If Nathan suggested a family outing at the hot springs in episode four, let's hope they make it there in S13! In the meantime, enjoy this fun-filled family afternoon, complete with a few appreciated moments for just Nathan and Elizabeth.
After reading these shared moments at the hot springs, if you're wanting more of just Nathan and Elizabeth, check out my story, "The 2nd UNchaperoned Date," where Chapters 13-21 cover their afternoon in a remote hot spring, known only to Nathan up until that point. Facing no interruptions, both their conversations and their questions turn heated, though with Nathan later reading aloud one of his journal entries, they also speak to one another's hearts, growing closer in every way possible.
Elizabeth's heart was already racing, despite the family's slow saunter toward the hot springs. Little Jack was insistent on stopping along the meandering river any time he spotted a fish. Allie, though eleven years older, was equally absorbed since October marked the peak of the salmon spawning season.
While Elizabeth smiled affectionately at the children, her thoughts were spinning about the man beneath the serge and the anticipation of soon seeing one another in swimsuits.
The moment the family hit the final bend, Nathan, eager not just for the water but the view to come, declared, "Ladies off to the left to the change, gents to the right!"
"Gents?" Jack asked, his face scrunching up in question. "What's a gent?"
The other three chuckled in unison at the little boy's adorable expression.
"It's short for gentlemen," Allie explained, "and that means you," she added, nudging him along to follow her dad. "You can't be over here with us ladies." Ladies, Allie thought, sighing into feeling wonderfully grown up.
As the littlest of the two gentlemen scuttled off to the right, his mama called out, "Honey bear, I have your suit!" She quickly rummaged through her small shoulder bag and handed the carefully folded piece of clothing to her small boy.
"Oh, Dad!" Allie added, suddenly remembering. "Here's yours," she said, tossing his swimsuit toward him, which he caught effortlessly, despite the lack of much warning.
Nathan noticed the questioning glance from Elizabeth, who naturally wondered why a teenage girl would be carrying her father's suit. But, anxious to see the man himself in it, she decided against wasting any time with questions.
"All right," Elizabeth chimed in matter-of-factly, dropping into her teacher's tone. "Let's be off."
Little Jack popped out first, though he waited obediently to get in the water just as Mountie Nathan had told him to do. But, already gripping the stone edge with his feet, the curious boy did venture to dip one toe in—finding it impossible to believe the water could still be hot even in October.
Next came Allie, beaming in her new swimsuit. Despite the itch of the wool fabric, she felt chic in her form-fitting, forest green swimwear. White piping outlined the scooped neckline of the tunic-style top, accentuated by matching trim on the cap sleeves. But, her favorite part of the bathing suit was the white woolen belt, fastened with a small pearl-colored buckle.
"So," she said, doing a little twirl for effect, "what do you think of my suit, Jack?"
She tried to sound casual, but her brown eyes lit up with the hope of a compliment—even if she knew better than to expect much from a six-year-old boy. The fabric of the small skirt swished around her hips, and she couldn't help smiling at how it moved.
"It's pretty," Jack said dutifully, giving a small, practiced smile—his mama had made sure he knew how to be polite when girls asked for opinions.
"Aw, thanks, Jack!" she blushed, a little caught off guard but genuinely pleased by his choice of words.
As the minutes ticked by, the children grew more impatient, and Allie, chilled to the bone, felt a wave of relief when Jack thought to ask, "Mama, can Allie take me in the water?"
"Oh, sure, honey," Elizabeth called out from the cluster of trees, also growing colder by the second. She'd been dressed for a while now but hadn't heard any sign of Nathan emerging. So, she'd been giving herself one last appraisal, hoping Nathan liked her new swimsuit—but, more than that, holding her breath, hoping he liked her.
