"Hold on, let me see if I've got this straight," Faith said, her eyes brimming with mirth as she looked at Elizabeth over her coffee cup. "You accused Nathan of having a wife and a daughter?" She laughed, shaking her head. "Even I know his sister and niece live with him. He's mentioned them several times when he's been in here. I've even met them, since they sometimes come too."
Elizabeth blushed. "It was a rash assumption, I admit. It just looked so suspicious."
Faith's eyes softened in understanding. "And this is the first time you've allowed yourself to open up since Jack's death. I can see why you would have thought that. You didn't know." Her eyes lit up. "But now it's all cleared up, and you have a date tonight! You haven't been on a date in forever!"
Laughing, Elizabeth nodded. "It's been over five years."
Faith reached across the table, taking Elizabeth's hand. "It's about time, Elizabeth. I'm so glad that you're giving Nathan a chance. He seems like a really good man."
"He does," Elizabeth said softly.
Faith grinned. "Well, I volunteer to help you get ready. I'm sure Rosemary will be hankering to help too. She's going to be over the moon when she hears about your date!"
Elizabeth had a feeling Faith was right. Rosemary came over around 5:00 with Faith, sitting on Elizabeth's couch. "What's this all about?" she asked. "So much secrecy! I don't think you've ever asked me to come over without some kind of explanation."
Faith and Elizabeth smiled at each other. "Well," Elizabeth said slowly. "I knew I would need help from both of you since it's been so long since I've done something like this."
"Something like what?" Rosemary said with a laugh. "Are you going on a date?" She said it teasingly, knowing full well Elizabeth hadn't been on a date in years.
"As a matter of fact, yes," Elizabeth said, waiting for Rosemary's reaction.
She didn't have to wait long. Rosemary blinked, then blinked again. "You have a date?" Her eyes widened and her lips formed an O. "Is it with Nathan?" she asked, her voice getting higher pitched with each syllable.
Elizabeth simply nodded.
"Oh!" Rosemary squealed, pure joy radiating from her face. "I knew it! I knew you two would hit it off!" She clapped her hands, looking between her two friends. "When is the date?"
"In about an hour."
Rosemary's mouth fell open. "An hour?" she repeated. "Elizabeth! That doesn't give us much time at all!" She sprang up. "We need to get you ready! Come on, come on. To the bathroom!"
The three of them crowded in Elizabeth's master bath. Rosemary plugged in a curling iron while Faith brushed out Elizabeth's hair. "Really, ladies, I am perfectly capable of doing my own hair and makeup," Elizabeth tried to protest, but to no avail.
"Oh, no you don't!" Rosemary said, waving the curling iron around in the air. "We are going to make you look like a princess. You deserve some pampering. Now sit still while we get you all dolled up."
Within thirty minutes, Rosemary had Elizabeth's hair curled and styled in a half-up/half-down hairstyle and Faith had done her makeup in a way that enhanced Elizabeth's face but still looked natural. They studied their work and nodded. "Perfect!" Rosemary pronounced.
"You look beautiful, Elizabeth," Faith said, smiling.
"On to the dress!" Rosemary said, leading the way to the closet. She thumbed through Elizabeth's dresses. "My goodness, I haven't seen you wear a dress outside of church in ages! I forgot you had most of these."
Elizabeth shrugged. "I guess I just haven't felt like dressing up for a long time." She smiled. "It feels good to have a reason to do so again," she said softly.
"And what a reason it is!" Rosemary exclaimed. "Nathan isn't going to know what hit him when he sees you." She pulled a purple sundress from the hanger, holding it up to Elizabeth. She nodded. "I think this would be fabulous. Oh, with this," she said as she found a lacy white shawl. "The shawl is light but will add elegance to the outfit." Handing Elizabeth the clothes, she started rooting through her shoes. "Now, let's see. Heels are perfect for date night…"
"Um, Rosie, I don't think heels would be a good idea," Elizabeth said, poking her head back into the closet.
"Why ever not?"
Elizabeth pointed to the boot on her leg.
Rosemary pursed her lips. "I suppose you're right. One flat, coming right up." She dug around some more before emerging from the closest with a strappy, silver sandal. "This will go perfectly with the dress!" She eyed Elizabeth's boot. "Nothing we can do about that, but at least the dress is long enough to cover pretty much all of it." She helped Elizabeth put the shoe on. "Now, go put on that dress!"
As Elizabeth dressed, she could feel her excitement - and nervousness - building. It had been so long. Did she even remember how one was supposed to act on a date?
She took a deep breath and walked back into her room, twirling for Rosemary and Faith. "Well? Will this do?"
