It was a beautiful summer evening in Hope Valley. Nathan Grant was beginning to remember how much he had once loved this town, as he stood on the dock looking across the pond. He hadn't ever planned to come back, but life had a way of throwing curve balls when he least expected them. Robert had requested to be stationed in his hometown after marrying Allie nearly three years ago, and Nathan helped make that happen, since he had just received a promotion from Inspector to Superintendent while serving in Union City. Even though his 30 years of service were up a few months ago, Nathan had hoped to remain with the Mounties a little while longer. But the injury had changed everything.
Suddenly feeling very tired, Nathan turned to move away from the dock. He walked slowly, cursing the cane he still needed to help steady himself. Unexpectedly, he viewed a familiar woman with long chestnut brown hair, in a light summer dress, moving toward him. Images from the past flashed through his mind as his heart sped up, remembering feelings he once experienced for her, but never expressed. Why is she here now? he wondered. No one warned me she was back. Nathan noticed she looked away as he got closer.
When he was only a few feet away, barely able to get anything audible out of his mouth, he almost whispered: "Elizabeth?"
A look of shock spread across her face when she looked him in the eyes, mouth gaping open. Her only response was: "Nathan Grant?"
Had it really been over a decade since the two of them had lived in Hope Valley? So much had changed, but Nathan could barely see any evidence that Elizabeth had aged at all. "I had no idea you were back in Hope Valley," he stammered, still in awe she was standing right in front of him. "I've only been back here for a week. I don't get around very well yet, so not many people even know I'm here."
Elizabeth looked him over, and decided that beyond a few wrinkles and some graying hair at his temples, Nathan was still one of the most handsome men she had ever seen. His striking blue eyes seemed to pierce her to the very core when their eyes met, and his classic casual dress with suspenders and a light blue shirt, partially unbuttoned, made her heart skip a beat. Though they had never talked about having feelings for one another after he came to town as the Mountie replacement for Jack, she knew there had been a mutual attraction. He had even said she mattered to him. Always longing for Nathan to ask her out, when he never did, she simply went with what was easy and comfortable when Lucas pursued her heavily. After Lucas had proposed, Nathan accepted a new offer to become Inspector. He moved to Union City with Allie, where she could also attend a more advanced school before going to college.
Realizing she hadn't said anything for a few minutes as she was lost in her thoughts of the past, she intuitively moved in for a hug. "It's so good to see you again, Nathan." She heard him groan a little when she hugged him, so she backed off quickly. "I'm so sorry. You're hurt, and that was careless of me. Are you ok? Can I help you get back home?"
"Don't be sorry. I'm fine," Nathan assured her, reaching out and lightly touching her arm. "I'm still recovering from my final, career-ending injury I received as a Mountie. Doctors say I'll make a mostly full recovery, but not enough to stay on the force. I was getting kicked out soon anyway since I had put in 30 years, but it was an abrupt ending I didn't foresee."
"That's horrible," Elizabeth said apologetically. "Are you staying with Allie? I just saw her and Robert and found out they are living in Rosemary and Lee's old house. And you are going to be a Grandfather? How wonderful for you!"
Nathan's face lit up in excitement at the mention of the new baby. "Now, I don't think I'm old enough to be a Grandpa. I guess I feel old enough, especially with this bum leg. But seeing Allie become a mother...there's just nothing like it in the world. She insisted I come stay with them when I got out of the hospital, even though I feel guilty having her help me in her condition." He moved a bit and winced in pain, but continued. "How's Jack? I bet he's taller than you by now."
Chuckling softly, Elizabeth nodded. "I now have a better appreciation of what it was like for you to parent Allie as a teenager on your own. That couldn't have been easy. Allie and Jack are both good kids, but I sure wish he had a father to help guide him through growing up to be a man. And yes, he is taller than me, and even a bit taller than his dad was."
Squeals and laughter interrupted Elizabeth's train of thought, and she knew just who it was coming from. Jack appeared with Daniel and Daisy. Lee and Rosemary followed closely behind. Elizabeth waved and they all rushed over to where she was talking to Nathan.
"I better go. I'm sure dinner is almost over at Allie and Robert's house, and I could really give this leg a rest. Elizabeth, it was good to see you again. I'm sure I'll see you around while we are both in town." He began to limp away, saying a quick hello to the kids and Coulters on his way back to the row houses.
