Second Chance Pass (Virgin River #5)(89)

“I’ll do the best I can with that, honey. I’d sure like to make Matt proud. I’ll try to be as good a husband as Matt was….”

She shook her head and smiled at him. “You’re not going to have to try. As far as I can tell, you’re a natural.”



Jack stood on his front porch with his morning coffee. He saw something in the distance that caused his pulse to pick up. He looked out over the valley to the northeast and saw a thin column of gray smoke that wound its way to a plateau in the sky and he hoped, beyond hope, it was nothing to worry about. It had been an unusually dry spring.

Mel came outside and he dropped an arm around her shoulders as she snuggled close. “What is it?” she asked.

“Fire. Could be a controlled burn, could be wildfire. It’s been awful dry.”

“Has Virgin River ever been threatened by fire?”

“Not the town, no. There was a big one just north of here a few years ago. Right after Preacher showed up. Everyone pitched in. We dug a lot of ditches, hauled drinking water, drove trucks. Then we got certified in training so we could be ready.”

“What would happen?” she asked. “If a fire got too close?”

“Well,” he said, his arm tightening around her. “We’re sitting in the middle of a forest, Mel. This place could end up looking like the face of the moon.” He lifted his eyes to the horizon. “We need a good, solid rain. And there isn’t any forecasted. This forest is pure kindling.”



Tom graduated with honors and the general and Vanessa hosted a party at their home, open to all their friends and all of Tom’s friends. The young people were on the move—they’d spend the entire weekend going from one open house to another. Tom and Brenda and some of their friends spent about an hour at the Booth home before taking off for other graduation parties, but the adults didn’t mind a bit that they were left to themselves.

Everyone dropped by to pass along their congratulations, including Muriel St. Claire.

“Can we count on you to come to the wedding next Saturday?” Vanessa asked her.

“Oh, sweetheart, thank you for including me. Actually, I’m driving to Sebastapol to pick up a dog. A little guy named Buff. Another Lab—this one is yellow. I’ve got a good hunter already—Luce, my little girl and best friend, a year and a half and brilliant. But no dog should grow up alone.” And then she grinned. “But I hope to see you soon after the wedding. It would be lovely to have dinner with you and Paul. I’ll speak to Walt about that, since I can’t cook.”

“At all?” Vanessa asked.

Muriel shrugged. “At all. I’d like you to know, though, I have other talents. I can paint, hang paper, sand and varnish, grow vegetables, hunt duck and tell jokes. Besides, I heard there’s great takeout at Jack’s.”

“There is.” Vanni smiled. “And you ride, too.”

“I do. I have two horses with me. We should go out for a ride sometime. We can meet midway between our houses along the river.”

“I would like that so much,” Vanni said. “We have a lot to talk about.”

“Yes, we do,” Muriel agreed, then gave Vanessa a conspiratorial wink.



As he was leaving the party Tom took Paul aside for a minute. Just outside the closed front door, Tom asked, “So. You ready to take on Vanessa?”

“More than ready, pal.”

“Great, man. I couldn’t have planned this better myself.”

“Good. I hoped you’d say that.”

Tom took a matchbook out of his pocket and flipped it around in his hand. “There’s an all-night graduation party tonight that Brenda and I are going to,” he said. He put the matchbook in Paul’s hand. “Except we’re not going to it. Someone should know where we are, in case there’s any kind of emergency. Someone who can keep his big mouth shut.”

Paul looked at the matchbook. The Brookstone Inn. He met eyes with Tom.

“Someone who isn’t going to ask me one more time if I have a condom in my pocket.”

“Why would I ask that?” Paul said. “You’re way outta my league, brother.”

“Just in case someone has a heart attack or something.”

“Thanks,” Paul said, slipping the matchbook in his pocket. “I appreciate that you think smart. Have a good time.”

“See you tomorrow.” And he was gone.

When Paul went back in the house, Vanni was waiting for him. “What was that about?”

Paul leaned close to her ear. “Just asking your brother’s permission to be his brother-in-law,” Paul said. “It’s official. I’m welcomed to the family.”



Tom checked into the Brookstone in Ferndale while Brenda waited in the car. The way it had gone lately, they’d make wild love, and then there would be some tears about him leaving, and then they’d make wild love again, then they’d have a few more tears. There hadn’t been any long nights together since that first time at his house, but there had been some remarkable sessions, here and there, especially evenings at the Booth house when Vanni was in Grants Pass and Walt was down at Bodega Bay with Shelby.

“Before you start crying again, I have something for you,” he said.