Promise Canyon (Virgin River #13)(84)

"You might have to take a minimum wage job till this economy picks up a little. Hardly anyone's hiring," Jack said. He lifted his coffee cup. He was starting to really like this kid. He liked the way the kid handled life. Liked his attitude.

"Yeah, I know," Denny said. "But I'm holding out for the best low-paying job I can find before I settle in. But I have to say, my friend was right about this part of the world--very pretty. And the people are nice. Friendly." He lifted his beer toward Jack. "Very accommodating. Especially you!"

"I got in a little trouble for that--offering up the guesthouse without even seeing your ID."

"Oh, really?" Denny asked with round eyes. He went for his back pocket.

"Nah, we're fine now. I guess Mel is right, I should at least check a person out before letting them on the property."

Denny pulled out his wallet and flipped it open. "Seriously, she's right! You should be sure about who you're letting hang around your house and your family! Even if I am in a separate building. I mean, I don't want any trouble with Mel. She's so nice and all--"

Jack put a hand over the boy's wrist. "It's okay, Denny. We're square. She's fine about it now."

"But look at it, Jack. Huh?" he asked, pushing the ID toward him. "That's me, my face, my San Diego address, which I moved out of so I guess it's not really my address anymore, but..."

"What about your mail?" Jack asked.

"General Delivery," he said with a shrug. He grinned boyishly. "If the Marine Corps has trouble finding me, I'm okay with that!"

"Done with that, are you?" Jack asked.

"Oh, man--I am so done."

Jack stepped back from the bar, chuckling. He lifted his coffee cup to his lips.

At that moment, the sound of tinkling glass emerged from the bar and the floor began to vibrate. Jack felt as if he was off balance, as if the earth moved beneath his feet. Liquor bottles on the shelf danced around; one fell. Glasses began to tumble off the shelf.

"Jack!" Denny yelled. Then the kid put a foot on his barstool, leaped over the bar and pushed Jack down, hovering over him, protecting him. He started to move him out of the bar area. "Get away from this glass! Hurry! Crawl! Front of the bar--come on!"

Despite the uneven feeling of the floor beneath him, Jack moved to the end of the bar, and not a moment too soon. Bottle after bottle smashed to the floor, glass flying, liquor splashing. In just seconds they were at the front of the bar, sitting under the overhang. The shaking went on and on; it seemed to last forever and the breakage continued. Then the vibration slowed to a stop.

From where Jack crouched he could see that the two men who'd been sitting at a table by the door had abandoned their beers and fled the bar.

"Whoa," Jack said, trying to stand, but his balance was still impaired.

"Yeah, don't stand up too fast. I grew up in earthquake country. It screws up your equilibrium for a while."

"How'd you get over the bar like that? With everything shaking?" Jack asked.

"I dunno," Denny said. "I saw a couple of bottles go and knew about fifty more would follow and I knew you had to get out of there. No offense, but you had a kind of dumb look on your face, like you weren't sure what was going on."

Jack pointed a finger at Denny. "Do not tell anyone that!"

Denny put his hands up, palms toward Jack. "Absolutely not! But really, I didn't want you to fall and end up crawling out of there on top of shattered glass."

"Thanks." Jack sniffed. He looked at his young friend. "Really smells like a bar now, doesn't it?"

There was a loud bang and a shout as Preacher hit the swinging door and blasted through it from the kitchen. "Jack!"

"Yeah, we're fine," he said, slowly leaning over the bar to get a glimpse of the mess. "Paige and the kids?"

"I checked them first. They're okay. Mel?"

"She's at the clinic with the kids. I gotta get over there." He turned to Denny. "Stay here, will you, buddy? Help Preach with anything he needs? I'll be right back."

"Sure," the kid said, standing up slowly. He peered over the bar. "I'll get a broom and trash can. Lotta glass back there."

"I'll be back to help in a bit." Jack looked over the bar. "Um, you're gonna need a shovel."

Mel and the kids were outside by the swing set when the earthquake hit. She had huddled with them on the ground, so they were fine. Cameron had been in the clinic and reported a couple of broken glasses that had fallen from the kitchen counter to the floor, but that was all.

"The bar's a disaster," Jack told Mel. "I don't want you or the kids over there--it's covered in glass. Denny happened to be there, having a beer--he's going to help us with the cleanup."

"We'll button things down here, but I think Cameron and I will have to wait here for a while, see if anyone calls with an injury. What will I do with the kids if that happens?"

"Preacher's place is stable, just not the bar. I'll check with Paige and let you know. In the meantime, if you need me, I'll come over here." He leaned forward and gave her a kiss. "That kid, Denny--he jumped over the bar and pushed me out of the line of falling bottles."