Whispering Rock (Virgin River #3)(83)

Mel and Brie helped with the cleanup and Jack helped with the trash and sweeping up while balancing David on one hip. Mike wiped down the bar and tables but, even so, Preacher was busy cleaning up for so long that he missed Christopher’s story time after his bath. He did go upstairs, however, to kiss the little guy good-night, because he found he just didn’t get a good night’s sleep without doing that. Then he trudged downstairs to close up the bar and go to his quarters, where he would lie platonically beside the woman of his dreams, waiting for her invitation indicating that enough time had passed. Every day he wondered when he’d get permission to let it go. He really waited for ovulation day when he didn’t have to hold anything back and which, by his calculations, was about a week away. And Paige was so regular, he had this figured almost to the minute.

When he walked into their bedroom he saw that Paige was sitting up in bed, pillows behind her, sheet drawn up over her na**d br**sts and a mysterious smile on her face. When he frowned and cocked his head, she pulled a pregnancy test stick out from under the sheets. “Ta-da,” she said. “We did it, Dad.”

Preacher almost fell down. His eyes actually welled up with tears. He put his hands up to his face to try to gain control, but he was overwhelmed. Three months of saving up, waiting for ovulation day, and he had begun to despair of them making a baby. But Mel was right! This is what it took! He could do this again, and again! But wait, he told himself. One baby at a time!

He went to the bed and fell to one knee beside it, grabbing on to that pregnancy stick. “Oh, God! Oh, baby! Are you?”

“Looks like it, yes.”

“Oh, my God,” he said, grabbing her, pulling her into his arms and holding her against his huge chest. “Oh, God!”

“Easy, John,” she said, laughing.

He immediately let go of her. “Am I hurting you?”

“No.” She laughed again. “Of course not. But, John, if this little stick is accurate, you’re all done saving up.”

“Paige,” he said in all seriousness, “do you think so?”

“Yes, John, I think so. I’m late for the first time ever, and the test is positive.”

“Oh, my Lord. Oh, my Lord. How do you feel? Are you okay?”

“Actually…I’m pretty horny.”

“Not really,” he said, stunned.

“Oh, really. This saving-up business—I guess you think you’re the only one who missed it. Huh?”

“Well… You got a little pissy there for a while….”

“Well, John, you told everyone it was ovulation day! You’re going to have to learn to be a little more discreet in the future.”

“Anything you want, baby. Anything.”

“Fine. Take off your clothes. Come in here with me. Do that thing you do….”

Mike drove out to Jack’s homesite; it was the first week in December—damp and cold. Preacher had taken a call at the bar and asked Mike to go break the news. Preacher would work on shutting down the bar and closing up the kitchen.

Jack and Paul were both inside installing cabinets; Paul’s crew had already quit for the day and were in the trailer getting together an evening meal. The sun was low in the sky and Tommy Booth was still picking up scraps and dragging them to the Dumpster. Mike got out of his SUV and waited for Tom to turn back his way.

Mike walked over to Tom. “I gotta get you home, buddy. It’s bad news. It’s Matt. There was an explosion. In Baghdad.”

The expression on Tom’s face was one of pure horror. He was frozen for a second and then he called out, “Paul!” It sounded as much like a scream as a shout. It was enough to bring Paul and Jack running to the porch of the house, and for some of the crew to appear in the doorway of the trailer.

Tom looked back at Mike. “Is he dead?” he asked in a terrified whisper.

Mike nodded and the tears instantly sprang to Tom’s eyes. Mike grabbed his upper arm. “Leave the truck. I’ll drive you. I’ll get the truck for you later. You have to be safe—your sister has enough going on right now. She can’t have anything happen to you.”

Tom sucked it back bravely. “Yeah,” he said in a breath. “I’m okay.”

“You have to try to hold it together for her. We can meet up and fall apart later, bud.”

“Yeah,” he said. Then he ran for Mike’s SUV.

Paul jumped out of the house rather than walking down the plank where the porch steps would eventually be constructed. He ran to Mike, Jack right on his heels, questions shining in their eyes. “The Marine Corps is at the house, Paul. It’s Matt. Car bomb in Baghdad. He’s dead.”

“Jesus,” Paul said in a breath. “Vanni!” burst from his lips. And he lit off for his truck before Mike had a chance to stop him.

“Jack, I sent Mel out to the house because of Vanni’s pregnancy. You’ll want to get over there. Brie will bring Davie in a little while.”

Tom, Mike and Paul beat Jack to the house by mere seconds, but when he looked in the door what he found was a Marine Corps recruiter and a chaplain sitting uncomfortably in the great room while Walt stood beside his daughter. Tommy leaned on his dad and Paul knelt beside the ottoman on which Vanni sat, and held her in his arms. Before Jack could even enter the house, Mel drove up, parked and walked swiftly toward the house. Jack stopped her at the doorway. “Are you up to this?”