his chest tightened and pulse quickened in response to the way her lips curved upwards at the corners. even after all this time, the sight was enough to make him weak at the knees. it was a wonder he could even hear himself think, but her voice grounded him to the very real moment. the one he'd dreaded coming into, but now wasn't sure he wanted to walk away from. "care to say that again? a little louder this time," he teased, his gaze dropping to the ground. him being right about something? it was a cold day in hell apparently.
"it's not bullshit." maybe coming from someone else, but coming from him? that wasn't his play. he was a realist, his honesty often met with disapproval from those unprepared to hear it. "it's the truth. this world keeps going even if we don't want to." life was a bitch and didn't care about convenience or how ready someone was to endure it. if anyone knew that, it was him.
the offer laid out for her was his best attempt at the olive branch neither of them ever seemed to keep alive. just when they'd work out their differences, something would knock them off kilter again, leaving the pair to start again whenever the time was right. usually, that meant waiting for theo to bring them back together again, the kid often posing as their olive branch in question.
when she finally spoke again, nic offered a few acknowledging nods and blew out a quiet breath. he knew what that meant in harlow's terms. it meant that he'd get a call from a fortune five-hundred company before she reached out and asked for help and if he hadn't of known her so well, that would've stung. instead, it triggered his curious mind to wander. how did she clear her head when it was all too much? was it always a case pulling her out during the late hours, or were some of those s.o.s. calls a means to clinging to her own sanity?
a fist clenched tightly at his side, knuckles ghosting white as he considered someone else's hands on her. he nipped at the inside of his cheek until the taste of iron coated his tongue. jealousy? he was no stranger to the little green monster, but it always took him by surprise. what the hell did he care if she blew off steam with another? he did the same thing, often with women he couldn't even remember by name. were her ventures as meaningless as his own?
"still trying to figure out what the hell i was meant to do." he'd tried it all and at his age, there weren't many options left. it was another thing he'd always admired about her and truth be told, he hoped it was something their son took notice in too. the last thing he needed was to be a role model for the boy who'd already taken enough after him. "gardening classes?" his brows raised, but something about her follow up and commitment to the whiskey left him wondering if there was more to the comment than she'd given him. by her tone, he doubted he'd find out.
it was nice out, the cool breeze not holding the same bite it had a month ago. it wasn't what he'd had in mind, but he nodding, caving to the suggestion as easily as she'd made it. outside was nice and maybe, just maybe, the cool breeze would the very thing they needed to avoid the warmth brought on by the bottle.
he watched, shamelessly, as the dark haired woman disappeared inside for glasses. if he'd had it his way, straight from the bottle would've been just fine. his gaze lifted as the sound of footsteps closed in on him, the woman and two glasses returning. "this kid," he mused, echoing the statement she'd muttered moments earlier before volunteering as tribute to grab glasses for the both of them, "what are we gonna do about him, row?"