Disclaimer: I am not the owner of the characters in this story. All rights go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart." Any names or locations are simply for storyline purposes.

Chapter 4- You Make It Easy

"Where are we meeting?" Taylor asked.

"What does everyone want to eat?" Elizabeth asked.

The consensus was steak and seafood so Elizabeth recommended McCormick and Schmick's located at Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

"I'll be glad to drive, if you like," Jack offered as they walked out the gate.

"We'll just follow you. That way if you two lovebirds want to go someplace else, you don't have to bring us back here," Taylor teased.

"Well he's got to…" Elizabeth began to advise that Jack had to drive back anyway to take her to her car, but suddenly stopped. Was it because she didn't want to be crammed into one vehicle? Not likely; Jack drove a very spacious BMW SUV. The more likely scenario was that although she protested, there was a thirst she felt to know more about him.

Taylor turned around, "Did you say something?"

"No, never mind," she responded.

Jack smiled as he opened the door for her and she slipped inside. Before closing the door, he said, "I'm sorry if this wasn't what you wanted, but I think if you give me a chance, you'll find out that I'm not a bad guy."

As he went to close the door, she stopped him, "Jack, I never said you were a bad guy, and if that's the impression I gave you, I'm very sorry."

Jack sat behind the wheel, "Okay, are you good with directions?"

"Absolutely; I'd be glad to tell you where to go…"

Jack quickly looked in her direction, "Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry; that came out all wrong. I mean I'd be glad to give you directions to the restaurant," she added as they both nervously laughed.

Jack pulled around to where Taylor and Mackenzie were parked and waited for them to pull in behind him

As they pulled out onto the highway, Elizabeth softly spoke, "Jack, do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Of course not; ask away…" he replied.

"Why did you agree to come to dinner tonight?"

Jack brought the vehicle to a stop and while waiting for the red light to change, he momentarily thought before answering. "Elizabeth, I'm really sorry that I put you into a bad situation. It wasn't my intention and I didn't mean to ingratiate myself into your time with your friends. To be honest with you, when Taylor asked, I thought that this would be my opportunity to spend time with you and for you to get to know me, Jack Thornton, not just another baseball player."

As the light turned green, Jack's foot eased down on the gas pedal and they pulled away. "Elizabeth," he continued, "I'll straighten everything out with Taylor when we get to the restaurant."

As they turned into the Inner Harbor Jack said, "In order to be fair, may I ask you a question too?"

Elizabeth was still contemplating his promise to come clean and didn't immediately respond.

"Elizabeth…"

"Oh I'm sorry, sure ask whatever you want."

"Even though I didn't actually ask you out, I know I was wrong for pushing my company on you. Why didn't you say anything to Taylor?"

As they pulled into the garage and drove up several floors before parking, Elizabeth glanced over, catching Jack's eyes. Although she had previously questioned her judgment when it came to people, men in particular, there was something about him. He had been nothing but kind, considerate and respectful to her. She looked down but glanced back at him and smiled, releasing a soft laugh, "If I'm being honest, I think maybe a part of me was glad you did it."

As they got out of the car and met Taylor and Mackenzie on the sidewalk outside the parking garage, Jack began to unburden himself. "Taylor…Mackenzie, I need to be completely honest here. Elizabeth and I aren't…"

Elizabeth interrupted him, "What Jack wants to say is that we haven't been dating long."

Her statement brought about a dimpled smile from Jack as they each took the opportunity to steal a glance.

"No way," Mackenzie commented.

"Yes way…really, we've just started dating." Elizabeth replied. "We want to thank you for inviting us out with you. I have really missed you guys," Elizabeth remarked as she quickly cast the attention away from Jack.

The group headed across the street toward the hustle and bustle of the Inner Harbor. Restaurants and shops lined the water as street vendors were scattered throughout the open boardwalk. To Jack, the crowds were nothing like what he'd seen at Times Square, however, it was still massive enough for someone to get lost.

Jack reached down as his index finger linked around hers. Somehow, using only one finger seemed less presumptuous, but he still awaited her response. As her finger wrapped around his, and he observed her beautiful smile, he finally released the breath that he was unaware he was holding.

