Temptation Ridge (Virgin River #6)(82)

Dinner the next night was an intimate family meal with Art and Shelby included—the steaks that had been kept waiting. It was then that Luke learned more about Shelby’s life than he had made time to ask. Shelby’s cousin Vanni’s first husband, Matt, was a fighting marine who lost his life in Baghdad; Paul was his best friend and the best man at their wedding. After Matt was gone, it was Paul who was with her for the birth of their child and, after a lot of stumbling, finally confessed to Vanni that he’d loved her since the first moment he’d laid eyes on her—but Matt had gotten to her first. No self-respecting man invades his buddy’s territory. And now they were together, Paul parenting his best friend’s son. The romance of the story made Maureen sigh and fan at tears that gathered in her eyes.

Shelby shared other stories of the town—how Mel came to Virgin River after the violent death of her first husband, the saga of Brie and Mike, how Preacher found Paige and built a life and family he never expected to have. Maureen was enchanted by the history of Luke’s friends, history Luke hadn’t even known. Luke knew few of the details about the people who’d become his friends. Men don’t share stories in the same way women do.

Thanksgiving Day was a stellar success at the general’s house. Maureen met the rest of the family, there was a lot of laughter and the family stories that were shared were the safe kind, unlikely to ruffle any feathers. He was proud of his mother. She was a force of life, with her strong good looks, humor, compassion, energy. And there was not so much as a glimpse of her rigid side. It was obvious after getting to know her even a little bit that she was on the proper, straitlaced side, but she only judged her sons, no one else.

With a jolt, he realized—she gave him credibility. He’d been accepted well enough, but he remained a mystery to the Booth household, to the town. Known as a career soldier, single but interested in women, solitary, he presented himself as the kind of guy it wasn’t easy to get close to. Enter Maureen, and he becomes a beloved son, the kind of generous man who would take on Art, a safe man for Shelby, a normal guy from whom good things should be expected. The way he was regarded by the general and Paul took a slow but noticeable turn; they treated him like one of the family, like someone they could trust rather than someone to be suspicious of.

Any normal guy would be grateful. Relieved. But for Luke it presented complications. It was bad enough worrying about Shelby’s expectations, but he could keep that under control. He didn’t know what the hell he’d do with the expectations of her family, of an entire town who’d recently begun to see him as a trustworthy man with honorable intentions.

It left him quiet. Morose. And at the same time, very ready for Maureen and Sean to go, give him back his private life with Shelby, who he was aching to hold, to make love to.

And finally Sunday morning came. The bags were packed, Art had breakfast with them before heading down to the river to fish, and Sean was ready to take his mother to the airport. He’d drive her to Sacramento and put her on a plane to Phoenix, then he would make the trip back north to Beale AFB where he was stationed.

Luke took a mug of coffee out onto his porch. The sun was shining, but it had gotten cold. He had a morning fire blazing in the hearth. It wasn’t long before Maureen came outside, wearing her jacket, holding her own cup of coffee.

“All set?” Luke asked.

“Ready. Sean’s using your shower. He should be done in ten, fifteen minutes. I thought maybe you and I could have that time. We haven’t really talked.”

“We’ve been together for five days,” he said with a shrug. “Almost a record.” But he knew that wasn’t what she meant.

“It’s been a long time since Felicia, Luke,” she said gently. And she lifted her cup to her lips.

“Long time,” he agreed. “I’m over that.”

“She was the exception, not the rule,” Maureen said. “You shouldn’t assume relationships can’t work just because you were treated badly by one woman.”

Luke said nothing, but what he wanted to scream was Badly? Badly? I thought she was having my baby and I came back from a war to find out it wasn’t mine!

“Shelby is a wonderful young woman. You’re good together.”

“Mother…”

“It isn’t just her. Oh, it’s obvious she loves you. But it’s also you. The second she’s near you, all those tense lines in your face relax and you soften up. That grumpy, self-protective shield drops and you’re warm and affectionate. She’s good for you, she brings out your best, makes you fun. You have something special with her.”

“She’s twenty-five.”

Maureen shook her head. “I don’t think that’s relevant. It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with how you two communicate…”

“There are things you don’t understand about Shelby,” he said. “She’s not just young, she hasn’t had many relationships. She’s been taking care of her mother and hasn’t really looked at the world. In a lot of ways, she’s a child.”

“I know all about her mother, but she’s no child,” Maureen said. “It takes maturity and courage to do what she did. So she didn’t have a lot of relationships with young men, it doesn’t mean she lacks worldly experience. And your age doesn’t matter to her.”