Rosemary swiftly moved to Elizabeth and started peppering her with questions. "I heard rumors Nathan was staying with Allie and Robert, but he has kept a very low profile. Did he talk about how he was injured and why he left the Mounties? You two looked like you were thick as thieves just like the old days." She turned to her husband. "Lee, have you heard anything about Nathan being back?"
Lee nodded thoughtfully. "I did hear Robert mention it at the Mercantile the other day, but I don't think Nathan has decided what to do when he is fully healed. He hasn't moved all of his things from his house in Union City yet. No one really knows how he got injured, and surprisingly Robert has become very tight lipped since he joined the Mounties."
Taking everything in and trying to sort through the many feelings that were coursing through her, Elizabeth turned her focus to Jack and the twins on the dock. She walked over where Jack was standing and a flashback of playing with him in that exact spot when Nathan rode up on Newton and asked her what was in her heart stopped her in her tracks. Had she really ever considered that Nathan had been her writing inspiration all along? Lucas had used his connections to get her a book deal, but without Nathan, she wouldn't have been able to get her deepest thoughts down on paper. Another realization she either hadn't thought about, or had tried to deny, made her stop and think. She had not been able to write anything worthy of being published since Nathan and Allie moved away from Hope Valley, leaving a gaping hole in her heart. She had cared for them very deeply, but the timing always seemed off, and something had always been holding him back from pursuing a relationship more than friendship with her.
"Mom, do you remember all the times we came here when I was young? You loved this spot." Jack grinned like a little boy. "I remember seeing Constable Grant riding by on his big brown horse, and I would pretend it was my dad coming home to us in his Mountie uniform. He was always so nice to me, and so was Allie. Is she really married to Robert who would babysit me sometimes, and is he really the new constable?"
Elizabeth smiled at the memories. "Yes. In fact, I just ran into Robert and Allie. They are married and expecting their first child." Jack was right. Nathan was always watching out for them the entire time he lived in Hope Valley. She also did her best to make him feel welcome when people were having a hard time accepting him as her husband's replacement. Maybe it was the bond felt by law enforcement officers and their families that caused the two of them to have a connection. Or was it something deeper? Feeling weary, Elizabeth just wanted to shut off her brain and go to bed early. It had been a busy few weeks with finalizing the sale of her parents' house, packing all of their belongings, and making the long and tiring journey west. Emotionally, it had been taxing on her as she closed the chapter of her growing up years and the life she had in Hamilton.
A look of understanding passed between the two best friends, and Rosemary encouraged everyone to head back to the car so they could go home and get ready for bed after a long day. She knew at some point Elizabeth would want to talk about it, but tonight was not the right time. As they drove home, Elizabeth was content to quietly listen to the chatter of the twins talking excitedly with Jack about the candy they had gotten to share when they got home.
"Where is he?" Allie asked out loud, mostly to herself. She knew her dad was stubborn and thought he could do more physically than he actually could or should. "He said he was just walking to the pond and back before you got home and we ate dinner, but it shouldn't have taken him this long."
Robert walked over and began softly rubbing his wife's shoulders. "I'm sure he's fine, but if you want me to walk over to the pond to check on him I will."
Before she could answer, the door opened and Nathan limped into the house. "I'm sorry if I worried you," he apologized. "I'm pretty tired, so I think I'll just turn in for the night." He stopped and kissed Allie's forehead on his way to the guest room on the main floor, which had been built on in the remodel, along with a bathroom that had indoor plumbing. As he shut the bedroom door, he leaned against it for a moment to catch his breath. He felt more emotionally than physically exhausted, and just wanted to be alone with his thoughts.
No one had prepared Nathan for the possibility of running into the one woman from his past that he had been in love with, and could have seen himself marrying. When he had observed Lucas making his move to court Elizabeth, Nathan didn't feel like he could compete with the fancy dates and life of luxury she could have with Lucas, compared to the Mountie lifestyle she knew all too well. Then there was the secret about Fort Clay that he had never found the right time to tell her about. Once he heard about Elizabeth's engagement to Lucas, he knew staying would be too painful. When another Inspector position opened up, he put in for the promotion and immediately took the job when it was offered to him. Leaving Hope Valley was a lot easier knowing he had done his duty to look after Jack Thornton's widow and son, until someone else came along to be their protector.
