Chapter 68

After parking it in his normal parking spot beside the water fountain, Jack stepped out of his truck. He couldn't help but chuckle when he looked at the fancy fountain. He could easily imagine a huge mountain of bubbles, a young Elizabeth staring in amazement, holding an empty dishwashing soap bottle in her hands with a huge smile. He also thought of the cartoon, Richie Rich. After all, how many people had fountains in the middle of their driveway? He reached for a duffle bag lying on his bench seat. He closed his truck door, and before taking his first step, he looked up and noticed Elizabeth standing on the top step. She had her hand clenched in front of her, gently swaying from side to side. How is she so stinking cute?!" He whispered to himself while shaking his head. Somehow, this lady had a way of capturing him without even trying. He couldn't understand it, but he knew it to be true.

"Well, look at you…the Student of the Fall award looks good on you." Jack stated as he stepped closer.

"While that was nice, I don't think that's what has me in a good mood."

"And what has you in a good mood?" He stepped on the top step. He couldn't help himself. He had to kiss her on the cheek.

"You." She whispered.

Jack smiled at her answer. His dimples beginning to appear. She was momentarily lost in those deep dimples. "Good grief…" She stated in her mind. Now, she couldn't resist. She had to kiss his cheek.

"I missed you." She gave him her most perfect smile.

"I love you." Jack returned her smile with his dimpled smile. He knew what she was doing.

"Jarrick!" She warned him playfully.

"Are you ready?"

"What's the bag for?" She nodded toward the bag he was holding in his hand.

"Our date." His smile continued to grow.

"You brought your basketball duffle bag for our date?" The confusion was evident in her tone.

Jack gave her a silly grin. He could easily see her confusion and maybe a little questioning on why a used duffle bag was necessary for a date. This wasn't going in the direction she was hoping for. After all, this was really their first Friday night date that didn't involve a sporting event.

"Do you trust me?" Jack raised his eyebrows in a challenge.

Elizabeth noticed the challenge in his tone and facial expression. While she wasn't too excited about a duffle bag and what that actually may mean, her excitement was beginning to grow because of his challenge. Her eyes slowly left his face down to his perfect kissable lips and then traced down until they landed on his extended pinky. She loved and hated that he drew her in so easily and completely with a simple facial expression.

"Of course." She softly stated as she extended her pinky and wrapped it around his. "But our date involves your old, stinky basketball duffle bag?"

"Hey!" He tried to sound offended. "My duffle bag isn't old!"

She giggled at his defense of his sports bag. She also noticed he omitted the 'stinky' portion of her description.

"Let's go…oh, and you're driving."

"Me?" She asked, shocked. Jack usually drove whenever they went somewhere together. "Where are we going?"

"Come on, Princess Beth. We need to get going?"

"Jarrick Thornton! You know that's not my name! I thought we were way past this." She stated with her hands on her hips.

Jack looked over his shoulder with his little patent smirking grin of him. She huffed at the power that little thing held over her.

…

Steven and Connie met up with Steph and Cory after school. They made plans to get a milkshake after school. Like Jack and Elizabeth, they looked forward to their first Friday night date. Steven and Connie walked into Abagail's café about five minutes after Cory and Steph arrived. Steph raised her hand to catch Connie's attention. Steph gave Connie a hug as Cory and Steven fist-bumped each other.

"Hey, brother."

"Hey man, what are you up to?"

"Taking Steph to dinner and movies later. You?"

"Nice. Taking Connie to Racheal's."

"Rachael's…? Dude, you know that's a dinner place with dancing?"

Steven shook his head in disbelief that he was actually going there. Steven wasn't a guy who danced. However, he knew how much Connie loved to dance. She has mentioned it a couple of times. He thought she would love it. So, he finally took the hint and decided to jump off the cliff for his girlfriend.

"Fellas, we'll be right back," Steph stated. She and Connie quickly walked to the bathroom.

"Is Steven really taking you to Racheal's?"

"Can you believe it?" Connie giggled. "He knows I like to dance. So…"

"Wow!" Steph stopped walking. She turned around and glanced back at Steven. She would never have guessed he would have gone to a place like that in a million years. "Can he dance?"

