Whispering Rock (13 page)

“
Looking
for? You jackass, I’m not looking for anything! I’m trying to get on with my life!”

“Great, that’s great, but if you’d at least talk to me about the ways you’re considering doing that—”

“I know you’ve been to war with him a couple of times and hunting with him a bunch of times, but what do you think you know about Mike that I can’t figure out in a few months?” Brie asked rather too loudly. “And how the hell is he any different around women than you were for about twenty years?”

Mel took a sip of her coffee and tried, desperately, to remind herself that siblings fought. She and Joey hadn’t had a good knock-down-drag-out since Mel’s first husband had been killed, but growing up, becoming adults, hadn’t exactly put a total end to all disagreements.

“I was never
married!
” Jack fired back.

“Probably through no wisdom of your own!” Brie retorted loudly.

Mike’s SUV came into the clearing and Mel smiled and gave him a wave. Then she walked into the cabin. “Brie, your ride is here,” she said more calmly than she felt.

Brie glared at her brother and plucked her purse off the counter.

“You have that new gun in your purse?” Jack asked sarcastically.

“No. It’s upstairs in my suitcase. If it had been handy, you might be bleeding through a hole in your stupid head by
now.” And she whirled away from them, storming out the door.

Left alone in the kitchen, Mel stared Jack down for just a second before he turned away from her, presenting his back. He’d just been beaten to a pulp by his little sister; he wasn’t in the mood to go a round with his wife.

The baby fussed.

“Asshole,” Mel said, leaving the kitchen to see about David.

When Brie got into Mike’s SUV she was clearly flustered. “Whew,” Mike said. “Wanna talk about it?”

“No!” she snapped. Then, taking a deep breath, “We had…Words, we had words, me and Jack. About my new gun, which I do not have with me, so relax.”

He put the car in gear and smiled at her. “I will if you will.”

“I’ll need about five minutes,” she said. She took a couple of deep breaths. Then it slowly dawned on her—she’d
fought!
She wasn’t weak and sniveling, wasn’t scared, wasn’t sheepish—she’d gone right back after him! Sure, it was only Jack, not a homicidal predator, but still… She’d always looked for Jack’s approval, and this once she’d stood right up to him, the jerk. A slow smile spread across her lips. Maybe all was not lost. Maybe she could get her life back. She relaxed back onto the seat. “Ah,” she said. “I need a day off. A day away.” From my buttinsky brother, she thought.

Mel had decided to give Jack some time to cool off and get his head wrapped around the idea that Brie had gone away with Mike for the day, but in the end it was really she who needed the time. Her husband had made her furious. She was spitting tacks.

When David was down for his morning nap in the crib Mel
kept at Doc’s, she left the Hummer at the clinic and took Doc’s old truck out to their homesite. If Doc had to leave, he would call Paige to babysit. When she got to their property, Jack was inside the house where she couldn’t see him, but she could hear the power saw as she pulled up. She drove right up to the front of the house, parked within a few feet and jumped out. She gripped a solid board to hoist herself up onto the foundation and stood there, facing his back. He didn’t turn around and her blood started to boil; he knew she was there. He
always
knew. When the saw stopped whirring she yelled, “Don’t you
dare
pretend you don’t know I’m here!”

He slowly turned around, and he had the audacity to still be wearing that stubborn frown. His eyes were narrowed to slits.

“Jack Sheridan! Knock it off!”

“She’s my sister. She’s been through a lot,” he said, his voice gravelly and impatient.

“That’s right—and she’s entitled to enjoy herself. Make her own choices. It’s
important
she make her own choices! If she wants to spend time with Mike, she doesn’t need your permission.”

Jack stepped toward her. “You don’t understand. I’ve seen him with women!”

“Yeah, I bet! At about the same time he was seeing
you
with women!”

“That’s different! That was over when I met you!”

“Maybe it’s over for him!”

“Hah! You don’t get it! That guy ran through women real quick, never even gave it a thought—”

“And this is different from you
how?
”

“He screwed up two
marriages!
Brie’s already been through a painful divorce, not to mention the other horrible crap she’s endured! I don’t want her hurt!”

“Then you better butt out before you’re the one who hurts her!”

