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 11- Here's to Moving On

WBTV- Charlotte NC…

Several cameramen and a grip ran toward Ryan to help him up, each one lending a hand as he scrambled on the floor to regain his footing.

He shook off the fall and pushed them away, "I'm fine…" he angrily announced.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" Ryan yelled at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth didn't dignify his outburst with a response. Turning her attention back to Andrea, she angrily remarked, "I thought you promised not to blindside me. How could you bring him back without even warning me first?"

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth; it wasn't my decision to make."

"But I thought we were more than co-workers; I thought we were friends." Elizabeth yelled out. "How could you bring him back at all?"

Before Andrea could manage a response, Elizabeth turned her attention back to Ryan, "Speaking of which, why are you back?"

"Things weren't really what I said they were in New York, and to be honest, I missed you, Elizabeth. I made the wrong decision walking away from you, from us. I love you," Ryan stated as he waved off everyone so he could have time alone with her.

"You…honest? Man, you've got gall. I'm sorry, but where you're concerned, I don't think those two words go synonymously. If the sight of you didn't sicken me, right now, I'd laugh. I can't believe this; the whole situation is absurd," Elizabeth grabbed her coffee cup. And instead of throwing it, which was her preference, she turned to walk away.

Ryan reached out and grabbed her arm, turning her around to face him while spilling the remaining coffee in her cup on her clothes and the floor.

"Take your hands off me," she shouted, the tone of her voice was sharp, the words burning as they passed through her lips. "Don't ever touch me again."

"Look, I know you're upset, but let's go somewhere and talk. Whether you believe it or not, we aren't finished," Ryan remarked, stepping closer but keeping at least an arm's length distance, still feeling the sting from her prior slap.

"Oh, that's where you're wrong; you and I were done when you walked away from the wedding."

"If that's the case, what was all that out there when you said you care about me?" he asked. "I think you still have feelings for me."

"Past tense, Ryan…I cared about you. Those feelings have long since gone, and I personally would be satisfied if I never thought about you again," Elizabeth boldly announced. "I take some of the responsibility for what happened between us. I mean, I never should have accepted your marriage proposal, and you never should have asked, you sure as hell weren't in love with me."

Elizabeth stopped her rant momentarily. The break didn't soften her temper as she took a breath before continuing, "Now that I think about it, was all of this something cooked up between you and the station…"

"Well, you have to admit, it was good for ratings," he blurted out.

Elizabeth stood in stunned silence. How could the station disrupt her life so callously without a second thought? "So, it's true? All of this was just for ratings. Was your leaving for New York all a ruse, too? I mean, was that just to get out of marrying me…because all you had to do was be honest with me."

"That may be how it started, but along the way, I fell in love with you, and I want you back."

"Seriously; this was all a game?" Elizabeth felt sick. She was nauseous, and lightheaded. As the breath entered her mouth, she felt as though her lungs were closed, as if they were refusing the air she was providing. As tears of anger, and embarrassment rolled down her cheeks, she asked, "Did everyone at the station know…I mean, everybody but me?"

"It's not like that, Elizabeth. Seeing how well we got along, Jordan and I were talking one night over drinks, and one suggestion led to another."

"Two drunk guys set all of this in motion?" Elizabeth found her blood boiling.

"Jordan suggested it, and well, I could have done a lot worse than you. I mean, you're beautiful, and I enjoyed being around you. The more time we were together, the more I fell for you."

"I can't believe this. Was your returning to the show part of the ruse, too? Do you have any idea how many people's lives you two have affected?" she wiped her eyes, but it was no use, more tears fell to replace the ones she'd previously wiped away.

"Don't cry, Elizabeth…"

"Oh, believe me, I'm not crying over you. I've given everything I have to this station, only to be treated like I'm just some piece of meat." Carefully taking a seat on set, Ryan sat with some space between them, scooting closer as he talked.

"Elizabeth, we can work this out…" Ryan stated as he took hold of her hands.

She pulled away, "Just what do you think we can work out?"

"Everything…our working relationship, you have to admit, we were so good together, and…and us. I miss you, Elizabeth. I know that part may take some time, but I want what we had back," he scooted closer and again took hold of her hands.

Yanking her hands away, her tone was harsh, and her words were deliberate, "I don't have to admit anything, Ryan. First of all, there was absolutely nothing between us but lies. There is nothing to work out; not in business or personal…not in this lifetime…not ever," she boldly yelled, unconcerned by who may have still been within earshot.

Elizabeth stood and started to walk away. Stopping, she turned around and stepped closer. Her tone was quite somber when she added, "You left me feeling as though I had done something wrong, like somehow, I was not worthy of you and your love. You left me questioning everything, and the motives of everyone, and for that, I will never forgive you."

Walking off set, and leaving Ryan in her figurative dust, she passed Andrea, who had been watching from the sidelines. "I don't know if you had any knowledge of all of this, but I tend to believe that not much goes on around here without you knowing about it. I hope you are pleased with yourself…you and Jordan and anyone else who was in on the joke."

