Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart."
Chapter 15- Hurricane Rosemary
"Excuse me?" he asked. "Why would you even ask me that?" Jack stood at the door, Bella's leash in his hand, and a hurt look on his face.
"Something's wrong, and if it isn't a money issue, what is it?" she asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Bella needs to get outside…we'll be back in a little while."
"Jack…" she called out but when his eyes met hers, she could tell he was thinking. "Never mind, enjoy your walk, or run or whatever…"
Although Jack and Bella had only been gone for thirty minutes, to Elizabeth, it may as well have been hours. She was sitting on the sofa; two glasses of wine were waiting on the coffee table when Jack and Bella returned.
"Are you willing to talk to me now?" she asked.
"What do you want to talk about?"
"Oh, I don't know…why don't we start out with your reaction to the salary I was offered," she replied.
"What about it? I'm proud of you; I'm happy for you."
"Yeah, it sounds like it."
"I'm sorry, maybe a little of what you said is true. I guess I've always thought of myself as being the breadwinner of my family, but with you…"
"Jack, first of all, we've never discussed finances. I have no idea how much my dad pays you or what you get from military retirement…I guess I always thought it was none of my business."
"It is your business; if we're going to make this," his finger moved back and forth between them, "work, no topic can be off limits. I know that, and I'm sorry if I made you feel as though I wasn't proud of you, because I am."
"Okay, so what's going on?" she asked.
"I make a good living. Between my Navy retirement and the salary, I receive from Thatcher Industries, I'm right at $200,000 a year," he advised. Jack took a breath before admitting, "I guess when I heard you could be bringing that much in with only one job, maybe it knocked me down a peg or two."
"I'm sorry, Jack. I didn't mean to go on and on about it."
Jack's hand rested along her jawline, cradling her cheek, "E-liz-a-beth, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry about. I let my macho pride pop out and slam me against a wall, but your accomplishments are important, and I'm so very proud of you."
Jack took the glass of wine from her hand and sat it on the coffee table. His thumb brushed across her bottom lip, as he felt her tongue press against his skin. "I love you, and I'm so sorry…"
His hand slipped behind her head as he pulled her close. Breathing the same air, his lips covered hers, and he could feel them quiver slightly upon his touch. His tongue pressed along the loose seam between her lips as her mouth opened and welcomed him.
Before things got out of control, Jack sat back and smiled.
"Well, since we're talking money, I was making $75,000 at the station in Charlotte, so to be offered $125,000 more is…"
"I know, it's hard to turn down…" he responded.
"No, that's not what I was going to say. Although I know that we need money to survive, to build our family and all of that…Jack, money isn't a big thing to me."
"What do you mean?"
"Don't get me wrong, we need to be able to pay our bills, but…"
"But what…"
"Now I'm afraid to tell you."
"Tell me what…?"
"Promise me you won't be upset…"
"I promise…"
"I want to believe you, but I'm not sure that I do."
"Please, just tell me…"
"When I was born; well actually when each of the girls were born, my dad opened up a trust fund for us."
"WOW, a lot of people wish they'd done that, but most people don't. I'd want to do that for our kids, too," he responded. "So, how much is it worth?" somehow assuming it was worth maybe half a million dollars.
"Um, last I checked it was $1.65 mil…lion…"
"WHAT…?"
"Please don't be mad at me or my parents…"
"Honey, I may be feeling a bit inferior right now, but your dad has done well in business, and he was smart to open the accounts when he did."
Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief, "Are you sure you're okay with that?"
"Well, I'd like…"
"What, Jack…?"
"I'm sorry. I'm still trying to grasp the $1.65 million that's in your trust."
"I have a suggestion…"
"Okay, I'm listening."
"How about this…how about we leave the money in the trust, and live off our salaries. Then the money in the trust, if we use it, goes to our kids' education, and possibly some investments."
Jack smiled, "I can live with that. Also, my house in Charlotte was really purchased as an investment. It's been appraised at $1.2 million, and if I get that when it sells, I will have made somewhere around $800,000 on the deal."
Suddenly, Jack didn't feel quite as financially inept as he had before the conversation started.
"So, back to the job offer," Jack redirected the conversation. "What are you thinking, because if you want to take it, I'll need to give notice to your dad."
"So, you would honestly give up your job to follow me across country?"
"If this is the job you want, I'm all in, with you…" he assured her.
"That means a lot, Jack, really, it does, but I'm going to stay on the east coast…"
"I know your dad will be very sorry to see you leave, me, probably not so much," he responded, assuming that she'd want to take the job.
"Jack, I'm staying on the east coast. I don't want the job out here. No amount of money is worth the traffic headaches in LA…"
Jack smiled, and Elizabeth continued, "Well, I know what I want, but there was a job offer extended to you, as well. What do you want, and before you answer, I want you to know, if west coast is what you want, I'll follow you…"
"I'm not sure if you know just how wonderful it is to hear you say that…"
"Sss…ooo, are you saying you want to stay?" she asked.
"Nope, but it sure is nice to hear you'd follow me if I wanted it," his arms around her pulled her against his chest.
"So, I guess in a few days, we'll be heading home," Elizabeth mentioned, "me with no job or place to live.
"Well, you could stay with Bella and me, but I don't think that would go over so well with your dad."
"I'm teasing; I have to sort out things at home anyway," she replied. "But, on a positive note, we're only a few hours away from each other. We should be able to get together on the weekends."
Their seven days in California were dwindling away. Loving the location of the Airbnb, Jack made arrangements with the homeowner to allow them to stay the entire week, keeping them from having to move to a motel, or go home early.
