Quinn squeezed Nathan's hand as they walked toward the Saloon for Bill's party. No one had been looking forward to the party because there could only be one winner for Mayor, which meant some friends would be disappointed. Bill was her first friend in Hope Valley, her boss and mentor, so her loyalty and vote were with him. Luckily for her and the Town, the election had turned out much differently than anticipated.
Lee was the first person to withdraw from the election. Quinn smiled when she thought of his reason for doing so. A baby. He and Rosemary were finally going to have the baby they had so desperately wanted. Lee wanted to make sure he had time to focus on his wife during her pregnancy, making sure she didn't overdo things, and then when their child was born, he wanted to be there for his family. Noone in Hope Valley questioned his decision, knowing how long the favoured couple had waited for this fantastic news.
Mike had withdrawn next. Lee had asked Mike to come back and work part-time for him at the Lumbar company. Joseph had stepped up and taken on a lot of the load, but with Lee now focusing on the Newspaper, he needed help. Mike was happy to be involved again, provided he could maintain his interests in the oil company.
It was a flow-on effect for Fiona. With Mike helping Joseph and Lee, there was more work for Fiona at the Oil company, and with running the Barbershop, she didn't feel there was time enough to be Mayor.
Bill was the only one left running, so he became Mayor of Hope Valley by default. Bill was pleased with the outcome, but he always assumed he would be Mayor, so it wasn't a surprise to him. After discussing it with Lee and Mike, Bill offered Fiona the position of Deputy Mayor, which she happily agreed to.
Bill's Mayoral election victory party had been changed to a Hope Valley town celebration for Lee and Rosie, For Mike and Fiona for their new roles and anything and everything else the Town could think of. Quinn sighed; this was the best outcome for everyone, she decided; now she and Nathan could turn their focus to the wedding; they only had to wait two more weeks.
"I hope that was a happy sigh," Nathan commented, lifting their joined hands so he could kiss hers.
"Of course," she smiled, "I was just thinking how well things turned out with the election. I hope it's an omen of how things will be from now on." "And," she said, squeezing his hand, "I can't believe the wedding is only two weeks away, and we are ready."
Nathan smiled at her indulgently, his heart full of love for his beautiful fiancé. He couldn't wait for the two weeks to be up either. He was looking forward to starting his and Allie's life with the woman beside him. He relished the chance to finally complete his family. Mr Lewis has offered the use of his cottage for the Honeymoon. The cottage was only a little way out of Hope Valley, far enough away they wouldn't be disturbed but close enough if needed.
Nathan knew Mr Lewis had ulterior motives for lending them the place; it happened to be for sale. Mr Lewis kept reminding him it would be perfect for a family of three and could be added on too easily if the need arose for more bedrooms. Nathan grinned at the thought of adding to his family, but he would still be the happiest man he knew if that never happened.
"I am just glad we finally got to go for a ride together; it feels like ages since we had time to relax," Nathan said. "I wish Allie had come along, but I am proud she offered to help Bill set up instead."
Quinn nodded, agreeing, Allie was such a joy, and she looked forward to catching up with her at the party. She shook her head, annoyed with herself; the one outstanding task for the wedding was the letters she still hadn't finished for Allie or Nathan, and she wouldn't rest easy until they were.
Nathan and Quinn congratulated Bill when they arrived at the Saloon, not surprised to see the place full of Hope Valley residents. Quinn looked around, recognising most people but looking for their friends to catch up with. She hadn't had a chance to congratulate Fiona yet, and she wanted to make sure she did. Quinn hoped they could work together; she hoped that Fiona's new role would allow them to work together. Now all she had to do was convince Sam to move to Hope Valley.
Thinking of Sam turned Quinn's thoughts to the court case in Brookfield and sentencing for Mary Fielding. She had avoided talking about it, but Nathan finally raised it with her, asking if she wanted to be updated. Quinn had hesitated, she wanted to know so that she could close that chapter of her story, but she didn't like it spoiling her current happiness.
