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." Any real people or places noted in the chapter are just there for storyline purposes.

Chapter 10- And the Winner Is…

Lee and Rosie's House…

With Rosie out running errands, Lee, having left work early, found himself alone in a quiet house. Used to having Rosie around, the house was too quiet. He stretched out in his recliner and was in the process of searching for a sports game of some kind when his phone rang.

"Hey Jack; it's about time you called me. I thought I might hear something from you when you and Elizabeth returned from Fiji. How are things going, and just so you know, Rosie wants us to double date…"

"That would be great, and if I can get Elizabeth to talk to me, maybe we can work it out."

"Wait…what happened?" Lee sat up in his recliner.

Jack quickly explained the good, bad and ugly parts of what happened. "I have called and texted, but she's ghosting me."

"Jack, you know how Rosie is when she gets mad, sometimes it takes her days before she'll speak to me. I'm sure it will be okay."

"I hope you're right, but now I have another problem," Jack stated as he explained the situation with Aunt Ava.

"Bring Bella to us, and we'll take care of her. Stay as long as you need to; Bella will be fine…"

"Thanks, Lee…"

Charlotte, NC…

Jack made the two-and-a-half-hour drive from Raleigh to Charlotte, stopping by Elizabeth's house at 2417 Annibel Lee Drive on his way to drop off Bella with Lee and Rosie. He knew Elizabeth loved Bella and if there was a chance that she'd give him an opportunity to talk, she was more likely to do so with Bella present.

He pulled into her empty driveway. Hoping that her vehicle was tucked away in the garage, Jack and Bella walked to the front door and rang the bell. When she didn't answer, he rang it again. When it appeared that she was not home, he and Bella sat on the front porch, hopeful to see her when she returned.

To pass the time, Jack grabbed a tennis ball from his truck and played fetch with Bella in Elizabeth's front yard. Unfortunately, the excitement of the ball didn't last long. Initially, Bella retrieved or caught the ball, bringing it immediately back to Jack. However, after the fifth throw, Bella seemed to feel that it wasn't fair for her to be doing all of the running. She took the ball and sat on the porch, obviously more concerned for her parents' predicament than play time.

Unaware that Elizabeth was in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, their wait proved to be longer than Jack had anticipated. After an hour and a half of waiting, Jack stepped off the porch and headed for the truck. Grabbing a sticky note from his glovebox, Jack wrote…

"Elizabeth,

Bella and I stopped by hoping we could talk. I know you're upset, but please give me a chance to explain and apologize. I'm not giving up on us…

Jack"

He made another trip to his truck, and thankful that some of his mailing supplies had not been taken inside, he grabbed a piece of scotch tape and ran back up to her porch.

He tried to open her storm door to place the note securely on her wooden door, but it was locked, so he settled for taping it to the glass, praying the weather would be calm with no wind, or rain before she returned home.

"Come on, girl; we need to get going…" Jack stated as he rang Elizabeth's doorbell one last time, just to be sure, before walking down the steps and toward his truck. Bella, following close behind, hit the potted plant at the end of the steps and pushed it into the flowerbed. Nothing was broken, and no noticeable noise was made as Bella ran to the truck and they continued on to Lee's house.

Lee and Rosie's house- Charlotte, NC…

Jack pulled into Lee's driveway and found Rosie sitting outside on the steps. He'd barely made it from the driveway into her lawn before Rosie started in on him…

"So, we haven't seen you in for-e-ver. I want to know everything about your trip; is Elizabeth Standish…I mean, Thatcher, is she everything I told you she would be?"

"Well, hello to you, Rosie. Thank you for taking care of Bella for me."

"No problem. Lee told me you were coming by with Bella, but he didn't mention if Elizabeth would be with you," she stated as she glanced at his truck to see if anyone was inside. "Please tell me you're spending the weekend with her. We've got to get together, maybe double date."

"Didn't Lee tell you why Bella was staying over?"

"He was telling me, but then got a call from work and had to go in. So, are you spending the weekend with her?"

"No, my mom called and my aunt Ava, fell and broke her hip. I'm going to be with them until Rachel can get back stateside," he responded, wishing that his trip was for what Rosie assumed.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear that. Is there anything Lee and I can do?"

"You're doing it by keeping Bella for me."

"Well, I know you've got to go, but please give me something to gnaw on; what is Elizabeth like? You know her new season starts next week. Did she say who her new co-host is going to be? Did you two hit it off? Are you in love with her? Don't lie, I know you are. Come on, tell me something."

"If you will be quiet, and give me a chance to talk…"

"Okay, go ahead, I'm listening."

"Elizabeth Standish, AKA Elizabeth Thatcher is a beautiful woman," he stated before kissing Bella on the head and turning to walk back to his truck.

"Wait; that's all I get, she's beautiful? I already knew that."

"Rosie, it's complicated…"

"How…?"

"Her father is my boss."

"Jack, I love you like a brother, and you may not think I know, but you've been pining away for this woman for a long time. Don't let the fact that her father is your boss ruin something that could be wonderful."

"Wait, what makes you think I've been, as you say, pining away for her?"

Rosie laughed softly, "Jack, every time you come for a visit and her show is on, you sit in front of the TV…you don't move; you barely breathe, and you watch every second, and I mean, every. single. second, practically drooling the whole time."

"I don't drool…do I?"

"No, not really, but almost. But Jack, you sit and watch her doing segments on anything from skincare to making your income stretch as far as possible. You even sat here mesmerized while she talked with a doctor about foods to eat to prevent gas, mentioning afterward how important that information was. You have been interested in this woman for a really long time. So, after having time together, what happened?"

"Rosie, all I'll say is that we had a nice time. She is genuinely kind and thoughtful, but…" his expression turned glum.

"What's wrong, Jack?"

Jack walked back to the porch and took a seat on the steps. Rosie sat down beside him as Bella walked and sniffed around the yard.

"Jack, talk to me…"

"Rosie, I messed everything up. I don't know what happened. We were having such a good time in Fiji, and suddenly our time there was over, and I didn't know what to do about her… and my boss, and my job."

"Jack, what did you do?"

"Nothing, that's the problem. I think I was so worried about going home and telling her father that we were dating after he hired me to fly her down there and watch over her, that I said nothing. I told her it was complicated. Now she thinks I thought of her as a fling; she won't answer my calls or texts and I'm afraid I've messed up big time."

"Jack, how do you feel about her; I mean, how do you honestly feel about her?"

"Rosie, I haven't even told Elizabeth how I feel. I'm not discussing that with you."

Rosie put her arm around Jack's shoulders and shook him slightly, "Jack…Jack…Jack, you don't have to tell me, I know you're in love with her. You just need to show her. You need to find a creative way to show her how you feel…oh, and let her know how sorry you are for being so stupid, don't forget that part."

"Well, I already know that, but right now I need to get to Winston-Salem, so thank you for watching out for Bella for me," Jack stated as he kissed Rosie's cheek and gave Bella a hug before climbing into his truck and driving away.

As Bella and Rosie watched Jack's truck disappear, Rosie released a hard breath, "Your daddy can't seem to get out of his own way. It must be that Y chromosome that makes men act so stupid sometimes."

Forsyth Medical Center- Winston-Salem, NC…

Jack drove directly to the hospital and called his mother from the parking lot. "Hey mom, I'm here. What room is Aunt Ava in?"

