A Virgin River Christmas (Virgin River #4)(78)

“I’m not all together about this,” she said. “This is really hard.” “When you get closer to home, you’ll start to feel good about being with all of them. They were always there for you,” he reminded her.

“Good—”

He put a finger over her lips. “Shhh. Don’t say it. Drive carefully.”

“If I write to you, will you answer?”

“Absolutely,” he promised.

“Well, that’s progress,” she said weakly. “I…Ah…I left you something. I slipped it into your clothes trunk when you weren’t looking.”

“Aw, Marcie—you shouldn’t have done that.”

“It’s not a Christmas gift or anything. Something I meant to give you, but the time was never right. And then I decided you should have it in private. I’ll see you again, Ian.” She gave him a tremulous smile and a tear ran down her cheek. “Saw and chop carefully,” she said. “And take good care of Buck.”

“I will,” he said, touching her lips once more. “Till later.”

“Okay, then. Till later.”

She walked up the steps into the bar while he went to his truck. She heard that rough, loud motor as he drove away. She realized he hadn’t asked for a phone number where he could reach her if he got crazy and decided to call. She’d leave her number with Preacher, and Ian had her home number in those letters he hadn’t read. But she had little confidence that Ian would be hanging around the town after she was gone. In fact, she worried that he would pull deeper into himself.

The bar was quiet at this time of day—only a couple of locals finishing up their lunch. Preacher came out of the back and said, “How’s things, Marcie?”

“Fine. Good. I’ll be heading back to Chico in a little while. Could I grab a cup of coffee first?”

“You bet. You okay?”

“I guess. I said goodbye to Ian. I hate to leave. Who would’ve believed I’d find him and get so close to him?”

“But you found him,” Preacher said, pouring her coffee. “And I suppose you took care of all your unfinished business.”

“Yeah. We talked a lot. It’s all good,” she said, lifting her eyes bravely.

“That’s what I like to hear. He seems like a stand-up guy. He found that boy, you know. Travis Goesel. Saved his life.”

Marcie’s eyes shot open wide. “Ian did?”

“Yeah. Dug him out of a shelter he’d made to keep himself from freezing, carried him over a mile. The kid’s about six feet tall and built solid, heavy. Ian tore off his shirt to warm him…. Really, another hour or so, it would’ve been just a body. Kid’s doing just fine. He’ll be opening presents with his family tomorrow morning.”

“But he told me—Ian said he’d been found. He wouldn’t take credit for anything. Listen, Preacher…Jesus, I don’t know how to say this, but could you sometimes try to draw him out a little? Ian? It doesn’t have to be anything big—but while I was here, he came off the mountain a little bit and—”

“Sure, kid. We like having him around.”

“And I want to leave you my number in Chico, just in case.” She pulled a bar napkin toward her and wrote her name and phone number on it. “If you ever need to reach me for any reason, that’s my home phone. It’s got a machine, you can leave a message.” Then she pulled the napkin back and wrote some more. “Cell phone,” she said. “I want you to be able to reach me if you—Well, you know.”

“Absolutely. Sure.” He folded it and put it in his pocket. Then he put the coffeepot at her side. “Listen, with this candlelight thing going on tonight, there could be a crowd, so we’re working in the kitchen—I gotta get back to Paige and help out. If you need anything, like a sandwich or anything, just stick your head in the kitchen and holler.”

“Go ahead. I’m fine. I’ll take off after a cup of coffee, thanks.”

So, he found the boy and saved him. And then took all his canned stew to the old man next door. Either Ian had changed dramatically or he’d always been the kind of man who was drawn to helping out when he could. She’d seen a few changes in him, but what she suspected was that this life alone was not really who he was. He hadn’t run off so much as he’d been abandoned—by the Corps, his girl, his father, his brothers in arms. So he isolated himself for a while until he could get his bearings, figure out where he was going and how he was going to live. It was possible that the information she brought him about Bobby’s last three years and passing helped him find some closure in that. That’s what she came to do. If she’d done that, then that was all she could ask.

As for closure for her, the opposite had happened. She loved him. She wasn’t sure she could give him up. But for now, she had to return to her roots, her home. She couldn’t give up those people either.

The door opened behind her but she never even turned. “You!” she heard. “Young woman!” She turned to see Doc standing there. “Can you drive a Hummer?”

“Of course not,” she said. “I own a Volkswagen.”

“Then you’ll learn. Melinda’s gone and I got a head injury I have to get to Valley Hospital. I can’t drive and tend that. Come on.”