Nathan, Colleen, and Allie packed their possessions in a wagon and began their adventure to Hope Valley. While Allie and Colleen were excited at the fresh start and new possibilities, Nathan was apprehensive. He was going to be stepping into Jack Thornton's position. A man who was beloved by his community. Nathan would have to make his own mark in Hope Valley while respecting the legacy of Jack Thornton.
The trip took a week to reach Hope Valley. While the trip was long, the scenery was beautiful. Nathan liked how peaceful it was out west. It seemed that things moved slower out west than in the cities, which Nathan enjoyed.
It was late when they reached Hope Valley. Luckily, everything was arranged for them beforehand. They were given a rowhouse. But there were only two rooms.
"I'll bunk up with Allie so you can have your own room" Colleen suggested to Nathan.
"Absolutely not. I want Allie to be comfortable here. And having her own room would make her comfortable." Nathan said.
"Where are you going to sleep?" Colleen asked.
"There is a small shed in the back yard that I'll sleep in" Nathan said.
"Nathan. That's insane. It's too cold out there" Colleen said.
"It's not bad and I'll just take extra blankets" Nathan said.
Colleen sighed. "There's no arguing with you." Colleen said.
Nathan kissed his sister on the cheek quickly.
"You know I'm strongheaded!" Nathan said.
Colleen rolled her eyes. The three of them got ready for bed. Before heading out to the shed, he gave Allie and Colleen a hug goodnight.
Nathan carried his blankets and cot outside to the shed. He would set up his bed tomorrow. After setting up his cot, Nathan looked around the shed. It was just perfect for him. Nathan went outside and looked at the stars. They were bright. Angela would have loved it here. They always dreamed about settling down and starting a family.
The next morning, Nathan woke up to the smell of bacon and pancakes in the air. Nathan walked out of the shed to see Colleen and Allie in the kitchen. Nathan looked at his watch. They usually don't get up that early. Nathan walked into the house.
"What are you two doing up so early?" Nathan asked. Allie saw Nathan's bed head and started to laugh. Colleen turned to see what Allie was laughing at.
"Nice hair" Colleen said pointing to Nathan's hair.
Nathan laughed and smoothed out his hair.
"So, what are you two doing up early?" Nathan asked again.
"We are going to start putting our things in the rooms. And then I'm going to go into town and find a job" Colleen said.
"Colleen, you know you don't need to work. My salary covers everything we need" Nathan said.
"I know I don't have to work. But I want to." Colleen said.
Nathan knew how much his sister's independence mattered to her, so he didn't fight her on this one.
All three sat down. They said grace and ate their breakfast.
"While you're in town, what will Allie be doing?" Nathan asked.
"Exploring" Allie said.
Nathan smiled.
"Just don't go to far from town" Colleen said.
"I won't" Allie said.
"Find us a fishing hole and we'll go fishing this weekend" Nathan said. Allie smiled.
"And don't forget we are meeting Allie's new teacher at 2:00 today." Colleen said.
"I won't." Nathan said. After Colleen finally left Dylan, Nathan promised himself that he would take an interest in Allie's schoolwork.
Nathan finished his breakfast. He said goodbye and they wished him luck. He would need all the luck he could get.
Nathan walked toward the town. As he was approaching, he stopped and took a deep breath. He was going to have to gain the trust of a town who lost a Mountie. Someone they trusted. Nathan was a complete stranger.
"It's not as terrifying as it looks." A voice said from behind. Nathan turned around and saw a woman with chestnut colored hair. She was holding a child in her arms.
"Looks pretty terrifying to me." Nathan said with his crooked smile.
"It was when I first came here. I didn't think I would make it in this town. And I never imagined living here raising my son." Elizabeth said.
The sun shined off her hair but her smile was even brighter. She had a sense of warm to her. She made Nathan feel at ease.
"Would you like it if I walked you in to town?" Elizabeth asked.
"If it's no trouble, I would like that very much" Nathan said.
Elizabeth nodded and the two began to walk toward the town.
"I'm Constable Nathan Grant" Nathan said with his hand out.
"I'm Elizabeth Thornton" Elizabeth said. She adjusted Jack in her arms and shook Nathan's hand.
"Mrs. Thornton. It's an honor to meet you" Nathan said.
"Thank you." Elizabeth said.
"I never served with your husband but by all accounts, he was an excellent Mountie." Nathan said.
"He was an excellent man." Elizabeth said.
"Of course." Nathan said.
Elizabeth and Nathan walked into main street of Hope Valley. People were looking at him and saying hello to Elizabeth. Nathan realized that Elizabeth walked him into town to show the town that she accepted this new Mountie. This couldn't have been easy for her.
They walked over to the Mountie office.
