December 31

6 p.m. Abigail's Cafe

The bell above the door jangled, signaling Doc Carson's arrival. Rosemary's skirt ruffled as she quickly made her way over to him and linked arms with him.

"Doc Carson, how nice of you to join us."

"Join us? Oh, no, I was just told to pick up dinner for homebound Ms. McCormick here." Doc Carson's eyes roamed to the two tables lit with candlelight. His eyebrows rose when he observed his nurse sitting across a flummoxed Hickam. Then he noticed the empty chair waiting in front of a very young looking Miss Piper. "But I've been set up, haven't I?" Carson's shoulders drooped in defeat.

Rosemary motioned for Miss Piper to join them. "This is the one I was telling you about." She said in a loud whisper. Carson looked as if he was doing his best to stifle a groan.

"Miss Fiona Piper, this is Doctor Carson Shepherd." Rosemary simply beamed from within. This was her best match yet.

A young, dainty looking wisp of a girl emerged from behind Rosemary and offered a slight curtsey. "Doctor Carson, it is so nice to meet you. Rosemary has only told me good things about you."

Rosemary hoped with all her might she could pull this off. Maybe if she could just get them to sit together.

"Here you two, please make yourselves at home. This here table's for you. Abigail's meatloaf should be arriving momentarily."

Rosemary walked toward the table and then realized that only Fiona was following her. Doc Carson's feet stayed rooted to the floor. Rosemary held out the chair for Fiona and then scurried back to Doc Carson.

"Miss Fiona came all the way from Buxton for a visit." Rosemary hissed in a loud whisper. "To meet you."

Doc Carson sighed and then his deep voice rumbled.

"Mrs. Coulter, a word please." Then nodding to Fiona he said, "Excuse me, Miss Piper."

Rosemary followed Carson's gait to the front door of the cafe.

"Mrs. Coulter, I explicitly remember telling you I did not want the help of your match making services. So, what is this?"

"Oh, the sweet girl. She wanted to come down to Hope Valley for a New Year celebration, and now that she is here, well I can't deny the chance to set up two attractive and available people together, can I?" She batted her eyelashes.

"Yes you can, and you will. I do not appreciate your efforts to match me up. I thought we had already covered this. But just in case if it is not clear, let me say this: Mrs. Coulter, you are now 100% freed from your burden of matching me up from now until eternity. Do I make myself clear?"

"Until eternity? That is going to be one long and lonely trip, Doc Carson. I am just trying to ease your burden—"

"Don't. I am perfectly capable of handling my own business and God knows what I'll do if you try to me up one more time."

"Is that a threat, Doc Carson?"

"If that is what it takes to get you to stop, then yes." Carson rubbed the stubble on his jaw.

"Oh dear, I did not realize you would get in such a huff about this. What am I to tell the poor dear?"

"That is completely up to you, Mrs. Coulter. Good evening." And with that, Doc Carson exited the cafe, leaving her to sort this out.

My, how upset he got. Couldn't he see that she was just trying to help him? Rosemary wrung her hands together. Where could she find a last minute replacement for Fiona? The girl would be heartbroken, and on New Year's Eve no less.

6:30 p.m.

Abigail's Cafe

Rosemary sat haphazardly at a table, all manners cast aside, tearing a bite of bread from the small loaf in front of her. Well, it was far from perfect, but at least each of her contestants had a match, well save for that impossible Doc Carson. Sitting across from each other, a nervous Faith tried to make small talk with an even more nervous Hickam. With each breath he exhaled, Hickam was making the candles before him flicker. The poor dear was a nervous wreck. She heard several bouts of his laughter come from the table, obviously a habit he resorted to when he was nervous, but good God, the man sounded like a donkey heehawing this way and that. And Fiona, well she had managed to get her a date, but not one that would lead to any future promise. An antsy Cody sat across from Fiona trying his best to mind his manners, but more than likely he was just thinking about the nickel she would owe him once this ordeal was done. Rosemary swallowed a sip of tepid tea to wash the dry bread down with. What a complete disaster. She heard a tap at the window and jumped. It was Lee. Thank God for an interruption! She stood up and tossed her napkin onto the dinner plate adorning her lonely table. She made her way to the door and opened it for Lee.

"I was just walking by and couldn't help but notice you have an interesting dinner party going on here, Mrs. Coulter." His eyebrows rose as he entered the cafe.

"A disastrous dinner is more like it." Rosemary flailed into his big open arms.

"I don't know about that. Look, there." Lee's blue eyes were trained across the table, observing Hickam and Nurse Carter both sharing a genuine laugh. "They look happy to me."

Rosemary turned and observed the odd twosome. Yes, they actually did look happy. Did Nurse Carter's cheeks actually carry a blush? Was Hickam putting to use her etiquette training and promising conversation starters? Well, whatever he was doing, it was working. His eyes held an extra spark. Was Hickam actually being charming? Nurse Faith smiled at him and then must have noticed their attention, for she turned towards them and rose a glass to them. "Thank you two for this special dinner. I didn't know what to expect, but so far, it's exceeded my expectations." She motioned to Hickam who nodded and returned her smile. "Here's to a Happy New Year, and to new…possibilities." She raised her glass in toast, and Rosemary's smile couldn't have been bigger. It was actually working! Her grand plan for New Year's Eve was actually working.

Next to her, Lee cleared his throat.

"Just for the record, I have nothing to do with this…" Lee clarified. "But I will sit down and have a helping of that meatloaf."

11:50 p.m.

Coulter's Home

Lee linked his hand with Rosemary's as they sat on the settee listening to the Victrola play it's old sentimental tune. The grandfather clock said it was ten minutes until midnight, ten minutes until a new year.

"You know, I have a feeling this next year is going to be our best yet, Rosie." Lee lifted Rosemary's hand to his lips and kissed the back of her hand.

"Me too." Rosemary snuggled closer to Lee and he raised an arm across the back of the settee inviting her closer. She compiled by resting her head on his chest.

"We have Jack and Elizabeth's wedding to look forward to, at least I'm imaging they will hold it this year. They'd be crazy not to after all they have been through. And there are new and wonderful opportunities for the mill, including the new merge and hiring new workers. Not to mention all the great things ahead for you at Dottie's dress shop, and of course, the star of the year to come, Baby Coulter. It's just so amazing to think that this next year our lives will so drastically change. So much will change, but it will all be for good. What do you say, Rosemary?"

A soft snore escaped from his side where she had cuddled into the hollow of his chest. Lee stifled a laugh and then his heart caught in his chest as he observed the soft curve of her face, her long eyelashes resting on porcelain cheeks, her soft breathing lifting her chest up and down. He slowly traced her soft cheek with his fingertip.

"And you, dear, you are simply amazing. I wouldn't want to be on this journey with anyone but you."

He gently pulled the afghan down from the back of the settee as he heard soft cheers erupt from Main Street signaling the start of a new and wondrous year.

"Happy New Year, darling." Lee lifted the blanket over the both of them and snuggled in for a sweet night's sleep.