Moving Day, Mid-August

"Uncle Luke," Allie greeted, letting him in the house. He was helping them move to their new house. He hugged her and smiled.

"How are you, Al?"

"Just fine. Thank you for helping and bringing the guys."

She smiled as Joe Canfield, Jesse Flynn and Tim walked up. Tim kissed her cheek, well aware that if he did anything else, the guys would only tease. He didn't want to be teased about it.

"Hey," she grinned, grabbing his hand.

Lucas walked to the kitchen where he heard some banging around, figuring that's where Elizabeth was hiding out.

"Hey, Beth."

"Hey, Lucas."

She seemed sad and serious. "Ready for this?" he asked, sitting down at the counter across from where she was packing up dishes.

"No."

"I thought everything was falling into place. That's what you said last night." They had texted for a while after dinner and she had in fact said those words.

"They have. They are. I'm just…letting go is hard."

"Well, my friend. I would just say to call the whole thing off but I don't think that's an option. So, I think we just need to be strong and power through."

She gave him a smile and then it disappeared. "Yeah well. Not sure how strong I am but I can fake it pretty good." She taped up the box she was working on and gestured to it. "This one's ready and its kinda heavy."

"That's what I'm here for. Put us to work. I brought the guys too."

Vi walked into the kitchen at that moment and looked at him. "You must be Lucas."

"And you are…." he asked, holding out his hand.

"Viola Kensington. Beth's sister."

"Nice to meet you, Viola." He picked up the box and adjusted it in his arms. "Well, I should get this out to the truck."

Viola turned and looked at her sister with raised eyebrows.

"What?"

"He's a very handsome guy, Beth. You seemed to have left that detail out of our conversations."

"Didn't think about it," she said with a shrug. It was partially true. She hadn't thought of it during their conversations, just since then.

"Right. Well, holy moly."

"I'm sure Charles, your husband, would love hearing you go on about how handsome Lucas is."

"Just making an observation. By the way, Mom wanted me to come ask you if you have any more boxes for the bathroom stuff in the master."

"Yeah, in the living room."

"Thanks!"

Elizabeth grabbed another box and started on the glasses. "Allie?" she called.

"I think she's upstairs," Lucas told her, walking by, holding up one end of the coffee table while Joe held up the other.

"Allie!"

Elizabeth walked up the stairs, heading towards Allie's room. "Al?"

She walked in and gasped.

"Mom!" Allie sat up on the mattress where she and Tim were laying.

"Sorry, honey. Um, I could use your help downstairs and I'm pretty confident Lucas could use yours, Tim."

"What's going on?" Lucas asked, seeing his young coworker still horizontal on the mattress. "Tim, downstairs please."

"You know we are adults, right, Chief?" he asked as he walked out of the room.

"Look, I don't care what you do on your own time even though I'd rather not imagine what you're doing with Allie, but we are working today. Not socializing."

"Yes, sir," he mumbled. "Sorry." He wasn't sorry at all. He was falling hard for Allie and he was pretty confident she was for him. He was sorry that Chief had a problem with it.

"I'm a good guy, Chief. I won't hurt her."

"I know, Larson. All I ask is that you be careful where you show your affections. In her Mom's house wasn't necessarily a wise move."

"Noted."

In the kitchen, Allie was quietly putting bowls and silverware in a box, trying to keep her mind on the work and not Tim. That was very difficult. She wouldn't apologize for anything. She did wish Aunt Beth hadn't walked in but she couldn't change the past.

"So you and Tim? Getting serious?" Elizabeth asked, trying to sound like it wasn't a big deal.

"Yeah. I think so."

"Think? What I saw…"

"We were just kissing, Aunt Beth. Nothing inappropriate."

"I'm not saying it was inappropriate. You're an adult. It just surprised me."

"He's pretty awesome. I care about him a lot."

"Maybe you could invite him over for dinner one night soon."

"If you invite Uncle Luke."

"Why?"

"Because it will make it less like an interrogation and more like just four people enjoying dinner."

"I wouldn't interrogate him, honey. I just want to get to know him. If you and he are going to be together for a long time, I should know him, right?"

"I suppose."

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows at her niece.

"Okay, I'll invite him."

"Thank you."

……

"I'll come to dinner, no problem," Tim told her later after they were finished moving stuff.

"Are you sure? It sounds awkward and uncomfortable."

"Its part of getting to know someone. I'll be introducing you to my mom and sister soon too. But you know what?"

"What?"

He put his hands on her hips and leaned his forehead against hers. "We will be together. That's all that matters."