Although Elizabeth had been recovering from a virus when Nathan first mentioned the hot springs, as soon as she felt better, Rosemary insisted on going shopping, knowing her best friend needed to be prepared—whether it was a real date, or a "not-a-date" as the case may be with the children. She further pressed the importance of this first glimpse, emphasizing the difference between a swimsuit and their usual day-to-day clothing.
That difference certainly rang true for Elizabeth now, as she stood there, lost in dreamlike thoughts of seeing Nathan in his swimsuit and wondering what it would be like to be seen by him in hers.
On the "Gent's side" of the hot springs, Nathan was far slower than expected, chiding himself for not having tried on this new suit before now.
After Nathan had suggested the idea of an afternoon at the hot springs, Allie fell into one of her rare teenage moods, claiming she couldn't possibly wear her other swimsuit—it was just too much of a "little girl" design, she complained.
The next couple of weeks hadn't gone as planned, though—first in caring for Elizabeth once she fell sick, then recovering himself. But, Allie's offhand mention of her old swimsuit had luckily led him to search out his own. He hadn't seen it in a while, but with the promise of warm water and warmer company in nothing more than a bathing suit, he wasn't about to risk missing out—kids or no kids.
It took a few passes of rummaging through his drawers before he found it. Satisfied, he nearly closed the drawer. But as his hand hovered, he paused. Just to be absolutely sure he'd be ready at a moment's notice, he pulled out the separate shirt-and-shorts combo to try on.
With only one arm in and one leg halfway through, Nathan humbly realized he might need a new swimsuit after all—not for fashion's sake. He wasn't picky. It was just a suit. The problem was the fit. He'd "grown," so to speak—not upward, and not in the usual way men his age tended to fill out.
But, unwilling to take time away from nursing Elizabeth to do something as silly as shop, he hadn't questioned a thing once he gave his size measurements to Allie, who assured him she was more than happy to pick something out for him, too.
Now, he vaguely remembered her returning with a victorious smile—first showing off all the little details she loved about her own suit, then holding up his in her fist: just a bunch of navy cloth, which seemed perfectly fine to him.
Since that was the very day his own health took a dive, he hadn't given it another thought—except to call out that day for Allie to grab his swimsuit, too, while he got the towels.
And here he was.
Who ever thought this was a good idea? he asked himself, staring down at the spot where the fabric had been unnecessarily cut away, all in the name of "style"—the familiar lines of a shirt and shorts replaced by something far more revealing. And a one-piece? Really? He tugged at the tiny shorts hitting mid-thigh, hoping to stretch the fabric down to his knees, where he knew it was supposed to settle. But with a knowing sigh, he cursed his height under his breath, realizing it wasn't one of the measurements considered in the fit.
Defeated, his chin dropped heavily to his chest. He'd heard Lucas and Lee make passing comments about how dramatically swimsuits had changed in the '20s, but standing there now, he felt fully trapped. There was no going back. Just him, this scooped-neck monstrosity, and a pair of barely-there straps that seemed more decorative than functional.
Fortunately, the frustration with his new suit sparked a sudden thought, one that led him into a sense of blissful wonder: Had Elizabeth bought a new bathing suit too? New or not, the anticipation of this moment hadn't left him since that dream with her in the drying sheets, kissed by the warmth of the sun. The mere thought of Elizabeth's figure now sent a wave of self-reproach—he'd been standing there far too long, wasting time he would've otherwise had with the beautiful woman he hoped to soon call his fiancée. Already barefoot, he essentially bolted from the shelter of the trees.
The second Elizabeth heard rustling on top of the splashing, she made her way out from the "ladies' side," just in time to catch Nathan's eye.
Her lips immediately tucked in, and while she felt she should look away, she most certainly did not, reminding herself swimming was an entirely appropriate activity. It was with that passing thought that she became acutely aware they were both within view of their children.
So, pink cheeked and smiling, Elizabeth forced herself to stop staring and reached for Nathan's hand, seeing as he hadn't moved even a facial muscle since spotting his sweetheart.