"Will it do?" Rosemary said, hands clasped together. "Elizabeth, you look beautiful!"
"You really do," Faith affirmed. "Radiant, really."
Elizabeth turned to look in her full-length mirror. She smiled. It felt good to dress up, to have a reason to dress up. She turned again and hugged Faith and Rosemary. "You two are the best! Thank you for all your help."
The doorbell rang. Butterflies began dancing in Elizabeth's stomach. "He's here."
Rosemary squeezed her hand and smiled. "Have fun, Elizabeth, and enjoy your time with Nathan. He's a wonderful man. You deserve to be happy."
A tear threatened to slip down Elizabeth's cheek. Rosemary shook her head frantically. "No, no! No tears! You can't ruin Faith's amazing makeup job!"
Elizabeth laughed. "Heaven forbid that happen." She carefully wiped the tear away and smiled at them. "I love you ladies."
"And we love you," Faith said, smiling. "Now go!"
Elizabeth walked to her front door and pulled it open. Nathan was standing there in a crisp white shirt and navy blue pants. He smiled when he saw her, producing a bouquet of carnations from behind his back. "Good evening, Elizabeth. These are for you."
"Carnations are my favorite!" she exclaimed, burying her nose in the flowers. She smiled at him cheekily. "Was this a lucky guess, or did you have inside information?"
"That's classified," Nathan said with a big grin. "But a little bird might have made a suggestion."
"I don't suppose that little bird's name is Lee?" Elizabeth asked.
"Of course it was Lee!" Rosemary said, coming up behind Elizabeth. She took the flowers and gave Elizabeth a gentle push out the door. "I'll put these in water. Have fun, you two!" She shut the door behind them.
Elizabeth chuckled, taking the arm Nathan offered her. "Kicked out of my own home. I guess there's a first time for everything!"
Nathan opened the car door for her. "Rosemary seems very excited about this," he said as he helped her get settled in her seat.
"Oh, she is," Elizabeth said once he slid into the driver's side. "I think 'over the moon' would be a good way of putting it." She looked out the window. "So, where are we going?"
"Bella Vida," Nathan replied, backing the car out of the driveway.
Elizabeth stared at him, amazed. "Did someone suggest that one to you?"
He shook his head. "Nope, I just thought you might like it. Have you been there?"
She laughed. "Not yet. I've been wanting to try it out for months but never got around to it. I love Italian food!"
"One more thing we have in common," Nathan said, shooting her a smile. Elizabeth felt the now-familiar butterflies again as his eyes met hers. Her heart pounded and she gave him a tremulous smile. He started the car and backed out of the driveway. Ten minutes later they arrived at the restaurant. Nathan helped Elizabeth out of the car and extended his arm again. She took it and smiled. He certainly was a gentleman.
The hostess smiled at them when they entered. "Good evening. Just the two of you this evening?"
Nathan nodded. The hostess picked up the menus and motioned for them to follow her. "This way." She seated them at a booth connected to the floor-to-ceiling windows with a spectacular view of the ocean and the setting sun.
Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat, and for a few moments she simply stared out the window, watching the play of colors dancing against the water. "That is beautiful," she whispered. Nathan stood next to her, looking out as well. He nodded. "It's incredible."
The hostess smiled. "Our restaurant is popular for its food and for the views," she said, setting the menus on the table. Elizabeth and Nathan took their seats. "Your server will be right with you. Enjoy!"
Elizabeth shook her head, still looking out at the ocean. She couldn't seem to take her eyes off of it. A light clicking sound brought her attention back to Nathan. He had his phone in hand, trained on her. She raised her brows. "Did you just take a picture of me?"
He nodded, grinning. "You looked so lovely." He held the phone out to her. "See? I've never quite seen a look of awe like that before."
Elizabeth looked at the picture. He was right - she looked awed. The setting sun had cast its light over her face, contrasting with the darker restaurant. "This is actually a good picture," she admitted, handing the phone back.
Nathan laughed. "Good? I'd say it's my best yet, though that's not through any skill of my own. This was all you."
Elizabeth blushed, looking quickly at the menu. "I wonder what's good here," she said, changing the subject before her cheeks got any redder.
"Everything." They looked up to see their waiter standing there with a smile. "My name is Henry, I'll be taking care of you this evening," he said. "And I meant it. Literally everything here is good. You can't go wrong. Can I start you with anything to drink?"
"A glass of the blackberry sangria, please," Elizabeth said. "And water."
"Make that two," Nathan said. He opened the menu and raised his brows. "Oh wow, these are a lot of options."
