Second Chance Pass (9 page)

The only inconvenience would be that Preacher and his family would have to move out for most of the construction. Joe knew they had some options—one of which was Jack and Mel’s cabin. Small, but serviceable for four to six months.

It was almost five by the time Joe was ready to discuss these possibilities with Preacher, Jack and Paige. Since Jack was busy serving, and Preacher and Paige were busy cooking and clearing, he would enjoy a beer while waiting out the dinner crowd. He had a large sketch pad and notebook full of measurements that he flipped closed for the time being.

That’s when he saw her, the profile of a small brunette with long, silky dark hair that went halfway down her back. Right beside her, leaning toward her and talking in
her ear, was Vanni. For a moment Joe was struck dumb. Then, gathering his wits, he said, “Vanni?”

Vanni looked up, past the back of her friend’s head and said, “Joe?”

“Yeah,” he laughed.

She immediately left her beer and her friend and came over to him. Of course they’d met more than once, the last time being at her husband’s funeral. Joe knew Matt; he’d met him in Grants Pass when he’d been home on leave. They’d been introduced by Paul.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, embracing him.

“A little design work for Preacher and Paige,” he said. “They want to enlarge their home. You know—to accommodate the baby and then some.” The thought that immediately came to mind was the conversation he and Paul had had a couple of weeks ago. Paul was in love with this woman and had messed it up so bad, he probably didn’t stand a chance. Joe peered around Vanni at the woman with her, but he saw only her profile. She was exquisite. Beautiful beyond words.

“Nikki,” Vanni called. “Come here.” When Nikki approached, her smile very small and maybe shy, Vanni made introductions. “Meet Joe, a friend of Matt’s and Paul’s. Joe, meet my best friend, Nikki.”

He put out a hand and she laid hers in his. “Nice to meet you,” he said.

“A pleasure,” she said, but then she glanced down.

“Gee, this is terrible,” Vanni said. “If I’d known you were coming, I’d have made plans to do something special for you. I would have cooked dinner or something.”

“I’d be glad to buy you a little of Preacher’s dinner if you’ll stay,” he offered. “I’d really enjoy that.”

“Thanks, that’s sweet. But I’ve left my dad baby-sitting for a while and I had Preacher pack us up something to
go. I’m still nursing—my escapes are very brief. I could get Preacher to add to it if you’ll come out to the house.”

“I wish I could, but I have to discuss building plans with these folks tonight.”

“Doggone it, Joe. Next time, please let me know you’re coming. I’d like to spend some time with you, too!”

“It’s a promise,” he said. “And I’ll be back. Guaranteed.” But will she be back? Joe wondered. Nikki. He wouldn’t forget that name.

Right at that moment, Paige came out with a big sack holding their dinner. Vanni fished for her wallet and Joe said, “On me, sweetheart. Amends for not calling you ahead. A mistake I’ll never make again.” He pulled a couple of twenties out of his pocket, peeled them off, laid them on the bar and reached for the take-out sack to pass to her. “Enjoy the best food you’ll ever eat,” he said to Nikki.

Nikki gave her head a small nod while Vanni said, “Gee, thanks! I sure didn’t expect that.” Then she leaned toward Joe and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “That’s very sweet.”

“Enjoy,” he said. “Nice meeting you, Nikki,” he said, wishing that he’d had a little cheek press from her. But what he got instead was another small nod.

They left and he went back to his beer. It was quite a while before Jack was freed up enough to walk down to his end of the bar, wiping his hands on a dish towel. “How’d you do there?” he asked, glancing at the sketch pad.

“I think I have some good ideas here,” Joe said. “With the right builder, this could work out nicely.”

“The right builder is the problem. When I was finishing my house, I couldn’t find squat around here. That’s why I called Paul.”

“Well, I know some people,” Joe said. “I might be able to help you with that. First, we have to see if you three like my ideas. And, by the way, who was that woman with Vanni?”

“Girlfriend from the flight attendant days. I gather they’re best friends who flew together for years and she’s up here to visit.”

“Jesus,” Joe said. “She’s incredible.”

“Based in San Francisco,” Jack said with a smile. “She’s going home tomorrow.”

“Well, so am I.” He lifted his beer. “Here’s to another close call.”

Jack laughed.

