Chapter 8

All the ladies looked up when they heard the door open. William and Jack were standing by the door with smiles on their faces. Elizabeth couldn't help but grin when she noticed that her father and boyfriend looked like they were getting along well. At least her father hasn't chopped him up and put him on the grill. She thought to herself.

"Elizabeth dear, would you please join us on the patio?"

Elizabeth's smiled faded a little. She wiped her hands on a towel that was beside her on the counter. She kept her eyes on Jack as she walked closer to them. Just before she reached them, William gave Jack a little shove with a smile.

"You go in for a moment, we'll just be out here."

Elizabeth's smile completely faded at her father's action and words. "Wait…" She tried to say something, but her father reached for her arm and gently pulled her outside with him. She looked up and Tom was standing by the grill with a spatula in his hand. He had a warm smile on his face. It reminded her a lot of Jack's smile.

"Elizabeth, please join me." Tom stated.

…

Jack looked up to a smiling Grace and his mother. He looked puzzled when his mother stepped back to the other side of the kitchen island. His eyes went to Grace and her beautiful smile. It was a lot like Elizabeth's, but different. Grace patted the top of the granite counter beside her.

"Come Jack."

Jack slowly walked toward her. His eyes darted back to his mother's grin, but it wasn't comforting like normal.

"Now, I understand you are my daughter's boyfriend?"

Jack's head dropped. If he had continued to look into Grace's face, he would have seen her smile. However, he was nervous. Jack sat down on the stool that Grace pulled out for him. He may have been nervous with Elizabeth's father, but he was absolutely terrified with her mother.

"Yes, Mrs. Thatcher. As of yesterday. I am."

"Jack, please call me Grace."

Jack shook his head no. "I'm sorry Mrs. Thatcher. I can't do that."

Grace smiled at Charlette and then at Jack. She could see his nervousness. "Please Jack…call me Grace."

"I'm sorry but I can't do that Mrs. Thatcher. My Pa's voice is too strong in my ear telling me to respect my elders." Jack gasped. "Mrs. Thatcher…I'm not calling you old. I just meant…" Jack stopped talking and began rubbing his neck. He fixed his eyes on the counter in front of him.

Grace chuckled at Jack's action and inability to speak. She remembered what Charlette told Elizabeth earlier. "I understand Jack, but I would appreciate it if you called my Grace."

Again, Jack shook his head no.

"It's ok Jack. You may call her Grace." Charlette mentioned.

Jack looked from his mother, who nodded her approval, back to Grace. She seemed like a very nice woman, but he just couldn't call her by her given name. His father's voice was just too loud in his ear telling him that he had to respect people. And one of the ways you do that is to call anyone older than you 'Mr." or 'Mrs.'. Jack just couldn't ignore his father's influence. He also didn't want to insult Mrs. Thatcher.

"How about I call you Mrs. G? Would you be ok with that?" He asked Grace. Then he quickly looked in his mother's direction. She nodded to her son who turned his attention back to Grace.

Grace's smile was plastered all over her face. She loved that he respected her in wanting to call her Mrs. Thatcher. She was also impressed that Tom's influence was powerful in this young man, even when he wasn't around. She didn't think most young men were this polite. She was also impressed that Jack sought his mother's approval.

"Fair enough. I am ok with that. Are you?"

"Not really, but Ma said it was ok."

Grace let out a little laugh. She was really beginning to like this young man. The more she learned about him, the more she knew he was right for her daughter. "I've never heard anyone call their mother and father Ma and Pa. How did you begin to do that?"

Jack laughed at the question. Elizabeth's friends asked him that same question yesterday.

"It wasn't by my choice." Laughed Charlette.

"I used to sit on Pa's lap when I was little. He would watch Bonanza. They called their moms and dads that. I guess I just learned it then. I have always called them Ma and Pa."

"So, Elizabeth tells me that she is your first girlfriend?" She asked. While it wasn't a question, she said it as one.

"Yes, ma'am. She is."

"Jack, you are a handsome young man and polite too. I find it pretty difficult to believe that you didn't have young girls throwing themselves at you."

"Well, when I was three or so, Ma said there was someone who said I was her boyfriend, but I don't remember it. She also said that I never called her my girlfriend. So, that makes Elizabeth my first girlfriend."

