Two weeks later

Allie hated the neck brace. It made her so angry! Couldn't turn her head, it was so uncomfortable to sleep. She couldn't even sleep on her side or stomach.

"Aaaagggh!" she growled, trying to wipe the drops of soup that were running down the inside of the blasted brace.

"Honey…"

"Mom, I can't do anything."

"Its only temporary, Allie."

She had spent almost two weeks in the ICU. At least now, more people could visit for a longer period of time. Elizabeth wished Tim would stop by to at least say hello. Maybe that would perk Allie's spirits.

"Any texts from Tim?" Elizabeth asked, sipping some lukewarm coffee.

"No."

"How's everything going in here, Miss Grant?" an overly peppy nurse said, walking in.

"I can't even eat this soup. My leg hurts, my ribs hurt. My boyfriend hasn't talked to me since the night of the accident and I just want to scream!"

"I'm sorry, dear. I know it's difficult."

"Do you?"

"Allie…" Elizabeth scolded.

"Mom, how can she know?"

"Its alright," the nurse said, winking at Elizabeth.

Someone knocked on the door and Allie shut her eyes.

"Come in," Elizabeth said loudly enough.

"Good morning, ladies," Lucas said, carrying a bouquet of flowers and a single peach tulip.

Elizabeth blushed. That man in uniform…she was falling fast for him.

"Uncle Lucas," Allie said, giving him a tiny smile.

He put the bouquet down next to Allie's bed and kissed her forehead. "How's Al this morning?"

"Frustrated. Annoyed."

He walked over and handed Elizabeth the tulip. "Morning, Beth. This is for you."

"Its beautiful. Thank you, Lucas."

He wrapped his arms around her briefly and then turned to look at Allie, keeping his arm around her waist. "Frustrated and annoyed, Allie?"

"I can't do anything."

"What can I do to help you?"

"Nothing."

Allie closed her eyes but she still thanked him for her flowers.

Lucas looked over at Elizabeth, raising his eyebrows.

"Allie, sweetie, you get some rest. I need to get a cup of coffee," Elizabeth told her.

"Okay, Mom."

Elizabeth motioned with her thumb for Lucas to follow her into the hall.

She leaned against the wall of the hallway, staring at the floor.

"Beth?"

"I need a hug," she admitted.

Of course, being the admirable and kind man he was, he opened his arms and held her.

"You alright?"

"I'm worried about Allie. Have you heard from Tim? Is he still here?"

Lucas stepped back slightly but stayed close, linking their fingers together. "He was discharged a few days after the accident."

"He hasn't contacted Allie at all. She misses him. They were getting serious and now nothing."

"I can't believe he hasn't at least texted. He's out of town, living with a few friends. He quit the station and he's convinced Allie hates him or will because he had forgotten about his airbag situation."

"She knows why she was hurt badly, that it was because the airbag didn't work, but she loves Tim, Lucas. It's not fair for him to just leave."

Lucas kissed her forehead, keeping his lips on her for a long moment.

"I told him that."

He saw a look on her face. A mix of emotions and worry. He touched her cheek, guiding her eyes to meet his. "Tell me."

"Two weeks ago…"

She hesitated to form her thoughts so he waited, his thumb grazing her cheekbone.

"The night of the accident…you were so wonderful. I don't know how to thank you. Since then, too."

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

"I know…but I want to be more." He nodded.

"I know."

"I feel bad we haven't had a chance to go out."

"You've been busy and Allie has needed you here. I can be patient."

"And I appreciate that more than…"

His phone rang loudly. He grabbed it fast. "Chief Bouchard."

She watched him tense up and then start pacing.

"I have to go. I'm sorry. Call you tonight?"

She nodded and he hurried away.

"Please be safe," she whispered. "Lord, keep him and the brothers safe."

….

Her phone rang that evening as she was having a glass of wine in a warm bath.

"Lucas?"

"Hey. How was your day?"

"Alright. Yours?"

"A bit hectic but just fine. Do you have plans tonight?"

"Well, not really."

"Would you like to go to The Bluff? I have hot chocolate and two pieces of pie."

"Sure. Let's go."

"Great. I'll pick you up in about thirty?"

"I'll be ready."

Elizabeth quickly finished her bath and called Vi.

"Vi, I have a date. What do I wear?"

"When and where?"

"Twenty minutes and hot chocolate and pie at The Bluff."

"Twenty minutes?"

"I think he might kiss me tonight, Vi."

"Okay."

"Our first kiss together. It feels like I'm fifteen and going to the movies with my first boyfriend again."

"You're adorable, Beth. I'm very happy for you."

"Me too."

"How's Allie?"

Elizabeth let her know how hard it had been seeing her so injured and now in such a frustrated mood.

She took a picture of her outfit, black leggings, a striped long sleeve shirt and a puffy black vest. "What do you think?" She texted.

"Perfect. Now listen. Enjoy that first kiss and try to put Allie out of your mind. Just for a few hours. You deserve time to enjoy your new relationship."

"Thanks, Vi."

He rang the doorbell a few moments later. She smiled at him, feeling her cheeks blush hot.

He put his hand on her hip and kissed her cheek. "You look great."

"You always do," she mentioned.

"Is that right?"

"Mmhm." He took her hand and led her to his truck. "What kind of pie did you bring?"

He opened the door for her and then answered. "Dutch Apple. One of my specialties."

"Hang on. You bake?"

"I dabble." He closed her door and walked around to climb in behind the wheel. "The guys like desserts. So I took a cooking class a few years back."

"That sounds fun."

"It was."

"How's Savannah doing?"

"Good. She's a sophomore this year."