The restaurant was prominently located in the middle of Baltimore's Inner Harbor. As they approached, Jack opened the door and stepped aside as Taylor, Mackenzie and Elizabeth stepped inside.

"Excuse me sir, but are you Jack Thornton?" The maitre D asked.

"Yes sir, I am," Jack replied with a confused expression.

"I was at the last game of the World Series last year and you were phenomenal," the maitre D offered.

Jack was somewhat embarrassed at the attention, but responded with an awkward smile, "Thank you very much."

"It looks like your knee is healed…"

"Thank you for your concern. It's doing well…"

The maitre D grabbed four menus and turned back toward Jack, "I have the perfect table for you."

They were taken to a table with a beautiful view of the boats, big and small entering and exiting the harbor. Jack pulled Elizabeth's chair out, gently scooting it up to the table once she had taken her seat.

"Thank you, Jack," she stated to which he simply smiled, taking his seat beside her.

The waitress approached the table, "Good evening; I'm Abigail and I'll be your server this evening. May I get you something to drink?"

Taylor ordered a beer for himself and a daiquiri for Mackenzie. Abigail glanced in Jack's direction, "What can I get for you two?"

"Do you want white wine, or would you rather have something else?" Jack asked as he turned to Elizabeth.

"I'd like a glass of white wine please," she replied, intrigued that he remembered her wine preference.

"I'll take a beer; whatever you have on tap is fine, thank you," Jack stated.

Throughout dinner the conversation flowed easily. The couples talked about many topics but steered clear of religion, relationships and politics. The women discussed their memories of college, recipes, or current clothing trends and although Jack and Taylor spent some time discussing sports, Jack's attention was never far from Elizabeth.

Jack made mental notes of her preferences; fried shrimp instead of steamed; sweet potato instead of baked, raspberry vinaigrette dressing on her salad, and lemon in water with her meal.

Likewise, Elizabeth observed that he liked his steak, medium well; his baked potato with all the fixings, and steamed vegetables, but he pulled the broccoli out and sat it on the side of his plate.

Stories were told, the group as a whole laughed, and although Jack was technically the odd man out, anyone observing the table would have guessed otherwise.

When the check was dropped off at the table, Jack attempted to pay the tab, realizing that he was an unintentional add on.

"No Jack, we invited you both; this was our treat," Taylor insisted as he pulled his credit card from his wallet.

With the bill paid, the group stepped outside. It was a clear night and as they started walking toward the parking garage they stood outside, awkwardly deciding what to do next.

Jack was enjoying his time with Elizabeth and didn't want it to end. Throughout all of her previous protestations, Elizabeth found herself feeling very comfortable with Jack, an awareness that didn't generally run synonymous with her and baseball players.

Both couples found themselves in the middle of a rushing crowd heading toward the aquarium. Off in the distance, and above the chatter of the crowd, a band could be heard warming up as the group pressed forward looking for space to sit down.

As Elizabeth was pushed away from Jack, he reached out, found her hand, and pulled her back to him.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he quickly realized that she was laughing.

"WOW, this band must be awesome," she replied as someone accidently pushed her, knocking her into his chest. "Oh, I'm sorry," she stated as she realized that she'd stepped on his foot.

He wrapped his arms securely around her, "Here, come with me," he stated as he pulled her with him to the outskirts of the crowd.

Taylor and Mackenzie ended up closer to the aquarium, but walked back after Elizabeth reached Mackenzie on her cell phone.

"How did you get out of there? They were intense," Taylor remarked as he held tight to Mackenzie's hand.

"They must not have a lot of areas to sit up there, so people were pushing for a spot," Elizabeth commented. "Actually, I think this is the best seat in the house."

"Do you want to stay and listen for awhile?" Jack asked Elizabeth.

Elizabeth turned to Taylor and Mackenzie who chose to beg out, both of them indicating that they were exhausted. However, Jack and Elizabeth observed giggly, flirtatious behavior from each of them, and realized that they were simply looking forward to some time alone.