Elizabeth made good use of the coupons Jack had given her, calling in the ones for a special home-cooked dinner, in which he made toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, (it's hard to ruin that one), 'Movie Night,' at the Century 10 Downtown Theatre, where she picked…oh, neither one remembered the movie. They sat in the back of the theatre and made out like high schoolers, much to the dismay and/or envy of other moviegoers.
Other coupons she called in included 'no arguing,' forcing him to watch back-to-back episodes of 90- Day Fiancé, unaware that he'd watch anything just to be able to sit next to her and hold her hand, and the one where he had to tell her his 'one favorite thing about her.' Unable to settle on just one thing, he made a list…
"You're compassionate, kind, caring, sweet, beautiful on the inside and out, and I don't see my life without you in it…oh, and your hand fits perfectly in mine," he responded.
"Please don't tell me that the last part is like someone getting a job because they simply fit into the costume."
"No, not even close. E-liz-a-beth, there is no other woman in this world who keeps me on my toes like you do, who makes me smile just by thinking about her. There is no other woman who excites me like you do. I love you with everything I am, and I will love you until the end of time…"
"WOW, you really know what to say," she responded by stepping closer.
"I only speak the truth…"
That response warranted a kiss, a deep, wet, hard to back away from, kind of kiss.
With their time away quickly coming to an end, Elizabeth grabbed the booklet, perusing it for another service cash-in. She pulled the second to the last coupon, the one for 'cuddling,' from the booklet, but in doing so, she managed to catch a glimpse of the final coupon… "Let's have a quickie."
"Whoa…" she shot up from the sofa.
"Whoa, what…?"
"Maybe I should have looked through this book closer. The last coupon is a real eye grabber. Are you holding out on me Captain Thornton?"
"Captain Thornton…what's with this Captain Thornton stuff…what are you talking about?" he asked as he took the booklet from her hand.
"W…hat, wait, I…I didn't pick that. No, I guess I did, but I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't paying attention. Elizabeth, I respect you…well, I respect all women, but I really respect you, and I would never have included that coupon if I wasn't so worried and upset about us."
"Oh, so it's my fault?"
"No, of course not…It's just that I…"
Putting her arms around him, she laid back down on the sofa, and he followed, resting beside her. "Jack, I was teasing. I know what kind of man you are. I love how you are the voice of reason, and stop when things get too hot between us, even though I know I'm doing some of the pushing, and I'm sure it's uncomfortable for you to do so. So, I'll just hang on to that coupon to use at a later date, okay?"
"I just…I'm just sorry…"
"Okay, Jack; I'll save 'the quickie' for another time, okay?"
"Okay…"
"Now, let's get back to the cuddling coupon!"
It was now their last full day and night in Santa Barbara. Elizabeth slept in, and when she woke, she was alone. She had to admit, she was getting used to having Jack in bed with her, even if all they were doing was cuddling, she enjoyed the closeness. Although being that close and not making love was difficult for him, she wasn't so sure that he knew how difficult it was for her, as well.
Elizabeth dressed and walked down the hall to the kitchen. She found Jack sweeping up the contents of a box of cereal, with Bella's help, of course, that he'd knocked off the counter.
"Oh gosh, do you need any help?" she asked.
"No, I thought the lid was closed and it fell upside down onto the floor. I hope you weren't in the mood for cereal."
"No, I'm fine…"
"Would you like a cup of coffee?"
"Thank you, I'd love to have one."
She watched as Jack placed a cup under the Keurig coffee maker and lowered the handle. Pressing the button for the largest cup, Elizabeth waited patiently for her morning jolt of caffeine.
With the coffee ready and on the table before her, Jack grabbed the creamer from the refrigerator, and Splenda from the cabinet and placed it beside the cup.
Elizabeth stared down into her cup, "Are you okay this morning?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" he responded.
"No real reason, except that my cup is just hot water…there isn't any coffee in it."
"I'm sorry; let me fix you another one."
"Jack, that's okay; I can do it," she stated as she got up from the table, carried her cup over to the sink and poured out the water. "What's wrong? Are you worried about going home? If you are, don't be…nothing is going to change between us."
"What are you going to do about a job?" he asked, that being only one thing that had him anxious.
"I think I'll check with WRAL and see if they still have an opening, and if not, I can always go to work for my father. I don't want to. I mean, I love the communications field, but I love you more than any job, and I want to get back to Raleigh as soon as I can."
Her response brought a broad smile to his face, "I was wondering if I had dreamed our conversation last night. I love you."
As the hours passed, Elizabeth became more concerned by Jack's behavior. He was quiet, somewhat distant, and she was concerned that what had happened previously at the airport was happening again.
"Jack, you're worrying me. Something is bothering you, please talk to me. I don't want what happened before to happen again."
Jack could see the fear in her eyes. He walked over and wrapped her in his arms, "There's nothing wrong…"
"But Jack, something is bothering you, and if it isn't my dad or going home, what is it?"
"Really, it's not anything to worry about…"
"But I am… worried, I mean."
"Elizabeth, this time together has been wonderful. It's been like how it was in Fiji, well, maybe the latter part of our time there. But we're going home, and…"
"Jack, are you worried about my dad, because you shouldn't be."
"Surprisingly, I'm not. We talked and if he hated me, or didn't trust me, I believe he would have accepted my letter of resignation. But he didn't, so I think that's all good, well, at least I hope it is." Jack cocked his head slightly, took a breath and asked, "Does he own any guns?"
"Guns; why would you ask that?"
He laughed, "Just thinking that he may want me within range before he lets me know what he really thinks."
"You aren't serious, are you? I mean, my dad's not violent."
