And the Heart is Brave
Chapter 3
"So you and Lucas have been thick as thieves lately. Anything I should know about?" Rosemary Coulter pressed her hands together hopefully as she teased her friend inside the small rowhouse.
"Rosemary, you know Lucas and I are just friends!" Elizabeth replied, as she reached behind herself to untie her apron. She was readying herself to head over the library and meet Lucas there. Rosemary had come to watch Little Jack for her while she was gone. "We're working on my book together and that's ALL it is," Elizabeth reinforced the facts to her somewhat busybody friend, as she folded the apron and placed it on the table.
Rosemary's countenance took on a bit of a pout at her reply and Elizabeth had to suppress her laughter at her friend's disappointment. A natural matchmaker did not like to hear the words "only friends" anywhere in their vicinity. But that's all Lucas was. A friend. And in this case, a very helpful friend.
Elizabeth's book was soon to be published and it was in large part due to Lucas' help. That is why she was meeting him today. To arrange a small gathering at the town library in celebration of the book's release. This had all started 6 months ago when she'd mentioned to Lucas that in her spare time in the evenings she wrote short stories. In fact, Jack had once compiled some of her stories into a custom book for her, but she had never had anything professionally published. Not until Lucas had mentioned he had a few connections in the publishing industry and that had gotten the ball rolling. From there things had happened very quickly and now her book would soon be published. But this was all old news to Rosemary Coulter. Today she was more interested to find out if Elizabeth had any more personal news to share.
"Well, if not Lucas, then perhaps someone else has caught your eye?" Rosemary asked, not one to give up in search of answers.
If the question about Lucas had brought a denial, this time Rosemary's question brought a blush to Elizabeth's face. She groaned inwardly, knowing the sudden colour to her cheeks would give her away. Rosemary had such eagle eyes.
"Oooh!" Rosemary exclaimed with glee at Elizabeth's countenance, happy as a dog discovering a hidden bone. "And would that someone's initials be NG?" Rosemary teased, taking a step closer to Elizabeth as Elizabeth blushed more. Rosemary had only mentioned Lucas first because Elizabeth spent so much time with him, but she knew that Nathan Grant was a distinct possibility as well.
"Rosemary..." Elizabeth trailed off warningly as she shook her head, unable to meet Rosemary's eyes.
"What? A friend can't ask a simple question?" she protested. Wasn't that the second or third rule of friendship? To ask annoyingly personal questions? And Rosemary Coulter was certainly not about to shirk her duty in that department.
"It's a not a simple question," Elizabeth countered quietly. And it wasn't. These new feelings that had recently started to develop within her left her confused and conflicted.
"Elizabeth?" Rosemary suddenly switched from teasing to serious, seeing something in her friend's demeanour as she closed the distance between them and touched Elizabeth's arm. "Elizabeth, do you have feelings for Nathan?" she asked, entirely serious now. The teasing she'd done these past months about any romantic attachments Elizabeth might have was now put aside, as Rosemary could see that something had shifted in Elizabeth regarding the matter. "Do you feel something for him?" she asked again.
Elizabeth looked past her and gave a slight head shake, rubbing her hands down her dress. "I don't know. I don't know what I'm feeling. I don't think it matters. I don't think he's interested," she stated, bringing her gaze down.
"Not interested?" Rosemary hmpffed in annoyance. "Have you looked at yourself in a mirror lately?" she chided dryly. Seeing that remark did little to convince Elizabeth of her beauty and appeal to any man, Rosemary tried another tact. "What makes you think he's not interested?" she asked instead.
Elizabeth shrugged lightly. What had Nathan said at Christmas when he'd been offered a promotion in Union City? There was nothing holding him here. Or words to that effect. Oh, she knew he'd eventually decided to stay in Hope Valley, but that was for Allie. It had nothing to do with her.
Sometimes there was a look her way, the intensity of his gaze, to make her think he might feel something too, but there were never any words or actions to back it up. And it was hard to put any reliance on a look. Therein lay the confusion part.
"And even if he did feel something, I don't know that anything would come of it," Elizabeth continued, beginning to outline the conflicted part.
"What do you mean?" Rosemary scanned her friend's face, reading the emotions flickering across it.
"I mean...he's a Mountie," Elizabeth said, biting her lip. "And I don't know that I..." she faltered. "I don't know that I could...with a Mountie..." she finally got out.
Rosemary nodded sympathetically, understanding all too well. Although Jack had been gone for over two years now, Rosemary doubted that the pain of something like that ever truly went away or that Elizabeth would want to open herself up to the possibility again.
"Nathan is a very nice man, a very kind man," Elizabeth said simply, vocalizing her growing admiration and regard for him. "And I'm glad he's my friend," she said, a slight emphasis on that last word. Even if that was all they were, all they would ever would be, how could she not be grateful for that? she wondered, her eyes taking on a faraway look. Elizabeth shook her head, bringing herself back to the moment. "It's time I got going," she said, bringing the conversation to an end, and suddenly turning towards the door in a flurry of motion. "I won't be long. There are some muffins beside the stove if you or Little Jack get hungry," she called over her shoulder as she opened the front door. Rosemary watched her leave, a thoughtful expression on her face.