Grace let out a laugh at the story. She quickly loved his sense of humor. Elizabeth was correct when she said that he was funny.

"You didn't leave a girl back home?"

"No ma'am."

"What about Mary?" Sassed Charlette.

"Ma! You know that story."

Charlette smiled. "I do. Mary was someone who really pushed Jack to date her, but he just didn't want too."

"She was too pushy. We didn't even hang out with friends or as friends."

"So, you don't like pushy?" Grace asked.

"Not her kind of pushy. I like someone with confidence and knows what she wants. But Mary just didn't act that way. I never, and I mean never, felt like she was someone I wanted to spend my time with."

Jack's tone was confident. Grace knew girls would wanted to date him, but he just wasn't that type of guy. That was the same thinking her middle daughter had. There were boys that wanted to date her, but she just didn't want to. She knew Jack had to be special for her daughter to pursue it in such a short period of time."

"And you want to spend time with my Bethie?"

Jack nodded his head. "Yes ma'am, I do. There is just something about her. Even when she is being frustrating, she is adorable. She just has this way of pulling me in to her that I can't explain. Maybe it's her eyes, her smile, her sassiness. I don't know…" Jack's voice trailed off.

Grace smiled at this young man. He didn't know it, but he was answering every question the way she hoped he would.

"Elizabeth must think the same way for her to reach for your hand first. That's just not like her."

Jack looked down at the kitchen island. His face was a little red with embarrassment. With his confusion of her dating and then not dating Charles, he was really grateful she made the first move by taking his pinky.

"I'm grateful she did. I think you are a match for my Bethie."

"I'm grateful too. So, you're ok with this, with us dating?"

"I am. Just treat her with respect, and you will never have any problem with me."

"Yes ma'am." Jack's smile grew to where his dimples came out on full display.

Oh my…those dimples will be Elizabeth's downfall. Grace smiled watching Jack's dimples deepen.

…

Very slowly, Elizabeth made her way to stand beside Tom. His smile was welcoming, but she was still terrified. She glanced over her shoulder and noticed that her father stepped to the opposite side of the grill and sat down on a chair about ten feet away. She was really hoping he would come with her. She felt that Mr. Thornton was a nice, kind man, but she was still very nervous because he was her boyfriend's father. What if he didn't approve of her? She wanted her father beside her for support.

Tom looked at her for a moment and then reached over and lightly pinched her arm. Elizabeth pulled her arm back and giggled. "What was that for?" She asked as she playfully rubbed her arm.

"Well, young lady, I just wanted to make sure you were real." Tom laughed at the confused look on this young lady's face. "Since you're real, you must be a very special lady for my Jack to break his rule."

Elizabeth nodded her head while she kept looking down at the grill.

"Jack had this rule since he was in the eighth grade. He just wasn't going to date in high school. He never thought he was mature enough. He was just too concentrated on his studies. It wasn't our rule, but his. Jack is a rule follower. So, for you to get him to change his rule, you must be very special."

"Thank you." She whispered. "I don't know about that, but…" Her voice trailed off.

Tom reached over and gently squeezed Elizabeth's hand. "I have no doubt that you are a special young lady." Tom smiled at her and released her hand. "Treat my Jack with true respect, and you will have no issue from me."

"Yes, Mr. Thornton."

"Please, call me Tom."

Elizabeth slowly shook her head. "No sir. I can't do that."

"Sure, you can. I have a feeling you will be around for a while. So, Tom it is."

Elizabeth continued to shake her head no.

"Elizabeth…" William stated from his chair. "It's ok if you call him Tom. I consider him a friend."

"Maybe so, but he is the father of my boyfriend." She still slowly shook her head no.

"That's so odd to hear you to say that phrase." William chuckled, shaking his head.

"Mr. Thornton, are you ok with me dating your son?"

"Tom, please."

"Sir…"

"Tom…"

William sat back with a grin on his face. He knew Elizabeth wasn't going to relent and he had a good feeling that Tom wasn't going to relent either. This was a little entertaining for him to watch the two facing off.

Tom and Elizabeth both stared at each other. Tom was struggling to hide his grin. William thought he was watching a gun battle in an old western movie. He was just waiting for the first one to flinch. He was curious to see who would give in first.

When Elizabeth finally noticed the slight grin, she knew she had won this little battle. With a little bit of a victorious smile, she stated. "What about Mr. T?"

