Elizabeth loved the kitchen at the Inn. It was large and up to date and he had everything he could possibly need in a kitchen.

"Elizabeth?" Nathan mumbled as he walked into the room one morning.

"You're here early."

"I thought I'd make you boys breakfast. I hope you don't mind. I let myself in."

He ran his fingers through his hair and looked down at his bare feet and rumpled shirt and pants. "I…is that coffee?" he asked, smelling the wonderful aroma.

"Of course. Take a seat and I will pour some for you."

"You don't have to do that, Elizabeth. You haven't officially started working for me yet."

"I know, but…I kind of missed this. My Gracie moved out last year and since then, I've only had me to worry about."

He nodded, seeing the longing in her eyes to take care of someone again.

"Alright then. Feed me," he told her.

She laughed and blinked away her tears. "Missing your family?"

"Yeah. It hits me at the weirdest times."

"I get that."

"Dad!" Kingston yelled, running in the room. "My uniform isn't dry. I can't wear a wet uniform to school."

Elizabeth looked up at the boy, looking much like a blonde version of his father. "Morning, King."

"Mrs. Thornton?"

"Hi."

"Bud, go put your shirt and pants in the dryer and come down for breakfast. Mrs. Thornton has made us food."

"It sure smells good." He smiled at her and ran back upstairs.

She poured Nathan a cup of coffee and handed him cream. He didn't take sugar. "Thank you."

"Of course." He watched her pull the sausage out of the pan and then cook the eggs in the same pan.

"Are you going to join me for coffee?"

"I'll just finish up the eggs. Do you or King want juice?"

"No thank you. He'll want milk."

"Um, Elizabeth. I…this feels weird. You waiting on us. I'm going to have to insist that you eat with us."

"It does feel weird. Yeah. I will eat with you today."

She sprinkled some cheese on the eggs and put them in a bowl, taking it to the island where they would eat. Then she pushed the button on the toast to finish that up.

"Mrs. Thornton?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask…um…why are you here? Did you stay here last night?" he asked, causing both adults to choke.

"No," they both said once they stopped coughing.

"I am going to be working here when the Inn opens," she explained.

"But we aren't open yet."

"True, I just wanted to practice." She shrugged, taking a bite. "Plus, I'm missing my family."

"Oh. Do you have kids?"

"I do. A son and a daughter."

"How old are they?"

"Let's see. Jake is 24 and Gracie is 21."

"Cool. Why didn't they move with you?"

"King, eat, bud. You don't want to be late."

"I'm still waiting for my clothes anyway."

"I know, but maybe Mrs. Thornton wants to eat too."

"Oh, sorry."

"That's okay. They have their own lives now so they stayed there."

In the almost seven weeks she had been in Beesands, she couldn't believe she had never told King about her family. Then again, most of the time spent with them was actually just with Nathan. She wanted to get to know him too, so she would suggest that at some point.

"Oh. Well, you have us now, right?"

Nathan looked at his son and then at Elizabeth. Her eyes were doing that tearing up thing again. He hated when that happened. It made him just want to hug her.

"I do, yes. I'm so glad too," she said, winking at King.

After another few minutes, Kingston went upstairs to see if his uniform was dry yet, leaving Elizabeth to clean up. She was perfectly okay with that. She loved dishes.

"I'm sorry about all his questions."

"Don't be. I can't believe that in almost two months, he and I don't know the basic things about each other."

She sniffled and he walked over to pour himself another cup of coffee.

"Homesick today?"

"Something like that."

He put his arm around her for just a moment, trying to ignore how right it felt. She looked up at him and gave him a brave smile.

"I guess I don't like being alone either," she admitted.

"Anyone coming to visit for the holidays?"

"My best friend Rosie and her husband and daughter for Thanksgiving and the kids said they want to come for Christmas."

"That's good."

She thought of something she didn't know. "Nathan? Where are your parents?"

"My mom lives in Vermont, where I was born. My dad passed away a few years back."

"Is your mom coming to visit?"

"No. She has Alzheimer's. I call her once a week but she doesn't know who I am anymore."

She could see the pain in his eyes at that admission. "I'm sorry, Nathan."

"What about your parents, Elizabeth?"

"They live in an assisted living facility near Las Vegas. I call them a few times a week too."

She shook her head at her tears that were threatening to fall. "Gosh, I don't know what's up with me today." She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. "Can I have a moment?"

"Of course." She nodded and started walking off but he took a leap and held out his arms, offering a hug.