"Elizabeth, I…"

"Save it, Andrea. My letter of resignation will be on your desk within the hour, and I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but you may be hearing from my lawyer. So, let's see who's laughing at the end of all this…" Elizabeth stated as she headed for her dressing room.

Elizabeth locked her dressing room door, not wanting to be disturbed by anyone, but especially Ryan. She grabbed a wad of paper towels she'd previously left on her file cabinet, and began dabbing at the coffee that Ryan spilled on her clothing.

Thankfully, her cup was only half full, or half empty, depending on your optimistic or pessimistic view of life. However, it's contents still covered her blouse, leaving multiple stains and looking as if she needed to revert to infancy and wear a bib.

With her blouse now somewhat dry, she sat at her desk and pulled out her phone. The first person she wanted to call was Jack. She was angry and hurt, and just wanted to hear his voice. That was until she realized how she had been used, and the pang of uncertainty struck, leaving her to continue questioning how they parted.

Feeling overwhelmed, Elizabeth pressed #2 on her 'memory' numbers and waited on her mother to answer.

"Hey honey, how are you?" Mrs. Thatcher asked upon answering the phone.

"Mom…"

Hearing the emotion in her voice, Mrs. Thatcher dropped the magazine she was reading and gave her full attention to Elizabeth. "Are you okay? Have you been in an accident?"

"Mom…no, nothing like that. You won't believe it, but the station re-hired Ryan as my co-host."

"WHAT…why?"

"That's not even the worst of it…"

"That sounds bad enough; what else could there be?"

"Mom, this whole thing was a ruse for ratings…the marriage proposal, the wedding plans being left to the audience…everything."

"Honey, I don't understand."

"Mom, Ryan was talking to my producer over drinks, it was suggested, and Ryan jumped on it."

"What about New York; was that a lie, too?"

"Apparently so, anything to get out of marrying me…" Elizabeth responded, the emotion still quite evident in her voice. "But hear this…the biggest joke of all, is that he said he missed me, and wants me back."

"You aren't taking him back, are you?"

"Mom, be serious…"

"Well, I know you aren't in love with him, because you're in love with…"

"Mom, not now."

"Oh honey; I'm so sorry," her mother responded.

"I need to think about what I'm doing next. I told Andrea that she'd have my resignation letter within the hour, and I've never been one to threaten legal action, but they basically held my life hostage while they put their plan in action. Isn't that gross negligence or something like that?"

"Honey, I just came in…what did the station do?" Mr. Thatcher called out having entered the den while Elizabeth was on speaker phone explaining the situation."

Elizabeth again went through the embarrassing, heart-wrenching actions of Ryan and Jordan, advising that the knowledge of other employees at the station regarding the ruse was still in question.

"I'm calling your uncle Maxwell, and he'll get the legal team on this," Mr. Thatcher advised. "You'll own that station by the time this is over with."

Maxwell was not truly Elizabeth's uncle. He was Mr. Thatcher's roommate in college, and had been leading the legal department since the inception of Thatcher Industries. He and his wife were obviously close with the Thatcher's and with no children of their own, they doted on Viola, Julie, and Elizabeth, who thought of them as their aunt and uncle from an early age, titles which just seemed to stick as they got older.

"Come back to Thatcher Industries. We always have a job for you there," was her father's first thought, and generally his solution to almost all of her problems.

"Thank you; I do appreciate it, and I may have to take you up on the offer, but I love the communications field, maybe not so much right now, but I may see what's out there available on the east coast," she stated, knowing that at least she had some interest from stations on the west coast.

"Do you need me to fly down and help you get everything out of your office?" her father asked.

"No sir; I have three boxes in my closet, and I think everything I have in here will fit in those. I can handle it. I'm just so embarrassed, I want out of here…"

"Honey, you have nothing to be embarrassed about," her father assured her. I'm so happy to have you back in the company."

"Daddy…" her phone call was interrupted by Ryan's incessant door knocking.

"Elizabeth, please let me in; we need to talk," Ryan called out.

"Is that Ryan?" her father asked.

"Yes sir…"

"Open the door and let me talk to him…"

"No, daddy. I don't need you to fight my battles for me. I need to go so I can write my resignation letter."

"You have no idea how happy I am that you're coming to work with me again," Mr. Thatcher remarked, thinking back to the days during holidays and summer breaks from college when she would tag along with him to the office.

"Daddy, I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet," she stated before saying 'goodbye' and hanging up the phone.

Ryan repeatedly knocked on Elizabeth's office door, but when she neither opened it nor spoke back to him, he walked away. The quiet, however, didn't last long as he returned several more times, pleading his case each time, to no avail.

Elizabeth sat at her desk, pulled up the Word program on her computer and eloquently wrote out her resignation letter. Parts were tempered with anger, while others surprisingly had a sense of thankfulness.

Elizabeth fumbled in her purse, searching for her keys, and ID tag to turn in with her letter. Not finding what she was looking for, she dumped the contents of her purse on her desk. Among the pens, scratch paper, lipstick, calendar, eye contact's case, hand lotion, keys, ID name tag, and her wallet, she found a small bottle of perfume, Sexual Sugar by Michel Germain.