Joe took a long drink, Jack wandered away and Joe thought, I’ve been to San Francisco five times in the past year and I never saw anyone like that. Why not? This is a town of six hundred. I shouldn’t see anyone that amazing here—I should see ten or twenty so gorgeous in the city.

Jack came back with his coffee cup. Joe merely looked up at him and said, “This place. It’s kind of scary.”

“Tell me about it,” Jack said, taking a sip of his coffee. “I found Mel here. That stuff isn’t supposed to happen.”

P
aul knew that Jack was right—he’d have to make his presence felt in Virgin River soon. He couldn’t let the doctor be the only one there when Vanni came out of mourning and was ready to get on with her life. So he called the general and asked if it would be all right to come down for a weekend visit, to see the family and the baby.

He got up early on Saturday morning and made the drive in record time. He pulled up in front of the house and what he saw from the driveway gave him pause. Vanni was dressed in well-worn jeans, chambray shirt with the sleeves rolled up, boots and a Stetson, standing out in front of Matt’s grave. She pulled the hat off her head and shook her hair down her back. Then she wiped at her eyes. Damn it, he thought. I told Jack she was still in that dark place.

He left the truck and, rather than going to the front door, he went out to the grave. As he came up behind her, she heard him and turned. Then she quickly turned back and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. He walked up behind her and put his arms around her waist. “Having one of those days?” he asked gently.

“Yeah,” she said. “Every once in a while I just get so lonely.”

“I know, Vanni. It’s going to be okay.”

“Dad’s worried about me coming out here to tell Matt about it.” She laughed uncomfortably. “He wishes I wouldn’t do this.”

“It’s okay to do this,” he said.

“I’m not brooding. Really. Sometimes I can’t think of anyone else to complain to.”

“You can always complain to me,” he said.

She turned around and looked at him; for a moment her eyes flashed. “And how am I supposed to do that? I hardly ever talk to you. I almost never see you.”

“I’m sorry, I meant to do better. I know I went missing for a while after leaving here. It’s complicated, Vanni. I can explain.”

“Any more complicated than losing a husband?” she snapped. “Oh God, I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me just now. My God, you lost your best friend—I’m sorry. Paul, you don’t have to explain…”

“Yeah, I think I do. After we buried him and I stayed on for Mattie—I was kind of like a grenade with the pin out. I hadn’t unloaded, and man, I really needed to. I was a little out of my head, Vanni. I didn’t use the best judgment. I had to take a time out, some space—a few weeks. I had to get a grip on things, you know? And I didn’t want everything between us to be about grieving over Matt. There’s a lot more between us than that.”

“There is?” she asked hopefully.

“Well, Jesus, we delivered a baby together.” He rubbed a thumb along her cheek under her eye. “Sorry. My hands are so rough.”

“No,” she said. “No. Your hands are fine. Do you have any idea how much I’ve missed you?”

“Not half as much as I missed you. We’ve been through a lot together, you and me.” He reached for her hand. He couldn’t tell her now, here, in front of Matt’s grave with the general waiting right inside the house. “Go get cleaned up. Tom’s probably got a big date tonight, but I’m going to take you and your dad out to dinner.”

She smiled. “Anywhere special?” she asked.

“Your favorite bar and grill. I made a reservation.”

By the time Paul got the general, Vanni and baby to the bar, the few customers were finishing up their early meals and leaving. Tables were pushed together and the usual crowd gathered around. The April nights were still cold, so the fire was lit in the hearth. Jack divided his time between the tables and his favorite spot behind the bar. Paul drifted back there and said, “Look at your wife, my man. She’s almost more baby than woman. And she’s got a kind of wild look about her. Her cheeks are awful pink.”

“I know,” Jack said. “We just had a doctor’s visit—John Stone said if we turn her upside down we might see the color of Emma’s eyes. Stand back. She’s going to go early. I’ve been driving myself crazy trying to keep her still. I’d like to keep this one inside at least a couple more weeks.”

“She’s real animated. Kind of like Vanni was that day she made me watch the childbirth movie.”

“Yeah. I’m not experienced enough to know how early is too early. I thought about calling John…” Then he smiled at Paul and said, “I see you made it right down here. Good thinking. You make any progress with Vanni?”

That changed Paul’s expression. “When I drove up to the house today I caught her out at the grave, crying. I told you—she’s still on real shaky ground.”

