Nathan hung his hat on its hook, then sat behind his desk. He eyed the paperwork sitting there that he still had to go through. That had never been his favorite part of the job. To tell the truth, he would rather do just about anything else.

Bill walked into the office. "You got a minute, Nathan?"

Nathan neatly stacked the paperwork and put it to one side. "Yes, I do. Anything to get out of working on that," he said, gesturing to the papers.

Bill grimaced. "I've got some paperwork of my own that still needs doing. I've been avoiding it."

Chuckling, Nathan leaned back. "Something we heartily agree on." He tilted his head. "So what brings you to my office?"

"Mountie business," Bill said, his face tightening. "There's a man who's been moving from town to town, robbing banks along the way. No one has been able to catch him yet. There isn't even a sketch of him to circulate. My source said this man has been getting closer and closer to Hope Valley. The last town he robbed was a couple over from ours." He leaned forward. "We need to be diligent, Nathan. This man is smart. He's avoided discovery so far."

Nathan digested the information, then nodded. "We'll need to keep a sharp eye out. I'll tell Mr. Jenkins to bolster his security, and I'll add an extra set of rounds to my schedule."

"I'll do some rounds of my own too," Bill said. "We can't be too careful. This man hasn't physically hurt anyone, but no one has caught him either. He could be armed and dangerous."

"Maybe we can have someone keeping an eye on the bank at all times," Nathan said, musing out loud. "I know the men in this town are willing to help out when needed, especially when it comes to keeping the town safe. I'll go around today and ask certain people if they would like to take a shift."

"Good idea," Bill said with a nod. "I'll keep an ear to the ground with my contacts. If they say this guy starts hitting banks further from Hope Valley, we'll know that he's not likely to come here after all." He smiled grimly. "But if he does come here, he will regret it. We'll be ready for him."

"No one messes with Hope Valley and gets away with it," Nathan agreed. "Not on our watch."

Bill smiled. "I'm glad we're on the same team. Keeping our town and its people safe. And a certain young lady too." He raised an eyebrow. "I just want you to know that I'm happy for you and Elizabeth. She's like a daughter to me, and it makes me happy to know that she has someone who loves her wholeheartedly. And loves her son too."

At a loss for words, Nathan simply looked at Bill, a grateful expression on his face. Finally, he was able to speak. "Thank you," he said, the words hitching slightly in his throat. "That means a lot coming from you."

Bill nodded. "I know you'll take good care of them." He started for the door, then paused. Looking back, he spoke again. "Don't take too long to make things official, Nathan. Elizabeth has been down the slow route before, and I think she has regrets because of it. I don't want you to have the same regrets."

Nathan's brow furrowed. "Make things official? Bill, you know we've been officially courting for a few months now."

"I know," Bill said. "That's not what I meant."

Confused, Nathan tried to think of what he meant. He stared at Bill, who wore an enigmatic expression. "Nathan, you know I've been in your camp since the beginning. I always thought you and Elizabeth would find your way to each other. I think you'll figure out what I mean." He nodded with a smirk and then left, leaving Nathan simultaneously confused and touched. Bill's support meant the world to him, but he wasn't sure what he was getting at.

He pulled the paperwork toward him, losing himself in his work. Within ten minutes, a dawning realization swept over him. He leaned back in his chair, eyes widening as the full meaning of Bill's words hit him.

Marriage.

Bill was talking about not waiting too long for Nathan to ask Elizabeth to be his wife.

Nathan fiddled with his pen, lost in thought. He and Elizabeth had known each other for about two years, and had been courting for a little over two months. Was it too soon to ask her to marry him? He had certainly thought about it many times, but he had also been the one to ask if they could take things slowly. Not that that had actually panned out; things had developed between them quickly. Elizabeth's words echoed in his mind from their first date, after he'd asked her if they could take things slow: That's fine, Nathan...for now. You should know that Jack and I took the slow route, and I don't fancy going that slow again. We thought we had all the time in the world, until we didn't.

He opened his desk drawer and reached for the small box tucked away in the back corner. Flipping open the lid, he looked down at the diamond ring sparkling up at him. His mother had given it to him before he left home for Mountie training. He could still hear her words as she'd given him the little box with the beautiful diamond. This was your great-grandmother's ring. She gave it to me as a keepsake before she died, and now it's yours. One day, I pray you meet someone with whom you will have a beautiful love story, someone you will give this ring to as a promise to spend the rest of your lives together.

Nathan had found the ring box last week when going through a box of old photos. He had figured with his profession and with raising Allie that he was likely to spend his life without a wife. Then he had met Elizabeth, and suddenly he could imagine being married, being married to her. He hadn't thought too much about asking her to marry him yet, though, until he'd accidentally found the ring that he'd forgotten he had. He had just figured it was too soon in their relationship for that.

But Bill's words had thrown him for a loop. Would Elizabeth be willing to consider a marriage proposal so soon into their courtship? He had no doubts that he wanted to ask her someday. He knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He just wasn't sure about the timing.

