Nathan pushed the door to his house open, letting Elizabeth enter first. She looked around with a smile. "You have a nice home, Nathan."
"Thanks," he said, pleased that she liked it. "Follow me." He led her through the hall to a room near the back of the house. "This will be your room," he said, placing her suitcase on the floor. The room was bright and sunny, decorated simply but still pretty. Colleen had taken one look at the house when she'd moved in and insisted on making it presentable. He'd allowed her to spruce it up, and he had to admit she had done a wonderful job.
"Wow," Elizabeth said, sounding impressed. "I love it. Looks very comfortable. I like the yellow theme."
"I wish I could take credit, but that was all Colleen," Nathan said with a laugh. "I have no talent for decorating. My sister is an actual interior designer. She has a color theme for each of the bedrooms." He looked around. "This one is definitely the sunshine room."
"She did an amazing job," Elizabeth said.
Nathan nodded. "I'll let you get settled in."
She smiled, a look of gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you, Nathan. For everything."
"My pleasure," he said, returning her smile. He walked down the hall to the kitchen, readying some items for their upcoming date. He had planned a surprise date, and he hoped she liked it. Most of the items he had packed last night, and while Elizabeth settled in he got the rest ready.
The screen door slammed shut and Allie raced into the kitchen, skidding to a stop when she saw Nathan "Hi, Uncle Nathan!" she said brightly.
"Hey, Allie," he said, ruffling her hair. "How was school?"
"Fine," Allie said, dropping her backpack in a chair. Going to the fridge, she rooted around for a snack. Finding an apple, she brought it to the table and sat down. She took a big bite and asked, "Did Ms. Thatcher come yet?"
"Don't talk with your mouth full, Allie," Nathan said gently. "And yes, she's here. She's just getting settled in her room."
"Actually, I'm all done," Elizabeth said, appearing in the kitchen. She sat on the chair next to Allie. "Hi, Allie. It's good to see you again."
"You too!" Allie said enthusiastically. Never one to be anything except blunt, she asked, "Can I call you Auntie Elizabeth, or would you prefer Ms. Thatcher?"
Elizabeth laughed. "You can call me Auntie. I definitely prefer that to Ms. Thatcher."
"Cool!" Allie replied, beaming. She looked between Nathan and Elizabeth. "I hear Uncle Nathan is taking you to…"
"Ah, ah, it's a surprise!" Nathan said, clamping a hand over Allie's mouth. She looked up at him, her signature impish look in her eyes. He removed his hand to find a huge grin on her face. Leaning forward, Allie whispered to Elizabeth, "You're gonna like this!"
"Don't you have homework?" Nathan asked dryly.
Allie blinked at him, a sassy smile on her face. "No, sir! I already did my homework in study hall." She finished her apple and threw the core in the trash. "I gotta go change into play clothes. Anna and Opal and I are going to go to the beach!"
"Sounds like fun," Elizabeth said as Allie vanished into her room.
Nathan smiled. "She loves her friends. They get along so well." He came to her and offered her his arm. "Why don't I give you a tour of the house, so you know where everything is?"
Elizabeth was fascinated with the house, and she let him know. It was all one level, with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a living room, a family room, a sun room, and a large kitchen and dining room.
"Wow, Nathan," Elizabeth said as they made their way back to the kitchen. "This is a wonderful layout. You really got a gem."
Smiling, Nathan agreed. "I wasn't planning on getting a bigger house, but I knew Colleen and Steve and Allie would stay here sometimes, and I wanted to have plenty of space for them." He looked around. "I like it here. It's not too big for one person, but it fits four quite comfortably. Which is a good thing, since there will be four of us here until we find the bad guys."
Elizabeth leaned against a counter. "Did you find anything on that brick?"
Nathan nodded, remembering his relief at the station earlier. "We found a fingerprint. A full fingerprint at that. We're having our forensics team run it through the system. We should know tomorrow who it belongs to."
"Nathan, that's wonderful!" Elizabeth said, throwing her arms around him in her excitement. Nathan felt his heart start thumping. Every time they touched, his heart beat double time. He wrapped his arms around her, sharing her excitement. After a moment, they both pulled back slowly. Elizabeth smiled a little nervously and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, looking at Nathan with vulnerability shining in her eyes.
Allie burst into the kitchen, breaking the spell. "Uncle Nathan, can you let my mom know that I'll be home around 7:00?"
Nathan's brows raised. "Did you talk to her about this already?"
She nodded. "But you know how she needs to be reminded about things sometimes."
