She enjoyed watching the interaction between them, making note of their differences—and their similarities. Despite the fact that Ethan wasn’t much of a gabber, he and Joel talked easily enough, sharing a sort of fraternal shorthand that left Nic occasionally confused but never feeling deliberately excluded.
Ethan seemed particularly interested in hearing about Nic’s work.
“It’s not exactly nonstop excitement,” she replied in answer to his questions. “I work a lot of traffic accidents, standard break-ins, domestic disputes, that sort of thing.”
“You carry a weapon. Have you ever had to discharge it?”
“Not in the line of duty. I practice regularly on the shooting range to make sure I’ll be prepared if I ever have to open fire.”
“She’s used her Taser a couple times,” Joel said, wiping his fingers on a paper napkin. “Even had it used on her. She showed me the videotape of the experience.”
“It’s standard procedure for officers who are trained at using the Taser to have it used on them,” Nic explained when Ethan turned a questioning look her way. “That way we know firsthand what we’re inflicting on other people.”
“What’s it like?”
“Pure hell,” she answered without hesitation. “It doesn’t last long in actuality, but it feels like forever while you’re being hit with that voltage. I went down to my knees. But I stayed conscious,” she added proudly.
Ethan’s smile was wry. “Congratulations.”
“It’s actually a very effective weapon despite the inevitable controversy about its use. A nonlethal method of controlling situations that have the potential to flare out of control.”
Ethan had a few more questions, which she answered patiently. At least he was talking to her now, and the earlier suspicion in his eyes was fading when he looked at her. Maybe he’d realized from watching her and Joel together that they really were just friends. That Nic had no particular designs on Joel.
Apparently he was fine with her as Joel’s friend; he just had concerns about her being more. Even though it wasn’t an issue, she couldn’t help but wonder why he didn’t want her to get too close to Joel.
Chapter Seven
They had finished lunch and were just beginning to clear away the remains when they were all startled by the opening notes of the Scooby Doo theme music. Smiling sheepishly, Joel reached for his belt. “My phone,” he said.
Ethan rolled his eyes. “What ever happened to phones that simply ring?” he asked rhetorically.
Ignoring his brother, Joel had already taken the call. “Have you tested her blood-glucose levels?” he asked, walking into the other room with a motion to indicate he would return soon.
“He really is always on call, isn’t he?” Ethan commented, still looking toward the doorway through which Joel had disappeared.
“Yes, he is. And he doesn’t resent it in the least. I’ve never seen anyone love his work as much as Joel does.”
Ethan shrugged and reached for Joel’s empty plate. “The work’s pretty much all he’s got.”
Nic felt her eyebrows rise. “Is that what you really think?”
“Well, you know, he doesn’t have many hobbies. And since, er…”
“Since Heather died,” Nic supplied in resignation.
“Well, yeah. He’s pretty much focused exclusively on work since then.”
Carrying a pile of dishes to the counter, Nic shook her head. “Did you know Joel sometimes teaches a kids’ Sunday school class back in Cabot? Or that he plays racquetball with friends twice a week? Or that he paints some absolutely beautiful watercolors?”
Looking startled, Ethan set his load of flatware on the counter and stared at her. “Joel does watercolors? I mean, he used to like to mess around with colored pencils and stuff when he was in school, but—”
“But you have no idea what he likes now,” she finished with a disapproving shake of her head. “You know what, Ethan? I think you and your family and pretty much this whole town have frozen Joel in some sort of time warp. To all of you, he’s still that golden boy from high school or the grieving widower from five years ago. You can’t seem to see that he’s matured and moved on.”
“And you’re judging this on the basis of…what? Not quite twelve hours with us?” Ethan’s tone was just a bit too polite, giving her a hint that her assessment had irked him.
She wasn’t in the least intimidated despite his frown, which might have made a more timid woman quail. “Not just that. I’ve known Joel for almost a year, remember? Living next door to him, I’ve seen him almost every day during that time, spent quite a bit of time talking with him. I couldn’t help noticing that you’ve never visited him there.”
Ethan’s scowl deepened, and she wasn’t sure whether he was more annoyed or chagrined, though she saw both emotions in his expression. “He hasn’t invited me.”