Allie, ever the Mountie's daughter, couldn't help but watch the entire exchange, an amused smile tugging at her lips.
One of her favorite games to play with her friends was "Never Have I Ever." And on this cool October afternoon, she silently noted, Never have I ever seen my dad so overtaken. And, though she didn't know her teacher quite as well, Allie knew enough to see that she was smitten.
Ever observant, Allie noticed how her dad's and Elizabeth's eyes occasionally met as they walked the few remaining steps to the water. But, for the most part, their gazes drifted, absorbed in the way they took in every inch of each other.
"Look at me, Mountie Nathan!"
Little Jack's sudden and startling shout snapped the three back to their family outing. Distracted, no one had even noticed him climb out of the warm thermal pool.
Before a word of warning could be uttered, this enthusiastic little boy raced to the edge and flung his body into the water.
As the resultant wave finally ebbed to ripples, Allie's only response was a disgruntled, "Jaaack." Half of her long brown hair was now dripping wet, and beads of water were finding their way down her face, returning to the pool.
At Elizabeth's pointed gaze, the guilty party quickly apologized, "Sorry, Allie." Yet, the small smirk he kept hiding made it clear to the knowing boy in Nathan that Jack was still quite proud of the big splash he'd made.
"Thank you for the apology," Allie said evenly, now recovered from the unwelcome surprise. She ran her fingers through her hair in an attempt at damage control. Once that problem was managed, the soon-to-be sibling offered an admiring nod, impressed by the level of water displacement from such a small boy.
"You know, Jack, that's the biggest wave I've ever seen in these hot springs!"
With loving consideration for his pint-sized pride, she kept quiet about the fact that she'd never actually seen anyone jump into the water here.
Jack beamed, his hidden smile erupting into a full-on grin—feeling wholly noticed and loved.
Now that Nathan and Elizabeth had been entirely drawn out of their romantic trance, Nathan gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Unaware of Allie's covert attention, they exchanged a few whispered compliments—words passed like secrets—before Nathan helped Elizabeth down into the water.
"Oh, this is dreamy," Elizabeth instantly murmured, sinking up to her shoulders into the inviting warmth.
Nathan couldn't agree more as he slipped into the water, instantly rendered breathless the moment he felt Elizabeth's soft skin brush against his beneath the surface.
He forced an exhale, as if in response to the heat of the water against the chill of the air. But Elizabeth knew the feeling all too well, and Allie, watching the stolen glances between her dad and teacher, had an inkling that her tough-as-nails father was reacting to something other than the water's temperature.
Grateful for the opacity of the mineral-laden water, Nathan rested a loving hand on Elizabeth's knee, meeting her eyes for a silent check of approval. Her warm smile answered him fully, sending Nathan's heart soaring as his thumb happily brushed across new silken territory.
Though the parents were newly settled into the soothing steam, the six-year-old in their midst had a very different sense of time. "What are we going to do now?" he asked eagerly, his energy boundless in a pool that didn't offer much room for swimming.
Intent on staying right where he was—nestled against the love of his life, in swimsuits no less—Nathan quickly formulated a foolproof plan to keep the young boy entertained.
They started off with "20 Questions." Nathan began, choosing Little Jack's small backpack, which sat by a nearby rock. As intended, the family guessed it quickly in only a handful of the usual yes or no questions—is it bigger than a house? Is it smaller than a bread box? It is alive? Is it touching the ground? And so on.
Next, Elizabeth picked what she thought was an obvious cloud—though it turned out everyone had a different idea of what it actually looked like.
After a couple of rounds, including that admittedly questionable choice by his own mother, Jack was ready for his own turn. He jumped at the chance, with an idea in mind, and giggled when someone eventually asked, "Can you eat it?"—knowing full well what a terrible idea it would be to snack on a spiky pine cone.
Allie managed to stump even the Mountie and the teacher, refusing to give away the answer until they'd finally guessed the ever-changing, esoteric "steam" swirling around them—after a whopping forty questions.