"Oh Jack, I'm so glad you're here. Ava went into surgery an hour or so ago. I'm in the waiting room on the third floor."

"Okay, I'm on my way up…"

Jack and his mom sat pensively waiting on the surgeon to update them on Ava's condition following surgery. After what seems like days, when in reality it was only hours, Dr. Glanville walked into the waiting room.

"There he is; that's Ava's doctor…" his mother mentioned as she and Jack stood.

As he approached, Mrs. Thornton blurted out, "How is she?"

Observing that Mrs. Thornton was somewhat shaky, he suggested, "Let's take a seat over here." Once seated away from others, he could tell that she was anxious, so he started out by saying, "Your sister is doing well. The break was clean, so we secured it with a plate and pins. At some point she may want to consider a hip replacement, but right now I believe with physical therapy, she'll get along well."

"When can we see her, and when do you think she can go home?" Mrs. Thornton asked.

"She's in recovery now, but should be back in her room in the next hour or so. As for going home…I think I'd like to keep her for a few days to monitor her blood pressure and get her started in physical therapy."

Jack stuck out his arm to shake the doctor's hand, "Thank you for taking care of my aunt."

"It's my pleasure. Now why don't you two go get something to eat. You need to keep up your strength for your sister, you know," Dr. Glanville suggested.

"Thank you, I'll take her out for something," Jack replied.

Once the doctor turned to leave, Mrs. Thornton collapsed in her chair, thankful that Ava had made it through surgery, but exhausted from all of the worry.

Jack gathered his mother's belongings and they headed for the parking lot. He drove to Southern Family Restaurant, a small local joint, and his mother's favorite place to eat, and they stepped inside, thankful that it wasn't crowded.

Taking a seat, they ordered, and she immediately began thanking him for driving to be with her.

Their food arrived quickly. Mrs. Thornton ordered her favorite beef tips with fried onions and peppers and a baked potato, while Jack enjoyed a club sandwich and fries.

"No thanks are necessary, mom. You know I wouldn't want to be anywhere else," he responded, but did neglect to tell her that he had stopped off at Elizabeth's place hoping to see her on his way down.

"So, how was your trip to Fiji?" she asked. "That must be a wonderful company to work for."

"It is; they have state of the art jets, and well, there are a lot of perks, like I can bring Bella with me on flights."

"So, why did you have to fly to Fiji?" she asked.

"Elizabeth Thatcher, my boss's daughter was supposed to get married, and I was flying her and her new husband down for their honeymoon."

"She was supposed to get married; what happened?"

"He stood her up, so she went to Fiji alone."

"WOW, you go, girl. She sounds quite spirited," Mrs. Thatcher remarked.

"She is…" he replied.

"So, was she nice; did you like her?"

"Mom, not you, too."

"Not me, too, what?"

"I'll tell you this, and I didn't know until I met her at the airport, but I had met Elizabeth several times before, but she was going by the name, Elizabeth Standish."

"Huh…? Was she married before?"

"No, she's a morning TV show personality in Charlotte, and that was the name she went by. She's actually the woman who…"

"She's the woman you met at the animal shelter when you went to adopt Bella, right?"

"WOW, you remember that?"

"Jack, I'm your mom, and I remember everything about you, and I also noticed that whenever you mentioned her, your face would light up…"

"It did not."

"It most certainly did. So, what's going on now that she didn't get married; are you two seeing each other?"

"It's complicated."

"Oh no, you didn't tell her that, did you?"

"Mom, I don't want to talk about Elizabeth right now." He actually did, but it didn't seem like the appropriate time, given the situation with Aunt Ava being in the hospital.

"Look Jack, you heard the doctor, Ava is doing well. I don't get to see you that often, and I want to know about your love life. So, when do I get to meet Elizabeth?"

"I think the question now is whether or not I'll ever see her again."

"What happened?"

"Mom, I don't want to talk about it…"

"Well, I do, so, what happened?"

"I told you, it's complicated."

"Do you like her?"

"Yes…"

"Does she like you?"

Thinking back to their times together and his belief that her lips couldn't lie, he softly responded, "I believe so…"

"Then it can't be but so complicated. Could you be making it more complicated than it really is?"

"I don't know, mom…probably. I just hope I can work things out with her."

"Alright, what did you do?"

"Please, can we talk about something else?"

"No…I know you are respectful of women, so it can't be that. What happened; maybe I can help."

"I don't think my mom can help me here."

"Well, you won't know until you tell me what happened…"

Knowing that she was not going to let it rest, he stated, "Okay, we had a nice time in Fiji. She is a lot of fun, and everything I've always imagined her to be. But, she's my boss's daughter, and he hired me to fly her to Fiji, and hang around in case she needed help with anything. He didn't hire me to fall for her, and besides, she just got out of one relationship."

"Hmm, seems like the other relationship wasn't healthy for her, and sounds like she's lucky he didn't show up," his mother responded. "As for the fact that you are working for her father, Jack there are a lot of pilot jobs out there, but will there be another woman like this one who will come your way?"

Jack said nothing as his lips pursed. Needing to get back to the hospital, they walked back outside and headed for the car.

"Don't think I haven't thought about finding another job, because I have. I've written my resignation letter over and over again in my head, and I even put it down on paper, but she won't even talk to me right now."

"Why haven't you turned it in?"

"Didn't you hear me; she won't even talk to me right now."

"Okay, but what does one have to do with the other?"

"Mom..."

"Son, I know you think I'm meddling, but I need to ask, is this woman important to you?"

Jack unlocked the passenger side door of his truck. Before opening the door, he turned to his mother, "Mom, she's very important to me, but I think I've messed everything up so bad, and I don't know how to fix it."

"Well, it sounds to me like you need to do something to show her how you feel…"

"Mom, short of jumping out of an airplane over her house with a sign saying how I feel about her, I'm not sure what to do."

"Honey, as your mom, I hope you aren't seriously considering that."

"No, with my luck I'd fall from the sky tangled up in my sign."

"Well, Jack, I'm sure you'll think of something. So, you never answered me; "Why haven't you handed in your resignation letter?"

Jack shook his head, and released a short, hard breath through his nose. "Mom, the truth is, she won't talk to me, but if I leave Thatcher Industries, I'll cut myself off completely from her. At least right now I have the possibility of seeing her, and maybe getting her to listen to me."

"Okay, well, you need to find a special way to show her that you're sorry; you care, and you want to see her."

"Have you talked to Rosie?"

"No, why…?" his mother asked.

"Because both of you are saying just about the same thing."

"That's because we are women, and we understand how a woman feels about these things…" she stated as her phone rang. Seeing the hospital number on her screen she quickly pressed 'accept.'

"Hello, this is Charlotte Thornton."

"Hi Mrs. Thornton. This is Elizabeth Carpenter, your sister's nurse. I just wanted to let you know that she is doing well and is back in her room."

"Thank you, Elizabeth…"

"Elizabeth…?" Jack whispered.

"It wasn't your Elizabeth; it was Ava's nurse, Elizabeth, but I think it was a sign. If this woman is who you want, Jack, you fight for her."

Jack helped his mother up into his truck and they headed back to the hospital.

Myrtle Beach, SC… (Saturday)

It was early morning, and Elizabeth was stuck in her room having her hair, makeup and wardrobe staff complete her look for the promo videos that were planned with each candidate.

