"Honey, we are never going to get anywhere if we don't quit stopping every two hours," Elizabeth told him.
"Listen, it isn't safe for either of us or our baby to ride for too long without stopping. Blood clots could form." He pulled into a restaurant parking lot. "Besides its dinnertime."
She was hungry. They had been snacking periodically but she and the baby wanted real food. He opened her door and held his hand out for her. "Hmm. A chivalrous cowboy husband. What's better than that?" He smirked and bent down to kiss her. "I have an idea, Jack."
"What's that?"
"Lets find the hotel, get dressed up, and then come back."
"Ok, are you sure? It doesn't seem like we need to be dressed up for this restaurant."
"Maybe not but I'd like a shower and I like to see you dressed up."
"Not jeans and a t-shirt, huh?"
"Don't get me wrong, babe. You look amazing in anything, or nothing, but there's something about trying to look good that makes it even better."
He couldn't deny that logic. "Ok, then. Let's go find the hotel."
An hour later, they were on their way to a different restaurant that apparently was known for its romantic mountain views. He gazed at her as he drove. She looked gorgeous in her long flowery sundress and little blue sweater and sandals. More than that, however, she looked peaceful and happy as she watched out the window with her hand draped across her tummy.
They were seated in a booth next to a window giving them an amazing view of the sun setting behind the Rockies. "My goodness, Jack, look at the view."
"I am. I've never seen anything so beautiful."
She blushed deeply when she realized the view he was speaking of wasn't the mountains. "Thank you, love."
He smiled gently and reached for her hand across the table. "This has been a good first day of our trip, don't you think?"
"It has. I look forward to seeing Shoshone Falls tomorrow. I've heard it's amazing."
"I was thinking. I think we should come every year."
"Well, next year the baby will only be about five or six months old."
"I know and we only need to come for a week but I want to always come here. I want it to be a family tradition."
"Ok. Let's do that." She could see how important it seemed to be to him. "Did you have traditions like that when you were kids?"
"We went camping every summer just before school started again. Dad made sure to make it memorable for us. Whether just singing around the fire or telling stories, we always knew how much we meant to him."
"You are going to be such a wonderful father, babe."
"I hope so."
"I'm one hundred percent positive." She squeezed his hand as the waiter brought their menus.
"My name is Robert and I'll be your waiter this evening. Can I start you off with our special reserve label wine?"
"No thank you. We will just have water," Jack told him.
"Very well. I'll be back with the house bread and your water."
Everything looked delicious but the salmon caught her eye. "What are you getting, Jack?"
"The spicy garlic shrimp sounds good."
"Mmm. Can I have a bite?"
"I might be persuaded to share." He winked at her and grinned.
The waiter returned. "Have we decided?"
"Yes, I'll have the herb-crusted salmon and asparagus," Elizabeth told him.
"And for you, sir?"
"The spicy garlic shrimp and mashed potatoes, please."
"Very good choices, folks. I will return shortly."
…..
Back in Hunter Creek, Bill's lake house
"Bill, I'm fine. I'm not an invalid." He had been hovering around her for about 24 hours and while she appreciated the reason, she was used to being independent.
"I know but I think you should rest."
"Dear, the doctor said I can resume normal activities. I'm not sick, I just hadn't eaten in awhile."
Bill still hadn't told her how much the whole thing had scared him. The prospect of losing her had made him crazy with fear.
She walked over and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Bill."
"Char, please just let me take care of you."
"You know that I love you."
"Yeah." He hugged her tighter.
"I need to go home. I need my own bed and more clothes."
"I…."
"I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Sure." He captured her lips in a powerful kiss that left them breathless.
"Good grief, your kisses, my dear." She kissed him once more. "I love you." Then she headed out the door to her car.
When he was left alone, his tears made themselves known. He hadn't allowed her to see him cry about it and he was a bit glad he was alone now. Until she walked back in. "I forgot my keys." She looked at him and gasped. "Bill? Sweetheart, what's wrong?" She walked over to him and knelt down, wrapping her arms around him once more. "It's ok," she whispered. "It's ok."
"Char, I was so scared. I saw you fall to your knees that day and I was afraid I was losing you."
"Don't worry, you're stuck with me."
"Char, this is serious. Please don't tease."
"I'm serious, Bill. Even when I do die someday, I'm going to insist you put my ashes in an urn on the mantle."
"Charlotte! I'm not kidding here!" Bill was angry that she was making light of the situation. He poured his heart out and she still joked. "Can't you just be serious for once?"
He walked into the kitchen and stared out the window at the lake. The moon was shining on the water, calming him.
"Bill."
"I shouldn't have yelled. I'm sorry, Char."
"I'm sorry too. If I'm being honest, I've been on your side of things, hoping the person I love is going to be ok. The one time he wasn't, I almost didn't survive it, so I try to use humor to lighten things. I'm sorry that I made it seem like your feelings don't matter. They do matter, so much." He opened his arms, needing her close. "Thank you for loving me so much, Bill."
"Thank you for letting me."
….
Julie stared at her phone, trying to get up the courage to call Mike. If she called him, asked him to be her date, and wonder of wonders, he actually said yes, it could be a new beginning for her. A new life for both of them.
If he said no, she would try to resume being just his friend. The friend that he saw twice a week at lunch at The Bean. She needed to be willing to accept that.
Before she talked herself out of it, she picked up her cell and touched his name to call him.
"Hello."
"Hey, Mike."
"Hi, Julie."
"Are you working?"
"I'm on break."
"I have a question."