Nathan laughed. "True enough. Why don't you text her and let her know? That would probably work best."
"Okay!" Allie said, heading for the door. "See you later. Enjoy your surprise date!" She grinned and ran out the door.
"She seems precocious," Elizabeth said, laughing. "I like her."
"Allie is a wonderful child," Nathan said. "Not that I'm biased at all."
"Oh no, not at all!" Elizabeth said, trying to keep a straight face and failing. She chuckled, then yawned. "If you don't mind, I think I'm going to take a little nap. I'm pretty tired."
"Sounds good," Nathan said. "I'll wake you when it's time for our date."
Elizabeth smiled at him. "I'm looking forward to it."
"Elizabeth," a voice said. Someone gently brushed hair from her face, then placed a hand on her shoulder. "Elizabeth, are you ready to get up?"
"Five more minutes," she murmured, turning over sleepily. She heard a chuckle, then someone sat on the edge of the bed.
"Come on, sunshine. It's time for our date."
Date? Their date! Elizabeth's eyes opened wide, and she sat up suddenly, almost bumping Nathan's forehead in the process. "Whoops! Sorry, Nathan. Did I hit you?"
He leaned back, looking amused. "No, not this time. I don't think I've ever seen anyone pop up quite that quickly, though."
She pushed the covers back as Nathan stood, swinging her feet to the floor. "You said not to wear anything fancy, right?"
"Correct," he said, a smile in his eyes. "Wear something that you would be comfortable wearing to the beach."
"The beach?"
"Yes ma'am." He winked and walked out of the room.
Elizabeth got up and put on her bathing suit, then put jean shorts and a blue flowy top over it. She slid her feet into her most comfortable pair of slippers. She smiled as she remembered getting used to calling those shoes "slippers." When she lived in New York, they were called "flip flops," but on the islands everyone called them slippers. It had taken about a year, but she finally had gotten used to the new terminology.
She poked her head out of her room. "Do I need to bring a beach bag?"
Nathan in turn looked out of his room. "Just a beach towel should be fine."
"Okay." She rummaged through one of her new drawers, pulling out her favorite towel. She put it under her arm and headed for the living room.
Nathan joined her, a backpack on his back and a beach bag in hand. "You ready?" he asked with a giant smile.
"I am!" Elizabeth said, looking forward to whatever he had planned. They walked to his car, and Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Is that a canoe?" she asked, looking at the item on top of Nathan's car.
"Sure is," he said with a chuckle, placing the bags in the backseat. He opened Elizabeth's door. "M'lady," he said with a little bow.
Elizabeth laughed and slid in. When he got in the driver's side, she looked at him with a half-teasing, half-serious expression. "It's nice to know chivalry isn't dead."
He just smiled in response and started the car. Elizabeth wanted to ask where they were going, but she knew he wouldn't tell her. He wanted their date to be a surprise.
She didn't have to wait long to find out. Nathan pulled into the main parking lot at the beach closest to his house. The lot was not very crowded since it was evening. He grinned at her. "Ready for our little adventure?" He got out of the car, opened the door for her, then got the backpack and beach bag from the backseat. Placing the bag on the ground, he started untying the canoe. "Can you help me get this down?" he asked.
Elizabeth pulled the straps from the canoe, lifting it down with Nathan. He put the beach bag and backpack into the canoe, and they carried it together to the dock. Nathan extended his hand to Elizabeth, helping her into the canoe. He braced himself, then took a running start to push it all the way into the water, jumping in just as his feet would have hit the water. He handed Elizabeth a paddle, then picked up his.
Elizabeth laughed, positioning her paddle over the water. "Where are we going?"
Nathan pointed straight ahead. "See that island?"
Elizabeth looked, finding the little island that was fondly called Paradise by the locals. "We're going there?"
"Yep," Nathan said, starting to paddle. "Have you been there before?"
Elizabeth shook her head, focusing on getting a rhythm with her paddle. "No, but I've always wanted to. I've heard it's beautiful."
"I've never been there either," Nathan said. "But I've heard it's relatively empty in the evenings."
Elizabeth looked back at him. "And what are we going to be doing there?"
He just smiled again. "You'll see."
They got to the island fairly quickly. Nathan jumped out, pulling the canoe to the shore. He took Elizabeth's hand and helped her out, then got the bags out. They got the canoe fully onto the sand. Elizabeth looked around. "Looks pretty deserted."
Nathan smiled, slinging the backpack on. "I figured it would be." He grabbed her hand with a grin. "Want to explore?"