They filmed videos at the state park, the local boardwalk, at the beach and when Elizabeth put her foot down and refused to film with Jamal, the baseball star, while in a kayak in a known alligator inhabited lake, the powers that be relented and agreed to the Wave Garden, a controlled surfing facility, instead.

With filming now done, Elizabeth stood on the sidelines watching the surfers, but one in particular caught her eye.

"Hey, I think we got some good material for the promos…" Andrea stated as she walked up behind Elizabeth. When she received no reaction, she called out, "Hey, are you in there?"

"What…?"

"Hmm, has someone caught your eye out there?" Andrea asked.

The truth was, someone had but not for the reason Andrea assumed. The surfer Elizabeth was watching reminded her of Jack. He was a talented surfer, displaying fluid movements in the water, but almost more importantly, from a distance, he looked like the man who had, whether she wanted to admit it or not, stolen her heart. "Andrea, don't be ridiculous. I am just fascinated by the talent of these guys," Elizabeth responded.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're thinking about their many talents, oh, and don't forget how well they fill out those wetsuits if you know what I mean…"

Remembering how Jack's wetsuit fit him so perfectly, her mind quickly drifted to a better time in paradise, where life seemed to be so easy, and she had no cares in the world. She thought about those times when she and Jack were close and the arousal of his 'love muscle,' (a term she remembered from college when sitting around talking with her sorority sisters), could not be missed. Elizabeth simply smiled. It was moments like that where she believed he couldn't fake his desire for her. It was times like that when she believed his words…he cared about her; he wanted her, and only her.

Standing beside Elizabeth with her arms resting on the railing in front of them, Andrea commented, "You know, it's just not fair…"

"What isn't; are you referring to the fact that there are only guys out there surfing, because it's not like they won't let girls in?"

"Oh, hell no. I'm talking about the fact that most women need attention, you know, foreplay to really get them in the mood. Men, on the other hand, see a woman, and gosh, she doesn't even have to be attractive and before you know it, the guy is standing at attention and ready for action. He doesn't even care if he has feelings for her…it's all in the act, the release of that sexual tension, for him."

And in a matter of twenty seconds, Andrea had managed to take away the one memory Elizabeth had which left her feeling like Jack really wanted her, and only her. "Do you honestly believe that?" she asked.

"Absolutely; why, don't you?" Andrea replied.

"Well, no…I guess I'm not that hardened. Maybe it's true for adolescent boys, but I'd like to think that as they get older men don't just bed hop, but that they are actually looking for more; something more meaningful, something more long term…something much more fulfilling than a one-night stand."

"Oh, my dear Elizabeth, you don't think men have one-night stands?"

"I'm sure some men have one-night stands, and so do women, but I think that those who do are unhappy in their lives…moving around from one person to another just can't be satisfying."

"Maybe so, but there are men and women out there who enjoy variety…"

"Well, variety in our food, clothes we wear, and TV shows we watch is one thing…variety in bed partners is…well, I'm sorry; it's just sad. But I guess to each his or her own."

Staring out at the man-made 'sea' of yummy men surfing, Andrea threw out another comment that startled Elizabeth, "You know, you aren't with anyone. I'll bet if you picked out a guy out there, went up and said 'Hi,' he'd be ready for sex before you could tell him your favorite color."

"That's disgusting. Do you really believe that, or are you just trying to get a reaction out of me?"

"Well, I do believe it…"

Elizabeth turned her body to face Andrea, "I'm sorry you feel that way."

"From the time I was in high school, guys only wanted one thing, and they'd say just about anything to get it…" Andrea admitted.

"I'm sorry you feel that way. I just believe that inherently, both sexes want more…maybe not all of them, but to say that all men will jump in bed with a woman no matter who she is or how they feel about her, no, I don't agree with that."

Elizabeth turned back to watch the surfers for a moment longer and then turned to Andrea, "I know we don't hang out or anything, and I don't know much about your personal life, but maybe you're looking in the wrong place for your true love."

"WOW, you really are naïve. True love is just a dream. It's the term film makers use to hook people into watching romantic comedies. It sounds great, but I've never known anyone who ended up with who they considered to be their one true love."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe I don't know a lot of people who feel that way, but if you ask my mom, she will always say that my dad is her one true love," Elizabeth remarked. "You know, you view it as naïve; I view it as being honest, knowing what I want, and being unwilling to settle for less."

"Well, again I'm sorry about what happened with Ryan. I think he was a great guy, so it's a shame it didn't work out for you."

Elizabeth managed a half smile, "A great guy, seriously?" Elizabeth inhaled deeply and started to silently count to ten. Knowing she should keep her mouth shut, for some reason she was unable to do so. "Let me tell you what a great guy he is…he waited until two days before the wedding to sneak in my house, gather his belongings, and I guess when I surprised him, he told me he was leaving. This wonderful guy told me that he was leaving for New York, and was going alone. He left me to handle cancelling all the wedding arrangements, calling all the guests, and returning all the gifts. Yeah, he's a real charmer…"

"I'm sorry; I didn't know."

"Andrea, why is it that when a wedding is called off, people assume that the bride is devastated? Just so you know, I'm not! I've said this over and over; I'll say it once more and this hopefully will be the last time…Ryan did us both a favor. I don't believe that we loved each other, at least I know I wasn't in love with him. I am fine without him; I will continue to be fine without him, and if people would stop making me out to be the damsel who was left alone by the wonderful prince, I will be able to move on with my life."

Elizabeth turned away as she felt pangs of anger getting the better of her.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you…really, I didn't."

"You know, I'm sure that the station has their statement they use for what happened and why this wedding, that was touted as a huge audience generator didn't take place. The powers that be say 'they're sorry' to me, but let's be real, they don't care. If I'm not here, they will simply fill my space, just like they're doing with Ryan's."

Elizabeth took a quick breath, wanting nothing more than to finish her thought before Andrea had a chance to respond. "Look, I'm sure he hasn't given me another thought, and the only thought I've given him is in trying to explain to everyone when they think I'm lost without him, that I am perfectly fine. I wish him well, really, I do. I hope New York works out for him, and who knows, maybe he'll find the woman of his dreams there."

"I'm sorry; I really didn't mean to upset you."

"It's not your fault. But please spread the word…Ryan and I are over; I'm fine, and please don't worry about me."

"Well, that is good to know, but I'm sorry, you look stressed."

"I think that's natural, don't you? It's just that there's a lot going on with the show, and it's hard coming back from a trip as wonderful as I had."

"Speaking of which, how was Fiji…beautiful, I'm sure."

"It is a magical place."

"So, did you find the man of your dreams there; you know, your one true love?"

"It would be a great story if that happened, right?"

"Absolutely…so, did you?"

"Did I what?"

"You aren't going to tell me, are you?"

"Nope…"

"Well, I hope you found a guy to rock your world…you so deserve it," Andrea stated before excusing herself to review the videos that were shot.

As Andrea disappeared into the crowd, Elizabeth mumbled, "I'm still waiting…"

By the end of the day, the promos were complete, and if asked, Elizabeth felt comfortable with only one of the candidates, Randy Abernathy, most likely because he was engaged, and she assumed the station wouldn't try to put them together romantically. If he was not their selection, she felt that Jamal would be the audience choice, and more likely to fit into the concept of the program than the other two.

Thankfully, the requirements placed upon her by the station had come to an end by Saturday evening, with check out scheduled for the following morning. However, Elizabeth chose to head home early hoping to circumvent any attempts the station may have at filming whatever innocent time she shared with the candidates, and implying, by adding their 'promo' spin, that there was something more to it.