"Well, they are newlyweds, after all," Elizabeth whispered as Taylor and Mackenzie held hands and she rested her head on his shoulder while walking toward the parking garage.

"Jack, you have a game tomorrow…"

"I'm fine, Elizabeth," he stated, not yet willing to close out his night with her.

"Well, in that case, I'd love to listen to the band."

Although she said nothing, Jack observed Elizabeth shiver slightly. He took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

"Thank you," she responded to his chivalrous act.

Halfway through the band's first set, Jack wrapped his arm around her as he felt her settle into his chest. He leaned down and inhaled, the scent of her lilac blossom shampoo filled him. He was so content that it would have taken a tornado sweeping through the area to get him to move.

That was until she lifted her head and asked, "Do you feel like dancing?"

Since they'd taken their seat, his attention was solely upon her. He stood and held out his hand which she accepted. He then glanced out onto the boardwalk where other couples had congregated to dance.

"Do you know how to line dance?" she asked.

"Do I know how to line dance?" he repeated her question, realizing very quickly that the answer was "No."

As they walked out onto the makeshift dance floor, the speed and tone of the music quickly changed, as Jack shot a 'thank you' up to the Lord above.

The soft, slow sounds of the Jason Aldean song "You Make it Easy" began as Jack took her right hand in his as her left hand rested on his shoulder and his fit perfectly along the dip in her waist.

Like a rainy Sunday morning makes me wanna stay in bed, twisted up all day long
You're my inspiration girl, you take me places, put the words right into these songs

Stealin' kisses undercover babe
I see forever when I see your face
And I swear God made you for me

You make it easy
Lovin' up on you
Make it easy
With every little thing you do
You're my sunshine in the darkest days
My better half, my saving grace
You make me who I wanna be
You make it easy

Shortly into the song, Elizabeth told herself it was the wine, but she knew better as she laid her head on his shoulder. There was something about the way he made her feel, so safe as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into his body while their linked hands rested on his chest.

You took on my rough around the edges
Never let it ruffle up your feathers, angel
Yeah I'm down for life, you got me wrapped around your finger
And I like it just in case you can't tell

You make it easy
Lovin' up on you
Make it easy
With every little thing you do
You're my sunshine in the darkest days
My better half, my saving grace
You make me who I wanna be
You make it easy

Stealin' kisses undercover babe
I see forever when I see your face
And I swear God made you for me

You make it easy
Lovin' up on you
Make it easy
With every little thing you do
You're my sunshine in the darkest days
My better half, my saving grace
You make me who I wanna be
You make it easy

You make it easy

As the song came to an end, Elizabeth leaned back slightly; their lips were mere inches apart as their breaths mingled. She felt lightheaded, as if her heart had stopped, but she felt it beating fiercely in her chest. At that moment she wasn't sure what she wanted, but she was fairly certain his lips on hers would have been top on the list.

Jack couldn't deny the pull she had on him. He'd never before met a woman who had so quickly turned his world upside down. At that moment had he looked around, even in the sea of people who were present, he'd have seen no one but her.

Although the music continued, for Jack and Elizabeth it was as if time stood still, with those who remained on the dance floor working around them.

He glanced between her eyes and her lips as he brushed a stray curl behind her ear. His hand cradled her jaw line as his thumb gently swept across her cheek. He leaned down as his strong, yet gentle lips pressed against hers while fireworks exploded behind them in the sky.

Their lips separated, and they became keenly aware of all the "Ooo's" and "Ahh's" that were squealed as more fireworks exploded in the sky.

WOW, those really were fireworks… she thought.

They took their seats back on the bench and talked for hours, yet it only felt like fleeting moments.

"Do you have any siblings?" he asked.

"I have two sisters. Both are married and live on opposite sides of the coast," she stated. She began to share, finding that as she relaxed, it became quite easy to talk with him. "My sister Julie lives in Seattle. She has two kids, and her husband, Carson, is a doctor at Seattle General. My sister, Viola lives in Myrtle Beach. Her husband, Lionel is actually a stay at home dad. They have three kids, two boys and a girl, and my sister is an architect and sits on the City Council. How about you, any family?"

