Whispering Rock (Virgin River #3)(39)

“Not a lot. That she’s getting by, that’s about it. How are you doing?”

“It was the right thing to do, Jack. Signing up. It took me out of my head a little. Made me way too tired and most of the time too scared to think.”

“How are you feeling about things now?”

He shrugged. “I’m getting closer to living with myself. But Lizzie’s still just a kid. Sixteen now—she’s getting older in spite of herself. She’s been through an awful lot for a girl her age.”

Jack couldn’t help but think that Ricky was only two years older, yet taking on all the blame as though he was the only one responsible. And he’d been through a lot, too. “I’m going to say this again, son. It wasn’t your fault that baby didn’t make it.”

“Just my fault there was a baby,” he said. He took a long pull on his beer.

“We’re men, Rick. We’re idiots. Ask Mel,” he said.

“Yeah.” He laughed.

“You take care of your business, then hunt with us a little. Might as well get a lot of unasked-for advice from the boys. They think of you as one of them now—there won’t be any holding them back.”

“Yeah. You going to hunt?” he asked.

Jack puffed up a little. “I am. I am going to defy my queen and take a rifle into the woods. But if I hit anything, I’m blaming you.”

Six

When Mel, Jack and Rick got back to Virgin River, the dinner hour was approaching. This boy was one of the town’s favorite sons and everyone would be anxious to see him again, so Rick was dropped off at his grandma’s house merely to scoop her up and take her to the bar. Lydie was a rare patron of the bar, but this was a special occasion.

It was early, but there were plenty of people already there, waiting to see Rick. Brie and the baby had been in town most of the afternoon already and when David saw Mel, he sent up an alarm, waving his arms at her, squealing with excitement. She couldn’t fill her embrace with him fast enough and couldn’t wait to nurse him. She slipped back into Paige’s little living room to spend some quality time with her boy.

Preacher had made a big sheet cake with a remarkably good Marine medallion iced onto the center. He’d also put out a lot of snack food and made a huge pot of barbecue with a big basket of buns, potato salad and baked beans, all Rick’s favorites. It wasn’t long before the place started to fill up with friends and neighbors. Mike arrived just minutes before Rick and Lydie, and when the young Marine walked into the bar, a cheer erupted. There were lots of hugs, backslapping, an air of celebration.

This was the kind of night that always made Jack glad he’d opened this place—surrounded by friends and neighbors, the walls throbbing with happy noise. On a night such as this, there was no charge for the food—a jar was put on the bar for people to drop in whatever they could afford, but no one would be turned away. There was plenty of free beer and sodas—the only things he sold were mixed drinks.

Once David had had a private reunion with his mother, he held up pretty well during the party, being passed from person to person. Rick took his turn with the baby, astonished at how big he’d gotten in such a short period of time.

While Brie was up on a bar stool and Jack was at his favorite place behind the bar, he asked her, “How’d it go, Brie?”

“David was an angel. We stayed very busy, running around visiting people.”

“And you were all right?”

“Sure,” she said, smiling. “I had a nice time. Anytime you need an auntie, I’m your girl.”

He leaned across the bar and put a kiss on her forehead. “Thanks.”

“How was your escape?” she whispered.

“Perfect. My wife missed her baby too much, but then, so did I.”

After a big dinner and lots of visiting, the farmers, ranchers and business owners began to disappear—that time of night was upon them. Livestock didn’t give days off; people around here got up very early. Rick jumped up on a bar stool, grinning. “Fantastic, Jack,” he said. “It sure is good to be back. I’m going to get my grandma home—she turns in pretty early. Then I’m heading to Eureka.”

“Tonight?” Jack asked, surprised.

“Yeah,” he said, a slight stain on his young cheeks. He gave a lame shrug. “Gotta see that girl. You know.”

“You’ll get there kind of late,” Jack pointed out.

“I bet she’ll wait up,” Rick said. He put out a hand. “Thanks for everything.”

“Sure thing,” he said. And he wanted to add, Please be careful. He followed Rick with his eyes as he walked Lydie out of the bar.

Mel was beside him, the baby on her left hip while she circled his waist with her right arm. “Rick’s on his way to Eureka tonight,” he said.

“They’ll be all right, Jack,” Mel said.

He shook himself and looked down at Mel. “Damn, I’d feel so much better if they’d just get about ten years older, real fast.”

“I know. You’re such a mother hen. But I just spent two days with Ricky and I’m not worried about him. He’s paying attention. I think I’ll go ahead and take David home, get him settled in his bed. I’m exhausted—it was such a long day. You stay as long as you like.”