Chapter 13

Nathan stood in front of the mirror starring at himself. He had been standing there for at least 15 minutes trying to make sure that everything was in place, that his hair was neatly groomed, clean shaven with no missing spots, and clothes neatly smoothed out. It seemed ridiculous to be so nervous considering that he knew how Elizabeth felt about him, but he still wanted this night to be perfect for her. He wanted it to be a night that she would look back on and remember for the rest of their lives. It was a first for them both, a fresh start at something that he had wanted for the past two years and now had been granted the go ahead to pursue. He wanted nothing more than for her to know and feel how special and loved she was by him. It had been a whirlwind of a ride to get to this point and he still wasn't sure how they had made it through all of those tension filled moments between them and his tongue tied and sometimes ridiculous comments to her.

He ran the comb through his hair one last time and then placed it on his dresser, turning back to the mirror he gave his tie one last adjustment and doused himself with the cologne he had bought earlier at the Mercantile. He felt like he was sixteen years old again, the butterflies in the pit of his stomach were bouncing around and causing a constricting feeling that made his heart race with excitement. For the 20th time he checked the clock, the minutes had seemed to tick by so slowly, but it was finally time to go pick up Elizabeth. He took a deep breath and blew it out through his mouth before heading down the stairs to give Allie a few last instructions before leaving.

He had not even hit the bottom step when Allie looked up from the table where she was eating her dinner, "Wow, Uncle Nathan you look fantastic. Mrs. Thornton is going to think you're the best-looking guy in all of Hope Valley and I think she would be right." He watched her as her eyes furrowed in curiosity and her nose crinkled, she tilted her head and then flashed him a sly smile, "You might also be the best smelling guy in all of Hope Valley. Mrs. Thornton might smell you coming before she sees you."

Nathan shook his head in confusion, "What? Is it too much?"

"No, you smell great and that's a good thing, especially if you want to stand close to her."

He raised his eyebrows and let out an exasperated, "Allie….."

"Ok, ok," she responded back, "I think you look great, now go get her." She was practically pushing him out the door.

"Listen," he said before stepping through the door, "you make sure you do all those dishes and if you need anything or an emergency arises you can run next door to Opal's house."

She rolled her eyes at him, "I'll be fine, Uncle Nathan…..and I know, don't answer the door to anyone."

He put his hand gently on her shoulder, "I love you, be safe."

"I will, I will, now go. You don't want to be late. Remember walk tall, look her straight in the eyes, and shake hands," she thought about that last one for a second and then added, "Well maybe a hug would be better than shaking hands. Have fun, Uncle Nathan."

Nathan started to raise his hand to say something back, but before he could get the words out she had shut the door in his face and he promptly lowered his hand and shut his mouth. He shook his head and started walking. She was strong willed and stubborn, just like her mother, but he knew that the kind of bullheadedness and strong determination that Allie possessed would lead her far in life. She was so different from him and had become so much more confident in who she was over the past couple of years living in Hope Valley. He chuckled to himself, she definitely didn't have a problem with talking the way he did. He was grateful for Elizabeth's womanly guidance with her. She had been a great example for Allie to follow. No matter how hard he tried, he could never replace that missing puzzle piece from Allie's life, but Elizabeth had swept in without him even asking her to and had willingly taken on that role in Allie's life.

He suddenly stopped walking and looked at the house in front of him. His stomach was churning in knots and his breath felt shallow, but with slow deliberate determination he climbed the steps to the front door of Elizabeth's row home and then gave it three short knocks. It couldn't have been more than 20 seconds since he knocked before the door swung open, but it felt more like an eternity.

He started to speak, but his mouth opened to say hello and then quickly shut before the words could come out. He simply stood there starring at her, his bright blue eyes sparkling with delight and a slight smile on his face. He could feel his heart quicken its pace and he could barely breathe. She was gorgeous, standing there in a light pale purple dress with soft lace covering the long sleeves and the v neck collar that revealed just enough skin while still holding to her conservative values. It was long and flowy, but clung to her in all the right places, outlining her figure perfectly. The sight of her left him both speechless and breathless.