Tom thought about it for a moment. "Mr. T? Like that guy on the T.V. show a while back?"

"Who?"

"Good grief…how old am I?' Tom shook his head.

Elizabeth laughed. Jack sounded just like his father.

"Mr. T is fine for now. We will work on the Tom."

"Fair enough." Elizabeth gave him a smile. "Mr. T, are you ok with me dating your son?"

"I am. In all honesty, I'm a little surprised my son has a girlfriend. However, I am very happy about it. I think I like you dating my son." Tom stopped talking for a few long moments and concentrated on Elizabeth. He studied her face and then turned his attention to her eyes. It took him less than a second to see the exact same thing in her eyes that he was in his son's eyes last night. "Have you told him you loved him yet?" Tom leaned in and whispered the last part so William couldn't hear him. He didn't want to embarrass her.

"What?!" Gasped Elizabeth. "Mr. T! We haven't even kissed yet. We have only held hands."

"Maybe so…but I see it in your eyes." Elizabeth just stared at him with her eyes wide open in shock.

For Elizabeth, she thought she may have been falling for Jack in that way, but she didn't think she was there yet. Late at night in the silence of her bedroom, if she reflected deep enough, she knew she was in love with Jack. But it's way too early to admit to that outside of the secrecy of her room. She wasn't sure how all of this worked. It's just too early to think that way.

"I was a detective for years. I'm really good at reading people. Don't panic. I won't tell anyone." Tom nudged her with his shoulder. "Breathe Elizabeth." Tom playfully teased a visibly confused Elizabeth.

"I…I…"

"I'm sorry Elizabeth. I shouldn't have said anything. I can just see it in your eyes. You may not know that you are there yet. I saw it in Jack's eyes when he was telling me about you last night.

Elizabeth's eyes grew even bigger at Tom's words about Jack. She secretly hoped he was falling for her, but it was way too early in their relationship to think such things.

With Mr. Thornton's kind words, gestures, and gentle touch in squeezing her hand, she knew she liked this man. She knew exactly who Jack took after.

"Mr. T, may I ask you something?"

"Sure sweetheart. What's on your mind?"

"When I answered the door earlier, you said 'It's you.' What did you mean by that?"

Tom looked at William and he knew what Tom wanted to say. William nodded his head in agreement.

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry to embarrass you, but I knew something was different with you when I saw you weeks ago. We knew you were going to play an important role in my family's life."

"You saw me weeks ago?"

"I did. Three weeks ago, or so. We were in town just a few days. We were driving around looking at Hamilton and Jack wanted to eat at this café. He met Abagail the day we moved in. We pulled into the parking lot of the café. You stepped out of the café and walked down the sidewalk. My Charlette and I just watched you. Even when you walked out of our sight, we couldn't look away. There was just something about you. We just knew you were special and would be special to us. We just didn't know how or why?"

"Really?"

"Even then we knew." Tom's voice lowered in volume. "I looked at my Charlette and she looked at me. We didn't have to say anything. It was just understood, even though we didn't know what it was."

Elizabeth nodded her head. She perfectly understood what he meant.

…

Tom and Julie watched Elizabeth walk out the French doors to the men. Juile nodded toward the living room. Tom took the hint and they both slipped out of the kitchen without anyone knowing. The parents were too focused on their older siblings. Which was great with them.

"So, what do you think of them?"

"I think Jack is very happy with her. I've never seen him like that before with another girl."

"Has he never dated?"

"No. He never has. There has been a few that wanted to but he just wasn't interested. Elizabeth hasn't dated?"

"No. She's just like Jack. And you?"

"We've talked about this. I've had a lot of girlfriends but just not for very long."

"Me too. Why do you think that is?"

"I don't know." Tom thoughtfully pondered the question. "Jack says I love life too much. I enjoy the flirting, btu never really the dating part."

"Yeah. Elizabeth tells me all the time that I need to find my purpose. She already knows what she wants to be when she grows up."

"That's goof for her, but Julie, we are not our siblings. We are who we are. I enjoy my life. I enjoy getting to know people."

"Me too. I like the flirting but I get bored easily."

"Maybe you are just like me…we just haven't found the right person yet."

"Maybe…"

Tom and Julie were beginning to wonder if the found the right person.