"As long as I've known you, I've never seen you sit so still," a voice said from the doorway. Nathan snapped the box shut as his head jerked up, startled at the unexpected interruption.

Gabe stood there, grinning, a hand on his belt. Nathan's jaw dropped. "Gabe!" He stood, coming around the desk and giving him a firm handshake. "We weren't expecting you until next week! What're you doing here?"

Grinning broadly, Gabe shrugged. "Thought I'd surprise you. I'm all checked in to my room and ready to get to know Hope Valley." He eyed the box in Nathan's hand. "Anything you'd care to share, Constable Grant?"

Feeling a little like a caught schoolboy, Nathan smiled sheepishly. "Just contemplating whether or not I'm ready to take the next step in my relationship with Elizabeth," he said, walking back to his desk and sliding the ring inside the drawer. He cleared his throat. "Actually, I'm glad you're here. I just found out there's a bank robber going from town to town. No one's seen him yet."

"I've heard of him," Gabe said with a nod. "We were on high alert in Brookfield, but he never came through. My guess is our town was too small for him." He frowned. "But a growing railroad town like Hope Valley? I'd be surprised if he doesn't strike. What do you need from me?"

Grateful for Gabe's willingness to help, Nathan began to outline his plan.

Fiona bent over her work, carefully copying the numbers from one ledger to the next. She and Lucas had agreed from the start to have two copies of the books, one for each of them. She was currently copying the numbers from yesterday into her book after diligently checking to make sure everything was correct.

"How are the numbers?" Lucas asked, looking over her shoulder.

Fiona yelped and threw the pen in the air, startled by his unexpected presence. Putting a hand over her heart, she glanced back at him. "When did you get here? I thought you were busy at the saloon today."

Lucas picked up her pen and handed it back to her, his fingers lightly brushing hers on accident. Fiona blushed furiously and bent her head, hoping he couldn't see her red cheeks. He took his seat across from her and steepled his hands. "Gustav is handling the saloon just fine. I thought I'd come by here and get a few things done."

Thinking that was that, Fiona kept her head down. After a minute, she glanced up, surprised to see Lucas's gaze still trained on her. He had an unreadable expression on his face as he studied her. Fiona could feel her cheeks heating again as their eyes met and held. "Was there something else?" she asked, her tone sharper than she meant it to be. He had a unique way of throwing her off, without saying a single word. It rattled her.

Lucas blinked, seemingly coming out of his thoughts. "No, nothing else," he said. "Sorry, I was just thinking about...uh...work."

Fiona raised a brow. "Well, you are in your office. Thinking about work makes sense. Care to be more specific?"

"Umm…" Before Lucas could continue, Fiona heard a knock at the open door. Lucas's eyes widened in surprise. Fiona turned, and her mouth dropped.

Henry Gowen stood at the door, hat in hand. "May I come in?" he asked.

Lucas stood, quickly masking his shock. "Of course." He gestured to the chair next to Fiona. "Please, have a seat."

"Thank you," Henry said, sitting in the chair. An awkward silence descended between them. Fiona glanced between Henry and Lucas. Henry had left Hope Valley right after selling the company to Lucas, going to visit a friend. No one had seen him since. For him to show up so suddenly was completely unexpected.

Henry broke the silence. "I see you've managed to keep things going," he said, his tone even. Fiona couldn't decipher the look on his face, and from the looks of things, neither could Lucas.

"We're getting by," Lucas acknowledged. "It took some time, but our finances are looking up."

"I'm glad to hear that," Henry said, sounding sincere. "I'm sorry I left things so badly between us. I wanted to apologize for that."

"It's all in the past, Henry," Lucas said, a gentleness in his voice that surprised Fiona. She looked at him, and she could see that he was glad Henry had come back. Her heart softened even more toward Lucas. He seemed to be winning it piece by piece, and there was nothing she could do to prevent it. She shook herself mentally and tried to refocus on the conversation.

"What are your plans now that you're back in town?" Lucas asked.

Henry shook his head. "I don't know. All I knew was that it was time to come home." He gave a half smile. "Hope Valley has a funny way of calling you back again." Standing, he reached a hand out to Lucas. Lucas took his hand, giving him a firm handshake. "I'll see you around," Henry said. He tipped his hat at Fiona, then left the building.

Lucas let out a breath. "Well, that was a surprise appearance." He went quiet for a moment.

Fiona looked at him. "How do you feel about him being back?"

"I'm glad he came home," Lucas said simply. He went back behind the desk and sat, throwing himself into his work. Fiona followed his lead, sensing he needed some time to think things through.

After a while, she stood and stretched. Sitting for too long always made her feel cramped. "I'm going to grab some lunch at the cafe. I'll be back in a little bit."

Lucas nodded, but an unreadable look crossed his face and he stood. "Fiona, wait."

She turned, looking at him with a questioning look. His mouth opened and closed, and he just looked at her a little helplessly for a moment. Conflicting emotions warred in his deep brown eyes, and Fiona wondered what he was thinking. Finally, he let out a quick breath and looked her right in the eyes. "Will you have dinner with me here on Friday?"