Elizabeth pulled into her driveway after dark, grabbed her bag and headed for the front door. Although the sky was clear, the wind was blowing, and everything around was soaking wet, leaving her to assume that they must have experienced a driving rain while she was away. She was on the second porch step when she realized that something was off. Stepping down, she observed her potted plant, no longer sitting on the edge of the sidewalk like it was when she left but was now in the flowerbed, laying on its side.

She reached down and repositioned the planter, glancing around to see if she noticed anything else amiss. Besides a few small pieces of paper from her next-door neighbor's blown over trash can, which she picked up and carried inside to be thrown away, nothing else seemed out of place. Elizabeth grabbed her bag, walked inside and locked her door behind her.

Winston-Salem, NC… (Sunday)

Rachel managed a much earlier flight and Jack was waiting at the airport for her when she arrived. He filled her in on the latest update on her mom, how she was actually doing quite well, and was expected to be discharged on Monday.

Jack drove her by the house, giving her time to put her bag away and grab the keys to her mother's car for safe keeping, and then he drove her to the hospital.

WBTV- Charlotte, NC… (Monday- AM)

Elizabeth arrived early, as usual, nervous and slightly nauseous about her first day back in front of the camera. The promo of her and the first candidate, Jamal Spencer White, had been running for the past 24 hours. Some of the comments from viewers consisted of the following…

"What a hunk…"

"Glad to see him starting a new career. Sorry about the injury…"

"Will this be Elizabeth's new heartthrob? He sure is mine…"

"Jamal is great, but I miss Ryan, and sorry the wedding was a bust…"

"Welcome to Charlotte, Jamal. Hope you stick around…"

Jamal seemed comfortable in front of the camera, and was certainly in his element when he interviewed the local high school baseball coach who was discussing the upcoming season.

Elizabeth liked Jamal, but wasn't about to give her overwhelming endorsement for his hiring just yet…after all, there were three other candidates.

Following the show, one review on social media caught Elizabeth's eye…

"OMG, he's gorgeous. Please let him stay…"

"What is he…a dog?" Elizabeth snickered.

(Tuesday- AM)

Promos for Tuesday's show, consisting of candidate #2, Randy Abernathy, actually began running on Monday morning, following the show. Although he had prior screen experience, it was quickly noted that the audience, made up mostly of single females and a percentage of stay-at-home moms, wasn't rooting for him. Some of the comments were as follows…

"Hi Randy. Congrats on your engagement. Nothing against you, but I'd like to see a single guy with Elizabeth…"

"I pick you. You have sex appeal, and experience, a great combination…" was the only positive comment he received, which was actually sent by his fiancé.

"Stay in Houston. Elizabeth needs a single guy…"

"I think you are very talented, but you aren't right for this show, or our Elizabeth…"

"Good luck, Randy. I enjoyed the show, but I enjoy our Elizabeth more when she's with a single guy. Nothing against you. Dump your fiancé and we can talk about you staying…"

Between Jamal and Randy, Elizabeth felt at ease and comfortable with the latter, most likely because he spoke so glowingly of his fiancé and their upcoming wedding. Although Elizabeth had received assurances from the station's CEO and others that they would not try to pair her romantically with her co-host, with the reality show "Bachelorette" running on the network, she had to admit, she wasn't very trusting of their words, as prior actions are indicative of future behavior.

Winston-Salem, NC… (Afternoon)

With Aunt Ava back home recuperating, Jack gathered the necessary materials and built a ramp on the front porch to accommodate the wheelchair that she was currently using.

While taking a break, Jack heard the front door open and observed Rachel step outside.

"Hey, I brought you some lemonade," she stated as she took a seat beside him on the top step. "You've been kinda quiet, is everything okay?"

"I'm fine…" he stated, although he knew he wasn't.

"Well, I know we haven't talked in a long time, but we used to be really close. Is there something you want to talk about?" she asked.

"It's nothing."

"Jack, you can't fool me. I know it's a girl, and I'm a girl, so maybe I can help…"

He took a deep breath and began to spill his guts right there on his almost completed ramp.

"Oh WOW, that is a complicated problem…" she stated.

"Well, thank you. You are the only one who sees this as complicated," Jack replied.

"I said it was complicated, but not impossible," she clarified. "When was the last time you talked to her?"

"Two weeks ago…"

"I can't say that Tony and I have ever been in this situation, but my best friend and her fiancé went through a little rough patch, and this is what he did," she stated as she pulled out her phone and showed him two websites. "Let me tell you, it is unique, and my friend loved it."

Jack stared at his phone. "So, she forgave him?"

"I can't remember what he'd done, and she didn't outright forgive him, but she talked to him, and well, after the talk, they were fine."

"Hmm…" Jack responded as he stared into his glass of lemonade.

"Look Jack, I know we haven't talked about love stuff in a long time, but I don't think I've seen you so worked up over a girl before. Are you in love with her?"

Jack's glance lifted from his glass. Turning to look at his cousin, he softly spoke, "I've been in love with her for years…I just don't think I knew it."

"Okay, so, if she won't talk to you, you need to do something, right?"

"Right…" he agreed. "Well, I guess I have nothing to lose," Jack stated as he wrote down the websites and planned to place an order that evening.

"Hey, thanks for getting the ramp done, but I know you need to get back home. I've got my mom covered from here, and Aunt Charlotte is here to help, too."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Look Jack, we can handle it from here. You go home and work on getting your girl back," Rachel stated, her tone sounded quite firm.

"I just hate leaving you in case you need something…"

"Jack, if we need your help, we'll ask. Thank you for coming here so quickly; I really appreciate it."

"Okay, but you have to promise me that you'll call if you need anything…"

"I promise…"

(Wednesday- AM)

Jack sat at the kitchen table consuming his second cup of coffee, waiting on someone to tell him that he couldn't leave…not just yet, anyway. However, no one did. Everyone thanked him for making the trip; for building the ramp, and for always being willing to help when needed.

He kissed Aunt Ava on the forehead, gave his mother a hug before kissing her cheek. "I love you; let me know if you need anything, and I mean anything. I'm only a short drive away."

Rachel grabbed her cup of coffee and walked with Jack to the front door. "Did you find anything to order?"

"WOW, those sites are quite unique. Did you know they have locations in Charlotte, too?" he asked.

"No, I hadn't looked into them that much. I just remember the finished product. But wait, don't you live in Raleigh?"

"Well, I placed my orders, and they are supposed to be ready when I come through on my way home, and yes, I live in Raleigh, but I have to swing by my best friends' house in Charlotte and pick up my dog first."

"WOW, is right; that's fast. I'm glad you found what you want."

"Thanks for the suggestion," Jack stated as he stepped forward and gave his cousin a hug.

"You're welcome and good luck, Jack. Thanks again for dropping everything and coming out to help."

"Aunt Ava is my family, too."

WBTV- Charlotte, NC…

The promo for the third candidate, Phillip Rosenthal, began running in the late afternoon on Tuesday. Although his promos didn't get as much airtime as the first two candidates, he still assumed he'd get the job, mainly because everything he'd ever wanted had always come so easily…oh, and the station CEO was a close friend of his parents.

For Elizabeth, she was fairly certain that this 60-minute episode actually lasted for hours, and she literally saw no end in sight. Canned laughter was used several times when jokes Phillip made fell flat. She was fairly certain that if the live audience looked carefully, they would have seen her eyes pleading for the curtain to fall on this candidate.