She held the small bottle in her hand and spritzed the air. Inhaling deeply, she remembered the moment Jack had gifted her with the surprise. They were in Fiji, and it was the night of their dinner date. He slipped into her room while she was showering, and placed it on her dresser. When she stepped out of her room, the soft and gentle scent seemed to float in the air. The description of mouthwatering, juicy wild berries and crystalized sugar, sprinkled with the light freshness of orange water flowers and sensual passion flowers, was accurate, leaving Elizabeth, by his reaction, to feel that the perfume would actually do any flirting for her.

Elizabeth smiled as she thought of the first words out of his mouth that evening… "You are breathtaking…" and she was certain that he wasn't implying that the perfume was overpowering. It seemed evident that by his attentiveness, the perfume was doing as she assumed…it was taking care of the flirting for her.

Needing to get back to work, she placed the perfume back into her purse and continued clearing out her office.

The powers that be never expressed their sympathy to her for the whole wedding debacle. As a result, she was hesitant to return, but did so assuming that her audience would help her decide her next move. However, it wasn't her audience that made the decision for her. Now, with the corporate higher-ups ambushing her, and at least some of the truth being revealed, she easily realized that they had, in fact, done her a favor, as she printed out and signed off on her letter.

Andrea's office was the only one open, although she was nowhere in sight. Elizabeth assumed that she, Ryan, Jordan, and anyone else involved in their sham were somewhere discussing their next move, or more likely, his trip to Myrtle Beach, probably next weekend, in order to look over a bevy of beauties in hopes of finding his next co-host. It made no difference to Elizabeth, for given their complete lack of consideration for her, she dropped her resignation letter, key to the station, and ID tag on Andrea's desk, and with a sigh of relief, cut all ties with WBTV.

Elizabeth managed to get one box outside to her car and had just walked back into her office when the janitor, Kaleb, walked by. He was always a big fan of Elizabeth's, and in all honesty, he'd been quite smitten by her since the day he was hired, and they were introduced in the main hallway.

As he passed her door, she stepped out, bumping into him as she carried her second completely full box. "Please tell me you aren't leaving," he commented as he took the box from her hands and placed it on his cart.

"I kinda have to; they've backed me into a corner. Did you see the show?" she asked.

"I did, and what they did to you was horrible…"

"I can't stay here."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. Right now, I just want to get away from here."

"Are you staying in the area?"

"Well, I think my dad is hopeful that I'll move to Raleigh and work with him in the family business."

"What business is that?"

"Thatcher Industries…"

"You're William Thatcher's daughter?"

"I am…"

"But your last name is Standish…"

Elizabeth laughed softly, "WOW, I thought everyone here knew that was just the name I used on-air. My real name is Elizabeth Thatcher."

"Well, it is nice to meet you, Elizabeth Thatcher. Let me get these boxes outside for you," he stated as he grabbed her final box and placed it on his cart beside the one carrying her pictures, rolodex, and her two fake fern plants.

Elizabeth's house…

Elizabeth pulled into her driveway, opened her garage door, and slipped her vehicle inside. While removing the boxes, her next-door neighbor, Sandra, approached.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I've been better. I assume you saw the show."

"I did. How could they do that to you?"

"I don't know, but I don't have to worry about it any longer; I handed in my resignation," choosing not to discuss the part where she was the joke of the wedding that was never expected to take place.

"Oh no; you were a staple of my morning. I'd get the kids off to school and sit down with my cup of coffee and a Danish, and just relax before my morning got started."

"Thank you; that means more than you know."

"What are you going to do?"

"I haven't decided."

"Oh, I have been meaning to tell you, but I haven't seen you…"

"Tell me what?"

"While you were in Myrtle Beach, I wasn't home, but my hubs told me that some guy was sitting on your porch."

"Some guy; what did he look like?"

"Girl, you know men aren't known for their attention to detail, unless it's a woman with big boobs. I asked Billy, but he put his hands up in the air and said, "I don't know…he was a guy, and he had a dog; I think it was a Rottweiler."

"Hmm, a Rottweiler?" Elizabeth asked.

"That's what he said. Do you know who he was?"

"No; I don't know anyone with a Rottweiler. Maybe they had the wrong house," she stated, disappointed that he didn't say Labrador, and knowing that there was quite a difference between the two breeds, making it easy to tell them apart.

"Can I help you with the boxes?" Sandra asked.

"No, thank you anyway. I'm just getting them out of my car, and I'll go through them later."

After Sandra left, Elizabeth closed her garage door, went inside, grabbed a glass of wine, and took a seat on her sofa to think about her next move.

Elizabeth could feel tears welling in her eyes; her world seemed to be crumbling around her, and she felt so lost. She didn't know why she even looked at TV markets out west, for in her mind, she wasn't brave enough to venture out completely on her own.

