“I think she should be examined. I can do it or we can make her an appointment with John Stone.”
“I’ll call John,” Doc said, taking another sip of his whiskey. “I want you away from this for now.”
“And this time, you’ll actually make the call?”
He turned and regarded her, glare for glare. “I’ll call him.”
Mel just concentrated on her beer, which had gone warm and dull.
“You do a good job, missy,” he said. “I’m getting too old for some things, especially the babies.” He looked down at his hands, some fingers bent, knuckles swollen. “I can still get things done, but these old hands aren’t good on the women. Better you take care of women’s health.”
She turned toward him. “First a partial apology. Then a partial compliment.”
“I apologize,” he said without looking at her. “I think you’re needed here.”
She let out her breath slowly. She knew how hard that was for him. She took another deep breath and put her arm around his shoulders. She leaned her head against him.
“Don’t go soft on me,” she said.
“Not a chance,” he returned.
Jack had no idea what had passed between Mel and Doc, but she said they were going back to the clinic and would have a bite to eat together there. He assumed they had issues to work out. Then she promised to come back to the bar before going home.
He served quite a few people at six. By seven the crowd was thinning and there were only a few people there when the door opened. Charmaine. She’d never come to Virgin River before; he’d let her know that he wanted to keep those two parts of his life separate. She wasn’t wearing waitress clothes tonight, so her intention was pretty obvious. She wore a nice pair of creased slacks, a crisp white blouse with the collar folded on the outside of a dark blue blazer. Her hair was down and full, makeup thick but perfect, heels. It pleased him to be reminded that she was a handsome woman, especially so when she didn’t wear those tight clothes that drew attention to her large breasts. She looked classy. Mature.
She sat up at the bar and smiled at him. “I thought I’d drop by and see how you’ve been,” she said.
“Good, Char. You?”
“Great.”
“How about a drink?” he asked.
“Sure. Yes. How about a Johnny Walker, ice. Make it a good Johnny.”
“You got it.” He set her up with a black label—he didn’t have any blue. Too pricey for his usual crowd. In fact, he didn’t move much of the black label. “So, what brings you to my neighborhood?”
“I wanted to check in. See if things are the same with you.”
He looked down for a second, disappointed. He had hoped not to have to do this again, and certainly not here. This was no place to discuss their relationship, such as it had been. He looked back into her eyes and simply nodded.
“No change, then?”
He shook his head, hoping he could leave it at that.
“Well,” she said, taking a sip of her drink. “I’m sorry to hear that. I was hoping that maybe we could… Never mind. I can tell by the look on your face—”
“Char, please. This isn’t the right time or place.”
“Take it easy, Jack, I’m not going to push. Can’t blame a girl for checking it out. After all, what we had was pretty special. To me, anyway.”
“It was special to me, too. I’m sorry, but I had to move on.”
“So—you still insist there’s no one else?”
“There wasn’t at the time. I didn’t lie to you. I’ve never lied to you. But now—”
Just as he said that, the door swung open and Mel came in. Her expression earlier had been angry, but now it was subdued. Tired. And she did something she had never previously done. Rather than jumping up on a stool and asking for a beer, she came around the bar. To Charmaine he said, “Excuse me just one second.” He met Mel at the end of the bar.
Mel immediately put her arms around his waist and hugged him, laying her head on his chest. His arms went around her, as well, returning the gesture, painfully aware that Charmaine was burning a hole in his back with her eyes.
“Today was trying,” Mel said softly. “Doc and I had a come-to-Jesus meeting about how we’re going to work together, if we’re going to work together. It was harder than I thought. Emotionally draining.”
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“I’m fine. Might I have one of those nifty little Crowns? I’ve eaten and I promise to only have one, with ice, and you’re welcome to take me home tonight. If you want to.”
“You’re kidding, right? I’m scared to death to let you go home alone. Who knows what you’ll do, who you’ll take a ride with.” He put a small kiss on her brow and turned her around so she could go to the front of the bar. He didn’t make eye contact with Charmaine, but rather fixed the drink and put it before Mel. By now she was on a stool at the very end of the bar. “You’ll have to give me a minute.”
“Sure,” she said. “Take your time. I just want to unwind.”
“Unwind away.” He went back to Char.
The expression in Charmaine’s eyes was one of hurt, but at least there was clarity.
“I think I understand,” she said, taking another sip of her drink.
He reached for her hand and held it. “Charmaine, I wasn’t lying. Doesn’t really matter now, I guess, but I’d like it if you believed I was telling the truth. There wasn’t anyone else.”
“But you wanted there to be.”
He nodded, helplessly. He glanced at Mel. She was watching them. Her expression was perplexed and unhappy.
“Well. Now I understand,” Charmaine said, pulling her hand away from his. “I’m going to take off. Leave you to your business.”
She plunked down a twenty-dollar bill, insulting a former lover who would buy her a drink. She whirled off the bar stool and headed for the door. Jack grabbed that twenty and went down to the end of the bar. “Mel, I’ll be right back. Stay put.”
“Take all the time you need,” she said, but she didn’t say it happily.
Just the same he followed Charmaine outside. He called to her and she stopped once she got to her car. He caught up with her and said, “I’m sorry it worked out like this. I wish you’d just called.”
“I’m sure you do.” She had moist eyes, as though any minute there might be tears. “I see now,” she said.
“I’m not sure you do. This is… It’s very recent,” he said.
“But she was on your mind?”
He took a breath. “Yeah.”
“You love her,” she said.
He nodded. “Oh, yeah. Big time.”
She laughed hollowly. “Well, who’d guess. Mr. No-Attachments.”
“I didn’t mean to mislead you, Char. That’s why I broke it off, because I knew if Mel gave me half a chance, I’d find myself with two women, and I wouldn’t do that to either one of you. I’d never deliberately…”
“Aw, take it easy, bub. She’s young, she’s pretty—and you’re a goner. Now I know. I just wanted to be sure.”