Page 51 of The Good Boy

Chapter Nineteen

Because Rory still understands Dog. Not a huge problem in itself—it just sort of attracts a lot of attention when a big blond bloke in a Hawaiian shirt starts making small talk with a dachshund.

“How were you to know?” Rory says. “I mean, anyone would think that if it’s okay to eat a biscuit on the sofa it’s okay to take it into bed? Bed and sofa are the same thing. What did you do?”

The little dog rolls on to her back, waving all her legs in the air.

“Classic,” Rory says. “Works every time.”

“I really don’t get any of this,” I say to Miles as we watch him. “He looks like a man, he has the digestive system of a human, he is really quite thoughtful and intelligent, but also he can still smell like a dog and apparently understand Bark. I mean... who makes up the rules?”

“Maybe there are no rules,” Miles says with a frown. “Which is kind of scary.”

“Anyway, what idea did you want to talk about?” I turn to him. It’s a bright day and he’s wearing a pair of classic (presumably prescription) Ray-Bans and a navy T-shirt. Has he deliberately decided to get more stylish for Claudia-at-work? As he watches Rory a tiny smile tugs at his mouth, revealing a comma-shaped dimple.Probably best to stop looking at him in this new light. No good can come from it.

“Ah, well, so I was reading a book and I suddenly had a thought and...”

“And?” I prompt him after a long moment of silence.

“Genie, can I be honest?”

“I don’t know,” I say, frowning.

“I don’t have a plan. I just realized I would really like to see you.”

“Oh.” I look straight ahead. It’s safest.

“Both, both of you.” Miles coughs. “Is that okay?”

“Yeah, ’course, no problemo,” I say.Problemo?

“Back when we were kids, we used to hang out all the time and we never needed a reason. It was like a given. But these days, I don’treallyget to see you, not like I have these past four days. I realized I really miss just... being with you.”

“Miles...”

“Genie... You know, Claudia...”

“From work. I doooooo.”

“She asked me out. On a date.”

“Oh?” I try to process this information. I mean, I knew it was coming, I just didn’t see Claudia-from-work taking the initiative. “So that’s good, is it?”

“What do you think?” he asks.

“Well, what did you say?”

“I said I’d think about it,” I said.

“Miles!” I turn to him. “The girl put herself on the line for you and you left her hanging!”

“Well... it was just that.” Miles takes a breath. “I wanted to ask you...”

“Why, I’m not your mum!” His face falls, and I feel terrible.

“Oh god, Miles, I’m such a klutz. What I meant to say is that the chick is clearly into you, dude!” Apparently, I’ve turned into a surfer bro from the 1990s, so I punch him in the arm for good measure. He winces. I wince too, but on the inside.

“She is clearly into me,” Miles agrees. “It’s refreshingly obvious, in fact.”

---