inside. Instead, she turned to face him and reached for his other hand, pressing their palms together and lacing their fingers.
"Nathan, I enjoyed tonight so much. Thank you for such a lovely date. I know you had help, and I love that you weren't afraid to ask for it, especially from your mom. Most men wouldn't ask their mom for dating advice, let alone be secure enough let it be known he did. You're an amazing and strong man, Nathan Grant."
Normally Nathan would've ducked his head or tried to protest at the effusive compliments he felt he didn't deserve, but the fire in Elizabeth's eyes kept his gaze captive. He couldn't look away. The fire Elizabeth had made him shiver without fail. He loved how she could make him do that with nothing more than just a look.
"I"m not afraid to admit to my weaknesses. My mom is a strong woman; she had to be after the troubles with my dad started. Other than Colleen and until I met you, there's no one's judgment and advice I would've trusted more than my mom's."
Elizabeth smiled at him tenderly. "I love that you're not intimidated by a strong woman. It makes me love you all the more, Nathan." She lifted their still-clasped hands, pressing them side-by-side and squeezed. "I love you."
He took a step closer, almost pinning Elizabeth against her front door, hands now trapped between them. "And I love you," he said, his voice deep and husky.
Nathan closed the distance and pressed his lips to hers in the first kiss that had been initiated by him. Elizabeth responded immediately, molding her lips against his over and over. He longed to deepen the kiss, but they were on her front porch where anyone could see, and Bill could already be on his way to drop Little Jack off. This wasn't the time or place to get carried away.
"Good night," Nathan murmured against Elizabeth's lips.
She echoed the sentiment and after one last kiss, went inside.
Nathan could still feel his lips tingling the whole, albeit short, walk home. He had a moment or two where he thought he should probably dump a full bucket of ice cold water over his head when he got home. He was skeptical that it would help very much, though.
Elizabeth almost pulled the buttons from her coat in her haste to remove it. Her body was hot all over, and the heavy wool coat felt like it was suffocating her. She was tempted to wet a wash cloth with cold water and wipe down her forehead and the back of her neck to bring her body temperature down. Instead, however, she plopped herself down on the settee and fanned at her face to cool off. The good night kiss she had shared with Nathan was chaste by all standards, but it was enough to set the blood in her veins aflame. It had been so long since she'd felt… Nope, best not to let her mind go there just yet.
Oh my! she thought, waving her hand back and forth vigorously. It wasn't helping as much as she'd hoped, so she debated on whether she should go ahead with her wash cloth idea.
Before she could make up her mind one way or the other, a knock sounded on the door. It was Bill with her son, who looked sleepy and content bundled up in his godfather's arms. Elizabeth helped Bill get Jack's coat and shoes off before he placed him in the downstairs crib where he promptly fell asleep.
"How was dinner?" Bill asked quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping boy.
Elizabeth gestured for Bill to sit on the settee and she joined him. "It was wonderful, Bill. It was all so delicious, especially the tiramisu! Thank you for making it for us."
Bill waved away her thanks, but he still blushed a little. "I know you like my lasagna, Elizabeth," he said, giving her a wry look at the same time. "I meant how was it with you and Nathan.'
It was Elizabeth's turn to blush. "It was…perfect, Bill, just perfect." She was sure she sounded whimsical as she answered. She didn't really care if she did. She was in love, she was allowed to be whimsical.
"I was a bit surprised when he'd said he wanted to take you to the library," Bill said, bemused.
Elizabeth explained the significance, and Bill agreed that Nathan couldn't have chosen a better place. It had also impressed Bill that Nathan would ask his mom for advice and give her the credit for the idea.
"Well, I'm glad you had a good time, Elizabeth. It's-I'm so glad to see you happy again," Bill said.
Elizabeth could see the emotion threatening to overwhelm him in his eyes. "Thank you, Bill. I…didn't think I could ever be happy with another man after losing Jack. I didn't think I would ever need his blessing to move on."
Bill patted her arm. "Jack only ever wanted for you to be happy, Elizabeth, even if the worst should happen and it couldn't be with him. He would've wanted you to find love again one day."
"I know. I would've wanted him to move on too if something had happened to me instead." A thought then occurred to her and she stared past Bill's shoulder, not really seeing anything, lost in her thoughts.
"What is it, Elizabeth?" Bill asked, obviously concerned.
She looked back at him. "Well, I just had a really odd thought pop into my head." He waited expectantly. "It's just…well… I know this will sound strange considering the circumstances, but…I think Jack would've…approved of Nathan." Elizabeth said this hesitantly. She worried this statement might offend Bill on account of how close he and Jack had been.
But he just smiled in return. "I think you're right about that, Elizabeth. I know Jack couldn't have asked for a better man to watch over and love you and Little Jack in his absence. I could see that you were in denial about how you felt toward him, that you were subconsciously fighting it. I'll admit that I was worried for a bit that you might close your heart to Nathan because he's a Mountie, but I'm glad I worried for nothing."
Elizabeth was quiet for a few moments, not sure if she should tell him the truth that she'd not voiced to anyone. But this was Bill, she could always be honest with him. "I almost did," she said quietly.
