by Gina Wilkins
Nic and Ethan exchanged a look. “Just stuff,” Nic said after a moment.
Joel frowned suspiciously, but Ethan made a smooth change of subject by mentioning the recent illness of an old acquaintance, which had the result of diverting Joel’s attention. Nic filed her thoughts and questions about Joel’s brother to the back of her mind during the remaining few minutes of their visit.
The dynamics of Joel’s family were really none of her business, she reminded herself again—despite whatever private observations she might make during the rest of this informative weekend visit.
Because there was nothing left to do in Danston, Joel took Nic back to his parents’ house when they left Ethan’s place. He needed to spend more time with his folks anyway, he figured. His mom would be hurt if he didn’t pay her enough attention during his visit.
He groaned softly when he saw the big black sedan parked in his parents’ driveway. “Oh, great. I should have expected this.”
“Someone you don’t want to see?” Nic asked, following his line of vision.
He grimaced. “Wouldn’t have been my first choice, no.”
“Who is it?”
“My mother’s best friend. Polly Albright.”
“You don’t like her?”
“I wouldn’t want to say that, exactly,” he hedged. “She has a good heart. And she’s been a very good friend to my mother.”
“But…?”
He sighed. “You’ll just have to wait and see for yourself, I guess. But brace yourself for an inquisition. Polly has no sense of boundaries when it comes to finding out what she wants to know.”
“That seems to be fairly common around here,” Nic murmured.
He shrugged as he guided the car into one of the two garage bays. “It’s pretty common in any town, isn’t it? You know there are more than a few die-hard gossips back home.”
“True. I guess I’m just not accustomed to being the focus of their attention. They generally consider me too boring to talk about.”
“Yeah, well, they know you too well there,” he teased lightly, turning off the engine. “Here you’re fresh meat.”
“Lovely.” She reached for her door handle.
She’d been acting just a little oddly since they’d left Ethan’s house, Joel mused as he climbed out of the car. Distracted. Thoughtful.
He couldn’t help wondering what Ethan had said to her while he had been tied up on the phone. Neither Nic nor Ethan had seemed angry or sullen, but he’d gotten the sense that something had been said that had made both of them uncomfortable.
Unlike Polly, he wouldn’t pry to try to find out what Nic and Ethan had talked about. But he had a sneaking suspicion it had been about him.
His mother and her guest were exactly where he expected to find them—sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee, eating chocolates and chattering like magpies. They both looked around when he and Nic entered from the garage. The almost hungry expression on Polly’s face reminded Joel a bit too vividly of his comment about Nic being “fresh meat.”
“Joel.” Polly braced her hands on the table to help hoist her sizable girth out of the chair.
As broad as she was tall, at just over five feet, Polly had never let her size slow her down. She was active in half a dozen local organizations, still worked a couple of days a week in the local elementary school office and had raised four children and an orphaned nephew. Her heart was big, and her fascination with other people’s lives insatiable. Life was one long reality show to her, and much more interesting than the ones she watched religiously on television.
Because he really was fond of her despite her flaws, Joel smiled and leaned over to brush a kiss across her soft, puffy cheek. “Hello, Polly. You look as beautiful as ever. Don’t you ever age?”
She giggled like a schoolgirl and playfully slapped his arm. “Full of blarney as always, I see. How are you holding up, hon?”
Her voice had gone from teasing to meltingly sympathetic within the space of those two sentences. Because he was all too accustomed to that transition during his visits here, he was able to handle it with a simple nod. “I’m fine, Polly. Thanks.”
He turned immediately to Nic, drawing her forward with a motion of his hand. “Polly, I’d like you to meet a good friend of mine, Nicole Sawyer. Nic, this is Polly Albright, a dear friend of our family.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Albright.”
Her avid eyes focused intently on Nic’s face, Polly smiled. “Just call me Polly, hon. And it’s real nice to meet you. Elaine’s been telling me all about you.”