“I would
never
hurt her! I want to keep her safe!”

Mel put her hands on her hips and lifted one finely arched brow. “The way you wanted to keep Preacher safe from Paige and almost cost the man the most joy he’s had in his lifetime?”

“I admit—I was wrong about that.”

“You’re wrong about this! No matter what the outcome is, you cannot get in the middle of the relationships that people choose.” She stepped toward him. “Jack, she’s lonely and hurt—let her be. Let her go. If she finds a little sliver of happiness, it’s not your job to take its temperature.”

“If he hurts her, I don’t know what I’ll do. I’ll kill him, that’s what I’ll do!”

“Then let’s tell her she has to leave. Let’s get her out of here before we have to watch her face hurt one more time. Forget giving her a chance to make herself happy, make herself well. Let’s tell her the truth—
you
can’t take it while she stumbles along and tries to figure out what’s right for her.” She took a breath; he looked down at his feet. “Like I did,” she said more softly. His head snapped up. “Just like me, Jack. I came into this town so blissfully stupid about the fact that you’d been with a hundred women and never committed to one of them. If I’d had a big brother handy to clue me in—I could have escaped all this happiness.” Tears ran down her cheeks.

“Mel,” he said, stepping toward her.

She waved him back, shaking her head. “I haven’t ever been raped,” she said, “but I’ve been emotionally bruised pretty bad.” Her voice dropped to a whisper and she was shaking her head miserably. “It should never have worked with you. You of all people! Jesus, you had to have been as
bad as Mike, probably worse! You had your women—quick and dirty and back on the road. No commitments. You never loved any of them. It should’ve been like that with me. A couple of months and then you’re bored, you’re moving on….”

“Mel,” he said. This time he wouldn’t be held back. He reached for her, took her into his arms. “God, baby. Where is this coming from?”

“But I got pregnant! You couldn’t get out of it, could you?”

“Oh, for God’s sake, Mel…”

She looked up at his face. “This is Mike,” she said in a whisper. “This is a man whose bed you sat by for ten long days, waiting for him to wake up, sit up, speak. He kept your squad safe from insurgents in Fallujah. He came to Virgin River to be near us to get well—do you really think he’s going to treat Brie with disrespect? Do anything bad to her? My God, he sees you as his
brother!
Where is your brain?”

He pulled her close, held her against him. “At this moment I have absolutely no idea.” He kissed the top of her head. “Tell me something. Do you think I’m going to get bored? Stray? Do you think we’re only together because of David? Tell me.”

She looked up at his face, tears wetting her cheeks, and shook her head. “But if I’d known about you what Mike knows about you—I’d have run for my life.”

“But I told you, Mel. I never lied to you. It all changed the second I saw you. Tell me you believe me. Tell me I showed you that.”

She reached up to lay a hand along his cheek. “I believe you. You’ve never given me any reason to doubt you.”

He let out sigh of relief and pulled her tighter. “God, don’t do that to me. Don’t throw my shitty past at me like that—you know I can’t talk my way out of it.”

“But I’m going to talk you off this ledge if it kills me. You can’t do this to your sister. This is up to her.”

“I understand. It’s hard, but I understand what you’re saying.”

She put her arms around his waist, laid her head against his chest and cried. He stroked her hair, kissed her head, held her and rocked with her as they stood inside the unfinished structure. He said things like, “It’s okay, baby. You know you’re everything to me. You and David.” But what he was thinking was that this was very unusual for his wife. She wouldn’t hesitate to go after him, but she didn’t become distraught. She cried from time to time, but over events that would bring the strongest woman to tears—the loss of a baby, the anniversary of a loved one’s death. And he thought, oh-oh. Something about this isn’t quite right.

At length she stopped. She looked up at him and he brushed the tears from her cheeks. “Sorry,” she said. “You made me so frickin’ mad I thought I was going to kill you.”

“Yeah, join the party. Brie threatened my life.” He smiled down at her. “Thank you for not killing me,” he said. “You’re right—I have to stop smothering her, questioning her. She’s a grown woman. She’s smarter than me. I’ll try harder.”

