Bring Me Home for Christmas (Virgin River #16)(40)

After everyone who felt they had a stake in her love life had called, Becca spent most of the afternoon outside watching the rest of the tree trimming, an occupation that required a lot of volunteers and plenty of time in the cherry pickers. From her spot on the porch at Jack’s bar, she had another look at the town. The tree was surrounded by people—children and adults—all smiling, laughing, running around. A few who she assumed lived right on the street, held steaming mugs in their mitten-covered hands.

Had she called the town dumpy? In one week, it had taken on the appearance of a friendly, welcoming, unpretentious town. It was simple and kind of sweet. And that tree—a town project—was awesome. Finally done, it was trimmed with red, white and blue balls, laminated military unit badges and strung with gold tinsel. It was gorgeous in daylight; it would be magnificent lit against the night sky.

Denny returned at dinnertime and they were together for some of Preacher’s stew and for the grand, official Christmas tree lighting, after which there was some tree-side caroling. Lots of people stopped into the bar to warm their bones against the snow. Denny spent much of that time behind the bar and even she could see he was kept extremely busy. Too busy to spend much time with her.

He hadn’t talked a lot during dinner. Becca wanted to believe it was because he’d had to say goodbye to his buddies, friends he hadn’t seen in a while and wouldn’t see again until who knew when. After the way he acted last night, all restless and having a hard time sleeping, she had started to worry that he’d had serious second thoughts about being stuck with her for another week.

It was typical of her to be direct, to come right out with her concerns or questions. But there was one thing she remembered about her former relationship with Denny—she couldn’t ask him what was wrong more than twice at the very most.

So she let it ride, even when he escorted her home at around eight o’clock, then went back to Jack’s to help out until closing.

With a heavy sigh, she treated herself to a bath, unplugged Denny’s phone just in case, then crawled into bed with her borrowed book. By the time Denny came back at a little after ten, she had nodded off, light still lit, opened book in her lap. She snapped awake at the sound of the closing door.

“Sorry,” he said. “I woke you.”

“It’s all right. I just fell asleep reading. You can turn the light off if you want to. Or leave it on, I don’t care.”

He just shuffled inside the door for a moment. “Doesn’t matter,” he said. He took off his jacket and hung it on the peg just inside the door. Then he sat in the only chair in the room, rested his elbows on his knees, clasped his hands together and hung his head.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake!” she said suddenly. “What is bugging you? You want me to sleep on the air mattress? Because I’d be happy to!”

He lifted his head instantly. “No, no. We’re good.” He stood, went to his storage chest and reached inside to pull out some clothes. Then he headed for the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

She heard the shower running and she sank down in the bed. “Maybe he’s got a girlfriend,” she muttered to herself. “Maybe that’s it. I’m in the way.” She put her book on the table beside the bed and turned over, presenting her back toward the bathroom door. It was a very long shower. Yes, she thought. Very likely there was a girl around here somewhere and now that his friends were gone, he’d like to get back to her. Just because things hadn’t worked out for Becca didn’t mean Denny’s life had been standing still. She’d sent him packing and he had been trying to jump-start a new life up here in the mountains.

It seemed a long time before he was back in the room, and she purposely didn’t turn to look at him.

“Becca?” he asked softly.

“Hmm?”

“You ready for the light to be off now?”

“Sure,” she said. Tomorrow I am going to find the right moment to bring it up, to talk to him about whatever it is that is making him act so uncomfortable around me.

He rummaged around, putting his clothes away, turning off the light beside her bed, crawling onto his air-mattress bed, then flopping around like a fish on the dock. She sighed heavily, not sure she was going to make it till the right moment tomorrow. She listened to his mattress gymnastics for another ten minutes, when the light beside her bed suddenly flicked on. Startled, she rolled over to look up at him.

“Look, I think I’m just going to head out to Jack’s. If you think you’ll be all right here by yourself.”

She raised up in bed. “Jack’s?”

“His guesthouse. You could probably, ah, use the privacy….”

“What the hell is going on with you? We didn’t have a problem all week and all of a sudden something is eating you. And it’s not letting you sleep! And it’s about me! Is there a girlfriend? Do you have a girlfriend and you can’t find a way to just tell me you want to spend time with her?”

He frowned in complete confusion, those beautiful expressive brows drawing together. “Girlfriend?”

“Well, I can’t for my life figure out what’s wrong with you!”

“Girlfriend?” he said again. He sat very gently on the edge of her bed. “Becca, there’s no girlfriend. I’m finding it kind of… Well, it’s hard to be alone with you.”