Forbidden Falls

“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 Ellie. 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.

“Hey, Jo,” Mel said. “This is Ellie Baldwin, who’s looking for a room. And this is Reverend Noah Kincaid. You might have heard about him—he’s the new minister, fixing up the old church. Ellie works for him and needs a place to live. So, what do you think? Want to show her the room?”

“Ohhhh, Mel,” she said miserably.

“You can make up your mind about me later, Mrs. Fitch,” Ellie said, taking charge. “First things first—let’s see if I like the room. How about that?”

“Sure,” she said a bit nervously. She opened her front door, keys to the room in hand, and began to lead them toward the garage. Then she stopped suddenly and turned. “Oh, I apologize. How do you do, Reverend Kincaid? Miss Baldwin. This way.” When they entered the room, Ellie went into a kind of daze. It was perfectly lovely—a double bed with two bedside tables against one wall, a small bathroom with a tub and shower, and on one wall a minirefrigerator, two-burner stove, microwave, sink and a few cupboards. At the foot of the bed was a chest. A comfortable chair and ottoman sat in the corner. There was no closet, but rather a large armoire for clothes. It was finer than anything Ellie had ever lived in. In her life.

“We don’t have a TV in here or anything,” Jo Ellen said.

The bed had a yellow floral comforter and lots of fat, decorative pillows. There was a picture of a meadow and barn over the bed, a full-length mirror on the bathroom door, a reading lamp behind the overstuffed chair. Ellie sighed. She fell in love with the room at once. “Does that phone work?” she asked.

“It does,” Jo said. “It’s a private line.”

There was the sound of a car in the driveway, followed by the slamming of the car door.

“Are there some plates and glasses?” Ellie asked. “A couple of pans?”

“Yes, some. Not much. And towels. This is kind of a one-person room.”

“What a coincidence.” Ellie laughed. “I’m exactly one person.”

“Nothing extra comes with the room,” Jo said. “No housekeeping. You’re on your own. There’s no washer or dryer. I mean, it’s not a bed-and-breakfast—you’d have to take care of all your own needs. Meals, laundry, that sort of thing.”

There were feet on the stairs.

“I understand. There’s probably a coin laundry somewhere nearby.”

The door opened and Nick walked into the room. “Well, I thought there was company here.” He smiled.

Ellie smiled back. He was probably her height, wasn’t all that bad looking and he was fit. His salt-and-pepper hair was still thick, his brows heavy and graying. He wore a short-sleeved shirt—light blue—with a bad tie that he’d loosened, nice dress jeans and boots. His eyes glittered approvingly and he smiled at Ellie.

Jo Ellen cleared her throat and made introductions; everyone shook hands. “How much is the room, Mrs. Fitch?” Ellie asked.

Jo Ellen opened her mouth to speak, when Nick interrupted her. “Honey, is a hundred a month too much?” Nick asked his wife.

“We usually—”

“How does that sound, Ellie?” Nick asked her.

“Very reasonable,” she said. “If you find me acceptable.”

“There won’t be a problem, if you work for the preacher, here,” Nick said.

“How soon can I move in?”

“It’s ready when you are,” he said. And he slipped an arm around his wife’s waist and gave her a squeeze. “Right, honey?”

“Thank you,” Ellie said. “I didn’t bring any money or checks with me today. Can I settle up with you tomorrow?”

“That would be fine,” Jo said, clearly not happy.

“Oh, thank you. I think this will be perfect for me.”

“If you’re sure …”

“Oh, I’m sure,” she said. But when she looked between Mel and Noah, she saw doubtful expressions. Their expressions could have to do with that lascivious gleam in Nick’s eye. “I’ll see you sometime tomorrow, Mrs. Fitch.”

“Sure,” Jo said, standing aside so everyone could go single file down the stairs. Noah followed Mel. Nick held the door open for his wife, then for Ellie.

“Oh, Mr. Fitch—can I talk to you a second?” Ellie asked.

“Of course, sweetheart,” he said.

She spoke to him at the top of the staircase while the others descended. They all stopped at the bottom while Nick listened to Ellie and actually seemed to back away from her. But she was smiling the entire time, smiling with a glow. Then she grabbed his hand in both of hers to shake it vigorously, and hurried down the stairs to join the others.