“My advice—which, by the way, Mel says I am not,
under pain of death allowed to give—is be sure you’re around when the ground stops shaking.”

“Jack, I should talk to you about a couple of things. This whole business with Vanni—it just keeps getting more complicated.”

“Yeah?”

“For one thing, I have some pretty stiff competition…”

“Oh, yeah? Join the club, my brother.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Mel’s husband was a doctor.”

“Yeah,” he said. “An E.R. doctor. A saver of lives who, by all accounts, was also perfect in every other aspect of his life.” He swallowed. “He was neat, smart, humorous and probably great in bed. A fucking god.”

“You didn’t stand a chance, intellectually speaking,” Paul said.

“I know it,” Jack said. “And yet…”

“I need to talk to you about a couple of things,” Paul said. “Maybe you’ll point me in the right direction.”

“Paul, you don’t need my input. You just have to tell her how you feel.”

He hung his head briefly. “I don’t think it’s gonna be that simple. I think I might come by in the morning. So we can talk.”

“Come by the house then,” he said. “I try not to get too far away these days. I haven’t been coming into the bar until a little later in the morning.”

When Paul sat beside Vanessa again, she looked at him with sparkling aquamarine eyes and he almost melted. His very next thought was how he’d probably see those eyes flash in pure rage when he unburdened himself. She had a fire in her, and he’d seen a hint of that earlier today, out by the grave. It caused a shudder to pass through him. Then he noticed her hand was resting on her thigh, right next to him, and he reached for it, holding it under the table.

It was still early when they got back to the general’s house. Vanni took a little time alone with the baby, nursing him and settling him for the night. While she was busy, Walt built a fire. Then he went down the hall, leaving Paul alone in the great room.

Paul wanted a drink, but he didn’t dare. He was afraid it would loosen him up, make him either talk too much or do too much. Then Vanni joined him. She’d brushed out her hair and it fell in silky curves onto her shoulders, glistening in the firelight, making him want to scrunch it up in his hands.

“Where’s Dad?” she asked, curling up in the big leather chair beside his.

“He fixed up the fire and left the room,” Paul said. “It’s kind of early for him to turn in, isn’t it?”

“Maybe he’ll be right back. Can I get you anything? A nightcap?”

“No, thanks,” he said a little nervously. “So—rumor has it the doctor was here last week…”

She smiled. “Mel was right. If there’s anything you want to keep secret, get out of this town!”

“Did you want that to be a secret?” he asked, lifting his brows.

“No reason for that,” she said with a shrug. “I didn’t invite him. Yes, he came to town. I showed him around, had dinner at Jack’s, took him for a ride. He’s not great on a horse.” She grinned.

“How is he off the horse?” Paul heard himself ask.

She laughed at him, then said, “Cameron seems to be a very nice man. But then, we knew that.”

“A woman in your position—you’d probably be very interested in someone like him,” he said.

“Well, Paul, I have to admit, it’s nice to finally have a man pay a little romantic attention to me. It’s been a very
long time. I know I haven’t been widowed all that long—but it’s been almost a year since…” Her voice trailed off and she looked away.

“Since?” he said, talking like a man who had had that drink.

She let her gaze drift back with a mysterious half smile on her lips. Vanni almost laughed, wondering how poor Paul would react if she said, “Since someone melted my bones with an orgasm…” A secret chuckle escaped her. Paul was sweet and affectionate, but far too taciturn. She reminded herself to treat him gently. He was very cautious with women. If he weren’t, he’d have been married years ago with a flock of children by now. “Since anything, Paul,” she said. “Anything at all.”

“Sorry,” he said, dropping his chin. “I didn’t mean to get so personal…”

She laughed at him. “Paul, you weren’t this shy with me when I was delivering Mattie. What’s going on?”

He took a breath. “Vanni, Vanni… I have things to explain. Difficult things. I know I don’t seem like the kind of guy who’d have complications in his life. I seem more like the kind of guy who has no life at all. But before Matt… Before I came down here to finish Jack’s house… I went out sometimes, you know?”

She laughed a little. “Paul, even though you never said anything, and I know you’re kind of shy around women, I assumed—”

“Stupid,” he said, interrupting. “I’m mostly stupid around women.”

“Uncertain, maybe. But under the right circumstances…”

“Exactly,” he said, almost relieved. “Under the right circumstances things can happen that you just don’t expect.”

