For the last two weeks, Charlotte saw Bill every single night. He either took her out or he came over to her apartment and she cooked. Tonight, however, she was going to his house and he was cooking. She was excited to see him. It made her heart race when he called or texted even though she knew it wouldn't be long.

She dressed and jumped in her truck and drove outside town to Half Moon Lake where his house was. She didn't expect what she saw when she arrived. The man had an amazing house. Apparently he liked huge log cabins and windows. It appeared that the whole side of the house that faced the lake was full of giant windows.

She knocked at the door, running her hands down her shirt to smooth any wrinkles.

He opened the door and pulled her inside. "Hey."

"Hey, yourself." He pulled her into a hug and sighed. "I missed you."

She looked in his eyes and saw love. "I missed you too."

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah." He took her hand and led her into his kitchen. "Bill, this house is amazing."

"Thank you. I built it about eight years ago."

"Bill, you were in town for the last eight years and I never knew it? Why didn't you look me up?"

"I guess I felt guilty. You were Tom's wife."

"You were his best friend." She didn't want to make him sad. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up. Let's talk about something else."

"It's ok. I'm just glad we found each other now." He kissed her briefly and then hugged her again. "I just want to hold you forever."

She was good with that. She felt safe, loved, needed, and wanted. That's what she had been searching for.

THORNTON ACRES

Tom and Elisa showed up while Marty and Haven were still there which delighted the girls. "Aunt Beth, can we have a sleepover?"

Elizabeth looked at the two small girls, joined at the hands, hopeful looks on their faces. It was Saturday so spending the night would make sense. "It's ok with me if your dad, Elisa, and your brother, Haven, are ok with it."

"Yes!" they said in unison.

Both agreed, Marty even agreeing to stay too.

Tom made a fire in the living room and both girls curled up in front of it with their pillows and blankets, giggling and whispering. "I'm gonna head home, Boo. I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"

"Ok, Daddy. Love you."

"Love you more." He kissed her forehead and put another kiss on Haven's head thinking she could use some extra love. "Good night girls."

"Night!" they said with a giggle.

Tom left, Marty went to bed, and Elizabeth waited in the kitchen with her journal and Bucket list. She smiled thinking that number 25 on her list, get married on the beach, was about to happen in a little over five weeks.

"Hey, babe. I'm home." She looked up and smiled, opening her arms.

"Hi." He knelt down and held her tight and kissed her hello. "I'm glad you're home."

"Me too. So the girls are having a sleepover?"

"Yeah and Marty is upstairs in the guest room."

He nodded. "What are you working on?" He looked at the table, seeing her journal.

"It's my journal." She closed it quickly.

"Can I see it?"

"Nope. Top secret." She smiled and kissed him trying to distract him.

"Mmm..nice kisses, but I still want to know what's in there that you don't want me to see." He reached for it but she was quicker. "Oh! Your bucket list is in there."

"True."

"How am supposed to help you check things off if I don't know what's on there?"

"You may have a point but I'll have to think about it."

HALF MOON LAKE, BILL'S HOUSE

"I should go home. It's getting late." He kissed her again, pretending not to have heard her. "Bill, I.."

"I think you should stay here," he whispered as he touched her lip with his thumb.

"I don't think I should." It wasn't that she didn't want to, she just thought that this time, she wouldn't jump into anything.

"Why's that?"

"I think I want to wait until…" She paused, not wanting him to feel pushed into marriage but that's what she wanted to wait for.

"Until I make an honest woman out of you?"

"Something like that." She met his eyes and looked deep. She could see his emotions, his feelings.

"I love you, Char."

"I love you." She sincerely meant it. He was who she needed to make her life complete. "What are you doing March 4th?"

"Spring break from school so not a lot."

"Do you like weddings?"

...

The next five weeks went fast. Elizabeth returned to school feeling much better than she had before.

Pete trained Marty on the ranch giving Marty more responsibility and enough money to pay for his and Haven's necessities.

About a week before the wedding, Elizabeth, Jack, Elisa, Tom, and Julie visited Clara for their last fittings for the wedding.

"Uncle Jack! See me? I'm a princess!" Elisa twirled in her ball gown.

"You look beautiful, peanut. So beautiful." He knelt down and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you. I like your vest. You look very handsome."

"You like it? I'm not sure."

Tom walked into the living room in a matching linen vest and pants to Jack's. "This feels awfully casual, don't you think?"

"Yeah. I always thought I'd wear a tux when I got married," Jack admitted.

Julie walked in the room in her burgundy lace and chiffon maid of honor dress. The flowy skirt stopped just above her knees. "It will be too hot on the beach for a tux, guys."

"Holy Crap you look hot, babe," Tom told her spinning her around.

"I love that expression," she said sarcastically. "Thank you. You boys look perfect in those outfits."