After a year, Bill let Nathan know Elizabeth had broken her engagement and moved back to Hamilton with little Jack to take care of her ailing parents. His heart hurt for a long time, knowing he could have fought for her, and didn't, when he lived in Hope Valley. He always knew love was worth fighting for, but back then he just couldn't bring himself to fight for the widow of a fellow Mountie. Especially one that he felt directly responsible for his death. Nathan put all of his energy into Allie's education and his career. He was set up on dates by fellow officers a few times. All were very lovely women, but he didn't feel for them what he knew was possible to feel for a woman, and didn't want to waste their time.
Shaking himself out of the past, Nathan slowly moved to his bed where he carefully removed his boots, threw down the cane, and tried to find a comfortable position that didn't cause his leg to throb all night. He was too tired to even change out of his clothes, and once he wasn't in excruciating pain, he fell asleep with visions of Elizabeth Thornton dancing in his head.
Elizabeth was wide awake, even though everyone else in the house was sound asleep. She had forgotten how quiet things were in the country, unlike the noises of the city that helped lull her to sleep every night for the past several years. She got up and took a drink of water from her cup on the nightstand, and looked out the window at the moon and stars that lit up the sky. Seeing Nathan had really thrown her for a loop, and she couldn't shake the way he affected her, even though it had been over a decade since their last encounter. She wanted to know all of the details surrounding his injury, and couldn't believe he was no longer a Mountie. He had seemed sad and unsure of his future, mirroring her own mental state at the moment. Yes, she would be teaching school for now, but she still wasn't sure about renting the row house or when a home could be built for them on Jack's land.
Opening her bag, Elizabeth pulled out the two books she had kept with her on the train. A copy of Little Women, and a journal that she hadn't been able to bring herself to write in for months. She put the novel back in her bag and opened up the journal. All at once, words scattered across the page as pen met paper. Finally, the floodgates had opened up and she was able to write what was in her heart. Elizabeth wrote of the grief she felt when her father lost his health battles last year, and how he had gone downhill after his beloved wife passed on a few short years earlier. She had always expected them both to live so much longer, but it wasn't meant to be. Sometimes she was mad at God for taking them so soon, but then she felt deep gratitude that she got them for as much of her life as she did. Her thoughts went to Allie, who had lost her mother when she was just a little girl. Tears began to fall and wouldn't stop. She closed her journal and leaned back on the pillows, sobbing quietly until exhaustion took over and she fell fast asleep.
Because he had gone to bed so early and skipped dinner, Nathan woke up bright and early with his leg aching and stomach growling. He decided to brew some tea with natural painkillers and eat something, before running a bath to help soothe his healing injury. Hoping he wouldn't wake up Robert and Allie on a Saturday morning, he worked as quietly in the kitchen as possible. But to his chagrin, his daughter made her way down the stairs a few minutes later.
"Dad, why don't you sit down and let me get your tea and cook you some eggs, bacon, and toast." Allie pulled out a kitchen chair and motioned for Nathan to sit. "I'm sure your leg is sore, and I could hear your tummy rumbling from upstairs. You shouldn't have skipped dinner last night, knowing that getting enough nourishment is crucial in your recovery. Are you going to tell me what happened on your walk? Can I assume it has something to do with Mrs. Thornton?"
Nathan's head shot up at the mention of Elizabeth and his eyes narrowed. "Allie, did you have something to do with her coming back to Hope Valley?"
Finishing up making the tea, Allie sat for a moment at the table and handed Nathan the mug of soothing hot liquid. "I may have suggested Mrs. Thornton to replace me at the school while I'm home with my baby, but that was before I knew you would be coming back. I just didn't know how to tell you, and she came a little sooner than I expected. She still doesn't even know I'm the one who gave the board her name. Drink your tea, and I'll work on the rest of breakfast."
As much as Nathan wanted to have Allie rest while he made her food, his leg was not cooperating enough for him to do that. "How are you feeling this morning, sweetie? Is my grandbaby giving you any grief?"
