Jack looked at Elizabeth questionably, "What did you say?"

"You heard me, take off your shoes." She began to take off her own shoes.

Jack watched her, "What….why are you doing that?"

She straightened, slapped her hands onto her lap, "It's a warm night, we can wade into the pond. Julie and I used to do it all summer," she motioned for him to take off his shoes, "come on!"

Jack's eyebrows went up and he shook his head, "Well, okay, I guess I'll be Julie."

Elizabeth laughed and lifted up her skirt and began to roll her stocking down her leg.

As hard as Jack tried not to look, he did steal a glance or two as he wrestled with his own shoes and socks.

Elizabeth stood, "Come on slow poke, hurry up."

Jack finished rolling up his pant legs, "Okay, I'm ready." He took her hand and they walked to the water's edge.

Elizabeth laughed as Jack stretched and stuck his toe in the water. "It's warm," he said and then walked in.

"All these sunny days have heated it up," she said as she gathered her skirt up above her knees.

"What are you doing?" Jack turned away.

"I can't get this dress wet," she said as she waded into the warm water.

Jack put his hand up, "Okay, maybe this isn't such a good idea," he started to walk out of the water and felt water slap against his back. He turned to see her bent over with her hand in the water before she flung another handful at him, "Hey!" he yelled. When she got him in the face, he decided he had to fight back and scooped water and tossed it at her.

Elizabeth squealed with delight as the water hit her. The two of them splashed away, until finally Jack put his hand up, "Okay…okay…I give up. I'm drenched." He laughed.

Elizabeth looked down, "So am I and my poor dress is soaked!" She slowly walked to the edge of the pond.

Jack smiled at her small steps, holding up her dress. He managed to walk out and stand next to her, "Hey, you're beautiful when you're all wet," he laughed softly and smiled.

She dropped the heavy wet skirt and wiped her face with the back of her hand and then looked at him. She froze for a moment, her hand still up near her forehead. Jack was drenched and Elizabeth couldn't help look at the way his white shirt clung to his chest, highlighting his muscles in a very attractive way. She felt a breath of air escape her lips. He was so handsome, beyond his face, and Elizabeth blushed, "Oh my goodness," she whispered, looking away.

"What?" Jack asked, not realizing what she thinking. "Elizabeth?"

She faced him, "Nothing…I'm sorry you got so wet," she frowned.

He laughed, "It was a nice way to cool off…" he smiled.

She felt her body tingle looking at his big smile. She loved how his face lit up when he smiled. His wet hair, his clinging wet shirt, that smile, when he slapped his hands on his hips Elizabeth snapped out of her stare. A shiver ran through her body suddenly, "Ohh," she shook.

Jack walked to her, "Are you cold?" He reached out for her.

"I can't move, I think this dress now weighs fifty pounds," she said feeling powerless to move in his presence.

Jack laughed softly, "Ahh, then I'll come to you." He wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled against him. "How are we going to explain this, hmm?" he asked.

"Hmmm," she was comfortable in his arms, "We'll have to sneak into the house," she said as if it were perfectly normal.

Jack looked at her face, "What?"

"Yup, you really are going to be Julie now," she smiled and kissed him.

They gathered their shoes and stockings and headed back to the house. Elizabeth led Jack around to the side of the house and they entered through one of the kitchen doors and climbed a back staircase. Finally just outside her bedroom door, Jack kissed Elizabeth's check.

"Good night, my sneaky little girl," he whispered.

"Shh, Good night, I love you," she replied.

"I love you too my sweet," he kissed her lightly on the lips.

Elizabeth went into her room and pressed her back on the closed door. "I love you so much Jack Thornton," she whispered with a sigh.

The next morning at breakfast Julie chattered on about the engagement party, "Butler Wilson will see that the invitations are hand delivered today, I hope everyone can attend. Even a few of your former suitors," she glanced at Jack.

