Mike Hickam paced back and forth, holding a bouquet of wildflowers he had picked near the worksite of the oil pipeline. Lee and Rosemary “accidentally” told him when Elizabeth’s train was coming in, and conveniently weren’t available to pick her and little Jack up from the station. He hoped she wasn’t upset when he was the one waiting to take them home. He checked his pocket watch, and his heart nearly stopped when he saw the train would be coming any minute. Closing his eyes and taking deep breaths as he heard the train approaching, Mike fought the urge to run away. He hoped she wasn’t disappointed to see him instead of Lee and Rosemary.
When the train had come to a stop, he saw passengers start making their way into the station. He heard little Jack right before he saw him run out, followed closely by his exasperated mother. Immediately seeing a familiar face, he ran even faster yelling, “Hickam! Hi! I went on da twain!” Little Jack jumped into Hickam’s arms, and Elizabeth looked on with shock written on her face.
“Mike, what are you doing here?” she breathlessly asked. Elizabeth’s heart melted as her son rested his head on Mike Hickam’s shoulder. It was then she noticed the wildflowers he was holding. “I thought Lee and Rosemary were coming to pick us up in the car, but it seems you have come for us instead.” She pointed to the flowers, “Or did you come for someone else?”
Hickam blushed and handed them to Elizabeth. “I picked these for you out at the worksite earlier, and I asked the Coulters to let me come pick you up today. I hope that doesn’t upset you.”
Elizabeth smelled the flowers and smiled. “Of course I’m not upset. I was just surprised, because I had plans to freshen up and change before I went to find you. I should have never left without talking to you first. I know it’s a bad excuse, but I got scared. My sister wouldn’t let up about me coming home, so I rushed to pack and was on the next train.”
He tried to take in all Elizabeth had said, but knew he needed a little time to process it all. “Let’s get you two home so you can rest,” Hickam suggested. “You take Jack. I’ll go find all of your luggage and get it put in the car.” Elizabeth picked up her son who was almost fully asleep as he snuggled into her shoulder.
As soon as the luggage was secured in Lee’s car that Mike had borrowed, and as they drove to her house, they made small talk about happenings around Hope Valley that she had missed while away in Hamilton. “I can’t believe school starts in two weeks!” Elizabeth exclaimed. “I wanted to get back with enough time to work on lesson plans and pack up a few things from Jack’s school to move to the new one before the dedication on Saturday.”
Little Jack was sleeping soundly, snuggled between his mother and Hickam. Mike’s heart swelled in love for the little boy - and the woman he had admired from afar for so many years. “I guess you know Nathan and Kathryn are getting married next Saturday? They bought some land where they will have the ceremony, and are having their reception at the new school. I just didn’t want you to be caught off guard when you saw the two of them.” He nervously glanced over to try and read her reaction.
Looking straight ahead, Elizabeth was thoughtful for a moment before turning to face Mike. “I’m very happy for the two of them. They are clearly in love and meant to be together, and it is wonderful Allie is finally getting a mother. I am grateful for everything Nathan has done for us, but I have moved on and hope to start fresh the right way with someone else.” She slid her hand over his and gave it a light squeeze.
Heart pounding wildly, Mike tried to focus on driving so he wouldn’t crash. “Does this mean you will be my date to the wedding?” he asked somewhat hesitantly. “It would be our first official public outing together, so I understand if you would rather go separately.”
Threading her fingers through his as he brought the car to a stop outside the row house, Elizabeth looked Mike straight in the eye. “I would love to be your date to the wedding,” she answered firmly. “I would be proud to be there with you. I worry that you might be embarrassed to be seen with the flighty school teacher who can’t make her mind up about relationships though.”
Mike turned his body to fully face her and caressed her cheek and jawline with his free hand. Trying not to disturb the little boy between them, he looked into her eyes then down at her lips, silently asking permission for a kiss. At first her expression was a bit stunned, but she quickly relaxed and moved closer to him in response. Their lips met timidly at first, but a slow simmer threatened to boil over as they physically explored their feelings for one another.
“Mamma kiss Hickam!” Jack woke up to his mom kissing his new friend, and he clapped his hands as he jumped up and shouted. “Look, we home!”
Both adults who were startled out of their romantic moment by a sweet little three year old, began laughing as they attempted to calm down their racing hearts. Hickam jumped out of the car and opened the door for Elizabeth. Jack jumped into his arms to get out, then hopped up the stairs onto the porch to try and open the front door.