…

"So, Jack, are you wanting to follow in your father's footsteps and become a police officer?" Grace asked innocently.

"I did when I was younger, but now I want to be a teacher. Maybe work with kids in sports or something."

"My Bethie wants to be a teacher."

"I though you always wanted to be a cop?" Asked a confused Charlette.

Jack glanced from Grace to his mother. "I did Ma, but I've changed my mind."

"Why?"

Grace saw his hesitation. Their short time together was going great, she didn't want to push a sensitive issue for Jack. So, she tried to change the subject.

"Elizabeth said you play basketball?"

"Yes, Mrs. G. I do."

"She's under the impression that you are good at it."

"She was listening too much to Cory. I'm not that good. I just enjoy playing."

"Well, he's better than he is implying."

"Ma…" Jack warned. Grace couldn't help but laugh at the interaction between mother and son. The love and respect between them were easy to see. She knew if Jack treated his mother with respect, he would be good to her daughter.

"Jack, you were the best player on the team. So, coaching is easy to see, but you have always wanted to be a police officer like my Tom. Why did you change your mind? I'm perfectly ok with you becoming a teacher, but you used to walk around the house with your father's hat on pretending to pull over your brother because he was riding his tricycle to fast."

Grace didn't even try to hide her laughter. "I can see a little Jack in his father's police hat."

"Don't forget the little pad and pencil."

"Good grief." Jack just looked down with a little bit of embarrassment. "I was five years old."

"And the cutest little cop in the world." Charlette smiled. She looked outside and saw Tom still talking with Elizabeth. "Let me check on Elizabeth. I'm afraid my Tom may be interrogating her too much."

Jack looked up a little panicked with his mother leaving the room. He liked Grace but was nervous being alone with her. His mother was a nice buffer between them. Even Grace's smile didn't ease his nerves.

…

"Sweetheart, are you being nice?" Charlette asked as she walked out the French door.

"Of course." He turned his attention to a smiling Elizabeth. "We are just getting to know each other. I think she likes me." Thomas stated with a bit of sass.

"Oh dear, don't let him put words in your mouth."

"And what makes you think I have to put words in her mouth?" Sassed Tom. He leaned and bumped shoulders with Elizabeth. "I like her." He nodded his head toward Elizabeth.

"Me too." Charlette stated.

"We are finished inside. How about out here?"

"Well…" Tom looked through the door. "I don't think you are quite finished inside, but I have interrogated Elizabeth enough to know that she is the perfect match for our oldest son." Thomas nodded toward the door. Everyone, including Elizabeth, noticed her mother standing beside Jack talking.

"Trust your mother dear. She is just getting to know Jack." William stated as he handed her a bottled water." He could easily see the worry on her face.

…

"So, why the change of mind of possible professions?"

Jack let out a sigh. "Last winter, Pa was shot in the line of duty. He also got sick in the hospital. He was there for two months. He almost died a couple of times, once when he was shot and the other time when he got the infection. While that time took its toll on everyone, it really was hard on Ma. She rarely left the hospital during those two months. She was so protective when he came home. Her protective nature was on steroids. When Pa went back to work on light duty, she began to have nightmares. It really took its toll on her. She was having nightmares of standing over Pa's casket. That's why Pa resigned at the approval of his boss. That's when he accepted the job with Mr. Thatcher. Pa said he couldn't put her through the not knowing.

"I watched Ma love Pa to the point of it hurting her. So did Pa. He said he couldn't put her through that again. No life is protected, but he couldn't put Ma through that each day he went to work. Pa's boss recommended this job. I just can't ask my future wife to go through something like that."

"Jack, that's very commendable for you to think that way, but you should follow your dreams. Your future wife will find strength when she needs it."

"I just can't put her through that each day knowing what could easily happen on any given day. I love kids and I also wanted to be a teacher. I volunteer with the library and the children's center."

"Elizabeth volunteers there too. I'm surprised you two haven't met before a couple of days ago at school."

"Well, we did meet at the beach that one day."

"Oh yes, Princess Beth. She really hates that name." Grace laughed.

"I know." Jack let out a soft laugh.

Grace could see the sass on Jack's face. She couldn't contain her laughter. "Jack, this is going to be fun to watch."