She frowned slightly. “Paul, I understand you went out
with women. Why wouldn’t you? You’re a handsome, single man.”

“It’s about me being a little absent since Mattie was born… I have a situation to work out.”

“A situation in Grants Pass?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said, rubbing a hand across the back of his sweaty neck. He took a breath. “Before I came down here last fall, I went out with a woman a couple of times. Just a casual thing. Nothing serious. But then the whole goddamn world shifted, Matt was killed, Mattie was due, I stayed here with you, we got a lot closer during that time. It might’ve been all about Matt and the baby at first, but that’s irrelevant—we got real close. You and me.”

“As close as brother and sister?” she asked him softly, hopeful about what could be coming.

“A lot closer than that, Vanni. At least in my mind. Then I went back to Grants Pass and not that much had changed there. I had changed, boy had I changed, but things back home were…”

“The same?” she asked. And she thought, there’s a woman in Grants Pass. Someone who had perhaps become important to him. “That woman you went out with a couple of times—when did you meet her?”

“Why?” he asked, perplexed.

“When?”

“God,” he said, rubbing his sweaty palms on his jeans. “I don’t know. About a year ago, I guess.”

“A
year
ago? Jesus, Paul. Why didn’t you just
tell
me!”

“Tell you what?”

“There’s a woman! All this time, there’s been a woman!”

“No. No. There was just this woman I saw a couple of times and…”

She stood up abruptly. “That wouldn’t be complicated.”

He stood, as well. “I had a few things to figure out, Vanni—that’s why I wasn’t in touch for a while. And now I have an…
unexpected
situation at home I have to work out, but I’m going to get that under control and I’ll be here a lot more, I promise.”

“Oh, for God’s sake,” she spat out. “Just say it. You’re involved with someone and it doesn’t work into your plans to spend time in Virgin River!”

“That’s not it,” he said nervously.

“You know everything about me! Yet you couldn’t even casually mention you were seeing someone at home?”

“It’s not like that. Listen, I just need some time on this. Some patience. Because I really intend to do better by you than I have. I know I haven’t been here for you like I meant to be and—”

“Stop!” she said. “I haven’t asked you for anything except to stay in touch! Stop whimpering!”

He scowled. His neck got red. “I’m not whimpering!”

“Well, you sure as hell aren’t talking! Man up!”

“I’m trying! But you’re doing all the talking for me!”

She had a few more hot retorts, but bit her tongue against them. She pursed her lips. He had been in Virgin River for months, but he went back to Grants Pass almost every week for a day or two. He had said it was to check on the construction company he’d left in the hands of his father and brothers. And to check on
her?
It must’ve been pretty hard on her to be asked to understand he had to be away so much, tending to his best friend’s
widow.
Imagine now, being told he’d have to make frequent trips to Virgin River to make sure the widow and baby were doing all right. Talk about complicated. Well, she wasn’t interested in that kind of relationship.

“I think you’re trying to tell me there’s a woman back in Grants Pass who’s counting on you. You have obligations there.”

“Yeah,” he said weakly. “But, Vanni, I have obligations here, as well. You and Mattie, you’re awful important to me…”

Being referred to as an obligation should have made her want to cry, but instead it made her furious. “Well, don’t worry your little head. We’re getting along just fine—better every day. You have a life in Grants Pass. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of that.”

“You’re not listening,” he said, his voice raising to match hers. “I want to be here with you, as often as possible,” he said. “I’m doing my damn best!”

“It sounds like you have other things, other people you’d better pay attention to.”

“Listen, things can happen that you don’t plan, don’t expect!”

“Oh really?” she asked sarcastically. “Tell me about it,” she said. She hadn’t expected her husband to die, or to fall in love with Paul. If there was one thing she knew about the men in her life—her father, her late husband, Paul and all the guys who seemed to gather around him—they didn’t make commitments lightly, and once a promise was made, they
never
broke an oath. “I’m sure you’ll get everything straightened out,” she said. She tried to keep the angry edge out of her voice, but she was thoroughly unsuccessful. “Please, you have no
obligations
here. We’ll be fine. I don’t know why you didn’t just tell me—a long time ago! Did you think I wouldn’t understand you had to get home because there was someone there? Someone who was counting on you?”