Another light was burning late into the night—Nathan Grant sat staring intently into the fire.
What a day it had been. Usually prisoner transports are no big deal. But instead, he found himself staring down the barrel of a gun. A gun that went off and by God's miracle did not kill him. A fellow Mountie had lost his life, the prisoner and his sister escaped, and he found himself walking into town quite in a daze.
They say that life flashes before your eyes. Nathan wouldn't say that was entirely true. It wasn't his past that flashed before his eyes. Rather, it was his present and his future that had. In a span of a few moments, he thought of Ally. What would become of her? She would be forced to uproot herself yet again and oh, how she had thrived in Hope Valley. Ally had experienced so much loss in her life. To lose him would have crushed her.
Who was he kidding? Ally meant everything to Nathan. He wasn't legally her father but he felt that way completely. It would definitely be something that he wanted to discuss with Ally—make it official.
It wasn't only Ally who had flashed before his eyes. It was a dark haired beauty. A woman who made him smile with the crookedest of smile. A woman who made him feel emotions Mounties don't usually let themselves feel—like the time their fingers grazed while picking up a book, that electricity was inexplainable. He had thought of the woman who infuriated him, who he kept at arms length due to her past, and a woman he longed to know more. A woman who was an incredible mother to a darling son.
A woman named Elizabeth Thornton.
If you had asked him a few days ago who Elizabeth was interested in, Nathan would have said Lucas. After all, they had journeyed to Union City together. A woman only does that if she has strong feelings, or is in a relationship with, a gentlemen. His emotions just boiled under the surface and came out during the wind storm. He knew he had told her little things like her safety mattered to him, that he didn't want anything to happen to her. He had told Elizabeth that he was glad the publisher of her book saw her as special. And he had finally worked up the courage to ask her to dinner.
When staring down the barrel of gun, Nathan thought about how the dinner would not happen now, even if Elizabeth had said yes.
He hadn't expected Elizabeth to come flying into his arms, holding him close and not letting him go. All he could do was rest his chin on her hair. Neither of them speaking. Then there was the flurry of activity—Carson checking him for injuries, Ally running over from the schoolhouse, the group of townspeople peppering him with questions. The next thing he had known, Elizabeth had disappeared.
That had not been the right time to talk with Elizabeth. After all, he had said one of his main goals was raising Ally and she had been distraught. Rightfully so.
But now, he was alone with his thoughts.
They needed to talk, Nathan knew that much. A walk in the woods was in order. Perhaps even tomorrow as it was Saturday. However, all of Hope Valley would be watching them with baited breath for a while. They deserved to have a conversation in seclusion.
Stepping away from the fire, Nathan picked up a piece of paper and a pen. Only Ally knew his fascination with letter writing. He might as well put it to good use. What better way to ask Elizabeth for a walk than with a letter.
Dear Elizabeth,
There is so much that I want to say. You more than anyone know how tongue tied I can get, especially around you. However, today's events showed me that you have to make the most of every moment.
I don't know what our moment is, Elizabeth. I know there is something between us. I saw it in the flash of purple that came to embrace me. I didn't know that you cared for me that much. Perhaps memories of Jack filled your mind and you were taken back to the past. I wouldn't fault you if that was the case. Hearing news that someone didn't make it, and being wrong, is overwhelming. But that embrace felt like more, so much more.
Honestly, Elizabeth, you have affected me more than you realize. I chose to stay in Hope Valley not just for Ally; I also did not want to leave you. You and Little Jack have brought colors into my life that I had never anticipated. They are colors that I would miss if they were not there.
I would appreciate talking with you about what that hug meant, what my statements have meant. Take a walk with me tomorrow?
Warmly,
Nathan
Nathan smiled. That was the most open that he had ever been about his emotions. To Elizabeth anyway. Ally had guessed last Christmas, when he insisted on telling Elizabeth they were staying in Hope Valley, how he had feelings for her teacher.
Nathan stood up to put on his coat. He'd slide the note under Elizabeth's door. She'd be sure to see it in the morning.