"Nope." Connie giggled. She was greatly impressed that he would offer to take her, even if he made a fool of himself. She knew her boyfriend would do anything for her. She loved him even more because of it. "Do you remember when the guys did that little singing and dancing thing to ask us out for Valentine's Day?"

"Awe man…how could I forget that!?"

"Steph…I'm so excited I can't stand it!" She giggled like a little girl.

"You go, girl! Good for you!"

…

"Jack…" Elizabeth's voice was a little frustrated. Jack didn't just come out and tell her where they were going. He would only tell her where to turn when they were approaching the road. "You can't just not tell me where to go."

Jack didn't even try to hide his laughter. He knew how nosey his girlfriend could be, especially when she really wanted to know something. His grin wasn't helping her frustrations of being in the dark. "Jack…" She whined a little bit.

"I thought you trusted me?"

"I do…it's just…" Elizabeth's voice trailed off at his growing smirk. While she loved him with all of her heart, she would like to pinch his head off at the moment. She huffed her frustration.

Jack reached for her hand, which was resting on her armrest. "Ok, my little impatient love, " he said smoothly, with a hint of flirting in his tone. "I hope you are okay with what I have planned."

"Will I be with you?"

"Of course."

"Perfect. Then where are we going?"

Jack only shook his head. She was relentless in her pursuit of finding out the plans.

"Is this how it's always going to be?"

"When you purposefully keep me in the dark, yes."

"I am not purposefully keeping you in the dark. I am surprising you."

"Jarrick." She warned him.

"Turn left just ahead." He nodded his head.

"Fort Mountain." She read the road sign. "What's Fort Mountain?"

"Elizabeth Thatcher," Jack warned her. "Stop trying to figure everything out and enjoy the journey and the company."

Again, she huffed at his teasing. She loved that he thought enough of her to surprise her with a night out. She just wanted to know where they were going.

"Now, go one mile, and you will see a green sign with an arrow pointing left. Take that turn, and we will be there."

"There isn't anything out here."

"Not too much, but we will be safe. Now, tell me…"

"Tell you what?" She stated as she turned left where he told her to. She quickly looked in his direction.

"How much you love me." He sassed her as he wiggled his eyebrows.

…

Steven jumped out of his car and quickly walked around the front of the car without taking his eyes off Connie. She loved it when he did that. He opened the door and extended his hand to help her out of the car.

"Thank you," Connie stated as she stood up. She kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for tonight."

"You're welcome. Now, I am not promising tonight will go well. Actually, I can guarantee you I will step on your toes."

"I don't care, Steven. I know this isn't your thing…it just means so much to me that you would think of doing this. This is already perfect." Her voice was full of love.

"Keep thinking that after I step on your toes for the countless times, " he said as she kissed his cheek. The act of taking her dancing when he feared it so much really moved her to her core.

"Come on, sweet man."

Steven let out a deep sigh. "Oh…I forgot to say it earlier…" He swallowed. The fear of the night battled against him the whole time. "…you look beautiful tonight."

"Thank you."

Steven escorted Connie into Rachael's to a smiling young lady at the front desk. Rachael's was a little upper-scale restaurant known for a nice dinner and an open dance floor. During the week, they would play canned music, but on the weekends, they would have a live band. While it wasn't a hard-core dance club, the dinner and night of dancing were perfect for individuals who love to dance. Connie sighed at the atmosphere. She has heard about it for a while now, but she has never been. She smiled as Steven placed his hand on her lower back. They followed the young lady to a table that already had two glasses of water waiting for them and a beautiful, small vase of six roses. It was the only table that had roses. The other tables had a variation of wildflowers. She knew Steven had arranged it.

Steven pulled out her chair and then pushed it in as she settled into it. After she settled, he placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze. She kept her eyes on him as he walked around the small table to take his seat. A couple of seconds later, she scooted her chair closer to him. She had to be beside him. She wasn't happy being on the other side of the table. She knew she had made the right decision when his smile grew.

"Hi." He whispered as she settled beside him. Their legs were barely touching.

"Hi." She returned in the same tone.

Their short conversation ended when the waitress suddenly appeared.

