"It's true, they're different as night and day," Cal continued, forestalling what Joel had been about to say. "But they've got one thing in common: they don't make trouble for themselves."
"What do you mean by that exactly?" Joel asked cautiously.
"There can be some dangerous situations out in the mountains," said Cal. "A ranger can get himself into some serious trouble. But neither of those two lets that possibility get to them. They're confident in their skills, they work on being capable and prepared, and they know that if something goes wrong, they'll tackle it as best they can."
Joel thought about that. "And I don't do that."
"You're okay out in the Park," Cal said. "You think you know the territory pretty well, and you're right for the most part. But I have a sense that in everything else, there might be some trouble happening that's your own making.”
Joel digested that.
“And one more thing,” Cal added.
“What?”
“If we’re talking about the mate-bond, well, that’s two people, isn’t it? But I only see you in here. You shouldn’t be talking to me about this, you should be talking to your mate, whoever she is. It’s her decision too, not just yours.”
Joel was quiet. After a second, Cal picked up his pen again. “I need to get back to work.”
Joel stood. “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. And get yourself sorted out.”
Joel nodded and left the office, thinking.
Cal was right. This wasn’t only Joel’s decision. And Nina didn’t have any trouble with the mate-bond. She wanted it.
Or she thought she did. This was Joel’s biggest fear: that Nina might not know her own mind. What if the mate-bond was messing with her thoughts?
No. No, that didn’t make any sense, he realized.
Because Joel had a problem with the bond, and that problem hadn’t disappeared the second he woke up and knew he was Nina’s mate. The bond couldn’t be brainwashing them, because Joel was still angry about it, still able to question it. Still afraid of what it might do.
If he assumed that Nina couldn’t question it, then he was assuming that she was weaker-minded than he was. Which clearly wasn’t the case, because anyone who could live on their own, with no family and no pack, for years and years and still keep going had one of the toughest minds he’d ever encountered.
Joel couldn’t admire her for her strength and be afraid of her weakness at the same time. That was stupid, and unworthy of her. Nina knew her own mind.
So if Nina knew her own mind...it was time to go talk to her.
***
When he pulled up to the house, intending to see if Zach and Teri knew where Nina was, he came to an abrupt halt, the tires screeching as he stared. Nina was waiting for him right there, standing on the front step with her eyes fixed on him through the car window.
Joel nearly broke a finger trying to turn off the car, get his seatbelt off, and open the door all at once. He ate up the distance to the house in long, quick strides, and caught Nina in his arms, losing himself in the scent of her, the feel of her soft curves, the sweetly surprised noise she made before relaxing into his embrace. Nina.
It was a long moment before he came back to himself and pulled away, embarrassed. “Sorry,” he said. “I came here to talk to you.”
She blinked at him, her eyes hazy for a moment, before visibly remembering where she was. The look solidified into a glare. “You better have. I’ve got some things to say to you.”
Joel bre
athed out. “Can I go first?”
Before Nina could answer, though, the door opened, revealing Zach, also glaring at him. “Where the hell have you been?”
Joel winced. “I had to get my head on straight.” He looked at Nina. “Do you want to go somewhere?”
Nina looked back at Zach. “I want to do this right now. But we can go on a walk, or...”