The next morning, Jack pushed an almost full cart down the aisle of a very busy grocery store. Tonight was New Year's Eve, and the whole family as well as some friends were gathering at Jack's house to celebrate. This would be when they'd share their big news about their engagement.

In the driveway the night before, with Harper asleep in the truck and Dylan inside the cottage, the newly engaged couple tried to pull themselves apart, but it was hard. Even the frigid winter air couldn't stop them.

"I can't wait to make you my wife," he whispered into her ear.

"I have plans tomorrow," she teased. "You free Monday?"

"I'm not kidding, Blue Eyes. I don't think I can do a long engagement."

"What are you thinking?"

Resting his forehead against hers, he thought for a long moment. "Valentine's Day."

"Jack, that's a month and a half away!"

"But doable, right?"

"I guess. I mean, I don't need anything fancy. Just you, me and the kids."

"Okay, so…"

"Valentine's Day it is." She kissed him. "Now as much as I love this, I'm freezing!"

He kissed her nose. "Go. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, love you."

"Love you too."

Their time outside the cottage played over and over again in his mind as he walked down the frozen food section. He grabbed a couple gallons of ice cream as his phone rang. The name on the ID surprised him.

"Hey, Ash. What's up?"

"Not much. Though I just got off the phone with Harper. We had a very interesting conversation." She let out a laugh. "Sounds like congratulations are in order."

Jack winced. He'd wanted to call Ashley and let her know about the engagement personally. Clearly his daughter was more on the ball than he was.

"Yeah, I proposed to Elizabeth on our vacation. I was going to call and tell you later today, I promise."

"Don't worry about it, Jack. I'm not upset. I'm happy for you, really. Harper has nothing but wonderful things to say about Elizabeth. Her son too. She actually seems excited to have a brother."

"They're actually pretty great as siblings. It's been nice to see." Jack grabbed a few more items during the pause in the conversation. "So... you're okay with there being another woman in Harp's life?"

"Yeah, I think I am. I wouldn't have been a few months ago, but I guess this is what it's like when you're a divorced parent. I want what's best for Harper no matter what. And really, it's hard to be a teen. The more supportive, loving adults in her corner the better, right?"

"I completely agree."

"Look at us talking all friendly," Ashley laughed. "Do Elizabeth and her ex have a similar relationship?"

"Uh, no. He's not really in the picture. Basically the stereotypical jerk of an ex-husband. Verbally abusive and all that to Elizabeth. Ignores Dylan unless he needs something from the boy. But don't worry, he won't affect Harper's life, I promise."

"I trust you." She sighed and thought about what it would've been like to be in Elizabeth's shoes in that first marriage. She and Jack had had their issues, but nothing like that. "Well, yikes. Good thing Elizabeth has you in her corner now. The kid too."

"Thanks for saying that."

"So when's the big day?"

"Valentine's Day."

"As in next month's Valentines Day or next year?"

"Next month…"Jack said cautiously. He expected that bit of news to ruffle Ashley's feathers a bit. Instead, she just laughed.

"Had to one up me and get hitched first, huh?"

Jack laughed. "No, that's not it at all. We're just ready. And this way the kids can settle into their new life sooner, rather than just waiting and wondering what it will be like when everything changes."

"Good idea." Ashley grew quiet again. "Are you sure there's no other reason why you're rushing to get married, Jack?"

"Like what?"

"Well, I don't know, maybe there's a little one on the way?"

"No, Ash. You know me better than that."

"Of course, but you're an adult and things happen."

"Yes, but that's not the case here. No buns in the oven."

"Okay, just checking, and really, I'm happy for you."

"Thanks. I'm glad."

….

At the house, Elizabeth and Harper decorated for the evening's festivities while Dylan, the budding rockstar, hung out in Jack's little soundproof nook downstairs on the electric guitar.

Harper rearranged some of the furniture in the living room to make more room for mingling. She stood back when she was finished and admired the room. As she did, she noticed something. The house, with the exception of a very muted guitar sound, was silent.