Knowing that she needed to be thinking clearly, she poured out the glass of wine, and fixed herself a cup of coffee instead. She turned on her audio system and took a seat on the sofa, doing her best to make sense of the mockery that was now her life.

She closed her eyes, remembering her childhood dream of what her life would be like; a husband you loved her dearly, a house by the beach, a vacation cabin in the woods, and a job in which she excelled.

The husband part of her dream was nowhere near being fulfilled. She owned a house, although it wasn't by the beach, but the cabin in the woods had yet to materialize. Her two major periods of employment seemed to come easy to her and being close to home made the offers too good to turn down.

With the exception of the shake up in positions with the Raleigh station, and concern for her job, she was generally happy there. The station in Charlotte had its good points…she co-hosted a show, and seemed to be well liked by all who worked there. Now she wondered if she were just a patsy they'd hired who would blindly follow, all in the name of ratings.

Elizabeth hadn't allowed herself to think about it before, but she was scared…scared to truly strike out on her own, far from her friends and family. She opened her computer and was preparing to write "Thanks, but no thanks" responses to her correspondence when a DJ on the streaming "Pop Hits" music station caught her attention.

"I'm a man, and good or bad, I don't cry easily, but every time I hear this song, and put it together with the singer's story, tears roll down my cheeks." He took a deep breath before beginning, "So, you see this singer, Lily Meola, participated on "America's Got Talent," and before you start thinking that she won…she didn't. Anyway, before the music started the judges asked her about her life and the song she was going to perform. According to Lily, she wrote the song when everything in her life was perfect, she had a record deal, a publishing contract, and she was hatching caterpillars that became beautiful butterflies. Then, her world exploded. Her mother was diagnosed with cancer and Lily stopped everything to be her caregiver. During that time, she lost her recording contract and publishing deal, but the worst of all, her mother, the woman who had encouraged her to live her dreams, passed away. So, this song has taken on many meanings for Lily throughout the years. She may not have won "America's Got Talent," but she did win the hearts of millions. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you "Daydream…"

When we were kids in the backyard
Playing astronauts and rockstars
No one told us to stop it
Called us unrealistic

Then suddenly you're 18
Go to college for your plan B
What you want is too risky
Live for weekends and whisky

We all got these big ideas
One day they're replaced with fears
How did we get here?

Darling, don't quit your daydream
It's your life that you're making
It ain't big enough if it doesn't scare
The hell out of you

If it makes you nervous
It's probably worth it
Why save it for sleep when you could be
Living your daydream?

Thirty-one waiting tables
She has the voice of an angel
Out of money and power
She only sings in the shower
All these things we say we'll get to
Shot down by the reasons not to

Darling, don't quit your daydream
It's your life that you're making
It ain't big enough if it doesn't scare
The hell out of you

If it makes you nervous
It's probably worth it
Why save it for sleep when you could be
Living your daydream?

So scared of failure that we fail to try
Turning around before the finish line
Gotta fall for a minute before you can fly

So daydream
It's your life that you're making
It ain't big enough if it doesn't scare
The hell out of you

If it makes you nervous
It's probably worth it
Why save it for sleep when you could be
Living your daydream?

Why save it for sleep when you should be
Living your daydream?

Elizabeth finished her coffee, wishing that it had actually been the wine, and wiped the tears that rolled down her cheeks before reaching into her bag. Pulling out her journal, she skipped passed her last few entries, flipped a page, took a deep breath, and willed everything she felt about Jack to come to the surface.

"I'm lost…I'm scared, and I've never felt so out of control before. I'm jumping at opportunities that I don't know if I want just because I'm running away from my feelings. Right now, I could reach inside and pull out an emotion or feeling, and I'm sure I've experienced it within the last few days, if not hours. I'm so angry at what they did, but is it just an indication of how others view me? I feel like a joke, the laughingstock of the station. I can walk away from Ryan…I have already done so without batting an eye. But you, Jack, I really thought you were different." With the song she'd now heard stuck in her head, she wrote, "Are you my daydream, because what I feel for you sure scares the hell out of me? Or is it just my time to move on, to seek elsewhere, that which I thought I had already found with you.

With you, I laughed, and I cried, but you never made fun of me… you held me, no expectations of anything, just a simple genuine concern. You are truly a good man, Jack, I knew that the moment I first saw you lift Bella up into your truck. I think I fell in love with you at that moment. Unfortunately, I assumed you, being such a good guy, had to be taken…oh, that lucky woman, I thought. When in reality, we've wasted so much time. WOW, what they say is true…assumptions are the mother of all mistakes.

Elizabeth put her pen down and opened her laptop, taking a few moments to gather her thoughts before responding to her email correspondence. Although short notice, interviews at the LA based stations were being scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Interviews for the positions in San Diego were being scheduled for next week.

Elizabeth returned to her journal, seemingly saying her goodbyes to the love that surprised her, but also the one that she believed would haunt her as the one that got away…

"I'm so sorry that I was angry at you when we returned. I didn't take into consideration your feelings, when in the same breath, I was expecting you to be concerned for mine.

