Author's Note: Hello, my fellow LucaBeth fans. Once again I want to thank everyone who took the time to read and review my story. I agree that this is the type of story that I had been hoping to see when I tuned into S10. A loving and happy LucaBeth looking excitedly to their future together. Sadly, as TPTB have obviously lost their minds and forgotten the last four years of canon than it's up to us fans to take matters into our own hands.
To let you know, my goal is to post a chapter every week - based on my weekly schedule the update will probably be posted on Wednesdays or Thursdays. I'll see how that goes for now.
Thanks again for your interest in my story and I hope you all have a great week.
Chapter 5: All You Really Need is Love
Bright and early the next morning, after Laura had arrived to take care of Jack, Elizabeth grabbed her basket filled with fresh-made muffins along with the one she carried to school, and quickly headed out the door and over to Lee and Rosemary's to share her news and find out more about theirs.
Entering the Coulters' house, she found Rosemary bustling about in the kitchen and Lee sitting at the table eating his breakfast.
After greeting the couple, Elizabeth couldn't resist looking at Lee and teasing, "Well you look a bit more formally attired than you did the last time a saw you."
Rosemary pulled a face as she asked in obvious dismay, "Did you see him running around Hope Valley in his pyjamas and slippers?"
"Actually, he was just in his pyjamas," Elizabeth corrected with an amused grin. "I believe he was carrying his slippers in his hand."
"Lee!" Rosemary reprimanded her husband sternly as she gave him a swat on the arm.
"What?" Lee exclaimed innocently. "I can't help it that I was too excited to bother wasting time putting them on."
"What are the neighbours going to be saying about one of their leading business owners running around town dressed in nothing but his pyjamas and bare feet yelling like a crazy person?" Rosemary huffed reproachfully. "Really, Lee. I wonder at you sometimes. Where was your head?"
Lee reached out and put his hands on either side of her waist as he said earnestly, "I lost both my head and my heart the day I met you." He gave her such an adoring look that Rosemary visibly softened, smiled, and then leaned down to give him a kiss.
"So, it's true?" Elizabeth asked the couple gently after they had parted. She looked from Rosemary to Lee and then back again and then watched as the couple smiled lovingly at each other before looking back to her and nodding.
"It's true," Rosemary finally confirmed as she placed her hands on her stomach. "We're having a baby."
"Oh, Rosemary," Elizabeth put her baskets on the table before throwing her arms around her friend and hugging her tightly. "I am so happy for you." Pulling back, she looked at her friend solemnly and asked, "How are you feeling?"
"Physically, a little nauseous but not too bad," Rosemary confessed seriously, but then a broad smile spread over her face, and clasping her hands together she added dramatically, "But emotionally I am over the moon."
"We both are," Lee echoed as he reached over to take Rosemary's hand and pressing it between both of his, beamed up at her with a look of deep happiness on his face.
Elizabeth felt joy flood through her for her friends. She knew how long they had been waiting and longing for this moment. Then remembering her own news, she said, "Not to compete with you, but I have some news of my own." Then holding up her left hand she announced eagerly, "Lucas and I are getting married."
"Oh, Elizabeth!" Rosemary quickly enfolded her friend in a hug. "That is not just wonderful news, it's about time!"
"Rosemary," Elizabeth chided slightly as she returned her friend's hug.
"Well, you've been waiting for a while now for him to ask you," Rosemary said as she pulled back from the hug. Shaking her finger at Elizabeth she added, "I know you were hoping he would ask you on your birthday."
Elizabeth couldn't deny the fact, so she remained silent.
"Oh, there are so many exciting things happening in Hope Valley!" Rosemary cried out happily. "We need to celebrate. How about a cup of tea and one of your delicious looking muffins?"
"Another time," Elizabeth said with an apologetic smile. "I have a few more things that I need to do before I have to head to school."
Rosemary gave her a knowing look. "Like stopping in to see a certain handsome saloon owner?"
"Maybe," Elizabeth replied coyly not willing to admit just how eager she was to see Lucas.
Rosemary smiled broadly. "Well, how about tomorrow then? You and Lucas can come for dinner and the four of us will celebrate our happy futures."
"I'll check with Lucas and let you know tonight," Elizabeth promised as she grabbed her school basket, leaving the one with the muffins on the table. "And I know he was very pleased to hear about your news."
"Thank you, and make sure to give your fiancé our heartiest congratulations," Lee interjected with a warm smile.
"I will," Elizabeth assured him.
"I guess in a way, Lucas and I are both expectant fathers," Lee said with an amused look. "Except my child is starting from scratch and his is ready-made."
"Lee!" Rosemary cried, once again giving him a swat on the arm.
"What?" he cried as he looked at her innocently. "It's true."
"Yeah, but it sounds crude when you say it like that," she complained but Lee just chuckled at her ire.
Elizabeth chuckled, shaking her head in amusement and bade them a good day.
