Date Next Door

by Gina Wilkins

  “Heidi said we’ll be eating soon, and Terrell and I are way past ready,” Kevin confided. “Lunch was a long time ago. Y’all want to sit here to eat with us?”

  “We’d love to join you,” Joel accepted quickly, pulling out a chair and motioning for Nic to be seated.

  Something about his manner made her wonder if he was deliberately avoiding being seated with the Watson twins again, who had two extra places at their nearby table and were looking their way. Maybe he’d had enough of them the night before. Or maybe he just wanted to visit with some other old friends for a while and had no ulterior motives at all.

  They went through the usual ceremony of looking at children’s photos, catching up on job advances and extended family news. It didn’t take Nic long to figure out that she was sitting among a group of successful professionals. She learned that Terrell was a professor of mathematics and that his attractive wife Latricia was a cohost on a morning television news-and-features program. Kevin was an architect, and Naomi an elementary school principal. They all expressed interest in Nic’s career, but it was obvious that they were surprised by her occupation.

  “Is everybody getting hungry?” Heidi chirped, approaching their table with a pleasantly plain-featured man in tow. “We’re about to open the buffet lines.”

  Terrell assured her earnestly that he was about ready to start chewing on the red-and-white-flower centerpiece.

  Heidi laughed, then waved the man with her to one of the two empty chairs. The one next to Nic. “I’m sure you all remember Jimmy. You don’t mind if he joins you for dinner, do you? Nic, this is the man I was telling you about. Officer Jimmy Waller, this is Joel’s pal, Officer Nicole Sawyer. I bet the two of you have lots of exciting police stuff to talk about.”

  With that, she was gone, bustling over to the buffet table to direct the servers as the dishes were uncovered and tantalizing aromas filled the room.

  Having spoken to his old classmates and been introduced to Latricia, Jimmy turned to Nic with a rueful smile in his friendly brown eyes. “So, Nicole, do you have any ‘exciting police stuff’ to talk about?”

  She laughed. “I’m afraid not. You’re the one from the big-city PD. Maybe you’d like to try to impress everyone with tales of your adventures.”

  Grinning, he shook his head. “Actually, I’d rather eat. We’d better head over that way before the Watson twins clean out the serving dishes.”

  “Good suggestion,” Kevin said, jumping to his feet. “From what I remember, those boys can really put away the food.”

  Joel held Nic back a few steps as the others rushed toward the growing food line. “Sorry again about Heidi,” he said. “Don’t feel like you have to personally entertain Jimmy just because he’s a cop and he came stag tonight.”

  “No problem. He seems very nice.”

  “Well, he was a nice enough guy back in school,” Joel agreed guardedly. “But I haven’t seen him in fifteen years, and people can change, you know.”

  Was he actually warning her off Jimmy? He wasn’t motivated by jealousy, of course, but maybe he didn’t want her attention to be too far distracted from her purpose in being there—serving as a buffer between Joel and the sympathy of his classmates.

  She thought it best not to tell him that he didn’t have to worry about her paying too little attention to him. The unsettling truth was, she was having trouble focusing on anyone else but him this weekend.

  Joel couldn’t say he was enjoying the party, exactly. It was great to see Kevin and Terrell again, but after the first hour they had pretty well caught up. By the time they finished their entrées and were making their way through desserts, they were having trouble coming up with anything new to talk about. Nic and Jimmy, however, seemed to be having no such difficulty.

  Maybe it was because they were both cops. Gave them something in common to discuss. Stories to swap, bad guys to compare.

  Just because they were laughing a lot and seemed to be enjoying their conversation certainly didn’t mean they were flirting. Exactly. Or that they were making a connection that might go somewhere after this evening ended. It was just dinner conversation—and none of his business anyway.

  He didn’t like it. And because that disapproval made him feel petty and selfish, he brooded even more, though he did his best to hide it.