That last round had exhausted the six-year-old's attention, so while the "ladies" talked "the latest fashion," including their new swimsuits, Nathan pulled Little Jack around by his arms, delighting the boy by speeding up in unexpected bursts. Any time this seasoned father slowed, as if ending the game, Jack shouted in delight, "Do it again! Do it again!" loving this time with his Mountie Nathan.
Eventually, Jack found himself too tired to keep up with the effort of being tugged against the pressure of the water. He snuggled up on Nathan's lap just as the next game was suggested: Charades.
And with his arms loosely holding his cuddly boy, Nathan was quick to announce, "Boys versus girls."
"Gents against ladies," Allie chimed in, correcting her father with a playful smirk.
It wasn't the perfect game, seeing as every rush of animation, namely from Jack, sent a fresh spray of water into the air. His hands, regularly dunked back in to warm against the cool breeze, made for enthusiastic but splashy gestures.
Even so, cycling through turns a number of times offered Nathan and Elizabeth a handful of moments to admire each other in their new swimsuits—at least the parts visible above the water when standing to silently gesture. In fact, each realized in their own time that if they'd been on the same team, they might've been far too distracted to make any sort of reasonable guess.
In true diplomatic fashion, with two children at play, the parents agreed through only a single shared gaze to end Charades in a tied round, declaring both the "gents" and the "ladies" winners.
After a sitting game, Nathan wisely knew it was time to counter with movement. So, scooting toward Elizabeth, he casually reached over, and with a mischievous grin, called out, "Tag! You're it."
Her mouth dropped open in surprise, quickly replaced by a grumpy expression that betrayed itself with her sparkling blue eyes. Against the water's resistance, she rushed toward Nathan, who at first tried to escape. But then, delighted by the idea of getting caught, he slowed just enough. Using his Mountie skills, the moment he sensed Elizabeth was about to tap him, he flipped around, and scooped her up instead.
Both Allie and Elizabeth squealed, while Little Jack clapped his hands and laughed, eager for his turn.
Even amid the noise from the children and Nathan's own thumping heartbeat, he was suddenly swept away by the intimate feeling of holding Elizabeth so close—his skin touching hers, aside from his arm resting across her swimsuit on her back.
Not alone in this feeling, Elizabeth's eyes locked with Nathan's before soon darting to his lips. They shared a single breath, leaning in just millimeters away from a kiss when Jack's excited voice broke through, only a step away: "Tag me! Tag me!"
Allie, having melted at the romance unfolding right before her, felt her heart sink, despite her love for Jack and his infectious energy.
As if in slow motion, Nathan moved through the resistance of the water, Elizabeth still in his arms, since she was, in fact, still "it." Pressing closer to Jack and building anticipation with every step, he eventually tipped Elizabeth just enough for her to dramatically reach out and tap the excited boy's shoulder.
"I'm it!" Jack shouted, stumbling off toward Allie.
Reluctantly, Nathan began to lower Elizabeth, watching her all the while until her lower half slipped beneath the water—hardly aware of the battle Allie was now prolonging for their sake. With their eyes locked, Elizabeth's hand resting on Nathan's chest and his arm still looped around her waist, they both felt the strain of long-held-back emotions, as though they were back at the window of the schoolhouse.
Unable to resist any longer—and rather oblivious to one particular interrupter—Elizabeth rose onto her tiptoes, intent on finally meeting the lips of the man who looked distractingly good in a swimsuit, and a wet one at that. Despite the presence of children, a definite spark struck them both as their lips met, gliding smoothly in a kiss made all the more sensual by the damp, steamy air.
Allie glanced up just in time to see that her ploy to keep Jack busy had worked. But in looking away even that split second, she suddenly felt a telling tap on her back.
"Allie, you're it!" Jack shouted with childlike glee. "Get Mountie Nathan now! He's hard to catch!"
