He didn’t dare glance in Kari’s direction. “No, I left it at home.”
“I’ll give you a lift.” Bowie could think of no valid reason to not nod, so he did. “Great. We can go via your place to pick up your car, or I can just drop you back after we’ve visited the lake with Emmy. Whichever works for you.”
None of it worked for Bowie, he wanted to go with Kari. He wanted reassurance that he was mistaken, and that Kari was only behaving oddly because they had an audience.
Although he hadn’t behaved oddly in front of others before, had he?
“What do you say?” Lennon nudged him.
“If you could drop me off, I’ll get my car. It’ll save you from making a double trip to mine when you live on the other side of town.”
“Can I catch a lift, too?” Isley gave Lennon a hopeful smile. “My car’s in the auto shop for repair.”
“Of course.” Lennon cast his gaze to where Kodi and Kari stood, having a conversation in hushed tones. “The more, the merrier.”
“Bowie, this yours?” Wilder pointed to the suitcase that sat on the tarmac now, with a pile of others.
“It is.” He went to retrieve it, passing by Kari, who didn’t so much as glance in his direction. Bowie’s shoulders slumped, his sneakers dragging on the ground as he collected it and went back to Lennon.
Five minutes later, they were on their way. Bowie sat in the back seat, the chick pressed to his chest, blinking furiously at how Kari had given him an absent wave when he’d said goodbye.
Was he going to come back to Bowie’s?
He had no answer, and the more upset he got, the more his animal professed that he needed to get his act together. To ask Kari what the problem was so they could fix it.
How did you fix something you didn’t even know you’ve broken?
To Bowie’s mind, that was the real root of the problem. He’d broken something, and whether that was him being him or something else, he didn’t know. Even when he thought real hard about it on the drive to his.
“It’ll be good to sleep in my own bed,” said Isley with a groan.
“I didn’t mind the small bed so much, more the grumpy alpha sharing the tiny cabin when he does everything so loudly,” Lennon answered.
“You should try the silent treatment that Laken gives me. It can be just as annoying when someone pretends you’re invisible.”
Bowie cocked his head to the side. “Is Laken that quiet?”
“Yes,” Isley sighed dis-heartedly.
“I honestly would take that over shouting. Kodi needs someone to paddle his bottom on a regular basis.”
Isley snort-giggled, and Bowie’s lips flapped open and shut at how it sounded like Lennon wanted to do just that. Lennon was a kindhearted soul, who would never hurt another person. This was a strange side of him that Bowie hadn’t seen before.
“Would you really spank him?” Bowie asked when he found his ability to speak, just as Lennon pulled to a stop outside his apartment building.
“You bet I would, if it made him behave. Kodi needs a keeper!”
Isley twisted to look at Lennon. “Sounds like you want the job.”
Bowie, who had reached for the door handle, glanced at both men. He witnessed a wash of color stain Lennon’s cheeks, but he didn’t deny it.
“I figure Kari has acted like a daddy to Kodi to keep him under control.”
“A Daddy?” Bowie squeaked at the flare of panic at his friends knowing his secret and then unfriending him because of what he liked.
See, this is your problem!
Bowie ignored his animal, his attention on the two men sitting in the front of the car. Lennon’s eyes narrowed as he glanced back at Bowie.
