Second Chance Pass (Virgin River #5)(91)

The place was soon throbbing with the noise of men, and Paige made her escape, but not without the plans Joe brought. The barbecue was lit, the party spilled out onto the porch when Doc’s old truck rumbled into town and stopped in front of Connie and Ron’s corner store across the street. A hush fell over the crowd. The marines who hadn’t already been outside quietly gathered there as Rick got out, helped his girl out to go visit her aunt and uncle, but not before pulling her to him for one last kiss. The moment their lips met, the marines sent up a wild cheer.

The couple bolted apart in surprise. Rick saw them and his face was split in a huge grin. The cheering and jeering continued and with his arm still around Lizzie’s waist, he obliged the crowd by pulling her against him again to finish what he started. Then he let her go, gave her a little pat on the rump and sent her into her aunt’s store.

Tom leaned toward Paul and said, “I hope Brenda stays indoors until these whack jobs leave town.”

“Aw, don’t worry, Tom. They wouldn’t do that to you.”

“No?” he asked.

“No way. You’re Army.” He grinned. “It’s just not the same stuff, Tom.”

To the welcoming cheers, Rick walked across the street and stopped in front of the bar’s porch. “You guys are so frickin’ rude,” he said with a smile.

“Hey, jarhead,” someone yelled. “Last I heard, Eureka was only a couple hours away.”

“Make a stop or two, buddy?”

“He looks pretty loose to me.”

“Come on up here, pal—we don’t have much time before the invasion of women! I wanna hear about recon training. They scare you?” Rick was asked.

“They did,” he replied. “Reconnaissance rappelling looked like a suicide mission to me, but then I just couldn’t stop doing it. It’s such a rush. And I got pushed out of an airplane a few times—that really turned me on.”

“I don’t know,” Zeke said, shaking his head. “Airplanes make me throw up. Well, not regular airplanes. But when I’m in one painted up in camouflage with about a hundred and fifty pounds of gear on my back, it just does something to my stomach.”

“’Cause you’re a sissy,” Rick said, laughing.

The next to arrive to a huge and affectionate welcome was Mel and Brie and Jack’s babies. Jack took immediate charge of David, but couldn’t hang on to him long as he was passed around and admired. Next came Vanni and her girlfriend Nikki. “Hey,” she said, smiling. “Is this some kind of bachelor party?”

Joe Benson was sitting up at the bar when these last two women walked in, and he was brought instantly off the stool and to his feet. Nikki, small and dark-haired with big dark eyes and a small pink mouth, knocked the wind out of him for the second time. He had to shake himself. He’d met her briefly a couple of months ago and the memory hadn’t let him go. There was something about her that made his mouth drop open and his eyes shine. He couldn’t stop staring at her.

Paul hung on to little Matt for Vanni so she could be welcomed and introduce her maid of honor. Steaks were turned on the grill, salad tossed, potatoes baked, ears of corn buttered and some of Preacher’s finest pies set out. There was feasting and laughter. Toasts were made to Rick, Tom and the wedding couple. Women disappeared to nurse babies and reappeared as the sun slowly set.

The general found Paul. “You ready to take the plunge, son?”

“Sir, I’ve been ready for a long time. I promise you, I’ll do right by her.”

“I have no doubt. Nice group of men you have at your back.”

“They are, sir. The best. Thanks for making them welcome. Thanks for sharing Tom’s going away with all of us.”

“It’s an honor, Paul. It’s good for him to see this—he’ll have this in no time, a crowd of brothers, shoring him up. I’m going to miss that boy.”

“We’ll all miss him, sir.”

“Think you’ll ever just call me Walt? Or even Dad?” he asked.

Paul smiled. “I don’t know, sir. I think I’d kind of miss the edge.”

As the evening aged and dinner was done, Joe stepped out onto the porch, pulled a cigar out of his pocket and snipped the end. He struck a match against his shoe, when he heard a sound and looked up. Nikki was leaning on the porch railing. “Oh, sorry,” he said, shaking out the match. “I didn’t know anyone was out here.”

She smiled at him. It seemed a shy smile, maybe a sad smile. “Vanni’s nursing the baby,” she said, then looked upward again. “I couldn’t figure out what she saw in a little town like this. But then I had a look at this sky.”

Joe stepped up beside her. “It’s something, all right. Nikki, isn’t it?”

“Yes. And you’re Joe. Paul’s friend from Oregon.”

“That’s right,” he said with a smile. She remembered him. She remembered him? “You must be a city girl.”

“San Francisco. What’s Grants Pass like? Big? Small?”

“Small, but not this small. Twenty-three thousand, some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world.”

“Have you lived there a long time?”

“Pretty much all my life. I have a big family there.”