Chapter 15

Nathan sat at his desk early the next morning typing away at a report that he should have had done days ago about the O'Rourke case, but he hadn't been able to bring himself to finish it yet because every time he had sat down to work on it his mind would conjure up horrific pictures of what happened the day of the transport. The what if's would sink in and plague his thoughts, what if it had been him who had been shot that day? Would it have changed the outcome of the events that had happened since that day? Would Elizabeth have had more hesitations than what she did? This time was different though and he had found himself completely at peace and able to think through the report and get it done. He credited that to Elizabeth and their growing relationship and the stability that she brought to his life.

She had enlivened in him a sense of renewed hope and purpose and for the first time since they had met he saw the potential for their future moving forward together. He smiled to himself, if anyone had asked him a year ago where he saw his future, he was almost certain that Hope Valley wouldn't have been in his permanent plans and that Elizabeth was just not interested in him at all. He really had thought that she had slipped away from him and that any hope he had of them being together had slipped away, but now he had finally told her that he loved her and she returned that sentiment. Hearing those three little words come from her sweet voice had thrown his heart into a whirlwind and he wasn't sure he had ever felt such pure unadulterated joy before. She loved him and he could feel those words melt down all the barriers that had been built around both of their hearts.

He was suddenly jostled from his thoughts with the swinging of the door opening to reveal Bill walking up to his desk. "Good morning, Nathan, what's that smile all about it?"

Nathan straightened up his chair and clearing his throat looked up at Bill, "Uh, I'm smiling?"

"Yeah, you're smiling and I get the feeling somethings up with you, care to share?" Bill had a funny smirk on his face.

Nathan sheepishly looked down at his desk and then out the window to the side of the room with a sly grin on his face. He knew he had to tell someone or he was going to burst. "Elizabeth's the one, Bill. I can picture our lives together with Allie and Little Jack. I'm in love with her and I told her that last night."

Bills eyebrows shot up. He had suspected it for a long time, but to actually hear Nathan say it out loud was like declaring that the Yankees had won the World Series from the top of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. "And…?"

Nathan looked at him in confusion, "And what?"

Bill threw his hands up questioningly and stared down at him wide eyed, "And how did she respond?"

His grin broke out into a wide smile, "She said she loves me too."

Bill placed his hands on his hips and grinned back at him, "Well I'll be darned, it's about time you two figured it out. Now what are you going to do about it?"

Nathan shook his head, "What do you mean?"

"Well what's your next step? In my experience, once love is declared you better be ready to move in quickly and make her yours forever, if you catch what I mean."

Nathan let out a grimace, "Bill, we aren't there, yet. We still haven't been courting long enough."

"If you want my advice, don't be too much of a tortoise moving forward. If you're not careful the hare might catch up again."

Nathan looked at him pointedly with a smirk, "Bill, I haven't reverted back into my shell, I'm still moving forward. I just don't want to go to fast and scare her away."

"Remember what I told you, Elizabeth always looks before she leaps. Where your concerned I think she has already looked and is ready to leap. Keep that in mind in the coming days and months."

"Dually noted," responded Nathan.

"Do you have lunch plans later," asked Bill.

"Afraid not, I need to finish this report that I have been putting off and send it to Buxton. I'll be here for a little while and then I have to go do my rounds this afternoon."

"Fair enough, just thought I would ask and offer. How's the report coming along? I actually came to check and see if you had it done yet." Bill asked both out of concern and curiosity.

"It's good, I should be able to finish it today and get it sent off."

Bill looked at him with worry written on his face, "You're all right? I mean this isn't making you nervous to write it up?"

Nathan nodded, "No, I'm finally at peace over what happened. Part of it will probably always haunt me, put I'm doing fine."

"Good then, I'll leave and let you get back to typing." Bill exited the jail and Nathan was once again alone with his thoughts and the report sitting in front of him.

He worked on the report along with a letter to the fallen Mounties family for the next two hours, rereading, revising, editing it, and rewriting some parts. He had finally gotten to a point where he was ready to call it finished when he heard a small knock on the door and it swung open to reveal Elizabeth stepping inside. He quickly stood and came around the front of his desk to greet her.