Everyone said their goodbyes. Nick and Jo Ellen went into their house while Noah, Ellie and Mel began walking back toward the bar and the church. “You sure about this, Ellie?” Mel asked.

“Absolutely, it’s going to be great. I love the room. The price is terrific, I’m going to save a ton in gas, I can walk to work. And I’ll be close enough to sneak away from the reverend here and catch a nap.”

“You got a glimpse of Nick,” Mel said.

“I did. He agreed I’ll be totally safe in that room.”

Mel lifted a brow. “I didn’t see his lips move, actually.”

“Trust me,” Ellie said. And then she walked on. “It’s going to work out perfectly.” When they got to the bar, Mel said goodbye. “Thank you so much, Mel,” Ellie said, waving.

Noah walked Ellie to her little PT Cruiser that sat in front of the church. “What went on while you two were out of earshot?” he asked Ellie.

“Oh, Your Righteousness, you probably don’t want to know. What if it makes you an accessory to the crime or something?”

He sighed heavily. Impatiently. “Just lay it on me, Ellie.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure. Come on. You smiled the whole time.”

“Yeah, that part wasn’t so easy. I wanted to smack him just from the look in his eye. I said, I know about you, so don’t try anything. My boyfriend is a six-foot-five-inch bouncer in a mean bar and my father is a judge, and if you even exhale within twenty feet of my boobs, I’m going to have your nuts on a platter. And then I’m going to call my boyfriend and my father.”

Noah was speechless for just a second, but then he burst out laughing. “You didn’t!”

“Of course I did. I think that’s called a preemptive strike. Isn’t that what it’s called?”

“You’re out of your mind,” he said, laughing in appreciation.

“I got that room for a hundred bucks a month. And it’s a great room.”

He shook his head. “You think that threat will hold?”

She peered at him, lifting a corner of her mouth and an eyebrow at the same time. “That bouncer? He’s a friend. I babysat for him and his wife a couple of times. He’d come out here and scare the bejesus out of that imbecile if I asked him to. But before we even get to that, Mr. Nick has a date with my knee. And I know how to do that.”

Noah just chuckled and shook his head.

“I just want that room. It’s the best room I’ve ever seen. My gramma and I slept on a pullout sofa together my whole life. The only thing that could make that room prettier would be if my kids came with it.”

Noah sobered. Two sentences hit him in the gut—she slept on a pullout sofa bed her entire life? With her grandmother? They must have lived in one room. And her kids? It must have been so traumatic to leave her children with a guy she knew didn’t love them. When they got better acquainted, he meant to ask more about that. “So,” he said. “When will you move in?”

“Oh, right away. I’ll bring money and my stuff tomorrow. It’ll just take one trip. Can I have a little time in the morning to unload the car? I’d like to do it when Mr. Hands is at work. I plan to avoid him.”

“What about the duplex?” he asked.

“That nice lady next door owns it. She’ll let me go without a problem. She understands my situation. She’s on my side.”

“You can move in one trip?” he asked, looking at her car.

She turned to look at him. “Noah, the kids have their clothes and toys with them. I have very little to move. Believe me, I live a one-trip existence.”

“My car is full of stuff,” Ellie said to Noah when she arrived at the church the next morning. Then she crouched in front of Lucy, grabbed her head in her hands and kissed her snout, receiving a lick in return. “Morning, girlfriend. You’re looking better every day.” Then to Noah, “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to take an hour to tote it up the stairs to my new residence. I just want to wait until Mr. Fitch has gone to work.”

“Ellie,” he asked, “did you leave anything behind? Or in storage somewhere?”

“Nah, that’s it. I travel light. So, what’s on the schedule for today?”

He tried not to let it show that he felt something cinch in his chest at the very idea she could fit all her worldly goods in the little PT Cruiser she drove. Up until he married, while working and going to school, he’d had next to nothing, but that was different. He liked having a light load; it was all part of the changes he wanted to make in his life. But Ellie had a family! What about her grandmother’s house, her grandmother’s furniture—the pullout sofa and piano? But asking about that would have to wait. He said, “Well, I’d like you to get started painting the bathrooms today, if you think you can do it.”

“Of course I can do it. I should probably change clothes. Around nine, I’ll go move my stuff, but I’ll wait till later to put it away. I’ll grab something old and ratty to put on and get started. You have the paint?”

“Some yellow, some white, some blue. Can you work with that?”

