Not much time had passed when he opened his eyes to find her standing over him. “Umm,” she said nervously. “Can you…? This is awkward. I’m still very squeamish about a man even seeing me on the treadmill, but could you share the bed, in your clothes, and manage not to do anything? I mean, even in your sleep?”

“I’m okay right here, Brie. Don’t worry about me.”

“I’m not worried about… I just thought, that couch isn’t big enough. And there’s a bed in the loft, but I just don’t want you way up there. And I… Could you lie beside me on the bed without—”

“I’m not going to try anything with you, Brie. I know you can’t handle that.”

“I don’t think I can sleep unless you’re…closer,” she said very softly.

“Aw, honey…”

“Then come on,” she said, turning back to the bedroom.

He didn’t move for a moment, thinking. It didn’t take long. He wanted to be next to her, but he didn’t have to be. But if she needed him, he was there. He stood and got rid of his belt because of the big buckle, but everything else stayed on. And he went to the bedroom.

She was curled up under the covers, her back facing out, leaving him room. So he lay down on the bed on top of the covers, giving her that security. “Okay?” he asked.

“Okay,” she murmured.

It wasn’t a big bed, just a double, and it was impossible to keep a lot of space between them. He curved around her back, spooning her, his face against her hair, his wrist resting over her hip. “Okay?” he asked.

“Okay,” she murmured.

He nestled in, his cheek against the fragrant silkiness of all that loose hair, his body wrapped around hers, though separated by layers of clothes and quilts, and it was a long, long time before he found sleep. By her even breathing, Mike knew she rested comfortably and that made him feel good.

When he woke in the morning, she had turned in her sleep and lay in the crook of his arm, snuggled up close to him, her lips parted slightly, her breath soft and warm against his cheek. And he thought, Oh damn, she’s right—this is going to just break the hell out of my heart.

Jack and Mel drove to Eureka and picked up a couple of connecting flights to San Diego, arriving a night before Rick’s graduation. That gave them a little time alone together at a nice hotel. They had a swim, something they never did in Virgin River. Then a nice dinner and a long, wonderful night as man and wife. That first night away they managed to concentrate only on each other, but first thing the next morning Mel called Brie to make sure the baby was all right.

“I miss him so much,” she complained.

“I know you do,” Jack said. “So do I. Thank you for doing this for me,” he said, pulling her into his arms.

“It wasn’t just for you. It was for me, too. But I miss him so much.”

“Just two nights, baby. Then we’ll be home. And we won’t leave him again for a long time.”

Watching Rick stand at attention while being inducted into the Marine Corps sent pride spiraling through Jack’s breast. He graduated at the top of his class, a young leader, a powerfully strong and smart young man. When the company was dismissed by the commanding officer, the young Marines all took a step back, did an about-face and shouted, “Aye, sir!” Mel grabbed Jack’s arm, leaned against him, moved to tears. Out on the field it was handshakes and hugs, the young men thanking the drill sergeant, big grins and laughter. Jack put an arm around her and held her close. They stood at the edge of the field and waited for Rick to find them.

When he did, Jack grabbed Rick’s hand in a firm clutch that brought them chest to chest, “Hoo-rah, man,” Jack said. “Good job. I’m proud of you, son.”

“Thanks, buddy.” But Mel just leaned against him, hugged him and cried. “Hey, Mel,” he said, laughing, patting her back. “Easy does it, huh?”

“Oh, Ricky, you are so handsome. Look at you. You’re so beautiful.”

“Here are some options, Rick. We can get your things,” Jack said. “We’ve got a couple of rooms, not barracks. We can have a nice dinner out and catch our flights early tomorrow morning. Or maybe you have some plans with your boys before you check out of here and I can get you in the morning, take you home.”

“I’ve had about enough of these boys.”

“There has to be some stuff going on tonight. To celebrate?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. But I’m just ready to get off the base. I like your first idea.”

Jack suspected some of the young Marines would be getting hotel rooms as well, but they’d be wanting to get drunk and find girls. After what Rick had been through last year with his girl, he was probably less than interested. So Jack checked them in, took them out to a nice steak dinner and heard all the stories about basic. After dinner he tucked Mel into bed and went to Rick’s room with a cold six-pack. He tapped on the door and was admitted by a freshly showered kid in sweatpants, bare chested. “Hey, you’re my best friend,” Rick said, spying the beer.

Jack was somewhat taken by the boy’s physique, which had been honed by basic training. He’d been strong and lean when he went in, but now he was cut and powerful looking. His beard was getting heavy; the hair on his chest had grown thick. Jack laughed and shook his head. “Damn it, boy. You sure don’t look eighteen anymore.”

“I don’t feel eighteen, either. I feel about a hundred and ten.” He took a bottle of beer and touched the neck to the one Jack held. “Thanks for coming down, Jack. It meant a lot to me.”

“Meant a lot more to me,” Jack said. Jack sat on one of the chairs by a small table in the room while Rick sat on the edge of his bed. “Some of the boys are coming up next week to catch a little of deer season. We’d like you to join us.”

