Promise Canyon (Virgin River #13)(81)

"Apparently about a month," Patrick said.

"Okay, let me think," Luke said again. But thinking wasn't as easy this time. What were the options? They could go to his commander and report the situation and the Army would say, Oh, really? Buh-bye! The deal is--turn yourself in for an addiction problem and get help, get caught on drugs you're not prescribed to take, and there is no help for your sorry soul. Was there wiggle room if you got banged up and hooked on drugs compliments of the Army?

"I could come out," he said to Patrick. "But he hates me."

"He doesn't exactly hate you," Paddy said. "But he doesn't want advice from you."

"It has to be Aiden," Luke said.

"Or Sean," Paddy said. "But I swear to God, he's taking too many pain pills. This isn't like Colin. Colin likes pain...sort of. He's always pushed himself real hard. He's been hurt before and he never tossed back a bunch of pills. This isn't good."

"But these injuries were bad, Paddy. You should've seen him. He was a mess--unconscious and hallucinating and... Maybe he's not acting that abnormally. Let's call Aiden. And while we're at it, Sean. You know how to do a conference call?"

"Yeah," Patrick said. "Yeah, I can do that."

A half hour later Aiden had agreed to go to Colin's house near Fort Benning. "I don't know that I'll be able to do much good," he said. "The last thing he seems to want right now is his brothers. I'll check him out and try to be circumspect. I'll try not to piss him off. But I guaran-damn-tee you he isn't throwing my luggage out the door."

"Good for you, Aiden," Luke said in great relief.

"Yeah," said Sean.

"Thank you," said Patrick.

Sixteen

A few days of not talking to Lilly or being alone with her was a few days too long. While Clay couldn't say he knew everything about Lilly after just a couple of months, this was not the Lilly he thought he knew--too stubborn to even hear him out. Out of complete frustration he found his way to that funky turquoise coffee shop in Fortuna, the Loving Cup, and hoped to get some enlightenment there.

Clay had no idea what days or times Lilly frequented the coffee shop or that she had a favorite place to roost when she did, but without knowing it he took the seat she usually claimed. When Dane saw Clay walk in, a flash of surprise registered on his face, but it melted quickly into understanding. He walked over to Clay. "Howdy," he said. "What can I get you?"

"I'm hoping for solutions. Peace of mind. An end to this misery," Clay candidly shared.

"Well, let's see. Does that come in a latte or a cappuccino? Maybe a double shot?"

"Just a cup of coffee. Black. And how about some answers?"

Dane poured the coffee in a big, masculine-looking mug. "I don't have any answers without questions," he finally said.

"I can't break through the barrier, Dane. I hope she talked to you because she hasn't talked to anyone else. I went to Annie and she knows nothing at all, except that Lilly took a little time off from helping out at the clinic. Annie was counting on her and the Lilly I thought I knew wouldn't let her friend down like that unless...unless she was in a very bad place and couldn't help it. Lilly won't take my calls or return my messages. She hasn't seen Blue in days--that's got to be killing her. When I went to her house, she called the police."

"I heard about that," Dane said rather quietly, as if disappointed. "That was a little over-the-top," he said. "If it makes any difference, I urged her to have it out with you--have a sit-down about whatever the problem is. I think it's foolish to refuse to communicate. I don't know how she's going to know, ten years from now, whether she made the right decision."

"Has she made some kind of decision? Because she hasn't said anything to me. Well, except that she doesn't want to talk to me. She doesn't want to listen."

Dane pursed his lips and stood very still on his side of the counter.

"Can you help me?" Clay asked. "Can you help me understand? Can you tell me what to do?"

Dane shook his head. "I'm sorry. I think I might've made it worse. We had a fight about it. All of it. I made her cry and she's not speaking to me, either."

"Swell," Clay said. "I wonder if I should go to her grandfather, but common sense tells me--"

"Oh, please," Dane said indignantly. "Even if Lilly did confide in her grandfather, he'd never break her trust. Especially to you! You're the enemy right now."

"But why am I the enemy?"

"Seriously?" Dane asked with a laugh. "She saw you kiss your ex and tell her you loved her. That sort of thing just doesn't go down well, I guess. Silly Lilly!" he added facetiously.

Clay shook his head, a very slight movement. "No, that's not exactly what happened."

"She believes she caught you in a tryst," Dane said.

"No," Clay said. "No, she caught me sending away a fragile person I once cared about, as kindly as I could. And I regret that now, but not because Lilly misinterpreted it--because I've finally realized that to be too kind to Isabel sometimes carries a heavy price."

"But you kissed her," Dane said, leaning toward him in a threatening manner--threatening for a man a few inches shorter and a good forty pounds lighter in weight. "Girls don't like watching their boyfriends kiss other women, especially women they profess to love." He lifted one tawny brow, crossed his arms over his chest and peered at Clay. "Know what I mean?"