"Hey, what brings you here?" He smiled at her and leaned down stealing a quick kiss from her lips before straightening himself up all the way. He then sat down on the edge of his desk and studied her face carefully.

She caught him doing it, "What," she smiled back at him.

He pursed his lips and shook his head slightly. "Nothing, you're just," he sighed, "just so beautiful."

She blushed and then smiled at him, "I though you could use some lunch so I brought us some sandwiches and thought we could eat together."

"I would love that, but I have a better idea then eating in the stuffy jail. Why don't you come with me on my rounds and we can stop and have lunch outdoors along the way."

"I would love that! Laura's watching Little Jack right now and I've got some time. That's a great idea. I have something I want to show you anyways."

Nathan put his hat on his head and then grabbed the basket with the food in it in one hand and Elizabeth's hand with the other and they exited the Mountie office, heading down the street to the stable. They could see people take notice of them as they walked the street together, but there was no sense in hiding their growing relationship any longer and they were both sure that by now the rumors had already been flying after the public display of affection when he had come back into town after almost being shot. At this point neither of them mattered if the whole town now knew that they belonged to each other. It was freeing to finally be able to express it openly and not hide those feelings any longer.

When they reached the stable, Nathan helped Elizabeth put the saddle on Sergeant before putting his saddle on Newton. They then led their horses out of the stable and mounted them, starting a slow trot out of the town, but not before Rosemary caught sight of them.

"Well where are you two off to, escaping in the middle of the day for a little romance," she asked with a coy smile.

"Rosemary…." Elizabeth said while giving her the side eye. "We are going to go have lunch and I'm going to ride with Nathan on his rounds. Can you do me a favor?"

"Anytime you need anything Elizabeth, you know all you have to do is ask."

"Can you check on Laura for me in a little while and make sure she and Little Jack are doing ok? I'm not sure how long we will be gone, but if she needs to go home can you watch Jack?"

"Oh absolutely," she said with certainty, "I would be happy to. You two take all the time you need."

Clearing her throat Elizabeth said, "Thank you." She took a look at Nathan through her peripheral vision and she could see the small smirk cross his face. He was enjoying watching Elizabeth to be the one put on the spot for a change. Elizabeth turned her horse and said to Nathan, "Ready to go?"

"Lead the way," he responded with a nod and they both started down the road and out of the town on horseback.

Eventually she led him to a clearing and then stopped at the edge of it, "I'll race you to the other side," she challenged him.

He tilted his head with a mischievous smile, "You know being a Mountie, I am a trained horseback rider. I think that might be an unfair advantage."

She pointed at something in the distance and gasped out loud, "Oh my goodness, look, did you see that?"

Nathan turned his head in the direction she was pointing and before he could respond Elizabeth had urged Sergeant forward and was already 25 yards ahead of him. "Hey," he yelled, "not fair." He grimaced and shaking his head he urged Newton to take off galloping towards Elizabeth.

He watched her ahead of him as her long hair flew back in the wind and her free spirit laughed. She was so full of life and so very beautiful, both inside and out. There were times where he thought he might wake up from this dream he was having, but he was constantly reminded of the reality of her love for him and he knew how very fortunate and blessed he was that she had chosen him despite all of his faults. He finally caught up to her, but not before she had reached the other side of the clearing and had dismounted her horse. As he approached, he halted Newton and hopped down as Elizabeth came around Sergeant to meet him. "I win," she said flirtingly at him.

He grabbed her around the waist and looked down at her as she threw her arms around him. "Aw huh, I think you cheated, Mrs. Thornton," he playfully responded back. "Besides," he added, "I think I won."

She looked at him, "How so, Constable?"

"Because," he tilted his head and brought his lips down to softly kiss her forehead. "I caught," he moved down and kissing her this time lightly on her closed eye lid, "the most beautiful woman," this time his lips found the side of her cheek, "in Hope Valley in my arms."

With the last words his lips finally found hers in a kiss that showed the desire he was feeling for her. Elizabeth could feel her head go light with the sensation and a chill go up her spine. When he kissed her like that she couldn't bring herself to even think and she felt herself melt into him.

