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Now it’s my turn to smile. “True.”
“So, I don’t want all the gory details, but how did last night go?” he asks, somewhat hesitantly.
“It went well, actually. We’re going out again Saturday night, as long as our schedules still allow it. I know she doesn’t know everything you’re up to this weekend, so if we can fit in a dinner, we will.”
“I have to work Saturday afternoon for a few hours, but I want to ask Morgan to dinner. I thought about taking her to the Mexican restaurant and maybe some ice cream afterward.”
“That’ll be fun,” I tell him.
“Speaking of, I was invited to a Wild hockey game next month with Matt and his dad. They took me a few years back to a game against the Blackhawks. Pretty cool Mr. Elliott gets tickets through his work,” he states, referring to his best friend’s dad.
“Yeah, there are some jobs that have a lot of perks, but usually those are the ones with different types of stresses.”
Brody seems to consider that a few minutes. “I see what you’re saying. He has to deal with math and numbers all day long. I bet that can be pretty stressful.”
Knowing Matt’s dad works for a big accounting firm in St. Paul, I’m sure he has plenty of shit he deals with. “I’m sure.”
“Anyway, if I go out with Morgan, that means my mom will be free. Well, until curfew,” he says, trying not to grin.
The corner of my mouth curls up. “Noted.”
“Maybe Sunday we can hang out, the four of us. You, Mom, me, and Morgan.”
“I think that’s a great idea, Brode,” I tell him.
“We could probably have Logan, Hallie, Gabe, and Blair come over.”
“Logan and Hallie will probably kill each other, but I bet we can make that happen. I’ll say something to your mom when we leave here about having it at my place. We don’t have many decent summer days left before it gets cold.”
“Good football weather,” Brody reasons with a cheeky grin.
“Very true.”
We watch the water ripple for a few long seconds, my nephews talking and reeling in their lines every time they think they have a bite. “I was wondering about something,” Brody says, grabbing my attention once more.
“What’s up?”
“How did you know you wanted to be a police officer?”
Well, that question wasn’t expected. Clearing my throat, I speak my truth. “I figured it out in high school. I was drawn to the profession after one of my classmates had a bad accident one night and I came upon it when I was on my way home. The police officer for Pine Village at that time was a man named Frank Overlong, and he handled the situation with professionalism and empathy. It was the first time I really got to see him in action, working the scene and helping those involved. I ended up going and speaking with him one night at the diner and asked him a million questions. I knew before I left that night I’d be applying for the police academy.”
He holds my gaze and asks, “It’s tough, right? Being a cop?”
My throat is thick. “Yeah, Brode, it’s tough. But it’s incredibly rewarding too. Some of the stuff in our small town is minor compared to the big cities. They have more crime, drugs, murder, and a whole lot of stuff no one wants to think about. But there’s also a lot of good there, just like there is in our town. I get to help my neighbors and the people I grew up with. Police work is hard. It’s stressful. But it’s one of the most rewarding jobs there is.”
Brody stares out over the lake, lost in thought, so I let him be. Choosing your career path for the future is a big step, and something tells me he was asking for a very specific reason. I don’t want to speculate, but my head is telling me he’s interested in police work. First off, he’d make an excellent cop. He’s caring, attentive, and smart, and if he were to pick this line of work to make a career of, I know he’d excel.
But I also know Ellie, and there’s no denying the dangers that come with the profession. I guess all I can do is listen and give advice, if and when the time comes for it.
Until then, I have a third date to plan.
Chapter Seventeen
Ellie
TD: I’m on my way.
A wave of anticipation races through my veins as I give myself a quick once-over in the mirror. Deeming my outfit appropriate for date three, I flip off my bedroom light and head for the kitchen to wait for TD.
