Date Next Door

serious and introspective this soon.

He stirred and kissed the top of her head. “Are you hungry? I’m hungry.”

It was only four in the afternoon, too early for dinner. “I have some snack stuff in the kitchen, I think.”

“Sounds good. We can make a pot of coffee.”

“Okay.” She had noticed that Joel always seemed to find an excuse to get out of bed soon after they made love. Though he hadn’t exactly run in panic since that first time, he wasn’t one to cuddle and talk much afterward.

That seemed to be out of character to Nic. She’d have sworn he’d be the cuddle-and-talk type. Because she still wasn’t convinced that he wasn’t, she wondered if he worried about getting too serious in any conversations that might take place while they were still emotionally vulnerable.

They were going to have to really talk eventually, she mused as she slipped into her clothes. But she was in no more hurry than Joel to stray into that potentially dangerous territory.

They made coffee and put together a tray of cheeses, crackers and fruit. They carried the snacks into the living room and settled onto the couch with a pro football game playing on the television in front of them.

“Who’s your pick?” Joel asked, nodding toward the screen. “Steelers or Packers?”

“Steelers.”

“All right. I’ll take the Packers. Five bucks.”

“Sucker.” She popped a grape in her mouth and leaned back into the couch cushions feeling quite content.

Stacking two types of cheese on a whole wheat cracker, Joel asked, “Have you heard from Aislinn lately? I haven’t seen her around.”

“She calls. She hasn’t been around because she’s been busy. She had two weddings, two birthdays and an anniversary party this weekend. They all wanted fairly elaborate cakes for the occasions.”

“She’s really talented at that, isn’t she? Like an artist.”

“She is an artist. Some of her cake designs have won awards. She could be working in a big-time restaurant setting, but she prefers staying here, making just enough money to live frugally but comfortably.”

“Sounds like Ethan. He could be rich by now. He says he doesn’t want to be rich. Doesn’t want the hassles and headaches that go along with all that money.”

“I sure didn’t go into law enforcement for the money,” she said with a laugh.

“That’s not why I went into medicine, either.”

“I know it’s not. You love your work. Anyone can see that. Still, you do all right for yourself. You could be living fancier than you do. All the other doctors around here live over at the golf course.”

He shrugged. “Why would I need a big house for just me? Maybe someday, but right now I’m perfectly happy where I am.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

He munched on an apple slice, swallowed, then asked, “What about you? Won’t your mother want her house back when she comes home?”

“She doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to come back. She likes serving as Paul’s hostess and taking care of him over there. But, yes, when she returns to Cabot, this is her home. I’m just watching over things for her. Which happens to be very convenient for me, since she won’t take any rent money. It’s letting me put some money away for a down payment on my own place someday.”

“So you want to buy your own house eventually?” He kept his eyes on the television screen as he asked.

It was the closest they’d ever come to discussing the future. Telling herself he asked only to make idle conversation, she answered lightly, “Well, sure. Isn’t that the American dream?”

“When do you think your mother will come home for good?”

“Probably in a couple of years. I talked to her this morning, by the way. She and Paul are coming here for Christmas. I can’t wait to see them. They’ll be here for almost a month, but then they’re both planning to go back.”

“Did you ever tell her what happened to you in Danston?”

“Well…sort of. I told her I took a fall and split my chin open, but I didn’t see any need to give her all the details.”