Paradise Valley (Virgin River #7)(106)

But he knew what. Several factors collided. Jerry got through to him, made him see that he was unsuccessful in escaping his old life. Then Liz fought back, giving him every punch he deserved. Then Dan took off his leg and balanced perfectly on one. Perfectly, like he didn’t even need the prosthesis. Then he held Liz the way she was meant to be held, with tenderness and love. It was all coming together. Took too damn long, but it was coming together.

Rick followed Liz back to town, gave her one more kiss and made a date to meet her on his grandma’s front porch later. Then he took a deep breath and made his way into the bar. He recognized Dan’s back at the bar. His leg was all put back together. Friday night, the place was pretty busy, but there was an empty stool on Dan’s left.

Rick maneuvered himself onto the stool and put the keys down next to Dan’s coffee cup. “Sorry. Took me a while.”

Dan turned and peered at him.

“You didn’t have to wait. I’d have gotten the truck back to you somehow.”

“I didn’t wait,” Dan said. “I had dinner and I can walk home from here.”

“You have this whole business down pretty good now, huh?” Rick said.

“It’s like missing a couple of teeth. You learn to chew on the other side.”

Rick laughed in spite of himself. “Teeth?”

“It wasn’t easy,” Dan said. “I took the hard way. You don’t have to. Lotta help around here.”

“Um, speaking of help…” Jack was on his way down the bar. “Uh-oh.”

Jack grabbed a towel and a glass. Then he was in front of him, glaring down at him, wiping the spots out of the glass to keep from choking him. “Liz all right?”

“Yeah. I found her out at the river and we had a talk. Nice and calm. I told her I was sorry for that whole business. For everything.”

“I ever see anything like that again, I don’t know if I can keep from beating the shit outta you. I know I taught you better than that.”

“I’m sorry, Jack. That was horrible and I know it.”

“It was all I could do to keep from dragging you behind the shed.”

A smile came to Rick’s lips. Jack was in everything, meddling, and it often got him in trouble. “I’ll bet,” Rick said.

“I think we step up the counseling appointments. If you can’t adjust, maybe you can learn restraint.” He lifted a brow. “That’s never been your long suit, as I recall.”

“As it turns out, that’s going to happen. Liz won’t get back with me unless we go to the counselor together.”

Dan’s head swiveled sharply toward Rick. “You sure she’s just eighteen?”

“She had to grow up fast,” Rick said. “Jack, I know I owe you a ton of apologies. I’ll walk down after breakfast tomorrow. We can talk about it. How’s that?”

“You saying you turned a corner here?” Jack couldn’t stop himself from asking.

“Sort of. It was kind of like a bomb went off in my head.” Then he winced. “I wish I hadn’t said it like that.”

With the towel in one hand and the glass in the other, Jack leaned his big, meaty hands on the bar. “You telling me that this lunatic taking off his leg was all you needed?”

Again Rick laughed. “Yes and no. It was probably more about seeing how I’d treated Liz. I love that girl—but I’ve been treating her like crap for months. I hurt her so bad, just because I have shit to deal with. And her saying she’d give up both her legs if I could have mine? Give up her life if I lost mine? God.” He shook his head. “I think I’ve been getting to this. That nutcase you send me to twice a week said sometimes people have to hit bottom before they start to build up their strength again. The way I treated the girl I love, after the way I was brought up, first by my gram and then by you—shit, man. We don’t treat our women that way and I know it. I saw the bottom, saw what kind of man I could turn into if I don’t get a handle on this. He also said I was more mad at myself than anyone else. I think I was getting close to sanity anyway. Then this crazy loon took off his leg. I’ve never seen anyone stay upright on one leg like that.” Rick grinned and elbowed Dan. “That is truly awesome. I don’t know how you did that. It’s like you studied under a karate master or something. I’m so going to learn that. But first I’m installing a bar in the shower.”

“You do that, kid,” Dan said, sipping his coffee.

“Can I have a Coke, Jack?”

Jack was speechless. Stunned. “I…ah…need some glasses. ’Right back….”

Jack escaped into the kitchen. He wasn’t stupid enough to think that all Rick’s adjustments had suddenly fallen into place, but in four months this was the first glimpse he’d had of his boy, the boy he loved like a son, the boy he’d gone all the way to Germany for, even though there’d been a chance he’d have to bring him home in a box.

He leaned on Preacher’s worktable for a second, staring down, his breath coming hard and shallow. He felt the tears in his eyes and his heart pounded. For a while he didn’t think it would ever happen. He’d been afraid Rick was going to be mean and angry for the rest of his life when there was no young man Jack had ever known who used to be more filled with light and joy. Not in all his years. Rick was the finest example of a young man Jack could name.