Mary Fielding's trial had been short-lived, and the sentence she received was minimal. Quinn's father's death had been ruled death by misadventure; however, with the new evidence, Mary was held liable for causing the accident which led to his death. Sam had not pushed for a lengthy sentence for many reasons, but mainly because it wouldn't bring Harold Standing back, and she was unlikely to re-offend. The judgement of Mary Fielding had also happened outside the courtroom, with many townspeople shunning her, as they had Quinn. Andrew Booth was still not considered fit to face trial and may never be, but he would remain in the clinic indefinitely.
Spotting Fiona in the distance, she turned to Nathan, who was chatting to Ned and said, "excuse me, I am going to talk to Fiona." Leaning over, she quickly kissed his cheek as Ned looked on smiling. Quinn blushed as always and promptly spun on her heel to hide it; she heard both men chuckle and knew she hadn't hidden it from either of them.
The party was a success; Bill was appropriately congratulated and made sure all the candidates were thanked and applauded for their contributions to the race. Bill was generous in victory, acknowledging the others would all have contributed as Mayor. Once the speeches were over, everyone continued to mingle, eating from the buffet and chatting with their friends and neighbours. Allie and some of her friends acted as servers at the buffet, ensuring the line moved quickly and smoothly.
Lucas approached Nathan and said quietly, "no need to worry, Constable; I don't believe working in the Saloon will have any long-term negative impacts on the children."
"I believe you are right, Lucas," Nathan said, raising one eyebrow, his lips quirking. "I think teaching them some responsibility will be good for them."
Lucas was shocked at the support from Nathan; he had always considered the Saloon off limits for the children. Lucas couldn't blame him, he supposed, given Allie once used a card trick he had taught her to gamble with her classmates.
"So, you wouldn't object if I paid them for this evening's work?" Lucas pressed.
"I think it wouldn't hurt them to volunteer, but if you choose to, I think it would be okay; they did give up a whole day of their weekend to set this up. Just don't offer Allie a job anytime soon," Nathan smirked.
"Of course, Nathan," Lucas responded, smiling. "I believe everything is ready for the wedding in a couple of weeks?" he said, turning his statement into a question.
"I think so, Lucas, but I don't want to say it aloud and jinx us," Nathan said, laughing.
"Yes, I see what you mean; in that case, let's change the subject. Isn't that Quinn's friend Sam, the Lawyer?" Lucas asked.
Nathan followed Lucas's gaze and saw Sam standing in the doorway of the Saloon; looking around, he assumed for Quinn. Nathan quickly threaded his way through the crowd to greet her and direct her to where he knew Quinn to be.
"Sam," Quinn exclaimed happily when she saw her friend coming toward her, "did you know she was coming, Nathan?" Reaching out, she hugged her friend tightly while looking at her fiancé.
"No one knew I was coming; I decided on the spur of the moment when the trial finished yesterday," Sam explained her arrival to Quinn but included those standing close by. Her recent visit to the Town and involvement in something as high profile as a kidnapping meant many people knew who she was, even if she wasn't as familiar with them.
"I am glad you came early, Sam, I have missed you so much, and I am so happy you will be here to help with the wedding," Quinn said. Glancing around, she said, "let me grab Fiona, Faith and Rosemary so we can chat about the wedding. Allie, too if she isn't too busy with her friends."
Sam's arrival in Town seemed to be the trigger for time to fly faster than usual; Quinn was caught up filling her in on their plans, final dress fittings and organising some of the little details Quinn hadn't even realised she had missed. Work kept them busy, too; Sam came into the office each day to spend time with Bill and Quinn, the three of them putting their heads together to work on Isobel's Manning's defence, along with some of Bill's other cases and to talk about his role as Mayor.
Quinn's heart went out to the young girl they thought was falsely accused of theft. Quinn wished she was more familiar with her accusers, the Pipers, but their arrival in Oakville coincided with her father's death, and she hadn't been in a position to meet new people.
"Have you thought more about moving the trial away from Oakville?" Bill asked.
"I think we are going to have to," looking at Quinn, Sam grimaced and said, "you know what it's like, Quinn, the whole town has an opinion, and they are all talking about it."
"Well, I can't try this case when we have discussed it so much, but we can certainly bring someone in to do it." Bill was frowning as he spoke, already wondering who he could get to come to Hope Valley and try the matter. "Whoever we decide on has to be someone who can get here quickly," he was glad to see agreement on Sam and Quinn's faces.