And caught he was—in one sense of the word—as Nathan forced himself to part from Elizabeth's warm lips. To Allie's apologetic eyes, he managed only a sheepish shrug as he "ran" away, blushing and grinning, practically at a snail's pace.
Despite the dramatic gestures, Jack soon pointed out that the game wasn't all that exciting. "I can't go fast," he complained. Even so, the parents extended the game with Allie's help, enjoying every chance to tag—or better yet, to hold onto—the person who was "it," theoretically to protect someone else from being tagged.
Really, though, for two particular people whose names started with Nathan and Elizabeth, the game could've been more accurately called Tag and Hold. And to Allie, it was plain as day—they were loving every single second.
Eventually, they all grew a little tired—and a little too warm—from all the exercise.
"What are we playing next?" Jack asked innocently.
A slight pause followed. It wasn't that Nathan had run out of ideas for family games. He just… Elizabeth caught his gaze, both of them silently acknowledging the same thing—that rising heat between them that had nothing to do with the water.
For Allie, that brief hesitation was all she needed to self-assign an inspired mission.
"Hey Jack," she began slowly, reeling him in. "Why don't we go look at the salmon for a while? I can show you the different species."
Then, remembering how indecisive he'd been about the blackberries at their family picnic, she dropped a juicy fact, confident he'd take the bait.
"Did you know salmon swim hundreds of kilometers just to lay their eggs?"
"Wow!" he exclaimed, his little eyes still wide even after his mouth had returned from its perfectly round "O."
"I know, right?!" Allie grinned, easily matching his enthusiasm. Rising from the water, she added, "Let's get changed and see how many salmon we can count."
"Can I, Mama?" Jack pleaded.
"Sure," Elizabeth said, quick to answer, though not too quickly, having enjoyed the time spent with their children. "Sounds exciting!"
Eager for some time alone with Nathan, the grammarian in Elizabeth briefly ignored the "Can I" versus "May I" distinction between ability and permission. She also refrained from saying, "Stay close by." After all, she knew Jack would be safe with Allie—her little honey bear was in good hands, and distance rather than close proximity felt more appropriate in this particular moment.
Still, out of habit, she added one bit of instruction: "Listen to Allie, okay?"
"Yes, Mama!" Little Jack said, already running off in his towel, excited for more outdoor adventures.
With heartfelt thanks to Allie and a warm send-off from the parents, the two children were soon on their way to look at salmon. Nathan waited, speaking only in whispers and holding Elizabeth's hand beneath the water's surface until the rustling of leaves underfoot faded completely.
Ever the thinker, he wondered aloud, his voice low with longing, "Why is it again we don't wear swimsuits as our everyday clothing?"
Though he wasn't complaining—far from it, in fact—he just found their current situation wonderfully dreamlike. In Hope Valley, he'd only recently been granted glimpses of Elizabeth's ankles as the hemlines crept upward with the new '20s fashions. Yet now, simply because they were "swimming," he could see her like this.
So naturally, this clever Mountie concluded: why not swim every day? Or at least, once a week, he reasoned, barely willing to compromise.
Elizabeth's eyes sparkled, instinctively reading his thoughts. But instead of biting the hook, she chose to have a little fun with her teasing Constable. After all, she didn't want to make things too easy for him.
"Really?" she asked, feigning curiosity, as though he truly meant everyone should stroll around in swimwear. Then, pointing to the suit he so clearly didn't favor, she deflected the attention back on him and added innocently, "You'd want to wear that instead of your uniform?"
Nathan's impish smile and the slight tilt of his head gave him away before he even spoke. "Well," he said, "it wasn't my swimsuit I was talking about."
With an unusually smooth move inspired by the intimate setting, Nathan slid his arm around Elizabeth, letting his hand brush against the bare skin of her shoulder.