Fiona stared at him. "Dinner? Here?" she repeated slowly.

Lucas nodded. "Yes."

Butterflies swirled in her stomach, but she needed some clarity. She initially thought he meant it as a date, but if it was here at the office, it could be a work dinner. "Do we have business to discuss?"

Lucas pulled on his collar, a light blush dusting his cheeks, but he spoke clearly. "No, Fiona, not business. A date." He smiled. "I want to have a dinner date with you."

His smile was contagious. Fiona felt a similar smile fill her face, and excitement built inside. He was asking her out! Trying to keep her voice even, she said, "I would like that."

Lucas's smile turned into a boyish grin. "Great. I'm looking forward to it."

"So am I."

Elizabeth walked up the Mountie office steps. She and Nathan had agreed to meet there for dinner tonight. Rosemary and Lee were keeping an eye on the kids so they could have an evening to themselves. She pushed the door open and gasped in delight.

Nathan had set up a small table with two chairs, and there were two dinner plates covered with warmers. A small vase of roses graced the table, along with two candles on either side of the vase. Nathan was standing next to the table in his blue suit, something under his arm.

Elizabeth smiled at him. His romantic gestures were simple but beautiful. Her heart leapt in her chest as she thought of him planning this dinner for the two of them. "This is lovely, Nathan."

He smiled shyly. "It's not too simple?"

Elizabeth walked to him, reaching up to place a kiss on his cheek. "It's perfect, because it comes straight from your heart."

His smile widened, and he motioned to the item tucked against his side. "I made this for you," he said, holding it up.

"Oh, Nathan," Elizabeth breathed, taking in the beautiful plaque. "You made another one." She peered closer to read the words he'd engraved on it. "Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Emerson." She took the plaque, holding it carefully. He had carved intricate flowers along the edges, and the words were etched firmly and deeply into the wood. "Nathan, this is beautiful," she said, tears filling her eyes. "Thank you."

He touched her cheek tenderly. "You deserve to have the life you've dreamed about, Elizabeth. All I want is for you to be happy."

His words touched her. She set the plaque gently on his desk, then reached her arms up to pull him down to her. She kissed him, showing him with her actions how much he meant to her. Nathan's arms encircled her, drawing her close. They stood together for a moment, then Nathan pulled away gently. "Your dinner awaits, sweetheart," he said with a smile, pulling her chair out and seating her. He placed a kiss on top of her head before sitting across from her. As they started eating, they fell into an easy conversation.

"Gabe showed up today," Nathan said. "He completely surprised me, and I think he enjoyed that."

Elizabeth chuckled. "Of course he did. I may not know him well, but that seems like something he would do. How long is he staying?"

"A couple weeks," Nathan said. "He's kind of on duty while he's here." As soon as he said the words, he looked like he wanted to take them back.

Elizabeth tilted her head. "And why is that?"

Nathan pressed his lips together. "No reason in particular."

Raising a brow, Elizabeth took a sip of her water. "Why don't I believe that?"

Nathan reached across the table, taking her hand. "I'll let you know eventually, Elizabeth, but I don't want to worry you. There's something Bill and Gabe and I are looking into. I'm hoping it's nothing."

Though she wanted to press the issue, Elizabeth took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "Okay. I trust you."

Love shone in Nathan's eyes. "Thank you, Elizabeth. That means a lot."

She smiled. "You're welcome." She looked down at her plate. "This dinner is delicious."

"Bill made it," Nathan said. He lapsed into silence, and Elizabeth noticed his eyes straying to his desk, a look of indecision on his face.

"Are you okay, Nathan?" she asked after the silence stretched on longer than usual.

"Hmm?" Nathan's eyes cleared, and he blinked. "Yes, I'm fine. Just got lost in thought."

She gave him her best coaxing smile. "Do you want to share what it is you were thinking?"

"I might," he said slowly, looking deeply into her eyes. "But I wonder if you would want to hear it."

Elizabeth tilted her head. "Why wouldn't I want to hear it?"

"Why indeed," Nathan said quietly, almost to himself. He thought for another few seconds, then seemed to make a decision. He stood and walked over to his desk, pulling a drawer open. Elizabeth watched him curiously, wondering where this was going. Before Nathan could find whatever it was he was looking for, the door to the office opened. Rosemary stood there with a flushed and fussy little Jack.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt your date," Rosemary said, looking between Nathan and Elizabeth apologetically. "But Jack is too hot and he's been very fussy. I'm afraid he might be sick."

Elizabeth stood and hurried to her son, taking him from Rosemary's arms. Jack was burning up, and his normally smooth skin was clammy. "I think we need to go see Carson," Elizabeth said, looking at Nathan, who was shutting the drawer. He quickly walked to her side, placing her shawl over her shoulders to protect her from the evening chill.

"Let's go," he said without hesitation. They walked to the infirmary together. As they walked, Elizabeth looked up at him. "What was it you were going to say?" she asked.

Nathan gave her a gentle smile, placing a hand on her back. "Not now," he said. "There will be time for that later. Right now, we just need to get Jack to Carson."