Mike held out his hand to Elizabeth to help her out of the car, and they noticed Jack had found something to entertain himself with on the front porch. “Thank you for the ride,” Elizabeth said, moving closer to him. “I better get Jack up for a proper nap while I unpack and try to figure out what to eat for dinner.”
“I’ll get your luggage moved inside, but why don’t I bring over something from the café so you don’t have to worry about that tonight,” Mike offered. “I’ll come by around 6:00, if that’s what you want. I am willing to go at whatever speed you are comfortable with, Elizabeth. I don’t want to scare you off again by moving too fast.” Before she could respond, he began unloading the luggage and taking it in the house. Little Jack started to shadow him as he worked, but eventually got distracted by all of his toys in the corner of the living room.
Elizabeth watched her little boy playing, noticeably excited to be back in his own house. When all of her things were back inside, Hickam stood near the front door. “Thank you for everything, Mike. You are so thoughtful, and I’m sure Jack would love it if you came over with dinner tonight.”
“Only Jack would love it?” he teased, as Elizabeth rolled her eyes and gave him a playful look. “I’ll see you later. Please try and get some rest.” Elizabeth gave him a quick hug right before he left the house, then she watched him get in the car and drive away.
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Kathryn stood and stretched after spending hours at the school working on lesson plans. She had been making a list of supplies she needed to order for the new school year before her wedding week arrived, so it would all be ready to go when she returned from her honeymoon. Butterflies danced in her stomach at the thought of being Mrs. Grant in less than two weeks. Working was the last thing she wanted to be doing right now, but she knew the effort would be worth it when she was able to enjoy her wedding and honeymoon without having to worry about her school year preparations. She looked at the clock and was surprised when it read 5:30. Quickly gathering up her supplies, she hoped to catch her fiancé at his office and walk home with him on such a beautiful summer day. Autumn would be coming in only a few weeks, and she wanted to enjoy the nice weather while they still could.
Before she could even open the door, it burst open and in walked Nathan, dressed in the casual clothes that had become his trademark since settling into his Inspector position. Slightly startled, Kathryn let out a little gasp, but immediately rushed into his strong arms and breathed in his muscular scent as she rested her head against his chest. “I was just going to see if you were ready to go home, but I lost track of time and was a little later than usual. Did you have a good day?”
Nathan ran his hands up and down her back in long soothing strokes. “My day just got a lot better,” he confessed. “Your brother gets to go out and have all the fun while I process paperwork right now. But I have to be caught up before next week, so that is what is keeping me going right now.” Kate pulled back slightly and Nathan immediately leaned down and gave her a quick kiss, with a hint of longing left lingering when their lips parted. They had agreed to not engage in any long, passionate kissing while alone until after they were husband and wife. It wasn’t easy, but with only twelve days to go, they knew the sacrifice would be well worth the wait. He grabbed her hand as they walked outside and down the path toward home.
Waiting inside the Grant’s row house was Allie, already preparing dinner, and taking her chaperoning duties very seriously. She even tried to make her dad sit across the table from his soon-to-be wife on occasion, but they told her it was ok if they sat next to each other and held hands once in a while. Allie was getting so excited for the wedding, she could hardly contain herself. No one had ever focused on their maid of honor duties more attentively, and she could hardly wait for her beautiful new dress to be ready. They had met with Clara last week to pick out fabric and designs for both Allie and Anne’s dresses for the wedding.
For their wedding colors, they had decided to go with lavender, which was Kathryn’s favorite color, and a bright blue that matched Nathan’s eyes. Allie and Anne were going to be wearing beautiful lavender dresses, and Bill and Thomas would be wearing blue suits and ties. Kathryn couldn’t wait to wear her exquisite wedding dress that Aunt Edith had bought her in Union City. She knew Nathan would be blown away, and could hardly believe her dreams were all coming true so soon.
“What can we help with, Allie?” Kathryn asked, setting down her basket and going to the kitchen. “Did you have a good afternoon working the switchboard?”
“It was mostly boring today,” Allie complained. “But some of my friends stopped by to keep me company for a little while.”
Suddenly very interested in the conversation, Nathan interjected: “These friends...did one of them happen to be Robert?”
With her signature eye roll, Allie shook her head. “Actually, today Robert was working with his dad and never made it into the Mercantile...if you must know. It’s not like anything is happening with us, other than just being friends. Plus, he’s going to be leaving for the Mounties in the spring anyway.”