…

The cookout style dinner was a hit with everyone. They all enjoyed themselves sitting around the large patio table. William and Grace sat side by side with them at one end of the table. Tom and Charlette sat at the other end with Tom sitting at the end of the table requested by William. Tom Jr. and Julie were sitting together on one side and Jack and Elizabeth were sitting together on the other side of the table.

Tom and Julie were lost in conversation half of the time eating. They were greatly enjoying their conversation. Jack and Elizabeth were lost in their own conversation while Grace and William were talking with Charlette and Tom in their own conversation. During the other half of the time, the group spoke to each other. No one dominated the conversation. It flowed freely amount all eight of them. Grace and Charlette would steal glances at Jack and Elizabeth. They would often catch the other mom watching the young couple. They would just smile at each other. Their little plan, even though they hadn't begun working it, was coming through perfectly. They were secretly happy that they weren't intimately involved in getting their children together. They just knew their husbands would have a fit.

Every so often, Elizabeth's phone would vibrate. She checked it the first couple of times but stopped looking at it when it would buzz. Jack was correct when he just assumed it was Charles. He was trying to take his father's advice in not being jealous of their friendship. After all, friends would often text each other. However, he was beginning not to like Charles. He knew how Charles felt for his girlfriend and he wasn't backing off.

Elizabeth was growing a little frustrated with Charles. She had told him that she was hosting a dinner party with her parents for a coworker and his family. He would have known that she was busy. She didn't know why he kept texting. Her phone buzzed again. Elizabeth let out a soft sigh and rolled her eyes.

"Are you ok?" Jack asked. He leaned over just enough to touch her shoulder. No one else could hear him.

"Yeah."

"Charles won't stop texting?"

Elizabeth's head raised quickly. "How did you know?" She quickly asked. "Mr. Thornton, are you being nosy?" She nervously asked.

"You have this look when you are a little frustrated."

"I have this look?" She asked with the smallest hint of flirting mixed with a little doubt.

"Absolutely!" Jack's smile almost melted her. "Trust me…I know your frustrated look very well. I saw it the last two days at school." He teased a little with a silly grin.

She wrinkled her nose at him and cut her eyes in his direction as she leaned in and bumped his shoulder.

"You had the same look when your phone buzzed. I just assumed it was Charles." He hesitated for a moment trying to read her expression. He felt like he was getting a good read on her but wasn't certain. "Plus, that look…" His voice trailed off. He hadn't meant to say anything, but he was lost in her at the moment. Elizabeth's scrunched up look had a powerful hold on him.

"That look? And how did you know it was Charles?"

Jack uncomfortably shifted in his seat. He looked up and noticed no one was paying them any attention. He took a deep breath trying to find his words. He let out the breath slowly, but never spoke.

Elizabeth was able to read Jack pretty well too. She knew he was struggling to find the words he wanted to say. She also remembered Charlette telling her that Jack struggled saying things that were in his heart. She thought he was cute trying to find his words. She decided to cut him a little slack.

"Please excuse us." Elizabeth stood. "Jack and I are going to sit on the edge of the pool for a little while."

"Sure dear." Grace sweetly stated. "If Jack brought his trunks, you guys may go swimming?"

"No ma'am. I didn't."

"Go ahead dear." While Jack and Elizabeth thought no one was paying attention to them, Charlette and Grace most certainly were watching them.

Elizabeth stood and placed her hand on Jack's shoulder. "Come on. We'll put our feet in the pool."

Jack gave her a smile and then stood. "Excuse us."

As they walked the few feet to the pool, they didn't hold hands, but they did touch hands a few times. They did interlock pinkies. They both took off their sliders and sat down at the pool at the shallow end. It was the furthest away from the group. They sat just a few inches away from each other. Jack sat down and placed his hands on the pool deck beside him. Once seated, they dipped their feet into the cool water. Jack kicked his feet around just a little at the nice sensation. He was also trying to buy his time to think of what to say. He knew Elizabeth wasn't going to forget her two questions. She was inquisitive to say the least.

Elizabeth moved her hands from her lap to her sides on the pool deck. Her hand was just an inch from Jack's. At the same time, they extended their pinkies. They interlocked their pinkies together. They wanted to touch but knew they didn't want to hold hands in view of their parents. This was completely new territory for both of them. They were holding hands when they walked into the kitchen from the living room, but the whole family wasn't in the kitchen. They didn't want to be too forward with this. They didn't know how their parents would react as a whole.