Elizabeth nodded enthusiastically. She loved exploring new places, and this small island looked beautiful. They walked for about ten minutes before coming to a quiet lagoon surrounded by plants and trees, with a medium sized waterfall flowing gently into the pool. "Oh!" Elizabeth said, coming to a complete stop. "I've never seen anything quite so lovely." The sight mesmerized her.
Nathan put the bags down, then wrapped an arm around Elizabeth's shoulders, taking in the scene in front of them. They stood quietly for several minutes, just drinking in the peace. After a while, Nathan pulled his phone from the beach bag. "Let's take a picture," he said, turning so that their backs were to the lagoon. Elizabeth scooted close to his side, relishing the chance to be close to him. Nathan held out his arm and snapped a few pictures in quick succession, then reviewed the pictures. He smiled. "These are good."
Elizabeth looked at them too, amazed. "How did you manage to get the entire lagoon in the background?" she asked. "Is your arm that long?"
Nathan laughed. "Apparently so." He put the phone back in the bag and smiled. "Want to go swimming?"
"Absolutely!" Elizabeth said, looking at the water. "I don't think I've ever seen such clear water in my life." She put her shorts and shirt on a nearby rock, then waded into the lagoon. She gasped as the cold water lapped at her swimsuit, the shock of cold seeping into the material. With a deep breath in, she dove in and swam underwater for a few moments, then broke the surface and came up again. Her feet touched the bottom of the lagoon, and she was able to stand and walk around. "It's not deep!" she called to Nathan, who was watching her with an amused expression on his face. "What?"
He laughed. "Nothing much. Do you always dive in right away?"
She grinned. "Only when it's cold. I think the water is colder than the ocean since it's secluded here and not very sunny with all the trees. It's always best to just jump in and get over the initial shock of cold. Actually, it already feels much warmer." She splashed some water at him. "Are you coming in?"
In response he dove in headfirst, surfacing a foot away from her. He shook water from his hair, standing. "You're right, it's not deep at all."
Elizabeth leaned back, floating in the water, treading it lightly with her arms. She closed her eyes, letting the light breeze wash over her. "I can see why they call this Paradise Island," she said.
"It is stunning," Nathan agreed, swimming toward the waterfall. He peered around it, then said, "Hey! There's a little cave back here!"
"Really?" Elizabeth said, turning and swimming toward him. Nathan disappeared behind the waterfall, his voice echoing back at her. "It's small, but it's definitely a cave."
Elizabeth followed his voice, finding the way into the cave. It was about four feet wide and four feet deep. Elizabeth was able to stand without touching the rock ceiling, but Nathan had to duck to avoid hitting his head.
"This must be how Gandalf felt in Bag End," Nathan said as he sat cross-legged on the ground.
Elizabeth chuckled, sitting next to him. "Nice reference," she said with a smile. They sat there watching the curtain of water falling over the mouth of the cave. "This is pretty cool," Elizabeth said in awe. "Look at how the light from the sun is playing with the water. It looks like a million crystals."
"It does," Nathan agreed. "It's amazing." They watched the water for a few minutes, then went back to the lagoon and swam around, laughing and talking. The sun filtered through the trees, casting its light on the water and making the sand at the bottom of the pool sparkle.
"I think…" Elizabeth's thought was cut off as something slimy slid against her leg. With a shriek, she automatically threw herself backwards away from the slimy creature, straight into Nathan's chest. He peered over her shoulder, his body shaking with laughter as he watched the small fish swim away. "I take it you're not a fan of fish?" he asked, wrapping a strong arm around Elizabeth.
She turned with a huff. "I'll have you know that is an unusual occurrence. It startled me, that's all."
"Uh huh," he said, still smiling, clearly not believing her.
She opened her mouth to say something, but the words died in her throat as she realized how close they were. She became fully aware of his body against hers, of his arms around her. Looking up, she noticed how close his face was. She could see just how brilliantly blue his eyes were, and how they were intensely focused on hers. His gaze dropped to her lips, and she felt a thrill run through her. In that moment, she realized she wanted nothing more than to be kissed by Nathan.
He leaned forward slightly, then hesitated, his eyes going back to hers. She tilted her head, feeling slight confusion. What was he waiting for?
Slowly, his arms fell to his side and he took a step back. Clearing his throat, he said, "Why don't we head back to shore? I still have a few more surprises for you."
She watched as he swam back to the bank, confusion filling her. What had just happened? She followed, wading onto the shore and grabbing her towel to dry off. Her thoughts ran through her mind in a jumbled mess. She had been sure Nathan was going to kiss her. Why had he pulled away?