“No trying,” she said. “Let go. When she comes to you, open your wonderful arms to her, but when she’s trying to get on with her life, toast her. Celebrate her. Let her go. And for God’s sake, please remember that you can trust Mike.”

“You’re right,” he said. “I learned my lesson. I’ll listen to you now.”

“It isn’t easy being the wise one in the marriage,” she said.

“I imagine the pressure is terrible,” he said with a smile.

She reached her fingertips up to the hair at his temples. “You’re showing a little gray here. Not much, but a little. I suppose I did that to you.”

“Probably. But I’m very tough—I can take it.”

“Oh, Jack,” she said, leaning against him again. “Please, I don’t want to ever fight with you.”

He lifted her chin with a finger. “Don’t be a candy ass. You fought good. You won, as a matter of fact.”

“But it was awful. There have been times since this thing with Brie that you’ve been so far away. It just… It frightens me.”

“You should never be afraid. Not while you’re my wife. It’s my job to make sure you’re never afraid.”

“Then know this—all I want is to die in your arms. I can’t live a day without you. Do you get that?”

He nodded, but he said, “No dying allowed. We’re going to get old and very wrinkly together. I insist on it.”

Tommy knew he was pretty obvious—he called Brenda every night. When she walked into their physics class he couldn’t suppress a huge grin—he could feel it all the way to the soles of his feet. He scored a homework session with her at her house in Virgin River and it might as well have been a date at the Ritz, he was so pumped. When she walked him out to his truck, she held his hand for a few minutes.

The girl moved really slowly, and he liked that. One of these days he was going to get his arms around her, kiss her. She had to be about the prettiest girl at school. Maybe the world.

He’d like to be walking her to her classes, but the second physics was over she was surrounded by her girlfriends and whisked away, so he made do with those phone calls and after-school homework sessions. “We should go out,” he said. “You seem to be all over that bad flu.”

“There’s a dance coming up in a few weeks,” she said.

“You have a date,” he promised. “But I hate to wait that long. Maybe there’s something we can do before that. As a warm-up date?”

She laughed at him. “You’re too funny. Stop looking at me and look at your physics homework.”

Brenda’s mother stayed awfully close while he was at her house, so there was no potential for getting snugly. But he was completely okay with this, because when Brenda walked him out to his little truck there was a moment on the front porch that she let him get close. He slipped an arm around her waist. And she kind of leaned against him, so he let his lips brush softly against her cheek. “That’s nice,” he said. “Do you know your hair smells like vanilla?”

“Of course I know that,” she said.

“You sure do make homework a lot more fun than it used to be.”

“I’m glad to be of help,” she told him.

“Hey, you want to go to a party?”

“Where?”

“I heard there’s something going on out at this rest stop—”

She jumped away from him so fast, he was startled. The look on her face was one of sheer horror.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

“I don’t go to those parties,” she said.

“Okay. That’s fine. I just thought—”

“Do
you
go to those parties?” she asked angrily.

He shrugged. “I haven’t been to one yet. I just heard about it. Why? Are they bad?”

“A lot of beer. A lot of kids get drunk. Puking drunk.”

He made a face. “Ew. Sounds like loads of fun. Okay, how about a movie in Fortuna?”

“Maybe,” she said.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?”

“It’s just… Those parties out at the rest stop, they have a real bad reputation. I don’t want a reputation.”

He smiled at her. “As far as I can tell, you already have one, and it’s totally good. So—” he shrugged “—we’ll skip the rest-stop parties.”

“You drink beer?” she asked him.

“I’ve been known to have a beer,” he said. “But I don’t overdo it. You have to meet my father, Brenda.” He laughed. “Then you’d know right away that I don’t want to piss him off.”

She seemed to relax a little. “I might go to a movie with you. But we should have another couple along.”

“Like who?”

“Maybe one of my girlfriends and her date?”

“Whatever makes you happy. But I want to go out with you sometime—because all this homework is making me so smart I almost can’t stand myself.”

She smiled and said, “Okay, Tommy. Call me later.”