Nic shot a quick glance at Joel’s mother as if wondering what exactly had been said about her, but her smile didn’t falter.
Polly motioned toward a chair. “Sit down, sweetie, and let’s get to know each other. It’s always such a pleasure to meet Joel’s young friends.”
To give her credit, Nic didn’t let the consternation she must be feeling show in her eyes. Instead she accepted a cup of coffee from Elaine and took one of the empty seats at the kitchen table.
Joel was about to follow suit when Polly shook her head. “Go visit with your daddy, hon. I’m sure he’d like to spend time with you while you’re here. Nicky will be fine here with us girls, won’t you, dear?”
He happened to know she hated being called Nicky. And he was quite sure she would rather endure a root canal than sit in here with his mother and Polly for coffee and an inquisition. He couldn’t quite meet her eyes as he did the only thing any man with a sense of self-preservation would do. He escaped, leaving Nic to fend for herself.
She had told him he would owe her for accompanying him on this trip at all. He didn’t even want to think about how much he had just added to his tab.
Nic had just finished dressing for the party later that afternoon when her cell phone rang again. She sensed that it was Aislinn even before she checked the caller ID. Maybe she had a little psychic in her herself, she thought with a weak smile.
“I’m still okay,” she said by way of answering. “Nothing bad has happened to me.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” But Aislinn didn’t sound overly relieved. Her voice still held a note of concern. “I don’t know why I keep worrying about you,” she added somewhat sheepishly. “You know that isn’t like me.”
“No. It really isn’t.” Nic couldn’t imagine what was setting Aislinn off like this. Aislinn wasn’t prone to worrying, and Nic was hardly in a dangerous situation here, as she occasionally was on the job. Even then, Aislinn had expressed confidence in Nic’s ability to take care of herself.
She could imagine all too well how Joel’s fiercely pragmatic older brother would react to Aislinn’s uncharacteristic attack of apprehension.
“Maybe you’re just picking up my intense discomfort at being here at all,” she suggested lightly. “But the only real danger is that I’m finally going to snap and do something that will really give these people something to gossip about.”
Aislinn laughed a little at that. “Like what?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Streak naked through the streets maybe? Get blitzed and dance on the tables at the party we’re going to tonight?”
“I would so love to see you dancing on a table. But I don’t think that has anything to do with my uneasy feelings.”
“Then try not to worry anymore, okay? I’m really fine.”
After a momentary pause, Aislinn asked, “It’s really that bad?”
Nic tried to be honest. “Everyone is being very nice to me,” she conceded. “Almost excessively so, at times. They’re inquisitive. Some more than others—”
She almost shuddered as she remembered the awkward conversation with unabashedly nosy Polly Albright. It had taken every bit of tact and patience Nic possessed—neither of which were characteristic traits—to get through that ordeal without actually resorting to rudeness.
“But it’s been okay,” she said. “And it’s almost over now anyway.”
“What about Joel’s family? Are t
hey being nice?”
“Yes.” Though she thought Elaine could have done a little more to discourage Polly’s prying. She suspected that Elaine had wanted to hear the answers herself but hadn’t wanted to be the one to ask. “His father is quite charming. His mother’s very gracious, though a little reserved—as if she isn’t quite sure what I’m doing here. His brother—”
“His brother?” Aislinn prodded after a moment.
How could she describe Ethan? “I’ll tell you more about him when I get back home,” she promised.
“Sounds interesting.”
“He is that.”
“So you’re going to a party tonight?”
“Yeah, and I’d better finish getting ready. Joel’s going to want to leave soon.”
“Then I won’t hold you. Have a good time, Nic—and watch your back, okay? Just in case.”
“I will. Thanks for caring.”
Aislinn disconnected without saying goodbye.
Thoughtfully, Nic closed her phone and slipped it back into her purse before turning toward the mirror to make sure she was completely ready for the evening. Not having a clue what to wear for this event, she had settled for a go-anywhere black pantsuit.