"Of course not; it was a stupid thought, or an inconsiderate joke, or whatever. I have worked for your dad long enough to know that he doesn't hold back. He says what he feels, so I can only assume that he is accepting of us as a couple."
"Okay, so if it isn't my dad, what is it?"
"It's just that, well, I know how I feel about you, but the reality is, our time together has either been in paradise, or tornado alley (referring to the breakup at the airport when they returned from Fiji). Real life is waiting for us, and I'm sorry, but I'd like us to live closer to each other. I mean, I want to see you after work and eat dinner with you and talk face to face about our day. I'm probably just being selfish…it's just that I want us to experience our life together, and I think we need to be together to do that."
"Honey, we are together, but with that in mind, I have a question to ask you…"
"I know we're together, but you know what I mean. Go ahead, what's your question…?"
"Do you really like working for Thatcher Industries…and be honest! I mean, I know we talked and both of us want to be on the east coast, but do you want to stay with Thatcher Industries?"
Jack smiled; "I love it. Your dad is generous and fair as an employer, and I get to fly state of the art jets. What's not to love?"
"That's all I needed to know."
"What are you talking about?"
"Jack, I have a house in Charlotte…"
He interrupted, "I know, so moving may not be possible right now."
"No Jack, you didn't let me finish. I have a house, but it's just a house. I can put it on the market and a realtor can handle it. I mean, I have to pack it up, but I have no ties to Charlotte, but I do have ties to Raleigh."
"Yeah, your parents are there; I'm sure they'd love to have you back in Raleigh."
Stepping closer, her hand raised and rested along his cheek, "Sweetheart, the ties I was referring to have nothing to do with my parents. My tie is to you…I want to be…with you. I want to experience everything life has to offer…with you…"
As if he didn't already know how she felt, her statement caused his eyes to brighten, and his smile broadened, deepening his already pronounced dimples.
His glance moved from her lips to her eyes and back down again. To show her playful side, Elizabeth grabbed material from his shirt in both hands and pulled him close.
The warm feeling of her hands grazing his chest sent fire through his body as his arms around her waist pulled her even closer. There was no noise, no talking, even their breathing, which was becoming more rapid, was barely audible, or more likely all either could hear was the pounding of their hearts.
The floral notes of her perfume left him dizzy as they seemed to mix perfectly with her lilac scented shampoo and conditioner. Her lips were rosy and soft and seemingly perfect as his hand under her chin lifted her face upward until his mouth covered hers.
"I'm so excited to see what life has to offer us. I love you, Jack Thornton…"
"I love you, too…"
Vacation comes to an end…
With their bags packed and loaded into the SUV, Jack opened the back door for Bella and helped her up on the seat. Opening Elizabeth's door, he held her hand as she slipped into the passenger seat.
"So, are you ready to go home?" he asked.
"You know, I'm ready to get our lives together started…" she replied.
He kissed her cheek and waited as she snapped her seatbelt before closing the door.
As they started down the driveway, Bella barked causing Elizabeth to glance out the side mirror.
"Wait, Ms. Lady… please stop!" Jacob cried out as he ran after their vehicle.
Carrying something, Elizabeth observed him fall, "Jack, stop…it's Jacob."
"Where…?" he called out as he glanced at all the vehicle's mirrors.
Once the vehicle stopped, Elizabeth and Jack jumped out and ran back toward the house.
"Jacob," Sadie, was yelling as she came around the corner in her Gator.
Jack and Elizabeth reached Jacob before Sadie, squatted down and helped him up. Elizabeth pulled a Kleenex from her pocket and dried his eyes.
"I'm sorry, I tried to catch him before he left," Sadie stated.
"Oh my, what do we have here…?" Jack asked as Jacob stopped crying long enough to pick up his new, black Labrador Retriever puppy.
Bouncing back between Jack and Elizabeth, the puppy was playful, loving, and it was evident that she was helping to heal Jacob's heart.
Jacob's tears began again, "Ms. Lady, I had a dream last night."
"You did…? What was it about?" Elizabeth asked.
Jacob wiped his eyes on his sleeve. He was out of breath and anxious, making it difficult to speak. "I was…I…I was…in the field by the house and…and Angel came up behind me. She… she pushed the puppy at me, licked my face and then she was gone," he explained as his tears flowed.
Elizabeth reached out and hugged him. "WOW, she's beautiful. It sounds like Angel wanted you to have a new best friend to take over where she left off. What's her name?"
"It's…it's Bella, 'cause mommy said it means beautiful, and she is…"
"She most certainly is. I'm so happy for you," Elizabeth remarked as she reached out and hugged Jacob and Bella.
As Jack and Elizabeth walked back toward the SUV, Sadie put Jacob and his Bella inside the Gator and followed them to their vehicle.
"I'm glad to see Jacob with a new buddy," Jack stated.
"We weren't planning to do it, but we saw how happy he was with your Bella. I'm glad we did; this puppy will help to heal his heart," Sadie responded. "You two have a safe trip home, and thank you and Bella for opening our eyes to what our boy needed."
"This puppy and Jacob will be the best of friends. Thank you for coming over to say 'goodbye,' Elizabeth replied. She pulled out a pen and piece of paper and jotted down her email address. "Please send me some pictures of them as they grow."
"I will and I'll expect pictures of your wedding and those three children you'll have," Sadie responded.
Elizabeth and Jack smiled, having had the 'children' discussion recently.
Los Angeles International Airport…
With their time away coming to an end, this take-off following a vacation was so different from the last one. Jack invited her into the cockpit, and once in the air, they talked about life, their dreams and how they could accomplish them.
"Where would you like to live," he asked.
"I don't know, but I was wondering if maybe we should look for something together…"
"Elizabeth, that won't go over well with your parents."