She ignored the adorable way he stood there in his bare feet and rumpled pajamas, looking much younger than herself. She just accepted his hug. She fit right under his chin and his arms around her made her feel something she hadn't felt in a very long time. About five years.

"Oh gosh, I'm in trouble. I'm a lot older and he wants more kids. I can't give him that. This can't work."

"Um, I need to go," she told him, walking away and hurrying out the door.

As soon as she got to her cottage, she first burst into tears, because her body had been wanting to do that all morning.

Then she called Rosie. She needed her best friend. "Beth! Hi!"

"Rosie," she mumbled, a fresh set of tears showing up.

"Oh, dear. What's wrong?"

"So many things."

"Such as…."

"I miss you. I miss everyone so much. I thought I was going to be fine but I'm not. Maybe this was a mistake."

"We miss you too, Beth and this was not a mistake. You love your cottage, don't you?"

"Yes."

"You love the town?"

"Yes."

"And you and Nathan…"

She hesitated. She had been talking about Nathan to Rosie but today was the first time her heart had shown her that she felt more than friendship.

"Beth? Do you have feelings for him?"

"I can't, Rosie. He wants more kids and he is so much younger. I can't give him kids. I'm fifty!"

"How young is he?"

"Forty six. He needs to find someone younger who can give him more kids. He and his wife wanted four. It doesn't make sense for us to be together."

"Except it does, doesn't it?"

"Yes. He's wonderful, Rosie. He hugged me today and I swear I wanted him to keep holding me. It felt so right." She left out the fact that they both hated being alone. That being friends with him had brought what she had been missing.

"I say go for it."

"Of course you do."

"No, really. Ask your daughter. I know what I'm talking about."

"Ask Gracie? Why's that?"

"Just ask her, dear."

"Okay." She wiped her eyes. "I don't think it would be fair to him to initiate something. He wants things I can't give him."

"You know there are ways to have kids where your age doesn't matter. Also, don't make that decision for him, Beth. He should get to choose who he is going to be with, don't you think?"

"Yeah. You're right."

"Aren't I always?"

"Mmhm." They both started laughing. "I love you, friend. I can't wait until Thanksgiving."

"It will be here soon."

She did some cleaning around her own cottage and then realized she had left the Inn without doing the dishes so she wandered back over there.

She rang the bell, causing Maverick to bark. It took a long moment but Nathan finally opened the door.

"Hey."

"Hey. Um, I realized I didn't do the dishes before I rushed out of here."

"I did them."

"It was my job. I cooked so I should clean."

"It's fine, Elizabeth."

No! No tears. They started again and now she was fully embarrassed.

He took her hand and pulled her gently to come inside.

"Let's talk. Maybe another cup of coffee will help."

"We do need to talk."

"Yes."

Once they both had their cup of coffee and they were sitting on his very comfortable couch, she just started talking.

"Um…so in the interest of full disclosure, I think we need to talk about the hug."

He blushed and looked down. "I'm sorry if I stepped over the line."

"Nathan, that hug was nice."

He nodded. It was.

"It felt like…I felt something between us. Something I haven't felt in about five years."

He nodded again and moved closer to her, putting his arm on the back of the couch, but not touching her.

"I am older than you."

"Four years."

"That's a lot."

"Actually, when you are sixteen, that's a lot. At our age, not so much."

"It is when you want more children and I can't give you that."

He moved his arm from behind her and took her hand. They both felt the power of touch as soon as their palms met.

"I wanted four children with Faith, Elizabeth. I was young and if you and I both wanted that, we could adopt. I'm not young anymore and….honestly, I just miss sharing my life with someone. Going to sleep next to someone and waking up next to them. I miss talking to someone about everything. Knowing someone so well that we can finish each other's sentences."

"Me too."

He moved his fingers between hers and looked into her eyes. "You are my best friend. I love talking to you every day. I love getting to know new things about you and having you near."

She felt a sense of relief and calm as he spoke. They did want the same things. He didn't see their age as an obstacle.

"So what are we agreeing to here?" she asked, squeezing his hand.

They sat there, close, their hands and legs touching for a long moment before he smiled that sexy, crooked smile of his. The one that lit up his face. The one she was falling for.

"Maybe I can get a sitter and we can go on a date."

"Okay," she agreed immediately. "I'd like that."

"Me too."

"Maybe this weekend? Like Saturday night?" she suggested.

"Yeah. Saturday is good."

So they just stayed there, drinking coffee, next to each other. It was peaceful. It made both of them feel like they had someone special in their lives again. It was comfortable.

That's what they both needed at this point in their lives. A companion that they happened to feel an attraction to. This could definitely work.