"Mrs. Thornton, I just wanted to thank you for your gesture of acceptance in front of the whole town. I just want to let you know that I'm here to serve the town and just a replacement for your husband. I don't want you or the town to think I'm not taking my posting seriously here." Nathan said.
"I know you are Constable. I understand what it is like to be the new person in town. The town didn't accept me at first but I finally won them over with perseverance." Elizabeth said.
Nathan nodded.
"And just to let you know, Bill Avery's bark is worse than his bite" Elizabeth said.
"Oh yes. I have heard all about Judge Avery." Nathan said. Elizabeth laughed.
"I can't wait to meet you and your wife sometime" Elizabeth said.
Nathan was about to correct her when someone called her name. She excused herself and went over to the woman calling her name. Nathan smiled as he watched her leave.
xxx
Colleen and Allie started taking their things out of the boxes. Colleen couldn't believe the stuff one accumulates in all their life. Colleen and Allie got halfway through putting things into their rooms when Colleen saw the time. She wanted to go into town to find a job before the meeting with Allie's teacher.
Colleen made lunch. After lunch Allie told Colleen that she was going to go explore by the wooded area behind the rowhouses.
"Be back before supper!" Colleen called out to her.
"I will!" Allie yelled back.
Colleen smiled as she watched her daughter go off and explore. Colleen felt like this town would be a fresh start for both of them. Colleen put away the dishes and made her way to the town.
When Colleen first met Dylan, they were young. Her mother did not want her to date Dylan. He was from the wrong side of the town and had a wild side to him. Colleen adored his wild side. He was a free-spirited man who adored her right back.
But that changed when Colleen found out she was pregnant. They quickly got married. Everything was perfect until it wasn't. It was about a year after Allie was born that Dylan became more distant. He would stay out late and when he would come home, he would be intoxicated. Colleen threatened to leave him, so he cleaned himself up.
Everything was good between them and they even talked about having more children. But one day, when Colleen needed to buy food, she looked in the money box, it was all gone. She confronted Dylan about it and he told her that he had lost it in a card game.
Luckily, Nathan loaned her money and kept quiet about the gambling from their mother. Dylan couldn't hold down a job because he either showed up late or was intoxicated. He even suggested that Colleen help make money by being a Saloon girl. But told her that no one would want to pay her since she was too ugly. They moved constantly and Allie was never in school for more than a few months at a time. Finally, Colleen decided to home school her.
The tipping point for them was when Dylan came home one night extremely intoxicated. They got into a fight and he flung a dish at her which almost hit her face. He was constantly degrading her and spending all their money that Colleen had finally had enough. She packed up Allie and they left. Colleen didn't tell her family that she had left Dylan. She did not want to upset her mother and Nathan was fighting in the Northern Territories. When Nathan was on leave from the Northern Territories, she told Nathan about leaving Dylan. Nathan set her up in a small house and helped Colleen start the process of Dissolution of Marriage. It took a few months but she was finally away from Dylan. Though she was always going to be connected to Dylan through Allie.
Colleen went into the dress shop to see if they were hiring, but they were not. She went to the café but they were not hiring either. Colleen ended up in front of the Saloon. She opened the door to go in.
When she went inside, she saw a tall man with a beard sitting at one of the tables.
"We aren't open" The man said not looking up from his paperwork.
"I was actually here to see if there were any openings for a job." Colleen said. The man looked up from his paperwork. When he saw Colleen standing there, he softened his face and got up from the table.
"We do have positions available." The man said with a smile.
"I'm just wondering if you needed help in the kitchen or cleaning. I'm not going to be an upstairs saloon girl." Colleen said.
The man was confused at first but then realized what she meant by upstairs.
"We aren't that kind of establishment. While this is a saloon, I'm running it more as a restaurant and hotel. If I even get a hint of something inappropriate happening in one of the rooms, I will nip it in the bud" The man said.
"Good." Colleen said.
"I do need help in the kitchen and serving but that is only part time." The man said.
"Oh. I was hoping for something full time." Colleen said.
"You're in luck. I need a maid to clean the rooms when guests leave and to change the sheets every few days. Wash the sheets and the towels. Is that something you would be interested in?" The man asked.
"Yes, it would." Colleen said.
"Great. Can you start tomorrow?" The man asked.
"That should work" Colleen said.
"Great. I'm Lucas Bouchard by the way. Owner and manager" Lucas said with his hand out.
"I'm Colleen Grant. My brother is the new Constable in town" Colleen said shaking his hand.
"Oh yes. I heard chatter that this town was getting a new Mountie. I would love to meet him one day" Lucas said.
Colleen nodded and left the saloon. Collen smiled and was excited to start work the next day. But now she needed to meet Nathan at the schoolhouse.