On the last day of July, Nathan finished moving the final pieces of furniture to the new house. Gabe and Lee helped him. Lee stood back once they had the furniture in place, his trademark grin wide. "Elizabeth is going to be so surprised when she sees this!"

Rosemary and Abigail had taken her on a day trip to Benson Hills to see a play. Nathan pretended there was still more furniture to complete, when in reality, everything was ready. He wanted to surprise her with their new home being ready when she got back. His friends had also helped him transport their personal belongings to the house, and Nathan was going to spend the next hour or so organizing those belongings to make the house feel like a home.

"Thanks for the help, guys. I couldn't have done this without you."

"We know." Gabe grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. "It's about time we're neighbors again!"

Nathan chuckled. "I agree. It's been a long time coming."

Once the two men left, Nathan set about getting the house ready for his bride. He unpacked all their clothes into the large wardrobe he'd created, then organized their other personal belongings in a dresser. He made the bed, making sure the pillows were fluffed the way Elizabeth liked. He moved through each room in the house, straightening items and adjusting furniture until it looked just right. He checked on the chicken salad waiting in the icebox along with some fruit, a simple dinner he had prepared earlier so she wouldn't have to cook. Satisfied, he saddled Newton and headed back into town. As Elizabeth wasn't due home for another hour or so, he went to work on some pieces for various customers.

He got lost in his work, so much so that he didn't hear the door open when his wife arrived.

"What're you making?"

Her unexpected question made Nathan jump with a little yelp. He spun around to see Elizabeth with her hands over her mouth, trying not to laugh. "Sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to startle you."

He put down his tools, his heart rate slowly returning to normal. "It's fine. I was so focused, I didn't hear you come in."

She chuckled, walking over to greet him with a kiss. "So I noticed."

"How was your time with your friends?"

"Good. Lunch was delicious. We went to a new restaurant at a fancy Italian hotel. We had great food and lively conversation. Then we went to the theater. The play was so tragic. Rosemary insisted on Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida." She made a face. "I can't say I'm a fan of his tragedies, even if they are brilliantly written. The actors did a wonderful job. I really felt all the emotions. It just left me feeling a bit melancholy."

Nathan slid an arm around her shoulder. "If that's the case, hopefully my surprise helps you feel better."

She perked up. "Surprise?"

He nodded. "It's at our new house."

Elizabeth sighed, leaning into him. "I can't wait until the day we get to move in."

Hiding a smile, Nathan led her from the room. They rode double on Newton to their home. When they reached it, Nathan helped her down and gently covered her eyes with his hands. Elizabeth let out a surprised laugh. "What are you doing?"

He started to lead her forward. "I can't risk you seeing it too early." He carefully guided her up the porch steps and through the front door. "Are you ready?"

She nodded eagerly. Nathan dropped his hands from her eyes. "Welcome home, love."

Elizabeth's mouth dropped as she took in the fully furnished room. "Nathan!"

He grabbed her hand with a grin. "Let me show you the best part." He pulled her to the bedroom and threw open the wardrobe. "We're all moved in. This is officially our home."

Elizabeth stared first at the clothes hanging neatly in the wardrobe, then shrieked and threw her arms around him. The unexpected movement caught him off balance. They tumbled onto the bed. She giggled. "Whoops. Sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to knock you over."

He chuckled, settling his arms around her. "You'll get no complaint from me. I take it you like the surprise."

Her eyes glowed as she looked around the room. "Oh, yes. This is a wonderful surprise." She leaned down, giving him a passionate kiss that made him momentarily forget anything else.

A meow sounded from the door. They looked to see Misty bounding into the room. With one leap, she sailed onto the bed and began butting her head against Elizabeth's stomach. She laughed, sitting up and placing the cat in her lap to pet her properly. With Misty happily occupied, Elizabeth turned shining eyes to Nathan. "Thank you for this."

He smiled, squeezing her free hand. "You're welcome."

