Elizabeth pushed her cart around the store, getting groceries for her and Allie. She looked up and saw a tall man with a completely full cart, looking at the coffee. Lucas.

"Elizabeth," he said, giving her a wave. She nodded and he walked over.

"That's a really full cart."

"Yeah, well, Canfield and Flynn are around here with another full cart just like it. We shop every two weeks for the station."

She nodded. It was so awkward. Maybe she was making it awkward. "Well…"

"Um, do you maybe want to go for walk sometime? Or a drive? No pressure, just thought we could go somewhere."

"Lucas, I'm not sure how to do this."

"Just a friend. That's all we need to be."

She thought for a moment and then nodded before she lost her nerve. She just wanted to feel better. "Alright."

"Great. Tomorrow? I have the day off."

"Okay."

"Want to meet me at the station at maybe 10?"

"Sure."

"Great. See you tomorrow then."

Her stomach felt fluttery and weird for the rest of the afternoon. She almost thought she was getting the flu or something.

Thankfully, her older sister Vi stopped by that evening and she was able to take her mind off of what she had agreed to. Until she blurted it out.

"I'm going for a walk with Lucas Bouchard tomorrow."

Vi looked at her sister and gave her a smile, taking her hand. "How do you feel about that?"

"Like I'm cheating on Nathan."

"Oh, honey."

"I know…I know I'm not. He's gone."

"He is. He will always be in your heart, Beth. But its okay to let other people in too."

"He was my best friend. I miss having a best friend. I mean, I have you of course, but there's something about the way Nathan always made me feel that meant the world."

"Do you think Lucas could fill that spot?"

"I don't know. He was Nathan's best friend. His coworker, brother. He knew him too."

"That could be great for you and him. I bet he misses him too. Its something very important that you have in common."

"I'm scared."

"Of course you are. You're taking a big step but sometimes going outside your comfort zone is good."

She wasn't sure about that but she was going to give it a try.

…….

She arrived at the station at 10am and he was standing in the bay chatting with a co-worker. He looked over as she walked up and then waved.

"Mrs. Grant," the man said. "Joe Canfield."

"Right. Nice to see you, Joe."

"You too, ma'am."

"Ready?" Lucas asked. "I thought we could grab a shake at Coolers and then head to the park."

"Okay."

When they got their shakes, Lucas took a chance and brought up the flavor she had chosen. "That was Nathan's favorite too, right?"

"Mint chocolate chip. Yeah. My favorite too."

"I wanted to tell you…I decided to accept the Chief position."

She looked up at him for a moment and then back to right in front of her. "Congratulations."

"I've been doing the job. I just….I've also been putting off accepting the position because I felt like no one could do as good a job as Nathan. I still feel that way but I feel like I'm going to do my best and that would make him proud."

"It definitely would."

"There is this hole, you know? This hole in the station and no one will fill it well enough. I want to try to live up to what he started though."

She nodded. She knew exactly what he meant. "I know. There's a hole in our family where he belongs. The left side of the bed. The left side of the closet. The opposite side of the dinner table. The right side of the garage. My heart. He's just gone and I'm not sure how to heal that hole."

He stopped and touched her arm. "Let's take a detour. Are you up for a drive? I have an idea."

"Yeah. A drive would be fine."

Elizabeth was quiet as he drove them to a familiar place. The Bluff was a popular place to go in the summer and evenings for couples. It was one of Nathan's favorites.

"All of us at the station used to come here after a particularly difficult day. Blow off steam, have just one beer." Nathan wouldn't allow any of them anymore than that and they all had to stay at least an hour past the drinks so it was safe to drive the windy roads down the mountain.

"I remember," she whispered. Nathan was very protective of his brothers and that made her happy. He was just as protective of her and the girls.

Lucas got out and walked to the bench that overlooked the view. It was a beautiful day. She followed and sat down about a foot from him and looked too.

Lucas sniffed and wiped his eyes. When she saw anyone cry, she teared up too. He didn't apologize, he just sat there.

She watched the birds flying above the trees and felt the gentle wind against her face. She felt peaceful for the first time in a very long time. Of course, Nathan was still deeply in her heart but she felt a positive change as well.

"Do you feel it?" he asked, a lone tear on his cheek as he looked at her.

"Peace."

"That's what I feel too. I love it here. It makes me feel close to his memory. Brings me calm when things in my life seem the opposite."

"Maybe I should come more often. I need this."

That was his reasoning for bringing her here. She looked and seemed so sad. Not that she shouldn't be. It just felt nice to feel better occasionally.

"I'm not ready to date," she blurted, although quietly.

"That's fine. Really. I am very busy and I don't really have a lot of time to devote to a relationship. Not that it wouldn't be nice to have someone. Just friends. That maybe have shakes and come to The Bluff occasionally."