"No, I don't mean live together, live together, but unless I'm wrong, our hope is to eventually get married, r…ight?" she cautiously asked.
Jack reached over and took her hand, "Absolutely."
"Okay, then why don't we look for a house that I'll live in now, but you can move into once we make that step?"
He squeezed her hand, "That's a perfect idea." Returning his eyes to the skies and the controls on the panel before him, he thought for a moment before asking, "Hey, my best friend, Lee and his wife, Rosie, live in Charlotte. Are you interested in meeting them when we land, and we can maybe go get an early dinner?"
"I'd love to meet them, Jack…"
Thankful for the state-of-the-art Wi-Fi, Jack sent Lee a text… "Hey, Elizabeth and I r flying back from the west coast. We'll b landing n Charlotte at 3pm. Do you and Rosie want 2 meet us at the airport and maybe go get something 2 eat?"
"So, u found her…? You've been quiet and we weren't sure how everything turned out."
"Sorry, should have called 2 let you know. I found her when I arrived, and she was actually at the airport 2 fly back 2 find me."
"Rosie will be happy 2 hear that. Yes, we'll meet u at the airport…"
"They'll meet us at the airport," Jack stated as he put his phone down and returned his hand to holding hers.
"I hope they like me. It almost feels like meeting a boyfriend's parents. I mean, I know you're really close with them."
"Don't worry about Lee and Rosie; I'm sure both of them will love you. Just keep in mind that Rosie can be a bit bold, at times. She means well, but sometimes she speaks before she thinks."
"Hmm, don't we all…"
"Apparently so, but we're learning from our mistakes," Jack reminded her.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport…
Having been fortunate to experience a tailwind, Jack and Elizabeth arrived in Charlotte at 2:30 pm, secured the jet, and took Bella for a run in the pet area beside the parking lot.
At precisely 3pm, Lee and Rosie walked into the airport and headed for the exit out onto the tarmac. Before they reached the door, Lee took Rosie's hand and stopped, causing her to turn around and face him.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"I just think we need to have a little talk before you meet Elizabeth."
"Lee, I'm an adult and I know how to behave. Come on, I'm so excited…our Jack has a girlfriend."
"Rosie, he's had girlfriends before."
"But I'm hoping this one lasts longer than the others." Looking Lee square in the eye, she continued, "I'm hoping that this one is different. If he's in love with this one, I'm happy for him…I think. I just hope he's not rushing things. I mean, I haven't met her yet. I know I was pushing him to ask her out, but I just hope she's the right one for him. I need to give my approval…"
"Jack doesn't need your approval, Rosie…and while we're on the subject, don't make her feel weird; they've just gotten back together."
"Lee, don't you have any faith in me?"
He held her hand, mainly to keep her under control, as they continued out to the jet. "Rosie, I know how you get when you're excited. Just don't bombard her with questions and scare her off, and please…whatever you do, think before to speak."
Lee and Rosie strolled out the door onto the tarmac. Well, actually strolled doesn't really accurately describe the way Rosie burst through the door and ran out onto the tarmac.
Lee caught up with her just before she ran out in front of a tram returning travelers belongings from American Fight 4165 from San Juan, Puerto Rico to the luggage area inside the airport.
"Are you okay?" he asked her.
"Of course, I am," Rosie broke free from Lee and rushed up, grabbed Elizabeth and pulled her into a hug. "You're just as beautiful as I always knew you would be. You know, I told Jack that I thought you two would be perfect together. Little did I know, you two had already met and he was head over heels in love with you."
"Okay, Rosie, that's enough," Lee stated as he took hold of his wife's hand. "What happened to thinking before you speak?" Lee whispered.
Jack, holding Elizabeth's hand, proceeded with the introductions, "Lee, Rosie, this is Elizabeth Thatcher… Elizabeth, this is Lee Coulter and his rather gregarious wife, Rosie."
"It's very nice to meet you both."
"Elizabeth, I'm so sorry about what happened to you on-air…" Rosie began before Jack interrupted her.
"We're not discussing that now. Let's go get some dinner."
"I don't mean anything by it. I'm just so glad that you didn't marry Ryan, because Jack has been pining away for you for years."
"Okay, reel it in, Rosie," Lee stated before apologizing to Elizabeth, "Rosie worries about Jack, and I'll just say that she has wanted him to be with you for a long time." Turning back to Rosie, he continued, "But honey, you need to let them work it out from here."
Turning back to Elizabeth, Lee continued, "I'm sorry, Elizabeth. Rosie gets overly excited when it comes to you and Jack."
"No need to apologize. My life was intentionally documented on TV; the good, the bad and the oh, so very ugly. It wasn't what I thought, and the audience wasn't the only ones lied to."
"Well, I did vote on everything for the wedding, but I prayed the whole time that you'd come to your senses and realize that there was a better man out there for you."
"Rosie," Lee stated sternly.
"It's okay, Lee. Her honesty is refreshing," Elizabeth replied. "To be honest, it wasn't one of the better parts of my life, but in the long run, I'm thankful that this man," she slipped her hand through Jack's arm, "was interested enough to look past what happened with Ryan and the station."
"Oh, trust me; he was very interested…" Rosie blurted out.
"Rosie…" Lee again tried to gain control of his wife's mouth.
"Come on, let's go get some food…" Jack suggested.
"I figured you'd have Bella with you, so how about Boardwalk Billy's…you know she's always welcome there?" Lee suggested.
Looking at Elizabeth, Jack asked, "Have you ever been there?"
"No, I don't believe I have," she replied.
"Well, they have seafood, burgers, steak, actually pretty much anything you want," Jack advised.