They enjoyed their first meal together in their new home. Once they finished the dishes, Gabe and Colleen came over with the girls and a large chocolate cake. Colleen handed it to Elizabeth with a smile. "We thought this might be a good housewarming gift."

Elizabeth laughed. "It's perfect. I'll brew some tea, and we can all have dessert together."

Gabe chuckled, nudging Nathan. "Looks like she loved the surprise."

Nathan nodded, his eyes following his wife as she moved around in the kitchen, putting on tea while Colleen sliced the cake. "She did. Thanks again for your help." His attention was diverted when Allie tugged on his pant leg. "Unca Na'tan, up!"

He obliged, lifting his niece into his arms. "Hello, Allie-girl. Are you ready for some cake?"

Her eyes lit up. "Cake!"

From Gabe's arms, Daisy let out a squeal and clapped her little hands. His friend chuckled again. "These girls do love their dessert."

Allie let out a squeal. "Mi'ty!" She strained against Nathan's arms, reaching for the kitty who came walking into the room. He placed her down, and Allie went directly for the cat. Misty didn't bolt; she simply sat and waited for Allie's little hands to begin petting her.

"Allie is going to be a life-long cat lover, isn't she?" Gabe asked wryly.

Nathan grinned. "Probably." He slung an arm around his friend's shoulder. "I'm glad we're neighbors once more."

Gabe returned the gesture. "Me too."

As summer gave way to autumn, Elizabeth prepared for another year of teaching. In the first week of September, she welcomed her students back with joy in her heart. Though she would miss spending her days with Nathan, she loved the fulfillment that came from watching little minds light up with new knowledge and understanding.

At first, hearing the children call her Mrs. Grant rather than Miss Thatcher felt a little jarring, though the name sent little shivers of pleasure up and down her spine each time it was spoken. Sometimes it brought a silly grin to her face, and her student would have to repeat her name before she broke through the haze of happiness. It never ceased to make her students laugh when they caught her like that, but she laughed with them. One week after the term began, Cody came up to her after class.

"Mrs. Grant?"

She smiled at him. "Yes, Cody?"

He smiled back. "I just wanted to say that I'm very happy for you and Mr. Grant. You seem to sparkle again, like you did before Mountie Jack died."

Elizabeth rounded the desk, putting an arm around Cody's shoulders, touched by his simple words. "Thank you, Cody. I am happy again. After Mountie Jack died, I didn't think I'd be able to feel so joyful again. But now I do."

Cody nodded, looking reflective. "I thought the same thing when my parents died. I thought Becky and I would always feel sad and alone." His young face bloomed into a smile. "But then we found my new mom, and I feel like she's truly my mother, even though I remember my first mom. Does that make sense?"

She smiled gently. "Yes, Cody, it does. I know exactly what you mean. The fact that you love your second mom doesn't take anything away from the love you had for your first mom, just like my love for Mr. Grant doesn't take away from the love I felt for Mountie Jack."

Her pupil was quiet for a few moments. "It's pretty amazing how the heart works, isn't it?"

She laughed softly. "Yes, it is."

He hugged her for a few moments, then said goodbye and darted out the door. Elizabeth felt reflective as she prepared the room for the next day's lessons. Once she finished, she slung her basket over her arm and shut the school doors. As she walked down the steps, a flash of red caught her eye.

Caleb Decker rode up on his horse, Maximilian. Elizabeth smiled. Caleb had easily become a member of the community. She enjoyed her interactions with the young man, growing to see him as the younger brother she never had. He came over weekly for dinner with her and Nathan, Gabe and Colleen. It was a tradition all five of them loved. Even Allie and little Daisy enjoyed their new relationship with "Uncle Caleb", as Gabe referred to him.

He tipped his hat to her, swinging down from his horse. "Hi, Elizabeth."

"Hello, Caleb. How are rounds going?"

"Uneventful." He fell into step beside her. "May I walk you home?"