"Oh, Elizabeth," Lee called after her as she reached the door. When she turned to look at him, he continued, "Tell Lucas if he needs any help with the repairs at the saloon, my men and I are more than happy to lend a hand. And tell him he can have whatever lumber he needs at cost."
"You don't have to do that, Lee," Elizabeth told him seriously knowing Lucas would say the same thing. "There wasn't that much damage thanks to you and Mike. You both saved the saloon, and Lucas and I are both deeply grateful for that."
"We couldn't let it burn down," Lee informed her solemnly. "The saloon is a key building in town. It would have been devastating to everyone to lose it. I'm just glad that Mike was so insistent that Hope Valley needed a fire wagon. It turns out that he was right after all to build his platform for mayor on fire safety."
"Mike really saved the day," Elizabeth agreed remembering Lucas' gratitude the other day for Hickam's actions.
After saying her goodbyes, Elizabeth left the Coulters and made her way towards town. As she walked, she couldn't help but enjoy the beauty of the day and her surroundings. For the first time in a long time, she finally felt as if her life was getting back on track again. She was finally moving forward with her life instead of just standing still.
Things had gone completely off the rails for her after she had gotten the news of Jack's death. That had been the single most devastating event of her life. To suddenly lose the man that she had dreamt of spending the rest of her life with; of building a family with; of growing old with. After his death all she could focus on was what she had lost. Then when she had found out that she was pregnant she suddenly had another focus - that of being a single mother raising Jack's son.
Going through that pregnancy without Jack had been the next hardest thing she had ever done. She had felt so alone - even though her friends made sure she wasn't. She remembered when Abigail, Rosemary, Florence, and Molly had helped her decorate and set up the baby's room. Those four women had been a real lifeline for her during that time. And then when she had gone into labour in that cabin in the woods, she had been so glad that Abigail and Rosemary had been with her to help her welcome Jack Junior into the world.
Then, a few months later, Lucas and Nathan had entered the picture. Both wonderful men who had immediately taken a shine to her and soon after had started vying for her attention. While she had been flattered, in the beginning she hadn't been ready to even consider another romantic relationship with any man who wasn't Jack. Then as her feelings of grief had settled and she started to really take note of the two men who had by this time become her friends, she had a hard time figuring out what it was that her heart was trying to tell her. She had been confused for a long time between Lucas and Nathan – and as it turned out Jack.
It had taken her quite a while to figure out that the romantic feelings she had thought that she had for Nathan were just a projection of her romantic feelings for Jack. Nathan represented everything she had lost - a Mountie, a good man, and a good friend. It had taken her a couple of years to realize that she had been looking for Jack in Nathan. Once she finally separated the two men in her mind and her heart than she was able to put them in their proper places and realize that it was Lucas that she truly loved.
Jack was a season, Nathan was a reason, but Lucas was her lifetime.
Letting go of Jack and leaving him in the past where he belonged, had been another one of the hardest things that she had ever had to do. But she knew that if she was ever going to move on and have any sort of future with Lucas, then she had to let Jack go. He would always be her first love, and because of Little Jack he would always be a part of her life, but Lucas was her future - her lifetime love.
Raising her left hand out in front of her and looking at her diamond ring, which sparkled brightly in the sunshine, she smiled and whispered, "And I'm his. And the three of us are going to be a family." Excitement built in her even more at that thought.
"Something wrong with your hand?" A voice suddenly asked, startling her.
Turning around she found Nathan riding towards her on Newton dressed in his Mountie uniform. She was glad to see that both Nathan and Newton had recovered so well from their accident earlier in the year. She was also deeply grateful that Nathan had been willing to accept his assailant's plea deal which cleared Lucas' good name and reputation.
While Nathan wasn't the man she was in love with, he was still a good man and a good friend.
"No, there's nothing wrong with it," she replied with a broad smile as she turned her hand towards him and showed him her ring. "Lucas proposed yesterday."
Nathan smiled at her. "And I take it from the new piece of jewelry on your finger that you accepted."
Elizabeth's smile grew even more. "I did."
"Well, congratulations," Nathan said earnestly. "As I said the other day, you could do worse than marrying Bouchard. So, when's the wedding?"
"We're talking about sometime mid-June," Elizabeth informed him. "That way it won't interfere with the school year."
"Makes sense." Nathan nodded. "And how does Little Jack feel about it, or does he know what's going on?"
"As a matter of fact, Lucas had Jack help him with the proposal," Elizabeth told him proudly. "He had Jack give me the ring. According to Jack they had a prearranged signal for when Jack was to hand it to me."
"Really?" Nathan looked surprised. "Sounds like Lucas gave his proposal a lot of thought if he included Jack."
"Yes, he did," Elizabeth confirmed then she added in a tone that broke no opposition, "Lucas is a wonderful father to Jack. The two of them already adore each other."
Nathan studied her for a moment before nodding towards the saloon and asking, "Are you on your way to see your bridegroom now?"
Elizabeth nodded. "I thought I'd stop in on my way to school."
