“Fine.” I collapse onto the couch with a long sigh. “I’m too tired to argue.”
He dips a hushpuppy into his precious sauce and pops it into his mouth. “So good.”
Bandit lets out a small yip and stares at Nick with pleading, soft brown eyes.
I nudge Nick’s arm. “Be a good puppy daddy, and give him one of yours. Then we’ll be even.”
He turns his head in a slow swivel to face me. “Puppy daddy?”
I giggle and nod.
“Okay, I see how it is.” He throws a french fry at me, which misses and lands on the floor.
“Yep. Bandit’s your fur baby. Didn’t you know that?” I snatch it up and feed it to Bandit. And can I say I’m loving this teasing banter between us?
“Okay, if I’m his puppy daddy,” he uses air quotes as he says this, “does that make you his puppy mommy?”
I pop a shrimp into my mouth. The fried batter and cocktail sauce make me very happy. And so does Nick’s conclusion, since we’ve established co-ownership of Bandit.
“Yes.”
Nick pins me with a mischievous look. “Does this mean we have to get married?”
His question makes me gasp, which results in a major coughing fit because I had food in my mouth. Nick scurries to the kitchen as I’m choking up a lung. He returns and hands me a glass of water, which I guzzle down.
“Thanks.” My voice roughs out like a harsh whisper.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to make you choke.” He returns to his place on the couch and shoves three french fries into his mouth at once.
I know he was joking, but now I’m curious. “Is that, uh, something you want?”
“What?”
“You know,” I shrug, “to get married?”
He drags his last hushpuppy around his almost empty sauce container. “Yeah, someday. When I meet the right person. How about you?”
I pause a french fry midway to my mouth. “Yeah…same.”
Almost shy in manner, he nods but keeps his face forward as he continues to eat. I do the same because I have no follow up for that one. I didn’t expect my joke about him being a puppy daddy to turn into a discussion about marriage. Instead of the usual ease between us, an awkwardness settles in.
Once I finish, I carry my plate to the kitchen. “I’ll take Bandit outside before I leave.”
Nick picks up his and follows me. “I have another dog-themed movie for us to watch. If you’d like to stay, that is.”
I’m captivated by the way he’s staring at me…like he’s hoping I’ll say yes. “ItisFriday.”
His gaze travels over my face. “Time to relax, right?”
I’m so lost in the spell of his nearness that I can only nod. His focus drops to my lips, which makes me want to look at his, but I resist. “We should take Bandit out first.”
His eyes dart up to mine. “Right. I’ll get the towel.”
I manage a wobbly smile.
The fresh blast of cool evening air helps clear my head. Once Bandit does his business, we go back inside and resettle him in the playpen.
Nick sits on the couch with the remote and cues up the movie. “Have you seen this one?”