"Oh…"

"Don't think anything of it, dear." The waitress gave a knowing smile to the young lady. "Distance doesn't help the food taste any better; plus, it makes dancing harder. Now, what would the lovely couple like to drink?"

The waitress smiled as Connie and Steven placed their orders. She went over the highlights of the menu and gave them a few minutes to look over the menu. When they placed their food order a couple of moments later, when the waitress returned with their drinks, Steven stood and extended his hand. He let out a long, stressed sigh.

"Connie, may I have this dance?"

Part of Connie felt bad for her boyfriend's struggle. The other part of her was so excited she could hardly stand it. She made a conscious effort to make this evening the best for Steven as she could. This wasn't his thing, yet he planned the whole thing just for her. She was going to reciprocate the loving gesture as much as she could.

"I would love to dance with you."

As she stood, she kissed him gently on the cheek.

"I'm going to do one big I'm sorry for all the times I'm going to hurt you by stepping on your toes or embarrassing you."

"Steven…this is perfect. Thank you for such a loving gesture. I greatly appreciate it more than you can imagine." Her voice was so loving as she looked into his eyes.

His smile rewarded her.

"Come on, pretty lady. It's time to show you off to everyone."

…

"Jack, what is this place?"

"This is Fort Mountain State Park. You've never been here?"

"No."

"It's only forty-five minutes from your hometown."

"It's beautiful." She whispered as she slowly turned around to take in the whole view.

Jack smiled as she reached into her back seat and pulled out his duffle bag. "Take a walk with me?" he said, extending his right hand with his pinky outstretched for her to take.

She looked at his face momentarily before reaching for his pinky. In her opinion, this is becoming a great Friday date.

Jack led her down a small trail for about ten minutes. It was just big enough for two people to walk side by side. The trees were thick on both sides of them. Suddenly, the trees opened up to a huge rock cliff that overlooked the valley. The young couple swore you could see for miles and miles. The top surface of the rock was about twenty-five feet wide and twelve feet deep to the edge. The drop-off was at least seventy-five feet. The view from the rock was breathtaking. She stood looking from left to right, trying to take in the entirety of the view.

Jack sat down the duffle bag. He pulled out his phone and took a picture of Elizabeth. He was about six feet behind her. He loved the picture. It showed his girlfriend and the beautiful view. As she continued taking in the view, he pulled the items from his duffle bag.

First, he pulled out a blanket. He laid it down on the rock and spread it out. Then he pulled out a full container of Abagail's chicken fingers and another one of her famous fries. There was also a large piece of chocolate cake for them to share. To top it all off, Abagail gave them a generous container of her world-famous Ranch dressing. Then he pulled out a small wireless speaker. He pulled up his playlist on his phone after sneaking another photo of Elizabeth as she continued to look out over the valley. She was completely lost in the view. He tapped a couple of buttons on his phone. Soft, romantic music began to flow quietly through the speaker.

The music broke through Elizabeth's concentration on the view. A smile began to overtake her face before she turned around. It wasn't because of the gorgeous view.

"Jack..." She whispered. His smile and his eyes completely captured her in that moment.

"Elizabeth…would you dance with me?"

She took a moment to take in all of her boyfriend. He was gorgeous standing there with his smile. Her eyes fell to the ground. That's when she noticed the blanket and the containers of food. Her eyes focused on the speaker and then lifted back to her boyfriend. Jack had his hand outstretched toward her. Her smile grew even more at his gesture.

"I would love to dance with you." She whispered.

The young couple took a couple of steps closer and walked into open arms. Jack took her right hand and held it between their chests. He used his other hand and placed it on her lower back. Gently, yet with purpose, he pulled her closer to him until they were pressed against each other. Their eyes locked on each other.

The atmosphere, the view, the music, and the presence of the love of their lives were everything. The evening was so intimate and loving. The young couple swayed perfectly in sync, like they had done this together their whole lives.

"I love you, Elizabeth." Jack's soft voice finally broke through the long silence.

"I love you, Jarrick."

…

Steven had lucked out on his first dance. Without planning it, but extremely grateful, their first dance was a slow song. Even Steven could slow dance. After all, he had to hold his girlfriend and slowly sway from side to side. When the song ended, they noticed their waitress walked to their table with their drinks and appetizers. The live band picked up the tempo of the next song almost immediately when the slow song ended.