Bill looked at her, shocked.
"You saw how I acted after I'd received the anonymous flowers. I truly didn't want to know if they were from Nathan or Lucas. And then I told Rosemary that I wasn't going to respond either way after they had both brought me flowers until after I'd made up my mind because I didn't want to hurt either of them. In all honesty, those were just excuses. I didn't want to make up my mind because it was easier not to.
"And then I went to Union City with Lucas. And I know that I insisted it was just as friends, and while that is true, I couldn't help but think on the way home of what life could be like with him. He would be the 'safer' option. I realized that Lucas would never be called away for a dangerous assignment, and I wouldn't have to worry the whole time he was gone. I wouldn't…" Elizabeth became too emotional to finish what she was trying to say.
"You wouldn't be afraid that every time he left you might become a widow again," Bill finished for her.
Tears gathered in Elizabeth's eyes. "Yes. I was allowing my fears to cloud my judgment," she choked out.
"Maybe, but your fears were-are-justified, Elizabeth. A Mountie's life is dangerous. They are the ones who run toward danger when everyone else is running away. That's the reason most of us don't plan to marry if we're not already when we sign up, and why it's not encouraged at the Academy. Sometimes life has other plans, though.
"Jack told me that after Rosemary ended their engagement he wasn't going to allow himself to fall in love again. He didn't want to open himself up to getting hurt again because the woman tired of the Mountie lifestyle or, like his father, he'd die in the line of duty and leave a family behind.
"But I also know that Jack never regretted falling in love with you, Elizabeth. He loved you so much, and he would've given you the world if he could have. It's tragic that the two of you were robbed of a life that would have been wonderful. Against all odds, you've found another good man, and you have another chance to experience a life full of love and happiness. You just needed a little extra time to overcome your fears, that's all," he said, patting her arm reassuringly.
Elizabeth took the handkerchief Bill offered and dabbed at her eyes. "Thank you, Bill. I think that's exactly what I needed to hear. I've been chastising myself for not finding my courage sooner."
"I understand. Making yourself vulnerable in matters of the heart isn't easy, I know that firsthand. You know that Nora and I married to save her reputation. I wanted to love her, and when she didn't love me back, I hardened my heart. That's why I was… Well, that's why I didn't share my entire history with Abigail from the beginning. I know deep in my heart that we would've helped each other heal, her from her heartbreak and me from my disappointment, and found happiness together. I regret that I ruined our chance, but I'm also glad that we were able to eventually become such good friends. I will always treasure Abigail as a most cherished friend," Bill said, his tone wistful.
"I know Abigail feels the same way," she reassured.
Bill said his goodbye and departed. Elizabeth took Little Jack upstairs to change him into his pajamas-he barely stirred during the endeavor-and put him to bed. She then washed her face, brushed her teeth, and settled herself under the covers. Once comfortable, she purposefully let her mind wander over her night with Nathan. At last, sleep overtook her, with the remembered feeling of Nathan lips pressed against hers.
"Rosemary! Stop spying!"
Rosemary nearly jumped out of her skin at her husband's whispered command. She whirled around to see Lee standing directly behind her, his expression a mixture of amusement and admonition.
"I wasn't spying!" she said, trying to defend herself.
"Really?" Lee asked dryly.
"Yes. I was just making sure Bill didn't need to leave Jack here if Elizabeth wasn't home yet." She tried to sound innocent and nonchalant, but she could see her husband wasn't buying her excuse. "Oh, fine! But I wasn't spying…not really." Lee cocked an eyebrow at her. "I just happened to be looking out the window when Nathan and Elizabeth were saying goodnight."
"Well, what did you see, then?" Lee prompted. He quickly dropped his facade of indifference and unabashedly revealed his own curiosity.
Rosemary excitedly detailed the thorough 'goodnight' Nathan and Elizabeth had shared. She concluded her description with the firm belief that the prediction of Elizabeth to be the next walking down the aisle due to having caught Clara's bouquet would take place sooner rather than later.
Lee had shrugged good-naturedly, stating that their friend deserved nothing less than to enter the blissful state of marriage however soon they wished. Rosemary, on the other hand, had protested. Shaking her head, she proclaimed that she would need, at the veryleast, three months to pull the perfect wedding together. The dress alone would take her a month or more!
Muttering about patterns, different types of lace, and placing a phone call to Dottie as soon as possible, Rosemary went to find her sketchbook, intent on starting Elizabeth's wedding dress that very night since she would be under a considerable time constraint. Again! When would people learn that these things take time?!?
Lee, fondly shaking his head, left his wife to her own devices. He would try to temper her fervent planning in the morning. He would also try to let Elizabeth know that Rosemary was already on the warpath, so to speak. Nathan probably deserved a warning too. Although, it would be highly entertaining to witness how Nathan responded to his wife demanding his opinion on color schemes and flower arrangements. Lee chuckled at the thought.
Notes:
Always, thank you for reading!
If anyone has any questions or wants to chat a little more in-depth about The Time Is Right, you can find me on Discord @https/discord.gg/teQeRD4E or Instagram @lsquared1501 :)