"Julie, I told you who I wanted to invite," she looked at Jack, "and who I didn't want."

"Oh Elizabeth, I'm joking of course, don't be so serious," Julie smirked.

"Jack and I are going into the city for the day, I want to show him the sights," Elizabeth announced.

"Good, I hope you'll stop by the office," her father said.

Elizabeth looked at Jack who nodded, "Yes, of course we'll stop by, this afternoon."

On the carriage ride Elizabeth pointed out various sites to Jack, but he kept looking at her. "What?" she asked.

"You look so beautiful in this big hat and the fancy dress," he smiled.

"It's a suit," she lifted the bottom of the jacket.

"Oh, suit…you look lovely, a real city lady," he touched her hand.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Once they arrived in the city, they walked for a while looking into various storefront windows, Jack amazed at the displays and items for sale.

"Here, let's go in here," Elizabeth took his arm.

Jack looked up, "Schaffner's Clothier," he read the sign,"this can't be good," he mumbled to himself.

A well dressed gentleman greeted them, "Welcome, how may we help you today?"

"The Constable needs a new suit," Elizabeth was almost giddy in her excitement.

Jack tugged her arm, "I don't know about this, this all looks very expensive," he whispered in her ear.

"Don't worry about that, we'll settle that later," she whispered back. She looked at the salesman, "Something in a dark midnight blue please."

"Certainly. Right this way sir," he pulled a curtain back to a dressing room. Jack looked back at Elizabeth before he disappeared behind the curtain.

Elizabeth began looking at neckties, "Black? No, I'm sure he doesn't need a black tie," she put it down. On a stand were shirts, she ran her hands over a white one and smiled, remembering Jack in his wet white shirt from the previous night. She took a deep breath and walked back to the dressing room. Another salesman came out and she peeked in, there stood Jack his arms out while he was being measured. She couldn't help giggle at her Mountie, his pose made him look like a criminal being searched for weapons.

Jack was not happy. It was warm and he didn't like people poking and touching him, unless it was Elizabeth, "hmmmm, maybe she could come in and measure me", he thought. That thought brought a smile to his face at least. He thought of how she looked in the wet dress last evening, all hiked up above her knees, strands of wet hair hanging around her beautiful face. He closed his eyes as the man measured him for trousers.

"Do you like a loose trouser sir?" the salesman asked.

"No, I like them tight around the hips," Jack ran his hands down his hips to his thighs to illustrate his request.

"Certainly sir," the salesman made a note.

Elizabeth pulled the curtain a bit, catching Jack's movement but quickly turned away, she wondered what he was doing. "Excuse me," she said to a salesman, "I have a request."

Jack finally emerged from the dressing room and saw Elizabeth sitting in a chair near in the front of the store. He approached her, "Can we leave now, please."

She stood, "Thank you for doing this."

He offered her his arm, "Anything for you my dear," he cleared his throat.

"Are you hungry? I know a great place for lunch," she walked snuggled at his side down the sidewalk.

Once seated at a table near a window in the restaurant, they placed their order, "Elizabeth, how about now?" Jack asked.

Elizabeth looked at him, "Now? Oh… all right. I hope you haven't been thinking it's this big tragic story because it isn't, not really."

"Okay," Jack nodded, "if you don't want me to know, that's fine. I only asked because your father said you were hurt."

"No, it isn't that," she felt frustrated, "I met him in the library, he helped me find some materials I needed for an assignment and we talked. I had never seen him before and thought I would never see him again, but the next day when I returned to the library he was there. One afternoon we left the library at the same time and we walked and talked for hours."

The food arrived, "What did you talk about?" Jack was curious.

Elizabeth shrugged, "School, teachers, classes…"

"So he was a student like you?" Jack began to eat.

"No he was an associate professor," she took a bite.

"So he was older?" Jack stabbed a carrot on his plate.

"Yes, a little older. We spent a lot of time together, we had a lot in common," her gaze drifted out the window.