When the music changed, Connie could see the struggle in her boyfriend's face. "Our drinks were just delivered to our table, " she mentioned as she stepped back. She was giving her boyfriend an out so he wouldn't have to dance. She knew how difficult this was for him.

Instead of stepping toward their table, he nodded toward the band. He took a step back and extended his arms to his side. "You don't come to Racheal's to only sit at the table and eat." He wiggled his eyebrows playfully. "Come on, beautiful. Show me how to dance."

Connie lovingly giggled as Steven began to move. While he wasn't very good at dancing, he wasn't as bad as he thought. She began to dance as she walked in front of him.

"Slow down some." She whispered. "Nothing too quick or too jerky." She instructed him quietly.

…

"Ok…here's the rule."

"Rule?" Viola asked as they grabbed for their coffee and pastry at the local shop.

"Two actually," Ted stated as he turned to find a table for them.

"Two?" Viola frowned. "I have a feeling I'm not going to like this."

"I thought you liked rules?"

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Rule number one." Ted raised his index finger. "You are not in charge tomorrow."

"What does that mean?" Viola huffed.

"There is a foreman that is in charge, but mainly, you are not my boss. Remember, I have done this for a long time. This is your second time."

"What do you mean?"

"The last time, which was your first time, you got bossy and pushy when you caught on what you were doing."

"I did no such thing."

"Huh, humm." Ted nodded his head.

"Ok…maybe I did a little." She embarrassingly whispered.

"A little?" Ted chuckled. "You acted like you've done this for years."

"I loved it."

"Secondly, you can't go all out like you did before. You were a vicious slave driver. You can't push like that."

"Ted, we needed to get it done."

"Yes, and it will be done. We just don't have to do it in four hours."

"We'll be just fine." She waved her hand in the air, dismissing the thought.

"My roommate isn't dating that message therapist anymore."

"Oh…"

"Yeah." Ted laughed. He reached for her hand. "Now, let's enjoy our evening before you become my slave-driving boss tomorrow."

"Pull your own weight, and I won't have to gently push you." She flirted as she looked up through her eyelashes.

Ted's heart melted at her teasing and sassiness. The glow in Viola's eyes was hypnotizing.

…

After dinner, Connie was shocked that Steven initiated them to dance on several occasions. While he wasn't the perfect dancer, Connie was greatly impressed that he was so willing to do something that made him so uncomfortable. Plus, he followed her instructions and improved over the course of the evening. He would never become a professional dancer, nor did he desire to. However, he enjoyed dancing with his girlfriend.

They lost track of how many dances they had. After their meal, they basically stayed on the dance floor, only occasionally taking a break for a quick drink. Afterward, Steven would pull his girlfriend back on the dance floor. They stayed so long that they gave up their table and just took a break at the little bar area off to the side.

While they were exhausted from all the dancing, the young couple loved every second of their date.

"Steven," Connie stated as they approached his car. "Thank you for tonight."

"You're welcome."

"Steven…" She stated again. She stopped walking and turned to face him in the parking lot. He had to know how grateful she was for this incredible date. She had thanked him throughout the night. Those words didn't seem to proclaim what she wanted to say to him. With no other words coming to mind, she did the only thing that she could think of…she kissed him. The kiss began as a soft, loving kiss. Then, it turned into a passionate kiss that knocked Steven's socks off.

"Wow…" Steven's voice tailed off when the kiss finally ended. "I think I need to take you dancing more often." He stuttered due to his brain not working completely.

Connie could only giggle at her boyfriend. She really did love this guy.

"I think I owe you."

"Are you kidding me?" Steven said, shaking his head. I got to spend the whole evening with you, and you had this huge smile on your face the whole time. I feel like I owe you."

She kissed him again. "Come on, you promised me some ice cream."

…

After their picnic and a few golden hour pictures with the gorgeous view behind them, Jack and Elizabeth took a walk before the sun set too much so they couldn't see. The trail was wide enough for them to walk side by side, holding hands. The evening was filled with pleasant conversation, plenty of laughs, and loving gestures. The pictures were beautiful with the sun's light and the view. The walk was simply perfect, in their opinion. The evening was just perfect.

