Since being arrested and then released, Elizabeth had been holed up in her own house, along with her dad and brother, ever since Hayley dropped her off. Once there, she’d tucked herself into bed and listened to all the messages Jack had left for her and read all the texts he’d sent. They were full of apologies and promises, and she’d been tempted to reply, but she didn’t let herself, not even when he informed her that he was taking care of Rugby for her.

The next day was the family meeting, the day Claire Roberts came over. That night, laying in the same bed she’d slept in her entire life, Elizabeth found herself thinking not about her dad, or her family, or the past, or the future. All she could think about was Jack––how he’d called the district attorney on her behalf and ensured that his father not press charges. Plus, Claire told her he’d come to her for help and that he was orchestrating a resolution to the whole situation.

It implied much more than Elizabeth had dared to hope.

The morning after the family meeting, she drove to Charlene’s house, feeling bad about having missed yet another day of her caretaking duties. She made sure to park her Bronco out of sight of Jack’s house. She wasn’t ready to face him again, not yet.

Charlene had heard from Jack about what had transpired and asked Elizabeth if she wanted to talk about it. Elizabeth said no and was grateful that Charlene honored her wish. After doing the household chores, helping Charlene get to and from the bathroom a few times, and making them lunch, she and Charlene watched the afternoon soap operas, which allowed Elizabeth to avoid thinking at all.

When Rob Pickens came in around sunset late in the afternoon and greeted Elizabeth, she was grateful he didn’t mention the unfolding drama with her family. What he did say, however, made Elizabeth clap her hand to her forehead.

“How are the pre-nursing classes going?”

She’d forgotten that her course textbooks were still at the cabin next door. And she had her math class the next day.

After saying goodbye to Rob and Charlene, she set off on the path through the back of the property to get to the cabin. It would be a quick errand, in and out, just pick up her school stuff and few other essentials, then leave. Jack probably wasn’t even home.

But she couldn’t help glancing up at his house as she approached. Couldn’t help seeing the lights on. Couldn’t help wondering what he was doing.

She thought of Rugby, and she wanted to see her little dog racing toward her, leaping into her arms and licking her face and cheering her up as only funny little dogs could.

Then she looked up and saw the northern lights shimmering across the sky, overtaking the little remaining glow of twilight to the far southwest. Elizabeth realized that she’d stopped at the special, particular spot on the path where she and Jack had connected in a way that had felt so magical. For a long moment, she stared up at the sky, tears in her eyes at the ethereal sight as ribbons of blue and purple seemed to dance just for her. The world held so much beauty but so much pain, too.

She thought of Nate and his suffering. Yes, he’d played loose with the law while arresting that drug kingpin, but so did a lot of cops in their eagerness to get bad guys off the streets. And in all the years she’d talked with him on the phone, accepting his collect calls when he was feeling low in prison, it was the hit to his reputation that bothered him the most, to be known as a thief among people who’d once looked up to him.

She thought of her mother, who’d been so quick to believe the worst about Nate and who’d chosen to abandon the children for whom she was now solely responsible.

She thought of Emmett, who’d sacrificed his own youth and his own dreams to take the place of their absent parents.

It felt like her entire family had been through an unprovoked war, and they were bloody and battered and scarred. Would she, Emmett, and Nate emerge from it consumed by bitterness and anger and defiant self-righteousness? The war would never really end if that was the case. They’d met with Claire, and she’d agreed to Nate’s wishes, a public admission of guilt from Bruce and a public apology. But would that be enough to allow them to move forward?

“I want a truce,” Elizabeth said out loud. To show she was at the mercy of the universe, she tilted her face toward the glowing sky, stretched out her arms, and lifted her heart skyward—and promptly slipped, landing hard on her hip.

Again! At the very same spot!

She couldn’t help but laugh, and then her laughter turned to tears, and she lay there feeling like a fool, laughing and crying in equal measure, confident that the silly universe was doing the same thing—laughing at her and crying for her.

When she heard footsteps on the path, she was startled and quickly sat up.

It wasn’t just any someone, she realized. It was Jack, bundled against the cold and carrying a stack of firewood in a nylon tote. She saw his confusion at the sight of her on the ground, and something about his expression just made her start laughing again.

Jack set down the firewood and approached, staring at her. “Elizabeth?”

“I fell, Jack,” she said. “I was over at Charlene’s, and I stopped to look at the sky, and then I fell.”

He knelt beside her. “Are you okay?”

“You knocked me down,” she said. “Cosmically, I mean. You knocked me down, over and over.”

“I know,” he said, his brown eyes mournful, his thick black lashes so long and kissable. “All I’ve ever done is knock you down.”

Elizabeth watched as the white clouds of their frozen breath intermingled, and in the coldness of the night, her heart melted. In his eyes, she saw the truth of his love for her, and she also saw what a good man he was. Her anger fizzed away like so much noise, leaving only the quiet knowing in her soul that Jack was the one for her.

He was still the one.

And no matter what he’d done, she couldn’t stand to see him in pain.

She stretched out her hand. “So stop knocking me down and help me up, Jack.”

“That I can do,” he said, smiling in relief.

He stood and lifted her from the snowy ground. Cradling her body against his, he brushed the snow off the hip of her jeans. She winced.

“You hurt there?” he asked.

“I hurt everywhere, Jack.”

“I know you do,” Jack said. “My sweet Elizabeth. It’s killing me to see you so hurt.”

“So make it better.”

And then she was sobbing, her arms encircling his neck and her cheek tucked against his chest. She breathed him in, the warmth of his masculine, outdoorsy scent, and knew she was right where she was supposed to be.

“We’ll figure everything out,” Jack whispered to her, cradling her head in his hands. “Whatever I have to do, I’m going to do it, I promise. I can’t stand the thought of you hating me.”

“I don’t hate you,” she said. “I want to, but I can’t.”

“I can’t stand the thought of you wanting to hate me, either.” He stepped back and kissed her forehead. Her nose. Her lips, so softly that it felt like a tentative prayer. “I’ll make it up to you if it takes me the rest of my life.”

She liked that, and she kissed him back with increasing passion, disregarding the fearful little voice in her head telling to keep up her guard, lest he hurt her again.

“Take me to bed,” she said. “And tell me all the ways you intend to make things up to me.”

“That I can also do.” Jack’s grin was one of surprise and delight. “Whatever you say.”

“Put away this firewood and then come find me in your bedroom.” Elizabeth kissed him again, a deep and desperate and lingering kiss. “And hurry.”