"Sounds good…" Elizabeth took Jack's hand and the two couples headed for the parking area, and Lee's vehicle.
Boardwalk Billy's…
With a leash on Bella, and his free hand resting on the small of Elizabeth's back, they walked into the restaurant and took a seat by the window. Since Jack still had another leg of his journey to fly, everyone stuck with soft drinks, tea, and water for Bella.
During lunch, Rosie took the opportunity to learn as much as she could about Elizabeth, most of which she found fascinating, and appropriate for Jack. She did, however, have a few concerns that she felt would be better addressed when they were alone. Besides, she was smart enough to know that Lee would stop her, if Jack didn't do it first, so it was best to interrogate…I mean, ask Elizabeth those questions when they were alone.
Lee and Jack took the opportunity to catch up with each other, discussing recent sports trades, happenings at work and the state of the national political scene. Lee glanced down as Jack held Elizabeth's hand, and the constant smile on his face proved, at least to Lee, that Jack was where he wanted to be, and in the company of the woman he wanted to be with. Therefore, noting a sense of calm with his best friend, he knew Elizabeth was perfect for Jack, and that's all Lee needed to know.
Although interested in what each one was saying, Jack and Lee only listened with one ear, as the other was tuned into the women's conversation, hoping to stop Rosie before she became too nosey.
Surprisingly, both women seemed to enjoy their conversation, and laughed quite loudly when Rosie said that she would have 'slapped the snot out of Ryan,' too.
"So, I guess you've seen the YouTube video. I just found out that it was posted," Elizabeth admitted.
"I wish that it had played on air. I would have loved to have seen it in real time," Rosie stated.
"Well, it wasn't my best moment, but I have to admit, it did make me feel better," Elizabeth advised.
Once lunch was finished, and against Jack's better judgment, Rosie grabbed Elizabeth's arm and took her for a walk on the boardwalk.
"Lee…" Jack called out, hoping he could gain some control over Rosie, "do something…reel her in somehow."
"Sorry, Jack, but don't worry. Rosie likes Elizabeth, and we had a talk just before she was almost hit on the tarmac. She knows she has to be careful what she says."
"Right and when has that ever stopped her?" Jack asked as he watched the women continue down the boardwalk.
Once out of view of the men, the women stopped. Resting on the railing, Rosie stated, "You know, I'm really happy that you and Jack hooked up, because I've told him for a long time that he needed a woman like you."
"It's not really a hook up, but thank you, I…think."
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean it the way it sounded. I really have been in your court for a long time, encouraging Jack to reach out to you."
"Well, I know you don't know me, so anything I say is just words…"
"Please don't get me wrong, I'm very happy to meet you and so excited that you and Jack are together. But, Elizabeth, I want you to know that Jack and I are very close."
"Just how close are you two…?"
"Oh, good heavens…we're not that kind of close. It's just that since he and Lee are best friends, and I'm married to Lee, Jack is a very near and dear friend to me, as well."
"I understand that, and I can appreciate how close you are," Elizabeth responded, simply assuming that Rosie wanted her to know that they would always be involved in Jack's life.
"So, I hope you can understand when I ask, are you serious about him; I'm asking because I love him," Rosie stated.
"Excuse me…?" Elizabeth practically choked on the oxygen she'd inhaled.
Rosie blurted out, "I didn't mean it that way. I mean, I love him like a brother. I have Lee, and he is the love of my life." Rosie looked down the boardwalk to make certain they were still alone, "Don't get me wrong, I think you and Jack seem to be great together on paper, and I was after him to contact you before you started seeing that Ryan guy. But we've just actually met, and I don't know a lot about you. So, to be honest, I just want to make sure he doesn't get hurt."
"I appreciate your concern. He's lucky to have such faithful friends." Elizabeth took a shallow breath, "Look, I don't want to get off on the wrong foot with you, really, I don't, but Jack is a big boy, and don't you think our relationship is our business?"
"Maybe, it is. I just don't want Jack to rush into anything and end up getting his heart broken," Rosie replied.
Feeling as though her feelings for Jack were truly none of Rosie's business, she responded, "Well, to answer your question, it certainly is not my intention to hurt Jack. Do you somehow think that I will?"
"I'm assuming you know how much you hurt him when you came back from Fiji. Are you aware that he was devastated?" Rosie's question stunned Elizabeth.
"Rosie, I would assume that when you and Lee were dating, you must have had some misunderstandings…you know, where words were said in the heat of the moment, and things that needed to be said, weren't."
"Actually, I don't remember anything like that," Rosie responded.
"Well, that's good for you. I guess you're one of the lucky few couples who haven't experienced a misunderstanding then. But what happened between Jack and me is between us, and we've worked it out. I think you can tell that he is happy, and so am I, so can we just end this conversation?" Elizabeth nervously asked.
"Well, I hope you know that Jack is a great guy and deserves to be happy," Rosie firmly stated.
"Rosie, you won't get any argument from me there. I've never met a man as kind and genuine as Jack."
Continuing her thought, Rosie added, "I'm sorry about what the station and Ryan did to you. It must have been really hard to have it come out in front of all of your viewers, but…"
"But what…?" Elizabeth asked.
"Well, after what happened, it must be hard to open yourself up again, especially so soon. Are you sure you're ready for a relationship with Jack?"
Elizabeth glanced down the boardwalk toward the restaurant, praying silently that Jack would appear, but alas, they remained alone. "Jack and I have been very open with each other…why would you ask?"