Allie turned and gave him her best eye roll, but her face was also beaming. "I'm feeling good, but this baby sure likes to kick a lot, especially when I'm trying to sleep. With just a few months left, it is starting to get pretty uncomfortable. But I don't want you to worry about me. I'm still very capable of taking care of you, and I expect you to let me do it so you heal properly." She brought two plates of food to the table, said a quick blessing, and the two of them began eating together.
"We don't need to wait for Robert?" Nathan wondered. "I didn't think he was on duty this weekend."
Allie shook her head. "He's not, but I'm letting him sleep longer this morning. I sometimes keep him awake with all my tossing and turning as I try to get comfortable. I'll make him a plate when he gets up. Do you need me to run you a bath?"
Putting a hand over hers, Nathan felt a burst of pride at the woman his daughter had become. Taking his niece in at a young age and raising her on his own had not been what he had envisioned for his life, but she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Bill Avery had been the one to encourage Nathan to officially adopt Allie when her biological father, Dylan Parks, showed up wanting to cause trouble. After sending Dylan to prison for a good long while, Nathan did officially adopt Allie the summer before they moved to Union City. She was his joy, and he couldn't wait to add a grandchild into the mix. Not having a biological child of his own was something he had mourned when he hit 40, but eventually he accepted it and moved forward with gratitude for what he did have.
"You relax while I get my own bath ready and soak my leg for a while. I'm not a complete invilid. I have to be completely healed and ready to run soon, so I can help you chase that little rugrat around. Are you still thinking it's a girl? Or will Robert get his dream of a son to play baseball with?"
Allie rubbed her belly and smiled. "I just have a feeling it's a girl, and I'm going to name her Colleen after my mom. But if it is a boy, that's alright too. You know what they say: 'As long as the baby's healthy'".
"Amen," Nathan agreed. "Thanks again for breakfast. Make Robert do the dishes for you once he wakes up." They both laughed as he headed to the bathroom for a nice long soak in the tub.
By the time Elizabeth woke up, the house was a flurry of activity. She quickly dressed and brushed her hair before going to the kitchen. It was obvious everyone else had eaten, but they had saved her a plate of food that was covered and being kept warm on the stove. She grabbed the plate, poured a glass of orange juice, and sat down to enjoy the first real home cooked meal she'd had in a while.
Rosemary drifted in, holding a feather duster. "Oh good, you're awake. I hope we didn't disturb you, but Saturday is when we clean the house and get things in order for the week. I thought later you might want to go with me into town to do a little shopping. Also, the landlord of your old row house is available to meet if you want to take a look. No pressure."
Since her breakdown the night before, Elizabeth felt much lighter and ready to face all of the decisions she needed to make in relation to their move back to Hope Valley. "That actually sounds good. Where's Jack?"
Rosemary set her duster on the counter, and sat across the table from Elizabeth. "He offered to help Lee with a last-minute delivery at the sawmill. Hopefully that is okay with you, but he was so excited to do some manual labor for his Uncle Lee. Daniel and Daisy stayed to clean their rooms and complete their other chores so they can take Jack to our neighbor's house. They want to show him all of their animals, including the beautiful horses."
Grateful for the blessing of the Coulters in her and Jack's life, Elizabeth took Rosemary by the hand. "Thank you for everything, my incredible friend. Nothing about the past 15 years has been easy, but I'm not sure I would have even survived without your support."
"We are family, Elizabeth. You are my sister, and you have been there for me just as often," Rosemary had tears in her eyes as she spoke. "When I lost hope of ever having a child, you encouraged me to not give up or lose faith. And when I did get pregnant, I could have never made it through that difficult pregnancy with the twins if you hadn't been right next door for me to always call on whenever I needed anything." She looked Elizabeth in the eye before continuing. "You've had so much loss, but I am here to make sure the next years of your life are full of love, laughter, and joy."
Sharing an emotional hug, both women felt overwhelmed with gratitude for one another. Elizabeth said a silent prayer of thanksgiving, that God had sent her good and true friends who would always be there for her no matter what. She also thanked Him for bringing her back to this beautiful little town where she really grew up, found love, and built meaningful relationships. Without warning, her mind suddenly turned to Nathan Grant. She asked God to heal him, and bring him comfort and peace. Elizabeth ended the prayer and closed her eyes to ponder. Once again, the image of Nathan at the dock posing the question: "What's in your heart?" ran through her mind. She hoped being home would help her find the answer.