It wasn't only Quinn who felt the time flying; Nathan did too. He stood outside the Mountie office waiting for Gabe, who was expected any moment, unable to believe the wedding was only two days away. As he stood waiting for his friend, he saw Lucas drive out of Town to collect Elizabeth and Jack from the train; that trip had seemed very short too.
Nathan wasn't complaining; the quicker he and Quinn married, the happier he and Allie would be. The sound of a vehicle horn caught his attention, and he looked up to see Gabe waving at him while Lillian sat in the passenger seat shaking her head.
Once the initial greetings were out of the way, Nathan ushered them inside the Mountie office, settling them into chairs near his desk. He carried Gabe's case into the sleeping quarters in the office; Gabe would stay there while in town. Lillian would be staying with Rosemary and Lee, happy to catch up with them, having not seen them for a while. Lee had organised to pick up Lillian's trunk on the way home from work as Lillian was spending the day with Rosemary, Quinn, and the others, going over last-minute arrangements.
Gabe walked Lillian to the Valley Voice to meet Rosemary and Lee, also wanting to greet his old friends. As they walked, they chatted about Hope Valley; Lillian had only been to the Town once some time ago and was remarking on the changes she could see. Several townspeople greeted Gabe, welcoming him back to Town.
"Hope Valley is still a lovely place to live," Lillian remarked to Gabe, reaching for his arm. "Grace and I were so grateful to everyone who helped us when we here, and then, of course, the Coulter's when they came to Brookfield." Lillian smiled broadly, "I cannot wait to congratulate Rosemary on her news; I am so pleased for her and Lee; they will make wonderful parents."
Gabe agreed; he thought back to the night they rescued Quinn and grinned; heaven help anyone who got between Rosemary and her child, he thought. Rosemary was very protective of those she loved.
After greeting Rosemary and Lee and ensuring Lillian had everything she needed, Gabe ventured to the Judge's office to say hello to Bill and Quinn and check in with Sam. Gabe wanted to make sure Quinn was okay with the sentencing of Mary Fielding and let her ask any questions she might have. Gabe was also very interested in what was happening with the trial of Isobel Manning. He had been making discreet enquiries into Isobel and the Piper's. From the moment he had heard about the case from Sam, he believed there was more to the Pipers than they knew.
Quinn sat and took a deep breath, needing a moment to collect herself before going downstairs and joining their friends. She was so appreciative of all the help they had been given to pull together the wedding in four weeks, but it felt as though she hadn't had time to take a breath the last few days. She also hadn't had more than fleeting moments with Nathan and Allie, and she and Nathan had no time alone. She missed him.
Nathan was glad to close the door of the Mountie office behind him that evening; it had been a long day, and all he wanted to do was have dinner with Quinn and Allie. If he could manage to get Quinn alone tonight, he would be a happy man because, instead of going home to his girls, he was headed to the Cafe, where they were catching up with everyone for a wedding eve dinner. Nathan scolded himself for being so ungrateful; everyone had helped them prepare for the big day tomorrow and wanted to celebrate him and Quinn one last time.
As Nathan approached the Cafe, he could hear the sounds of voices coming from inside and decided to sneak in the kitchen door. He hoped he could entice Quinn to come to see him there. Otherwise, his desire to be alone with her would never happen. Opening the door quietly, he peeked his head around to see who was in the kitchen; glad to find it empty; he slipped inside.
Nathan took a breath; he needed to sneak up to the curtain quietly and try and locate Quinn on the other side without being seen himself. As he stepped forward, he heard a noise behind him and knew his plan was ruined.
Turning on his heel to see who had caught him, Nathan couldn't believe his luck when he saw Quinn coming down the stairs.
"What are you doing, Nathan? You look like you are up to no good," Quinn said, laughing at his guilty expression.
Nathan hurried toward her without a word; he grabbed her hand and pulled her after him, heading back outside the Cafe.
"Nathan, what's wrong? Everyone is inside waiting for us." Quinn exclaimed, following him outside
"I am sorry, Quinn, I just needed to see you for a few minutes, alone. Once we go inside and join everyone, I know I won't get the chance," Nathan whispered urgently. "I have hardly seen you the last two weeks, and I miss you."