“That’d be great. There are a couple of things I have to do first,” he said. “I have to spend a little time with my grandma. And I have to drive over to Eureka,” he said, dropping his gaze. “I want to check on Liz.”

“Did you hear from her?” Jack asked.

“Yeah, a little bit. But usually it was only when she was having a hard time. I’m telling myself that she’s not having a hard time every day or I’d have gotten more letters. What does Connie say?”

“Not a lot. That she’s getting by, that’s about it. How are you doing?”

“It was the right thing to do, Jack. Signing up. It took me out of my head a little. Made me way too tired and most of the time too scared to think.”

“How are you feeling about things now?”

He shrugged. “I’m getting closer to living with myself. But Lizzie’s still just a kid. Sixteen now—she’s getting older in spite of herself. She’s been through an awful lot for a girl her age.”

Jack couldn’t help but think that Ricky was only two years older, yet taking on all the blame as though he was the only one responsible. And he’d been through a lot, too. “I’m going to say this again, son. It wasn’t your fault that baby didn’t make it.”

“Just my fault there was a baby,” he said. He took a long pull on his beer.

“We’re men, Rick. We’re idiots. Ask Mel,” he said.

“Yeah.” He laughed.

“You take care of your business, then hunt with us a little. Might as well get a lot of unasked-for advice from the boys. They think of you as one of them now—there won’t be any holding them back.”

“Yeah. You going to hunt?” he asked.

Jack puffed up a little. “I am. I am going to defy my queen and take a rifle into the woods. But if I hit anything, I’m blaming you.”

Six

When Mel, Jack and Rick got back to Virgin River, the dinner hour was approaching. This boy was one of the town’s favorite sons and everyone would be anxious to see him again, so Rick was dropped off at his grandma’s house merely to scoop her up and take her to the bar. Lydie was a rare patron of the bar, but this was a special occasion.

It was early, but there were plenty of people already there, waiting to see Rick. Brie and the baby had been in town most of the afternoon already and when David saw Mel, he sent up an alarm, waving his arms at her, squealing with excitement. She couldn’t fill her embrace with him fast enough and couldn’t wait to nurse him. She slipped back into Paige’s little living room to spend some quality time with her boy.

Preacher had made a big sheet cake with a remarkably good Marine medallion iced onto the center. He’d also put out a lot of snack food and made a huge pot of barbecue with a big basket of buns, potato salad and baked beans, all Rick’s favorites. It wasn’t long before the place started to fill up with friends and neighbors. Mike arrived just minutes before Rick and Lydie, and when the young Marine walked into the bar, a cheer erupted. There were lots of hugs, backslapping, an air of celebration.

This was the kind of night that always made Jack glad he’d opened this place—surrounded by friends and neighbors, the walls throbbing with happy noise. On a night such as this, there was no charge for the food—a jar was put on the bar for people to drop in whatever they could afford, but no one would be turned away. There was plenty of free beer and sodas—the only things he sold were mixed drinks.

Once David had had a private reunion with his mother, he held up pretty well during the party, being passed from person to person. Rick took his turn with the baby, astonished at how big he’d gotten in such a short period of time.

While Brie was up on a bar stool and Jack was at his favorite place behind the bar, he asked her, “How’d it go, Brie?”

“David was an angel. We stayed very busy, running around visiting people.”

“And you were all right?”

“Sure,” she said, smiling. “I had a nice time. Anytime you need an auntie, I’m your girl.”

He leaned across the bar and put a kiss on her forehead. “Thanks.”

“How was your escape?” she whispered.

“Perfect. My wife missed her baby too much, but then, so did I.”

After a big dinner and lots of visiting, the farmers, ranchers and business owners began to disappear—that time of night was upon them. Livestock didn’t give days off; people around here got up very early. Rick jumped up on a bar stool, grinning. “Fantastic, Jack,” he said. “It sure is good to be back. I’m going to get my grandma home—she turns in pretty early. Then I’m heading to Eureka.”

“Tonight?” Jack asked, surprised.

“Yeah,” he said, a slight stain on his young cheeks. He gave a lame shrug. “Gotta see that girl. You know.”

“You’ll get there kind of late,” Jack pointed out.

“I bet she’ll wait up,” Rick said. He put out a hand. “Thanks for everything.”

“Sure thing,” he said. And he wanted to add, Please be careful. He followed Rick with his eyes as he walked Lydie out of the bar.

Mel was beside him, the baby on her left hip while she circled his waist with her right arm. “Rick’s on his way to Eureka tonight,” he said.

“They’ll be all right, Jack,” Mel said.

He shook himself and looked down at Mel. “Damn, I’d feel so much better if they’d just get about ten years older, real fast.”

“I know. You’re such a mother hen. But I just spent two days with Ricky and I’m not worried about him. He’s paying attention. I think I’ll go ahead and take David home, get him settled in his bed. I’m exhausted—it was such a long day. You stay as long as you like.”

He leaned down and gave her a kiss on the head. “I’ll see you a little later.”