"Do you see her often?"

"Not as often as I'd like to. I miss her. My house is so quiet. However, to be fair, I work a lot so I wouldn't be with her much."

Elizabeth thought about that. If he worked so much he struggled to find time for his daughter, how would he find time for her?

He reached for her hand and squeezed. "What's on your mind? I can hear the thoughts bouncing around."

"Is this going to work? How much time will we have to spend together?"

"We will make time. Like now, it's late but if this is when we can fund the time, I'm fine with it. Or maybe you can come to my house for breakfast one morning before we need to be at work."

She nodded and threaded their fingers together. "I really like you, Lucas. I know relationships take work on both sides and I'm willing to do that."

"So am I." He kissed her knuckles and smiled. "I really like you too."

…..

He backed up to the benches on The Bluff and turned his radio on for some music. Then they sat on a blanket on his tailgate and had dessert.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked.

"Always."

"What happened with Savannah's mom?"

He put his fork down. "We fell out of love, I guess you could say. She said I worked too much. I guess in hindsight, I could have made more of an effort. We were young when we got married and maybe a bit impulsive."

She stared at him and tried not to question their relationship's potential yet again.

"Beth, I can promise you I'll make new mistakes but I can also promise you that I've learned from my previous mistakes. I know how to make priorities now."

She put her pie down and held out her hand. "I love this song. Wanna dance with me?"

"Sure."

She put her hands on his biceps and slid them to his shoulders. "I don't expect you to be perfect, Luke. I'm not, so I can't expect you to be."

"You're perfect for me," he whispered.

She looked up and saw thousands of snowflakes floating through the air, almost doing a dance of their own.

He looked into her eyes, deep as if trying to read her feelings on whether a kiss would be welcome.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked him.

"How perfect this moment is. Here, where we've both found peace, both healed a bit from our loss."

"I don't believe that Nathan is watching over me or that this snow is somehow a sign from him for me to move on, but I definitely feel calm." She leaned her head against his jaw and allowed him to continue to lead.

She was waiting for him to kiss her. She wanted to know what it would be like to feel cherished and wanted by a man again.

What if he was waiting for her? He'd been so patient, waiting for her heart to be ready and now it was.

If she just pushed up on her toes, she could kiss him. When she moved back an inch or two he was staring at her. His mesmerizing, deep green eyes showed he wanted to as much as she did. She touched his beard, that sexy beard, with her fingertips and moved closer, watching his lips.

He did the same and finally, his warm, soft lips grazed hers. The lightest of touches, sweet and intoxicating. When he pulled back and couldn't help but grin. "Ok?"

"Oh yeah." She pushed up on her toes and gripped his shoulders as he held onto her hips. Their mouths danced slowly, passionately as the snow fell quietly around them. It was like being inside a snow globe.

She pulled back to catch her breath but she didn't want to let go. She held onto his biceps, needing the touch. He was her significant other now, her best friend. She felt comfortable with him.

"Thank you, Luke. For waiting for me."

His arms wrapped around her, holding her as close as possible. He kissed her forehead and both cheeks before his lips found hers again in a deeply intimate embrace, full of promises.

"I fell for you a long time ago, Elizabeth Grant. You were well worth the wait."

….

Tim had been sitting in the parking lot at the hospital for an hour. He wanted to see Allie because he loved her and he missed her terribly. It had been three weeks since the accident and every moment was torture without his best friend.

On the flip side of things, he was scared that the moment he walked into the room, she would send him away and his heart would break.

Chief had been on him about texting her and calling her. He said he wasn't acting fair and that she deserved better than to be ghosted.

Chief was correct. Tim knew it. So he was here. He just couldn't get brain to tell his feet to move.

He turned his phone screen on and there she was, kissing his cheek in a selfie they had taken on one of their many dates. She was so adorable and sassy and tall and he missed her.

So rather than wait for his brain to catch up, he got out of his new used truck and walked in, a bouquet of daisies in his hand.

He walked up to the nurses lounge on the second floor and checked in, making sure she wasn't having tests done or anything.

"She should be eating lunch about now," the nurse told him. "Flowers are beautiful."

"Thanks. I hope she thinks so too."

He walked to her room and knocked on the door. He heard her mumble "come in" so he opened the door.

When he opened in, he paused, seeing her sitting in a chair, facing the window, and IV in her arm and a brace on her neck, her blonde hair tied back in a messy pony.

"Babe?"

"Tim?" He walked over quickly so she wouldn't have to turn her neck. She lifted her hand to dry her tears. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm so sorry, Al. So so sorry."

"For what?"

She was testing him. She needed to know what he felt sorry for. Ghosting her after telling her he loved her the night of the accident?

"Everything. I did this," he said, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

"You didn't break my neck, Tim. It was an accident."

"I knew my airbag was broken. I forgot to fix it."

"Then its still an accident. I don't blame you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I do blame you for ignoring me for the last three weeks."

"I was scared. I know its not a valid excuse but I was afraid you would blame me."

"Let me get this straight, Tim Lawson. You, a grown man, were afraid your girlfriend who told you that she loved you back when you said it to her, was going to be mad? And blame you for something that wasn't your fault? That's stupid. I'm sorry. No, you need a better reason than that."

"Al."

"No, Tim. I'm not letting you off that easily. You are going to have to make it up to me."

His mouth dropped open.

"What?"

"You're not kicking me out? Breaking up with me?"

"Because you made a mistake? Of course not. I love you."

"I love you too, Allie. So much. I'll figure out a way to make it up to you."

"Well, I can think of a good first step."

"Name it."

"Kiss me, please. I've missed you."