muriel laughed. "i've had so much practice at seeing things. far more than i'm happy about."

they talked through a whole pot of coffee, about shelby's life, about muriel's. it surprised shelby to have anything at all in common with this hollywood icon. after a couple of hours, shelby asked, "what am i to do?"

"oh, you'll know what to do. don't be hasty, sweetheart. but don't wait too long. there will be a moment of clarity, my little darling, and it will come to you that it's time to take care of yourself. you don't have to give up your dreams, shelby. never take scraps. never."

sixteen

right after cameron michaels had a nice holiday in portland with his parents, brother and sister and their families, he drove to virgin river, towing a u-haul with his books, computer, bedroom furniture, clothes, tv and stereo equipment. he'd traded his porsche in for a suburban with all-wheel drive for getting around the mountains, valleys and foothills. when he pulled up in front of doc's house, mel came out onto the porch immediately, all smiles. "welcome, doctor," she said.

shelby stepped out of the clinic right behind her. "hey, cameron," she said. "how was the drive?"

"not bad," he said. "at least the sun's out here. it's wet and ugly in portland."

"leave the trailer and everything," mel said. "i'm going to grab the baby and walk over to jack's. then the guys will help you unload. you're going to stay with us at the house tonight, until we can get your bedroom set up."

shelby turned and went back into the clinic.

"i don't want to impose," he said.

mel laughed. "let me get this right. you're coming to work in my town for a pittance and you don't want to impose? you'll stay with us at least tonight, longer if necessary."

shelby was back with little emma cuddled against her, mel's coat draped over her arm and the clinic keys in her hand, which she used to lock the door.

mel put on the coat and took the baby from shelby.

"where's the little guy?" cameron asked.

"with his dad, serving. he's in the backpack. so-you settled up all your affairs without difficulty?" mel asked.

"slick as grease. had an offer on the house in three days, sold most of the furniture and put some favorite things in storage up there, traded in the sports car for an all-wheel-drive vehicle and had christmas with my family."

they began walking across the street to the bar. "what did they think of this idea?" shelby asked him.

he chuckled. "they think i've completely lost my mind. and maybe i have. but what the hell, huh?"

"i really can't figure out why you did this," mel said.

"same reason you did, mel," he said.

"nah, couldn't be. my heart was in pieces. i had to go someplace simple and quiet to get a handle on my life. to heal. to be alone and not so obviously alone."

"same reason as you, mel," he repeated.

she stopped walking. "ho boy," she said. "there's more to this story."

"yeah, we'll get sloppy some night and compare our broken hearts. how's that?"

she tugged at his sleeve. "this doesn't have anything to do with any of our, ah, mutual friends, does it?"

"no, mel. this has nothing to do with vanessa." shelby's eyes grew very round and cameron looked at her. "before paul got smart and told vanni how much he loved her, i had a couple of dates with her. that's all-a couple of dates. she disappointed me when she picked the other guy-but she didn't break my heart. no worries."

"shew," mel said. "had me worried there for a second. i mean, the gossip in this town is good, but it shouldn't be that good!"

cameron laughed. "this is going to be great. i'm going to learn to fly-fish on my days off."

"you'll have plenty of those," she said, stepping up on the bar's porch.

cameron apparently didn't think there was anything odd about the number of cars and trucks at the bar and on the street, but then he wasn't up on the seasonal activities. from january to june things were usually pretty wet and quiet around virgin river, hunting done and the fishing pretty much closed. but when he walked into the bar, a bar stuffed with people, a cheer and greeting erupted. he stood just inside the door, stunned, while the din slowly subsided. jack came around the bar, little david squirming around in the backpack. "come on in, doc. welcome."

next came paul, his hand outstretched, then vanni with a hug and kiss on the cheek, and walt, pulling him into a hearty embrace. preacher just about broke his ribs with his hug, then there was paige, mike and brie with a brand-new baby. next came introductions to friends and neighbors from all over town and the outlying ranches. a cold draft was pressed into his hand, there was a hearty and delicious buffet set out and lots of handshakes, grateful pats on the back. among the crowd were doctors june hudson and john stone and their families, offering services and assistance at the call. june's dad, doc hudson, offered to come out to virgin river for a while and visit with him on the subject of country doctoring and maybe a trip out to the river. "we can get your angling up to speed before the real fishing starts," he offered.

cameron ate, drank, got to know the people from town and felt, for the first time in a very long time, a part of something personal and important. something both hearty and delicate. there were very few single people among this happy throng, but it didn't affect him in the way being out with his married partners had depressed him, made him feel like he didn't belong anywhere. here, he felt like one of them, though he was absent a partner with whom to share it all.

at some point in the early evening, mel told him jack would bring him home and she'd see him later. jack helped settle his family in the hummer so mel could take the babies home to bed. little by little people bid good-night and wandered off and then at nine o'clock the bar seemed to empty of patrons, bidding him good-night and expressing, again, their grateful thanks and earnest welcome. and then it was down to jack, preacher and cam.

jack got down a couple of glasses. "we usually pour a shot at the end of the day, after the bar clears out. i'll drive you out to the house if you're up to one more."