He took her hand as they walked back to the beach, acting as though nothing had happened. As confused as she was, she decided to wait to ask him about it. He must have his reasons, and she meant to find out what they were before this date was over. But for now, she would give him the benefit of the doubt.
They returned to the beach, and Nathan pulled a blanket from his beach bag, settling it over a shaded section of sand. Elizabeth sat on the blanket, looking at him. "So, what are these other surprises you mentioned?"
He smiled, holding up the large backpack. "A romantic picnic dinner." He looked out at the horizon. "And we get to watch the sunset."
Elizabeth followed his gaze, noting that the sun would be setting in about half an hour. She smiled. "Another sunset together," she said softly.
He looked at her tenderly, the look in his eyes melting her insides. Whatever his reasons for not kissing her, she knew for a fact it wasn't because he didn't care. He cared for her. And she cared for him. Secure in that knowledge, she smiled at him. "Do you need help setting anything up?"
"Nope," he said. "I've got this." He pulled out several packages, then produced two plates. He unwrapped each package to reveal steak and cheese sandwiches, macaroni salad, and fresh pineapple. He handed her a plate, then pulled a bottle of wine from the bag along with two well-wrapped wine glasses. Unwrapping them, he poured each of them a glass. "Cheers," he said. Elizabeth smiled, clinking her glass against his. After a quick prayer, they started eating.
"Oh, Nathan, this is delicious," Elizabeth said, swallowing a bite of the sandwich. "Thank you."
"My pleasure," he said. They ate in silence for a few minutes, simply enjoying each other's company and the beautiful weather. The sun continued its descent in the sky, turning the water pink and gold to match the clouds.
"Isn't it amazing how each sunset is different?" Elizabeth asked in wonder. "You can sit in the exact same place for days on end, and you'll see a different sunset each time. It's amazing."
"Yes," Nathan said, his eyes looking out at the horizon. "I like to think it's God painting the sky anew each day."
Elizabeth's eyes sparkled. "I like that image," she said. They finished their dinner just as the sun was sinking into the ocean. Elizabeth helped Nathan clean up, then they sat talking until the moon rose over the water. Catching her breath at the beauty, Elizabeth shook her head. "This has been an incredible evening, Nathan."
He smiled, looking up at the full moon. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," he said, standing to stretch his legs. Elizabeth followed suit. They walked to the edge of the water, letting the gentle waves lap against their feet. Nathan reached out, taking Elizabeth's hand gently in his.
Looking up at him, Elizabeth found the courage to say what was on her mind. "Nathan?"
"Hmm?"
Taking a fortifying breath, she continued. "Why didn't you kiss me earlier? At the lagoon?"
He looked down at her, surprise covering his face. He didn't speak for a moment, but when he did his words came out slowly. "I wasn't sure if that was what you wanted, Elizabeth. I thought it might be too soon."
She let out her breath. That was a logical assumption. She hadn't dated in years, and he knew that. It followed that she might not be ready for the level of commitment a kiss implied.
Except she was ready. She just looked at Nathan, grateful that he had considered her feelings over his own. "I appreciate you thinking of me, Nathan." She squeezed his hand, turning to face him. In an uncharacteristically bold move, she slid her arms around his waist. "But I'm ready to take that step."
He looked at her, his eyes gentle. "Are you sure, Elizabeth?"
She nodded. "I'm sure."
He reached up to frame her face in his hands, his eyes searching hers for a while. She returned his gaze, willing him to see that she meant it. He smiled slightly, his eyes falling to her mouth. Slowly he leaned forward until their lips met.
His kiss started out soft and tentative, his lips gently exploring hers. She felt herself responding with a depth that surprised her. It must have surprised Nathan too, because he pulled back slightly, searching her eyes again. A fire lit in his, and he enfolded her fully in his arms, drawing her closer. His lips found hers again, and he kissed her deeply. Elizabeth felt an explosion of butterflies in her stomach, her heart pumping faster as his passion washed over her. She held on to him tightly, returning his kiss, sure that his arms were the only things holding her up.
Nathan reluctantly broke away after several long moments. He pressed her head gently to his chest, holding her securely in his arms. No words were needed between them. They stood there in the moonlight, watching it dance over the water, just holding each other. Elizabeth could tell things were now different between them. Their feelings for each other were out in the open, evidenced by their kiss. She felt at home in his arms, and right now there was no place else she'd rather be.
