Second Chance Pass (Virgin River #5)(89)

He grinned at her. “None whatsoever.”

“Then I’m going wherever you go, Tom.”

“The Army is going to keep me from getting married while I’m at West Point. This next four years, this is when we’re going to find out what we’re made of, because Army life isn’t easy. It’s good, and it’s strong, but it’s not easy. My dad always said that sometimes the Army spouses have to be tougher than the soldiers—my mom was left to raise us alone so many times. I know she was lonely, sometimes scared, and she was probably pissed some of the time, but she was so proud of my dad’s work. You’d never know it was hard for her. You have to know that going in, it’s just not easy. If you change your mind, if someone else comes along that can offer you—”

She put a hand against his cheek. “What if someone comes along for you?” she asked.

“Brenda—I think all I’m going to get in the Army are sore muscles and a completely worn-out brain.”

“You never know—there could be some really sexy drill sergeant,” she said with a laugh.

“Right,” he said. “Listen to me now. My mind is made up, but I want you to promise me—keep your options open. Have fun, be a single girl and enjoy yourself. Take a good hard look around you, a long look at the world. When this four years is up, you have to be sure. You have to think I’m your best choice—not your only choice. I don’t want you to ever think you made a mistake, betting on me and this life. Because if you’re still my girl, I’m going to marry you the first day I can, and then I’m not letting you go without a fight.”

“I’ll keep my eyes open, Tommy,” she said. “But I bet my heart will only be able to see you. And I’ll miss you so much, but I’m proud of you. I know we’re pretty young—but I’m not too young to know I have to marry a man I can be that proud of.”

It made him smile. “I’ll work on making sure you always feel that way.”

“Yeah, I know you will.”

“I used to hate my dad for coming up with Virgin River,” he said with a laugh. “Now I’m thinking of putting him in my will.”

Jack drove to Garberville to pick up Ricky from the bus early the next Wednesday morning. He was thinking about the phone call he’d had from Ricky a few weeks ago. It changed his world, but it was something he could have predicted.

The boy stepped off the bus not in uniform, but in his jeans and boots. Even so, that jarhead haircut branded him as a marine on leave. Jack’s chest swelled with pride. Boy? This was no boy. Here was a man, a fighting marine, who had matured and grown even stronger in the months he’d been away. His grin, however, was the same young, infectious, optimistic smile as when he first rode his bike up to Jack’s years ago.

It took willpower not to run to him and fetch him up in his arms, but Jack stood stock-still, letting the boy—the young man—come to him. They grasped hands and brought themselves shoulder to shoulder. Rick had grown yet taller. He was every bit the six-two Jack was. “Hey, man,” Ricky said.

“Damn, boy. Look at you. You’re almost as old as me.”

“Hardly.” Ricky laughed. “Look at you. You’re getting gray, what’s this?”

“Melinda, naturally. She’s working me over. You should be careful, Rick. Strong, sexy women? They’ll kill you slow.”

“What a way to go, huh?”

“Yeah, I can’t complain. It’s turning out to be a big weekend here, man.”

“Yeah?”

“Paul’s getting married. I’ll catch you up on all that—but the two events, your leave and Paul’s wedding—it’s bringing the boys to town. We’re going to have us a time. They’ll start arriving in a couple of days.”

“Good. How’s Mel?”

“Getting around a little slow, but don’t worry—she’s bossing me around like crazy, which tells me she’s fine. She can’t wait to see you.”

“And Preach?” Ricky asked.

“About to be a father, in a month or so.”

“Damn,” Ricky said. “When I first laid eyes on him, I would never have put money on that.”

“Tell me about it. By the way, your grandma is doing well. And from what I hear from her aunt Connie, your girl is excited about your leave.”

“Yeah, I called Lizzie. She’s a little freaked about Iraq, but it’ll give her time to finish school. It’s been a real headache, getting her through school…”

“She still trying to marry you?” Jack asked.

“I’m sticking to my guns, man. Four years, that’s the deal. Down to three now. But holy Jesus, I love her like crazy. I can’t wait to see her.”

“You going to have time for the rest of us?”

“I can cut you a few minutes,” he said with a grin that was all boy. “Try not to jam me up too bad, huh? I’ve been totally faithful to this girl for nine whole months and I am in bad shape. Bad.”

Jack cracked out a big laugh. He put an arm around Ricky’s shoulders. Something he couldn’t help but wonder was how his life might have been different if he’d met his Melinda when he was sixteen. They’d be broke and have twenty-seven kids by now. But he said, “Iraq. What shit is that?”