"Elizabeth? I think you guys should totally move in here when you and Dad get married," Harper stated. "I can barely hear a thing with Dylan in that room."

"It's nice. A lot different from being at the cottage," she laughed. The walls and floor were thin at the cottage. Every note Dylan played, she heard. "Sure you're okay with us moving in after we're married?"

"Yup. But I'm keeping the bigger room upstairs. It's only fair, I think."

"Because you were here first?"

"Well, yes but I was thinking he'll probably live in that little room downstairs playing rockstar. So technically, he'll have two rooms. It's only fair the one I have is bigger."

"Fair enough," Elizabeth giggled. "We can talk it over with your dad later."

Walking back into the kitchen to work on her all time famous buffalo chicken dip, Elizabeth heard her phone buzz on the counter. She figured it would be Jack or her parents, but flipping it over to see the screen, she saw Ray's name flashing.

Wanting to ring in the new year without her ex, she ignored it and placed the phone back down on the counter.

Making herself a cup of tea, Elizabeth sat at the bar in Jack's kitchen, staring down at the beautiful ring he'd given her. A promise. A future. She realized she needed to tell Ray. In the excitement around their future she'd almost forgotten. Now her mind raced with all the possibilities of how that conversation could go.

She wandered off in her thoughts for a while because the next thing she knew, Jack was in the kitchen unloading groceries.

"Blue Eyes?"

"Huh, what?"

"You alright? You haven't said a word to me since I got in."

"Sorry. Just thinking about things."

"Nervous about tonight?"

"Nope!" She smiled, then moved to wrap her arms around his waist. "Everyone knows how happy we make each other. All our friends and family will be happy for us."

He kissed her lips, lingering there for a moment.

"I can't wait to make you my wife."

"You said that last night." She blushed. Before she could kiss him again, her phone buzzed almost off the counter. Same caller as before. Ray.

"You need to answer that?" Jack asked.

"No. It's no one important." She kissed his cheek and walked out to help Harper, passing Dylan as she went.

Dylan knew his mom well. Something about her demeanor was off. When she wasn't looking, he grabbed her phone off the counter, checking the missed calls.

"What do you want?" he growled under his breath.

He slipped the phone in his pocket and headed out to the living room.

"How was your music session?" Elizabeth asked him, her usual smile back on her face. Dylan loved when she smiled like that. She was happy, truly and completely.

"Good. May I take a walk?"

"It's freezing out. You sure you want to walk?"

"Yeah. Just around the block."

Elizabeth studied his eyes. He looked as if he was up to something. She had no idea what it could be though.

"Sure. Bundle up. Maybe Harp wants to go too?"

"Sure, give me a sec." Quickly she got up off the floor by the wood stove and went to get a hoodie from her closet.

All bundled in their jackets, hats and gloves, the two kids walked four homes down before speaking.

"Okay, what gives?" Harper spoke.

"What do you mean?"

"Your mom was right. It's like the Arctic out here and you have us walking like it's the March of the Penguins."

"You didn't have to come."

"Yes, I did. You were acting weirder than usual. What's up?"

Dylan led Harper down to the beach, away from all the houses.

"My dad's been calling my mom today. A lot."

"You sure?" He pulled out the phone and showed her. There were now five missed calls from him. "Well that's not good! What should we do?"

"WE will do nothing. I'M going to call him and tell him to bug off. She's happy! I'm happy!"

"I get that, but what makes you think he'll listen?"

Dylan sighed. "I… I don't know. I just can't let him ruin this."

"Are you kidding? Dylan, the way our parents look at each other is over the top gross. I don't think anything could come between them. Even Ray."

"I'm not taking any chances."

Back at the house, Jack came to sit next to Elizabeth on the couch. He pulled her legs up on his lap and smiled.

"I love you, Blue Eyes."

"And I love you."

Their lips met for a brief yet tender kiss.

"Jack, since both kids are out right now, I should tell you something."

"Is it about that call you got?"

"Yes, how'd you know?"

Jack shrugged. "You weren't acting completely yourself. Was it Ray?"

