They were sitting at the kitchen table and couldn't stop staring at each other. Allie could hardly believe he was home. She was both overjoyed and full of sorrow. She didn't know how she was going to tell him what happened with Tommy.

She didn't want to tell him right now, she couldn't. The moment was all too perfect, he looked all too perfect. The sun had finally crept into the room, lighting it on fire with all its glory and beauty. The lighting shined across Noah's perfect face, illuminating his smile, giving him the appearance of an angel. He couldn't stop looking at her and it was obvious that he was erratically happy to be home. Why should she be the one to take that away from him?

It was definitely a surprise for her, waking up and seeing his face. She had been dreaming of him and had realized how much she had really missed him. After she had let go of his neck, he had handed her the single white rose, then led her down to the wonderful breakfast he had made for her. It was all too perfect, she couldn't hurt him. Not like this and not now.

Maybe she wouldn't even have to tell him. Maybe she'd never have to hurt him. But to keep that kind of secret from him, she knew it was wrong. She knew it was never good to enter a marriage without complete honesty. But she couldn't stand to hurt him, not again.

"Allie, honey…." His voice broke her out of her thoughts. She nodded quickly, to show that she had heard him. "I got something to tell you," he stated and his smile slowly disappeared. Oh no, she thought, he knows. But how could he know? She mentally scolded herself and waited to hear what he had to say. "What is it Noah?"

He still didn't respond and now she really was worried. "Noah, it's obviously something important or it wouldn't be this hard to say." Finally he took a deep breath and began.

"We have to put the wedding off again." He waited for the look of surprise on her face before he continued. "Before I can close the deal with Mr. Delacroix, he wants me to travel west to Colorado. Apparently there's a large French community there and his brother owns a good cut of forest. His lumberjacks are going to collect some fine pine from that area and he wants me to go with them." He paused for a moment.

"Why, Noah? Why do you have to go with them?" Allie pleaded.

He sighed. "Mr. Delacroix said he wants me there to 'determine zee quality of zee wood for zee restaurant,'" Noah stated, in a very bad imitation of a French accent. When she looked down, he looked across the table and took her hands in his and waited for her to look up at him.

"Allie, I have waited nearly 8 years to marry you," he began. When she started to look away, he gave her hands a loving tug, making her look back into his eyes. " I know that we have put this wedding off long enough Allie, but have just a little more patience, please. I know you have given me more patience than I deserve, but I want to give you the best life I can. This deal is huge, we're talking extreme finance. I will be able to buy you nice things, things you deserve. And one day when we have kids, they will have a good life. I don't want our children to grow up low class. I want them to have nice things; I want you to have nice things. So please, let's just wait a little longer." Her plump, pouting lips quivered as she looked up at him, tears threatening to spill over her eyes.

"How long will you be gone?" she asked.

He smiled softly, knowing he had convinced her. "Only 3 more weeks, a month at the most. But I promise, the moment I get back, we are going to have the wedding of your dreams." Lifting her hands towards him, he kissed the top of her fingers.

"You promise?" she cooed in her sing-song voice.

He kissed her hands once more.

"I promise."