Elizabeth walked out in her newly acquired walking cast and no crutches. She'd only had the thing twenty four hours but she liked it much better than the crazy foot-to-thigh cast she had worn for six and a half weeks. Jack rushed over, ever the protector. "Honey, you need to…"

"Don't say rest, Jack Thornton. Please for the love of all things holy, don't say rest."

"Change. You need to change into your dress, don't you?"

"Yes, but I wanted to see your outfit first."

He turned and her eyes traveled up and down appreciatively. "Good heavens my fiancé is hot," she mumbled.

"You look pretty smokin yourself in that robe."

"Just wait until you see my dress." She smirked and swung her hips extra flirtatiously as she walked down the hall because she knew he was watching.

CLARA'S SEWING ROOM

Elizabeth could not help the tears. "It's stunning," she whispered as she looked at herself in the mirror. "You are amazing Clara. This is perfect. Absolutely perfect."

The thin straps that held the dress up were paired with sheer off the shoulder straps that draped over her upper arms. The ivory gown had a plunging sweetheart neckline and empire waist encircled by ruching fabric. The best feature in Elizabeth's opinion was the slit that went up the front of her left leg to mid-thigh. It was sexy, but slightly covered by a sheer panel of fabric. Jack was going to love it.

"Are you ready, babe?" Jack yelled through the door.

"For what?"

"For me to see your dress."

"Uh, no. You are not seeing this until next Saturday night, sweetheart."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes! Now scoot, please."

Clara unzipped the back of Elizabeth's dress and helped her step out of it since she was still unsteady on her feet.

"Want to see my dress for the wedding? I made it too."

"Yes, please." Clara took out a blush colored dress much like Julie's except it had an empire waist to accommodate her expanding waistline. "Oh, it's wonderful. I love it."

"Me too." Clara quickly wiped away a tear from her cheek.

"What is it?"

"Oh nothing. Just hormones."

Elizabeth finished dressing and then walked Clara over to the bed. "I think it's more than that."

"Maybe." She rubbed her tummy when she felt a kick. "It's a boy, did I tell you that?"

"No! A boy? That's wonderful." Clara nodded and burst into tears. "Isn't it?"

"Yes, but the doctor said that it looks like he has a hole in his heart." She could barely get the words out as she cried.

"Oh no. What does that mean?"

"He will need surgery after he's born. They say its relatively routine but, oh, Elizabeth! I'm so scared. I don't want him to die. I can't lose him!"

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her friend and cried with her, trying to think of something to say. Instead, she prayed out loud as she comforted her. "Dear God, please be with Pete and Clara in this difficult time. Give them the strength…"

LATER THAT NIGHT

Jack drove Elizabeth back to her and Julie's apartment where she insisted on staying for the rest of her single days. He didn't get it.

"I still don't get why you won't just stay at the ranch. It will be your home in a week anyway."

"Jack, as much as we tried to sleep apart, somehow you always found your way into my room. I think we need to sleep separately until we are married. It will make it even more special."

"If you say so."

"I do."

He helped her from the truck and up the steps to her apartment. She walked in and smiled. "It's nice to be back here again."

Jack stepped forward and kissed her softly. "Love you."

"Love you, cowboy."

"I wish I could have seen your dress."

"You will soon enough, babe."

"Sorry, I think I'm just getting impatient. It seems to be taking forever. I just want to finally start our new life together."

She knew what he meant. To finally be husband and wife was all she really wanted. Yes, the sunset beach wedding was her dream since she was young, but she just wanted to finally belong to him. She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight, her head on his shoulder. "Me too."

She pulled him inside so all the heat in the apartment didn't escape. "Let's have some wine."

"Is Julie here?"

"No. She went home with Tom and Elisa."

He nodded and removed his coat and shoes, taking a seat on the couch while Elizabeth grabbed the wine. She grabbed two glasses and the bottle of chardonnay and walked carefully over to him. "So you liked my vest and pants for the wedding?"

She more than liked them. She was so incredibly enamored. Maybe it was knowing that when he wore those things the next time, they would be getting married or just that fact that he looked amazing in everything he wore. Whatever it was, she wanted to keep looking at him. "Mmhmm."

"Not too casual? I felt like I was wearing sweats or something. I guess I always pictured a suit and tie at my wedding."

"Hon, you looked great and it will be much too hot for a suit and tie."

"Is your dress casual?"

"More so than if we were getting married in a church." She looked at him closely. "Are you really disliking it that much?"

"No, I guess it's just not what I pictured. That's ok, as long as your dreams are coming true, I'm happy."

Whoa, she suddenly felt very selfish. These things were her dreams, not his. How could she not have asked him what he wanted? "Can you hand me that paper and pen next to you, sweetie?" He handed it to her. "Ok, babe. What are your dreams? What have you always wanted to do or where have you always wanted to go?"

"I don't know." He hadn't thought of his dreams in such a way that made him verbalize or write them down. "Marry you."

"Very sweet but haven't you always wanted to maybe travel somewhere far away?"