"Jack, thank you for the greatest evening." Elizabeth gently whispered with an airy breath. They had just stepped on her front porch. The first Friday date was more than she could ever dream of. The date wasn't flashy or showy by any means. However, she would not have changed a single thing about it.

"I enjoyed our time together."

"Me too."

Jack kissed her on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow for Julie's birthday party."

"Yes, it begins at one. You may come a little earlier if you want."

"I may do that."

"But first…" She ended her sentence when she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him into a passionate kiss.

…

"And your date?" Steph asked.

"Oh, Steph…" Connie began as she and Steph settled on Elizabeth's bed. She was sitting on her little bench seat under her window in her favorite spot. "It was all just perfect. I think the most surprising thing was that Steven actually improved while we danced."

"Really?" Elizabeth asked, giggling.

"Yeah…he really did."

"How many times did you two dance? Two? Three?"

"No, Steph. I lost count after ten. He just kept pulling me onto the dance floor."

"You've got to be kidding?"

"I know Elizabeth. I was just as shocked as you are. I thought we would dance once or twice, but we danced the whole night. Slow and fast dances."

"Huh…" Steph absentmindedly stated. "Cory most certainly needs to step up his game. If Steven will do something way out of his comfort zone, Cory most certainly can. And you?" She turned her attention to Elizabeth's bench.

"It wasn't as grand as Connie's date, but it was perfect. Jack took me to Fort Mountain. We had a picnic with our favorite foods from Abagail's on this huge rock cliff that overlooked a large valley. I swear we could see miles and miles. He had a small speaker he played music from, and we danced. We took several pictures of the golden time with the sun, which was just perfect. Then we walked the trail for a little while."

"Wow! That sounds just perfect." Steph stated. "Oh…Cory has so much to make up for. We just went to a simple dinner and movie."

Connie and Elizabeth giggled. They both enjoyed their particular dates. Steph was excited for her best friends, but she was a little jealous of their great night out.

I remember all the times you would swoon over Cory doing special things for you."

"He has done some really good things…but you two had great nights last night."

"We did." Elizabeth and Connie stated together.

"Come on… we can help Mother finish the things for Julie's birthday."

"I can't believe she scaled things down."

"I know, right?" Elizabeth shook her head. "I just knew it would be the biggest event in Hamilton for the last two decades. However, it was Julie who scaled everything back."

"I believe little Ms. Julie has matured a lot."

"I agree, Steph."

…

Julie's birthday party was great. While it wasn't spectacular like everyone assumed it was going to be, it was very nice and everything Juile asked for. William and Tom grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken breasts. Jack helped as much as he could by making sure there was plenty of meat to put on the grill and taking care of the containers with the finished meat. William did allow him to flip a few burgers. The men laughed and enjoyed each other's company.

Charlette was in the kitchen with Grace, finishing up on the toppings for everything. Their conversation began with their children and their relationships, but it quickly turned to just general topics. Their friendship was much more than their children being together.

Julie made her way around the family and her friends, talking with each one of them. She convinced Tom to hang out with her. She didn't want him to be too far away from her. Their time together was an important aspect of her birthday. She was also excited about their first date in a few hours. She didn't know exactly what Tom had planned, but she didn't care. She would be with him, and that was enough for her.

Elizabeth, Connie, and Steph were all finishing up with the paper plates and pouring drinks in cups. They were trying to prepare a few things on the table outside to make things flow easier.

"That's it. I think we are finished here. What about the boys outside?"

Charlette leaned forward to look out the French doors. "William and Thomas are standing back, watching Jack flip the burgers. They're laughing at something."

"I can't believe he allows Jack to run the grill." Grace could only shake her head. "That son of yours has found a special place in that man's heart."

"I agree. He thinks the world of William but is still a little nervous around him."

"I'm surprised he is still nervous around him."

Charlette laughed out loud at her friend's statement.

"What?"

"Oh, Grace, he is a little nervous around William but still scared of you."

"Scared of me? What are you talking about, Charlette? He isn't afraid of me."

"Of Grace, that son of mine is terrified he will disappoint you or somehow make you unhappy."

"Me?" She asked, shocked.

"He respects William a great deal, but Grace, he is scared to death of you."