She smiled back at him and it took her a few seconds to catch her breath. She looked him up and down, taking in his tall, slender frame. He was dressed in the same brown suit that he had worn to the school when all the kids had presented their projects to their parents, but this time he had on a blue checkered dress shirt under his vest. She loved it when he wore a vest, it added a flare that gave him a stark contrast in style to his Mountie uniform. It made him look a bit more formal, but kept him true to himself at the same time. It wasn't overdone. The blue shirt was peaking out just enough from the jacket and vest to make his baby blue eyes brighter and she could see them gleaming at her with pure joy and flirtation.

She found her voice first, "Hi Nathan. Um want to come in for a minute? I'm almost ready to go. I just took Jack next door and I just need to go grab my coat I left upstairs."

He still couldn't speak, he just looked at her through those cool blue liquid eyes, grinned, and nodded his head. He then stepped inside the door and closed it behind him while Elizabeth went up the stairs to grab her coat. Unlike the last time he had been inside her house, this time he took the time to look around it. It was painted in soft shades of purple and yellow that reflected her personality perfectly. His eyes glanced to a nearby table with several photos on it. He recognized Elizabeth and Little Jack and then his eyes caught the other photo of her and Jack. He could not even begin to imagine the heartache that she must have gone through in losing him. He had lost his sister, but he knew that was not the same as losing a spouse and he wondered if he could even measure up. Jack was a legend among the Mounties and he had heard stories about him that made him seem larger than life. He shuddered as he thought that he had almost put her through that same kind of heartache again, but for some reason, even knowing the risks of it, she still wanted him.

"That was Jack," he heard a soft voice say from behind him. He had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn't heard her come back down the stairs. When he didn't speak or turn around, Elizabeth spoke again, "Nathan, look at me." He turned to face her, "What's wrong?"

He looked down at the ground and shook his head, "I just want you to know that it will never be my intent to replace him. I don't ever expect you to not have a place for him in your heart, I just hope that I can measure up and take good care of what was most precious to him and now to me as well."

"Nathan, Jack was a good man and I loved him very much, but I have come to realize that there is room for new love in my heart too and he told me in a letter he wrote to me that was given to me after he died that he wanted me to be happy and to find love again." She tilted his head up with her fingers under his chin and looked him in the eye, "I think I'm well on my way to that and in some ways, I think those feelings are even stronger and it scares me to say that, but I can't deny them anymore and I'm ready to move forward with you. I will never compare him to you because you are so very different from each other." She paused and then attempted to add some levity to the conversation, "I mean for starters, you're a lot taller than he was."

It had worked, she could see his lips start to twitch and a slow grin breakout across his face. He then he rolled his eyes and laughed out loud shaking his head, "Oh Elizabeth." He reached up and caressed the side of her face with the back of his hand, a gentle touch of affection that he was starting to show her more often and was gaining meaning between them. When he touched her with that way with his eyes shining with pure affection, it melted her on the inside. "Are you ready to go?"

She nodded, "yes." He took her coat from her hands and helped her put it on and they both headed for the door. He guided her outside with his hand at the small of her back and as soon as they were through the door he offered her his arm which she took without hesitation.

"So where are we going," she asked

"Well that's a surprise and you're just going to have to wait and find out when we get there."

"It's a good thing I like surprises then." She smiled at him and they walked in silence until they grew closer to the pond. She loved how comfortable they were with one another that words weren't always necessary, they could fall into a comfortable ease with just being in each other's presence. She looked up as they approached the dock and then at Nathan in complete shock. "you set all of this up…for me?"

He smiled at her shyly, "you're worth it, Elizabeth." There was a small round table with a complete setting for two, covered in a white table cloth and a multiple colored floral center piece with a candle on each side, but not overly done like Lucas in the library. With the background of the evening sun casting a gleaming light over the rippling water in the pond it was absolutely beautiful. The sound of the frogs and crickets singing in the background added to the atmosphere.

"I'm in awe, Nathan, it's absolutely stunning."

"So you're pleasantly surprised then," he asked.

"Yes, absolutely. When you asked me for a date I really thought we would be going to the café, but this, this definitely exceeded my expectations."

He took her hand and led her to the table, pulling out the chair for her like a perfect gentleman would, before walking around to the other side and seating himself, "I have to make a confession, I did have some help from Rosemary and Bill. The food was cooked by Bill and Rosemary helped me with the set up and the flowers on the table."

