Angel's Peak (Virgin River #10)(91)

“Let’s get it over with, short stuff. It’s all I’ve heard since I told her we were coming to Luke’s for the day. Of course, her idea of fishing is tossing bread into the river for the trout. We’re years away from hooking anything.”

“I’ll save some dough rolling for after you’ve had your fishing trip, Rosie,” Maureen said. She eased Rosie off her lap and rummaged in a cupboard for some of Luke’s bread, handing Rosie a few slices. “Remember, you only go near the river with Mommy or Daddy.”

Aiden said he would go along and, while he fetched his jacket, Sean and Rosie were out the door and on their way. Aiden shrugged into his coat and said to Maureen, “We can continue this conversation later.”

“I don’t think so,” she said. “You boys gossip worse than a bunch of old women and I think it’s high time you mind your own bloody business.”

He leaned toward her and kissed her cheek. “Yeah, good luck with that.”

Sixteen

Thanksgiving had a special significance for John Middleton, known as Preacher to his friends. His mother passed away around this time when he was only seventeen, and for so many years after that, when the holidays approached, he just endeavored to get through them as best he could. He was always relieved when the whole season was over. But once he found Virgin River and his wife, Paige, everything in his life changed, and he looked forward to the holidays with excitement and spirit. He had a great deal to be thankful for.

Every Thanksgiving Preacher prepared a big turkey dinner and kept the bar open for anyone who wasn’t otherwise occupied. It became the tradition at Jack’s Bar to serve a big dinner free of charge to friends and any strangers who might wander in. Preacher could have used his new house to accommodate his Thanksgiving guests, but it just wouldn’t be the same. Plus he liked the idea of being open to strangers who found themselves traveling or stranded on this very important day.

Mel Sheridan and Dr. Michaels were trading off holidays this year. Since Cameron and his wife had the new twins, they wanted to take a few days for family at Christmastime, so Mel and Jack were going to the Sheridan family home in Sacramento for Thanksgiving. But there would be no shortage of guests for Preacher’s biggest dinner of the year.

He and Paige pushed the tables together in the bar into one long, wide table. Paige dressed up the table with a horn of plenty filled with gourds and colorful leaves. As well, orange candles provided soft lighting up and down the table. Each place setting had a construction-paper turkey created by her and her son, Christopher. When Preacher looked at the long table, he smiled and said, “You sure do class the place up, babe.”

At four o’clock the turkey came out of the oven to sit for a half hour before carving. The side dishes were ready and the hors d’oeuvres were on the bar. A cabernet was breathing, a chardonnay was chilled, juice and sodas were cold for the kids and abstemious, the water glasses were all filled, coffee was ready to perk. Preacher looked around the room, puffing up a little in pride.

The first to arrive were Rick and Liz, helping Rick’s grandmother, Lydie, into the bar. Next came Connie and Ron of the corner store and, for the first time, Connie’s sister, Liz’s mother. Joy and Bruce, good friends from down the street, arrived and, right behind them, Hope McCrea. Not long after, Cameron and Abby with babies, Julia and Justin, and enough baby gear to open a nursery. Preacher held on to his own little daughter, Dana Marie, and chuckled as he realized they basically had opened a nursery.

He beamed when the door opened again and Dan Brady and Cheryl came in. He’d hoped they would come, but he had no way of knowing if Cheryl was comfortable among them. It had taken her some time after adjusting to her newfound sobriety to get used to the idea that Virgin River folks didn’t look down on her at all. The fact of the matter, Preacher knew, was that everyone was real proud of her.

Paige and Preacher passed around the hors d’oeuvres and drinks and, after about twenty minutes of visiting, there was a mad scurrying among the women to put out all the side dishes, settle small children in high chairs and find places for everyone to sit. Then and only then did Preacher bring out the noble bird on a large tray, surrounded by baked apples and parsley. He put it in front of his place at the head of the table and took in all the oohs and ahhs as he prepared to carve.

Right at that moment the door to the bar opened and a man stood in the entrance. His hair was too long and he looked a little on the worn side, his jacket collar frayed. “Oh, sorry. I thought you were open.”

“Come in, come in,” Preacher said. “You’re just in time.”

“Oh, no,” he said, shaking his head. “I can see you’re having a holiday dinner. And I have the family in the car. We’re headed back to my in-laws in Trinity County and the car was sputtering, so we decided to stop for a while. But I’ll take a look under the hood and we’ll push on.”

Dan Brady was on his feet. “Tell the family to come in, brother. Join us for a meal and then we’ll have a look at the car. At least we’ll send you off in good working order.”

“I, ah…We have some sandwiches in the car for the kids—”

“It would be our pleasure to have you and your family join us. Please. No one pays for a meal or drink, or even for car repair, on a special holiday like this one. This is a family day,” Preacher said. “Come in and meet everyone. Join us. We’d be honored.”