It was early in the morning when Lee Coulter arrived with the lumber Lucas Bouchard had ordered, well the lumber his spunky lady friend had ordered. It amazed him that so much spunk and fire could fit inside such a woman. He made it a policy to never accept orders unless he or Cody were in the office to make out receipts and order forms, but Ms. Rosemary Levoux simply would not relent until he agreed. So now he and Cody were working on a Saturday, with the help of Mr. Bouchard, unloading the lumber.

"What's all this lumber for anyways Mr. Bouchard", Cody asked as he and Lee unloaded a one by one.

"Well it's for"..

"It's my stage", Rosemary interrupted, her voice excited at the prospect of finally having a stage to perform on, "I'm an entertainer you know", she said, setting down the platter of iced tea that she carried, "now, when you're finished with your chores sit down and rest".

"Yes ma'am", all three Men said, nearly at the same time. Lee looked at Lucas and chuckled.

"You've sure got your hands full with that one".

"Tell me about it, she's been like that ever since we met. At least she's mellowed over the years".

"Wow.. if that's mellowed, what was she like before"?

"Louder", Lucas said stiffly, grabbing another plank. He couldn't explain why Lee's inquiry about Rosemary irritated him. But it did.

Jack Thornton was off duty, but he was still in the constabulary, going through everything in the back room. While in the room he heard a knock on the front door. He walked into the office to find a young man with thick, curly hair standing with a mail bag around his shoulders and a small brown package in his hands.

"Delivery for Constable, Sargent Jarrick Thornton", the young man said, standing at attention.

"At ease son", Jack said kindly, "where do I sign"?

"Right here sir", the delivery boy said, handing Jack a clipboard.

"What's your name"?

"Robert Wolfe sir".

"It's a pleasure meeting you Robert, have a good day now".

Robert saluted Jack and Jack returned the gesture, smiling. He looked at the package and saw that it was for Elizabeth Grant, in the care of Sargent Jarrick Thornton, from The RCMP Headquarters.

Jack sighed and looked up, staring at nothing in particular, just worried about the widow he had befriended. She was strong enough to have handled his news about her husband, but would whatever was in the package push her over the emotional edge?

"Alright Allison, try it now".

"Fiona, you've been doing the same thing over and over, that's the literal definition of stupid".

"Au contraire my dear", Fiona said, waving her finger in the air from behind the switchboard, "I'm doing the same thing each time, yes, but I do the same thing differently each time. As Mr. Edison said, "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up". We shall not give up, after all, "genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration".

"Ugh, enough with the Edison quotes Fiona", Allie said, flipping the switch. To her amazement it worked. Their boss may always give them junk equipment to work with, but Fiona Miller always somehow managed to make it shine and work like new.

"See Allison, what did I tell you", She said, jotting down some notes in her journal, "a little sweat and elbow grease will make it work for you. Now all we have to do is install the lines".

Allie groaned and stood up from her seat.

"Tomorrow", Fiona said, smiling, "you've earned the rest of the day off, go spend it with that Cody boy".

Allie bristled internally at Fiona's use of the word boy. Cody Stanton was a man, one she had her eyes set on.

Elizabeth was out back hanging up the laundry when she heard Michael scream "MR. MOUNTIE". A A minute later Michael exited the house, dragging Jack Thornton behind him. Leaving the two adults Michael shut the door behind him.

"I think that little scamp is intent on getting us together", Jack said, "which reminds me, have you talked to Mrs. Blakely"?

"Oh hush you", Elizabeth said, playfully punching his arm, "what brings you hear"?

"Well", he said, handing her the package, "I hope it's not bad news".

Elizabeth took the thick package, her breath catching in her throat.

"Do you have any idea what's in here"?

"A couple, but we're not going to know for sure until you open it".

With trembling fingers Elizabeth untied the twine and peeled back the paper, revealing a thick, leather journal with pages underneath. Jack sighed in relief.

"It's Nathan's journal", he simply said. Elizabeth nodded, wiping a tear from her eyes. Jack stepped back a bit, giving Elizabeth room to breathe.

"It seems like I'm never going to stop thanking you, Jack", Elizabeth said, holding the journal close, "I would like to properly thank you. Would you like to have dinner at Abigail's tonight"?

Jack smiled softly, "I'd like that".

A scraping sound from inside brought both Elizabeth and Jack out of the trace like stare as they figured out what was going on. Jack opened the back door to find Michael struggling to move one of the heavy wooden chairs.

"Hey buddy", Jack said in a friendly tone, "watcha doing with that chair"?

"Nothing", Michael said sheepishly.

"You weren't trying to block the door were you"?

Looking down the young boy yelled, "bath time mommy", and scampered upstairs.

Elizabeth smiled as she watched her son head upstairs.

"I'm sure he'll figure out that the wash tub isn't upstairs", Jack said.

"actually it is", Elizabeth said, "Nathan saved up a lot to have plumbing installed after he discovered a natural well out back".

Jack looked at her in amazement.

"I feel bad for any man who catches your eye", he said, his voice light, as if he himself were captivated by her.

"Why is that", she asked, inching closer.

"What other man can love you like that"?

Elizabeth froze, thinking about his statement. For so long she had grieved Nathan's death, and then, just as she begins to move on, Jack came to town, almost as if God had sent him to be a balm for her aching heart. Was He trying to tell her something. Slowly she leaned in and hugged Jack close, melting into him as she felt his arm on hers.

"I'm scared Jack", she said.

"About"?

"Us.. I'm beginning to fall in like with you".

"Why is that scary"?

"Because"..

"I'm a Mountie"?

She nodded, wiping tears away. Jack gently took her chin in his hand and lifted her eyes to his.

"You hear me, and hear me good Elizabeth Grant. I can't promise anything, and I will not promise anything I can't hold up on my end, but I promise that for every second of every day I live, I will live it liking you".

Elizabeth sniffed back a soft sob and smiled, "don't you mean love"?

Jack smiled in return, "we'll get there".

What do y'all think, too soon for a budding romance between JE?