Her eyes radiantly smiled and he could tell she was completely pleased with him, "We should eat," he said. He said a quick prayer over their food and they dug in. "So how long did you and Jack court before you got married, if you don't mind me asking. If you don't want to talk about him….I mean….I'll understand."

"No, it's ok. I don't want to run from my memories of him. I need to keep them alive for Little Jack's sake and because he deserves to be remembered. I have finally reached a point where the memories make me smile more than cry. We courted officially for almost five years before he proposed and we got married."

"Five years, wow…..I don't feel so bad anymore about being so slow to make a move."

"You were perfect on your timing. I felt pressured by Lucas and at times it made me a little uncomfortable."

He swallowed and looked down at his plate, "I always thought that you were ok with his advances. That's partly why I stepped back, I didn't want to interfere, but I also didn't know how to stop those feelings of jealousy either. I wasn't sure that I could just be friends with you and I knew you needed time. It wasn't until the night that I apologized to you that I felt a huge weight come off of my shoulders and realized that I still had a chance to make things right."

"I was curious about Lucas and he asked me out. What I really wanted all along was for you to pursue me, but when you didn't and he asked and showed interest in me I accepted because I wasn't sure if you would ever ask. What was it that kept you at a distance?"

He looked up at her and shrugged, pursing in lips and contemplating his answer he finally spoke, "I guess part of it was just feeling that you might reject me because of my occupation. After losing someone that you loved to the job, I wasn't sure if you would want someone who's job was not always the safest. I felt a bit guilty about possibly leading you down that road again, but when Lee almost died I realized how silly it sounded because anyone could be taken from this world at any time and there are plenty of Mounties that go their whole careers and make it to retirement without any issues. When you cornered me in my office and accused me of shutting you out, it was the first time in weeks that I felt like you actually might want me."

A smile widened across her face and she reached across the table covering his hand with her own. "Nathan, do you know when I first I noticed that there was something between us?"

He shook his head with a small twinkle in his eye, "When?"

"In the library when our fingers touched on that book. My heart fluttered immediately and it scared me to start with and I was grateful for the interruption by Fiona. Then you brought me that plaque and I was so touched that you remembered my favorite poet was Emerson, but later that day when I turned and saw you holding and playing with Little Jack my heart melted. The connection to you at that point had been solidified, I just wasn't ready to openly admit it and it made me nervous."

"I knew the very first day I met you."

She laughed and looked at him curiously, "Really?"

He moved his lips together and shook his head yes, "Really. You were like an angel walking into my office that day and you completely took me by surprise with your genuineness. I was completely taken aback that you would come and welcome me, the one taking your husband's place, into the community of Hope Valley. I knew at that moment that you were special, but I knew for sure that I was starting to develop feelings for you in our first meeting over Allie. The way you dealt with her," he chuckled, "and me, completely amazed me. You were incredible with her and were able to redirect her with such ease. I was in complete awe…and yes when our hands touched on that book and I looked up and our eyes met, I knew I was a goner." He tenderly smiled at her not just with his mouth, but with eyes as well and her breath caught in her throat at his intense gaze. He knew the affect he had on her was real when her cheeks started to turn a nice shade of pink. He loved that he could make her do that so easily. She really was so very beautiful on the inside as well as the outside and he wondered at how blessed one man could possibly be.

Feeling slightly flustered, she broke her gaze from him and took the last bite of her food, "These ribs were amazing and the mashed potatoes too. I wonder where Bill learned to cook like this."

"I have no idea," he shook his head from side to side and then continued, "I have one more surprise for you."

"I don't know how you could possibly outdo this dinner." She watched as he pushed himself away from the table, reaching behind his chair for something that she hadn't noticed was there, and then turned back around with the most beautiful guitar she thought she had ever seen. She glanced up at him in astonishment. She had never seen him play anything or even mention that he had a guitar. Her mouth flew open with a grin, "The guitar is beautiful, where did you get it?"

It was a bright mahogany colored guitar with beautifully patterned grains of wood running through it and small intricate detailed vine carvings etched into the wood around the edges. She could tell it had been very carefully taken care of. He sheepishly looked down at his hands lightly strumming it and gave a small grin and then his eyes floated back up at her, tilting his head from side to side he replied, "I made it."