"Or coffee?"

"Tea but yeah."

"Thanks, Lucas."

He nodded and they just turned to watch the birds and feel the breeze again.

…..

A few days later, Elizabeth listed the house. Allie, Ivy and Marley all thought she was being impulsive and should think about it but she felt peace with it.

Within a few weeks, not only had she and Lucas met for shakes and The Bluff but she had sold the house and found a two bedroom in Arvada, a suburb about ten miles from Denver.

One day in mid July, Allie visited the fire house again, this time not to visit Uncle Lucas but to see Tim. She had finally gotten situated with her school schedule and part time job at the bookstore, so she agreed to have coffee with him.

"Hey there," he flirted, leaning against the fire truck in his adorable navy uniform and wavy brown hair that was just a little too long.

"Hey." She felt her cheeks flush and she bit her lip, trying not to seem too obvious how cute she thought he was. "Should we go?"

"Yeah, sure."

As the walked toward her car, he bumped her with his elbow, chuckling. "This is good. Right? Coffee?"

"Sure. Coffee is good."

"I mean us having coffee. Maybe seeing what happens next."

"You're single, right?" she asked, needing to make sure. The guy was so adorable and if he wasn't actually single, it wouldn't really surprise her. She'd be disappointed though.

"Yes. You?"

"Yep."

"Okay then."

They got in the car and she turned left, heading toward the little café not too far away.

"So did you get your books downloaded for your class?" he asked.

"Yeah. I forgot how expensive things can be for college."

"Yeah. I remember that. Are you excited about getting started though?"

"I am. I feel like its what my dad, Uncle Nathan, would have wanted me to do and I'm looking forward to being a teacher like my Aunt Beth."

"She seems nice."

"Very. She's the best."

"So you call your Uncle, dad, but do you call Beth, mom? Just curious. If its not too personal."

"Sometimes. I feel like he was my dad and her my mom because they are all I ever had. I was four when I came to live with them."

He nodded. "My Dad died when I was eight. It was me, my mom and my sister since then."

"What's your favorite memory about him?"

"He taught me how to play soccer in the backyard and we went sledding in the winter and he was going to teach me how to snowboard but he died before he could find the time."

"So how long has that been?" Allie asked, pulling into the café lot.

"Is that your sneaky way of asking how old I am?"

"Maybe."

"I'm 26," he told her.

"I'm 23. I'll be 24 in December."

He nodded and got out, walking around to open her door for her. She let him, though it felt weird. She could open her own door but if this was a date, she figured she should let him.

"Thanks," she told him, looking up into his greenish eyes.

"Sure."

He offered his hand and she took it, feeling goosebumps breakout on her arms, making her shiver.

"Cold?"

"No. Just…no."

He smiled and opened the door to the café, making the bell above it jingle.

"You like just regular coffee or fancy stuff?" he asked, teasing her a bit.

"I like latte's but since its hot, I want a frozen latte. Caramel."

"Fancy."

He looked down at her. She was a pretty girl. Shorter than him by just a couple inches. Pretty eyes. Very expressive.

"What?" she asked, looking back.

"You're cute."

"So are you."

He dropped her fingers and put his arm around her shoulders as they walked up to the counter. "She wants a very fancy frozen caramel latte," he told the girl, his eyes still on Allie. "I'd like a large coffee, just cream. No sugar."

"Yuck," Allie teased. "What fun is no sugar?"

"It helps me keep my figure," he said, puffing out his chest and flexing his arms.

She rolled those expressive eyes and at that moment, he started falling fast.

…..

"Mom?" Allie called, walking in the house. It was weird seeing boxes everywhere.

"Kitchen," Elizabeth yelled back.

"Hey," Allie said, giving Elizabeth a side hug.

"How was your day?"

"Great! I went on a date!"

"You did? That's great, sweetie."

"He's so cute and a little older than me but not much. We just got coffee but we talked for a few hours and…" she sighed. "I can't wait to text him later."

"I'm happy for you," Elizabeth told her.

"Have you seen Uncle Lucas lately?" Allie wondered, bumping her with her hip. "Maybe get another shake?"

"Its not the same," Elizabeth told her, knowing what she was teasing about. "We are just friends."

"You never know."

"What I know is I'm trying to make peace with losing Nathan and it helps to talk to someone else who lost him."

"I lost him."

"Of course you did, sweetheart. I just mean…"

"An adult? I'm one of those too."

"Allie, I love you so much and I appreciate everything you've done for me since losing him. I hope you know that."

"Yeah I do."

"I've missed having a companion, not my daughter, to talk to. That's all. Lucas is that. He is my friend and I imagine that's what he will be for the foreseeable future."

"Okay."

"Hungry?" Elizabeth asked, holding up a platter with a small pork roast and potatoes on it.

"Starved, Mom. Let's eat."