"I have one brother, Tom, who lives in San Francisco. He's a detective, married and has one son. My mom still lives in San Diego, but my dad passed away when I was in my sophomore year at Stanford."

"I'm so sorry, Jack. I'm sure that he'd be very proud of you."

"Thank you. I remember him coming to every one of my Little League, high school and college baseball games. He was always in the bleachers, until one game he wasn't," Jack replied with a hint of sadness in his voice.

They talked about education, a topic that he easily found her to be passionate about. They discussed travelling; their best trips, and where they'd love to go.

Jack advised that he had been lucky enough to travel to many exotic places but added, "You know, I've always thought that a honeymoon to Iceland would be very romantic."

"I've seen pictures of Iceland, and the waterfalls are absolutely breathtaking. I could see a honeymoon there. But then again, I think as long as you're with the person you love, anywhere would be perfect."

Realizing that they had slipped into a topic that seemed more personal, they both casually looked around. Realizing that the majority of the crowd was gone and the band was packing up, Elizabeth glanced at her watch, "Jack, its 1:30 am."

"Oh Elizabeth, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep you out so late," he stated as he stood up and held out his hand.

She wasn't expecting this night to turn out so pleasantly, but without thinking, she placed her hand into his. They walked to the parking garage and took the elevator to the third floor where they found his vehicle up in front.

Jack drove her back to The Park, and pulled up in the parking lot beside her car. It was a chilly night, so he asked for her keys.

"Why do you need my keys?"

"I just want to start your car for you so it can heat up," he replied as she reached into her purse and pulled them out.

Jack stepped out of his car and into hers, turning the ignition and starting the heater before returning to her.

"Thank you; that was very thoughtful."

"You're welcome. What time will you be here tomorrow?"

"Don't you mean today?"

"Well yes, I guess technically, it's today."

"The game is at 2, so I'll get here around noon."

"May I have your phone?"

"You are full of wants this morning…my keys, my phone, anything else?" she asked before realizing how suggestive that sounded. "I mean, I didn't mean that the way…"

"I know what you meant. I just wanted to put my contact information in your phone," he stated as he handed her phone back to her with his number safely saved.

"Jack, thank you for a very nice evening; I guess I'll see you this afternoon," she stated as she opened her door and stepped outside.

Jack cut off his car and walked around to the driver's side door of her car, opening it for her. She placed her overnight bag in the backseat of her car before turning around to face him.

"Elizabeth, I had a really nice time tonight. Thank you for spending the evening with me," he remarked.

"Oh, well it was a real chore," she stated with a smile.

"I'm going to ask you something, and I don't really mean anything by it, but I'm just…I just want to make sure you get home okay. Would it be okay if I followed you home?"

"It probably isn't necessary, but actually, my car cut off on me twice coming to work, so I'd actually appreciate that," she stated as she leaned in and kissed his cheek before slipping behind the wheel.

She waited for him to get back into his car and then pulled out toward the main highway. With his hotel room located less than a mile away, he happily drove 30 minutes to her house.

She pulled into the parking space at her townhouse, and walked back to his vehicle to thank him for seeing her home. "Jack, please text me when you get home."

"Uh, you have my number, but I don't have yours," Jack stated as he exited his vehicle to walk her to her door.

She reached into his car and pulled his phone from the dashboard. She entered her contact information before handing it back to him. "Now you have mine."

Jack grabbed her bag from the back seat of her car and carried it to her front door. "Thank you again Elizabeth for a very nice night. I haven't enjoyed myself this much in a long time."

"Jack, thank you for everything; I appreciate the rides in The Park, following me home to make certain I got here safely, dinner and dancing, and the talk was more fun than I've ever remembered having. So thank you; I guess I'll see you in a few hours…" she stated with a smile as she opened her front door, but turned back to him before stepping inside.

"Don't forget to text me when you get home," she stated.

"I will," Jack stated as he leaned in.