"So…" Elizabeth started slowly. "…that look? And how did you know it was Charles?"

"Which one first?" Jack slowly asked.

"Let's just go in order."

Jack nodded his head. He was nervous about explaining the effect the look had on him. He didn't know why, but he didn't want to tell her how much of an effect she had on him with just a simple look. He also didn't want to come across as a jealous boyfriend. He remembered his dad's advice about Charles. As long as he remained friends, he had no reason to be jealous. But Jack knew Charles didn't want to be just friends. He was growing a little frustrated with himself for the feelings and the inability to say what he wanted.

"Alright, Mr. Thornton. I'm your girlfriend. Just say it." Elizabeth implored him after a few moments of silence.

Jack let out a long, deep sigh. "Ok…that little scrunched up nose look you give me is just too adorable. It takes my breath away and I just want to kiss you when you do it." He blurted out very quickly.

He spoke very fast. Elizabeth was having trouble understanding him, but she did hear every single word and was grateful she did.

"Oh…" Elizabeth inhaled a quick breath.

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't have said anything, but you did ask…" He shrugged his shoulders. As he looked down in embarrassment, he loosened his hold on her pinky a little in case she wanted to let it go.

Elizabeth tightened her hold on his pinky. His statement, while a little embarrassing, was perfect. "I kind of like that I have that effect on you. I think that's how it's supposed to be with me being your girlfriend and all." Her face was a little pink with embarrassment.

"Well, that's good then, because you most certainly do. You're so expressive with your facial expressions…I just love them all."

"I have more than one?" She innocently asked.

"Good grief…" Jack moaned as he looked down at the water. "That look makes twelve that I've counted so far, and we have only known each other for three days. Each look is beautifully you and draws me in each time." He shook his head. "It's not fair that you have that control over me in such a short time. You look at me with those blue eyes and my brain quits working. It's not fair."

"Well…" Elizabeth flirted a little. "I kind of like it." She bumped his shoulder.

Jack did struggle with what he wanted to say, and she thought it was a little frustrating and absolutely adorable at times. The thing is, he did quite well when he got past the nervousness and stopped trying so hard. Instead of trying to find the perfect words, he did much better if he just spoke from his heart and got out of his head. She filed away that little piece of information.

"I'm perfectly ok with having this control on you. So, since the first issue if fixed." She sassed. "How did you know it was Charles texting?"

"I'm not so sure I'm perfectly ok with you having that much effect on me." He sassed with a dimpled grin. There was no way she was going to tell him that he had the same effect on her when he flashed those dimples.

"Oh Jack, it's already settled." She patted him on the forearm. She loved touching him almost as much as he loved her touching him. "Now…Charles?"

Jack let out a deep breath. "Elizabeth, please don't be mad if I say this the wrong way. I don't want to be a jealous boyfriend. I know you two are friends…" His voice trailed off.

"Ok, but you still haven't answered my question." She squeezed his pinky to encourage him.

"I know he thinks of you more than just a friend."

"Because of what he said the other day?"

"That's part of it. Pa said that as long as he remained friends, I have no right to be jealous."

"That's true. What do you mean 'that's part of it'?"

"He doesn't look at you like a friend. I see it in his eyes. He likes you much more than just a friend. He told me two or three times to not get too close to you because you were dating."

Elizabeth nodded her head. Several people have told her the same thing about how he looks at her. She always just dismissed it as friendship.

"Did you tell him about us?"

"I did."

"I would guess that he wasn't very happy. He said something about us barely knowing each other. Something about not knowing me at all. He reminded you that you two were supposed to date at some point. I even would say that he reminded you about your no dating rule."

"How did you guess that?"

"It wasn't really a guess. As a guy, I know what it looks like when a guy is interested in a girl. Charles has that look when he looks at you and when he talks about you."

Elizabeth looked deep into Jack's eyes. She thought she saw love, which made her nervous and excited all at the same time. She thought she loved him but figured it was too soon to be in love. Or at the very least, she wasn't certain if it was love. She had never experienced anything like this before, but knew she was feeling something. Then she wondered if Jack, and everyone else for that matter, was correct about Charles' true feelings. He has mentioned a few times about them dating, but she always told him that they weren't dating. She informed him countless times that she wasn't dating in high school. While he did accept that, he would eventually mention them dating again. Even with all of that, Charles wasn't too pushy with their friendship. When she would shut down the dating talk, he feel back into the friendship.