"Yeah. He's been calling a few times this afternoon. I need to tell him about us getting married. I can't imagine that going well."

"We can do it together. I can tell him or you can, but I'll be by your side the whole time."

"Can we do it now? Just to get it over with while the kids are out? I don't want Dylan to worry."

"Sure. Where's your phone?"

"In the kitchen." Jack got up to get it. "Are you okay telling him before your parents?"

"Shoot, I guess I didn't think about that."

"It's up to you, babe. I'll support you no matter what."

She sighed. "Let's just get it over with."

"Okay." Jack entered the kitchen. "One problem, where's your phone?"

Suddenly it dawned on her. Dylan's mood, his sudden desire to walk in the freezing New England winter. She frantically rose from the couch.

"The kids, we need to find them!"

Down on the beach, Dylan stared down at his dad's number on the phone screen. His hands were shaking. The very thought of having to hear that man's wretched voice again made him sick to his stomach, but he wanted to protect them.

"You don't have to do this, okay?" Harper placed a reassuring hand on his back. "We're basically siblings now. Let's just talk to my Dad. He'll make sure you both are safe."

"No. I'm doing this."

Just as he pushed the send button, Jack came running down the hill to the beach, yelling.

"Hey!"

Ending the call, Dylan dropped the phone in the snowy sand.

"I'm sorry!" Dylan spoke frantically.

"Did you do it?" Jack asked sternly. "Did you call him?"

"Yes, but it just rang. I didn't talk to him."

"Come on. Let's go home. Your mom's waiting there."

"I'm dead…" Dylan whispered as he picked up the phone.

Pacing outside in the cold, Elizabeth waited for Jack and the kids. When she saw his truck pull into the driveway she was relieved.

"Go." Jack tapped Dylan's leg. "Make this right."

"That's what I was trying to do. To be a man for my family."

"You will be a great man one day, son. For now, let your mom and I take care of the big stuff. Just be a kid, okay? You deserve that."

"You called me, son."

Jack smiled softly. "That's who you are to me. Forever."

"Thanks, Dad."

Dylan hopped out and with his head down, went to face his mom.

"Are we going in now too?" Harper asked.

"No. Let's let them work it out first."

"Dad, Dylan's so afraid of that man. Tell me he won't be able to hurt them again."

"I'll do everything I can to make it so he can't."

Elizabeth grabbed hold of her son as soon as she could and pulled him inside.

"Dylan! What were you thinking?"

"I saw your phone, Mom! He's calling you again? He needs to be told to go away! For good! I don't ever want to see him again!"

"Dylan Christopher, I know, but this? This is not the way to do it!"

With tears in both their eyes, they hugged each other.

Moments later, still in his mother's arms, Dylan spoke. "Jack called me "son."

"He loves you."

"Yeah. I love him too. I called him "Dad". Is that okay with you?"

"More than okay, sweetie. It's wonderful."

….

As everyone sat in the living room watching the New Year's Rockin' Eve on television, eating popcorn, and drinking hot cider, Elizabeth squeezed Jack's hand.

"Now?"

"Yeah."

Jack muted the sound on the TV and stood up, holding her hand securely in his. "We have an announcement," he told everyone.

"It's about time!" Charlotte whispered, a smirk on her face.

"We are getting married." Everyone cheered and toasted them. "On Valentine's Day."

"Next month?!" Grace and Vi said in unison.

"Yep. Just a small ceremony. Nothing fancy," Elizabeth confirmed.

"What's the fun in that?" Charlotte asked, obviously taking Grace and Vi's side.

"We have already done big weddings. We just want something intimate. Only family and close friends."

"Mom, your phone is ringing," Dylan told him.

She saw who it was and shut it off. "Not tonight."

Everyone started talking and pulled out the Monopoly Millionaire game to kill time until the ball dropped.

Elizabeth, Vi, Grace and Charlotte started talking about the wedding, which the couple wanted to have on the beach.

"It's the dead of winter," Charlotte said, pointing out the obvious.

"It will be quick and by the fire pit. We will be fine. That's the place that means the most to us so that's where we want it."

