Paradise Valley (Virgin River #7)(83)

Vanessa, Brie and Paige planned a beautiful Saturday-afternoon party to take place at the general’s house—Vanni’s deck and yard were not yet as she wanted them to be for a party. Outside on the general’s deck the men could enjoy their cigars while inside, the women would have good food, beverages, gifts and lots of space to get acquainted. Vanni invited the Sheridans, June and John from Grace Valley and their spouses, Nikki and Joe from Grants Pass, Shelby and Luke and Art.

Nikki and Joe arrived early to help with the food and decorating—the women hung pink and blue streamers around the dining-room table, along with balloons.

Unlike most of the other couples present, Cameron stayed close to Abby. He fetched her food from the buffet, refilled her water glass, cooed over the gifts as she opened them. There were wonderful little outfits, practical supplies, the special extras every young mother present had found to be essential.

Preacher and Jack had closed the bar for a few hours in the afternoon, but left their wives and little ones at the shower to get back in time for the dinner hour. Everyone had such a good time and the food and drink was so plentiful, the sun was setting before people started to drift off. Cameron loaded the gifts in his SUV to take back to the cabin and the crowd had thinned before Abby said, “Cam, where are our mothers?”

“I don’t know,” he said, looking around. “Ask your dad if he knows.”

Ed Michaels had no idea. Chuck McCall couldn’t say. It appeared the ladies had disappeared.

“You and I should talk without our kids or husbands,” Beth Michaels had said to Susan McCall.

“Oh yes,” Susan had replied. “But there’s a party going on. Think we can slip down to the stable or something?”

“Forget it. Come with me.”

“Should we tell someone we’re leaving?” Susan asked.

“No, let’s just drift away.” She smiled. “They can search the whole town in five minutes. No worries. We’re going to the bar.”

Susan smiled back. “I like the way you think.”

“Hmm. There’s a reason our kids get along so well.”

Ten minutes later they pulled up to Jack’s and went in. Jack was behind the bar and the look of shock on his face caused Beth to laugh lightly and whisper, “We’d better be quick. Look at him. He’s going to give us up.”

“In a heartbeat,” Susan agreed.

“This way.” Beth found an isolated corner of the bar out of the range of dining patrons and they hopped up on stools. Jack was there immediately, slapping down a couple of napkins.

“Ladies?” he asked.

“Martinis, I think.” Then she looked at Susan, who nodded in agreement. “Dry.”

“Okay then,” Jack said, turning away to fetch drinks.

“All right,” Beth said. “I know nothing. Cameron said he fell hard for a woman, but she had divorce complications. I had no idea he had a woman in his life. But it’s absolutely clear he adores her. He loves her completely. Do you know anything?”

“I didn’t know how closely Cameron figured in this until a couple of days ago. Abby told me that this wonderful pediatrician she met in Virgin River was, in fact, the babies’ father. First I heard of it. But you’re right—they’re dead in love. And more pregnant than I’ve ever been.”

“Ditto,” said Cameron’s mother.

“I can tell you about the divorce, however. Nasty little piece of work. I was shocked Abby married him so quickly in the first place, and I think she was, too. We met him briefly—he seemed okay. But…”

“Do tell,” Beth encouraged.

Jack put a couple of drinks down for them and stood there for a second. Then when it was clear they weren’t going to talk in front of him, he moved away.

Susan told the story of Abby’s terrible, short marriage to a rock star, and the prenup that bound her and sent her into hiding, and the bills he dumped on her as she was trying to get out of it all.

“She was only with him for a couple of months before he ran out on her?” Beth asked, aghast.

“That about sums it up. Somewhere in there, before she signed her divorce papers, or maybe shortly after, she met Cameron,” Susan said. “I didn’t know it was Cameron at the time. I didn’t know who it was and frankly, all I cared about was that my daughter be safe and content. All she wanted to do was clear that debt and get on with her life, but then she met Cameron again, when she was clearly pregnant.”

Beth sipped her drink and shook her head. “Dear God, what if they hadn’t seen each other again! Cam wouldn’t know about the babies! And I wouldn’t know about Abby.”

“And I wouldn’t know about Cameron,” Susan commiserated. “When she said she couldn’t talk about how this all happened, I never imagined a wonderful man like Cameron being involved. Beth, our children are both a little crazy.”

“Susan, they’re not children. They’re almost as old as we are.”

Susan giggled. “That’s a fact.”

“Well, are things cleared up now? With the divorce and all?”

“The divorce is long done and the other stuff—who cares?” Susan said. She lifted a hand to Jack for a couple more martinis. While he was mixing them, she said, “Chuck and I said we’d get rid of that debt for her so she wouldn’t have to go to such lengths. But Abby’s proud. And stubborn. When she was growing up, there were so many times kids teased her, called her spoiled, being an only child and all. She wanted to clean up her own mess. If the debt wasn’t bad enough, she’d gone through everything she’d saved just to get through the divorce. That man—the ex-husband—he was ruthless. I only met him that once. Really, he seemed harmless. I was so wrong. I never expected all he put her through.”