"Elizabeth, I know this is new for both of us. I never imagined I would date while in school, but that was all before you. I know this sounds scary, but I would like to see where this takes us." He waved his free hand between them. "This is important to me. So, if I'm coming across as jealous, would you please tell me?"

She nodded. She heard his whole statement, but all she was concentrating on was the portion that this was important to him, and he wanted to see it through.

"Jack, Charles has always been a friend to me…" She told Jack her and Charles' whole history, from age four on. She insisted a few times that they had not dated. She did freely admit that he had asked a few times, but that was all. They have been out with friends together and even been out to the movies and to get food with just each other, but they were only out as friends. She had never thought of him as a love interest. "…I promise you that if he crosses that line, I will let you know."

"Thanks Elizabeth." He looked up to where the family was sitting, they had been lost in their conversation that they didn't realize the whole family was watching them. Instead of letting go of their pinkies, the fact that they were being watched only made them hold on even tighter to each other.

"Elizabeth…do you feel like we are being watched?"

"You would make a great detective, Mr. Thornton." She sassed as she leaned into his shoulder.

"Funny, Princess Beth."

"Jack, don't call me that! My name's Elizabeth!"

…

"Thank you for inviting us over tonight." Charlette stated as she gave her new friend a hug.

"Thanks for coming. I had a great time. We need to plan something else very soon."

"Absolutely."

Tom smiled at Julie. "You better use that." He insisted as he gave her his phone number. Julie giggled at his insistence.

"I'll think about it." She flirted. "I'll see you at school tomorrow?"

"Absolutely."

"William, do you get a feeling that we are being played here a little?" Tom asked as the two men stared at their wives talking to each other.

"I always knew you were a smart man, Tom. Something is a foot here and I get a feeling it has to do with two of our children."

"You are a smart man, William."

They watched their spouses for another moment or two. "William, thanks for having us over. We would love for you all to come to our home one evening."

"You name it, Tom. That sounds like a nice evening."

Elizabeth and Jack slowly walked from the patio into the home. She wasn't too ready to say goodbye to Jack. Tonight had been fun with family, but she greatly enjoyed spending the evening with Jack. She enjoyed the lively conversation. Even the discussion by the pool was nice. Her and Jack talked about things and worked on the resolution together. While things may not have been exactly settled, they did talk it through as a couple. She was beginning to think that Charles might be an issue moving forward with Jack. However, she could only see the pure joy of moving forward with Jack.

She stopped just in the kitchen. Everyone was already in the foyer by the front door. She turned to face Jack and he immediately reached for both of her hands. She sighed when his hands surrounded hers. It felt that her hand just belonged in his. She felt the normal tingles when their skin touched. She loved that feeling. She took a half a step to close the distance. Jack matched her actions.

"Elizabeth, I have enjoyed the evening with you."

"Me too. Thank you for coming."

"Well, I didn't have a choice. My Pa forced me too. I'm just grateful I came…and you were here." His face turned a little red. "That was a great surprise."

"I agree."

"Son, are you ready?" Tom bellowed out.

"I guess that's my que." Jack moaned. "May I text you later?"

"You better." She flirted with her tone and voice. "Jack…"

Jack leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, stopping Elizabeth's statement. His lips remained longer on her cheek than a normal kiss on the cheek. When he pulled away, she instantly missed the feeling of Jack's lips on her. He only moved back a fraction of an inch. He loved her vanilla and lavender shampoo. She shivered at his breath on her cheek.

"I love the vanilla and lavender smell."

"Thank you."

"I also love your perfume. The Cloud is now my favorite."

She barely leaned in to place her cheek on his cheek. She had to touch him again. She was hoping he would kiss her. Even in that excitement, she was terrified he would. She had never kissed a boy before, but that was all she could think of right now.

While she couldn't see his face, she felt his smile grow. She knew exactly what he looked like. She had already memorized that expression in her mind. She visibly shivered when he spoke.

"Soon…Elizabeth…soon." He kissed her on the cheek again before releasing her hands and walking away.

She stood frozen in place. She raised her hand to cover the place on her cheek where his lips were just touching her.

"Soon." She whispered as she watched Jack walk out of the kitchen.