"What about your dress?" Vi wondered. "I'm not sure that we can get one tailored in time."

"I found one online and ordered it. It will be fine."

"You ordered your wedding dress online?" Grace asked.

"Yes. Ladies, trust me here. This is what we want. No fuss."

They finally took her word for it and moved forward with the planning.

"Ten minutes until midnight!" Jack announced, pouring champagne for the adults and sparkling cider for the kids.

As the last five minutes approached, Jack took Elizabeth and their champagne and headed to the fire pit which he had sneaked out and lit earlier. He slipped his arm around her waist and smiled. "Hey."

"Hey, yourself," she told him, her eyes traveling to his perfectly shaped lips. "Five, four, three…"

"Two, one," Jack whispered. "Happy New Year, Blue Eyes." His lips met hers in a gentle but lingering kiss.

"Happy New Year, Jack."

They sipped their champagne as they curled up on a chair by the fire. "This is nice."

"It is. Everyone is in wedding mode which is great, but they don't understand why we want a small wedding."

"I'm telling you, we should just elope. Actually, we should have gotten married at Disney and then announced it," he said with a laugh.

"I want them there, I just want what we want, you know?"

He put his glass down on the ground and pulled her closer, kissing her forehead and nose. "I just want our life together to begin."

"Me too."

…..

Ray drove toward the cottage, oblivious to the fact that it was after midnight. He swerved to miss what his inebriated brain thought was a deer in the road but in reality was nothing. He then overcorrected the wheel and almost went off the road.

As he got closer, he noticed that the lights were all off and Elizabeth's car wasn't in the driveway. "Where are you, Beth?" he sneered. "I bet you are with that fireman, aren't you?"

Ray wasn't sure where Jack lived and he couldn't really go looking for them, so he pulled off the road and shut off his lights to wait.

He fell asleep before they came home, however. The next morning, he woke up, his truck out of gas, shivering.

He got out of his car and walked up the road a bit to Elizabeth's cottage and pounded on the door. It took a few minutes and more pounding before she came to the door.

"Ray? What are you doing? It's six am."

His teeth were chattering and he was shivering so hard he couldn't speak.

Elizabeth pulled him inside to get warm. "Why are you so cold?"

"Ran…out of….gas."

"Where? How long have you been walking?"

"Not far…do you have….coffee?"

"Mom?" Dylan yelled, running in the room. "What are you doing here, Ray? You need to go!"

"Dylan, he needs our help."

"He needs help, but not the kind we can give him." Dylan crossed his arms and stared hard at Ray, causing him to laugh. "Why can't you just stay away? We don't want you."

"Dylan, please go to your room."

"Mom! I don't understand why you are helping him."

"I will explain it to you later."

Dylan shook his head and stood at the counter to watch.

Elizabeth made Ray a cup of coffee and gave him a blanket. "So, I don't suppose you have any gas?" Ray asked her.

"No, I don't. When you warm up, I can drive you into town to get some."

Dylan scoffed and crossed his arms again. "Unbelievable."

"Listen to your mother, boy!" Ray roared. "She deserves respect."

"You're right! She does but you don't!"

Ray shot to his feet and raised his hand to hit Dylan but Elizabeth got in his path. "No! You will not hit him, Ray. It's time for you to leave now."

"Where do you expect me to go?!"

Jack ran in the house a moment later. "What's going on?"

Elizabeth looked at Dylan who had obviously texted Jack.

"Ray needs to leave now," Elizabeth told Jack as she explained the situation.

Jack opened the front door and waited.

"I'm not going anywhere!"

"Yes, you are," Jack told him. "Now, you can either walk out of here or I will help you. Your choice. You have five seconds to decide."

At the last of the five seconds, Ray got in Jack's face. "This isn't over. They are my family, not yours!"

"You are wrong about that, Ray. They stopped being your family when you signed the divorced papers."

Ray walked out the door and Elizabeth rushed over to Dylan. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

"Yeah, Mom, but you shouldn't have gotten in the way. I can take it."

"Wrong, sweetie. I will never let him hit you."