It was evident that this was one area that did not suit Phillip's qualifications, as if he had any to begin with. He wasn't prepared with appropriate questions for guests, and seemed to stumble in his conversation with Elizabeth, even with the help of a teleprompter.

The comments were quite harsh, and most were deleted before anyone but the powers that be could see them. Some of the comments that managed to get through were as follows…

"Dude, you're way out of your league…"

"Go back to living off mommy and daddy…"

"Are you serious; he is really being considered…?"

"Elizabeth deserves a better co-host than this joke…"

"Start treating Elizabeth w/ respect or I'll stop watching. Get her someone good, or let her have the show alone."

Usually, after each morning's telecast, Elizabeth hung around the station prepping for the next day's show, but not today. As soon as she could feasibly get away, she left. Driving straight home, she pulled her car into the garage, went inside, and for some reason, felt the need to hide away from the world.

Northlake Mall…

Jack made it back to Charlotte in the early afternoon stopping by the mall to pick up his orders before heading back to retrieve Bella from Lee and Rosie.

Spotify Plaques…

Jack walked in and stepped to the counter. "Hi, I'm Jack Thornton. I placed an order online and it's supposed to be ready…"

"Yes sir, here you go…"

"Um, how does it work?" Jack asked.

"Here are the instructions; they are self-explanatory. Truly, it's really simple; both things work the same way," the clerk advised as she carefully bagged Jack's order. "They are great gifts; I'm sure that your girlfriend will love them."

"Thanks; I'm counting on that."

On his way out, a machine caught his eye and although there were several men before him in line, he took his waiting time to figure out what all of the excitement was about. Finding the concept to be something he remembered doing as a small child, when all he had were crayons, construction paper and his artistic ability, he waited his turn to design exactly what he was looking for.

It was finally his turn. Each man before him walked away from the machine seemingly satisfied, so, he thought if nothing else, "It can't hurt…"

Twelve minutes later he was walking out the door and through the mall to his next stop with the three gifts he'd purchased for Elizabeth in a bag he held tightly in his hand.

The Memory Box…

On the opposite side of the mall from Jack's first stop, he walked into a crowded store of shoppers looking for items that reminded them of something special, or someone special. Many items were pulled from shelves and taken to clerks for engraving, while several patrons carried pictures to be placed on various objects.

Not seeing what he ordered, he became slightly nervous. Finally, he was the next in line.

"Hello sir, may I help you?" The clerk asked.

"I'm Jack Thornton, and I placed an order online; it's supposed to be ready today. I hope you have it, because I don't see anything like what I ordered in the store."

She reached under the counter and pulled out a bag, "Well, that's because you got the last one."

As Jack looked over his purchase for approval, other customers were gathering around commenting that "This is the thing I want." Sadly, for them, Jack walked out of the store, happy with his purchases, and hopeful that they would show Elizabeth how serious he is about her.

Lee and Rosie's house- Charlotte, NC…

Jack pulled into Lee and Rosie's driveway and walked up the steps to their front door. He did as he had always done at their house and they had done at his, he walked right in, "I'm home…" he called out.

Bella ran around the corner and practically knocked Jack to the floor, "Hey girl. I've missed you…"

He walked around the corner and found Rosie and Lee sitting at the dinner table. With plenty of food still available on the counter, Jack was invited to eat, but advised that he needed to head home.

"Have you heard anything from Elizabeth?" Rosie asked.

"No…"

"Are you going by to see her?"

"I haven't decided…"

"Jack, don't give up…" Rosie strongly suggested.

Lee put down his silverware and addressed Rosie, "Please don't push him." Turning his attention immediately back to Jack, Lee added, "I know what I just said to her, but you know she's right."

"I know, and believe me, I haven't given up," he admitted. "Look, I've got to get home; it's been a long few days, and I'm tired."

"How is your aunt?" Rosie asked.

"She had surgery, and is recuperating at home. So far, so good…"

"Is there anything Rosie and I can do to help?" Lee asked.

"Taking care of Bella was a big help, thanks."

"Jack, she's a great dog and she's welcome here anytime," Rosie replied.

"Well, thanks again, but we've got to get going," Jack stated as he gathered Bella's favorite shark toy and headed for the door.

"Call us when you get home, so we know you made it safely…" Rosie yelled out.

"Yes, mom…" Jack teasingly called back.

"Don't be funny. We worry about you," she replied, as she and Lee walked Jack and Bella to the front door.

"I know, and I'm sorry…"

"Hey, you don't get Elizabeth's show in Winston-Salem, do you?"

"No…why?"

"Well, there is a competition between four guys to be her new co-host," she advised.

"A competition?" Jack responded.

"Well, not like races, or anything like that. It's more like a competition to see who the audience likes more."

"So, are they good looking?" Jack hesitantly asked.

"Not as good looking as you…" she replied.

"What are they like?" he asked.

"The dude today was horrible. I can't imagine him even being considered. The other two were good, but…"

"But what, Rosie…"

"I don't see why they have to have her paired up with a guy. Oh, but the guy yesterday is engaged, and his fiancé is local. So, I have my fingers crossed that he'll get it."

Jack stepped onto the sidewalk, "Well, thanks for the information and for taking care of my girl. You guys are the best…"

"You're welcome. Don't forget to call us when you get home," Rosie reminded him.

"You are worse than my mom, but I love you…"

"We love you too, Jack," Rosie stated, and she and Lee watched Bella and Jack pull out of the driveway and head out of their neighborhood.

Before leaving Charlotte, Jack made a trip past Elizabeth's house, but with her home's dark interior and no sign of her vehicle, he decided not to stop, unaware that her car was in the garage, and she was sleeping on the sofa.

Raleigh, NC- Jack's apartment…

Jack released a thankful breath when he pulled into the apartment complex parking lot and parked his truck. Gathering his bag and his mall purchases, he headed for the dog run area to give Bella a chance to stretch her legs.

Fifteen minutes later, Bella and Jack were walking through the door to his apartment. He immediately grabbed a bubble envelope from his desk, addressed it to Elizabeth and slipped the items inside, sealing it before placing it on his entryway table, unaware that it had a small tear in the seam.

(Thursday- AM)

Charlotte, NC – WBTV…

Elizabeth walked into her dressing room, stopping dead in her tracks when she found Stephen Chandler, the fourth candidate, sitting inside, waiting for her.

"WHOA," she jumped back, startled by his presence. "What are you doing in here?"

"Elizabeth, I felt that we shared something in Myrtle Beach, and well, I thought no matter what happens with this job maybe we could see how things progress between us."

"Mr. Chandler…"

"Please, call me Stephen…"

"Okay, Stephen, um…I'm not sure what you thought we shared, but I'm not interested in anything but a working relationship," she stated as the silent thought in her head continued, 'I'm not even interested in that right now.'

"I don't know if you're aware of this, but you're looking at the next Governor of North Carolina…" Stephen responded, sounding quite certain of his future.

"Well, let me offer you my congratulations, although I know nothing about your politics and how you stand on issues, so I don't know that I'll be voting for you," she replied. Taking a quick breath, she continued, "Did the station put you up to this?"