"Look, Jack has had girlfriends before, but it seems like when they start getting serious, he backs away. I was even beginning to wonder if maybe one woman wasn't enough for h…" Rosie joked, but realizing that it wasn't coming across as she'd intended, she stopped. Seeing Elizabeth's wide-eyed look of concern, she blurted out, "but actually, him not settling down before is good, because as a result, he found you."
"Thank you…?" Elizabeth's response sounded much more like a question. Before Elizabeth could ask her to explain further, Rosie threw another question her way.
"I guess I'm just wondering if you're in the right frame of mind for a real relationship this time, or will you run when things get serious?" Rosie inquired.
"I don't even know how to respond, or why I should even try," Elizabeth anxiously stated. "You say you're excited that Jack and I are together, but then your questions make me think otherwise."
"Look, I'm sorry. I don't hold back when I'm worried about my friends. I mean, I think he's different with you; I just don't want him to get hurt, so, are you serious about him?" Rosie asked.
"You keep mentioning not wanting him to get hurt, and I can appreciate that, but like I said before, that isn't my intent." Elizabeth took a deep breath and although the information provided by Rosie made her hesitate, she asked anyway, "Did someone hurt him badly in the past?"
"No, not that I know of, but then again, he hasn't stayed in a relationship longer enough to let that happen."
Elizabeth forged forward, "Well, Jack is a great guy, and he deserves to be happy. And if I may be so bold…I think I make him happy."
"Well, he does look happy…"
"See…"
"But…"
"Go ahead, Rosie…"
"Elizabeth, I just want to make sure that you're serious about him."
"I don't know how much clearer I can be; I care a great deal about Jack, and this relationship means a lot to me," Elizabeth admitted. "Now, since I've answered your questions, would you mind answering one of mine?"
"I will if I can…" Rosie stated.
"What did you mean when you said that he backs away…?" Elizabeth asked, suddenly having a déjà vu moment from the Charlotte Airport when they returned from Fiji.
"Hey…" Jack called out.
"Oh great, now you appear…" Elizabeth muttered.
"Come on, we need to go," Jack called out, hoping to keep Rosie from innocently starting something with Elizabeth, unfortunately unaware that he was already too late.
Realizing that the opportunity to have her question answered had come and gone, Elizabeth simply stated, "Look, I know that Jack considers you and Lee to be his very good friends…probably his best friends, so, that being said, I hope we can be friends, too. I do care deeply for Jack," Elizabeth admitted, "but I also understand that you have no reason to believe what I say."
"Elizabeth, I'm sorry if I come across pushy; Jack always says that I need to tone it down a bit, but I love him in my own way…I mean not romantic or anything…"
"I know what you mean, and I can appreciate how you feel. Like I said before, he is very lucky to have friends who look out for him."
Elizabeth was all smiles as she and Rosie returned to their men. "We're going to be the best of friends, I just know it," Rosie commented, a statement that had Elizabeth wondering how she came to that conclusion after the grilling she'd just given her.
The group slipped into Lee's vehicle with Elizabeth flanked on the backseat by Jack on one side, and Bella on the other. She held a tight grip on Jack's hand as she stared out the window, seemingly watching the scenery fly by, but actually, she saw nothing…she was too busy replaying her conversation with Rosie in her head.
Lost in her own thoughts, Elizabeth's silence was quite telling. Although no words were spoken between them, her quiet mood spoke volumes, leaving Jack to wonder just what was said in his absence.
Once out on the tarmac, Lee pulled up to the Thatcher Industries jet.
"Hey, Bella needs to go to the bathroom before you get back on the jet. Let me take her for a walk, and that will give you some time to talk with Lee and Rosie before they leave," Elizabeth offered as she took Bella's leash from Jack's hand, before he could object. He said nothing, but simply watched as she walked toward the grassy area near the parking lot, which was quite a distance away, leaving her barely within view.
"She seems nice, Jack…everything I thought she'd be. She answered all my questions, so I give my approval… that is unless she hurts you," Rosie offered.
"Rosie…" Lee tried to rein in his wife.
Jack smiled, "No, that's okay, Lee. She has a right to her opinion, but…" turning his attention to Rosie, he added, "I hope you know that I don't need your approval."
"I know that, but we talked, and if what she said is the truth, I think you two will be good together. Just take your time, because time will tell."
"I don't understand you, Rosie. You have been pushing for me to pursue Elizabeth, and now that we're together…I just don't know; what is it with you?"
"Jack, I like her, really, I do…"
"Rosie, that's enough…" Lee took her hand and shot her a disapproving glance.
"There's something bothering her; so, if you like her, why do I have the feeling that you said something to upset her?" Jack asked.
"We just had girl talk. It's really nice to see you with a good woman, Jack. Hang on to this one, okay?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, but you really haven't dated any women who've knocked your socks off, and I'm just hoping this one does it for you."
"Does it for me? Rosie, I thought you would happily welcome her to our group. I just don't get you."
"I'm just worried…"
"Rosie, that's enough," Lee's voice became firmer, but neither Rosie nor Jack paid any mind.
"About what?" Jack asked.
"Well, the game Ryan played on her is bound to have her head spinning. I'm not saying she's not the right woman for you…I still believe she is, but I just wonder if she is in the right place to start a relationship, and Jack, I don't want you to get hurt."
"Rosie, please stop..." Lee pleaded with his wife. "I'm happy for Jack. Can't you just be happy for them?"
Turning her attention to her husband, Rosie explained, "I am happy for him…for them, but you know the other women he's dated, I think he was unsure what he wanted from the relationships, and I just want him to think about what he wants."
"Rosie, the other women I've dated, and you make it sound like there have been a boatload of them, but there haven't…anyway, either I've walked away because I knew it wasn't going to develop into anything long term, or they walked away, because they weren't getting what they were looking for. For whatever reason, walking away was the right thing to do…those relationships showed me what I needed and wasn't getting. I have what I want and need with Elizabeth."