She nodded. "I'm sure Nathan would appreciate that. He's not overly fond of me making the trip by myself."

Caleb chuckled. "He does seem to be protective. Isn't he usually here to walk you back?"

She nodded again. "Normally he is. He likes to finish his day around the same time I do, but today he has a big order that needs to be completed, so he's working until dinnertime. He wasn't too thrilled about missing out on our walk, and that's the second time it's happened this week."

Caleb glanced toward town, where Nathan's shop was visible. "Would you like to stop in and say hello before I take you home?"

Elizabeth was tempted, but as she and Nathan had had lunch together, she knew going to his workplace would only distract him and push him further behind. "Not today. I want him to be able to focus." She couldn't help grinning. "I seem to be a distraction."

The young man beside her laughed. "Alright, then."

They walked for a while in companionable silence. After some time, Caleb glanced at her. "Elizabeth, may I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course."

He swallowed, looking a little nervous. "I was wondering … do you think most young women are resistant to being courted by a Mountie?"

She raised her brows, turning to look at him. "What do you mean?"

Caleb cleared his throat. "Well, the job is a dangerous one. I know that. Many men in this profession choose not to marry because they don't want to make widows out of the women they would marry. I … I always thought I'd remain single, protecting this town and staying out of any romantic entanglements. But … well, I don't know if I want that anymore."

He stopped, and Elizabeth bit back a smile. Clearly, someone had caught his eye. They walked past the mercantile. "Is that so?"

He started to nod, but his steps suddenly stuttered. His eyes darted beyond her head and his cheeks flushed a rosy pink. Elizabeth glanced back to see what he was looking at.

Katie Yost stood on the mercantile porch, sweeping the steps. A matching blush rose on her cheeks as she looked at Caleb. She lifted a hand in a hesitant, shy greeting. Elizabeth looked back at the young man in time to see him do the same. The blush in his cheeks grew darker when he saw Elizabeth watching him. He lowered his eyes and began to walk faster.

Elizabeth chuckled. "Caleb, Katie is a wonderful young woman. I take it you like her?"

He cleared his throat, then nodded slowly.

"Why not ask her on a date?"

"Oh, I couldn't … I don't even know if she would be open to seeing a Mountie … or if Mr. Yost would allow it …"

Elizabeth placed a hand on his arm to halt his stilted sentences. "Caleb, if my time with Jack taught me anything, it's that life is short. Don't let what ifs and fears ruin what could be your happily-ever-after."

He stilled. She had shared stories with him about Jack and knew what happened to him. He studied her for a moment. "So if you knew how things would end with Constable Thornton, you would still have loved him?"

She smiled. "Absolutely."

Caleb glanced back at Katie. The young woman was still watching him. He smiled. "You think I should ask her out?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, I do. Even if nothing comes of it, you took a chance and overcame some fears. It's a win either way."

"Hmm." He looked thoughtful. "I'll think about it."

Slipping an arm through his, she gave him another smile. "Good. You deserve to be happy, Caleb."

He didn't say anything else, but a genuine smile spread over his youthful face.

As September progressed, Colleen grew more and more uncomfortable. She had reached the eighth month of her pregnancy, and she felt every slight movement from her children. It felt as though they had run out of room in her womb. She had no idea how she would last another month. Her stomach felt like it might pop at any moment.

She mentioned her concern to Carson at her next checkup. He nodded in understanding. "It's very common to deliver twins early," he said, laying a hand on her shoulder. "If you gave birth today, your twins would be fine. Obviously, it's preferable if they have more time to grow, but it seems like they're strong and healthy, so don't fear if you start having contractions any time between now and your due date."

Colleen rubbed a hand over her swollen belly and smiled at him a little wryly. "Is it bad that I hope they come sooner rather than later?" As if to reprimand her for such a thought, both twins kicked hard simultaneously. "Oof!"