"Ah, I see," she murmured, with a coy smirk playing on her lips. Still enjoying the game, she offered another logical reason why swimsuits shouldn't be everyday wear. "It would be a bit chilly, for one."
Nathan scooted in closer—though he was already pressed flush against her—and slipped his other arm around, crossing it gently over her chest.
"I'd keep you warm," he whispered beside her ear, his breath warm and soft, spiraling her into thoughts far hotter than the springs around them.
"Speaking of warm," Elizabeth giggled, leaning in, unable to resist this man any longer.
But, without warning, a rush of dizziness swept over her, stronger than she'd experienced before—enough to make the edges of her vision blur. "This water is hot," she mumbled, her voice unsteady." I think I need to sit out for a minute—I'm getting really lightheaded."
Reluctant but concerned, Nathan immediately paused. Yet, when Elizabeth began to move, he was quick to help her out before following without hesitation, settling beside her on the cold rock—hip to hip. With a protective arm around her, he found himself growing dizzy now, too. Out of the water, with nothing but swimsuits between them and no steam or minerals to blur the view, Elizabeth's full figure was suddenly, and wonderfully, in plain sight.
After only one stolen glance, Nathan looked down, softly chuckling.
"What?" she asked, watching him avert his gaze. Elizabeth stretched back onto her hands, casually crossing one leg over the other at the ankles.
Unable to hide his affected grin, the man beneath the serge confessed, "Let's just say I'm a little distracted by the fact you're steaming, sweetheart."
Though Elizabeth could've launched into a science lesson right then and there about evaporation and condensation, there was only one kind of physical chemistry she was interested in at the moment. And it involved her sweetheart in that stylish swimsuit, looking every bit as debonair in far less than his white dinner jacket.
"I could say the same thing about you," she whispered, leaning in to bump Nathan's shoulder—though what she really wanted was to melt fully into him.
Without spectators, the two were finally free to take each other in without restraint. And Nathan, now more confident in his venturing, explored with his hands as much as his eyes, letting his fingers trail along the delicate pink ribbon trim of Elizabeth's black swimsuit straps. The solid-colored suit narrowed at her waist, where a matching pink sash was tied into a decorative knot, drawing attention to the graceful curves of her figure—both above and below the fabric belt.
"You're more beautiful than I ever could've dreamed, 'Lizbeth," he breathed, before leading them into kisses more intimate than anything they'd shared before—merging reality with the stirrings that had earlier found expression in their sleep.
To touch where only fabric had ever been was tantalizing to them both. Soon, each noticed the slight tremble in the other. Whether from anticipation or the cooling of their skin, they slipped back into the hot water, the warmth only further igniting their passion.
Fortunately, Allie's peeking eyes from a remote vantage point didn't assess the timing of her return until the two parents had settled into a quieter, more playful banter—now peppered with teasing kisses rather than the heated ones that spoke as much through their bodies as their lips.
Sensing what she believed to be their love fully unfolded, she decided their "a while" could stretch a bit longer. Jack had thankfully listened to Allie's instructions, staying a few steps back and quiet, so as not to startle the "fish."
So, seeing that the "fish" were still "swimming," Allie whispered to Jack, claiming she knew of a special spot where they'd see even more salmon—and she desperately hoped that would be true as she expertly snuck him away by the hand.
Allie could hear Elizabeth's giggle drift beyond the steam as she retreated, realizing that, in all her years of knowing her teacher, it was a laugh she surprisingly didn't recognize.
Luckily, beneath the misty veil of the hot springs, Nathan and Elizabeth's words were closely held, shared intimately only between the "swimmers."
"I don't know," Elizabeth murmured in a sultry tone, countering Nathan's distaste for his swimsuit straps. "I like them," she confessed, her fingers slowly trailing down the narrow wool bands—ironically thinner than her own, despite their notable difference in body size.
The mischievous glint in her eye all but dared him to ask, "And why is that?" So, surrendering to her unspoken wish, Nathan spoke those very words.