"Okay, as long as you're sure…" Rosie stated.
Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, is that what I think it is?" Rosie squealed, causing Elizabeth, who was still quite a distance away, to turn around.
Opening the box, he asked, "Does this look like I'm unsure?"
"Is it real?" she asked.
Jack looked at her incredulously, "It better be…"
"Are you proposing tonight?" Rosie asked.
"I was going to propose last night, and I almost did, but although I realized it on my own, I am taking your suggestion to really think about what we want." Jack held the ring box tightly, "The truth is, our life together has been either perfect or a train wreck. We've not had the opportunity to just experience real life together. So, don't say anything, please. I don't want any pressure on either of us. We need to just be together in everyday life, date, and make sure this is what we want."
"Do you have any question about what you want, Jack?" Rosie asked as her head turned and she observed Elizabeth returning with Bella.
"No. Rosie, I never would have gotten this ring if I had any doubts about who I want my future to be with. I know what I want, and I know who I want to be with. I've really never been more certain of anything in my entire life. I just need her to be certain, too," Jack replied.
"Well, I don't know her, other than what I saw of her TV persona, which I like, and our conversation today, but if she's the woman who 'does it for you' then I couldn't be happier."
"That's the second time you've made a comment like that. What does that even mean, Rosie?" Jack asked, but the question was never answered as Elizabeth returned and the current topic of conversation suddenly ended.
Elizabeth handed Bella's leash back to Jack. Turning to Rosie and Lee, she hugged them both, "It was very nice to meet you, and I hope that I get to see you again."
"Oh, I know you will. It was great meeting you, too, Elizabeth. Take care of Jack for us…" Rosie stated as Lee hugged Jack and the Coulters slipped into their car and drove away.
"My car is in the parking lot, but I need to get my bag," she stated as she began walking toward the jet.
Before reaching the cargo hold, Elizabeth stopped and turned around. Although she opened her mouth, no words slipped through her lips, and she simply turned back around and continued walking toward the jet.
"Elizabeth…stop," Jack called out.
Knowing how close Jack was with Lee and Rosie, she was afraid to say anything that may cause problems in their friendship. She stopped but did not turn around.
"I know something's wrong, so please tell me…" he stepped forward, took hold of her hand and turned her around to face him.
"Jack…never mind."
"Elizabeth Thatcher, I'm not leaving here until you tell me what has gotten you so upset."
Elizabeth's eyes glanced downward and found the darkness of the tarmac, "It's nothing. Rosie and Lee seem very nice."
"I'm not leaving and I'm not letting you drive away until you tell me what happened."
"Look Jack, I'm not mad; we're good and everything's okay. Lee and Rosie are very nice, and you're lucky to have them in your life."
"Well, I'll agree with you about Lee, sometimes, I'm not sure about Rosie, and this is one of those times. I know you well enough to know that something is bothering you. Tell me, because we'll stay on this tarmac until you do…"
Although she held back her tears, her eyes were becoming misty, "Jack, please; I don't want to be the cause of any problems." She smiled, stepped forward and kissed his cheek, "Everything is good and I'm glad you had a chance to see Lee…I'm sure you've missed spending time with him."
"I love your smile, but it's not cutting it this time. I know you are trying to protect my feelings, and I appreciate that, but we made a promise that we'd talk things out, so…what has you upset?"
Staring into his eyes, her fake smile disappeared. "Jack, are you going to walk away from us when we start to get serious?"
"Excuse me…start to get serious; I thought we already were," he replied, now quite confused, but more certain than ever that Rosie had, in fact, said something that caused Elizabeth to question their relationship.
"I thought so, too, but something Rosie said makes me wonder if maybe I've got what we have all wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"Look Jack, I don't want to cause any problems between you and Rosie, and especially not between you and Lee, so just forget I even brought it up," she stated as she released his hand, turned back around and attempted to open the cargo hold of the jet.
"It's locked, and I'll open it after we settle this." Reaching out, Jack took hold of her hand and turned her around to face him.
"I know how important Lee and Rosie are to you; I'm sure she didn't mean anything by what she said, so let's just forget it."
"Don't do that; we've come a long way and I want everything to be an open book between us. So, what did she say?"
"Jack…"
"Elizabeth, tell me…"
"Well, I thought we were serious, but, if we are, why would Rosie tell me that she hopes I'm not like the others and that I stay around?"
"She said, what?"
"I'm sorry. I really don't want to cause any problems. I'm sure she didn't mean it like it sounded."
"Elizabeth, what else did she say?"
Elizabeth continued, "she said that when you've started to get serious with your previous girlfriends, you end up backing away. So, I guess I just want to know, is that what's going to happen here? If so, I think you know that's not what I'm looking for…"
Jack pulled down the airstairs, took her hand and led her inside the jet. Walking over to the sofa, he motioned for her to take a seat, and he sat on the cushion beside her. "Is that what you think?"
"No, but, I mean, Rosie has known you for a lot longer than I have and I guess she knows you better than I do."
"Not right now, she's doesn't," he stated, obviously perturbed by Rosie's comments. "Elizabeth, Rosie and I are friends, but I'm not intimate with her, so no, she doesn't know me as well as you do."
Elizabeth released a quick, short breath, "Jack, we're not intimate either…"
Jack released a soft laugh, "Honey, intimacy doesn't have to mean making love. We're intimate when my fingers brush the hair from your eyes and slip the loose strands behind your ear," he whispered as his words were copied by his actions, resting his hand on her cheek.
