Second Chance Pass (Virgin River #5)(78)

“You should at least give me a little credit for trying to get a couple of people together instead of trying to keep them apart.” Then more softly he added, “Like I did Preacher and Paige, Brie and Mike.”

“I should—apparently it all worked out just fine…” she said a little dreamily, rubbing her hands over her tummy.

“Do you feel all right?” he asked, glancing at her. “You’re a little…pink.”

“I feel fantastic. Probably just the calm before the storm.”

“Probably,” he said. “You do that again tomorrow and I’m tying you down. You make me crazy sometimes.”

“Jack…” She laughed. “When did you get like this? You’re so annoying!”

By the time they got to the bar, Brie and Mike were there and of course Paige and Preacher and Christopher. Doc came in, but before he could get comfortable his pager went off. He made a phone call from the kitchen and headed out for a house call. Next, Vanessa, Paul and the baby, along with a bouncy baby seat, had all arrived. The crowd was treated to digital pictures of Tom and Brenda and another couple all dressed up in their fancy clothes.

“Aw,” Mel said, clicking through the pictures. “Look at how gorgeous they are. Aren’t they the cutest? Don’t they look so in love?”

“So in love,” Vanni said. “I never thought I’d see my little brother like this.”

“Where’s the general?” Mel asked.

Vanni frowned and shook her head. “He said you see enough of him all week when we’re in Grants Pass. He said he’d stay home tonight.”

“Really?” Mel questioned. “I haven’t seen much of him at all lately. In fact, I’ve been wondering what he’s been doing with himself. I assumed he’d had Tom and Brenda for dinner every night.”

“Hardly.” Vanni laughed. “If they can escape the parents, I believe they have important making out to do. Gotta cram in as much of that as possible before Tom leaves, you know.”

“I imagine so,” Mel agreed.

The bar had few customers that evening, so Jack divided his time between the pushed-together tables and his favorite spot behind the bar. Paul drifted up to the bar and said, “You seem a little unhappy tonight. Is it because your wife is about to explode?”

“Nah, that’s only part of it. We got a call from Rick a while ago. He’s got ten days of leave coming up—after which he goes to Iraq.”

“Aw, man. You doing okay?”

“Hanging in there. I mean—we went, right? It’s just that Rick…”

“Feels like a son—and it’s different.”

“That’s it, I guess.” Jack had known all along that Rick wouldn’t play it safe—if he was going in, he’d be part of the fight. “At least he’ll be around for a while—I’ll see if some of the boys want to come up, I think.”

“There will be four of us for sure,” Paul said. “How’s Mel doing?”

“She’s nesting,” Jack said. “She’s been after it all day. I’ve heard her talk about her patients and their sudden burst of energy. I saw it today up close and personal. Any second, trust me.”

“Damn, it’ll be great. I’d love to be here for it.”

“You’re really getting into this baby business….”

“I’m not as far into it as I was,” Paul said. “After talking to Mel, I followed through, had an ultrasound with the woman and the baby’s not mine.” He shook his head. “Something’s wrong with me, man. I’m relieved, but almost sorry—because there’s a baby coming and no man to take care of them. It would almost be better if it had been mine. I’m a sick SOB—you should get more rational friends.”

Jack leveled him with a serious look, a slight frown. “I can think of twenty reasons why you don’t get married if it’s not the right match, but I can’t think of one reason why you’d walk away from your own kid.”

“I offered to help her anyway,” Paul said. Then he shrugged. “She’s a good person. This is gonna be tough on her.”

Jack gave him a half smile. “That doesn’t surprise me, Paul. She take you up on it?”

“Nah. Like I said, she’s a decent person. I’m sorry she’s going through this. Glad Vanni isn’t going to have to put up with it, but sorry—”

But Jack wasn’t listening anymore. His narrowed eyes were on Mel. It was like he sensed it; smelled it. She got up from the table and was heading toward the bathroom back off the kitchen. She paused when she got to the end of the bar, gripped it to stabilize herself, made a noise that only her husband heard, bent slightly over her huge belly and let go with a gush of amniotic fluid that splashed to the floor.

“I knew it,” Jack said, going to her at once.

Silence fell over the dinner crowd. Paul edged back to the table, sat down beside Vanessa and said, “Jack said she’s been nesting all day.”

“Is it happening?” Vanessa asked.

“Oh, yeah,” Paul said.

Jack braced Mel from behind, his hands on her upper arms and asked, “Contraction?”

“Boy howdy,” she said, a little breathless.