Second Chance Pass (Virgin River #5)(90)

“It’s just the usual. I’ll be fine.”

“Of course you will. There are some people I want you to meet. Paul’s new wife—she’s something else. And I want you to meet her younger brother. He’s slated for West Point. Daddy’s a retired Army three-star and the kid’s a year younger than you. Good kid. Sharp. He’s been seen around with Brenda Carpenter this whole past year.”

“Brenda? No kidding.”

“You two—you should meet. Talk. For both of you, Virgin River will always be your base, you know?”

“Yeah, Jack. As long as you’re here,” he said.

“I hooked you up with some wheels.”

“Yeah?” Rick asked.

“Mel’s not able to work yet, which leaves Doc the Humvee and his truck sitting idle. He says it’s all yours.”

“Perfect,” Rick said. “I think I’ll check in with my gram, then head over to Eureka to find that girl. I mean, first things first, Jack.”

By noon on Friday the first of the marines arrived in the person of Joe Benson from Grants Pass. He had hooked up Paul’s fifth wheel as his home away from home for the weekend and walked into Jack’s with rolls of parchment under his arm and a big grin on his face. He had preliminary architectural drawings for Paige and Preacher, Mike and Brie, sketches for Paul and Vanni. Tables were pushed together, coffee was poured and plans were spread out.

Only Preacher and Mike were available to scan the drawings as Brie was at Jack’s helping Mel with the babies and Paige was sharing Christopher’s nap.

“How’s Mel doing?” Joe asked Jack.

“She’s doing great, but she hates being stuck out at the house all the time. Brie’s bringing her and the little ones over later on, once most of the boys are here.”

“She feeling okay now?”

“She gets tired real easy—and you can imagine how that pisses her off,” Jack said. “Wait till you see her. She doesn’t look like someone who damn near bought the farm three weeks ago. I’ll tell you what, buddy. That about did me in.”

“Bad, huh?”

“Boy howdy, as she would say.”

By two, Paul came into the bar and the reunion continued. For Joe and Paul, who hadn’t seen each other in at least a few weeks, there was a hearty embrace, robust congratulations to Paul. “I didn’t figure to see you until much later,” Joe said.

“There’s a maid of honor at the house,” he explained. “I was told I was in the way. Which suits me fine. And I think the general and Tommy will be kicked out pretty soon, too.”

Next to arrive, Josh Phillips and Tom Stephens from the Reno area, pulling up in a nice cushy RV, a new purchase for Tom. Finally, Zeke, which made the crowd almost complete. “Corny’s putting in a no-show,” Jack explained. “He’s got a baby coming in a couple of months and has to save his time off for that. Number three. He’s still chasing that boy.”

Beer was set up and at about four, Paige came out of the back and walked right under her husband’s arm. Zeke was the first to spot her and sent up a whoop of excitement, rushing toward her with a huge grin on his face. “Whoa, baby, look at you! Damn me, girl—you’re cooking a good one there!” He rubbed a big hand over her belly. “Preacher, you dog—you did fine work here!”

“Yeah, I sure did.”

“You’re about to pop, girl.”

“Pretty soon,” she said, grinning. “How’s your wife doing?”

“She’s great,” Zeke said. “I thought I could sneak one more kid by her, but she says I’m all done. I don’t know what her hang-up is. We only have four. You think four is enough?” he asked Paige.

“I think that’s more than I’m having.” She laughed. “I don’t know how you tricked her into that many.”

“What can I say.” He shrugged. “The girl’s been lightin’ my fire for almost twenty years now—since the first time I saw her in that cheerleading outfit.” He whistled. “Those pom-poms just knocked me out.”

“To say nothing of that short skirt,” someone supplied.

“And those itty-bitty panties,” someone else remarked.

“I am so cut off,” Preacher grumbled.

“John,” Paige warned, though she couldn’t help but laugh. Joe was next, hugging her, checking out the stomach. Right behind him, Josh. “All right, all right,” Paige said. “One at a time! You guys,” she happily admonished. This crowd of men, each one of them what would be called a man’s man, so driven in the masculine pursuits of soldiering, hunting, fishing and the like, loved women, pregnant women especially, and the babies they brought. It was uncanny. And tremendous fun.

Doc turned up for his whiskey, the general and Tom finally came in. Jack pressed a beer into Tom’s hand.

“Where’s the cop?” the general asked with amusement. “This kid’s underage!”

“I get around that by giving it away,” Jack said. “In fact, when this crowd’s here, I end up giving away the bar!”

“Hey, where’s Rick?” someone asked.

“He went over to Eureka to fetch Lizzie,” Jack said. Then he grinned and added, “Wednesday.”