"I know exactly how you feel, Nathan; I have missed you too," she said. The only thing keeping me going was knowing we will have time alone together after the wedding tomorrow." Taking Nathan's hand, she led him around behind the Cafe where they wouldn't be disturbed by anyone.
As they rounded the building, Quinn turned to Nathan and threw her arms around his neck; bringing his head down to hers, she kissed him soundly.
The moment Quinn was in his arms, Nathan drew her closer, his hands holding her tightly to him; this was just what he had needed. As their kiss deepened, he felt himself relaxing, his agitation of earlier transforming into a different kind of agitation.
Quinn could sense Nathan was going to pull back, so she gripped him tighter; she didn't want to be sensible right now; she wanted to kiss her fiancé. Quinn didn't know or care how long the kiss had lasted; she needed to feel Nathan's arms around her, holding her tight, so she knew everything was alright. She groaned in protest when once again, he tried to pull back.
Nathan smiled against Quinn's lips when she refused to break their kiss for the second time. He knew they had to stop, go inside to be with their friends, to thank them for all their help. Reaching up behind his neck, he grasped Quinn's hands and gently loosened her grip, lifting his lips from hers.
"Qui...," Nathan started to say before she captured his lips once more. His arms slid back around her, and he pressed her to him, deepening the kiss. Why was he trying to stop her, he asked himself; this was exactly what he hoped would happen when he snuck in the back door.
"Ahem," Gabe said, clearing his throat, amused when Nathan and Quinn froze, breaking apart but faces still almost touching. "your guests are starting to wonder where you are?"
"What are the chances you are willing to pretend you didn't find us?" asked Quinn, still staring into Nathan's eyes, her eyes bright with laughter.
"Zero to none," Gabe said quickly, "I am starving."
"You are always hungry, Gabe," Nathan teased his friend, sighing. He smiled at Quinn, waggling his eyebrows, "well, it was fun while it lasted."
All their closest friends had come out to join them on this special night, excited for the wedding the following day. Nathan and Quinn followed Gabe inside and gladly joined in the festivities with their friends. They managed to speak to everyone at some point during the evening.
Before it got too late, Bill stood on a chair in the corner, tapping a spoon against his glass to get everyone's attention.
"Thank you, everyone; if I could have your attention, please," Bill called out loudly, silencing the last few murmurs from the group. "I feel it only fitting that I say a few words tonight on behalf of Nathan and Quinn. Now I know Nathan would love to be the one up her speaking to you all," Bill said, pausing for the laugher, "but I will take pity on him for tonight."
"I would like you all to raise your glasses to celebrate Nathan and Quinn." I have had the privilege of watching this romance blossom and turn to love almost from the start. Despite giving Nathan a hard time for always being in my office, I was pleased to see the two of them together, hear their laughter and see their joy as they became a family. It didn't take long for Quinn to lose her heart to the Mountie and his daughter."
"As for Nathan, he wasted no time in recognising Quinn as the perfect woman for him. For a man of few words, he certainly let Quinn know how he felt about her, although I suspect he had some assistance from Allie with those constant invitations to go fishing."
Nathan and Quinn stood together, full of gratitude for Bill and his words. Allie stood between them, her head resting against Nathan's arm, holding Quinn's hand in her own, laughing at Bill's words.
"Quinn, I am glad you made your way to Hope Valley and decided to stay. While the circumstances may not have been ideal, this is your home; and while you are now part of the Grant family, you are part of the Hope Valley family too." Taking a sip from his glass, Bill raised it in the air again, "To Nathan, Quinn and Allie!" he exclaimed.
The crowd raised their glasses and repeated the cheer. As Nathan bent over and kissed Quinn chastely on the lips, the group erupted, with cheers and whistles, teasing the couple.
After the speech and some quick cleaning up, the crowd began to thin. This group had to be up and about early to attend the wedding, and Fiona and Faith said they wanted to have an early night. Allie was staying with her father while Quinn stayed upstairs for the last time, with Sam to keep her company.
Tomorrow was a long time coming for Nathan and he couldn't wait.