A pleased smile touched Elizabeth's lips, glistening red from the steamy warmth and the kisses still lingering there.
"Because I can do this…" she said, gently tugging him in by those very straps to a kiss that left him breathless, several times over.
Eventually finding his words, he assured her with a lopsided grin, "I like them, too, it turns out. You're quite convincing, Mrs. Thornton"—his mind briefly flashing to the after-hours moments they'd already shared in her classroom, where romance had even once found its way into one of their arguments.
Elizabeth laughed softly, peering up at Nathan through her long lashes. "So, I'm Mrs. Thornton to you, now?" she teased, keeping up with their flirtatious rhythm.
Slipping her onto his lap, Nathan, bold with love and longing, whispered right against her lips, "Hopefully, not for much longer."
Elizabeth's breath caught, her heart responding in equal measure to the gravity of Nathan's words. As a quiet peace settled over her, she met her sweetheart's searching eyes and echoed his own words. "I could be convinced of that."
In their smiles that followed lived an unspoken assurance of the future—not a specific sense of when, but a clear, mutual leaning toward sooner rather than later.
"I love you, 'Lizbeth," Nathan said softly, tucking one of her tightening curls gently behind her ear.
"I love you more," she murmured, certain of the truth by the way her heart stretched with a love it couldn't possibly contain.
Once their devoted words, loving gazes, and affectionate smiles had reached their fullest expression, the two leaned in, closing the space between them in the only way that could convey their love more completely—through touch
Though the heat of the hot springs had first drawn out Nathan and Elizabeth's most passionate kisses yet, their intimacy had softened into something slower—deeply committed and close—as if they were savoring a memory in the making: the afternoon their lives as the future Mr. and Mrs. Grant began coming into focus.
With Elizabeth sitting across his lap, Nathan nuzzled a few soft kisses along her neck, each lingering touch widening the smile that blossomed across her face.
Yet, he wasn't the only one enraptured by this soul-stirring hold. With her reach all the nearer to that enticing head of hair, Elizabeth took full advantage—no longer content to tease through just the scruff at his neck. Indulgently, she wove her fingers through his wavy hair, mirroring the slow rhythm of her kisses.
Faced with the combination, Nathan exhaled a long, unsteady breath—completely undone by the way Elizabeth was loving him.
Eventually, seeking out a steadier hold, she slid one arm around his shoulder, anchoring herself close. Her other hand drifted beneath the water, settling comfortably in her favorite spot—right across where those third and fourth buttons usually lay. Only now, it was perfectly bare skin beneath her touch. Rendered instantly breathless, she kissed Nathan lightly, her lips brushing against his smile.
From her new vantage point, Allie was once again peering through the bushes, Jack a few meters behind her. In finding their parents skill kissing, she felt a twinge of exasperation, at a loss for when to sound the warning by tromping through the brush.
Her offer of "a while" had stretched into quite a lengthy a while. But, honestly, beneath the hint of frustration, she felt a small surge of pride, having accomplished her mission—for giving these two, so deserving of love, a bit of time to just be them.
Still. There were only so many inlets with salmon. She even took advantage of Jack's young age, circling back to a few of them more than once.
While contemplating what to do, Allie secretly watched—intrigued, enchanted, and, yes, a little scandalized. At seventeen, she'd never kissed a boy, and frankly, until now, she'd always thought kisses were more punctuated, like the ones she'd seen earlier when peeking down from above. But here she was, learning from her dad—of all people, she thought, suppressing an eye roll—how intimate and expressive kissing could really be.
She noticed how her dad's hand was first at Elizabeth's cheek, and then pushed gently into her hair, threading his fingers in like a brush. It only took a second longer, though, before the "Ew" factor overtook her other emotions.
She looked away, shaking her head, slightly grossed out, but definitely newly educated. Fitting, she thought, smiling at her own joke—after all, this lesson had, in part, been taught by her teacher.