B
rie couldn’t believe she had lived in California all her life without ever visiting the Mendocino coast. It charmed her at once—the breathtaking vistas, the Victorian villages, the art, the food. She recognized Cabot Cove, the filming site for
Murder, She Wrote.
They lunched in an adorable little restaurant with an ocean view, binoculars on the tables. Before they had finished lunch, they were sharing binoculars to view a fleet of whales, migrating south. The mammals were so far out to sea, the binoculars were necessary.

“In the spring, during the migration with their new calves, they come much closer to the shore. We’ll come back,” Mike said.

The excuse to come over here had been seeing the whales, but there was much more to the coast than that. They dropped into galleries, tasted wine in tasting rooms, walked along the ocean bluffs, down the trails to the tide pools and private beaches. They visited botanical gardens, climbed to the top of a lighthouse and sat under a tree in the park, eating popcorn. They laughed, played, held hands. Too soon, the day had aged.

“We should at least stay for the sunset,” Mike suggested. “There’s nothing like a Pacific sunset. Would you like that?”

“I would. Do you think I should call Jack? Let him know?”

Mike shrugged. “I don’t know what kind of arrangement you two have. Would he be worried if you’re not home before dark?”

Remembering her brother’s dark mood in the morning, the way he’d tried to warn her off Mike, she almost said that Jack would be especially worried tonight. But instead she said, “As a courtesy, I’ll give him a call. I’m really having too much fun to go back yet.”

He touched her cheek with the back of a knuckle. “Are you, Brie?” he asked softly.

“You don’t have to ask.” She smiled.

“There’s a phone,” he said, pointing across the street. “Do you have plenty of change?”

“Lots.”

“I’ll get us some drinks. We can take them to the bluffs and watch from there.”

Jack came to the phone in the bar and Brie told him she was having a wonderful time and they planned to watch the sunset over the ocean before heading back. Although she tried to keep her voice passive and not defensive, she really expected some kind of argument. Instead, her brother said, “I’m sorry about this morning, Brie. I was out of line. That wasn’t my place—I want you to enjoy yourself. I mean that.”

“Gee, Jack,” she said, amused. “You sure came around quickly.”

“I know,” he said. “I’m a genius that way.”

“Mel must have really lit into you,” she said.

“That always increases my intelligence about tenfold.”

“I love you.” She laughed. “We’ll be home later.” She
was still chuckling to herself when she crossed the street to meet Mike.

“What did he say?”

“Have fun,” she said, laughing again.

“What’s funny about that?”

“Well, as I was leaving this morning, he warned me about your irresponsible ways with women—but now he’s docile as a lamb, apologizing, telling me to have a good time.”

“He’s starting to get on my nerves when he does that thing about the women,” he said, taking her elbow and steering her toward the bluffs. “We’ve been all over that. He can give it a rest anytime. He had a million women before Mel. Two million.”

She laughed at him. “You never mentioned to him that we spent a lot of time together over the summer,” she said.

“I told you—it wasn’t because you’re Jack’s sister. I met you because of Jack—I care about you because of
you.
”

“Did you tell him you spent the nights he was away in his bed?”

Mike laughed. “Would I be walking around today if I had? You know that would put him in a black mood.”

“You could have explained—I asked you to come, to stay.”

“This would be Jack Sheridan’s little sister. He would’ve expected me to sit guard out on the porch.”

“You didn’t tell him I got scared?”

He slipped an arm loosely, cautiously, around her waist. “You would have told him if you had wanted him to know.”

“Which one of us are you protecting?” she asked with a laugh.

He was conscious that she didn’t pull away from him. “You and me, our privacy. What goes on with us just isn’t his business. If you want to know—he asked. I don’t know how
he picked up the scent, since apparently no one clued him in. I must be losing my touch—I’ve become obvious. I used to be slicker than that. But he wanted to know if there was something going on between us.”

“And you said…?”

“I said that I would never do anything to hurt you and if he wanted to know anything, he should ask you. I suggested he be very careful about that because you consider yourself a grown-up.”

That made her laugh rather happily. “Oh, I bet you really pissed him off.”

“He’ll get over it. He pissed me off.”

They walked the headlands trail to the bluffs and found a place on the grassy knoll to sit. The sun was already making its downward path and Brie found herself hoping it wouldn’t go quickly. They were hardly alone there—lots of people strolled, children ran around, lovers paused to embrace, kiss.

