Forbidden Falls (Virgin River #9)(68)

Vanni lifted her chin with a sniff, closing her eyes.

“The other thing my gramma used to say, ‘You’re not happy? Fine. Act happy and see if the right feeling catches up.’ And you know what? Sometimes that works.”

Vanni was quiet for a long moment, and then very softly she said, “Let’s trade.”

“Good,” Ellie said. She stood with Hannah in her arms, carrying her the short distance over to Vanni. She put the baby on Vanni’s knees and lifted the much heavier Mattie in her arms and went back to the sofa.

And Vanni held Hannah. Hannah snuggled close, putting her fingers into Vanni’s mouth while she suckled. Then the suction broke with her smile. And without quite letting go of the nipple, she said, “Mama,” in a very small, almost relieved voice.

And Vanni began to cry.

Noah was kneeling in the sanctuary on the sanded floor, inspecting some hardwood seams that might need repair. He’d have to ask Paul about replacing the boards before the floor was finished. Lucy was beside him as usual. It was that magic hour, about five o’clock, when the sun caught the stained-glass window and lit it up.

“Pastor?”

He turned at the sound of Ellie’s voice. She had never addressed him so.

“I thought you’d like to know about the progress out at the Haggerty house. Everything is spic-and-span, and I think Vanni is warming up to Hannah. I’ll go back on Monday morning, but I feel like they’re doing better than when I found them.”

Noah took several steps toward her. “Why do you look so tired? Was it real hard work?”

Ellie shook her head. “It was hard on the heart. That baby girl is priceless, she’s so wonderful. She needs a mother’s love. I think it’s getting closer, but it’s been a tough adjustment. I guess you knew that or you wouldn’t have sent me out there.”

“What did you do?” he asked gently, his hand absently wandering to stroke the ponytail that hung over her shoulder.

She shrugged. “Nothing amazing. I cleaned, held the kids, let her talk, talked myself—you know. Like girls do. But when I was leaving today, Vanni was holding Hannah, probably the first time she didn’t absolutely have to. She was holding her close, kissing her little head, crying while that amazing child put little fingers in Vanni’s mouth and called her mama. I think it’s coming together. But, God, it’s killing me.”

Noah smiled, unsurprised. “Did your grandmother contribute a lot to that evolution?”

“My gramma?”

“You know,” he said. “My gramma said this, my gramma said that…”

“Do I do that a lot? I don’t even know when I do that.”

“It’s not a liability, Ellie,” he said. “That’s why I sent you.”

She put her hands on her hips. “Well, how sneaky is that! Really, I should be paid better if you’re going to have me doing that, and especially if you’re not even going to tell me!”

“You should be paid a lot more than I’m paying you,” he said with a smile. “But it’s what I can afford.”

She rolled her eyes. “Why the hell can’t I ever run into a rich man who wants to take advantage of me?”

He just laughed at her.

“Well, this is a fine mess,” a deep voice said from behind them. “Much worse looking than I expected. You must be thrilled, Noah.”

Noah turned. There, standing at the other end of the empty church, was his best friend and mentor. “George!” He left Ellie and strode toward him. “You didn’t say you were coming!”

“Sure I did. I just didn’t say when. It comes as no surprise to see you looking happy, surrounded by this disaster.”

Noah laughed and embraced the older man in a fierce hug. “God, it’s good to see you! How long will you stay?”

“Long enough to get the lay of the land. Now, who is your friend? You shouldn’t leave a beautiful woman standing behind like that.”

Noah grabbed George’s arm and pulled him down what would eventually be an aisle in the church. “George, meet Ellie Baldwin, pastor’s assistant. Ellie, meet George Davenport, my best friend and mentor.”

A slow smile spread over George’s face. He took Ellie’s hand, raising the back of her fingers to his lips. He bent and brushed a kiss on them. “Ellie, it’s an honor. I retired too soon—I had no idea the assistants would be so beautiful down the road.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr….”

“Pastor Davenport,” Noah corrected. “Retired, but still a preacher.”

She smiled. “A pleasure, Your Worship,” she said.

Noah laughed at George’s look of surprise. “She doesn’t mean it, George. She’s extremely disrespectful. And unrepentant.”

“Then you’ll do penance by sitting through dinner with us,” George said. “I can’t wait to try that little place next door, the one Noah’s been bragging about. Come, Ellie, stay close to me. I want to know how you like working for this reprobate.”

“It’s hell, Your Reverence.”

George felt he had met the entire town by the time dinner was over, but Jack Sheridan assured him he hadn’t come close. “These are pretty much the regulars, though,” Jack admitted. That included Jack’s wife and two small children, the neighbors who lived nearby, Hope McCrea, who sold Noah the old church. George was introduced to young Rick Sudder and his fiancée, Liz; Rick was recently returned from a tour of duty with the marines in Iraq. Somewhere along the line George learned that Rick had a prosthetic leg, but he never did figure out which one. The lad had a carefree manner and not the slightest limp.