"Uncle Nathan, where is the suitcase?" Allie asked, coming down the stairs of their rowhouse. "It's not where I left it."

"It's under your bed," Nathan answered, packing some fresh fish into a basket. He and Allie had gone fishing this afternoon and caught some beauties. Allie was taking some over to Opal's for a fish fry with her friends, and Nathan was taking the rest to Elizabeth's for dinner.

"Why under my bed?" Allie asked, looking puzzled.

Nathan chuckled. "I figured that was the safest place for it. That way you don't have to go all the way to the closet to get it every time you have a sleepover. I thought I told you I put it under there."

Allie shook her head. "Nope, you didn't!" she called as she raced back up the stairs. Before Nathan had finished packing everything he needed for tonight's dinner, Allie was back, lugging her suitcase with her.

"I'm ready to go!" she announced.

Nathan raised his brows. "You are very efficient," he commented. "How did you pack that fast?"

"It's only overnight," Allie said breezily. "I didn't need a whole lot." She grabbed her own basket of fish and kissed Nathan on the cheek. "See you tomorrow!" she said, heading for the door. She glanced back and grinned cheekily. "Enjoy your date with Mrs. Thornton." With that, she skipped out the door.

Nathan shook his head. His niece was the most precocious child he knew. She was tickled pink that he and Elizabeth were officially going on a date, even if it was just dinner at Elizabeth's house. To be honest, he was excited too. Now that he had asked Elizabeth for a date and she had accepted immediately, he was looking forward to getting to know her better. Knowing they had a mutual interest in each other eased his mind greatly. The months that had gone on with him not knowing where she stood and whether or not she liked Lucas were agony. With the air cleared between them, he hoped they could both figure out where they wanted to go from here.

He picked up his basket and walked outside. The walk to Elizabeth's rowhouse was a short one, and soon he was knocking on her door. Elizabeth opened the door, little Jack on her hip and a smile on her face. "Hi, Nathan. Come in."

Nathan felt his heart skip a beat as he walked into her home. She looked as lovely as always. Closing the door, she turned to him. "Thank you so much for coming over here, Nathan." She smiled down at Jack. "And for letting this little guy be a part of our evening."

"Anytime," Nathan said, meaning it wholeheartedly. He grinned at Jack, tickling him under the chin. Jack laughed happily, reaching an arm out to Nathan.

"Here, why don't we switch?" Elizabeth said, reaching for Nathan's basket while handing him Jack. "I'll put this in the kitchen."

"Thanks," Nathan said. He swung Jack high in the air, eliciting delighted giggles from the little boy. Nathan brought him down to his chest, then swung him up again. Jack clapped and squealed, "'Gain! 'Gain!"

Nathan repeated the process amid Jack's toddler laughter. Finally he placed Jack on the ground, and the little boy toddled over to the living room and sat down among his blocks. Nathan looked up to see Elizabeth watching him with a smile.

"What?" he asked, trying to read her expression.

She shook her head, her eyes bright. "You're so good with him," she said, motioning to her son. "He doesn't laugh like that for anyone else. He likes you."

"I like him," Nathan responded, his eyes going to Jack. "You're raising a good boy, Elizabeth."

"Thank you," she said softly. "That means a lot. Sometimes it feels overwhelming trying to raise him on my own."

"I know what you mean," Nathan said with a nod. "Raising Allie has simultaneously been my greatest struggle and greatest joy."

Elizabeth nodded. "That's exactly how I feel." They stood side by side for a moment, watching Jack. Nathan had never felt such a kinship with her as he did just then. They both knew the struggles of being a single parent, the challenges and the hardships. But also the joys. He looked at her, taking the time to study her while her attention was on Jack. She was watching him with a tender smile, and it was clear she was thinking of the many memories she had with her boy. Her love for little Jack was written all over her face.

She had never looked more beautiful to him than she did in that moment.

Sensing his perusal, Elizabeth looked up at him. For once, he didn't look away, but instead allowed himself to get lost in her eyes. The moments stretched on, their eyes locked on each other. Nathan only looked away when he felt small hands clutching the fabric of his pants at the knees. Looking down, he saw little Jack grinning at him. "Up!"

