noah's eyes narrowed and he glowered. "he didn't want dinner."

"yeah, that's why i said no," she said.

"you were blindsided," he said.

"yeah. there's so much i don't know. i should have called my old boss again. i did call him afterward. what a nice guy. he said there wasn't much he could do for me, but gave me the name of a friend of his who worked for a legal-defense office that did charity work. he called them for me, and that brings us to today. hey," she said, "this is still part of the silence pact, right?"

"absolutely, ellie. i don't gossip."

"because i'm not ashamed of anything, but i'm not stupid. all the stuff i've screwed up? i'm bound to be judged pretty hard by people who don't know me. but it's not even that-it's the kids. i don't want them judged because i-"

"don't worry," he said. "our conversations are private." he concentrated for a minute on the chocolate cake, which didn't get as much appreciation as it deserved.

noah had a lot of experience counseling people who were down on their luck, many of them actually in need of food and shelter. he'd seen worse than what ellie was going through, but just the same he was mighty impressed by her toughness, her fearlessness. she wasn't dependent on him for anything. all she needed was a job chit to take back to that crooked judge in eighty-one days, collect her kids and get on with her life. meantime, he'd help her any way he could. he was glad he'd taken a chance on her.

"i'm not embarrassed i had that job, you know," she said, lifting a bite of cake to her mouth. he lifted his eyes to hers. "the owner of the club-he's a great guy who liked to take good care of his girls. and the funny thing was, the ones who didn't mind getting right down to cracks and nipples weren't always the most popular ones...."

one end of noah's mouth lifted in a half smile. ellie laughed.

"i guess i'm a little too straightforward for you, huh?" she asked. "thing is, all i had to do was wiggle around with those pom-poms or the white nurse's hose held up with a garter belt and i did just fine. i think madonna wore less on stage half the time than i did in that club. the people were usually nice, the customers didn't give us any trouble. 'course, we had a plus-size bouncer, just in case. it was just work. it paid the bills. it's not something i wanted to do forever. i was always on the lookout for something better."

"you shouldn't have lost your kids over that job," he said. "worst case, they should have been left with you with visits from child welfare. they would have seen in no time that the job wasn't damaging to the children. that was crap, what happened to you."

she just looked at him for a long moment. then very quietly she said, "thanks. i guess coming from you, that's saying something."

"coming from me?" he said, lifting one dark brow.

"you being a minister, and everything. i know you don't approve of that kind of place-or of the women in it."

he gave a shrug. "ellie, i don't have an opinion about your last job. there's plenty about it to admire," he said.

"like?"

"like a mother who would do just about anything to take care of her kids."

"well, be real clear about that, rev. if i hadn't lucked into that job, i would have done just about anything. when it comes to the kids, i'm all out of false pride."

soon, he thought, i'm going to see her kids. and i bet i see something remarkable.

"do you ever want kids?" she asked.

"i did," he said quietly. a bunch of them, if possible. and so did merry-she wanted them right away. "i think this little town church is going to be my kid for a while."

"sometimes i think the deal i got with arnie was just what i deserved. i married him because i thought he was safe for me and the kids. he seemed all right, he made a decent living, he was okay that i had children while a lot of guys run for their lives when they find out you come with kids. i wasn't attracted to him, i wasn't in love with him. so maybe that's what i deserved, huh?"

noah didn't have to consider it. "never think that," he said. "no one deserves cruelty of any kind. not on their worst day."

just then, the door opened and mel came into the bar. she went first to jack, lifting herself up to lean over the bar and give him a kiss. then she turned and looked at noah and ellie. "mel," noah called. "got a minute?"

she walked over to their table. "mel sheridan, this is ellie baldwin. she's helping out in the church for a while."

"nice to meet you," mel said, putting out her hand. "jack said there was someone new in town. how's it going over there?"

"it's my first day, so it's looking pretty ugly," ellie said honestly.

"well, it's not my first day, but ellie got more done this morning than i've managed in the last week. she's a whirlwind."

"good for you. very cute top, by the way."

ellie looked down, then lifted an eyebrow toward noah before she said, "thanks. target. under twenty bucks."

"really? i need to get over there one of these days. they usually have good buys. so, ellie-where do you live?"

"i'm in eureka now, but i have to find something closer-i can't afford the gas. would you happen to know of anything? nearby?"

mel pulled up a chair. "i can sure ask around. what are you looking for?"

"my kids are with my ex-husband right now, so all i need is a bed and a roof. really, one room would do it for me. something cheap, but not scary. his holiness here doesn't exactly pay a lot."

mel laughed. "i know one thing that qualifies as cheap and real nice, but i think it might flunk the scary test. right at the end of the block, nicest house down there, jo ellen and nick fitch have a great one-room efficiency over the garage. i don't think they've rented it out in a long time. jo ellen's a doll, a very nice lady. but she's married to a groper."