"Of course, not. Elizabeth, I see you as a great asset to my career, and being First Lady of the State of North Carolina has its perks. Besides, I'm quite wealthy, and you'd never have to work another day if you didn't want to. You could stay home and raise our babies…"

Elizabeth coughed, feeling as though the oxygen in the room was strangling her. "Are you serious right now?"

"Look, I know what happened between you and the last guy, so you couldn't possibly be involved with anyone else so quickly, or maybe you are; I don't know. I just wanted to throw the possibility out there and let you know, I'm interested…"

"Well, I'm not seeing anyone right now, and I thank you…I think, for the offer, but I'm not interested. For your information I love my job, maybe not so much right now, but I do love working, and the man I settle down with will encourage that part of me, not expect me to be something I'm not."

Elizabeth walked back to her dressing room door and opened it, "If you don't mind, I need to get ready for the show…"

"Well, just think about it," he stated as he walked out into the hallway.

"I've given it all the thought it warrants…I'm not interested."

The show went as expected; Elizabeth was obviously irritated with her co-host and their lack of chemistry was noted by the following viewers' comments…

"WOW, no chemistry there…"

"Elizabeth, why such disdain for Stephen…he's yummy…"

"Is Stephen stuck on himself, or what…?"

"Well, he's handsome, but I have my favorite, and it isn't Stephen…"

"Stephen is smart and gorgeous…certainly someone I'd love to watch every morning while having my coffee. Maybe give him his own show, because I'm missing the chemistry here…"

Following the show, Elizabeth retreated to her dressing room. She folded her arms and rested her head on her desk. She wasn't happy, but it wasn't all work related. She was disappointed with how things ended with Jack, and truthfully, if things were better in that area, she believed that she could handle the work issues. However, right now she felt the world caving in on her, and she honestly had no idea what she wanted to do.

As she sat in her office with the lights off, the peaceful atmosphere abruptly ended when Andrea knocked… "Come in," Elizabeth responded as she lifted her head from her desk.

"So, what do you think…? I mean, after working with these four men, what would your choice be?"

"Randy Abernathy. He has the experience and is comfortable in front of the camera," Elizabeth quickly responded. "Give it to me straight. Who's it going to be?"

"There will be a big announcement at the beginning of tomorrow's show."

"Can't you tell me now?"

"No, I don't even know who it is."

Elizabeth went back and reviewed the comments from each show and decided, based on the audience feedback that it would most likely be Jamal Spencer White. Although her preference was Randy Abernathy, she was comfortable with Jamal and wouldn't be surprised when his name was announced as her new co-host.

Jack's apartment- Raleigh, NC…

Jack grabbed the package addressed to Elizabeth and reached for the door handle. Hearing a noise behind him he turned to find one item from the envelope on the floor. Examining the items and finding nothing broken, he left them on the table and headed for the store to purchase mailing supplies.

Jack had been given the week off to take care of his family issues and was not expected to return until the following Monday. He returned home, repackaged the gifts for Elizabeth and rushed back to the post office.

He walked up to the door and found it locked. Glancing at his watch, 12:26pm, he observed the sign on the door…

Hours:

M-F 8am-12pm

"Closes at noon; how did I never know that?" he whispered through a frustrated breath.

If Jack didn't know better, he'd swear that the Universe was trying to keep them apart. Realizing that he couldn't mail his package until tomorrow, he returned home and took a seat at his kitchen table.

Pulling his scratch paper and pen from the counter, Jack drew lines through some sentences in his speech, while still adding others. He spoke about his respect for Mr. Thatcher, his company and his family. He discussed his admiration for Elizabeth, what she'd been through, the things she'd accomplished professionally, but also how her kindness, intelligence, compassion and love for her family had captured his heart.

Reading it over several times, Jack balled it up and tossed it in the trashcan, feeling certain that no matter what he wrote, Mr. Thatcher would feel betrayed after having spoken so highly of him, his professionalism, and his much-appreciated gentlemanly behavior toward Elizabeth.

He moved on to his resignation letter, making bullet points that he felt needed to be covered, but putting his pen down when coherent sentences became more difficult.

(Friday AM)

Jack was out the door early and standing outside the post office when it opened. Stepping up to the counter, he placed his package on the scale.

"How quickly do you need this to arrive?" the clerk asked. "Just so you know, Tuesday is probably the earliest delivery date."

"As fast as possible," Jack responded. "Does it seriously take that long to go from Raleigh to Charlotte? I mean, I could drive it there myself faster."

"Well, you do have that option," the postal clerk advised with a smirk.

Knowing that this was the best chance of getting Elizabeth to open the gift and hopefully give him a chance, he responded, "Tuesday will be fine…"

"I'm just being honest with you. It goes from Raleigh to Greensboro, and since the weekend is coming, it will go through Durham where it gets sorted, and then it makes its way to Charlotte. So yes, it does take that long."

"Well, I just want it there as quickly as possible."

"Okay, it's $13.90," she replied.

"So, you promise, it's guaranteed to be delivered on Tuesday, right?" he asked.

"Yes sir; it's guaranteed."

"Okay, that's the way I want it sent," Jack stated as he pulled out his wallet and paid the required fee.

WBTV- Charlotte, NC…

Elizabeth arrived at the station earlier than normal, hoping to get a glimpse of the winning candidate. She walked the halls, slipped into the makeup room, and practically begged anyone and everyone to tell her who'd won. Either no one knew, or everyone was sworn to secrecy.

Andrea stopped by Elizabeth's dressing room, "Good morning; are you ready for the show today?"

"It depends; will you tell me who my new co-host is?" Elizabeth asked, but somehow already knew the answer.

"Wish I could, but it still hasn't been decided. It won't be announced until next week. I think they're working out some loose ends."

"What's that mean?" Elizabeth asked.

"Just that nothing has been decided yet."

Following the taping of the show, Elizabeth slipped into her car, headed home and grabbed a bag before sneaking into Raleigh for a surprise visit with her parents.

Thatcher home- Raleigh, NC…

Entering through the front door, Elizabeth startled her mother who was just walking out of the den. "Oh, my word, you scared the life out of me. It's so good to see you, but why are you here?"

"Do I need an excuse to come for a visit?" she asked.

"Of course not. I'm always glad to see you," her mother responded as she stepped forward and wrapped Elizabeth in her arms. "I wish you lived closer…"

"Mom, Charlotte isn't that far away. I mean, it's not like I'm on the west coast or abroad…"

"Oh my, don't even say such things. I couldn't stand it if I never got to see you."

Elizabeth giggled, "Isn't that a bit overboard?"

"Maybe for you, but if you are on the west coast, although we have the jets to make the flight, we still wouldn't be able to see you like we can if you're here…in Raleigh."

"Well, I'm not planning to go anywhere just yet."

"What's happening at the station; how did your meet and greet go?"

"I don't know how I feel about it, mom…"

"What's your gut say?"

Elizabeth frowned as her head shook from side to side, "I don't know if I can trust my gut."

"What do you mean?"

"Mom, my gut told me nothing about Ryan, and in Fiji, the vet I went out with…nothing. I don't know what I'm supposed to listen to," she lowered her glance to the floor. Wiping her eyes before glancing back at her mom, she continued, "I don't know who I can trust anymore. I think that things are great, and then…" Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders and turned away.

"What's wrong, honey…"

"I think I'm destined to be alone, because I'm the only person I can trust."

"Excuse me…?"

"You know what I mean. Of course, I trust you and daddy, but I have no idea what's happening at the station. No one will tell me anything, and then people who I thought were special," tears began rolling down her cheeks.