She made a face. “How were you planning to use them? One blue bathroom, one yellow, white trim? Because that’s very boring.”

He looked at her long fingernails. Today was hot pink with sparkles. He looked down—she was wearing tennis shoes, but somehow he knew her toes matched her nails. Against his better judgment he said, “Use it any way you like.”

“Good deal. Do you have any masking tape? Any caulking?”

“Yes, why?”

“Straight lines and edges. Just out of curiosity, how’d you settle on those colors?”

“They were on sale,” he said.

She shifted her weight to one foot. “Have you ever actually had a church before?”

“Not exactly.”

“Listen, I’ll make something work with those colors. Even though they’re pretty dorky colors….”

He had a fleeting thought that this was not the woman to be lecturing him about good taste in anything. “Aren’t you the least bit afraid I might take that personally? Maybe I’m sensitive about the colors I picked.”

“No,” she said, tilting her head and peering at him. “You’re not gay.”

He smiled at her. “You sure about that?”

And she smiled, her hands on her hips. “Obviously. Or you’d have chosen more interesting colors.”

He sighed heavily. He watched her walk toward the upstairs bathroom in her shrink-wrap jeans. He squinted. He followed, Lucy ever at his side. She had a tattoo peeking out of the back of her low-rise jeans, right in the small of her back. “I … ah … have an old painting shirt you can throw over your clothes, if you’d like. Would that help?”

“Sure, thanks. After I get my stuff out of the car, I’ll put on my old sweats. You have all the supplies for me to get started?”

“Stacked outside the bathroom in the hall.”

“Super. I’ll start up here and, when I’m done, I can move it downstairs. Let me check it out, make sure you have everything I’ll need.” She knelt on one knee, checking out the supplies, showing more of that tattoo, but he still wasn’t able to make out what it was. She looked over her shoulder. “Noah, can you round up the masking tape and caulk? And get me a screwdriver and hammer, please?”

“Screwdriver? Hammer?”

“I’m going to take the door and mirror off. Open paint cans.”

“By yourself?” he asked. “Want me to help with that?”

“No. Just get me what I need.”

“Sure,” he said. 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 can’t make out what it is.”

“It’s vines in the shape of my name, and I’m not showing you any more of it. Let’s get this show on the road, huh?”

“Right,” he said, going off to his toolbox. And he thought, I’m taking orders from her. Why am I not the least bit surprised?

After he delivered what she asked for, she completely ignored him, so he took Lucy to his office. He heard Ellie humming, moving around the drop cloth, pounding at the hinges to remove the door. She didn’t ask questions, nor did she need any help with the heavy door or with the mirror over the sink. He could hear her peeling off strips of masking tape for the borders. Completely self-sufficient and low maintenance. That’s what a good pastor’s assistant was, whether painting or managing the office. Now, that did surprise him.

Before sitting down to make a renovation list, Noah decided to tour the old building once more. The church was large but simple. Upstairs was a sanctuary that could hold about three hundred people. There were large double doors at the east end of the church that opened onto a foyer. From here, four wide stairs led up to the sanctuary level and a wider foyer—wide enough for a staging area, as for the gathering of a bridal party. Large interior double doors opened to the aisle, which led toward the stained-glass window, then two more steps led up to a deep stage that had room for the altar, the pulpit, a couple of choir pews. Up here Noah would find room for the piano that had been Merry’s.

There were doors to the right and left at the front of the church. To the left was the pastor’s office—a room large enough for his desk, shelves and filing cabinets plus a big round table for meetings. Outside that office, the stairs led down to the basement and a side exit door. On the other side of the sanctuary was another room of equal size that could serve as a secretary’s office and library. Right next to that room was the upstairs bathroom. Just a sink and toilet, of course, but it had taken the strain off his RV bath facilities. They seemed to be in perfect working order, even though they hadn’t been used in years. And that was it—no classrooms. But the basement could be divided with movable panels.

Noah went to his office and set about making a list of things to talk about with the local builder. Paul Haggerty was a friend of Jack’s and was going to work on the remodel. That big basement room with a kitchen would make a great community hall, once finished. Right now the walls were plain cinder block and needed texturing. The ceiling was stained from mystery leaks that should be checked out before new ceiling panels were hung. The floor was hard, cold concrete and could use a sub-floor covered in tile.

The sanctuary was in pretty good shape, if a little beat up. If he rented a sander, he could finish the hardwood floors himself, but the ceiling was much too high and would require scaffolding.

