Virgin River (Virgin River #1)(32)

“I’m so glad to finally meet you,” Jo said. “No one expected such a young, pretty girl. We—”

Before Jo could finish she was joined by a man who slipped an arm about Jo’s waist and, while swirling a drink in his glass, boldly looked Mel up and down and said,

“Well, well, well…so this is our little nurse? Ohhh, nurse, I’m not feeling so good!”

And then he treated himself to a great big laugh.

“My husband, Nick,” Jo said. If Mel wasn’t mistaken, she said it somewhat nervously.

“How do you do,” Mel said politely, deciding that he’d had a bit too much to drink. She turned to Connie and said, “Everything is so delicious.”

“So, nurse Melinda—how do you like our little town?” he asked her.

“Please, just call me Mel,” she said. “It’s great. You’re very lucky.”

“Yep,” he said, looking her over again. “We really got lucky. Where do I sign up for an examination?” And he laughed at himself some more.

It came back to her then—Jo Ellen and that husband of hers. This was the guy. He’d been slapped down by more than one woman, Hope had said. He couldn’t possibly be more obvious. “Gosh, excuse me just a second, I’ll be right back. I need something to drink.”

He grabbed her arm and said, “Let me—”

She shook him off firmly, smiling all the while. “No, no. You wait right here,” and she scooted away as fast as she could. On her way to the bar she stopped to say hello to Doug and Sue Carpenter, frequent visitors at Jack’s. She met the elder Fishburns—

Polly’s mother and father-in-law. When she got to the bar and hopped up on a stool in front of Jack, setting her plate down, she didn’t have his attention right away. He was looking into the crowded room, frowning.

Finally he looked at her. “Could I have a beer?” she asked him.

“Sure,” he said.

“You don’t look too happy,” she observed.

His expression relaxed. “Just keeping an eye on things,” he said. “Having fun?”

“Hmm,” she nodded, taking a sip. “Have you eaten this stuff? It’s almost as good as Preacher’s. These country women can cook!”

“That’s why most of them are—how should I put it? Robust?”

She laughed at him. Leaving her beer for a moment, she ate a little more off her plate.

“Yet another reason for me to get back to civilization.”

She stayed there for a moment longer, then he was beside her again. Nick. “I waited,”

he said.

“Oh, Nick. Sorry—but I have to mingle. I’m new in town you know.” And off the stool she leaped, beer in her hand, leaving the plate behind. As Nick made to follow, he found his wrist clamped down on the bar. Jack looked into his eyes darkly. “Your wife is waiting for you over there.”

“Be a sport, Jack,” Nick said laughing.

“You’d better behave yourself,” Jack warned.

Nick laughed heartily. “Now, Jack—you can’t have all the pretty girls to yourself. I mean, come on, man! All our wives are hot for you—cut a guy some slack.” And he made his escape.

Jack watched closely from behind the bar. He was able to serve drinks and draw drafts without taking his eyes off the room. Nick seemed to follow Mel around like a smitten puppy, sidling up as close as possible, but Mel was quick. She’d go around to the far sides of tables to crouch to speak to people, get other men between her and Nick, slip across the room as if there was someone she just had to see, always leaving Nick in her dust. Preacher was behind the bar with him and at a point said, “Want me to give him a little advice before he gets his nose broken?”

“No,” Jack said flatly. Jack was thinking that breaking his nose was going to feel very good. If Nick put one hand on her, he was going to come apart.

“Good,” Preacher said. “I haven’t been to a good bar fight in years.”

In keeping an eye on things, he saw Connie’s young niece stand up and walk over to the buffet, stick her finger into the icing on the cake and then into her mouth, slowly, so slowly pulling her finger back out while glancing over her shoulder at Rick—and his boy Ricky froze at one of the tables where he was picking up glasses. Jack saw him see her; saw Ricky almost tremble for a moment, mouth open slightly, eyes wide, taking her in—those long legs, full br**sts. Oh, boy, Jack thought. Someone lit the candles on the cake and everyone got up from their tables and came from the edges of the room to gather round, sing and watch Joy knock herself out trying to blow out fifty-three of them.

Mel stood at the rear of the crowd; Jack’s eyes were back on her. Jack scowled blackly as Nick came up behind her. He couldn’t see what was happening through the crowd, but he noted that a smile grew on Nick’s face just as Mel’s chin raised up, her eyes grew round and startled and she threw a panicked look in Jack’s direction. Jack pushed himself off the bar and was making fast tracks to the other side when Mel reacted.

Mel felt a hand run over her bottom and inch between her legs. She was stunned for a moment, disbelieving. Then her instincts kicked in and shifted her beer to her other hand, threw an elbow back into his gut, brought that same elbow up under his chin, swept his legs out from under him with one booted foot, lifting him off his feet to send him crashing to the floor, flat on his back. She put her foot on his chest and glared into his eyes. “Don’t you ever try anything like that again!” All this without spilling a drop of her beer.