"Yeah. That does sound pretty good."

Just as he was about to kiss her, the guys all walked out the door.

"Stop canoodling and let's go," Flynn teased, nudging him.

"Who says that? Are you 75?" Tim teased back. Tim gave her a quick kiss and walked away, turning back to wave and smile. "Text you later?"

She nodded and sat on the steps, watching the guys pile into the big red pickup.

Inside, Lucas was helping Elizabeth hang curtains in the living room. He didn't want her to have to stand on a chair to do it so he offered. She hesitated but then agreed.

"Thank you, Lucas. For helping today. I really appreciate it."

'You don't have to thank me, Beth."

"Of course I do. You helped a lot today and so did the other guys. I'll have to make you guys some cookies or something."

"I wanted to help and we are friends. So we help each other."

She looked up at him. He was standing so close and he smelled pretty good, despite how hard he worked.

She shook her head and stepped back. She wasn't feeling anything. She couldn't be.

"What?"

"Nothing. I think the guys are waiting for you." Almost as if they had heard her say that, they honked the horn a few times.

"Beth, you can tell me."

"No. I can't."

He stared down into her eyes and then took a leap, kissing her forehead. "See you soon."

When he stepped back, her eyes stayed closed for a moment. Then as if she already missed his presence, she took her own leap and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Oof," he groaned at the swiftness and force of her hug but he hugged her back.

"I'm sorry. Yes, I'll see you soon." She walked away leaving him alone in the room.

That evening Lucas sat alone in his living room. It was so quiet since Vanna had gone back to her mom's. He didn't feel like watching tv. He felt like talking to Beth but he had just left there not two hours before.

He hated that he felt so guilty for falling so fast for his best friend's wife. True, he wasn't alive anymore so she could date again, but it still felt like maybe it was inappropriate.

If he were honest with himself, he had been pushing aside his feelings for her for a few years. Just after Nathan had passed, Lucas felt himself attracted to her, wanting to help her get past her grief. Wanting to find any excuse to see her and the girls.

Now, he told her they were just friends but his heart was all in. He wanted to be more. He was a patient guy and that was good because it would take a while longer before she was anywhere near ready to go to the next step. Or at least that's what he thought up until she hugged him earlier.

He had felt the emotion in her embrace so maybe, just maybe, he could suggest going to dinner instead of just shakes next time and maybe she would agree.

….

"Why did I hug him?" she whispered to herself that evening as she kept unpacking boxes.

"Because you like him, Aunt Beth," Allie said, overhearing her.

"He's my friend."

"And you see a possibility of more, right?"

"No. It hasn't been long enough."

"How long does it have to be? Is there a rule that says you can't find someone attractive again after twenty seven months?"

"Allie…"

"Aunt Beth, he's a very attractive man that cares about you too. Why not take that leap?"

"And do what?"

"Go on a date. Not a shake date. A real date. Get all dressed up. Do your hair and makeup. Put on heels. Go to dinner and let him hold your hand."

"A date."

"Yes. A date. Its fun." She kissed her aunt's cheek. "In fact, I'm going to go get ready for a date with Tim right now."

"Have fun, sweetie."

"What are you going to do while I'm out?"

"Unpack more boxes, have a glass of wine. Maybe take a bubble bath."

Allie nodded. "Just think about it. He likes you too. I see it when he looks at you. You deserve to move forward. Uncle Nathan would agree."

She did think about it. All that evening while she unpacked. As she sipped her wine in the tub. While she tried to go to sleep. And the next day while she baked two dozen cookies and a dozen brownies for the guys at the station.

Her phone buzzed as she took the last batch out of the oven.

"Hello?" she answered, pushing the speaker button.

"Its me. What are you up to?" Lucas asked.

"I'm baking for you and the guys."

"You didn't have to, but I'm not going to turn down cookies."

She was quiet for a moment, making him curious.

"Beth?"

"Yeah."

"Do you have anything going on tonight?"

Her stomach dropped to her toes and she got goosebumps. Was he going to ask her out?

"I was going to unpack more of the never-ending boxes that are in my house."

"Well, what if we went somewhere."

"Like The Bluff?"

"No. I mean, like out to dinner."

"Lucas, I don't know. Can I think about it?"

"Sure. Just to warn you though, since both of us have to eat dinner, I may show up with takeout."

"Well, I do have a bottle of wine that's chilled," she told him.

"So instead of dinner out, we can eat in? What do you say?"

"Can you give me a couple hours?"

"Sure. Whatever you need."