Jack Thornton, I don't know how you feel about me, but I can tell you this (even if it's just written in my journal), I am in love with you, and I will be for the rest of my life. In my heart, you will always be the 'one who got away.' I wish you the best, and I hope you find that one true love who sets your world on fire. You surely did that to mine. I wish nothing but the best for you…you truly deserve it."

Again, she closed her journal, picked up her phone and called Andy Whitley at the Solvang station.

"This is Anderson, may I help you?"

"Andy, it's me, Elizabeth Thatcher."

"Hey Elizabeth, so when are you able to come out here…?"

"When are the interviews for this position?"

"We actually finished them today, but I'll gladly wait to give you a chance to get out here. Could you be here by Wednesday?" he asked. "I can have a ticket digitally sent to you within the next hour."

"Really…?"

"Yeah, I'd love to have you out here, Elizabeth."

"What airport will I fly into?"

"Santa Ynez Airport is the one in the area, but it's mostly for helicopters and recreational aircraft. I'll have you fly into Santa Barbara Airport, it's about 20 miles away, but unfortunately, with traffic it's nearly an hour drive to Solvang."

"That's okay, I can rent a car."

"Absolutely not, a staff member or I will meet you. Oh, and we'll make arrangements for your lodging as well."

"Are you sure, Andy?"

"I'm positive."

"Okay, Santa Barbara it is. I guess I'll either see you on Tuesday at the airport or Wednesday at the station…"

Waiting for the actual arrival of the digital ticket before calling her mother, Elizabeth checked her phone, and good to his word, the ticket was sent via email, having arrived 37 minutes after she ended her call with Andy.

Now she had to make a call that she certainly wasn't looking forward to.

"Hey mom…"

"Hey honey, how are you doing?"

"Well, to say that I've been better would be an understatement, but I do have some news."

"Are you coming back to Raleigh?"

"Um, no. I actually have an interview with a station in Solvang…"

"Is that near Durham?" her mother asked.

"No, it's about two and a half hours north of LA."

"LA, as in Los Angeles, California?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Elizabeth, you don't want to move that far away from everyone and everything you know, do you?"

"Mom, I think I need a change; a fresh start…"

"Is this just about Ryan and what the station did?"

"Mom, it's everything."

"Elizabeth, I noticed how disappointed you were when Captain Cole stepped off the jet instead of Captain Thornton. Does this have anything to do with him?"

"Maybe. I just want to get away. I need to go someplace new and start fresh."

"Honey, I feel like you're running away. Is there anything I can say to help change your mind?"

"I think I need to do this, Mom. I'll let you know how it turns out, but I just wanted to let you know that I was flying out to California tomorrow."

"How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know. I have an interview in Solvang on Wednesday, but depending on what happens with the stations I contacted in LA and San Diego, I may just stay out there until the interviews are done. I'll let you know…"

"Honey, wait just a minute. Let me get your dad. I'm sure he'd like you to be flown out on one of the company jets," her mother stated, already planning on Jack being the pilot.

"Thanks mom, but I already have a ticket. I'm not sure where I'm staying just yet, but I'll fly into Santa Barbara Airport, and I may fly out of LAX if I stick around for any other interviews."

"Honey, I can't say that I want you to go, but I will never stand in the way of your dreams. So, if this is really what you want, then you go for it; but if your running from something, or someone, you'll never be far enough away."

"Mom, I love you and daddy so much, but I think I just need something new in my life. Staying here just isn't working. I'm too close to…never mind. Just know that I love you, and who knows, I may not be selected for any of the positions that are available, and I'll be back home again."

"I'm sad, but I do understand. Just remember, your home is always here."

"I know…"

Tuesday…

Elizabeth was awake and out the door to run some last-minute errands before catching her flight to California. First, she ran by the post office to request that her mail be held while she was gone. Ordinarily she had Sandra collect her mail, but she had out of town plans starting on Thursday, so Elizabeth felt it best to have the post office hold all her deliveries.

"Hey Elizabeth, how are you today?" the postal clerk asked.

"I'm fine, Julie, and you?" Elizabeth replied.

"Doing well, but as usual, I'm looking forward to the weekend. What can I do for you?"

"I'm going out of town, and I just wanted to have you hold my mail for a while."

"Okay, is this for pleasure or business," Julie asked.

"Definitely business, but it may end up being pleasure as well."

"So, how long do you want us to hold your mail?"

"Oh, I don't know."

"Well, we need to have a date to put down. How about a week; will you be gone longer than a week?"

"I might. Put down two weeks, and if I'm going to be longer, can I call you?"

"Sure, that's fine," Julie advised as she completed the form and had Elizabeth sign at the bottom. "The mail has already gone out this morning, so I can't stop today's delivery."

"Oh, that's okay, Pete usually delivers by the early afternoon, but I can get my next-door neighbor to get my mail today if he hasn't delivered by the time I need to leave."

After leaving the post office, she headed for her favorite dress shop, "Beguiling Boutique." Although early, the shop was already filled with women, young and old, looking for that perfect outfit, for whatever occasion they planned to attend.

