Remember This (Virgin River)

A Reason

Wind whipping through our hair, we finally pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant two hours later. I didn't usually travel for this long on a motorcycle just to eat but as the smells of bread and pasta wafted towards us, I knew the ride was worth it.

"Hang on. I think something fell asleep." I told him, stretching my leg before leaning over to hang the helmet back on the handlebar,

"I told you we could stop if you needed to." Hanging his own helmet by mine, he pulled himself off the bike with ease.

"Then that would have taken us longer to get here and you would have to hear me complain the entire time that I was starving. The last thing I had was a cinnamon swirl." I didn't mention I had one tucked in my purse for later.

"Interesting choice for breakfast. I'm sure we can find you something on the menu that's a little more filling." We made our way up the stairs and he held the door open for me so I could slip in. It was a nice establishment with white walls and oak beams running across the ceiling. Shiny green vines wrapped around the entrance cemented into the ground, making it look more like we were in some kind of vineyard instead of a restaurant.

"Hi. Welcome to Valle Italiana." She was at least twenty years old, with a cheery disposition despite her being dressed all in black. "Table for two tonight?"

"Yes." He said pleasantly, keeping himself close to me for good measure. Her black hair was striking against her blue eyes, her white teeth shining as she plucked two menus from the side of the wood table and turned on her heels.

"Right this way."

"This table okay for you?" She asked after leading us towards the back of the building, to which I gave her a small nod and she walked away. "Perfect. Your waitress will be right with you."

"Thank you." Opening up to the page of choices, I finally narrowed it down to something that sounded good, but I was still trying to decide between the two when he closed his menu. "Anything in particular you're craving tonight?"

"Not really craving, compared to what sounds good at the moment."

"Okay. What sounds good to you then?"

"Fettuccine or gnocchi."

"I would have never pegged you for liking gnocchi. However, I've tried both and they're delicious in their own ways."

"That's very helpful, thank you." I gave him a teasing smile as I focused back on deciding. I didn't look up again until the waitress set down some complimentary water in front of us. "I think I'll go for the fettuccine."

"Hi, my name is Kristen and I'll be your server tonight." The waitress was thin, red hair pulled up into a messy ponytail and again she was dressed in all-black attire. "Are you ready to order or do you need another couple of minutes?" Brady looked up at me and I felt like I had my order in mind.

"We are ready to order."

"Okay. What can I get for the two of you?" She looked at me first for a response as Brady gestured over to me to start. She already grabbed her pad, pen poised to write down our order.

"Can I get the half plate of Fettuccine Alfredo with white sauce and mixed vegetables?"

"Of course."

"And for you?"

"Can I get the half plate of spaghetti Alla Carbonara with Zucchini?" Brady slid the menus to the edge of the table as the waitress finished up and scooped them under her arm.

"All right. We will get those out to you in about fifteen minutes. Is there anything else I can get you? Tea? Coffee? Soda?"

Just water, thank you." The waitress nodded and took off two tables down the road. The couple looked no more than their late twenties and had two adorably curly-haired kids. Made me wonder if Brady wanted kids because even I didn't know if I wanted kids. "Well, are you glad I dragged you all this way for Italian food?"

"I am."

"Glad to hear that. Thought you could use a distraction after your whole conversation with Jack. You want to talk about it?"

"Thank you for the offer. No."

"Got it. I didn't want to ask before but things are still not good between the two of you?"

"Things are still just as complicated between me and Jack as when I arrived in Virgin River. Sometimes I wonder why I came here in the first place like I could repair the years of communication damage between us."

"I would be a different man if you weren't here. When I decided to come back to Virgin River, I messed up a lot with your brother. He was this guy I always looked up to and I was the biggest jerk who didn't deserve how caring he was to me."

"Jack's always had a soft spot for helping people, even when we were kids. If he wanted to help you, he had a reason."

"I don't doubt that. I just wish I knew the reason." He began as our waitress walked back up to the table, balancing two glasses on a cork-looking tray. She quickly moved them in front of us before stepping back.

"Two glasses of water. I'll be back with your food in a few minutes."

"Thank you." He said appreciatively as he watched her walk to the other side of the room to check on another table then disappeared around the corner. "You know, Jack wasn't the only one who took a chance on me. Of all the people you could choose in this world, why me?"

"You're adventurous and aren't afraid to take risks."

"Except we hardly know each other. For all you know, I could be some murderous psycho."

"Highly unlikely if you served in the marines with my brother."

"I still could be."

"Don't even joke about that."

"Too soon?"

"Way too soon." I smiled uneasily, trying to hide what I was feeling after what happened with the guy I had been dating. If only he knew those words were hitting way too close to home.