"Mmhmm," Elizabeth agreed. She closed her menu. "I know what I want."
Nathan's brows raised further. "Already? How?"
Smiling, Elizabeth pointed to the pasta section on his menu. "Easy. I love pasta, and the sage tortellini in brown butter sauce with sausage caught my attention right away. So that's what I'm going with." She leaned back. "I closed the menu so that I wouldn't look any further, because then I would start changing my mind and then I'd never decide."
Nathan laughed. "Good point." He glanced over his menu for a minute, then nodded. "I think I'll go with the lasagna."
"Classic."
"I love the classics," Nathan said, his eyes twinkling. "Food, movies, music. The classics are the best."
"What's your favorite classic movie?" Elizabeth asked, resting her chin on her propped up hands.
"Oh, that's easy," Nathan said. "The Philadelphia Story."
"That's so good!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "You can't go wrong with the trio of Grant, Stewart, and Hepburn."
"True," Nathan said. "What's your favorite modern movie?"
"Lord of the Rings," Elizabeth said without hesitation.
Nathan smiled. "Theater version or extended?"
"Is that even a question?" Elizabeth asked in mock horror. "Extended, of course!"
Chuckling, Nathan said, "Good to know. This relationship might have been over before it began if you didn't say extended."
She could hear the teasing in his voice, and she felt happy that he was comfortable enough with her to tease her. She fluttered her lashes at him. "This could be a deal breaker, too. Crosby or Sinatra?"
"Both," he said immediately. "Definitely both."
"You have chosen wisely," Elizabeth said solemnly. They both broke into laughter as Henry came back to their table.
"Glad we're having a good time," he said with a smile, placing their drinks in front of them. "What can I get you?"
They gave him their orders. Henry wrote them down, then asked, "Any appetizers to start?"
Nathan and Elizabeth looked at each other. "That does sound good," Elizabeth said.
"What do you recommend?" Nathan asked Henry.
Henry looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'd say either the roasted pepper and mozzarella bruschetta or the bacon wrapped dates."
"Which sounds good to you?" Nathan asked Elizabeth.
"How to decide?" Elizabeth exclaimed. "They both sound delicious!"
Nathan smiled at her. "I guess we'll just have to come back to try the other."
Smiling a little shyly at him, Elizabeth said, "I'd like that."
Henry looked between them, clearly amused. "So…your order?"
Blinking, Elizabeth looked at him. "Why don't we go with the bruschetta this time?"
"Perfect," he said, writing it down. "It'll be out shortly."
Elizabeth looked at Nathan. "We'll have to come back? Does that mean you've already set up our second date?"
"Maybe," he said, taking a sip of his sangria. "I would love to take you out again."
"This date has hardly begun, and you already know that?"
Nathan looked into her eyes, his face suddenly serious and sincere. "Elizabeth, I would love to keep getting to know you. I know we haven't known each other long, but I really like you. So yes, I want to keep taking you on dates."
Elizabeth felt the flush cover her cheeks at the look in his eyes. He meant it. And she suddenly realized that she wanted that too. "I'd like that," she said a little shyly.
Reaching across the table, Nathan took her hand in his. "Good," he said, smiling. They sat that way for a few moments, gazing at each other until their appetizer came to the table. Nathan released her hand, and their conversation continued. Elizabeth got the sense that with him around, she would be cherished and protected.
She hadn't felt that way in a long time. The new feelings rising within her were both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Before Nathan came along, she would have run from these feelings. Now she welcomed them wholeheartedly, excited to see where this new chapter might take her.
Nathan paid the bill, then led Elizabeth out of the restaurant. "Are you up for a walk on the beach?" he asked, motioning to her leg.
She nodded. "My leg is doing quite well. A walk sounds lovely." They made their way down the short sidewalk to the sand. Elizabeth slipped off her sandal, letting it dangle loosely in her hand. "It might be a little strange limping around since I can't take off this boot, but sandals are not conducive to sand walking."
Nathan chuckled, leading her to the wet sand at the water's edge. "Why don't we walk here so that it's a little easier for you?"
"Sounds good to me."
Nathan held onto her arm, keeping her steady as they walked. The full moon shone brightly over the water with not a cloud in sight. It was a beautiful night, made more beautiful by the woman beside him.
He had never felt this way before. Elizabeth had gotten under his skin faster than he thought was possible. He knew already that he was better because she was in his life, and he cared for her deeply.
"Nathan?" Elizabeth said, looking up at him.
He could get lost in her eyes. "Yes?"
"Have you ever been in love?"
He looked out over the ocean, wondering what her reaction would be. "No, I haven't."