A snug tunic-style jacket hugged what few curves she had and fell to just below her hips. Straight-legged lined pants fell softly to the top of her feet, on which she wore kitten-heeled mules with jet beadwork over the instep. Thin-wired chandelier earrings with red and black beads added a touch of color, along with a matching choker necklace. Surely no one could say she was wearing the wrong colors this time, she thought in satisfaction.
She had worn a little more makeup than usual—smoky gray shadow, subtle eyeliner, shimmering lip gloss. There wasn’t much to do with her collar-length, layered honey hair, but she had washed it and blown it to a glossy shine.
Deciding she was as ready as she was ever going to be, she opened her bedroom door to find Joel standing on the other side, one hand raised as if to knock. They both laughed, but their amusement quickly faded as they gazed at each other.
“You look…great,” Joel said, studying her almost as if he hadn’t seen her in a long time.
“You clean up pretty well yourself,” she replied. He really did look fantastic in his dark suit with a silvery-toned shirt and tie. Maybe he still wouldn’t be mistaken for a movie heartthrob, but he definitely had an attraction of his own.
She actually found him a little too appealing for her own peace of mind at that moment. She was suddenly having all these crazy thoughts about running her hands beneath that conservative jacket to feel the muscles she knew it concealed. Wondering how it might feel to be cradled against that solid chest and have that nicely shaped mouth pressed against hers.
“Ready to go?” he asked after a moment, and his voice sounded a little strained, as if he had somehow guessed the direction her wayward thoughts had taken.
She nodded and tucked her purse beneath her arm.
She was beginning to wonder if Aislinn was right about her being in danger here after all. Not a physical threat, which Nic knew how to deal with, but a risk to her heart.
That was one part of herself that she had never actually put into harm’s way before—and she didn’t want to change that record now, especially with a man who couldn’t be more wrong for her. At least that was the opinion of his family and friends—and surely they knew him better than she did.
Glittering in sequins, Heidi met people at the door of the ballroom as they arrived for the party. Armed with a beaming smile and stick-on name tags, she ushered them inside and urged everyone to have a “fabulous” time.
“Nicole,” she semisquealed when Nic and Joel entered. “I’m so glad you’re here. There’s someone you absolutely have to meet.”
“Oh? Who’s that?’
“His name is Jimmy Waller. You remember Jimmy, don’t you, Joel?”
“Of course. He sat beside me in half my classes. I don’t think I’ve seen him since graduation.”
“That’s because he went into the Navy. He’s been overseas every time we’ve had a reunion before. He just retired from the military last month, and you’ll never guess what he’s doing now.”
“No, I—”
“He’s a police officer,” Heidi cut in with an arch look at Nic. “He lives in Memphis, Tennessee—not too far from where you two live, is it?”
“No, not far.” Joel sounded oddly grudging as he made the admission.
“Isn’t that nice? And the best part is he’s single and he’s even cuter than he was in high school. You and Jimmy should have a lot to talk about, Nicole.”
Nic felt her eyes go wide. Was Heidi actually trying to set her up? Even though she was here as Joel’s, if not date, at least companion? “I, uh—”
Joel surprised her by wrapping an arm loosely around her shoulders and telling Heidi warmly, “We’ll both enjoy talking to him. I’d love the chance to catch up with Jimmy.”
Nic couldn’t quite describe his attitude. Not possessive exactly. After all, why would he be feeling at all possessive? The arm around the shoulders could be taken for a friendly, just-pals sort of gesture—even though she felt her nerve endings tingling all along the path of contact. But that was her issue, not Joel’s. He was probably just trying to keep her from feeling embarrassed by Heidi’s blatant matchmaking.
Heidi’s gaze lingered for several moments on Joel’s arm, but her smile didn’t fade as she handed them each a name tag and waved them inside. “Go find Jimmy. I’m sure he’ll be delighted to see you both.”