Surprised this was the first he was hearing of it, Nathan was even more interested. “He’s planning to start training next spring? Why hasn’t he talked to me about it, since I can help him make sure to get in the right training class and give him a recommendation?”
“Oh, I don’t know Dad. Maybe because he’s a little bit scared of you since you started being all protective of me? That could be one reason.” She kept chopping vegetables with Kate, a frustrated and sad look on her face.
Nathan sighed and went to his daughter, grabbing her shoulders and turning her around. “Allie girl, I’m sorry I always give you and Robert a bad time. I am still learning to parent a teenage girl who is starting to be interested in boys. I think Robert is a fine young man, and I’m glad the two of you enjoy spending time together. I just know what life is like when you first join the Mounties, and it is a lot easier when you aren’t attached to someone while going through training. I want the best for both of you.”
Tears started flowing down Allie’s cheeks, and she let her dad pull her into a tight hug. “I know you are just looking out for me, and I don’t want Robert to leave. But being a Mountie is a noble profession. I’m proud of Robert for making such a difficult decision to follow what he feels is the right thing for him to do. He knows you are my hero, and hopes one day to be an honorable man and Mountie just like you. He looks up to you, just like I do.”
Trying to keep his own emotions under control, Nathan did his best to comfort his daughter, while at the same time thinking about going to talk to Robert as soon as possible. “I’ll go see Robert tomorrow, and make sure he is set up the right way to start training in May. I love you, Allie. I hope you know that everything I do is with your best interest in mind. Always.”
Kathryn observed the father/daughter moment, wishing she could have done more to support them both, but knowing it would take time for her to fully integrate into the fabric of the Grant Family. Nathan looked over and caught her eyes with his own, trying to read her thoughts. Kathryn just smiled in support of him, so he knew that she would always have his back. She moved over and wrapped them both up in a big embrace. “I’m so lucky I get to join this family. You are both the most important people in my life, and I thank you for choosing me.”
Resting her head on Kathryn’s shoulder, Allie had a feeling of completeness she had never felt before. “Next week is going to be the best day of my life, when I actually get to have both a mom and a dad. I’ve never really had a complete family, and I fully approve of Dad’s choice. But can we finish dinner now, because I’m starving!”
All three of them laughed. After Nathan gave both of his girls one last squeeze, he let them go so they could all work to prepare dinner. Once it was ready, they said a blessing on the food while holding hands around the table. Nathan kissed Kate’s hand before releasing it, and the three of them ate dinner together. He couldn’t believe this was what his life would be like every day. He longed for when he didn’t have to walk Kate home at night, so they could just be together always.
__________________________________________________
In the Mountie office, the phone startled Nathan from his daydreaming. Before he could answer, Thomas rushed in and picked it up. “Hope Valley Mounted Police,” he answered, out of breath. “Yes, Nathan is here, Florence. Wait, who did you say the call was from? Trevor Bradshaw, my brother? Go ahead and put him through.”
Nathan shook his head and motioned for Thomas to give him the phone, but his soon-to-be-brother-in-law just kept talking. “Trev, what’s going on? When are you going to get here with the family? Great, Anne is excited to see you, Sarah, and the kids. Yeah, Elsie is pretty great. Mmmhmmm. Yep. Oh, so you do need to talk to Nathan? Oh, ok. See you in a few days, brother. Here you go.” He handed the phone to his boss, and took a seat in the chair across from Nathan.
“Hello, Trevor. Thanks for getting back with me before you left. I appreciate you working with me on this. That sounds great, and I’ll figure out someone who can pick that up from the train station when you arrive. So you are getting in on Wednesday? Perfect. I know Kate is so excited to see you all. Thank you again for your help. Ok, talk to you soon. Goodbye.” Nathan hung up the phone and Thomas looked at him suspiciously.
“What was that all about?” he asked. “What do you have to pick up from the train station?”
Before he had to explain himself further, Rosemary bounded into the office. “Nathan! Good, you are here! I wanted to talk to you before Lee and I left town for Brookfield.” Thomas stood up and waved to Nathan before heading out the door and back to work on Midnight.
Nathan turned his attention back to Rosemary. “So today is the big day you are heading to pick up Joshua from the orphanage?”
“It sure is,” Rosemary excitedly declared. “I’m excited, nervous, well...you know all the feelings that come with taking in a child.” He nodded as she continued. “I wanted to ask a favor before we bring little Josh back to Hope Valley. I’m hoping you can help.”