He had ordered pews, an altar, a pulpit, a baptistery and a new desk for his office. The pews were an extravagance—they could make do with folding chairs. But the pews would be beautiful; he wanted them and there was enough money. Once done, the sanctuary would be breathtaking. And while Noah would enjoy doing all the work himself, it was his mission to get the church open for business as soon as possible. Paul could undoubtedly help with that.

Maybe while Paul was handling the walls and ceiling of the sanctuary, he could be painting the offices. He and Ellie, he thought. He heard her faint humming. She seemed completely capable. If the bathroom didn’t end up painted in stripes or polka dots, he might ask for her input on colors for the offices.

She popped her head into his office. “I’m going to run home, unload the car, change into painting clothes and come back. If you don’t mind, I’d like to take you up on that offer of your old shirt.”

“You bet. I’ll have it here when you get back.”

Less than an hour later, she was back wearing sweats and a tank top. It seemed everything Ellie owned fit snugly, without a pleat, gather or wrinkle to spare or rattle around in. Fitted to that extraordinary body with those incredibly long legs Ellie managed to make old sweats look sexy. She’d had two children—how’d she manage her flat stomach and high, full breasts? Surgery? Somehow he couldn’t imagine her spending money on plastic surgery if she didn’t even own a couch.

He handed her one of his blue work shirts, already decorated with a little old paint. He was very happy to see her put it over her sweats and tank. Then he observed with some consternation that she looked every bit as pretty and sexy in that oversize shirt. Thank goodness she got right back to work. Humming. Sometimes actually singing, too softly for him to make out words, but it was very pleasant. Every once in a while Lucy meandered from his office to the bathroom and Noah would hear Ellie say, “Hey there, girlfriend. How’s it going? Bored?”

Around eleven in the morning, he checked on Ellie. In just a couple of hours, she had taped off all the edges and was almost done trimming the baseboards in white. When she heard him in the doorway, she looked up from her place on the floor and a coppery curl fell over her forehead. He couldn’t help but smile at her—she looked cute as the dickens with her hair piled on top of her head and drowning in his shirt. Besides, there wasn’t a bubble or streak on those baseboards. It was perfect.

“Are you extra happy today?” he asked.

“I might be,” she said, smiling. “I talked to my kids last night and gave them my new phone number. I’ll talk to them tonight and then tomorrow I’ll pick them up at eight in the morning for the day. I’m thinking of showing them my new apartment.”

“That’s right, tomorrow’s Saturday. Your day off.”

“Seventy-nine days to go.”

“You’re doing a very nice job there, Ellie.”

“Thanks. I know how to paint. I have a knack.”

“Lucky me. I’m going to put that talent to good use. Listen, I have some errands to do. I might not be back before you’re through today. I’m going to leave Lucy in the RV. I want you to help yourself to the lunch fixings in the refrigerator in the RV. There’s sandwich stuff and fruit, bottled water and soda.”

She wiggled around to her knees. “You don’t have to do that, Rev. Really.”

“I know I don’t have to, but it seems only fair. I could either raise your pay to eight twenty-five an hour or offer you lunch. I went with the lunch idea.”

“You’re actually a very nice guy, aren’t you?”

“Ellie, I’m a man of God. Don’t you expect nice?” Then he grinned.

“Does God know you’re throwing his name around to impress people?” she asked.

He laughed. “The RV is unlocked. Take a nice long break. Would you mind letting Lucy out to do her business? And try not to get paint on my dog or my La-Z-Boy.”

“You have a La-Z-Boy? Oh, brother. You’re certainly not gay….”

“How did they sound when you talked to them?” he asked. He hadn’t planned to ask, but it popped out. “The kids—how did they sound?”

“Well, fair. Not happy. They were a little emotional. They want me to come and get them right now and they’re having a real hard time understanding why I can’t. But they didn’t sound scared or hurt or anything. And I was as nice to Arnie as I could manage—I told him I was working things out so the judge would be happy with my job, and that I had a new place that was small but perfect. He was a jerk, but he promised to take good care of the kids. ‘They’re in better hands than they were, Ellie,’” she mimicked. “School starts soon and he goes to his office every day, getting ready for classes to start, and takes them with him. The school secretary keeps an eye on them. They miss me, but they’re safe. I think.”