Elizabeth quickly scanned the dress racks. Finding a basic black V-neck, A-line, short sleeve dress with floral print, she grabbed it, tried it on, and found it to be perfect, both for the interview, and the seasonably warm Southern California weather. She looked through the shoe section, somehow certain that it would be too good to be true that she could find a casual pair of shoes to complete her ensemble. Tucked away behind several other styles, almost as if someone were trying to hide them, she found a pair of beige thong sandals with jeweling across the top. She paid for her items and happily headed for the car.

On her way home, Elizabeth stopped by Rite-Aid and picked up travel sized shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, trying to be ever so careful to comply with TSA travel regulations. This was always something she needed to think about, as she rarely flew commercial, and was therefore able to bring anything she wanted or needed on her father's company jet.

Elizabeth rushed back home to pack and prepare for the next adventure in her life. She turned on her TV, which was set to record The Morning Brew, and waited to see how they explained her absence.

Ryan was sitting in the #1 chair, Elizabeth's chair, when the show began, and it was evident that he was reading from the teleprompter, and she assumed that was because he had no heart from which to pull feelings.

As he started to read the official station comment, she thought she'd feel anger, but what she actually felt was relief…

"Good morning, Charlotte. I'm sitting here, alone, no co-host, and as you can tell, the situation here has changed in the past 24 hours. Elizabeth Standish felt this show was a bit too stifling for her talents, and has decided to move on. So, it will be just me until we find another co-host. So, again, good morning, and let's get started with a look around Charlotte in sixty seconds…"

Elizabeth turned off the TV. Now she was angry. Her truth, being that she didn't like being blindsided, lied to, and treated as the joke of the station, and their truth, being that she apparently thought she was better than the hour-long morning show she once loved, were so far apart, and truth was nonexistent in their statement.

Elizabeth packed her carry-on, put her dress in a suit bag, and walked outside. As she stepped down her front porch steps, she was greeted by her mailman, Pete, who was walking up the sidewalk. "Hey Pete…"

"Hey Ms. Thatcher…"

"Pete, how many times do I need to tell you, it's Elizabeth…"

"Okay, Elizabeth. Are you going out of town?"

"Yes, I put a stop on my mail for the next two weeks."

"Well, good thing I caught you. Here's your mail, and this package was promised to be delivered by today," Pete stated as he handed her two letters and a small package in a bubble wrap mailer.

"Thank you," Elizabeth stated as she placed the items in her overly large tote bag that she used to carry her purse and other items needed for her trip.

"Hey, I'm always working when your show is on, but my wife is a big fan. She told me what they did yesterday, and I'm so sorry. You deserve so much better than what they gave you."

Elizabeth pursed her lips into a half smile, "Thank you, but I guess that is one of the downfalls of TV."

"Well, you are such a good person, and you deserve so much better than that jerk did to you. You deserve someone who will put you first…"

"I appreciate you saying that, but you really don't know me…"

"Uh, Elizabeth, you may not think I know, but when my baby girl was born 10 weeks early, and my wife was sitting alone at the hospital because I had no leave and couldn't afford to go without pay, you were the one who rallied the neighborhood, and before I knew it, my salary was covered for two months. What you did allowed me to be with my daughter and my wife, and I will never forget your kindness…I'll never forget the kindness of the entire neighborhood."

Elizabeth smiled, "Pete, we all love you. In case you didn't know, it didn't go unnoticed that you're the guy who walked six blocks carrying the Cantor's 80-pound Golden Retriever after he broke out of their fence, making certain that he made it home safely. You're the guy who sat on Haley Andrews' porch with her 7-year-old son, Joshua, when his sitter forgot to show up, and his mother was at a medical appointment. She pulled into the driveway, hysterical when she couldn't reach anyone, and she found Joshua happy and laughing as you tossed a football back and forth in their front yard, your cart of mail still full and undelivered. You had to work for hours on your own time to get everything to its proper place. Those are just a few things you do for the families here. We all wanted to help you…"

"Well, it definitely helped. So, I'm sorry the station brought Ryan back…"

"So am I."

"My wife talked all night about how you were railroaded with new hosts and then they threw that Ryan guy in your face. That had to be hard when you found out he was coming back. How on earth did you get through the show knowing what was coming?"

"Well, unfortunately I found out when Ryan walked out on set, so I got no heads up."

"WOW, God bless you for staying after they did that to you."

"I'm not; I handed in my resignation. I'm actually heading to an interview on the west coast."

"Oh no; my wife will be devastated. You are the reason she watched the show," he stated. "Well, I know you must be in a rush. Good luck…"

"Thanks Pete, and give that little girl a hug for me…"

"Will do."

Elizabeth placed her bags in the car and headed for Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, hopefully on her way to another adventure.

Jack's House- Raleigh, NC…(Tuesday)

With no trips planned, and all checks completed on the jets, Jack left the airport and returned home. Sitting on the sofa with Bella snuggled in beside him, he repeatedly checked the status of the package he'd mailed to Elizabeth. He'd placed the 16-digit number into the online "Tracking" block so many times that he knew it by heart.

