Virgin River (Virgin River #1)(58)

“It’s kind of brand-new,” Sondra said. “A flood nearly wiped them out not long ago and they did a lot of rebuilding and painting. You can still see the high water marks on some of the big old trees.”

There was a café, a service station, a big church, the clinic, and lots of well-kept little houses. Mel pulled up to the clinic and got out. Inside she was immediately faced with Dr. Hudson, a trim woman in her late thirties, dressed much like Mel. She was clad in jeans and boots, chambray shirt with a stethoscope around her neck. She smiled and stuck out her hand. “It’s such a pleasure, Ms. Monroe,” she said. “I’m delighted you’re working with Doc Mullins—he’s due a little assistance.”

“Please, call me Mel. You know the doctor?”

“Sure. Everybody knows everybody.”

“How long have you been in Grace Valley?” Mel asked.

June laughed. “I’ve been here all my life. Except for medical school.” June stuck her hand out toward Sondra. “This must be Mrs. Patterson.”

“I’ve brought you cookies,” she said. “It’s really generous of you to do this for me. I never had one with the other two kids.”

“It’s a very convenient precaution,” June said, gladly taking the box of cookies. She opened it up, inhaled deeply and said, “Oh, these are sinful looking.” Then looking back at Sondra and Mel she said, “If you knew how many people from the neighboring towns helped us rebuild after the flood, then you’d know generosity. Come on, let’s see what we’ve got. Then if you have time, we can go grab a bite to eat at the café.”

Over the course of the next hour, they determined that Sondra would give birth to a baby boy, the baby was already in position and there was nothing to indicate there would be complications. They met Dr. Stone, a drop-dead gorgeous blond man June referred to as a city-boy transplant. At the café, they met June’s father, the town doctor before her, and he asked after Old Mullins, who couldn’t be any older than Doc Hudson. “He still as ornery as ever?” Doc Hudson wanted to know.

“I’m softening him up,” Mel said.

“So, what’s your story?” June asked over lunch. “How long have you been in Virgin River?”

“Just a couple of months. I came up here from L.A., looking for a change, but I admit, I wasn’t prepared for country medicine. I took all of our resources and hospital technology for granted.”

“How do you like it so far?”

“It has its challenges. There are aspects of rural living that I think might be growing on me,” Mel said. “But I’m not sure how long it’s going to work out for me. My sister is in Colorado Springs, married with three children, and she really wants Aunt Mel nearby.” She took a bite of a delicious hamburger and said, “I don’t want to completely miss out on her kids’ childhoods.”

“Oh, don’t say that,” Sondra said.

“Not to worry,” she said, patting her hand. “I’m not going anywhere before you deliver, which from the look of things is going to be real soon.” She laughed and added, “I just hope we don’t have to pull off to the side of the road on our way home today.”

“I hope you’ll stay on,” June said. “It’ll be nice to have you so close by.”

“Close by? It took us over a half hour of twisting, turning and inching past logging trucks, just to go one way! And I bet it’s not twenty miles!”

“I know,” June said. “It’s just over fifteen miles. Isn’t it great that we’re neighbors?”

Before they were done with lunch a man came into the café carrying a baby. He reminded Mel just slightly of Jack—equal in height, muscled, rugged-looking in his jeans and plaid shirt, fortyish, and handling a baby with ease. He bent, gave Dr. Hudson a kiss on the cheek and handed over the baby. “Meet Jim, my house husband. And our son, Jamie.”

All the way back to Virgin River Mel was thinking, I didn’t feel so out of place today. She loved June and John Stone. Even old Doc Hudson was a kick. After she dropped Sondra off at her farm and drove back into town, it seemed as though the town was cuter somehow. Not quite the falling-down little burg she’d first thought. It seemed oddly like home.

She pulled up in front of Doc’s house and noticed as she did so that the men were just getting back to Jack’s from fishing all day. She went into the house to find Doc in the kitchen assembling something at the kitchen table. It looked as though he’d gotten himself a new bag. “Doc Hudson sends his regards, as do June and John. What are you up to?”

He put a couple of things in the bag and pushed it toward her. “Time you had one of your own,” he said.



It was fun to watch the marines load up their gear and head for the river in the early morning. Mel waved to them from her spot on Doc’s front steps where she took her morning coffee, and though they’d been up half the night playing poker and drinking, they seemed full of energy and enthusiasm. They’d shout and wave, and whistle at her. Flirt. “Oh, baby, you are so beautiful in the morning,” Corny yelled across the street. His reward was a playful whap on the back of the head from Jack.

They were barely gone when a large, dark SUV pulled into town, driving slowly down the street. To Mel’s surprise, the driver stopped in front of Doc’s. The door opened, but the engine continued to run. A man got out and stood in the street next to the open door, half-hidden. He was a tall guy, broad-shouldered. He wore a black ball cap and his hair curled out beneath it. “This doctor make house calls?” he asked.