“Oh.You’rehere,” Miles said with a scowl. For a split second Nick wished he could sink through the floorboards. His son was acting like a little punk.
“Hey!” Nick said sharply. “Wait a minute. Where are your manners? Look Harlow in the eye and say hello. Nicely,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Hello,” Miles said, dragging his gaze up. His lip was stuck out in an unnatural position. There wasn’t an ounce of warmth on his face.
“Hi there, buddy. Thanks for hosting Bear today. I’m sure he loved it,” Harlow said in a sweet tone.
His son shrugged. “It wasn’t my idea. Dad made me.”
Harlow darted a glance at Nick and raised her brow, as if asking him a question. She definitely knew Miles was acting strange. Where was the boy who’d hung on Harlow’s every word about Zeus’s treatment? Nick resisted the impulse to grab his son by the collar of his shirt and yank him from the room. Instead, he counted to ten in his head and tried his best to stay cool.
“Are you going home soon?” Miles asked Harlow. “It’s almost dinnertime and I’m hungry.”
“Miles!” Nick said in a raised voice. “You know Harlow is staying for dinner. We talked about it earlier. You’re supposed to be taking the dogs for a walk around the block.”
“Aww, man. Why do I have to do it?” Miles asked with a loud groan.
“Why don’t you go upstairs and cool down?” Nick suggested. “And while you’re up there, find your manners. You’re being rude.”
Miles made sure to make a lot of noise as he headed upstairs. Nick couldn’t remember ever feeling so ashamed of his son. He had no idea what to say to Harlow.
“I’m so sorry about that,” he apologized. He couldn’t imagine anything more awkward than this very moment. He’d wanted Harlow to feel welcome in his home. Clearly, his son hadn’t been on the same page.
Harlow couldn’t hide being taken aback by Miles’s attitude. Nick felt even more ashamed of his son.
“Did I do something wrong?” she asked. “He was really giving me the cold shoulder.”
Nick let out a groan. “I have no idea what’s going on with him, but you haven’t done a single thing wrong. I’m sorry if Miles made you feel that way. Kids can be fickle.” And rude as hell, he wanted to add.
Nick felt deeply embarrassed by his son’s behavior. It wasn’t like him to be so downright rude and lacking in the social graces. He was a good kid and super friendly. Nick hoped he hadn’t hurt Harlow’s feelings.
All of a sudden, he realized that he’d completely forgotten to follow up with Miles after his night out at Baxter’s. Van had made it clear that something had been bothering his son. He’d gotten so wrapped up in daily life matters—getting Miles off to school, paying bills, grocery shopping, heading to work—that he’d forgotten to talk to him about it. It was moments like this when Nick felt like a complete failure as a dad. Miles deserved better.
“Are you all right?” Harlow asked. “You look a bit frazzled. If tonight doesn’t work for dinner that’s totally fine. I have a Lean Cuisine in my freezer,” she said with a laugh.
“No way. I’ve been looking forward to spending time with you.” He would talk to Miles later and focus on an evening with Harlow in the meantime.
“And showing off your kitchen skills?” she asked in a teasing voice.
“I can deliver way better than a Lean Cuisine,” he drawled. “Not that there’s anything wrong with frozen meals.” He motioned for her to follow him. “Come on in the kitchen. Your first lesson awaits.”
“Are the dogs okay?” she asked.
“They’ve been fed and watered. They’re outside in the yard, if you want to check on Bear. Our yard is fenced in,” Nick answered. “Miles is going to take them for a short walk in a few moments while we cook.”
“Are you sure he’s up to it?” Harlow asked. “I don’t want to pile on any additional stress.”
Nick let out a ragged sigh that seemed to come from deep within. “I know he was acting bratty, but he’s super responsible and a huge dog lover. Bear will be in good hands with him. I promise.”
“I trust you,” Harlow said as she walked into the kitchen behind him. “Sorry for asking, but for all intents and purposes, Bear is my emotional support dog. Although I technically rescued him from a shelter, Bear saved me in every possible way. He’s gotten me through some stressful moments. I can’t imagine what I’d do without him.”
“No need to apologize. Bear is a part of your family. I get it,” Nick said. “Don’t tell anyone, but I’m starting to feel that way about Zeus,” he said, lowering his voice to a whisper.
Harlow nodded. “I kind of figured that out on my own. Face it, Nick. Zeus has you wrapped around his little paw.”
Nick let out a groan. He’d never wanted to be a dog person. “So what happened to our poodle friend? Any intel on her owners?”
Harlow leaned back against the kitchen counter and crossed her legs. “I stitched her up and gave her some antibiotics. We weren’t able to track down the owners. I honestly don’t think we ever will.” A distressed sound escaped her lips. “I think she was deliberately left on the street. And there’s no telling how she sustained that injury.”