Each attempt returned the following message, "Out for delivery."

Jack swallowed hard, hoping, praying that Elizabeth would accept his gifts and appreciate the sentimentality behind them.

Finally, at 11:23 am, Jack received a 'ding' on his phone. Glancing down, his heart pounded when he read, "Package delivered."

Unable to sit around hoping for a call from Elizabeth, Jack took Bella for a run around the apartment complex lake and then sat on a picnic table while she played alone in the dog yard.

Suddenly the quiet of the day was shattered by Jack's phone. Hoping it was Elizabeth, he couldn't help the disappointment he felt when he observed Rosie's contact info appear on his screen. "Hey Rosie…"

"Did you not get my message yesterday?" she asked.

"No, I'm sorry; I didn't see it. Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Jack, they brought back Ryan as Elizabeth Standish…uh, I mean, Elizabeth Thatcher's co-host."

"WHAT…did she know?"

"Of course, she didn't know…"

"Oh WOW…"

"Oh WOW, is right. He walked out on set and planted a kiss on her, and let me tell you, it would have made a porn star blush."

His heart was pounding, and he could feel beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "Are they back together?" he asked as his breathing became more rapid.

"I don't know if they are together personally, but professionally, I'd say 'no.'"

"How do you know; what happened?"

"That Ryan guy was alone on the show today. He said something about the show being too stifling for Elizabeth…"

"Where is she going?"

"I don't know; he didn't say."

"Thanks for letting me know, Rosie."

"Jack, if you care about her, don't let her get away…"

"Well, right now I don't even know where she is, but I'm not giving up…"

After he hung up the phone, Jack grabbed his keys, "Come on, Bella. Let's see if we can find your momma…"

He helped Bella into his truck, and she sat beside him as they made the two-hour, forty-five-minute drive to Charlotte.

Elizabeth' House- Charlotte, NC… (Tuesday)

Jack again pulled into Elizabeth's driveway, but this time was different…this time he wasn't planning on leaving until she talked to him. The house was dark, but he rang the bell anyway. Unfortunately, just like before, there was no answer. He and Bella sat on the steps, and as the moon rose in the sky, the front porch light came on.

Jack jumped up and rang her doorbell several times, but there was nothing…no change, no sound, no answer. Assuming that it came on automatically, he again took his seat on the step.

Jack found himself dosing while leaning against the railing with Bella still resting beside him. Startled, Bella jumped up barking, practically knocking Jack into the flowerbed.

"Excuse me; who are you?" a man's voice broke the silence.

"Uh…what…?"

"Who are you?"

"I'm waiting for Elizabeth. I need to see her…who are you?"

"I'm Billy and this is my wife, Paula. We're Elizabeth's neighbors," he replied. "Who are you?"

"I'm Jack Thornton. I work for her father…"

Seeing the black dog, Paula asked, "Were you here the other day?"

"Yeah, but she wasn't home. Bella and I waited for a while, but had to leave."

Paula advised, "Well, Elizabeth isn't home, and I don't think she'll be home until tomorrow." Paula knew she was in California, but she wasn't about to give that information away. Besides, if he actually worked for her father, wouldn't he know that? She could see that the man was gorgeous, but it still didn't mean he wasn't a stalker.

"Okay, well, will you tell her that Bella and I stopped by?"

"Sure," Paula responded.

She and Billy watched as Jack helped Bella into the truck, backed out of her driveway and drove away.

Solvang, California…

An accident just outside Solvang caused Andy to be thirty minutes late picking up Elizabeth. While waiting, her father called. Using the 'parent' card, he attempted to convince her that moving across country was one of the worst decisions she'd ever made. The more he talked, the more she shut down, thankful when Andy pulled up and she had to end her call.

Andy grabbed Elizabeth's bag and took her by to pick up his wife, Ally, before heading to the Solvang Restaurant for dinner. Having received several additional phone messages from her father asking her 'what are you doing,' with regard to her west coast plans, Elizabeth left her phone in Andy's car, hoping to not be disturbed while they got acquainted, or in Andy's case, reacquainted.

While inside having dinner, three more messages came through from her father, and one from her mother, although that one was left using her father's phone. In the middle of the family calls, a message, that would end up being lost amongst the others sat waiting on a response…

"Hey Elizabeth; it's me Paula… I don't want to bother you, but that guy that was at your house before was back again tonight. Billy was wrong, the dog is a Labrador and the guy…he's gorgeous by the way, is named John, or was it Jake….no, no, it's Jack, but I don't remember his last name. I told him you wouldn't be back until at least tomorrow. If he shows up again, what do you want me to tell him?"

Following dinner, they returned to the car and headed for the Solvang Alisal Vacation Cottages.

"I'll grab an Uber in the morning. The interview is at 10:30, right?" Elizabeth asked to confirm.

"Yes. No need to worry. Truly it's a formality. I'm sure you can have the job if you want it."