  The buffet tables were covered and rolled away and a hired DJ took his place behind his equipment, signaling that the dinner portion of the party was over and the dance part was about to begin. Joel glanced at his watch, wondering how soon he and Nic could politely make their escape. If he could drag her away from her new best pal, he thought with a scowl.

  Kevin and Naomi were among the first couples on the dance floor. Terrell and Latricia had wandered off to talk to some other couples, leaving Joel, Nic and Jimmy at the table, where Nic and Jimmy were engaged in a discussion about recent legislation concerning high-speed chases.

  The way Nic was looking so intently at Jimmy made Joel frown and then rise abruptly to his feet. “Come on, Nic. Let’s dance.”

  It was hardly the most gracious invitation he had ever extended. Nic’s look of surprise let him know that she hadn’t been expecting him to ask. Had she not planned to dance this evening? Or had it not even crossed her mind that he might want to dance with her?

  “Okay,” she said, standing. “Sure. Excuse us, please, Jimmy.”

  “You bet. Maybe I can steal a dance later?”

  She smiled. “I think that can be arranged.”

  Joel could feel his eyebrows sinking into a deeper frown even as he drew Nic into a loose hold on the dance floor. After swaying for a moment in silence, she tipped her head back to look up at him. “What’s wrong, Joel? Is something bothering you?”

  He made a deliberate effort to smooth his expression. “No, I’m okay. Just getting a little tired of the reunion thing. How about you? Are you having a good time?”

  “Surprisingly, yes. Your friends are all very nice, aren’t they?”

  Was she talking about all his old friends—or one in particular? “Yeah, most of them are really great.”

  “The food was even good, which is always surprising at a function like this. One thing about Heidi—she knows how to put on a party.”

  “She lives for that sort of thing.” He was peripherally aware that they were being watched from various places around the room with varying degrees of curiosity and contemplation, but that didn’t seem to matter at the moment. What did matter was the surprisingly natural feel of Nic in his arms, the easy way she matched her steps to his. It didn’t feel like a first dance but as if they had been dancing together for a long time.

  It felt nice. Better than nice, actually.

  He’d known Nic was in excellent physical condition, her compact body toned and strong. But it was different observing something about her and actually feeling it with his own hands. Her warmth radiated through the silky fabric of her clothing, and her soft hair brushed his chin when she turned her head to smile at someone else on the floor.

  She seemed different tonight somehow. Softer. Smaller. He was still fully aware of her self-sufficiency, her competence, the fiery temper that had been known to make lawbreakers recoil. All things he admired in his friend and his neighbor. But tonight he was also seeing her through fresh eyes. And what he saw was a very attractive young woman with a great body and an infectious smile.

  It occurred to him only then that he had been seeing her that way for longer than he’d been willing to admit.

  She was looking at him oddly then, as if his behavior was beginning to puzzle her. He forced a smile and said the first thing that popped into his mind. “You’re a good dancer.”

  “Thanks. I like to dance. I always wanted to take ballroom lessons, but I’ve just never found the time. Maybe someday.”

  He and Heather had taken ballroom dance lessons one summer when they’d both been home from college. They had always planned to take more eventually. “Not a lot of places to dan
ce back home,” he said.

  “Certainly not ballroom dancing. Brad and I used to dance at the Boot-Scoot Barn sometimes. Line dancing and western swing mostly.”

  The mention of her ex almost made him scowl again, but he managed to keep his expression bland. He didn’t know why he was so grumpy this evening.

  “You and Jimmy seem to be hitting it off,” he said, the words popping out before he’d planned to say them. “Heidi must be pleased.”

  Nic wrinkled her nose. “We have our jobs in common. That’s the only reason I can think of that Heidi was so intent on introducing us.”

  “Maybe she was doing a little matchmaking. Since you and I have made it so clear we’re only friends, I suppose she thought she was doing you a favor.”

  Nic shrugged, the movement bringing her more closely against him—and almost derailing his entire train of thought. “He’s a nice guy and all but not really my type. For one thing, I’d never want to get involved with another cop—and I bet Jimmy feels the same way.”

