Chapter 2

As Elizabeth walked slowly outside of town, towards the pond, she could feel the weight of all that had just transpired wash over her. Feelings of fear, horror, regret, and shock all plagued her thoughts, as tears fell down her cheeks. She couldn't keep them in any longer. Her heart had shattered into a thousand pieces, when she had thought that she would never see Nathan again. Then, as if her heart knew he wasn't really gone, she turned and saw him. That's when she realized that her true heart's desire had revealed itself.

Despite her fear and indecision, over the last two years, Elizabeth could no longer deny what was in her heart. And the truth of that realization overwhelmed her.

Since Jack's death, Elizabeth had been so closed off to the possibility of finding love again, that she hadn't allowed herself to accept it when it had finally happened. Instead, she had been tiptoeing around the issue, by allowing herself to enjoy the company of both Lucas and Nathan, while deliberately choosing to not make a decision between the two of them.

Although she deeply cared for both men, there was only one man who had stolen her heart. Elizabeth now realized how unfair she had been, both to herself and to the men, by not being more truthful with them from the beginning. Even though she didn't realize it until now, her heart had always sought after one man more than the other. And it took almost losing him, for Elizabeth to figure it out.

It was in that moment, when Elizabeth ran to embrace him, that she finally knew who was in her heart. It was Nathan. It had always been Nathan. He mattered to her. She had just been too afraid to admit it.

Until now.


As the realization of her true feelings for Nathan emerged, Elizabeth became increasingly more aware of her actions towards Lucas. Why had she allowed herself to spend so much alone time with him, when her heart belonged to Nathan? It was a question that she had been pondering for some time now. Although, at the time, she didn't realize how much she had cared for Nathan, she always felt guilty every time she went out with Lucas. No matter how much she tried to deny it, Nathan was never far from her mind, whenever she was spending time with Lucas.

While on the other hand, the only time she ever thought about Lucas, during any of her interactions with Nathan, was when he came up in their conversion. Not once did she ever think about Lucas, outside of their conversions or their mutual interest for books. That fact alone should have been an immediate red flag for her.

Sure, Elizabeth could admit that she had been attracted to Lucas's charming personality. Not only is he a great communicator, but he's also beyond generous. The man gifted her with library. How could she not notice him for that? He also knew how to be just romantic enough to peak her curiosity, without causing her to run away. Although, she knew full well that he certainly pushed that boundary many times with their "non" dates.

If she was being honest with herself, Elizabeth had been intrigued, and, at times, even tempted by Lucas's interest in her. She really enjoyed being around Lucas. He excited her and pushed her to follow her dreams of writing, in a way that no one had done for her in a long time. She loved spending time with him.

That's when it dawned on her. Lucas had been a true friend to her when she needed it the most. After Jack died, Elizabeth lost a part of herself that she didn't think she'd ever be able to get back. Her passion for writing died, right along with her self-confidence. When Lucas came into her life, he showed her that she was worthy of being pursued and pushed her to not give up on her dreams. That's why she had felt comfortable going out with him, as long as it was under the impression of friendship.

Elizabeth felt safe going out with Lucas, because she knew that he would accept her terms of friendship, without pushing for a real commitment. They could "pretend" all they wanted, and then at the end of their time together, Elizabeth could go back to her safe haven.

Lucas made her feel special and wanted. He gave her the confidence that she needed, in order to help her feel loved again. It's because of his friendship, that Elizabeth's heart was given the chance. and time, that it needed to heal. Lucas had always been a friend to her, and nothing more.

Now that Elizabeth realized all of this, she just hoped that she could find the right time and courage to tell Lucas, without hurting his ego, or destroying their friendship.