Barely able to breathe Nathan found himself getting lost in her sweetness and he knew he needed to breakaway before he lost all sense of control. With one more move of his lips he broke away and leaned his forehead against hers. Completely breathless, he took a couple of small breaths to try and regain his composure before speaking, "I think we better have that lunch."

Elizabeth nodded in agreement, "I think you're right,"

He took a step back and cupped the side of her face with his hand, "I love you, you know."

"I know," she said simply, "and I love you too." He then let her go. They smiled at one another and then Elizabeth grabbed the lunch while Nathan grabbed a blanket off the back of his horse. He carefully laid it down on the ground and they sat on it eating their sandwiches.

"This land is a beautiful spot," Nathan observed in an attempt at small talk as they ate.

"Yes, it is," she smiled at him and inhaled sharply. "This is what I wanted to show you."

"The meadow," he questioned.

"The land," she took a deep breath and released it. "Nathan, I own this property."

Nathan swallowed hard, "You own it?"

She shook her head in the affirmative and sighed, "Yes, Jack bought it before we were married. We were going to build our home here."

They sat in silence for a moment and Nathan reached over, taking her left hand with his right he gently rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, "I'm sorry Elizabeth, I know that must not have been easy for you and I'm sure you miss him."

She looked up at him, "I do, but the tears I have shed have slowly turned into smiles at the memories I have. Those can't be taken away from me. He gave me the greatest gift I have ever received in the form of our son and I now think you were sent my way as part of that healing process as well. I know he would have approved of you and he would be so happy to know that a fellow Mountie was watching over me and his son. He wrote me a letter in case he didn't come home and in it he told me that he wanted me to find love again. Nathan you are a blessing from God that I never would have expected. I love you so very much and I am so grateful that we have found each other. I can't picture my life anymore without you in it."

He smiled back at her, his eyes gleaming with a light that shown from deep within him. Without saying a word, he took her hand brought it to his lips, kissing it lightly and bringing it back down again. That's when he noticed something different about it. He looked down at her hand to confirm with his eyes and then back up at Elizabeth, "You took your rings off."

It was more of a simple statement of surprise than a question. She nodded at him, "It's time. I'm ready to move on. I need to stop living in the past and move forward. Jack would want me to and it's my way of letting you know that I see our future together."

She could see his eyes sparkle with the pools of water forming in them, "I don't know what to say. I'm just," he paused trying to regain his composure and swallowed before continuing, "I'm just so overcome with emotion right now. I've longed for this from the moment I practically met you, but I never thought in a million years that you could possibly be mine one day. I love you Elizabeth Thornton." He paused again, and looked down at their entwined hands, "Hold on, I have something for you that came into the Mercantile this morning. I ordered it for you and was going to hold onto it until I felt the time was right, but I think now is prefect."

He stood up and went over to his saddle bag and pulled out a small, but long box from it and brought it back over to the blanket they were sitting on. "I wanted to give you something, but I wasn't sure at first what that might be, but I got to thinking about it and well this is what I came up with. I uh….hope you like it."

He passed the box over to her and she carefully opened it, revealing a small gold chain like necklace with no charm on it. It was simple, yet pretty and she smiled, surprised by it, "It's beautiful, Nathan. Thank you."

"I um. Thought that you could use it to hang your wedding rings from Jack on when you decided to take them off. That way you would always have them close to you as a reminder of him when you decided to leave your hand and heart open for a future symbol of love and commitment. I never want you to feel like there isn't room for both of us in your heart."

He could see the unshed tears welling up in her bright blue eyes shining up at him, "Nathan," that's all she could get out before the first tear fell. "I don't know what to say, it's such a beautiful gesture and quite overwhelming. That is one of the sweetest things that you could have done." She leaned over and threw her arms around him, resting her head against his chest and in almost a whisper added, "I love you, Nathan Grant."

She felt him smile into her hair. He gently kissed the top of her head and then pulled back and took in a deep breath, "We better get going so I can get my rounds in."

She nodded, "before we clean up will you help me put this on?"

"I'd be happy to," they both stood and she turned around, pulling her hair out of the way as he clasped it in the back. She turned around and before moving to clean things they kissed one more time. Soon the blanket and basket were packed away and they were on their horses, trotting off to finish his rounds before the final setting of the sun.