Mrs. Thatcher stepped closer and wrapped Elizabeth in a tight hug. Releasing her, Mrs. Thatcher took Elizabeth's hand and led her to the entryway settee. Taking a seat, she asked, "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"It's just I get comfortable, and then I feel like my life explodes around me. "Why is my judgment about people so poor? I mean, you and daddy taught me better than that; I just feel so lost."

"Honey, I hate to see you so down. There is nothing wrong with your judgment. You want to see the best in people, so you give them the benefit of the doubt. Including Ryan, and…well anywhere else your heart leads you," Mrs. Thatcher held on to Elizabeth's hands.

Ducking down slightly in front of Elizabeth to gain her attention, Mrs. Thatcher continued, "As for being alone, that won't happen, but honey, you need to open yourself up, and take the chance. I know it's scary. Truth is, life is scary. But love…honey, love is beautiful when it's with the right person."

"How will I know it's the right person? I mean, I just…" she stopped as her mother wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Oh, sweet girl, all I can say is that you'll know. It may take you a while to get there, but circumstances will push you in the right direction. Your heart will tell you, so listen very carefully…" she held Elizabeth as her tears finally ceased.

Mrs. Thatcher grabbed her purse, "Why don't you come with me?"

"Where are we going?"

"To the airport; your dad is flying in this afternoon from Miami."

"Okay; let me use the restroom first and then I'll be ready to go," Elizabeth grabbed her purse and headed for the guest bathroom. She touched up her previously perfect makeup, brushed her hair, fluffed her sweater, and grabbed a peppermint from the dish by the sink to freshen her breath. Looking in the mirror, she determined that she was ready to go, hopeful that she'd see Jack.

Mrs. Thatcher drove out onto the tarmac as the Thatcher Industries jet came to a halt. Elizabeth's heart pounded as the airstairs were released and the pilot, Captain Cole, stepped out ahead of Mr. Thatcher.

"Hmm, I could have sworn that Captain Thornton was making this flight," Mrs. Thatcher mumbled.

As Mr. Thatcher opened the passenger door, he was surprised to see Elizabeth, "Well now, this is a pleasant surprise.

Elizabeth slipped out and moved to the back seat after giving her father a hug, "Welcome home."

Once her husband was in his seat, Mrs. Thatcher turned to him and asked, "I thought Captain Thornton was making this flight."

"Well, he would have, but he had an emergency and left to go out of town."

"What kind of emergency?" Elizabeth blurted out.

"I don't know; something to do with his mother, but he's back, I just told him to take off until Monday."

Mrs. Thatcher turned to glance at Elizabeth and visually observed her disappointment, leaving her to believe even more than ever that her daughter had feelings for the handsome captain.

Although Elizabeth loved visiting her parents, she had to admit to herself that she was hoping to see Jack on this trip. However, nothing had really changed; they hadn't talked, and as far as she knew, he did consider their time together as a fling.

Thatcher house- (Sunday)

Elizabeth enjoyed her weekend with her parents, no matter how short it seemed. However, weighing heavily on her mind was the decision that would be announced on Monday, so she kissed her parents' goodbye, headed home, and casually scanned openings in the local communications field.

Elizabeth's house- Charlotte, NC…

It was evening, and by 10am tomorrow, Elizabeth would know with whom she was sharing the show. She placed a TV dinner into the oven, poured herself a glass of wine and sat down to watch the news. She'd barely consumed one sip from her glass when a commercial on the screen caught her attention. Although the advertisement showed pictures of the four candidates, and of her with each one, something about the byline "Will you be surprised? Tune in on Monday as we start a whole new chapter," had her wondering if maybe she needed a completely new start, some more wine, or both.

Not knowing what to expect, and out of an abundance of caution, she began seriously looking in other communication markets. She went as far away as possible, pulling up television stations in Alaska, assuming that no one would know her that far away, and it certainly would be a fresh start. Finding openings in Hooper Bay, Wales and Fairbanks, she consumed her wine while giving it some additional thought.

It didn't take Elizabeth long to realize that she was not a big fan of massively cold weather, and, as such, she scratched those locations from her list.

She poured another glass of wine before considering the many options available. Looking southward down the map, but still on the west coast, she pulled up TV stations in Seattle, Washington. With a large communications market, Elizabeth noted several openings at multiple stations. However, she also checked into the area's regular weather patterns. With summers that are generally short, warm, dry and partly cloudy, and winters that are cold, wet and mostly cloudy, she realized that she was not interested in giving up east coast climate for the often-dreary Seattle weather. Instead, Elizabeth was searching for an area with historically sunny skies, warm temperatures, and potentially exciting storyline possibilities.

Miami quickly came to mind. It certainly was sunny and warm. It was near the water, which was a plus, but it, sadly, was too close to home, and she was preparing for a complete change. She even considered foreign markets, but with only two years of high school study in French, and a year of college German, she didn't feel as though her services would be much in demand overseas.

So, Elizabeth pulled up multiple stations in Los Angeles, and San Diego, and was even drawn to a smaller market in Solvang, California, known for its wineries, a concept that given her quick consumption of the bottle of Zinfandel she'd just opened, she felt she could definitely get behind.

In Los Angeles, Elizabeth found openings for on-air reporters at KTLA, and KCAL, as well as a co-host position for "Good Morning, LA," a morning show on KCBS. Two hours south by car (and given the traffic, that time frame is being quite generous), was San Diego, a military town, advertising for a producer, an on-air mid-day news anchor, and an overnight news reporter at KGTV.

Elizabeth found a position for a lifestyle's reporter available in Solvang, California at station KSBY, an NBC affiliate. She pulled up pictures of the town, and it was quaint and beautiful. The aesthetics of the town, in addition to the wineries, kept it in the running. However, it was quite a distance from the water, which pushed it below Los Angeles and San Diego in the 'positives' category.

Maybe it was the alcohol talking, because she wasn't so certain that she'd have done it otherwise, but before she knew it, she'd typed out letters of interest in her Word program, and pushed 'send.'

Elizabeth saved her information in a file labeled, "Fresh Start."

Monday morning…

Elizabeth woke earlier than usual, or maybe she didn't even sleep, she wasn't sure, until she entered the bathroom and observed the telltale dark circles under her eyes. Using skills that Adriana, the station's make-up artist showed her, she applied concealer, and the signs that she hadn't slept were quickly gone.

Sitting at the kitchen table doing her best to enjoy a cup of coffee, the 'ding' sounds coming from her computer sounded much like a slot machine in Las Vegas announcing a winning game.

She pressed 'enter' on her computer and observed message after message from the station managers at KTLA, KCAL, KCBS, and KGTV stating that they were very interested in talking with her.

Elizabeth had meant to sign off with her real name, Thatcher, but quickly realized that everyone had addressed her as Ms. Standish. Now she wondered what she should do, respond, and thank them for their interest, or say nothing, yet, and await the station's announcement this morning.

The more Elizabeth thought about it, the more she realized that she could actually work with any of the men, well, probably not Stephen Chandler, but she really didn't see him getting the job anyway. In all honesty, she was still holding out hope for Randy Abernathy, and would have put money on him being selected if he hadn't opened his mouth and talked so glowingly about his love for his fiancé. Admirable, to Elizabeth, but the station manager probably viewed that as the 'kiss of death' from the single female viewers in the 22-35 age category.