Carson bit back a smile. "There's nothing wrong with that. I don't blame you for wanting these children to come already." He eyed her stomach. "I can't even imagine what you're going through."

She chuckled, rubbing out the sore spots where the twins had kicked. They seemed to take it as encouragement to continue kicking. She stifled a sigh. "It wasn't nearly this hard with Allie or Daisy. At least not physically. Emotionally, this pregnancy has been the best one yet, since I have Gabe at my side. But my goodness, I had no idea carrying twins would be this tiring!"

"Consider it a good thing. It means your babies are strong and healthy."

She shot the doctor a look. "I suppose."

He laughed. "You're doing great, Colleen. Not much longer now." He looked at the clipboard in his hand. "Are you getting in enough exercise?"

She nodded. "I walked to town. Laura is watching the girls for me. I thought walking here and back would be good for the twins."

"Good." Carson nodded in approval. "This should be your last appointment before you give birth. If there's anything else you need, please let me know."

She smiled at him. "I will. Thanks, Carson."

"Have a good afternoon, Colleen."

As she left the infirmary, she heard a familiar voice call her name. Turning, she saw Elizabeth hurrying toward her. Her sister-in-law was slightly out of breath when she caught up. "I'm so glad you're here. I've been craving one of Abigail's scones with a nice cup of tea. Would you like to join me at the cafe?"

Colleen's mouth watered at once. "I would love to."

Elizabeth linked an arm through hers. "Good." They walked to the cafe, chatting about their days. When they reached Abigail's, they found a seat by a window and ordered. Colleen's eyes fell on a young couple near the back of the room. Her mouth dropped. "Is that Caleb and Katie?"

Following her gaze, Elizabeth gasped. "It is!" A smile spread over her face. "I guess he finally worked up the courage to ask her out. I'm happy to see that."

Caleb met their eyes at that moment. He froze briefly, then relaxed and gave them a smile before turning his attention back to Katie.

"Oh, we are so going to get all the details of this date at our next dinner together!" Colleen exclaimed.

Elizabeth nodded emphatically. "Definitely."

Abigail brought out their food, then sat with a scone of her own. "I thought I'd join you ladies if that's alright."

Colleen smiled. "It's always wonderful to chat with you, Abigail." Before she could say anything else, her stomach squeezed lightly. She paused, placing a hand over her stomach.

Her friends eyed her. "Is something wrong?" Elizabeth asked.

Colleen shook her head. "I don't think so. That felt like a very light contraction."

Instantly, the other women were on alert. Abigail's eyes rounded. "Should we fetch Carson?"

Shaking her head again, Colleen waved a hand. "I'm fine. Carson said the babies could come at any time now. Besides, that wasn't anything major. I'm sure it's nothing."

She was right. Over the next two weeks, she experienced light contractions on and off. They never hindered her ability to take care of her girls or do her normal daily activities. She knew sooner or later, they would turn into real contractions.

Gabe nearly hovered over her when she told him about the slight pains she was dealing with. It took a lot of talking and another trip to Carson before his bout of panic passed. He became even more solicitous during that time, trying to convince Colleen to take things easy. At one point, he suggested bed rest. She chuckled, giving him a hug and thanking him for his protectiveness, but letting him know in no uncertain terms that she was fine.

When she woke on the first day of October, she knew things were different. The twins seemed to sit lower in her womb, and the pains increased steadily throughout the morning. By the time the clock struck noon, she knew it was time.

Calmly, she called her husband, who insisted on staying home with her when she told him that morning that she was in labor. He took one look at her and nodded. "I'll go get Carson."

Colleen kissed him. "Thank you, sweetheart."

He rode to town. Colleen walked around the house, breathing through her contractions. Laura kept Daisy and Allie occupied. Within half an hour, Gabe returned with Carson and Faith. Her water broke as the they walked through the door. From there, things went faster than Colleen thought possible.