With the three-hour time difference, it may have only been 8:30pm PST, but to Elizabeth it was actually 11:30pm and she was exhausted. Scanning her messages, while sitting on her bed, it seemed as though everything was from her father. Tired of everyone wanting her to do exactly as they choose, she muttered, "It's time for me to fly, and soar, or spin out and crash all on my own, daddy."

As her head hit the pillow, her eyes closed, and she was fast asleep. Immediately, her mind wandered. She wasn't dreaming about news stories, the 'Patsy of the Year' contest, or aliens overtaking the planet.

Her thoughts had nothing to do with work, the current status of her life, or the absurdity of a typical dream. She was totally relaxed, probably more so exhausted, but her mind returned to what felt comfortable, and pleasing to her.

She was dreaming of Jack, lying in bed with her the last morning of their trip; she felt warm and loved, and so wanted. Still asleep, she subconsciously smiled as a visual of them walking one night on the beach in Fiji crossed her mind. Her thoughts immediately moved forward to them in bed, the warmth of his arms around her lying so close that they shared each other's breaths. Finally, and this is where the craziness of dreams comes in, she watched as he took a stick and wrote 'I Love You' in the sand." It never happened, but she certainly wished it had.

Never one to sleep soundly when away from home, except for her time with Jack in Fiji, once those moments left her mind, she immediately woke. Not sure where she was, her eyes began darting around the room as if she were looking for something or someone familiar. She grabbed her journal from the bedside table, turned on her lamp, and began writing about her dream, hoping she could do so before it was forgotten…

"I dreamed of you tonight. That in and of itself isn't particularly unusual, as I seem to feel you close, see your face in my mind when I close my eyes, and hear your soothing voice when I'm able to shut out the rest of the world. This dream, as many of the others before it, was sweet, and once awake, I tried desperately to return to the land of slumber, hoping to feel you close again. It's funny, or maybe not, maybe more ironic, but we made up after a fight. There was no screaming, no harsh words said in anger that we wish we could take back but worry that we can't. This felt comfortable, and warm, much like a toasty pair of pj's, but most importantly, it felt familiar, much like home. But now I'm awake, and we aren't together. I'm scared; I don't feel right now like I have a home, and yet…I still dreamed of you."

Elizabeth closed her journal and placed it back on her bedside table. She wiped her eyes, turned over in bed, and after counting the same sheep in her head over and over, she finally fell back to sleep.

Jack's house- Raleigh, NC… (Tuesday night…early Wednesday morning)

Jack found himself unable to sleep and, on the computer, scanning everything he could find about Ryan and The Morning Brew. No information about Elizabeth was available except the official station statement, which implied that Elizabeth simply wanted to move on… "I don't believe that," Jack furiously stated.

Jack had made numerous calls to Elizabeth, none of which she'd taken, and he wasn't foolish enough to assume that another attempt would bring about a different end result. However, there he was, his iPhone in his hand and he was quickly punching buttons like an accountant finalizing a tax return.

"Hi…it's me, Jack. Elizabeth, this has gone on way too long. I believe you feel the same way I do, but the longer we stay apart, I'm afraid the more likely it is that we won't get back together. You are so important to me…I wish you would just call me back. I'm fighting for us, but I can't be the only one, so please, call me back."

(Wednesday)

Elizabeth arrived at the KSBY station at 10am, and spent 15 minutes sitting in the beautiful, flowered courtyard gathering her thoughts. The sky was blue; the sun was warm, and she realized that she could easily get used to this weather. So, with that thought in mind, would this area be her new home?

Elizabeth was interviewed by Anderson Whitley (Andy), the station manager, Matt Carter, station CEO, and Stella Brothers, producer. Andy had provided each with copies of Elizabeth's on-air videos at both WRAL, and WBTV. During this interview, she was offered the position of lifestyle reporter, with a salary of $70,000, but advised that the 'Cup O' Jo' morning show host, Joanna Brinkley would be leaving in 6 weeks to have her baby with no plans to return to the station.

"That job will be yours, if you want it…but of course we'd have to think up a different name…maybe something like 'Beth in the Morning.' Oh, and if you take that position, the pay jumps to $100,000," Andy offered.

"Would it be okay if I think about it tonight and give you an answer in the morning?" Elizabeth asked.

"Sure," Andy responded as he escorted her out of the office. "Do you need a ride?"

"No, I'll call for an Uber."

Thatcher Industries hangar…

Jack was sitting at the kitchen table, staring deep into the darkness of his black coffee. His mind wandered to the first time he'd met Elizabeth, and how, from that moment on, she'd remained in his head. He blew his warm breath out of his mouth and up his face, feeling the hair on his forehead move. Pulling an envelope from his inside jacket pocket, Jack stared…was this the end of this chapter in his life?

Hearing the door to the kitchen open, Jack stood and stuffed the envelope back into his pocket, "Good afternoon, ma'am…"

To be continued…

NOTE: The next chapter is, for the most part, completed, and I plan to post that by the early part of next week. So, keep your eyes peeled…the next chapter will answer even more of your questions!