"you bet," cameron said. "jack, this was great, what you did."

jack tipped a bottle of good, aged glenlivet over three glasses. "i didn't do it, doc. these things happen when word gets out. it's a real spontaneous place."

"god, they're wonderful," cam said.

"they don't have much money, they're not real sophisticated, they haven't read the classics-most of them haven't, anyway-but this place has heart. it's a simple thing, really. they can't feed your pocketbook too much, but they know the value of friendship and gratitude. you'll never get hungry or lonely. that's what the town gets by on. you'll like that."

"i've never felt unappreciated in my work, but this is something new." he lifted a glass toward preacher and jack. "to new beginnings," he said.

"to satisfaction," jack added.

cameron drank to it. "i'm really glad i did this."

"had to be a big risk, doc," preacher observed.

"was it for you?" cameron asked him.

"naw," preacher said. "once i got up here and saw what jack had set up, it was a no-brainer."

"i can see that," cameron said. "thank you for giving me the chance," he added.

luke had drawn shelby away from the party welcoming cameron michaels just after the crowd had begun to disperse. luke took art in his car and shelby followed him out to the house and cabins in her jeep. once there, she went first to art's cabin to make sure he was all settled.

"doing okay, art?"

"i'm doing very good," he said, grinning.

"i thought i'd check on you before turning in for the night. sleep tight, okay?"

"don't let the bedbugs bite," he said, echoing something she often said to him.

she laughed. "i won't. don't forget your prayers."

"i don't ever," he promised.

"and don't forget to brush and floss."

"i don't ever," he said.

then she went up on luke's front porch, where he was waiting for her, grinning. "i thought i saved his ass, but it's you he worships."

"i don't think it's quite as serious as that," she said, letting him enfold her in his embrace. "eventually you should talk to someone about him. let his people know where he is, maybe have him evaluated. i'm sure they won't have any problem with him being here, as long as he's safe and healthy."

"yeah, i got a start on that. i found out where he's from-not a good place. i'll talk to mike and brie about how to get him out of there," he said, kissing her.

she pulled away. "and keep him?"

luke shrugged. "it's not like i'm going to adopt him. i'll give him a place to stay and he'll do chores. but he shouldn't have to do chores for someone who hits him." he kissed her again and then he pulled her into the cabin.

"but you'll be responsible for him?"

"shelby, it's not exactly a strain on me. he doesn't need much watching, just a safe place."

"and when you sell the cabins and leave here?"

he shrugged. "if that happens, it shouldn't be any trouble to find him a good place. one i'm sure isn't some social services scam."

"but aren't you worried that will hurt him? confuse him?"

"i know how sensitive he is-i'll treat that carefully. but i think maybe i'll put off worry until it's necessary."

shelby had known him a few months, a couple of months she'd known him intimately, and for her it had been thrilling. the way they came together was so amazing to her; just thinking about him filled her with shivering anticipation. she had no regrets about waiting so long to find out what this was about because she was certain it could never have been like this with any other man.

to her it was a miracle. fate, putting her with the one man perfect for her. when he touched her, she believed he felt the same way. but he gave no other sign.

after the lovemaking, he held her close to him. he could never stop kissing her, touching her, stroking her. it mystified her that he could be like this-so tender, so involved in her, so loving-and yet not in love at all. she wondered how he did that. she thought if she understood it, maybe she could walk away without being torn to pieces over him.

she rolled over and wriggled on top of him, lying prone, lifted up, braced on his chest, looking into his eyes. "there's a new doctor in town and mel won't need me so much anymore. i've been here since august. there's less and less on my schedule every day."

he ran a big hand down her spine, over her smooth bottom. he gave her a lusty squeeze. "i'll keep you busy some of that time," he said with a laugh.

she gazed down into his eyes, so filled up with love for him. how could he not know? she wouldn't tell him she loved him first. she couldn't ask him; her pride wouldn't allow it. but she wasn't too proud to give him a chance. "all my applications to nursing programs have been sent out-now i'm just waiting to hear. and remember, i even shot one in to humboldt state u, in case you come to your senses and decide you can't live without me. they have an excellent program."