Do you date a lot? I suppose you could say I do, he answered. There are women I’m friendly with and we share certain interests. There’s a neighbor woman I’ve known for years who is a food critic for t...
Crazy thoughts began filling his head, chief among them was that he couldn’t imagine there ever being another man in her life, in her body. He’d never had such possessive, proprietary feelings. He was...
Cocktail weenies? he asked, holding up a little can. Who gives cocktail weenies to a needy family? I mighta done that, said Hope McCrea, pushing her big black glasses up on her nose. The can is bulgin...
But he stood there, his eyes riveted on that tattoo. She looked over her shoulder again. It’s called a tramp stamp, she said. I got it when I was fifteen, to be cool. I know what it’s called. I just c...
But I guess we don’t have much in common there, huh? There was no competition, except maybe Joe was competing with a rotten memory. If there was anything about him you thought was worth a damn, you ne...
At night, after Jack had gone home and the last customer of the night had left, Preacher went up to Paige’s bedroom above the bar and went inside. That she had left so many of her things behind, inclu...
And that’s when he learned that for women, all things are possible, and for men, time is required. There was recovery involved. Women, apparently, could just hop back on that bus, while the men were l...
Am I enough? she asked. Way more, you always were, he said. I want you so bad, I never wanted you to go. I don’t know if this is fair to you— Here’s the deal—I decide what’s fair to me, you decide wha...
A gentleman I met while I was here for Luke’s wedding happens to be visiting again and we ran into each other at that little Virgin River bar. I pretended I couldn’t remember meeting him. I don’t know...
You’re going to want to meet Paul’s father-in-law, Walt, Jack said. He’s retired army. Yeah? Luke asked. I think Shelby mentioned that. Three-star. Nice guy. Luke groaned in spite of himself. He actua...
You making that move, Walt? He kissed her in a way that should have sufficiently answered the question. Muriel, I’m sixty-two years old. I didn’t see this coming. Aren’t you afraid of us becoming an i...
You know, there’s this little rule about opinions. They’re only good when someone actually asks you for them. He
You don’t look as tough as that. I don’t know how tough I am—look at me, sick as a pup. But I bet I can match you for stubborn. A sound came out of him. Holy shit, Ian—was that a laugh? A cough, he li...
You don’t have to tell me, but does Luke have anything to do with this? No. No, of course not. You sure about that? She turned away from her uncle. I’ve been thinking about things and… She turned back...
Wow. And it’s true? She’s a stripper? Noah stopped walking and looked at Paul. No. She’s a pastor’s assistant. Right, Paul said, losing that boyish grin the second he saw the angry tic in Noah’s jaw....
Huh? she said. What’s this? I think you have a fever. Might be from damn near freezing to death, might be from something else. First we try aspirin. Yeah, she said, taking them in her small hand. Than...
How about going after her? I tried. She’s gone. Jack leaned on the bar. I’m sorry, man. I thought that was going to happen to me with Mel. From the second she hit town, she said she was leaving. When...
Here, honey—sit down. Tell me about it. Did you have an easy time? I had a very long time. It wasn’t so much hard as it took forever. I was starting to think she’d never come. And John almost drove me...
He was grateful to have a big cooking job ahead to take his mind off things. He was making his lists, getting out his recipes. And he stopped shaving his head the day she left. Within four days a cap...
He put his hands on her waist. Kiss me, he said. No, she said. Come on. Haven’t I been perfect? Haven’t I followed all your rules? How can you be so selfish? There’s no one around—they’re busy drinkin...