"Ok, shoot."
"Well, first I want to tell you that I had a chat with my boyfriend."
"Ok." He didn't know what to say. The last thing he wanted to hear was that they were talking again and reconciling.
"We broke up."
"I'm sorry."
"You are?"
"Of course. Break ups aren't easy."
"Honestly, our relationship had been over for about three months. We just never talked so we never formally ended it."
"Ok, well, thank you for telling me."
"Mike, will you meet me for breakfast tomorrow?"
"At the Bean?"
"Yeah."
"Sure. I get off at six so I'll see you at eight?"
"Ok. See you."
"Julie Thatcher, you are such a chicken!" she told herself. It hadn't felt right to her to say, "I broke up with my boyfriend" and "will you be my date?" in the same conversation. "Tomorrow," she told herself.
…..
The rest of his shift, Mike felt like something was going to change. Even though he and Julie had settled into an easy friendship of sorts, he had never stopped wanting more. Even though at first he didn't trust her, she had explained and that feeling had gone away. She was a good person that had made a choice that she regretted. He'd made plenty of those.
Before now, she had still had a boyfriend, now she didn't. He could ask her out to dinner or something but he was still a bit nervous.
When he walked to The Bean after a shower and a change of clothes, he looked around. It was a beautiful summer day. A good day for a walk.
"Mike?" She walked up to him as he was looking around.
"Hey. It's a beautiful day. Do you want to go for a walk before breakfast?"
"Sure."
He shoved his hands into his pockets and then removed them, thinking better of it. If they were going to start something, he needed to keep himself open.
They walked across the street to the park. There was a tree lined path perfect for a walk.
They stayed silent for a few moments and that was ok. Neither of them really knew where to start.
"How was your shift?" she began.
"Good. Quiet."
They stopped on a bridge over the tiny stream that flowed through the park. "Did I ruin it, Mike?"
"Ruin what?"
"By keeping the truth from you, did I ruin any possibility of something more than friendship with us?"
"At first, I would have said yes to that question."
"And now?"
"I forgive you, Julie."
"You do?"
"Yeah." He slipped his arm around her shoulders and sighed. "Will you go out with me?"
"Yes! I was going to ask you out. Last night I was and then I chickened out and then I was going to do it at breakfast. Thank you for doing it first. So much less pressure!"
He chuckled quietly. That was who he was. A quiet, gentle man that Julie thought about constantly.
"Mike? Jack's Mom, Charlotte, is getting married at the end of July. Will you go with me?"
"Jack invited me as a guest so I guess we can just go together."
"Good." She smiled up at him and slipped her arm around his waist. "Let's go eat breakfast."
…..
IDAHO FALLS, MOOSE TRAIL SUITES
Jack woke up to the sounds of Elizabeth getting sick in the bathroom. "Honey?"
"Yeah?" she answered weakly.
He peeked in the door. "You ok?"
"Yeah. Maybe Baby Thornton didn't like the seafood last night."
"Maybe no more spicy shrimp."
"Absolutely. That heartburn was awful." She leaned against him as he sat down on the tub next to her. "I need to go lay down." He stood up with her and then scooped her up. "I can walk, Jack."
Once in bed, she fell asleep quickly, her head resting on his chest. He took the time to look at the list of baby names they had compiled so far.
He had yet to find a boy name that he loved. Whatever it was, it needed to go with Thomas and he didn't want to name the baby after him. He needed his own identity.
Elizabeth sat up quickly and ran for the bathroom, getting sick again. A few moments later she returned to bed and moaned quietly.
"Jack, I think we are going to have to stay here today. I can't hike up to the Falls feeling like this."
"Ok. We will just order room service and stay in. We will go tomorrow."
"Thank you, sweetie."
"I am going to see if they have any ginger tea or Verners." He called the front desk and they didn't have either. He ordered dry toast for her though. "After your toast comes, I am going to run and get you some ginger tea."
She had fallen asleep again though, so she had no idea what he had said. After about ten minutes, he heard a knock on the door. "Room Service."
"Thank you," he said after accepting the small plate.
He set it on the table next to her side of the bed and went in to take a shower, leaving the door slightly ajar so she could come in again if needed.
Elizabeth woke up to Jack singing in the shower. Ok, not actually singing, considering the song.
...
I'm too sexy for my car
Too sexy for my car
Too sexy by far
And I'm too sexy for my hat
Too sexy for my hat
What do you think about that?
I'm too sexy for my
Too sexy for my
Too sexy for my
'Cause I'm a model, you know what I mean
And I do my little turn on the catwalk
Yeah, on the catwalk
Yeah, on the catwalk
Yeah, I shake my little tush on the catwalk
...
She couldn't hold in her laughter. She had to see if maybe he was adding a little dance to his song.
By the time she got to the door, he was standing at the sink, a towel around his waist. "Having fun, babe?"
"I guess, why?"
"I'm too sexy?"
"Oh, you heard that? I thought you were sleeping." He started brushing his teeth.
"Yeah, I heard. It would have been fun to see, though." He met her eyes in the mirror and laughed, spitting toothpaste all over the mirror which, in turn, made her laugh. "Yeah, you sure are sexy with that toothpaste all over your chin."
"Mmm. I bet," he mumbled. Then he started slowly moving toward her. "Come here, Elizabeth," which came out more like "Mum hee, mimabuff."
"Freeze, cowboy." She threw a towel at him and ran out of the room to get away from him. "Jack! Stop." He kissed her cheek loudly and she squealed. "I'll get you back for that."
"I wook fowid to it."