Nathan bent and picked Jack up again. Smiling at Elizabeth, he turned his eyes to Jack and nuzzled his cheek with his nose. "Would you like to learn how to fry a fish, little buddy?"

Elizabeth watched as Nathan cut some fish into small, toddler size pieces and placed them on little Jack's high chair tray. Jack gobbled them up almost as fast as Nathan was giving them to him. Laughing, Nathan said, "Slow down, Jack. There's plenty where that came from."

Elizabeth grinned. "He does that when he really likes something. He basically inhales the food."

"I see that." Nathan watched as Jack cleared his tray of any food, then looked up at him expectantly.

"I think he's still hungry," Elizabeth said with a laugh. As Nathan gave him more, Elizabeth took a bite of her food. Her eyes widened. "Wow, Nathan, this is delicious!"

Nathan's smile spread across his entire face. "Really?"

"Yes, really!" she exclaimed. "I've never tasted fish this good." She lowered her voice. "But don't tell Bill that I said that."

"Your secret is safe with me,'' Nathan said solemnly, but his eyes were twinkling. They finished their dinner, then Elizabeth took Jack out of his high chair. He immediately went to Nathan and grabbed his hand, pulling him out of his chair. Nathan followed Jack to the living room, where his blocks lay scattered on the floor. They began to build a tower together. Elizabeth watched for a moment, letting the happiness washing over her sink in. Her son and Nathan looked good together. She could easily get used to this.

Blinking, she started to clear the table. She didn't want to get ahead of herself. Nathan hadn't even asked if he could court her yet, and she had a feeling it might take some time. He wanted to go slowly, so they would go slowly. She plunked the dishes in the sink and washed them. By the time she was done, Nathan and Jack had built an elaborate tower.

She leaned against the sink, watching them. Nathan had unintentionally found the quickest way to her heart: playing with her son. He had already been firmly planted in her heart, but the roots were growing ever stronger.

Jack leaned back, then said, "Mama?" Looking around, he spotted Elizabeth. "Mama!"

Elizabeth walked over and sat next to them on the floor. Jack crawled into her lap. "Sto'ee, Mama. Pweese?"

"Of course, my sweet boy," Elizabeth cooed.

Nathan stood. "I'll get the book. Where can I find one?"

"Over there, by the table," Elizabeth said. Nathan went to the bookshelf and pulled a children's book from it. He sat down, book still in hand. "Why don't I read it to him?" he asked.

Elizabeth put her head down by Jack's. "Do you want Nathan to read the story?" she asked him.

Jack nodded, his eyes starting to droop. Nathan opened the book and began to read. After a few moments, Elizabeth decided he had the perfect voice for reading. His steady tone and inflections soon lulled little Jack into a deep sleep.

"I'll be right back," she whispered to Nathan. He nodded, helping her to stand while she balanced little Jack. She quietly walked to his room and put him in his crib. "We're going to have to get you a toddler bed soon," she said softly. Bending down, she kissed his cheek and then shut the door gently behind her. She went back down the stairs. Nathan had moved to the settee, and she joined him there.

He looked at her for a few moments, his lips curled in a gentle smile. Elizabeth's heart beat double time. Having a hard time concentrating under his intense gaze, she said the only thing that came to her mind. "I made a cake this afternoon. Would you like coffee and dessert?"

His crooked smile widened. "Sounds great." They made their way to the kitchen. Elizabeth poured the coffee and sliced two generous portions of chocolate cake.

"Elizabeth, this is delicious," Nathan said as he ate his cake.

"Thank you," she said with a smile. "You should have seen my first attempt at baking. It wasn't pretty."

"Considering how this tastes, I find that hard to believe."

"I've come a long way in the cooking and baking departments," Elizabeth chuckled. "Growing up in Hamilton, we never stepped foot in the kitchen. It was only when I moved to Hope Valley that I had to learn how to operate an oven." She smiled. "It's been a skill I was proud to develop."