She looked at him in complete astonishment. "Oh Nathan…," it was all she could think to say in the moment. She was completely shocked and in awe. She knew he was good with hand tools, but had no idea that he could create something like that. She finally found her voice, "that's amazing, I'm just completely in awe of the workmanship."

Before she could say another word, the strumming increased in volume until she could hear the tune being played and she instantly recognized it as When Irish Eyes Are Smiling. As if the guitar playing wasn't enough he started humming the tune. She listened as he finally garnered the courage to start singing the words. His voice was feathery light with a hypnotic quality to it that drew her in and calmed her soul. The melodic tenor sound was smoothing and he had a pleasant lilt to his voice. She would have been content to have sat there listening to him sing like that for days, "…..When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, sure 'tis like a morn in spring. In the lilt of Irish laughter, you can hear the angels sing. When Irish hearts are happy, all the world seems bright and gay, and when Irish eyes are smiling, sure, they steal your heart away."

He looked up at her as he strummed the last notes and sang the last line, locking onto her glimmering blue eyes that starred at him wide in disbelief. She sat there in silence completely unable to speak and barely able to breathe. He could see her eyes filling with water and a spark of something he had yet to see in them, but he couldn't identify the look. He stood and walked around the table to where she sat. He offered her his hand to help her stand and she, gratefully took it because in that moment she didn't trust her legs to work right.

"Elizabeth," he quietly spoke her name and gently put his hand on her cheek, caressing it with his thumb, "Are you all right?"

Her mouth opened to speak, but the words just weren't there. She was completely shocked and wondered why he had kept this talent hidden for so long. All she could do was shake her head and then the smile broke across her face and she sighed heavily, trying to calm her nerves. "Nathan," her voice was slightly above a whisper and she looked at him with an abundance of admiration in her eyes, "I had no idea you could sing and play like that. Your voice is so incredibly smooth and that was absolutely beautiful. I'm stunned, really…..in awe."

A small crooked grin appeared on his face and his eyes glowed with affection for her. He leaned down gently and joined his lips with hers. It was slow and gentle at first, but the softness of her lips against his caused his head to swim and without thinking about it, the kiss slowly deepened, becoming more filled with desire this time than it had been the first time they kissed in the cabin. He felt himself drowning into her with an intensity that was unparalleled to anything else he had ever felt. His arms slipped around her and drew her closer and he could feel her hands on his back pulling him in towards her. He knew he needed to break away when he felt her knees go weak and he could feel the weight of her in his arms.

He broke away slowly from her, but still held his arms around her and placed his forehead on hers. They were both left breathless, but he still managed to get the words out, "I'm falling in love with you, Elizabeth. I have been falling since the day you walked into my office and falling hard. I love you."

She closed her eyes and tried to slow the loud beating of her heart, she was certain that if he listened close enough he could hear it. She then sighed heavily and opened her eyes up and pulling her head away she tilted her head up to look at his face, "I love you too, Nathan."

The small grin that had been on his face slowly spread into a wider smile that reached all the way up to his eyes, "I've been waiting a long time to hear you say those words to me. I sometimes wonder if I'm dreaming and I'm going to wake up."

She reached up and putting her hands around his neck she drew him down into another tender kiss. It was quicker than the last one, but no less intense. She drew back, "Nope, not a dream.

He took a step back and placed his larger hand into her smaller one, "Come on, why don't we take a stroll around the pond before I walk you home."

She smiled and nodded at him and they started their stroll, talking about everything from writing to school and future plans. They talked about the town and their kids. Within an hour they had found themselves back where they had started and the sun was starting to set into the western sky casting a light shadow over the pond.

"I don't want this evening to end," said Elizabeth looking over the pond and laying her head against Nathan's shoulder.

He wrapped his arm around her, "It's been a nice evening hasn't it? We can sit here and watch the sun go down and then I'll walk you home." He placed their chairs side by side and they sat there wrapped up in each other and watched the sun go down behind the horizon, perfectly content and happy in the moment that they both hoped was one of many more to come.

To be continued…thanks for reading!

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling: Composer Ernest Ball and lyrics by Chauncey Olcott and George Graff Jr. Written in 1912.