Promise Canyon (Virgin River #13)(30)

"How can you handle all that? With the baby?"

"For right now, Shelby's uncle Walt sticks pretty close. Art's a great help," Luke said. Art was a man in his early thirties with Down syndrome who lived on their property and worked under their supervision. "But there are a lot of things that are just beyond him--anything up a ladder, paperwork or accounting, driving for supplies, you know. But so far, we're managing just fine." He took a drink of his beer and said, "Ahhhh. Not like I don't have cold beer at home, but I needed to get out. I feel like a nanny."

"How are your brothers getting along?" Jack asked.

"Let's see--the youngest, Patrick, is sitting alert on an aircraft carrier, but it's a short three-month mission. Aiden and Erin are planning a small wedding for the spring. Sean is up to his eyeballs in Air Command and Staff College--boy's probably going to be an Air Force general. Now doesn't that make you laugh? Sean, the biggest screw-off I know. I guess he can get serious where the Air Force is concerned. And the only one we don't hear that much from is Colin, but that's always been the case. He's a loner."

"What's Colin doing these days?"

Luke took another swig of beer. "Black Hawk helicopters out of Fort Benning, Georgia."

"Shouldn't he be about ready to retire?" Jack asked. "Isn't he about forty?"

"About right, and already over twenty years in the Army--but they're going to have to throw him out. He'll never go quietly. He loves that helicopter and it loves him."

Jack poured himself a cup of coffee. "I never understood you flyboys. I never even liked riding in choppers."

Luke laughed at him. "All the boys fly except Aiden, and look what Aiden ended up doing--ob-gyn? Come on, that's weird if you ask me."

Jack took a sip. "Now, I think that makes sense. More sense than going up in the air in some kind of strange whirly machine. So, Luke, you and Shelby coming to the town meeting?"

Luke thought a moment before answering. He took a small taste of his beer for courage. "Hey, I'm real sorry, Jack, but that sounds like about the most boring thing I can think of and my fun meter is already way, way down."

"Mel thinks I shouldn't do it at all. She thinks everyone will have diverging ideas."

"No offense, Jack, but if you get ten people with enough time on their hands for a boring town meeting, you'll be lucky."

"Think so? You should come, Luke. Maybe you'll have some ideas for the town."

"Want to know what my best idea is? Sleeping through the night, that's the best idea I can come up with. I want that baby in his own room and me and Shelby sleeping straight through."

"It'll come," Jack said. "He's only a couple of months old."

"Yeah, a couple of months with a tapeworm. Kid eats nonstop. And he has the biggest feet I've ever seen. If babies grow into their feet like German shepherds, he's gonna be eight feet tall." He finished his beer slowly. "I'd like to stay longer, but I'm afraid if I do, you'll talk me into that meeting by calling in some marker or something."

"If you don't participate," Jack said solemnly, "no one will ever elect you mayor."

Luke stood up, tossed a couple of bills on the bar and said, "That works for me. You take care now." And he got out of there before it went any further.

While walking across the parking lot from the bar to the church for the town meeting, Jack asked Mel if she'd mind taking notes, just to have something to reference if he wanted to review the suggestions of what to do with their inheritance from Hope. "Notes? Like minutes?" she asked.

"Totally unofficial--but I'd like some kind of record of what was said. I don't know why or how I'll use it, but... You know--just jot down a name and a suggestion. That kind of thing."

"I guess so. Um, Jack--please play your cards close to your chest on this. Don't tell too much too fast. People never knew what Hope had and she was a cagey old broad--I suspect there was a reason for it. No one knew her town better than she did."

"I think you're selling this little town short, Melinda. I've always found most everyone to be responsible. Cautious, even. And certainly generous."

"Uh-huh," she said.

"Look, there are already cars and trucks parked outside." Jack smiled. "We're going to get a good turnout!"

"Uh-huh."

"Um, Jack?" a man's voice said.

Jack turned to find himself face-to-face with Hugh Givens, local apple orchard owner. He stuck out his hand. "Hey, Hugh, how's it going, man?"

"Good. Excellent. Listen, could I just have a quick word with you before the meeting starts?"

"You have ideas, Hugh? Because I'd prefer it if you'd--"

"No, sir, a question. If I could have a second... Alone?"

Mel's eyebrows lifted in surprise that anyone would ever question her discretion. She was probably the best secret keeper in the town. But she took the hint. Jack handed her the little notebook he'd been carrying and watched her go inside.

"What's up?" he said to Hugh.

"Well, I'm assuming Hope had her money mostly invested, and tied up in that big old house and stuff. And I'm wondering--you planning to invest? Make sure that money for the town keeps making money?"