Shelter Mountain (Virgin River #2)(40)

“You’re staying here now?” Mel asked. “With your aunt Connie?”

She shrugged. “I guess so. If she doesn’t just throw me out.”

“You know she wouldn’t do that. Does this mean you’ve decided to have the baby?”

“Yes. What else can I do?”

“At this stage, your options are definitely limited.”

“I’m having it. I can’t do anything else now.” She took in a ragged breath. “This is going to be really bad.”

“How can I help you, Liz?” Mel asked.

She just shook her head miserably. “I don’t think anyone can help me now.”

“Honey, you’re not the first teenager to get pregnant. I won’t kid you—there will be some tough times, getting through this. But you will get through it.”

“I’m just hoping to get through today.”

“What’s so important about today?” Mel asked.

“I guess I better tell him. Huh?”

“He doesn’t know,” Mel said, and it was not a question.

“No.” She lifted her eyes and they welled with tears. “He’s going to be so mad.”

“Sweetheart, you didn’t get this way alone. You remember that. I’ll give you a few days to settle in, then we’ll drive down to Grace Valley and get an ultrasound. You’ll be able to see your baby. I think you’ll be able to determine the sex, if you want to know.”

“Okay,” she said. “Yes, I want to know.”

“You can think about who you would like to deliver your baby. You’ll meet the OB in Grace Valley when you have the ultrasound, and given this is a first pregnancy, there’s plenty of time for you to get to Valley Hospital. Or, you can have the baby here, but I don’t administer anesthesia, something you might want to keep in mind.”

“Okay. I don’t know what to do yet,” she said.

“You take your time. Some advice?”

“Sure,” she said. “Join the club.”

“Don’t wait. Tell him right away. Get that part behind you.”

Liz shuddered. “Yeah,” she said. “I know.”

Rick parked his little truck right next to Jack’s behind the bar and, whistling, he bounded up the back steps and into the kitchen. Preacher was rolling out dough for pies, and right beside him, sitting up on the counter crosslegged and pounding at his own little wad of dough, was Christopher. Preacher’s shadow. Rick tousled the boy’s hair. “How you doing, buddy? Makin’ pies?”

“I’m making my own,” he said, concentrating.

“Good for you,” Rick said.

Preacher said, “Rick, there’s someone out in the bar here to see you.”

“Oh, yeah?” he said, grinning.

“Listen, Rick,” Preacher said. “Nice and easy, Rick. Take it nice and easy. Use your head. Think before you talk, okay?”

“Yeah?” he said again, in question.

Rick went into the next room and saw that Jack was behind the bar serving beer to a couple of men. He met Rick’s eyes and his expression was real serious. Then he inclined his head slightly, into the room. Rick glanced across the room to a corner table, and when he saw her there, his eyes lit up and he grinned. Liz, he thought. Oh, God—Liz! His heart actually started to hammer—he hadn’t seen her since last May and he had missed her like mad! He couldn’t imagine the number of times he thought about her. He’d dreamed about her.

As he walked quickly around the bar toward her, she stood. And as she stood, her hands automatically went to her middle, as if holding up her round tummy, and the bottom suddenly dropped out of Rick’s world. He stopped dead in his tracks, stunned. Paralyzed. His mouth hung open and his eyes went from her face to her belly to her face. He wanted to run for his life. He wanted to die.

From across the room he could see that tears instantly gathered in her eyes. She was scared, he could see that. He heard Preacher’s voice in his head—nice and easy; think before you talk. He managed to close his mouth, swallow and take slow steps toward her. As he neared, she lifted her chin bravely, even though a big, fat tear spilled over.

His head was spinning. How could this be? It couldn’t be his—she said she was okay—no baby. Next thought—I’m a senior in high school and the only girl I ever did anything with is pregnant, standing here right in front of me, scared to death of me. While I’m scared to death of her… Please, God, let this not happen to me.

Then, helplessly, What does she think—I’m going to blame her?

And then he concentrated real hard, as if grabbing hold of his brain—get a grip. A pregnant girl you did it with is standing in front of you, scared to death of you. He heard Jack in his head—it’s not enough to feel like a man, Rick—you have to think like a man. Do the right thing.

He had limited options. He could run, he could deny, he could pass out, and when they brought him around, she and her belly would be gone.

Another tear spilled down her cheek while he was in shock. He tried to imagine what Jack would do, because he admired and respected Jack. What would Preacher do? And he got a picture in his mind of Preacher watching over Paige and Chris. He decided that no matter what he was feeling, he’d just act like them. He’d deal with the real issues later. For now, he was at least going to look like a man.