Jack walked over and wrapped his arms around both of them and held on tight. Something had to be done about Ray and if the police wouldn't do it, he would.

"I'm gonna follow him to his car. I think I have a can of gas in the back of the truck. I'll see that he gets away from here."

"Thanks, Jack." She turned to Dylan. "Go get dressed, okay?"

"Why? It's really early."

"We're going to the police. It's time."

…..

Not long after Jack was done making sure Ray was on his way out of town, Lee called from the station.

"Sorry, Jack, we're short handed."

"It's alright. Let me just drop Harper with my mom and I'll be there."

In the truck to his parent's condo, Jack was silent and it freaked out Harper quite a bit. She knew why her dad ran out the door that morning.

"Dad?"

"Yeah, honey bee?"

"Is he gone?"

"Yeah."

"Will he be back?"

"I sure hope not, but there's no telling with this guy." He reached over and took his daughter's hand. "Harper, promise me that as you get older and start dating, that if you ever end up in a bad spot, you'll tell me. I will always be there for you, understand?"

Harper squeezed her dad's hand. "I will, Dad. I love you."

"I love you too, sweetie. Always."

….

Across town, Elizabeth and Dylan walked into the quiet police station.

"How do we do this?" Dylan asked, adjusting his Bruins black and gold winter beanie that covered his head.

"I'm not sure. I guess we find someone to ask and go from there. Maybe that man over there." She pointed to an older officer standing with a coffee mug watching the news.

"He looks like Oscar the Grouch. You sure, Mom?"

She shrugged and approached him.

"Sir, who do I talk to about a restraining order?"

The older man looked from her to Dylan and back. "Who against?"

"My ex-husband."

"I'm Detective Gowan. Come to my office over here."

They followed him into his messy and cluttered office, taking a seat in front of the desk.

"So tell me, why is it you need a restraining order?" he asked in a manner suggesting he couldn't care less.

"My ex-husband has a history of both physical and verbal abuse. My son and I moved here to get away from him but he keeps showing up."

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"This morning. He almost hit our son."

"Almost isn't exactly abuse," he almost snickered.

Elizabeth was fuming inside. "The years of verbal and emotional abuse that he laid on me does. Now he won't stay away. Something needs to be done."

"This morning, did you let him into your home or did he barge in?"

Shoot, she thought. This wasn't getting them anywhere.

"Well, this morning I did let him in but…"

"Did you ever think that you might be sending him mixed signals? People don't normally invite people into their homes that they don't want around."

"Told you that was a bad idea," Dylan whispered, then receiving an elbow jab in the side from his mom. Lightly of course. "Look officer, my dad showed up this morning drunk and shivering. Apparently he'd camped out in his car waiting for us to come home. Mom was just trying to do the right thing. That doesn't mean he's a good guy or that either of us want him around."

"Maybe so, but…"

"But what?" Dylan raised his voice. "He's a jerk, so my mom needs to be one back to him? That's not the kind of person she is!"

"At ease, kid!" the man raised his voice.

"Sorry, but if you won't help us, we need to see someone who will."

"Detective," Elizabeth tried again. "This man has a history of drinking, verbal abuse, emotional abuse and threatening behavior. I don't feel like we are safe in our own home. Are you going to help us or not?"

"Ma'am, are you sure you aren't overreacting? Drinking is not illegal. Neither is being a bit mean."

Elizabeth stood fast, almost knocking over her chair. "Look, Detective Gowan. I'd like to talk to your superior. Now! We don't deserve what my ex is doing and we certainly deserve better than what you are dishing out."

"Do we have a problem here?" A tall, fit man about Elizabeth's age stood in the doorway with a stern look on his face. "Gowan?"

"Are you competent?" Dylan asked dryly. "Can you help us with a restraining order?"

"Are you fearful for your wellbeing?"

"We are, yes," Elizabeth answered.

"Gowan, I got this. Come with me."

Elizabeth and Dylan rose from their seats and followed the officer down two doors to his office.

"Have a seat." He gestured to two comfy chairs to the left of his desk. "Coffee or hot chocolate?"

