“What I mean is, could someone younger than thirty-eight want that life? Or do you have to be this crusty, beat-up old grunt?”
Luke got the point and his lips went back into that firm, nonnegotiable line.
“Do you suppose young women ever choose that life over Ph.D.s or world travel? Think that’s ever happened?”
“I think young women like Shelby might think they want that life and two years later realize they threw away their real life and they’re stuck, and everything would go to hell at that point.”
“But that’s a guess,” Aiden said. “And this is a remarkable, committed, stubborn, aggressive woman who’s been up against a lot and knows what she wants.”
“You tricked me,” Luke said. “You said you were going to be a little curious but now you’re up my ass.”
“What are the odds you’re ever going to run into someone like her again, once she leaves Virgin River? If you let her get away?”
Luke stood up. He put his drink, what was left of it, on a coaster. “But that’s not the point,” he said. “I’m going to bed.”
Late on Christmas Day, Shelby leaned on the corral fence and watched as her cousin Tom kept an eye on Art astride Chico. Ever since first seeing Chico, Art had wanted to ride him, but Chico was a lot of horse for Art. Tom, however, was more than happy to spot that. And when they were done, Shelby would take Art back to his cabin and Tom would go into town and find his girl.
She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. With the noise of churning hooves in the corral, she hadn’t heard Vanni’s approach. Shelby turned toward Vanni and then turned back, giving her cheeks a quick wipe.
“Come on,” Vanni said. “You can’t pretend. Something happened between you and Luke.”
“Nothing. Really, nothing.”
Vanni turned her around. “Something,” she insisted. “Did you have a fight?”
“No, nothing like that. It’s just that…” Her voice trailed away.
“What, honey? What happened?”
Shelby’s eyes welled anew and she shrugged. “Oh, well. I miss him.”
“It’s a couple of days, honey. That’s all…”
“I know.” She sniffed. “It would have meant the world to me if he’d called to wish me a merry Christmas. But I haven’t heard a word out of him. He loves me like I mean everything to him, but he never says the words. I don’t know why. Why, Vanni?”
Vanni ran a gentle finger along her cheek, wiping off a tear. “Baby, I don’t know Luke like you do.”
“It’s almost as though he tries to keep this distance between us…”
“You said you wouldn’t cry.”
“No, I didn’t. I said if he made me cry, I’d get over it. I still don’t have any regrets.”
“It hurts, huh?”
She took a deep breath. “I guess I’m as naive as everyone thought. I fell in love with him. I didn’t mean to.”
“Aw, baby,” Vanni said, pulling her into her arms.
Shelby put her head on Vanni’s shoulder. “It’s going to be real hard to give him up.” Then she let out a little huff of rueful laughter. “It’s going to be real hard if he lets me go. But…I’ll get over it. What are my choices? I couldn’t have done anything differently.”
The day after Christmas, while Walt was babysitting so Vanni could spend some time working on the wallpaper at her new house, Shelby drove over to the new neighbor’s place. She banged on Muriel’s front door and heard the sound of welcoming dogs inside. Muriel beamed when she pulled the door open.
“Any chance you have a cup of coffee?” Shelby asked.
“Sure. Come in. Everything all right?”
“Well, not exactly. Thing is, I need to talk to someone who’s not a member of my family. About Luke.”
“Gosh,” Muriel said. “I’m honored. I would’ve expected you to go to Mel. The two of you are awful close.”
“True. But she’s got a lot of family in town right now,” Shelby said. “And I just thought, maybe…I don’t know, Muriel. Maybe you can tell me something I don’t already know. About…you know…men.”
“You do realize I’ve been married five times and never could make it work,” Muriel said on her way to the kitchen. “It wasn’t my fault, I swear it, but still…”
“I think maybe I’ve been a fool,” Shelby said.