"Never?" She looked surprised.
He shook his head. "I've never met the right woman," he said simply.
She gazed at him for a moment. "But you're thirty-five. You must have been interested in pursuing a relationship with someone in that time."
He looked directly at her. "I can think of exactly one woman I would pursue a relationship with."
Even in the darkness, he could see her cheeks turn darker. He hid a smile, watching her. His heart was on his sleeve, and he was okay with that. He wanted her to know that he cared. Nathan tucked her arm closer to him and walked on. "What about you? Have you been in love?"
He could see something flash through her eyes. She took a deep breath, then answered simply. "Yes. Once."
Before he could debate the wisdom of asking for details, Elizabeth continued. "I was engaged about five years ago."
Engaged? "What happened?" Nathan asked softly, sensing that this was a sensitive topic for Elizabeth. At the inscrutable look on her face, he said, "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
"I don't mind," she said. "I feel like I can tell you."
He felt honored that she trusted him that much.
Elizabeth breathed in again before starting her story. "Jack was a Marine. A good one. He felt the military was his calling."
Nathan felt his heart drop. He could already tell where this was going, but he let her continue.
"We were dating for about four years when he proposed. We planned our wedding for a few months, and then he was deployed to the Middle East. We had to postpone the wedding since he was going to be gone for six months."
She trailed off, her eyes suddenly looking shuttered. Nathan held onto her hand, hoping she could feel his support. She glanced at him with gratitude, then went on. "We were talking on the phone one night. He told me he had to go, but I kept trying to keep him on the line. I just didn't want to let him go that night. I can't explain it; I just had a feeling something was off. So I kept talking." A tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away. "I didn't know it at the time, but I caused him to be late for a mission. Their Jeep was five minutes behind schedule because of that." She took a shuddering breath. "They were ambushed by terrorists. The Jeep hit multiple grenades at once." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "None of them survived."
He heard what she wasn't saying. He stopped walking and turned her to face him. "You blame yourself, don't you?" he asked, searching her tear-filled eyes. She didn't need to answer. He could see the guilt reflected in her eyes. He framed her face in his hands. "Elizabeth, that was not your fault."
She sniffed. "I know that in my mind. But my heart isn't quite convinced. I wonder if they might have taken a different route if they weren't late. I wonder if those grenades would have been there five minutes before. I wonder..." Tears started falling down her cheeks.
"It's not your fault," Nathan reiterated. "What happened was the result of bad men trying to sabotage our military forces. You had nothing to do with that."
Elizabeth looked a bit like a lost little girl. Nathan couldn't help himself. He enfolded her in his arms, holding her tight. He could feel her body shaking and could hear the sobs she was trying to hide. He rubbed her back. "Let it out, Elizabeth," he whispered.
She did. Her sobs wracked her body while he held her, physically keeping her upright. Eventually her sobs lessened, and she leaned her head against his chest, her hands clinging to his shirt. He was surprised when she spoke. "I haven't been held since Jack died."
Now it was his turn to be surprised. He spoke against her hair. "You haven't dated since Jack?"
"No. It wasn't for lack of opportunity. I just haven't been ready." She looked up at him. "Until now."
His heart thumped in his chest. He gently wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled at her tenderly. "I'm glad you gave me a chance."
She laughed, the sound lightening the mood. "So am I." She looked directly at him. "I really like you, Nathan."
Heart tripping, he ran his fingers lightly down her cheek. "I really like you too, Elizabeth."
She smiled. "I didn't think I could feel something for anyone after Jack died. Then you came along." Her eyes were clear now as she looked at him. "I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes."
"Me too," Nathan said, framing her face in his hands. "You are a special woman, Elizabeth." Looking into her eyes, he said, "I hope you realize that. "
Vulnerability shone in the depths of her eyes, and she dropped them momentarily. Nathan lifted her chin, and her eyes found his again. "I mean it." He bent and kissed her forehead, then threaded her arm through his. "Shall we go back to the car?"
She nodded, leaning her head against his shoulder as they walked. Nathan was glad she had confided in him. He felt much closer to her now, and he had an inkling that she felt the same. Where this relationship would go remained a mystery, but one thing was certain.
He wanted Elizabeth Thatcher to stay in his life.
Watching from a car several spots down, the man crouched down in his seat as Detective Grant escorted the woman to his car. The two of them were getting close. He had seen the detective kiss her forehead. She meant a lot to him.
The man grinned. Yes, this was going to come in handy. Detective Grant was clearly developing feelings for his only eye witness. He could use this to his advantage. Starting the car, he pulled out of his parking spot and drove off into the night.