  “So what is your type?” he asked in a murmur. “Cowboys?”

  She chuckled. “We both know that didn’t work out. Maybe I just don’t have a type.”

  “Or maybe you just haven’t realized yet what you’re looking for.”

  Laughter lit her face. “Or maybe I’m just not looking,” she quipped.

  His gaze focused on her smiling lips, and he couldn’t resist smiling back at her. His mood was suddenly much lighter—and he knew exactly why.

  Just to amuse her, he raised his arm to spin her, then finished the dance with a shallow dip. The ploy worked nicely; she laughed and clung to his forearms for balance. And when he steadied her on her feet again, he couldn’t resist brushing a light kiss against her cheek.

  “Thanks for the dance,” he said, wondering if his voice sounded as odd to her as it suddenly did to him. “It was fun.”

  Her cheeks were flushed now, but he wasn’t sure if the heightened color was due to the kiss or the mild exertion of the dance. “You’re welcome,” she said.

  There were a few more dances, some with each other, some with other partners. Joel didn’t even mind—that much—when she finally danced with Jimmy. He danced with Naomi that time, only glancing Nic’s way once or twice, each time concluding that she had been honest in saying she wasn’t particularly attracted to his onetime classmate. At least that was what he wanted to believe, and he didn’t take time to ask himself why it mattered so much.

  After an hour or so of dancing, Heidi borrowed the DJ’s mic to draw everyone’s attention her way. Traditionally the class president would have emceed the occasion, but Joel had declined that privilege, asking Heidi to take over his duties. He hadn’t had to twist her arm to persuade her to accept.

  Her sequined top glittering in the overhead lights, Heidi beamed with pleasure at being the center of attention. She looked pleased with the results of her months of planning, and as he and everyone else returned to their tables, Joel felt a bit guilty for not appreciating her efforts more.

  “I hope you all enjoyed the food tonight,” she began, and was answered by nods and smiles from her audience. “We want to thank Big Daddy’s Catering for their excellent service. And a special thanks to our DJ, Chico Morales.” An enthusiastic round of applause followed.

  “Before we continue our dance, I’d like to take care of a little business. First, thank you all for coming and making our fifteen-year reunion such a great success. Starting with our victory in last night’s game,” she added—for all the world, Joel thought, as if their class had been out on the field catching passes.

  Hoots and cheers sounded through the room, most loudly from the Watson twins, who seemed to have brought their own liquid refreshments for the party. And they weren’t the only ones.

  “Also,” Heidi continued when the noise died down, “I want to remind everyone to sign the big get-well card for our beloved Principal Walenski. We hope he recovers quickly from his recent illness. And now to our awards…”

  Joel couldn’t quite suppress a low groan, a sound that was echoed by Kevin and Terrell.

  Nic looked questioningly at him. “Awards?”

  He shook his head. “You’ll see.”

  Giggling like the schoolgirl she still wanted to be, Heidi read from a sheet of paper. “First, the classmate with the most children…Janie Caruthers Mayo, mother of five! The newest only ten weeks old.”

  Amid hearty applause, Heidi presented the blushing mother with a large bottle of over-the-counter headache pills, a box of condoms and a gift certificate for a dinner out at a local restaurant.

  “Oh,” Nic murmured. “That kind of award.”

  Joel nodded. “She does this every time. She still thinks it’s hysterically funny.”

  “Awards” and silly gifts were then presented for the classmate who had traveled farthest to attend the reunion, to one who had recently been elected mayor of a neighboring small town and to another who had recently retired after a moderately successful career in professional baseball. The latter was treated to a box containing denture adhesives, a knitted lap scarf and a book of crossword puzzles, among other supposedly humorous references to retirement. Joel noted that Donald didn’t look overly amused, though he made an effort to smile appreciatively.

