Given that Webb was a Night Stalker and his four teammates are former Green Berets, I’m pretty sure I’d feel safe wherever they are. But safety aside, their headquarters are far more comfortable and welcoming than I expected. And I can definitely see why Webb likes living here.
“Are you still mad that I called you Windy Indy?” Webb asks. “BecauseI’mnot the one who came up with that name, you know.”
Beside Rafe, Eden giggles. “It has a certain ring to it.”
While I’m enjoying myself, I can’t help feeling a bit like an outsider. Webb and his friends all have their inside jokes and decades of history between them. And then there’s me. The newcomer who doesn’t know why Webb is called Spidey or whereWindy Indycame from.
It’s almost as if Bea reads my mind, because she catches my eye and says, “I’m sorry, Noelle. Sometimes we get going with the old jokes and forget that not everyone understands.”
My cheeks warm. “It’s fine.”
Webb turns to me, concern written all over his features. “Shit, Noelle. I’m sorry. I should be doing a better job of explaining things. You’re probably sitting here, bored out of your mind?—”
He looks so contrite, my instinct is to immediately reassure him. “I’m not bored. I’m just listening to your stories.”
“No.” He scoots closer to me and loops his arm around my shoulder. “You shouldn’t have to sit back and listen. I brought you here so you can get to know everyone. And they can get to know you.”
“Webb’s not used to this,” Sam says with a smirk. “Bringing a woman home to meet his friends, I mean.”
He isn’t?
“You aren’t?” I ask Webb.
“Not really, no.” Then he shoots Sam a quelling look before adding sarcastically, “But thanks for mentioning it.”
“I think that’s a good thing,” Eden offers. She threads her fingers between Rafe’s and kisses his cheek. “It means that when he does, it’s because?—”
Webb interrupts her with a loud cough. Then he actuallyblushes, which might be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. “Anyway. Noelle. I bet you’re wondering where Windy Indy came from.”
“A little,” I admit.
He hugs me closer to his side. “So, Eden is Indy’s younger sister. And apparently, when Indy was being particularly annoying as a kid—shocker there—Eden would create these concoctions that smelled like farts.”
“I’m a scientist,” Eden offers. “Even as a kid, I liked experimenting.”
“So Eden would set off the stink bombs when Indy had friends over, then accuse him of farting,” Webb continues. “It was only fitting he got a nickname to go with it. Thus?—”
“Windy Indy,” Ace chortles as he comes over with a large platter of hot dogs. “I think it’s great. Personally, I like using it as often as possible.”
Indy sighs and shakes his head, but he’s smiling as he does it. “We could just use myactualnickname, you know.”
I glance at Webb. “Do you all have nicknames? Is that where Spidey comes from?”
He nods. “Yeah. With the whole web-spider thing. Not very inventive, unfortunately.”
“I like it,” I reply. “It’s cute.”
Sam snickers. “That’s Webb. Cute.”
“You guys,” Webb grumbles. “I’m trying to make a good impression on Noelle.” To me, he adds contritely, “Sorry. Maybe we should have had dinner in Williston instead.”
“No, this is good.” And it is, even if some of the comments went over my head initially. I wondered how Webb would be with his friends, and it’s clear from seeing them together that they’re all really close.
It reminds me of my friendship with Jaz, actually. We love to tease each other, but if one of us is going through a hard time—like when Jaz lost out on a part she’d been dreaming about for years and I flew to New York to spend the weekend with her watching sad movies and eating gallons of ice cream—we won’t hesitate to do whatever it takes to help.
Well, assuming wetelleach other what’s bothering us. But that’s something else entirely.
“So, Noelle. I heard you went to the Bigfoot museum,” Tyler says. So far, he’s been the quietest of the bunch, so I’m a little surprised to hear him talking. “What did you think?”