"Sure!" Dylan smiled, and the man smiled back.

"I also have some teas."

"Two hot chocolates will be fine," Elizabeth smiled.

The office made three mugs of cocoa and brought them over. He pulled out his desk chair and sat down in front of them. This office was much nicer and more comfortable than Gowan's, for sure.

"I'm Detective Nathan Grant. Sorry about my co-worker. He's cranky in the mornings. Actually, he's cranky pretty much 24/7."

"Shocker," Dylan rolled his eyes. As if sensing a look from his mom, he apologized.

"So tell me about your situation."

For the next twenty minutes, Nate gathered all the information he needed. He never once questioned the authenticity of their stories. This was how Elizabeth had hoped it would go in the beginning.

"Okay, I think I have all that I need. Do you have a lawyer that we can keep in the loop in regards to the order?"

"Yes, Charles Kensington. He's in Boston though. Is that a problem?"

"Nope. Just need his information if he will be the one representing you at all in regards to Ray."

She hadn't asked him yet, but she knew Charles would help her, so she wrote all the information needed.

"Alright. I'll make sure you are notified when Mr. Wyatt receives the order. Depending on how easy he is to find, it should be by the end of the week."

As they stood to leave, Nate took a step closer to help Elizabeth with her coat. Dylan stared at the man trying to figure out if it was just a kind gesture, or something else. Either way, he was pretty sure he didn't like it.

"If you two need anything, here's my card. Just give me a call."

"Thanks. I think we'll be okay, but we appreciate it." She smiled, thinking of Jack and how safe he made her feel. It made her so grateful that God gave her a second chance. Now she wanted to see him badly.

They said goodbye and headed out to the car.

"How are you feeling, sweetie?"

"Good, I guess. I'm not sure I'm convinced that a piece of paper is going to keep him away from us, but at least this way if he tries again, there will be trouble for him."

"That's my thought as well." She put the car in gear and headed northbound. "What do you say we go see Jack and Harper?"

"I just got a text from Harp. Dad got called into work. She said I can go hang with her at Charlotte and Tom's though."

"Ok. Maybe I'll swing by Jack's firehouse after I drop you off."

"You gonna tell him about the cop?"

"The first one? He'll probably be furious and wish he'd come too."

"No, not him. I'm talking about the one that was flirting with you."

"Dylan!" she laughed. "Just because a person is nice does not mean they are flirting."

"He looked at you like you are a pork chop with a side of mashed potatoes."

"Where on earth did you get that from?"

"I know things, Mom, and he was into you."

"This is a bizarre conversation to have with my middle schooler…"

"Maybe. So are you going to tell Jack?"

"There's nothing to tell him, but with a heart of keeping everything out in the open and having no secrets, I will tell him your point of view."

"Seems fair enough."

Elizabeth couldn't help but grin over at her little boy. Too fast for her liking, he was growing up into a wonderful young man.

When they arrived at the condo, Elizabeth decided to walk Dylan inside so that she could say hi to Charlotte, Tom and of course, Harper.

Charlotte immediately began peppering her with wedding ideas that she and Grace had apparently been discussing over text. Elizabeth didn't even know her mom knew how to text but apparently she now knew how to plan a wedding through it.

"Let's schedule an evening for us all to get together," Elizabeth began. "Then we can just hash everything out at once."

"Perfect!" Charlotte exclaimed. "I'll text Gracie now."

"Can I come too?" Harper asked.

"Of course!" Elizabeth hugged her soon-to-be step-daughter. She had plans to ask Harper to be her bridesmaid, but didn't want to do it now. She wanted it to be special.

Getting back into her car, she pulled out her phone and sent a quick text to Jack.

"Dylan's at your parents. Up for a lunch date in a bit? I can pick up some soup and sandwiches and meet you at the station."

She put the car in gear and headed back towards her cottage, knowing Jack could very well be out on a call. She didn't expect a response right away. By the time she walked in her front door, her phone buzzed with a return message.

"Goodness yes! 12:30 ok?"

"Perfect. C U soon."