Temptation Ridge (Virgin River #6)(40)

“I’m going to have to go pick up some supplies,” Luke said. “I’m going to get a hot-water heater and new sink for Art’s cabin. You do whatever you want and tonight I’ll take you out to a nice dinner, not at Jack’s,” Luke said, because he wasn’t in the mood for any more of Sean’s interaction with Shelby. “But I’m not interested in women. We’ll take two cars.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Sean said. “A pathetic plan, but a plan…”

It was executed in exactly that way. They had a steak dinner at the Brookstone in Ferndale and while Sean retired to the bar, Luke headed home. Sean returned to Luke’s in the early morning. He was smiling privately and there was no question he was more relaxed than when Luke left the bar the night before. The Riordan men carried the tension of abstinence in their necks and shoulders.

Luke was surprised he could still turn his head.

“If you don’t mind me saying so, I’ve never seen you like this,” Sean said.

“Like what?”

Sean rolled his eyes. “Oh, brother. You’re going after the baby and you are so tight you’re going to grind your molars flat. Not only isn’t she good for you, you’re poison for her.”

It occurred to Luke to try to explain that he hadn’t been able to think of anything else for weeks, and he couldn’t remember when that had happened to him last. That when he got his arms around her, he was out of his head. But he’d been running with his brothers a long time and they were all the same with women—fast and loose. They didn’t get like this.

Sean put a hand on Luke’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. He shook his head almost sadly. “Good luck with this, man.”

“It’s not what you think.”

“Oh—it is what I think. You’re so into this woman, you’re done for. I can’t wait to see how this turns out.”

“Yeah. Me, too.”

Eight

The last weekend in September, Jack’s bar had to be closed because Jack, Preacher, Paul, Mike and their wives were all going to Grants Pass, Oregon, for the wedding of one of their boys. Joe Benson, marine and architect who designed all their houses and had worked with Paul for years in Oregon, was getting married. It was no coincidence that Joe was marrying one of Vanni’s best friends from flying days—they had met in Virgin River when Nikki was visiting Vanessa. Their wedding brought together a few of the available marines, but was a small flight-attendant reunion as well.

For a wedding that was thrown together in just over a month, it was beautiful and classy. Unlike those casual, low-key Virgin River weddings, this one was held in a charming downtown chapel with a fancy reception dinner and dance in the city’s prestigious Davenport Hotel’s ballroom. It was loaded with tuxedos and limousines, not to mention some amazing floral arrangements and a dinner menu that impressed even Preacher. Nikki had been Vanessa’s maid of honor twice, and Vanni was happily returning the favor. Also with them were their other two best friends, Abby and Addison.

When the four women started flying together, Abby and Addison had shared an apartment in L.A., while Nikki and Vanni had been roommates in San Francisco. The four of them bid all their trips together so that for three or four days every week, they had layovers in the same cities, at the same hotels. They had shopped together, partied together, gotten each other through a bunch of rotten boyfriends, kept each other afloat through the rough times, laughed through the good times. Now, with Nikki’s marriage, all four would be wed.

But Vanessa asked Addison, “Is Abby a little too quiet?”

“She won’t talk about it, but her husband has been on the road with his band since right after they were married…which has to be about a year ago.”

“I could tell it was a bad situation,” Vanni said. “Does he go home at all? Does she go to him?”

Addison shook her head. “I don’t think so. It’s like pulling teeth to get her to say anything at all about him. And of course, she’s here alone.”

Abby and her husband wed after a very short courtship and almost immediately Ross disappeared, along with Abby’s flush of romance and happiness. She grew evermore silent and distant.

“Abby, are you all right? Is everything okay with Ross?” Addison asked her in a whisper.

“Shh,” Abby said. “This is Nikki’s day. I don’t want to talk about that stuff now.”

Abby held it together pretty well, smiling for the pictures, raising her glass at the toast, but she disappeared from the reception at about the time the dancing started. Addison and Vanessa noticed at once. They talked about going after her, talking her through a bad patch. But in the end they decided to leave her be. She hadn’t wanted to talk about whatever was going on with her marriage, especially not at one of her best friend’s wedding. Maybe she just needed a good, strong, cleansing cry without a bunch of girlfriends in her business.

The Steak House in the Davenport Hotel was one of the nicest restaurants in Grants Pass and a favorite of Dr. Cameron Michaels’. Once a month he had dinner with his partners and their spouses and quite often, they chose this restaurant. He shared a practice with one female and two male pediatricians, all excellent doctors, all married. As had become typical lately, Cam didn’t have a date. He could’ve found a woman to accompany him. Women liked going out with him, and his partners were always offering fix-ups. There were plenty of pretty nurses signed up to take on that duty.