"If only he'd kept his mouth shut," she whispered before taking another sip of coffee.

Before shutting down her computer another 'ding' announced a message from the Solvang station, KSBY, which stated…

"Ms. Standish, I was so pleased to receive your letter of interest last night, and had to resist writing you back immediately. I am well aware of your work, and have followed your career for many years. We have a wonderful, family-oriented station here in Solvang, and I honestly believe you will fit right in.

Before you freak out learning that I have been following your career, this in Anderson Whitley, but you knew me at UNC- Chapel Hill as Andy. I know you as Elizabeth Thatcher, but I'm perfectly fine with you continuing the pseudonym if that is what you prefer.

Please let me know if you are interested and we can set up an interview (which will be just a formality- trust me) this week.

I look forward to hearing back from you,

Andy
805-752-9102

Elizabeth grabbed her bag and headed for her vehicle. Although she was curious as to who would get the co-hosting position, part of her wished that she could stay home and watch it from the comfort of her den.

WBTV- Charlotte, NC…

Catching Andrea in the hallway, Elizabeth pleaded, "Please tell me what I'm looking at, so I don't look like a deer caught in headlights."

"Sorry; I can't…"

"You can't, or you won't…?"

"I can't."

"Well, I guess I'll know in a few minutes."

"Actually, we'll be doing the entire show, and then instead of your final segment on news, and weather the announcement will be made. When we come back from the commercial break, you simply have to read the teleprompter, and then your new co-host will walk out. Just so you know, you'll have the show to yourself this week. We thought it would be best to give you and your audience this time to process everything, and you'll start out next week as a team."

Although Elizabeth had been advised that she would have some say in the decision-making process, it became increasingly clear that would not be the case. As the show began, Elizabeth went through the segments on "Charlotte-Our Local Happenings in 60 seconds, Pet Profile (the station's attempt at getting local shelter animals adopted), Garage Sale Shopping-do's and don'ts, Financial News, Weather with Myles, and her much sought after interview with Hayden Patterson, the young man who bravely and singlehandedly rushed into a burning building and removed a husband, wife, two children, a dog, a cat and a parakeet before the fire department arrived.

Following the final segment, the station took a commercial break, and the teleprompter was turned on. Andrea stepped out on set and took a seat. "Okay, I just need you to read the teleprompter and at the end, look stage left…" During the commercial break, Andrea wished her well, before leaving and stepping behind the cameras.

As the commercial break ended and the show returned, Elizabeth, feeling much like she wanted to vomit, smiled, although hesitantly, and read the teleprompter as required by Andrea…

"Good morning, Charlotte. The sun is shining, and the temperature is expected to be in the mid 60's…truly a perfect day to get out and enjoy our beautiful city. There is an art show this Saturday at Ballantyne's Backyard, located on Community House Road. Check out our website for the address and times. Another place to checkout is Carowinds, a sprawling theme park with rides for all ages. It opens at 5pm tonight, and gates open on the weekend at 8am. Fireworks are scheduled for Saturday night at 9:30. Come early, spend the day, and enjoy the fireworks light show at night.

Now for information that is very close to my heart…as many of you know," Elizabeth stopped momentarily as she read ahead, wondering if the station was somehow throwing her under the bus, "my planned wedding to my previous co-host, Ryan Twohy, didn't happen…you know, I'm not going to read this. I need to talk to you from my heart." Elizabeth took a deep breath. "I guess most of you know that Ryan called off the wedding."

Elizabeth looked down, released a cleansing breath, closed her eyes for a moment before lifting her glance and staring directly into the camera. "First, I do want to thank you, all of you, for the time and energy you put into making your selections for each and every wedding detail, no matter how trivial."

As Elizabeth talked her Executive Producer, Jordan Powers, began screaming in Andrea's earpiece, "Shut her down…"

"No, she needs to get this off her chest, especially now!" Andrea remarked. Returning her attention to Elizabeth, she smiled at the relationship Elizabeth seemed to have with her viewers.

"And secondly, I hope that you don't feel I let you down, because that certainly wasn't my intent. We all know that relationships can be difficult, and maybe even impossible when placed under the microscope for everyone to watch, judge, scrutinize and make assumptions.

I cared about Ryan, and I do believe that on some level, he cared about me, but I feel that we, like you, got caught up in the fantasy of the on-air wedding. Ryan and I have different aspirations. His dream was to work in a big, headlining city like New York. He was offered that opportunity, and it came down to his job, or me, and well, we know who lost. But truthfully, I feel that I actually won, because no one wants to be tied down in a relationship that is destined for failure, and ours was…Ryan knew it and did something about it."

Trying to lighten the mood somewhat, Elizabeth nervously laughed, "I guess my only wish would have been that he hadn't left me with all of the arrangements to cancel, and all of the guests to notify…oh, and of course, all of the presents to return. But truth be told, if Ryan were here, I'd thank him for the wonderful honeymoon in Fiji that he paid for. I met some wonderful people, I have a golden tan that I haven't had in years…oh, and I went surfing. Those of you who were around during my first show will remember me talking about my fear of oceans, not because of the water, but because of sharks. Now, don't expect to see me hanging ten with the best of them, but while I rode the wave in while flat on my stomach, I was on a surfboard, and I think that counts. So, Ryan, thanks for my "Non-honeymoon," Elizabeth stated as she used her fingers to make air quotes.

"So, with all that being said, I owe Ryan a debt of gratitude for walking away when given the opportunity. I wish him well, and I hope he finds what he is looking for. So, now we switch gears, and it is time to open our homes to a new co-host. You may not believe this, but I'm as much in the dark as you. So, I'd like to welcome our newest co-host to The Morning Brew crew…

As ordered, Elizabeth glanced stage left and when the curtain peeled away, her heart sank.

Elizabeth couldn't speak as the stage manager announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, we are happy to welcome back Ryan Twohy to The Morning Brew. Let's all give him a warm welcome."

Elizabeth was stunned and she simply stared as if the longer she did so, the person before her would disappear.

Ryan walked over and kissed Elizabeth as if they were starting up where they left off only weeks before, but to Elizabeth it seemed much more like a lifetime. The screen suddenly went black, and fortunately so as Elizabeth drew back and slapped Ryan so hard across his face, that he lost his balance, falling backward over one of the guest chairs, leaving everyone, especially Ryan, in stunned silence.

Lee and Rosie's house…

Watching the announcement on TV, Rosie was floored when Elizabeth's ex-fiancé and former co-host walked out and planted a kiss on Elizabeth's lips reminiscent of a military homecoming. "WHAT…WAIT…NO…" Rosie screamed at the TV.

Picking up the phone she immediately dialed Jack's number. Waiting for the call to connect, she began talking to herself, "Man, Jack you'd better get on that white horse of yours and ride to her rescue. You're gonna lose her again. Why are men so stupid about love?" Receiving his answering machine, she left a rambling message…

"Jack, you better do something. WHOA, you won't even believe what just happened; I don't believe it. WOW, what they just did to Elizabeth on air. He's back…and he kissed her like their getting together again. Don't let her slip through your fingers, Jack. They did her dirty, and you need to call her."

Slamming the phone down, Rosie turned back to the TV, only to realize that The Morning Brew was over, and the daily game shows had begun.

To be continued…

NOTE: If you love Jack and Elizabeth stories, check out the ones that TeresaLyn has going. They are beautifully written, and she updates regularly…always a plus!