Mike sat with his legs stretched out in front of him; Brie curled her legs under her and braced herself on an arm, close to him. “Here,” Mike said, gently pulling her back to recline against his chest. “Be comfortable.”

Leaning against his broad chest, she felt herself relax in a way she hadn’t in months. With this interlude coming at the end of day like this, she was as close to carefree as she’d been in too long. Feeling the strength of him behind her was like a foundation. It didn’t hurt that she’d slept beside him for two nights and he had been perfect. And she began to think, I was wrong about what I can feel. I can feel things. Closeness and trust, for one thing. Security. He made her feel safe, and not just safe from danger. She had absolutely no worry that trusting him was foolish.

The sun set very slowly, the number of people dwindled
as it darkened and soon it was almost as if they were alone. They reclined on the bluffs in silence for a long time, until it was nearly dark. The dark no longer seemed to bother her, because she was with Mike.

Finally she said, very softly, “Is there anything between us?”

“Oh, I think there’s much.”

“Tell me…”

“Well, I am determined to do anything I can to be there for you, and you are determined to break my heart. That heartbreaking business, it’s very serious.”

She laughed at him. She felt his head drop forward to her shoulder and nuzzle her hair. A hand on her upper left arm gently squeezed and he said, “Brie…
Tu creas un fuego en mi corazón.” Brie, you create a fire in my heart.

She straightened a bit, but didn’t pull away. “What did you say?” she whispered.

“You are lovely. You touch my heart,” he answered, pulling her back against him again. He slipped an arm around her waist gently, tenderly, cautiously holding her against him, very careful that she not feel confined.
“Tu debes sentir estas manos amorosas así a ti.” You should feel loving hands on you.

Her heart beat a little faster and she knew that it was not fear she felt. She wanted to say,
“Deja a que sean sus manos.” Let them be your hands.
But she wasn’t ready. Instead, she said, “Your language is beautiful.”

“Te tengo en mis brazos,”
he said.
I will hold you in my arms.

“Tell me what you said,” she urged him.

“Nothing, really. Just an endearment. It is a very romantic language.”

She could tell him now she spoke his language fluently, that she knew he lied. But she didn’t want to break the spell he had created in thinking she couldn’t understand him. He spoke his heart while he thought she was innocent of his desires. “Say something to me—something heartfelt,” she said, not turning around.

He touched the hair at her temple, threading his fingers into it.
“Te querido más te de lo tu hubieras.” I have wanted you for longer than you know.

She let her eyes close. “What did you say?” she asked in a whisper.

“You deserve all happiness,” he said—he lied.

A small smile floated across her face. She was on to him.

“No te merezco.” I don’t deserve you. “Te quiero en mi vida.” I want you in my life.

“I think you seduce women with your language.”

“When you are with me, you should know that I care about you as much as I care about any of my sisters. Or my mother, who is queen of the world.”

She laughed a little. “I’m not sure that was entirely flattering.”

“I want you to believe you are completely safe and protected when you’re with me. I promise you, you have nothing to fear from me. Not ever.”

“I think you’re manipulating me.”

“Do you, now?” he asked, humor in his voice.

“You’re luring me into a false sense of security, trying to trick me so I forget my plan to break your heart a hundred times.”

He laughed, stroking that long mane of hair that floated down her back. “I know you’re a very determined woman, and if breaking my heart is your goal, you won’t rest until it’s done.”

“I’m going to make mincemeat out of you,” she said.

“I have no doubt.”

She pivoted to face him. It was dark enough so that it was hard to see the light in his eyes. She leaned toward him and put her lips softly against his. Her kiss was very tentative. Brief. Cautionary. “I suppose I’ll have to lure you into my confidence first.”

“A good idea,” he said, aware that his voice had become husky.
“Tienes labios que gritan besame.” You have lips that scream kiss me.
And he slowly, carefully, leaned toward her. He touched her mouth, drawing her lower lip between his lips sweetly, sensuously. He wanted to put his hands on her, but he was unsure what she could tolerate. He let one large hand touch her waist delicately, but he didn’t apply pressure and didn’t pull her to him. “I think I like this—being drawn into your confidence. I knew the heart-breaking would be something to look forward to.”

