Henderson, Nevada

A few days later…..

"It's good to be home," Tara said as they walked in their house.

"Did you enjoy the trip, hon?" Jake asked her, rolling their suitcases toward the master.

"Of course I did. I'll always remember this trip." After all, he had proposed. They had traveled to London. They spent so much time together and that was beyond wonderful.

"But.."

"But, I love our life here, Jake. It's home. You're home."

He gave her a sweet kiss and smiled. "I love you."

"I love you more."

"I'm not looking forward to going back to work," he admitted.

"I thought you loved your job, babe."

"I do. I love spending time with you more. You and little Jackson Jesse Thornton."

She wrinkled her nose.

"No?"

"I guess we could call him JJ."

"I guess it's not very original," Jake admitted. "It can't be Jesse Jackson Thornton," he said with a laugh. "Poor kid."

"We will come up with something." She headed to the bathroom and he started a load of laundry.

They met in the kitchen and she made a shopping list. "Wanna order pizza, Jake? We have no food."

"Sure. Maybe we can watch a movie too?"

"Yeah. I'm going to call my parents and let them know we got home safely."

"Say hi for me," he told her.

They called them from Beesands Christmas Day to let them know that they were engaged. Jesse seemed a bit more pleased with their relationship at that point.

"I will."

Jake hopped in the shower since he knew that Tara would be chatting with her parents for a while. When he came out, his eye caught on a white envelope that still sat on his dresser. The one that had sat there since August when his mom had given it to him. He wasn't sure exactly why he hadn't read the letter from his dad yet, but there it sat, still sealed.

He sat on the bed and stared at it. Maybe it was time. He had made the choice to give Nathan his blessing…

"Babe?"

Tara sat next to Jake on the bed. "I think it's time to read it."

She leaned against his arm, wrapping her arm around his back. "I'm here."

He kissed her forehead and slid his finger under the flap.

"My son,

Jacob, first let me start by saying that as my firstborn, there is a certain level of responsibility placed on your shoulders. However, I wish I was there so you didn't feel the need to live up to those responsibilities before you're old enough.

That being said, I know that you are going to do a wonderful job. I know that you will take care of your sister and your mom and make sure they have everything they need.

I remember the day we brought you home from the hospital. You were so tiny, yet strong. Your mom instantly fell in love, like all mothers do with their children. It didn't matter one bit that she hadn't carried you. You were hers, ours.

As your father, I let my fear of messing up keep me from connecting with you right away. However, once your mother straightened up my thinking, I fell too. Hook, line, and sinker.

I loved holding you at night after giving you your bottle. As you grew, I loved reading you stories and answering all your "Why Daddy?" questions.

I loved taking you to the park and praying with you at night before bed.

You, my son, filled my heart with joy and laughter. Now that I know that I am leaving you too soon, I wish I had not wasted time. I wish I had worked less. I wish…so many things.

Don't confuse these wishes with regrets. I really can honestly say that my life has been wonderful. I haven't lacked anything, except more time with all of you.

I love you so very much, Jacob.

Remember the things I've taught you.

Put God first. Love your mother and your sister second. Then love yourself. Keep this in mind when you find someone to marry. God first, then her. Then yourself.

Love,

Dad

P.S. Make sure your mom finds someone someday, Jake. She deserves to be loved by someone her whole life. If I can't be the one, make sure that whoever he is, he deserves her and that he's good for her."

"He loved you so much, Jake," she whispered, kissing his damp cheeks.

"I loved him too. He was a very good man."

"How do you feel about Nathan?"

"He loves her. He's kind. I think Dad would have liked him."

Gracie went straight to Kate's first, knowing Aunt Rosie was there helping out. What she really wanted to do was to see Jude. But she promised she would check in there since he had been watching Kylie.

"Aunt Rosie?"

Gracie heard a squeal from down the hall which made her giggle. She had missed Aunt Rosie. There was no one more straightforward and loving than her.

"HI!" she squealed back, hugging her hard. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, snuggle bug. Now, tell me all about your trip. All the details! Was it wonderful? Did you spend lots of time with Jude?"

"You know that lighthouse?"

"Oh yes. Lee and I took a walk up there."

"We spent quite a bit of time there too. I swear he was going to propose, Aunt Rosie."

She squealed again. "Help me make dinner for our tenants? You can tell me about your mom and that hunky Nathan."

"Hunky?" Lee said from the doorway.

"Really, Rosie?"

"Well, Lee. All I'm saying is Beth made a good choice."

"Mmhm," he said, kissing her cheek. "I'm headed home to get our daughter and take her to her appointment. When will you be home?"

"After dinner, dear."

"So we are on our own?"

"Yep."

"So what tenants do we have?" Gracie asked after Lee left.

