AN: Alrighty, so this would be a missing scene from Chapter 2 of "Not a Good Fit". Hope you enjoy!

Lucas stared at the room beyond the bars that held him. He had always prided himself in beating the odds. All those hours spent alone as a child had given him plenty of time to devise tricks that would allow him to do just that. He listened to his instincts and stayed one step ahead of those around him.

The first time he had seen Nathan Grant in uniform, Lucas Bouchard's instinct had told him to run. He had been about to do just that. Plans had been in the works. But then one by one, challenges had been set down.

First it was Ally, sneaking into the saloon trying to hide from her uncle. It had given him pleasure helping her do just that.

Second came Elizabeth, eyes flashing, her words asking him if he had opened a gambling school for minors. The spirit had flashed in her eyes like a wild mustang and Lucas had vowed he would tame it before he left.

Finally, Nathan himself had walked into the Queen of the Hearts declaring him not a good fit for Hope Valley. Lucas knew he had to prove the man wrong.

Indeed, Lucas had thought he had won. Nathan had left Hope Valley. Elizabeth had agreed to let him court her. The Queen of Hearts was still covering his jewel smuggling operation which Bill Avery could never quite figure out. The judge's frustration had amused Lucas.

Lucas knew his undoing had been in giving Elizabeth smuggle jewels. However, he had not had time to purchase gifts properly and he had thought he'd had one of the heiress' of the Thatcher Shipping Company under his spell.

As Nathan Grant went to leave the jail, Lucas watched as Elizabeth Thornton ran into the jail and flung herself at him. It was a display of affection that she had never shown him. Perhaps he had never had Elizabeth as charmed as he had thought he did.

Lucas had thought Nathan's smug declaration that he was not a good fit for Hope Valley as the Mountie paraded him across the street in cuffs had been humiliating. However, that felt like a picnic watching now as Nathan pressed his lips against Elizabeth's. Lucas knew just what that felt like. After all, he had gotten a few opportunities to kiss her himself while courting her. However, while Elizabeth's lips had been pliable, there had been a stiffness in her manner. Lucas had known she had not felt quite the same as he did about her. That hadn't worried him. He had never met a lady he couldn't eventually charm.

Watching them now though, Lucas realized that Nathan did not have to charm Elizabeth. Despite the distance that had come between them, Elizabeth gave herself to his kiss now willingly. Not only gave herself to it, but returned it.

Crossing his arms across his chest, Lucas went to sit down on the bed in a huff. The huff ended with a jolt as he missed the bed and sat on the floor, unnoticed by the other three in the room.

Yes, Lucas thought, he should have cut his loses the moment he had seen Nathan Grant in uniform.