“Of course,” he responded. “I want to help make your transition into parenthood as smooth as possible.”
Tears started welling up in Rosemary’s eyes at the generosity of her friends. “Lillian was having a hard time with Joshua until Gabe started coming around more. Of course he was there because the two of them had begun seeing one another, but she noticed Josh responded to him when he was in his serge. Because his father was a Mountie, he opens up around other men in the same uniform as his late father. I wondered if you might be willing to dress in your red serge and talk with Josh sometimes if he ever is having a hard time and needs to talk? I know the Mounties always look after their own, and the brotherhood is very strong. I’m just trying to provide this little boy with the best possible chance to have a good life, but I always want him to know about his father and the noble profession he gave his life for. Also, you and Gabe are the ones who arrested the evil men that killed his father, so that makes you even bigger heroes in Joshua’s life.”
Struggling to keep his composure, Nathan took Rosemary by the hand and looked her in the eye. “It is our duty to look after the family members of fallen brothers. Just like I have done my best to watch out for and protect Elizabeth and little Jack, I will do whatever I can to help Joshua rebuild his life and settle into your family and our community.”
Rosemary stood up and moved around the desk, pulling Nathan into a strong embrace. “Thank you, Nathan. I better be going, but you have eased my mind. Now, I don’t want you to worry about the time during your wedding and honeymoon. Maybe you could talk to Thomas, and he might be willing to help out while you are gone if needed?”
“Sure,” he agreed. “Have a safe trip, and tell Lee I am so very happy for the three of you.” Rosemary nodded and quickly left the office, her steps seeming lighter than when she had first arrived. Nathan smiled satisfactorily, knowing that their pain was going to eventually turn into great joy. When Colleen passed away, his and Allie’s pain made it difficult to bond and build a relationship at first. But once their grief had gone through more stages, they were able to use their shared heartache to become close. He felt fortunate to have adopted Allie, and maintained that it was the best thing he had done in his life up to that point. His stomach growled and he looked at the clock, surprised it was already time for lunch.
Running his fingers through his hair to make sure it was smoothed down, Nathan exited the jail and walked over to the café. He walked in and saw Kate already seated at a table. “Well hello there, Miss. I was trying to find a good lunch companion who is beautiful, thoughtful, well-read, and the love of my life. Do you know anyone by that description around here?”
Kathryn’s heart fluttered when she saw the man of her dreams approach her table and start flirting with her. “I was hoping for a tall, dark, and handsome man to eat lunch with - who also loves to read, is selfless, and wants to spend the rest of his life with me.” She stood up and moved around the table, unaware of the other few customers in the café during lunchtime on a Friday afternoon. She quickly moved her arms around his neck, pulling his head down and reaching hers up until their lips met in a brief, but electric kiss.
Pulling back Nathan chuckled. “Are you always this forward?” he teased.
“Only with the man I’m going to marry one week from tomorrow,” she stated. “I ordered two specials already, so you wouldn’t have to wait long to eat. I know how hungry all of that paperwork makes you.” Kathryn winked and Nathan kissed her forehead before leading her back to her chair and sitting down himself. Minnie brought their plates of food out, they thanked her, and then began eating.
“How are the preparations for the big school dedication going?” Nathan inquired. “I can’t believe that event is tomorrow, and then only one more week until the wedding. Our guests start arriving in just a few days!”
Kathryn let out a sigh that was tied to many different emotions. “Elizabeth and I have been working nonstop to finish everything before tomorrow. Mr. Landis arrived and wants everything to his liking, but I think we should be finished soon. It will be nice to have that over with tomorrow before our family shows up and we have to make final wedding preparations. Are you sure you still want to go through with marrying me?”
Nathan took Kate’s hand and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles, his blue eyes piercing her green ones. “Kathryn Bradshaw, I have never been more sure of anything in my entire life. But even more sure than that, I know that my stomach wants apple pie and coffee...just like the times we ate together at that boarding house in Union City. And I hope to eat pie with you for the rest of my life.”
Kathryn laughed and marveled at the joy she felt because of the love she shared with Inspector Nathan Grant, the man she wanted to always be by her side forever. They had both gone through difficult times in their lives, but God in his wisdom had led them to one another at this time, so they could experience happiness together. She couldn’t wait to recite vows and become one with him in just one more week.
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