"I guess it would be nice to take you to Venice and ride in a gondola." She wrote down Venice. "Paris and look out at the city from the top of the Eiffel tower with you in my arms." She smiled and wrote down Paris, noting in her mind that Paris was on her list too. "Make a baby with the woman I love more than anything." She wrote down "have children." Again, something on her list. "Stare into her beautiful blue eyes everyday for the rest of my life." She didn't write that one down, but she noticed all of his dreams included her.

"Jack, before you met me, didn't you have things you wanted to do or places you wanted to go?"

"No, I've always been content with my simple life on the ranch and my EMT job." He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "Now, I just want you. Everything I want is with you." He raised his other hand and touched the soft skin on her cheek. "You're my dream, Elizabeth. Just you and me together."

"You are the most wonderful man I've ever known," she whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek. "I'm so grateful for you." He leaned in and kissed her tear away and then moved to her lips, moving slowly and deliberately, creating a mesmerizing feeling neither wanted to stop. She pulled back a few moments later, her breathing ragged. "This wine is making me dizzy." Really it was him and their close, intimate proximity to each other. "We need to stop."

"Seven days," he muttered. Perhaps the longest seven days of his life.

TWO DAYS LATER

Even though he missed her being in the kitchen when he walked down for his coffee in the morning, he was happy she wasn't nearby that Monday. He was expecting his wedding present for her to arrive.

About ten o'clock, the truck from Jackson's Pool and Spas pulled up in the driveway. Jack walked out and shook the man's hand. "Hi, would you mind pulling around back? The deck is around the rear of the house."

"Sure thing." He pulled the delivery truck around back and began the long process of hooking up the new hot tub Jack bought.

Jack heard his phone chime. He pulled it from his pocket. "Hi, love," her text said. "Miss me?"

"Yes! So much."

"I am just leaving 4 work. Meet me The Bean?"

"Can't this morning. How about after school?"

"Ok. Love u cowboy."

"Love u back."

"Sir? Uh excuse me," the delivery man said with a slight irritation in his voice.

"Sorry. Yes?"

"Is this where you want it?" Jack looked at the spot that he was pointing.

"Yes, that's perfect."

"Ok. Should be ready for water in about thirty."

Jack nodded and ran to hook up his hose.

AFTER SCHOOL

The kids had been restless all day. It had been like pulling teeth to get them to cooperate, so once the day was over, she was happy to be on her way to run an errand and see Jack.

Julie waited for her in the parking lot, since she still couldn't drive with her boot. "Where are we headed?"

"Henderson Jewelers. I need to pick up Jack's wedding ring."

"He knows you have it, right?"

"Yes, he just doesn't know why I wanted it."

After picking it up, they arrived at The Bean about twenty minutes later than normal. Usually she beat him there. She hobbled in and didn't miss the fact he had been worried. "You're later than usual," he told her.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I had to pick up something for you."

"For me?"

"Yeah. Your wedding present."

"Oh, I just thought you were my present," he said with a wink. She chuckled and sat down next to him.

"I am but…" She pulled the ring box out of her purse.

"You're proposing?"

"Very funny. It's your wedding ring." She set the box in front of him. "Go ahead."

He opened it and didn't see anything different. It just looked like the simple white gold band his father had worn for years. "Yep, that's it."

She shook her head and pulled it from the box. "Babe, I got it engraved. Look close."

Jack looked at the inside of the ring. "T.T. C.T. 6/7 J.T. E.T. 3/5" He took a deep breath and sighed. "Thanks, Sweetie." He tried to keep the tears away but didn't succeed.

"I know you miss him and you wish he was here. This way, it might make you feel closer to him."

He nodded and then kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you too."

It was his turn for a present. "I have something for you too. Well two things. One is at the house and I'll show you later. The other one is here." He pulled his own little black boxes out of his pocket and handed them to her. "I hope you like them."

She opened the first one. "My wedding ring?"

"Yeah." It was a simple white gold band to match her engagement ring but it had tiny square diamonds across the top. She slipped it on her finger and smiled up at him.

"It matches perfectly. Thank you." She kissed his cheek and then looked down again. Then she took his ring and slipped it on his finger. "Five days," she said quietly. He opened the other box and she gasped. "Jack, it's gorgeous." He took the princess cut diamond solitaire necklace out of its box.

"It's the one my dad gave my mom on their wedding day. She wants you to have it and wear on our day." She turned and moved her hair off her neck so he could fasten it. "She said it's your something old and something borrowed, even though she wants you to keep it."

"That's very sweet of her. Julie gave me a garter as my something new and blue. So I guess I'm covered."

"A garter, huh?" He raised his eyebrows and caused her to giggle.

"Yep."

"You wearing it now?" He put his hand on her thigh and moved her skirt up slightly.

"Jack Thornton, you keep that hand over there. I'm not wearing it now." Her face turned crimson.

"I love it when you blush. So beautiful." He kissed her temple and smiled.

She just shook her head at him, a grin on her face. "So tell me about my other present."