“I didn’t know I could do this,” she said a little breathlessly.

“I knew,” he said. “I told you. It was just a matter of time.”

“You’re going to get us into trouble….”

“No, Brie. There’s no trouble here, no problem. Everything is all right.”

“You sound overconfident.”

“I’m not worried about anything,” he said. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“You’re not trying for an upset? Trying to break my heart before I can break yours?”

“Estas en mi corazón.” You
are
my heart.
“Go ahead. Do your worst. I’m strong. I welcome the pain.”

“Kiss me,” she said. “Kiss me one time, as though you don’t find me breakable.”

“Oh.” He chuckled, a husky sound. “Are you sure you mean that?”

“Just once,” she said, her voice a breath.

He circled her waist with his arms and drew her forward, pulling her across his lap and against his chest. Her hands rested lightly on his shoulders, waiting. He hovered over her lips for a moment. He let the flesh of his lips touch hers. Slowly, giving her time to change her mind, he pressed against her mouth. Her hands slowly drifted upward, circling his neck, a hand reaching up to the back of his head, holding him against her mouth, and with a groan of desire he moved over her mouth passionately, opening his lips. Hers opened as well, admitting his tongue. He wanted to die, the taste of her was so sweet, so delicious. He pulled her harder against him, feeling her firm breasts bore into his chest.

And it happened to him. He became aroused. It was the first time he had responded this way in so long that for a second he wanted to grasp her to him, lower her to the ground and press himself against her. But the hell of it was, he couldn’t proceed with her. She was just testing these waters and was still so unsure, so easily frightened. This kiss, this deep and wet and wonderful kiss, was a huge step for her. It was possible, lying across his lap as she was, that she felt his desire rising beneath her. And he didn’t want her to be afraid.

He heard her sigh, her breath soft against his face, and he withdrew from her lips. “Brie, I’m sorry. I can’t,” he whispered.

“Can’t?”

“I can’t kiss you like this. You tempt me. And you’re not ready to be with a tempted man. I have to take you home.”

She sat back, sliding off his lap and, a little rattled, brushed at her skirt. “Whew,” she said.

He ran a hand from her shoulder down her arm. “Okay?”

“Hmm,” she said. “Okay.”

“We have to go. It’s dark now. And we’ve had a full day.”

Jack was splitting logs in the early morning when Mike came from his RV. His hands plunged into his pockets, heading toward the bar for coffee, he said, “Morning” as he walked by.

“Mike,” Jack called after him. Mike turned and Jack leaned the ax against the stump. “I should probably say something about the other night,” Jack said. “I can’t figure out what.”

Mike grinned in spite of himself. “That’s too bad. I’d love to hear what you come up with.”

“How about—I’ll stay out of your business.”

“I don’t believe it, but I like it.”

“You have sisters. You know where I’m coming from.”

“Yeah,” Mike said, taking a step toward him. “I understand.”

“I care about her. Worry about her.”

Mike stepped toward him. He put a hand out to shake. When Jack took it Mike said, “I’m not talking to you about her. Period.”

“The boys will be here to hunt in a couple of days,” Jack said. “I’m going to Eureka for some supplies.”

“Need a hand with that?”

“Nah. Need anything while I’m there?”

“I’m good,” Mike said.

Jack nodded. “Thanks,” he said.

“For?”

“For refusing to talk about her. Says something.” He put a hand on Mike’s shoulder, directing him ahead toward the bar. “Let’s get a cup of coffee.”

An hour later Jack was gone to Eureka and Mel’s Hummer was parked in front of Doc’s. Mike drove out of town. He thought it was possible Brie was at Doc’s with Mel, but he
didn’t stop to check, didn’t want to tip his hand. He pulled into the clearing at the cabin and gave the horn on his SUV three short toots. Then he stepped out and leaned against the driver’s door. In just a couple of moments she appeared on the porch, her damp hair pulled over one shoulder as she patted it dry with a towel. She wore slim jeans and moccasins on her feet. She looked so young, so vulnerable. She smiled when she saw him. “What are you doing here?”