Return to Virgin River (Virgin River #19)(33)

“I came back!”

“Months later you came back for a weekend. Within a year, nothing of yours was left in our apartment. We still had the paperwork that said we were married, but we didn’t have any of the investment. Laura, the longest we’ve been together in ten years was two weeks last year and that’s because you needed a rest after a grueling movie—and you stayed in my rental house next door. We just don’t have enough emotion to build a real marriage on.”

“I always felt I could come to you... You shouldn’t have let me go on thinking I could come back to you.”

“And I don’t know how you could have thought so. I’m sure you have friends you’re much closer to. I don’t even know your friends.”

“Is that important? Because I don’t know yours, either. I’m sure you have friends in that little town. I’m sure you’ve had women...”

He shook his head. “I haven’t. I haven’t been involved with anyone else.”

“Not even friends? No social life with women? Not even casual relationships that had potential if you weren’t married?”

“Laura, I haven’t thought of myself as married in a very long time. But I didn’t have any other relationships. If I had, I would have probably taken the next step and filed for divorce. I’m going to do that now. This is as unfair to you as it is to me. It’s good that you brought us to this crossroads. We either have to end it or try to breathe new life into it. I’m for ending it like two people who respect each other. If anyone can do it with class, you can.”

She just looked away and silently sipped her wine for a long moment. It was at least a full minute before she looked back at him. “I guess if you don’t love me anymore...”

“I have very tender feelings for you, Laura. We shared a special, magical time together that was over too soon. We’ve been friendly for years. Let’s not part on bad terms.”

“Yet, must we part at all? At least can’t we just go on as we are?” she asked.

“I realized something when you came to Virgin River this time. I realized I don’t want to be tied to a sinking ship anymore, and by that I don’t mean that you’re a sinking ship, it’s the marriage. Let’s let it go. We didn’t do the marriage very well. Let’s at least divorce well. So we can remain friends.”

“I guess I have no choice,” she said. “You’re obviously done with me.”

“Don’t do that, Laura. Don’t make it sound like the whole thing was my doing, that it had nothing to do with you. At least own your half of the failure of the marriage. That’s the least you can do.”

“It breaks my heart,” she said. “I have so many regrets.”

“You’re young, beautiful and talented. You don’t need to weigh yourself down with regrets. You’ll see—there’s something better waiting for you. All you have to do is be open to the possibilities.” He reached across the table and took her hand. “Laura, we both know it’s over.”

It was a very long lunch and when it was finished, Landry was exhausted. But by the time he was headed back to his truck, he was beginning to feel free for the first time in years. He hadn’t considered a marriage in name only had been holding him back, pressing him down. It was now evident that it had been the worst kind of ball and chain.

He headed back to Virgin River with a lighter feeling in his chest.





* * *



Kaylee decided on a second walk for the day and one of the reasons was she really enjoyed Otis’s company. She never had to call him. He seemed to know when she was passing the house and darted out to the road, then sat there politely until he was invited to join her.

The leaves were deepening in color and the changing colors were moving lower down the mountain. In another couple of weeks they would be resplendent with the magnificent beauty of autumn and the hillsides would be aflame with reds, oranges, yellows and even deep purple. The air was cool, sometimes downright cold in the mornings and evenings. She had to wear a jacket even in the afternoon, though it usually came off when the sun beat down.

She had no idea where Landry had gone but he did mention he’d be gone all day and into evening. She wanted to ask, was he visiting galleries? Did he have an appointment with a buyer? Was he seeing his wife? Were any of those possibilities any of her business? Absolutely not.

But there was no denying—the time she spent with Landry, however brief, was time she wasn’t mourning her mom. For that she was so grateful.

Otis would take regular diversions to the grassy edge of the road to make sure he watered the grass, but then he’d be right back at her side. If she said “heel” he didn’t leave her, so she experimented with that occasionally and was amused by the amount of power she felt. But then he did something he hadn’t done before. He darted into the trees with a couple of loud barks and disappeared!

She stood right where she was and listened; she didn’t know what to do. If she lost Landry’s dog she’d be mortified. She didn’t want to follow him. She stood paralyzed but in a moment he came bounding back, excited. He barked at her and she had no idea what that meant. Then he ran back into the trees. What if he’d cornered an animal? What if it was a bear? He came back again, jumped around in a circle, then ran again into the trees. “Otis!” He didn’t come back. “Otis, come!” she shouted. And she heard him bark.