A month later, May

"I want Daddy!" Cam wailed from the backseat.

"I know, bud. But we are going home."

"No," he sniffled. "I want Daddy and Mama Beth. And I want JJ! He's my bestest friend, Mama!"

Becki sniffled too, second guessing calling her boss to get her job back and telling her renters that she was returning and they had to move out. At least she gave them three weeks notice, but still, all of it seemed wrong.

Who cared if Hope Valley and her little house belonged to her if she was making her son so unhappy?

She called her boss about five minutes later from a parking lot and told him she had changed her mind. Then she called a realtor friend that she knew and asked to meet with her.

"I'm moving to Michigan," she told her. "I need to sell my home."

Julian smiled and hurried faster after school when he realized Nathan, his dad now, was gonna pick them up from school. The plan was to get off work early, take everyone home and then, because it was the weekend, take the boys camping.

He'd never gone camping before and camping with his Dad had never been a possibility either. This would be great!

They were gonna fish and make s'mores and cook on the campfire. He waved when he saw him standing outside his car. "Hey, Dad!"

"Hi, son. How was school?"

"Great! I think I might be able to get into that accelerated math program next year."

"Awesome, bud." Nathan gave him a high five. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks."

Kendra, Allie and JJ came in the next few minutes and then they had to head over to pick up Evie at the high school.

"Dad?" Allie said. "Evie texted. She's got Driver's training and then Kevin is bringing her home."

"Oh. Okay. I guess we will head home then."

"Can we get ice cream?" JJ wondered.

"Sure. Let's go to Scoops. Al, can you tell your mom where we are going please?"

Allie quickly shot off a text to Elizabeth. "She says to bring her home a double chocolate fudge sundae with extra cherries."

Nathan cringed. He knew what that meant. She only ate like that when she was upset and that meant no baby yet. He needed to get her some flowers too.

Back at the house…

She dabbed at her eyes. She really was alright. She had almost resigned herself to the disappointment every single month. Almost.

Usually Cam would cheer her up but he was back on his way to Hope Valley now. That brought on a whole new set of tears.

She sighed and peeled more potatoes to go with the ham that was slow roasting. It smelled so good.

Her phone rang and she smiled. "Faith! I miss you, my friend!"

"I miss you too!"

"How are you?"

"Gigantic. This bed rest thing is killing me." Faith was almost full term. Her twins, a boy and a girl, were due in about three weeks and she had been on bed rest for the past month.

"I can't wait to meet them! Don't forget, we are definitely taking Graham and Gavin when you head to the hospital. And Julian and JJ can't wait to go camping with Carson and the boys."

"They are ready too. You're still bringing the girls here tonight too, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it. I'll bring snacks."

When Nate and the kids walked in the house, Elizabeth had pulled herself together. She thought.

"Hey, babe," he greeted. "How are you?"

Oh the tears. "Fine," she said, her voice cracking.

"Sweetheart…" He put the ice cream and flowers on the counter and stepped close, kissing her forehead.

"I promise. Just emotional. I need chocolate."

"Your wish is my command, Beth," he told her, kissing her lips softly. "We will have a baby."

She nodded, leaning into his arms. "I should be used to this. It never gets any easier though."

"No, it doesn't. Are you sure you'll be okay if I leave with the boys?"

"Of course! I'm headed to see Faith. That will help me."

"Love you so much," he told her, his lips caressing hers again for a long moment.

"Love you too."

Kevin took Evie to Scoops after driver's training was over. They met a few of his football buddies there as well. He took her hand after opening the passenger door for her.

"I'm glad you came with me," he told her.

"You are my ride, Kev."

"Right, but you could have just wanted to go home."

"I like being with you," she admitted.

"I like being with you too."

As they stood at the window, he put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple. "What can I get you?" the girl inside said.

"Mint chocolate chip in a waffle cone," he ordered.

"I'll take a scoop of strawberry in a bowl with cherries on top."

"Dude, are we still going to the movies?" Chad, one of Kevin's buddies asked, giving his shoulder a shove. Evie didn't like Chad that much. He was loud and way over the top obnoxious.

"Yeah."

"You coming, Eve?" Chad asked her.

"No, I have plans with my family tonight. Thanks for asking, though."

Chad did the guy hug/handshake with a few more guys and she fought not to roll her eyes.

Everything was going fine for the next few minutes until a girl came up to them. She looked familiar but Evie didn't know her name.

"Kevin?"

"Hey, Ashley."

"So, you are coming over Sunday, right?"

Evie looked at both of them closely. Why was he going over to this girl's house?

"Yeah. 6 pm right?"

"Yeah. Mom is making a pot roast. You like that, right?"

"Um, hi. I'm Evie," she blurted. "Kevin's girlfriend."

"Hi. I'm Ashley. Nice to meet you. Okay, well, see you Sunday."

Evie pushed her bowl away. "Can you please take me home now?" she asked Kevin.

"What? Why?"

"I just…I want to go."

"Eve? What's going on?"