"Nonsense. Charlette. he acts just like a son to me. He calls me mom, and he is always so kind to me."

"Exactly. Just like he is afraid of disappointing me, he is the same way with you. He loves you that much."
Grace was quiet for a moment. She really did love that boy.

Charlette reached for her friend's arm. "I am so happy that you are in my son's life. He thinks the world of you. He isn't terrified that you will beat him or anything like that. He just loves you so much that he doesn't want to let you down or disappoint you in any way."

"That young man could never let me down. It just isn't in him. Plus, I love him just like he is my own son. I may not be happy with him if he does something really stupid, but I would never stop loving that boy."

Charlette lightly squeezed her friend's arm. "I am the same way with your middle child. She is a special young lady."

"Now, what are we going to do with our youngest children?"

Charlette laughed. "Julie had helped my Tom to grow up and mature a little. I wouldn't change a thing. Julie is good for him."

"Tom is just as good for Julie, too. I'm not saying they'll get married, but I am happy with their relationship."

"And Ted and Viola?"

"William said that Ted approached him with the hopes of them growing together for a lifelong relationship."

"I guess our families will be joined forever."

"And I couldn't be happier."

"Me too."

…

"Have you called your sister yet?"

"No," Viola stated as she stood up from the two-by-fours and her trusty nail gun. "You haven't stopped long enough for me to take five minutes."

"Me?!" Gasped Ted. "You're the one who hasn't stopped for one minute. You haven't even allowed me to take a drink of water."

"What do you mean?" Sassed Viola.

"Ted…what do you think you're doing? We have work to do." He tried to mimic her voice as he placed his hands on her hips just like she did.

"I…well…"

"Yeah, slave driver."

"I just want to do a good job and get this house done. Mrs. Williams deserves it. That poor woman has been through so much."

"She has. She does deserve this. However, you know we will not be able to walk in a couple of days."

"Are you still in good with your roommate's ex?"

"I haven't talked to her since they broke up."

"Why not?"

"Bro code."

"That's silly."

"Maybe, but let's stop for lunch. You can call your sister and wish her a happy birthday while we eat. You can't forget to do that."

"Fine." She finally relented. "Only after we stand this wall."

"You talk like you have done this work for years."

"Come on… I need your help."

…

"Thank you, everyone." Julie stood after they sang Happy Birthday to her. It was finally time to eat. Unlike the old Julie, she was a little embarrassed by the attention. She looked over at the large crowd. There was her family, Tom's family, and a few close friends. "It means a lot to me that you are here to celebrate my birthday with me."

Several people called out 'Happy Birthday' all at once. They were really happy for her.

Julie quickly looked toward Tom. He brought comfort to her.

Grace couldn't believe that her outgoing youngest daughter was a little embarrassed by all of the attention, but she was genuinely uncomfortable.

The dinner portion of the party went very well. Everyone loved the cookout meal. After some time of sitting around and talking in groups, William and Grace gathered everyone around so Julie could open the presents.

Tom gifted her a beautiful necklace, which she insisted he immediately put on her. Thomas and Charlette gave her a very nice bracelet and journal. Elizabeth gave her some sunglasses along with a beautiful ring with her birthstone.

William stood up with a small box. Grace was standing beside him. "Your mother and I are very proud of you. Here is our gift to you."

Julie smiled and reached for the small box. She hugged her parents and told them that she loved them. "Thank you."

She opened the box and pulled out a key. "What's this?" She asked, a little confused, as she looked up at her parents.

Grace took her by the arm and walked her to the door. Julie walked through the open door and looked toward the driveway.

"A car! You bought me a car?!"

"Yes. We love you, Julie. Just be careful."

"I will. I promise." She jumped up and down.

William and Grace had purchased her a used Volkswagen convertible, a yellow bug. The car was older, but it was in good condition and beautiful—just like Elizabeth's car. Everyone thought it was essentially Julie.

"I love it." Julie hugged her mother and father one more time. Thank you!" She spoke loudly. Then she made her way to the car. She opened the door and sat down in the vehicle. I love it!" She called out as she looked over the inside of the car."

"Now, you just have to pass your driving test," William called out.

"No problem." She called back.