"Amber is still here. We also had an eighteen year old move in. We call her Evelyn."

Gracie nodded. She knew that both women would not be using their real names for security purposes. "Eighteen."

"Yes. She's in bad shape."

"Has she been seen by a doctor?"

"She refuses. It breaks my heart."

"I don't need your pity," Evelyn said from the doorway, her arms crossed defensively.

"No pity, dear. Just concern. I hope you aren't opposed to sandwiches," Rosie said sweetly.

"I'm not hungry."

"You know the policy, Evelyn," Rosie said firmly. "Eating something is part of your recovery. At least a few bites."

"I don't need a mom."

"Maybe not but you are still welcome to come to me with any concern."

Evelyn grabbed an apple from a bowl. "There. Now I'm not breaking any rules."

With that, she spun and walked away.

"Are you anxious to see Jude?" Rosie asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, but I promised to come here first."

"Everything is just fine here. Let him know not to worry, Maddie is doing a wonderful job."

"I will."

Beesands, Elizabeth's cottage

Elizabeth sighed with happiness as she walked back into her cottage. She put her keys in the bowl on the counter and headed upstairs to take a bubble bath.

She and Nathan had filled out the adoption application that night. They had talked about getting siblings as well, as opposed to one child.

Then she pointed out what she felt was obvious but that warranted being mentioned anyway. "Well, at this point, my name isn't Elizabeth Grant."

"That is true. Don't worry though. By the time we send this in, it will be."

"Do you want to wait that long, though?"

"It won't be too long, Bess."

It won't be too long? Really? She wondered what in the world he meant by too long. A few months? A year?

She asked him and he just said, "Patience is a virtue, my love."

She loved the phrase "my love" even more than when he called her Bess. She was finding herself more and more enamored with the tall, handsome Innkeeper every day.

As she bathed, she sent him a text. "I hope you sleep well."

"U2, Bess."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

The whole short conversation made her feel like she was a much younger person in love. Regardless of the fact that she was the opposite, love was an overwhelmingly wonderful thing to feel.

Over in the Inn, Nathan sat by the fire in the living room and looked at a picture of the two of them they had taken at Christmas. He loved that woman so much.

"Dad?"

"Hey, bud. What are you doing up?"

"I don't know."

"What's on your mind?"

"Elizabeth. You and Elizabeth."

"That's not something you need to worry about, bud."

"I'm not worried. I just…what if she leaves? What if she misses her kids so much that she decides she doesn't want to be here anymore?"

"That won't happen, bud."

"How do you know?"

"Because I just do. You are going to have to trust me on this one."

"What was Mum like?" he asked, curling up next to him.

"Like you. Kind and thoughtful and loved to cook and she was so beautiful."

"Did she love me?"

"So much. She adored being home with you. Feeding you. Rocking you. Reading stories and singing to you. She was meant to be a mother."

"I wish I could remember her."

"Be right back, son." Nathan headed to his office and pulled down the photo album with family pictures. He wished there had been more.

"I know that you don't remember her, King," he said as he walked back in the room. Then he stopped, noticing his not so little boy was fast asleep on the couch.

Nathan covered him and took a seat on the leather chair by the fireplace, opening the album. They'd look at the pictures together later.

Back in the states….

Gracie rushed up the sidewalk to Jude's parent's home, thankful for GPS.

She knocked on the door loudly and waited. It didn't take long.

Kylie and Jude opened the door. "Hi!"

Kylie said with a grin before she hugged her hips.

"Hi, sweet pea."

Jude's eyes met hers and it took all she had not to fly into his arms. Oh, she wanted to kiss him so badly. It had been a really long week.

"Hey," he said, reaching for her hand.

"Hey."

"Kylie, will you go clean up your toys in the living room for me?" he asked.

"I guess," she said dramatically, with a roll to her eyes.

"She's got a big attitude for such a small thing," she giggled.

Jude closed the door as he stepped out on the porch, wrapping his arms around her in one smooth motion.

He sighed as if now his world was complete. Hers certainly was.

"Jude, I missed you so much," she whispered, tightening her hold on him.

"I missed you too, babe." He missed the way she always smelled of coconut and fit perfectly in his arms. He missed the feel and taste of her lips…

She loosened her embrace and kissed him, obviously reading his mind.

"Mmm," he moaned. "Mm, I love you."

"I love you too."

Someone cleared their throat from the doorway. "Sorry, son but it's time for bath, stories and bedtime for Kylie. Gotta keep that schedule."

He shut the door and Jude gave a slight roll of his eyes.

"That's where she gets it from," Gracie teased.

"I'm sorry. My dad and his schedule...because Kylie has one, now I have one. I'm not a child."

"Of course you're not, babe." She gave him another slow kiss. "I'll help you with Kylie and then we can spend some time together."

"Sounds good."