“He’s fine,” she said. “He just shut his phone off for a little while because he needed a break.”
Jeb’s forehead wrinkled at this piece of news. “Red needed a break from work? I guess more’s changed around here than just his new house.”
She left him in the guest room and let him know she was preparing dinner in the kitchen.
Jeb seemed happy enough with that, and so Nicole went back to continue making her meatloaf, feeling confident that this would be a simple family visit. It seemed as though Jeb was merely checking in on Red after not being able to get in touch with him for an extended period of time.
She was just packing the meatloaf mixture into her baking pan when Jeb appeared at the kitchen entrance, smiling wryly. “I thought for sure Red would have a whole team of cooks in here, assisting you with this lovely supper.”
“Nope, just little old me,” she laughed.
Jeb took a seat at the breakfast nook nearby, watching her work. “So how long have you two been seeing each other?”
She glanced up at him to gauge his expression. Red had mentioned that Jeb was close with his mother, so surely she must have told him her opinion of their relationship. And Nicole reckoned it probably hadn’t been anything positive. Still, Nicole wasn’t getting the impression that Jeb was automatically assuming the worst about her, so she tried to stay honest and open.
“Not very long,” she said. “A couple of months.”
Jeb’s eyebrows rose in a way that reminded her of Red. “That’s pretty fast.” He put his hands up. “No offense.”
“None taken,” she smiled. Her fingers were sticky with pieces of raw meat and onion and egg. She didn’t exactly feel like a model of perfection right now.
“Nicole, I’m going to be completely up front with you,” Jeb said. “I think that—“
At that moment, Red burst into the room. “What in god’s name are you doing here?” he called out, a huge, happy grin on his face. His arms were open. “Come on, you rascal, bring it in for the real thing.”
Laughing, Jeb got off the stool and went to hug his brother. Red tousled his hair and slapped his shoulder. “You look great, Doc. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Jeb stuffed his hands in his pockets. Next to Red he suddenly seemed younger and less self-assured than he had a moment ago. “Well, I tried calling you a bunch. I guess you were purposely going dark, needed a break from all the hubbub?”
“Exactly,” Red replied, coming behind the counter where he planted a kiss on Nicole’s cheek. He sniffed at the meatloaf. “Mmmm…that looks damn good, babe.”
Jeb came back over and sat again at the breakfast nook. “There’s a lot of chatter about you on the web and even TV.”
Red gave him a look. “You don’t listen to that crap, do you?”
“I don’t know. Is CNN reputable enough for you?”
“Oh,” Red laughed. “That kind of chatter. Well, it’s true that business is down.”
Jeb’s expression grew more concerned. “How down?”
Red looked at him. “All the way.”
“So what does that mean?”
“Hey, I don’t know.” Red grinned again. “All I know is I have this beautiful lady in my life and meatloaf in a pan and soon it will be in my stomach. I’m not getting ahead of myself.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Jeb laughed.
“Let’s just enjoy ourselves and eat, shall we?”
“Absolutely,” Jeb replied—but Nicole could tell he had more he wanted to say.
Their eyes met for a fraction of a second and she saw the smile die on his lips, but then Red was going to the fridge and grabbing them a couple of beers. “Hon,” Red called out, “is it okay if me and my bro go shoot some hoops a bit before dinner?”
“Of course,” Nicole replied, loving the fact that he’d called her hon.
“It’s kind of dark out,” Jeb said, uncertainly.
“That’s why I put lights on the court, dummy,” Red chuckled. “Come on, I’m going to school you just like the old days.”
“In your dreams.” The two of them headed outside together.
Nicole shook her head as the front door closed and their voices faded. She put her meatloaf in the oven and worked on the finishing touches for the glaze. Also, she had to make sure her sides would be ready in time. Some instant mashed potatoes, green beans and canned corn.
As she worked, she pictured Red and Jeb playing basketball, talking trash, laughing like brothers did. She thought Jeb was a pretty sweet guy, which was what Red had said about him.
And yet, she knew now that more had brought him here than just not being able to get in touch with Red for a day or two.
Nicole was certain it had something to do with their horrible mother and perhaps the status of Red and Nicole’s relationship as well. Her stomach tightened at the thought of Jeb saying negative things about her, things that Red might listen to coming from someone he respected.