Nathan smiled. "You seem at home here on the frontier."

"I am," she stated simply. "Hope Valley is my home. I can't imagine raising Jack anywhere else."

A reflective look filled Nathan's eyes. "I know what you mean. Sometimes I shudder to think that I almost took Allie away from all this last year."

"Oh my goodness, has it been a whole year already?" Elizabeth asked, eyes wide.

Nathan nodded. "It'll be a year a few days before Christmas. And Christmas is only a couple weeks away. Speaking of which," he said, clearing his throat. "Allie asked if you could come with us to find a tree again this year. Would you be open to that?"

"Of course!" Elizabeth said immediately. "That would be wonderful."

"And maybe this time you could bring Jack too," Nathan suggested with a smile. "I think he would enjoy it."

Touched, Elizabeth gave him a gentle smile. "Thank you for including him, Nathan. I think he would love it too."

"Little Jack is a part of you, Elizabeth," Nathan said, his eyes boring into hers. "Loving you means loving your son."

Love? Elizabeth's mouth fell open, and she stared at Nathan. He looked momentarily confused by her reaction, then realization lit his eyes and they widened as his cheeks reddened. "I mean...down the road...if...if we...get to...that…"

She hid a smile as Nathan continued to stumble over his words. It was endearing. She reached out and put a hand over his. "I know what you meant, Nathan." She sat back in her chair, bringing her hand back to her lap. "But I do have a question for you."

"What's that?" Nathan asked, his color starting to return to normal.

Elizabeth studied him, wondering what his answer would be. "You said you wanted to take things slowly between us. What exactly does that mean to you?"

Nathan was quiet for several moments. Elizabeth let him think, knowing he needed the time to process what she was asking. Finally, he responded. "I think it means we continue to explore these feelings we both have, by spending time together with each other and with the kids." He leaned forward. "If anything comes of this, it's not just going to be you and me. It's going to include Allie and Jack. So I guess when I say take things slow, I mean let's allow things to unfold naturally." He smiled. "Kind of how you realized your feelings in your time."

Elizabeth raised her brows, unable to resist teasing him. "And then you did your level best to push me away."

Nathan let out a breath. "That was not my finest moment," he admitted. "Thank you for not giving up on me." He tilted his head, looking at her. "Are you okay with us letting things develop at their own pace?"

Smiling, Elizabeth nodded. "You do know that sometimes that means things develop faster than you expect them to, right?"

He smiled wryly. "Yes, I know. And that would be fine with me too. I just want to make sure we're both honest with each other about what we're feeling."

"I'll always be honest with you, Nathan," Elizabeth said softly. "I want you to know that."

He looked at her with his intense stare once again, and this time Elizabeth met it head on. He nodded slowly. "I know that, Elizabeth. And I will always be honest with you as well."

"Don't I know it," Elizabeth said with a self-depreciating chuckle. "When you gave me the what for in that cabin in the woods, I didn't want to hear the truth. But I'm glad you were honest with me then."

Nathan reached across the table and took her hand. "I was so afraid I could have lost you that day," he said, squeezing her hand gently. "I don't remember ever feeling so scared in my life."

"I'm glad you were there," Elizabeth said. "I knew you wouldn't let anything happen to us."

They sat there for a moment, and Elizabeth couldn't remember feeling this peaceful in a long time. Finally, Nathan let go of her hand and stood. "I should be getting home," he said. He smiled at her as he reached for his things. "Thank you for a lovely evening, Elizabeth."

She laughed. "I should be thanking you! I'm so glad you adjusted your plans so that it would work to have little Jack with us. And dinner was wonderful."

She walked him to the door. He looked at her and said, "How is Sunday for finding a tree?"

"Perfect," Elizabeth said. "We can go after Sunday service."

Nathan grinned. "I'm looking forward to it." He leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Elizabeth."

"Goodnight." She shut the door behind him, then leaned against it with a sigh. The touch of his lips had sent her insides to spinning, and she put a hand over her stomach to try to calm the butterflies.

She couldn't wait for Sunday.