  Heidi then read a few notes from former classmates who hadn’t been able to attend the reunion but had sent greetings. When the laughter over the final, particularly cleverly worded message faded away, Heidi cleared her throat and spoke more seriously. “Finally I would like to announce the kickoff of our new charitable project. It’s getting off to an amazing start, with almost eight thousand dollars donated so far….”

  Joel frowned. He couldn’t remember being notified of a new charity project. He was quite sure he hadn’t been asked to donate to it, though of course he would be happy to contribute. He made a mental note to do so immediately after…

  He was startled to hear Heidi say his name into the microphone. “Joel, would you join me here for just a minute, please?”

  Chapter Nine

  Something about the way his tablemates looked at him when Heidi called his name made Joel suspect that all of them except Nic knew what was coming next. Nic looked as curious as he felt about why he had been summoned forward.

  Trying to hide his reluctance behind a smile, he stood and crossed the room to join Heidi. “What is this?”

  Her blue eyes suddenly liquid, Heidi’s answering smile quivered a bit as she gazed up at him. “The rest of us have put together a surprise for you, Joel. Tonight it is my honor and my pleasure to announce that our class has established the Heather Shields Brannon Scholarship Fund, to be awarded annually to two deserving Danston High School graduates, to be used for furthering their educations.”

  Joel felt his embarrassment and mild irritation dissolve immediately. He was immeasurably touched by his classmates’ gesture. “Heidi, this is…”

  Her smile growing steadier, she shook her head. “Not just me. All of us. Everyone donated.”

  She pressed the microphone into his hand and stepped back, making it clear that he was expected to say something. He hoped he would be able to find the words.

  “This is incredible,” he began, looking out at the smiling faces surrounding him. “I can’t think of any memorial that would please Heather more than a scholarship in her name. She loved Danston High, and nothing would make her happier than to know that a new generation of students will benefit from her having attended there. Heather loved all of you, too. On her behalf, I would like to thank you for keeping her memory and her spirit alive in our school and in your hearts.”

  Oh, man, had that been too sappy? He’d meant every word, but he hoped they hadn’t sounded glib or trite. When his classmates rose to their feet to applaud, he swallowed hard, handed the microphone back to Heidi and hurried back to his table, wondering if anyone would notice if he just kept walking right out the door.

  Even as she stood and applauded along wit
h everyone else in the room, Nic felt as though her smile was frozen on her face. She couldn’t have described how she was feeling at that moment. The scholarship was a nice gesture, of course, and she could tell that the announcement had affected Joel. Heck, she would probably donate to it herself before the weekend was over.

  Joel’s parents would probably be moved to tears when he told them about it. Ethan wouldn’t show his emotions, but she suspected he would be as deeply affected as the others, especially if what she suspected about his feelings for his late sister-in-law was true.

  It took Joel a while to make his way back to the table. People kept stopping him—the men to shake his hand and clap him on the shoulder, the women to hug him, many with tears streaming down their faces. To his credit, Joel kept his composure admirably, though Nic thought she could see the effort it was costing him.

  This, she realized, was what he had been dreading all weekend. A tearful and sentimental tribute to his late wife. While he was obviously touched by their affection and their generosity, he was equally overwhelmed by the outpouring of emotions that brought back so many difficult memories for him.

  Naomi reached out to hug him when he finally reached their table. His eyes met Nic’s over Naomi’s head, and she could see that he was quickly reaching his breaking point.

  Fortunately the DJ had returned to his duties, deliberately brightening the mood of the party with a peppy oldie that drew a few couples irresistibly back onto the dance floor. The moment Naomi released Joel, Nic stepped forward to grab his hand.

  “I think we need one more dance before we head back to your parents’ house, don’t you?” she asked brightly.

  His fingers closed around hers so tightly that she had to suppress a wince. “Yes, I think we do,” he agreed too heartily and all but towed her onto the dance floor.

  It wasn’t a particularly slow number, but he drew her into his arms anyway, matching their steps to the tempo without releasing her. Nic wondered if he just needed to hold on to someone for a few minutes, a form of physical and emotional support.