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It was the second time now that he’d encouraged her to pursue her love for design into something more practical. It all seemed so easy when he said it. The kitchen timer went off, signaling that the pasta was ready.
“So, how do you know my mom, again?” Henry asked, once they were all eating. He seemed polite enough, but Lauren noticed a tiny kernel of suspicion, perhaps, in his otherwise friendly demeanor. Hector had fallen asleep on Henry’s lap and no one had the heart to move him.
“We went to high school together,” Nate said. He took a bite of the spaghetti and nodded in approval. “Good sauce. This is a nice treat from my usual take out.”
“Thanks,” Lauren said. Tonight’s menu also included a green salad and garlic bread. She and Henry usually didn’t do dessert during the week. She didn’t have any ice-cream in the freezer and it was obviously too late to whip anything up. She hoped Nate wouldn’t mind.
Relax, she told herself. It was just a weekday dinner. But she couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous, just the same. His dropping by her place had seemed spontaneous, but he had to have thought about that kiss they’d shared. At least, she hoped he had. She’d hate to think she was alone in thinking it had been something special.
“Did you like, date my mom or anything?” Henry asked.
“No. But we had a couple of classes together,” Nate said, smiling at Henry.
“Did you want to date her?” Henry persisted.
Lauren nearly spit out her pasta.
But Nate didn’t seem fazed by Henry’s questioning. It was almost as if she was back in high school and Henry had taken on a paternal role, interrogating a would-be-suitor.
“Your mom dated your dad in high school. I don’t think anybody else stood a chance with her,” Nate said easily.
This seemed to mollify Henry. For about ten seconds. “Do you want to date her now?”
“Henry!” Lauren faked a laugh. “That’s enough with the questions! Nate is our guest.”
Thankfully, Henry didn’t press the question. Conversation resumed, and soon they were all talking about Hector and how big he’d be when he was fully grown, and Henry’s soccer team, as well as his upcoming birthday.
“So your birthday’s on February fourteenth, huh?” Nate said.
Henry rolled his eyes like he was embarrassed that he shared his birthday with a holiday as cheesy as Valentine’s Day. “Yeah. I want a dog, but Mom says she’ll have to think about it.”
“A dog is a big commitment,” Nate said. “As a matter of fact, I’m going to need some help. Maybe you can walk Hector? I would pay you.”
Henry perked up. “Really?” He turned to Lauren. “Could I, Mom?”
“Well, that’s awful nice of Nate to offer to pay you, but—”
“I wouldn’t expect him to do it for free, and only when it wouldn’t interfere with school or his other activities. I foresee that little guy needing a lot of attention, and frankly, I’m not sure I’ll be able to provide it all.”
“I suppose we could come to some…arrangement,” Lauren said.
“Cool!” Henry quickly finished his dinner and scooped up a sleepy Hector. “I’m going to take him for a walk now. So that he’ll get used to me.”
“Not too far,” Lauren said. “And don’t forget to bring a baggie. Just in case.”
Henry made a face. “Yeah, okay.” He clipped the leash on Hector’s collar and half dragged, half ran with him out the back door.
“Coffee?” Lauren asked once they were alone.
Nate leaned back in his chair. “No, thanks. I never drink coffee in the evening.”
“Is that part of your training?” she asked. “I notice you’re a pretty avid runner.” Then she felt her face go warm. She hoped he wouldn’t think she was stalking him or anything. But the truth was, ever since she’d seen him run by her house that one morning, somehow, she always found herself standing by her living room window between the hours of six and six-fifteen a.m., drinking her morning coffee, and just “looking” outside. She’d gotten a peek at him a total of three times now. Oh, God. Yes. It was official. She was a stalker.
“Training? Nah. I became a caffeine junkie during my residency and I’m still trying to break the habit. I sleep better if I avoid caffeine in the evening.”
He helped her clear the dishes. Twice, they bumped into each other (on purpose?) and Lauren got a whiff of his cologne. Her pulse skyrocketed and her brain turned to mush. She was dying here. She really was. Henry should be back any second. But she wanted to know the answer to that last question of his. Did Nate want to date her? What was he really doing here? It was now or never.
“I’m sorry about Henry and his…questions.”