Elizabeth's eyes closed and she leaned against his hand as it rested along her cheek, mesmerizing her.
Jack continued, his voice was soft, soothing and so romantic, "E-liz-a-beth, we are intimate when I kiss your forehead, when I hold you close and we dance, and we are intimate when we talk about our future, our dreams, and how each one fits into the other's life."
Jack's eyes were slightly misty as he poured out his heart, "Elizabeth, I love you, but I don't have to make love to you to be intimate with you."
"I'm sorry, Jack. I wish I hadn't said anything, because now things will be strained between you and Rosie, and I didn't want that."
"Honey, we don't know what's wrong unless we talk about it, so I'm glad you told me."
Elizabeth giggled, "WOW, that's a turnaround…"
"What are you talking about?"
"Jack, you telling me how important it is to talk."
"Honey, I learned a valuable lesson when we came home from Fiji, and I don't ever want to repeat that. I can't say that I'll always do everything right, but I'm trying…"
"I know you are, and I love you for it," Elizabeth responded. "So, please don't be mad at Rosie. She'll see soon enough that what we have is real and there's no need to worry about you."
"I just wish she would keep her mouth shut where it doesn't belong."
"Jack, she loves you, and wants to make sure you're happy and don't get hurt."
"But it's not her place to butt in."
"Maybe not… but still, sometimes we do stupid things for those we love."
"What else did she say?"
"That's about all…"
"Elizabeth…"
"Jack, she said some nice things too, but she just wanted to know where my feelings were for you, and…"
"Elizabeth…and what?"
"Well, she was concerned that Ryan…well, she was worried that the situation with Ryan had messed my head up. She wanted to know if I was really in a good place to be in a relationship with you."
"She said what?" Jack stood up from his seat and shook his head.
"She said…"
"I heard you; I just couldn't believe my ears."
"Jack, I'm going to ask you something, and I really need the truth…"
"Always, Elizabeth…I won't lie to you," he replied, now more concerned than ever.
"I know you've dated some wonderful, beautiful women, but is it possible that you've left those relationships to keep from cheating?"
Jack was fairly certain that he'd either swallowed his tongue or was experiencing an epileptic seizure. "W-h-a-t…?" he blurted out. His tone was sharp and quite angry. "Is this because of something else Rosie said?"
"You didn't answer me…"
"I really didn't think I needed to dignify that question with an answer."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."
"Elizabeth, I thought you knew me better than that," he looked hurt and disappointed. "Do you think I'm a cheater?"
"No…"
"Then why did you feel the need to ask?"
"Well, I think Rosie was joking, at least I hope she was, but she said…never mind, just forget I asked. I don't believe you are and that's all that matters."
"I'm sorry, I can't forget it; what did she say?" he asked, his voice sounding somewhat demanding.
"Well, she just said that she wondered if you broke up with these women because one woman isn't enough for you. So, I guess I wondered if you've dated these beautiful, talented women, maybe the idea of being with one woman for the rest of your life might be…oh, I don't know…"
"Elizabeth, you know I've dated other women, wonderful women. that's no secret. However, you also know that I've never said 'I love you' to any woman but you. I've dated some very nice women, but there is no need to string them along thinking that love and marriage is in the future, when in my heart, I know it's not."
"So, when you've backed away, it's not because you're afraid of commitment, or you want more variety…it's just that you don't want to waste a woman's time when it's going nowhere, right?"
"Exactly. Elizabeth, I've known for many years what I wanted in a life partner, but until I met you, I hadn't found it with anyone else."
"I understand that, and truthfully, I've backed away from relationships in the past for the same reason, that is if they didn't high tail it away from me first because I wouldn't sleep with them," Elizabeth admitted. "Jack, I'm sorry, really, I am. I don't want to start any problems with you and Rosie…and I especially don't want to cause any problems between you and Lee. So please, can we just forget that anything was even said, because I don't really think she meant any harm."
"Rosie means well, and I know she worries about my love life, but if she has one major problem, it's that she speaks without thinking. So, I want to be extremely clear, Elizabeth; I love you; I want this relationship, and I do see a future with you," he responded.
Elizabeth stood and closed the short distance between them. "I love you, too. I will start packing my house, and let's see about finding a realtor in Raleigh to show us some places."
Her lips met his. They were soft and warm and carried a hint of strawberries from the shortcake dessert she ate at dinner. They separated slightly as he rested his forehead on hers, releasing a hard breath, obviously unhappy about being separated again.
Neither one wanted to be apart, even for a day, 24 hours would simply be too long. "I don't know what my flight schedule is, but when do you think you can come up to Raleigh?"
"I need to make some calls, set up a realtor to sell my house, and…you know, I just had a thought…can't I hire a moving company to pack up the house and move me? That way I can probably come right to Raleigh."
Knowing that she'd be in Raleigh soon brought a big smile to his face, "That sounds like a perfect plan to me."
As her eyes filled with tears, she whispered, "I wish you didn't have to leave. I'll miss you."
His smile, and deep dimples somehow always seemed to calm her. His fingers brushed away the tears that rolled down her cheeks, "I have an idea."
"I usually like your ideas, so what is it?" she asked.
"You fly back to Raleigh with me; we'll get a real estate agent to find some places for us to look at; you can check with WRAL, and visit with your parents. You can even make some calls from Raleigh and line up an agent to work on selling your place, and hire a moving company to pack up the house. Then next weekend, barring any work flights I may need to make, I'll drive you down to Charlotte and stay the weekend with you there. Then, you can come back with me and stay with your parents…I'm sure they'd love seeing you more, and I know that I certainly would."
"That sounds perfect…"
To be continued...