"is that so? how serious a groper?" ellie asked.

"the first time i met him, he treated me to a major butt grope while i had my back turned."

hearing this exchange, jack put a cup of coffee in front of his wife and used the pot to refill ellie's and noah's cups. "mel drop-kicked him," jack inserted. "it was a beautiful sight. i think that's when i really fell in love with her."

ellie grinned widely. "what did you do to him?"

"i got lucky, that's all. i took a little self-defense course in college, i didn't think i even remembered any of it. but he snuck up on me and i just reacted. i threw him an elbow in the gut and then under the chin. one little swipe behind his heels and he was flat on his ass. sorry, noah-i meant to say butt. butt's okay, right?"

noah looked up at jack. "the women in this place are rougher on the language than the men."

"tell me about it," jack said. "we now have a swear jar at home. david's college education will be paid for and we'll have a trip to bermuda by the end of the year."

"i might have to put a swear jar in the church," noah said.

"i could teach you that move," mel said to ellie, taking a sip from her cup.

"thanks. i have some moves of my own, too. so, this guy-is he dangerous? or just frisky?" ellie asked.

"i don't think he's dangerous, but i couldn't guarantee it," mel answered. "i'd hate myself forever if you came to any harm from him. but, as the gossip goes, he's been slapped down by several women in this town. too bad jo ellen hasn't hit him over the head with a big club. i can't believe she puts up with that behavior. really, she's such a nice person."

"nick might have ideas all the time, but i think he's only frisky when he drinks," jack said. "his problems usually come up during a party. most of the time, when the town gets together, they do it here, they have food and drinks, and nick loses his head."

"it's out of the question, ellie," noah said. "you can't even consider it."

"it could work," ellie said. "mel, would you be willing to introduce me to them, be there when i ask about the room? i'd have to have a look at him, too. see if i think i could take him."

"this isn't happening," noah muttered.

"sure," mel said. "i'm positive he's still scared of me. i know he's been slapped, but i hold the sole distinction of taking him down."

"and she put a boot on his chest to hold him down while she threatened his life," jack said. "i'm telling you, i almost exploded with lust. i had to marry her."

ellie sipped her coffee. "well, i'm bigger than you are," she said to mel. "and i have mace."

"we could try starting with a firm warning," mel suggested.

"you can't be serious," noah said. "you'd rent from a guy who's a known molester?"

"okay, let's be totally straight here-is this just an idiot who gets stupid and cops a feel? or has he left a trail of wounded victims in his path?" ellie asked.

"so far as i know, he's a laughingstock," mel said. "but there's no guarantee that wouldn't escalate. luke riordan has some cabins on the river-vacation rentals. also one-room efficiencies with kitchenettes, but i'm sure they're more expensive. and from what i hear, he's done a brisk summer business-full or almost full all the time with early reservations for hunting season."

"i'm on a tight budget," ellie said.

"no reason to be afraid of nick," jack said. "i could take you down there and introduce you, threaten to sic my wife on him if he steps out of line."

"i bet one knee in the nuts straightens him right out," ellie said.

there was a strange sound from noah, something of a growl. "i don't like this idea at all. if this guy got fresh with you, i'd have to deal with him. that wouldn't be good."

"horsefeathers," ellie said. "i can take care of myself."

this wouldn't be the best time to bring up the fact that she was having a tough time doing exactly that-taking care of herself. and in almost exactly twenty-four hours noah was already feeling the urge to deck the imbecile who would dare put a hand on her. it had been years since he'd been in a fight; it wasn't nice for ministers to fight. he was supposed to counsel and pray his way out of tight spots.

one corner of his mouth lifted. actually, he was competent in a fight. didn't bother him in the least to engage, as long as it was fair.

noah looked over at allie. she hadn't completed her first day of work and already she was complicating his nice uncomplicated ministry.

right at the end of the main street in virgin river was a beautiful two-story home, freshly painted a pale yellow with white trim, just like three other houses on the block. but this one was large and pampered-it looked almost new. the porch was wide, the lawn was lush and green, summer flowers grew thick and healthy along the walk and tall trees shaded the house from the summer sun. it had white shutters and rocking chairs on the porch. the driveway went around the side of the house to a detached two-car garage. there was a staircase on the outside leading to the room upstairs.

mel had called jo ellen, learned the room was available to the right person and had set up an appointment. noah would not be left behind, and so it was that the three of them stood on the porch of the lovely house and rang the bell. jo ellen fitch came to the door with a smile on her face, but the second she saw ellie, she gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. then she shot a pleading look at mel, which mel completely ignored. even dressed in overalls, no makeup, and her hair pulled up, ellie was a striking young woman. she had a beautiful face and a drop-dead-gorgeous body that she made no attempt to downplay.