As she and Jack retreated once again—just five minutes longer, she promised herself—Allie couldn't help but wonder what it might feel like for a man to one day run his hand through her hair.
"Whatcha smiling about?" Little Jack asked, ever the sharp-eyed six-year-old.
Torn from her thoughts, Allie stammered, "I—I…" She didn't want to lie, but what could she possibly say that was still the truth?
Realizing her hand was absentmindedly playing with a few strands of her own hair, she answered simply, hoping the one-word response would end the conversation. "Hair."
Jack managed only a single blink before, as a precocious boy, he perked up with a thought to share. "Why is your hair brown and mine is blond?"
And just like that, the questions began. Before diving into the little she knew about genetics, Allie let out a quiet sigh of relief—grateful Jack hadn't asked what might make someone smile about hair in the first place.
Though a while had stretched longer than Allie expected, she really had loved the time they'd spent together—just the two of them. It was nice having someone else excited about the changes in the salmon—their hooked jaws, their brighter red hue, all signs they were readying to mate.
It's not like she knew much about love, but what she'd already learned about the ecosystem had been enough to nudge her into picking a trendier swimsuit for her dad than he'd have chosen himself. It couldn't hurt, she figured—especially if it helped these two parents of theirs finally find their way to the church. It was practically a stone's throw away. Nothing like what salmon have to go through.
After all, with only a year left of school, Allie found herself longing for baby snuggles—and time was slipping away. But ever delighted with Jack, she ruffled his hair affectionately before suggesting they play "Tag" on the way back, assuming that level of noise would serve as an adequate announcement of their return.
Sure enough, as Allie chased the squealing boy into the clearing and across the flat stones surrounding the first smaller pool, Elizabeth and her dad were already out and toweling off.
"Did you have fun, honey bear?" Elizabeth asked, endeared by his bright eyes and flushed cheeks.
"So much fun!" he exclaimed. Then, glancing at his adventuring buddy, he added, "Didn't we, Allie?"
"We sure did!" was all Allie managed before Jack, ever inquisitive, turned his attention back to the grown-ups, one eyebrow raised.
"Did you swim the whole time?" he asked incredulously—guessing they'd be prunes by now—at least that's what his mama always said.
But, instead of a response, what he got in return was a pair of blank stares—two adults suddenly very short on words, neither quite able to explain how they'd really spent their time.
Allie, far too aware for her age, understood the problem, and assigned herself another mission: momentary distraction. "Jack, why don't you tell them how many fish we counted."
As the excited boy rattled off not only the number—well near a hundred—but also reported on their interesting features, Nathan couldn't help catching his daughter's gaze, feeling proud as proud, but also wistful at her intuition, recognizing what a grown young woman, a lady, she was becoming before his eyes.
Wrapping a fatherly arm around her in a side hug, he kissed her temple. "Thanks, kiddo. This day was perfect—in more ways than one," he added, placing a quick peck on his sweetheart's cheek.
While the final gent and lady changed, Allie and Jack played another quick round of "20 Questions," trading just as many peals of laughter as actual queries.
Soon, changed and dropping into full Mountie mode, Nathan snuck up behind Little Jack mid-question and, with a swift swoop, hoisted the squealing boy onto his shoulders.
"That was the best day ever!" Little Jack shouted, mounted and astride his favorite Mountie. They hadn't gone far down the dirt path when he followed up with a question.
"When can we go again?"
Without missing a beat, both parents blurted out an enthusiastic "Soon!"—exchanging a quick side glance and doing their best to hide matching smiles.
While three members of the family beamed—already dreaming of their next adventure at the hot springs—Allie was wide-eyed and exhausted, wondering what on earth she'd do with that little bundle of energy for another one of those indefinable, ever-extending "a whiles."
One thing was certain, though, she reminded herself. Hide-and-seek was, forever and always, out of the question.