"Well, don't let me keep you," Nathan said as he gave Newton a gentle kick to get him moving. "And please pass on my congratulations to Lucas. He's a very lucky man."
"Thank you, Nathan," she acknowledged pleasantly and waited for him and Newton to walk away before continuing to the saloon.
Stepping inside the large building she immediately saw Lucas behind the bar, his elbow was leaning on its smooth surface and his face was leaning on his hand as he carefully studied a large sheet of paper that was rolled out in front of him. As she approached undetected, she noticed that he was dressed in just a dress shirt, vest, and dress pants and that there was a small frown on his face as he studied the paper in front of him. When she got closer, she could see that it was the saloon's blueprints.
"Good morning," she greeted, a warm smile spreading across her face as he looked up.
His smile quickly mirrored hers as he straightened up and replied, "Good morning." Then moving around the bar, he came to stand in front of her, his right hand immediately reaching for her left. When she placed her hand in his, he lifted it and looked at the ring on her finger with a look of obvious relief. Then bending down he placed a kiss on her knuckle before covering her hand with his free one. In a soft tone he said, more to himself than to her, "I was hoping our engagement wasn't just a wonderful dream."
Elizabeth took a step closer to him and said gently, "It wasn't a dream. It's as real as I am." Then raising on her toes, she gave him a kiss to show him just how real she was.
When she pulled back, he gave her a tender look and asked, his voice full of emotion, "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"
Elizabeth felt her heart rate speed up as she replied coyly, "Not since last night."
Lucas chuckled in amusement and said, "Well that is far too long." Then stepping closer to her, he placed her hand over his heart and whispered, "I love you, Mrs. Elizabeth Thornton. My beautiful fiancée and the woman I promise to love forever and ever."
"I love you too, Mr. Lucas Bouchard, my handsome fiancé and the man I promise to love forever and ever." Then leaning up she met him halfway for a deep kiss that made her knees buckle slightly. When they finally pulled away Lucas pressed his forehead to hers.
"I know I've already said it, but I feel compelled to say it again: I can't even begin to tell you how happy you have made me by agreeing to be my wife. You and little Jack mean the world to me, and I can't wait for us to become a real family."
"I can't wait either," she whispered in return closing her eyes to take in all the sensations he was creating in her by his touch and his words. "Are you sure we can't just elope?"
Lucas' laughter caused her to open her eyes and look at him. "If only we could, my darling Elizabeth. But I don't want to anger your father before I get a chance to meet him face-to-face. And I don't think my mother would be too pleased with me either."
"Fair enough," Elizabeth said as she let out an exaggerated sigh. "I guess I'll just have to settle with being happy we've decided to have a spring wedding instead of a fall one."
"Not as happy as I am," he replied in a teasing tone before stealing another kiss.
This time when they parted, they both took a step back because they heard Gustave come out of the kitchen. Fortunately, the French man wasn't interested in talking to them, so they weren't truly disturbed.
Turning her attention to the blueprints sitting on the bar, Elizabeth asked, "So, how is the planning coming for fixing up the dining area?"
"Good," he replied as he turned back to the large paper lying on the bar. "As I mentioned last night, I have been thinking that it would be the perfect opportunity to renovate this room not just redecorate it."
"What have you come up with so far?" She asked curiously as she noticed some marks he had already made on the paper. "You're thinking of adding some booths?"
"Yes, along that wall." He gestured towards the area in question. "I was also thinking of adding a separate counter for the hotel, maybe over there by the stairs. That way hotel guests can check in and out without getting in the way of the waiters and waitresses picking up orders at the bar."
"That makes sense," Elizabeth acknowledged mentally picturing the changes he was proposing. "The saloon has become a lot busier the last little while."
"And of course, we'll need a new seating area and wood stove." He spent the next few minutes outlining some different ideas he had with regards to improvements and décor.
"I think all your ideas sound wonderful," she assured him eagerly. "Everyone will be so happy to hear you plan to rebuild."
"Of course, I'm going to rebuild," he told her solemnly. "The saloon is the heart of Hope Valley's social life."
"And you're its lifeblood," she told him seriously. "This place has come alive since you bought it."
He smiled at her and admitted earnestly as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, placing a kiss on the side of her head, "And I've come alive since I met you."
She flushed at his words but said dismissively, "Oh, I'd say you lived a pretty exciting life before you came to Hope Valley. You traveled the world, learned how to fly an air balloon, went to the World Fair, and saw many, many amazing things that I can only dream of…"
Turning he put his hands on her upper arms as he looked at her solemnly and said, "None of those things even come close to comparing to the adventure that soon awaits me - that of being your husband and Little Jack's father." Lowering his voice he added, "That will be an adventure of a lifetime, and one that I can't wait to embark upon."
As Elizabeth rose to meet his kiss, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. As he deepened the kiss, Elizabeth's last coherent thought was that they were both embarking on the adventure of a lifetime.