I cocked my head to the side not sure I liked his tone but having had just enough champagne to be able to ignore that too.
“Noticed you gave Vance a wide berth tonight. Don’t know why and it’s none of my business.”
I held my breath knowing from experience he wasn’t done talking and I was right.
Nick continued. “Been scared stiff these past four months, you doin’ what you’re doin’. You know that. The only two good nights of sleep I’ve had in those months have been the last two, with his Harley sittin’ outside the backdoor.”
Oh crap.
Vance had Nick’s approval. I knew that but I’d been trying to ignore it. I also knew that he worried about me a lot and I’d been trying to ignore that too.
What I didn’t need to know was that Vance made him feel like I was safe.
“Nick, his Harley won’t be out there anymore,” I told him softly.
Nick didn’t even try to hide the disappointment on his face. I tried to ignore that too.
I failed.
“The way you two are tonight, was worried about that,” Nick said.
I took a breath and forged ahead. “I won’t be home tonight, can you feed Boo in the morning?”
Nick stared at me a beat, clearly confused at this contradictory information. I didn’t enlighten him.
Then he said, “I hope you know what you’re doin’, Jules.”
“I do,” I replied with fake brightness. “Don’t I always?”
“Yeah,” he said but he shook his head, “you always know what you’re doin’. Just can’t say you’ve always done the right thing.”
“Nick –”
“It may almost always be the right thing for others but it usually wasn’t the right thing for you,” he told me. “Life ain’t worth livin’, Jules, if you don’t take a few risks and I’m not talkin’ about puttin’ your ass on the line to save the world. I’m talkin’ about puttin’ your ass on the line to save yourself.”
I didn’t have anything to say to that and I didn’t have a chance to find anything to say. Vance walked up beside us approaching me for the first time that evening (although, I’d seen him talking several times with Nick).
“Time to go,” he said, eyes on me and the look in them sent a shiver up my spine and not in the usual good way.
I nodded.
His eyes cut to Nick and his hand came out. “‘Night, Nick,” he said.
“Vance,” Nick shook his hand and then they broke off, “you two enjoy the rest of your evening.”
Then Nick went out the door.
“I’ll get your jacket,” Vance said and peeled off.
While he was gone I lifted my chin, squared my shoulders, mentally prepared for what was to come and in the middle of that I caught Indy’s eye.
She was standing next to Lee; he had his arm around her shoulders and was talking to Eddie. Indy had her arm around his waist and she was looking at me. She put her head to his chest and smiled encouragingly.
Vance came up, my backpack over one of his shoulders, my jacket over his arm.
“Thanks everybody!” I yelled, they turned, called their goodnights and happy birthdays.
I waved with pretend happiness. I even blew a few kisses (which was not good for a head-crackin’ mamma jamma to do but for once I was amongst friends) and then we were gone.