"Who's Ashley? Why are you going to her house for dinner and how does she know that you like pot roast?" She felt tears threatening but she held them back somehow.

"She's just a friend and I'm going to her house because she's my lab partner in Biology and we have a project due soon. And the pot roast thing…maybe because I'm a guy. Guy's like meat."

"She's pretty."

He took her hand and squeezed it, forcing her to look at him. "I didn't notice. You are the only one I am looking at."

"Kevin, she is a cheerleader, isn't she?"

"Yeah."

"So you guys see each other at games and you…"

"Are just friends, Eve. I promise you."

She allowed him to wrap his arms around her, even though she was still feeling inadequate. "Do you trust me? I would never see someone else when I have you."

A tear fell. She nodded and wiped it away. "You sure? She is skinnier and her hair is curly and…"

"Stop, Eve," he said softly. "You are perfect the way you are. Perfect for me."

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out. "I need to get home. Dinner will be ready soon."

"Okay."

They threw their trash away and walked to his car. Once she was buckled, he leaned over the console and kissed her softly, giving her a smile. "I'm sorry about this whole thing."

"Why didn't you tell me about your lab partner?" she wondered as they drove to her house.

"I wasn't trying to hide anything. I honestly didn't realize it would be a big thing."

"We've been dating for six months, Kevin and you didn't think it would be a big thing?"

"Honestly, no. It wasn't to me, so I guess I didn't think it would be to you."

"What if I had a lab partner that was a guy and we were friends and I had him over for dinner?"

"I don't see an issue."

"Great. So basically I just overreacted and you're perfect."

"Eve, what's happening? Why are you upset?"

"I don't know."

He pulled into her driveway and looked at her. "I thought we were okay."

"Yeah. I just need to think. Maybe we are moving too fast."

"Since when?"

"Now. I need to get inside."

"Are you breaking up with me?"

"No. Maybe I'll see you at school Monday." She got out of the car without saying goodbye and walked inside.

Evie didn't feel like going to Faith's house that night so Elizabeth took Kendra and Allie, making her promise to call if she needed anything.

Evie just wanted to edit some pictures that she had been wanting to do for a long time and then she would take a bubble bath and watch a sappy movie. She was actually looking forward to being alone. That rarely, if ever, happened in the Grant house.

Her phone kept buzzing as she was editing but every time she looked at it, it was Kevin. She told him she needed time. Why didn't he get that? Besides, wasn't he at the movies?

Finally, she gave in and answered.

"Kevin?"

"Eve, can we talk please?"

"Aren't you at the movie?"

"Yeah, but I don't want to be here. I'd rather be with you."

"I have plans tonight."

"Right. Well, would your Aunt Beth mind if I came over too?"

"It's a girl thing, Kevin."

"It's a quiet girl thing. I don't hear anything in the background."

"I didn't go, okay? I wanted to be alone."

"Okay. Sorry to bother you. Enjoy your alone time."

She hung up and turned off her phone. It was time for some junk food and a movie. Nachos sounded perfect.

"Dad! I don't get it!" Julian yelled from under the collapsed tent that he could not get to stand up for the life of him. "It looked easy enough."

Nathan laughed and helped him get out. "You can do it, bud. But I would be more than willing to help."

"Please help, Dad."

"Okay. Let's do it."

Nathan and Julian were able to work together and had their tent set up within another ten minutes.

"Let's go fishing!" JJ said, Graham and Gavin agreeing and Julian did too.

Nathan was glad to have Carson along to have a more grown-up perspective on the trip. The boys had a lot of fun together but he wanted some adult conversation as well.

"So you ready for the twins?" he asked Carson.

"Yeah. Faith is more ready than I am though. Needless to say, if she goes into labor, I'll be headed home early."

"Of course."

"So, how have you been feeling since your surgery?"

"So much better. No more migraines."

"That's awesome."

"Yeah."

"What?" Carson heard something in Nathan's tone.

"I just…Beth and I have been wanting to have a baby and…it's just not happening. The doc said it's me. After my chemo a few years back…"

"Did they say it was impossible?"

"No. But it's totally testing our patience and I hate to see her upset. I feel like such a failure."

"I'm sorry, man. That's rough. We had trouble too. It took a few years and then we just decided to do IVF."

Nathan nodded. He didn't know much about it but maybe IVF would work for them too.

"I'll give you our doctor's number," Carson told him, patting his shoulder.

"Thanks, man."

Becki pulled into the driveway of her home after a very long four hour drive. It wasn't the miles that made it long. It was her regrets. Cam had cried himself to sleep finally but until then, she just drove and tried to explain that they were going back but they had things to tie up in Hope Valley before that could happen.

"Cammie? Baby, we're home."

"With Daddy?"

"No bud. Hope Valley, remember?"

She sighed at his sniffles and got out to open his door. "I got you chicken nuggets and fries, bud. Let's go eat them and watch a movie."

"Kay," he whimpered.

"I promise, Campbell Grant. We will be back home near Daddy very soon."

"Kay, Momma."