Elizabeth closed her eyes as her lips anticipated his, only to feel them brush across her cheek instead. She stepped inside but watched out the window as he pulled out of her driveway and headed, she presumed, home.

Thirty five minutes later he walked into his hotel room and sat down on his bed. "You jerk…you didn't ask her out again."

He pulled out his phone to send her a text. "I'm home. I had a gr8 time…"

"Me 2. Thx again…"

"Elizabeth…"

"Yes…"

"Will u go out with me again…?"

"I'm surprised to say this but I'd love 2…"

"The team is leaving Mon. 4 a road trip. B back Fri. R u free Sat. nite…?"

"Not anymore. I have a date with u…lol"

"Cute, I'll c u at noon in the parking lot…"

"Thx Jack…"

"Sleep well…"

"You too…"

Sunday morning arrived; hearing a loud boom, Elizabeth glanced outside to see the rain falling in sheets, and lightning putting on quite an impressive electrical show. Therefore, she wasn't surprised when Mr. Roseman contacted her to advise that the game had been rained out.

Elizabeth pulled her usherette contact list from her bag and proceeded to call everyone to advise that they were now off work until the next home game on Friday.

She sat down with a cup of coffee and her thoughts wondering how she so quickly moved from never wanting to date another baseball player to disappointment that due to the rain she would not see Jack for six days.

She pulled her journal from her bag, opened it to the next blank page and attempted to release the feelings and emotions she held inside…

"How is it possible to enjoy the present when you're constantly brought down by memories of the past? At what point do you say 'Let it go,' consider it a lesson learned, and simply move on?

I'm afraid of misplaced loyalties, repeated mistakes, and missed chances, all of which have now forced me down a road to self discovery. As I attempt to correct the missteps of my past, I am acutely aware of the assumptions made and the disservice they have caused.

Understanding the cause and correcting the actions takes courage, patience and strength. Unfortunately as the saying goes, you have to 'break them down to build them back up.' Is that even possible when attempting to correct our own mistakes? When they occur is it even likely that we will identify the problems before the damage is done?

Fear comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it's brought about by the fierce anger in a stormy sky; sometimes it's saying goodbye to something you thought you loved, believed and understood, and sometimes, when you least expect it, it's the gentle soul who comes knocking on your heart.

Whether or not you allow them inside is often based on experiences of the past. You choose to open the door, but only slightly, giving a little, but still feeling the need to hold back. As you realize that you are cautious for a reason, the past blips of embarrassment come flooding back, and you wonder how long it will be before you again find yourself lost, disappointed, used and ashamed.

Mistakes are designed to happen once, anything more than that and they become a pattern, a way of life, or something to be expected. However, should one person's betrayal, darken our skies forever? Is there a chance that the mistakes of the past simply open our eyes to see the beauty of future rainbows?"

Elizabeth closed her journal and slipped it back into her bag for safekeeping. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply as she sipped from her favorite coffee cup.

Her phone rang, shattering the tranquility of her peaceful morning. The disappointment she felt soon cleared when she glanced down and observed "Jack" and his Facebook picture covering her phone screen.

"Hello…"

"Good morning Elizabeth; it's me, Jack."

Hiding the fact that she already knew he was her caller, she simply said, "Oh Hi, Jack."

"I guess you know that the game has been cancelled."

"Yes, I just heard from Mr. Roseman. I feel sorry for the kids who were looking forward to Hawk Hat Day."

"Well, they can do it on Friday, right?"

"I'm sure they can, but they may choose another Sunday in hopes that more kids will come."

"Well, since neither of us has to work, would you like to go out for a cup of coffee?"

Elizabeth immediately placed her cup on the table, "Mmm, coffee sounds good. Where would you like to meet?"

"I'm already out. Why don't I just come and pick you up?"

"Okay, I'll see you soon…" Elizabeth stated as she jumped up and poured out the remaining coffee from her pot.

Jack stuffed his phone in his pocket as he ran out the front door of the hotel, feeling as though he was not being deceptive since he was in fact not in his room when he called her.

To be continued…