Her labor with Allie had been intense, though it was nothing compared to the pain she'd experienced when Daisy was born. This time, it felt like she barely had time to react. Less than an hour after Carson and Faith's arrival, the first baby was born.

"It's a boy!" Faith accepted the tiny child from Carson and began the process of rubbing him down while the doctor turned his attention back to Colleen. Two minutes passed before the second baby slipped from her body. Colleen breathed a sigh of relief, slumping against the pillows. Gabe still held her hand as he had throughout her labor and delivery.

Carson grinned. "Congratulations, Mama and Papa. You have two healthy little boys." He began to clean the second child while Faith placed the firstborn twin in Colleen's arms.

Taking in her tiny son, Colleen felt pure love shoot through her body. "Oh! He's perfect."

The second child was soon handed to Gabe. Colleen watched the wonderment written all over his features as he held one of his sons. She stretched her neck to gaze at the baby in his arms before returning her attention to the one she held. When she looked up, Gabe was gazing at her, his brown eyes wet with tears. "You did wonderful, sweetheart."

She smiled, feeling exhaustion pull at her body while contractions continued to expel the afterbirth. "Thank you for staying by my side."

He chuckled. "Wild horses couldn't have kept me away."

Carson finished helping her deliver the placenta. He and Faith then began to clean up. The baby in her arms nuzzled at Colleen's chest. She slipped a blanket over her shoulders and began to feed him what little she could. With Allie, it had distressed her how long it took her milk to come in, but she recognized now that it was a process. She'd missed out on that with Daisy because she'd been in a coma. She wasn't going to miss it with her twins.

As the first twin suckled, the second began to cry, searching Gabe's chest for sustenance. His eyes widened. "Oh dear. How are we going to navigate nursing with two babies?"

Carson stepped forward. "It is possible to feed them at the same time. It might be a bit awkward for you at first, Colleen, but it can be done." He began to explain. Colleen and Gabe both listened intently. By the time her son finished nursing, his brother was more than ready for his turn. Colleen traded babies with her husband and started to feed her second baby.

Gabe leaned forward. "Are you ready to name them?"

She smiled. "Will it still be you pick one and I pick the other?"

He nodded. "Why don't you name the first twin?" He looked at the baby in his arms. "That will be much better than thinking about them as Baby One and Baby Two."

She chuckled softly. "Alright." Pausing to think, she reviewed all the names they'd talked about over the past several months. It wasn't hard to pick her favorite. "Ryan Gabriel."

Gabe's lips quirked into a smile. "You're giving him the opposite of my name?"

She smiled back sweetly. "You refused to let me name one of them Gabriel Ryan after you, so I decided to switch the order."

He chuckled. "Alright. I can live with that."

She looked from little Ryan in his arms to the baby in hers. "What about this sweet boy? What are you going to name him?"

He thought a few moments before responding. "James Matthew."

That would have been her second choice. Colleen grinned widely. "I love it." She nuzzled the little boy's cheek. "Hello, James," she whispered. "It's so good to have you here with us now." She reached out a hand, running it over Ryan's soft head. "And you too, little Ryan."

"Ryan and James." Gabe smiled. "Good names." He gently rocked the boy in his arms. Ryan's eyes drooped quickly, and he soon fell asleep. "How do you think the girls will react to having baby brothers?"

Colleen could feel her own eyes drooping. "I think they'll be thrilled." Her mumbled words escaped on a soft sigh. A noise at the door revealed Carson bringing a bassinet into the room, followed quickly by Faith who also carried one. Gabe smiled his thanks at them, rising to place Ryan in one of the cribs, before gently taking James from Colleen and placing him in the other. Then he kissed her forehead and caressed her cheek with his hand. "Get some rest, my love. You've had a long day."

She smiled at him sleepily. "I love you."

His lips pressed against her hair. "I love you too." He moved them to her ear. "Sleep, Colleen."

Warmed by his steady presence and exhausted from her labor, she slipped into pleasant dreams.