Chapter Eight
“I can’t imagine why Heidi thought we needed these,” Joel muttered, glancing down at the gold-bordered white paper tag on his lapel. “We all know each other. And I really don’t need the doctor title in front of my name for a gathering with old friends. It looks so pretentious.”
“No one who knows you would ever call you pretentious,” Nic assured him. “Everyone knows this was Heidi’s idea.”
As foolish as it made her feel, she stuck her own tag somewhat crookedly on her chest. Fortunately Heidi hadn’t felt it necessary to add Officer to Nic’s name. Maybe they’d been printed before she had learned that tidbit.
The Watson twins were in attendance, of course, both looking uncomfortable in suits and ties their wives had undoubtedly made them wear. A few other people Nic had met the night before greeted them, and she made the requisite small talk as they worked their way across the room.
She was relieved to see that her black pantsuit fit in perfectly. The other women had dressed in a range from Sunday best to shimmering cocktail outfits, and hers fell nicely in between.
She found it both amusing and a little sad that Heidi had chosen to decorate as if they were attending a high school party. Red, white and silver balloons and streamers seemed to be multiplying in every corner. Glittery banners proclaimed, Always Cardinals, Always Friends. Joel informed her that it had been the theme of their senior prom.
The brand-new second-story ballroom wasn’t huge but large enough to easily accommodate the group. The floor was gleaming wood, suitable for dancing, and a wall of glass doors gave a view of the wood-railed lanai built invitingly over a sloping drop down to the lake. Because it was such a mild evening, the doors were open, and several people were out on the lighted lanai admiring the moonlight reflecting on the water below.
Large posters decorated with pictures from their school days were displayed on easels arranged around the ballroom. Nic spent some time studying them, diverted by the images of the younger Watson brothers and some of the other balding or burgeoning classmates.
It was inevitable that a disproportionate number of the pictures were of Joel and Heather, separately and together. After all, they had been leaders in their class, popular, attractive and apparently active in every school activity.
Nic wondered idly how many photos of her a committee could find for a class reunion. She hadn’t been much of a “joiner,” and her activities had g
enerally been outside of school. Community softball and soccer teams, martial arts studio in a nearby town, the rest of her free time spent mostly with her family. Her classmates would remember her, of course, but certainly not with the intense admiration—bordering on near reverence—that this group showed for Heather.
Tables had been arranged around the perimeter of the large ballroom, each seating eight people. A buffet table with covered serving dishes sat against one wall, uniformed servers waiting behind them. The center of the room had been left clear, presumably to serve as a dance floor.
Nic didn’t see a band but spotted some equipment in a secluded nook that indicated a DJ would probably show up later. If she had one, she would call her bookie to bet that the music would be exactly the same playlist from that long-ago senior prom.
Joel led her to a table where two couples were already seated. She didn’t remember any of these people from the night before, and the greetings they exchanged with Joel told her she was right in guessing they hadn’t attended the game. Both couples were African-American, and their genuine pleasure at seeing Joel again reinforced her impression that he had been friends with all the different groups and cliques in his class.
“It’s great to see everyone,” Joel said after shaking hands with the men and exchanging air kisses with the women. “I was hoping you’d show up.”
“We were sorry to miss the game last night,” one of the men said. “Terrell and I both had to work yesterday and didn’t get off in time to get here for the game. We drove in together this morning.”
“You all still live in Birmingham?”
All four smiled and nodded.
Joel drew her forward. “This is my friend, Nicole Sawyer. Nic, I’d like you to meet Kevin Bender and his wife, Naomi. And this is Kevin’s cousin, Terrell Bender, and his wife, Latricia. Kevin, Naomi and Terrell were all in my class, and I met Latricia at the last reunion.”
Nic smiled and nodded to each in turn. She was impressed that Joel remembered everyone’s name—but maybe he was just really quick and subtle at reading name tags. “It’s nice to meet you.”