"Were you courting?" Jack asked.

"No, not really, not officially, but I felt he was interested."

"Were you? Interested?" Jack wanted to know all of it.

"I suppose, a little. I was concentrating on my studies, I wasn't there to meet a beau," she took a bite.

"Well did this guy bring you on date?"

"No, we did have lunch together several times, but I would hardly call it a date," she smiled.

"Did he kiss you?" Jack leaned forward.

"No, of course not," she felt Jack getting angry. "If you don't want to hear this, I'll stop."

"Sorry…please go on," he forced a smile.

"As the holidays approached, everyone was excited and happy. One day we went for lunch and he wanted pumpkin pie and was disappointed when they didn't have any. It became a joke between us, "oh look they must have pumpkin pie" we would say every time we went by a restaurant," she smiled but noticed Jack was not smiling. "Silly I guess."

"So you spent the holidays with him?" Jack thought he knew where this was going.

"Well, as the school term came to a close, we had one last lunch and he did kiss my cheek," she looked up at Jack, "wishing me a happy holiday."

Jack continued eating, even though his stomach was churning. He was afraid she was going to say they shared a romantic Christmas together, but he wanted to know more. "Don't stop now," he said.

"Okay. It was two days before Christmas and at home the kitchen staff was busy cooking and baking. I saw a pumpkin pie and decided I would surprise him and bring him one for Christmas. So, I packed up a pie in a nice basket and went to where he lived to surprise him."

"This sounds bad…" Jack said softly.

Elizabeth frowned, "Do you want me to stop?"

Jack looked at her, "No, you can't stop now, tell me what happened."

"I knocked on the door and he answered the door," she took a deep breath, "I was so happy to see him, I held up the basket, "surprise, a pumpkin pie" I said. He invited me in and then I realized there was a party or something going on. I looked into the parlor and there were a lot of people. I wanted to leave, but he invited me in."

Jack looked out the window.

"That's when it all fell apart," she took a sip of water.

"What, he introduced you as his girlfriend?" Jack said sarcastically.

"No, but when he said to me, "I want you to meet my wife and children" well, I don't think I heard anything after that."

"What? He was married?" Jack let his fork drop. "What did you say?"

"I don't think I said anything except I have to leave," she folded and refolded her napkin, "what could I say? I just remember running out of there, getting in the carriage and telling my driver to take me home."

Jack shook his head, "Tell me you never saw him again. Tell me he isn't around here anymore, because if I see him…" Jack whispered.

"Relax," she put her hand on the table, "I did see him once school began again, but avoided him at every turn. He must have got the hint, we never spoke again."

"I'm sorry. But can I ask, how did your father know all this?"

"How do you think? Julie blabbed it all to him. I never should have told her."

"He must have known how hurt you were," Jack touched her hand.

"I was hurt, but I was mad that I was so betrayed and felt so stupid for not realizing…" she said.

"Thank you for telling me," Jack nodded, "Now I understand why you were so angry with me. I'm sorry."

She looked at him, "I suppose I just expect men to hide things, don't you all do that?"

Jack pursed his lips, "I don't think it's intentional always. For me, I never felt there was a good time to tell you about my past and I wanted to leave it there, in the past where it belongs. I didn't want to jeopardize losing what you and I were building. I guess I never thought that not telling you would jeopardize us," he inhaled, "it still pains me that I hurt you, I never wanted that to happen."

She moved her fingers in his hand until he smiled. She looked down, but cast her eyes up, "I guess it's a male thing." She smiled.

Jack looked out the window again, "I guess…but I like your story."

"What?" Elizabeth didn't understand.

"If he had been prince charming, I wouldn't be sitting here with you now, so I'm glad he was a skunk," the corner of Jack's mouth turned up, "I love you."

She smiled, "I can't wait to leave here so you can kiss me."

He leaned in, "Then hurry up and eat."