"Where's Sniffer?" Asked Iris as she came into the living room where Nick and granny were sitting. Granny shrugged and Nick froze. Would Sniffer sniff him and eat him alive? Iris looked at him and laughed.

"They're harmless and sweet actually. They might have gotten a little jealous of you," laughed Iris. Nick's eyes widened further. Jealous dogs were dangerous! Should he push off before that Sniffer sniffed him out?

"I think I gotta go," he said getting up to make a dash for the door.

"What's the hurry Nick? Have some coffee with us before you go," said granny getting up to go to the kitchen.

"Let me see your toe. Are you hurt?" Asked Iris with concern.

"Nope, I'm alive. I won't open my shoes," said Nick and Iris looked at him weirdly.

"Are you scared of dogs?" She asked him with disbelief.

"No I'm not. My uncles have dogs, I love them and they love me," he told her. He wanted to add that he just hated her dogs but couldn't since they were her second love and she was obviously attached to them. Her phone buzzed with an incoming call from her dad.

"Yes dad?" Asked Iris in a dull tone.

"Have you reached home safely?" Asked her dad.

"Yes dad, I've reached home," she said in a bored tone. Nick silently watched her, holding his breath so that Porty didn't have a clue that he was here else who knew he might fly home as fast as lightning.

"Did you get a bus on time?" Asked her worried dad.

"No dad I didn't need to take the bus. A friend dropped me home," said Iris in a more bored tone than before.

"Here have some coffee Nick, " said granny as she emerged from the kitchen with their coffee and a tray full of goodies to eat.

"Nick? Did I hear Nicholas's name?" Asked her dad with disbelief. Did that boy reach his home already on the first day of meeting his daughter?

"Yes dad, he was the one who dropped me home, " said Iris, impatiently.

"What's he doing in the house?" Asked her dad packing his stuff up. He had to go home and check what that boy was up to. There was no trusting his mom, Sarah Davenport. She would purposely leave them alone and disappear for hours. He couldn't risk Iris being alone with Nicholas Taylor. No, not at all.

"Just having coffee dad. Okay bye," said Iris, disconnecting the call. Nick released the breath he was holding.

"I might as well drink that coffee in one go and run. I think your dad will be here any minute," he said worriedly.

"You must taste my cookies, Nick, " said granny. A loud woof greeted him! Oh darn it! He had completely forgotten about Sniffer. He looked around and then saw him watching him from one of the rooms. The moment their eyes met, Sniffer came rushing down to the living room to eat him. Nick froze with the cookie in his hand. The moment Sniffer came closer, he handed out the cookie to him.

"Here eat this instead of me," he mumbled with fear. Granny chuckled while Sniffer sniffed the cookie and then happily ate it up much to Nick's relief. He licked his lips as well as Nick's feet.

"He likes you Nick," said granny offering him a piece of cake. It looked so delicious that Nick bit into it immediately, closing his eyes and chewing. It was heavenly!

"Wasn't that the last piece of dad's favorite cake, granny?" Asked Iris with dismay. Nick stopped chewing and looked at her with horror. That was Porty's cake? The doorbell rang and Iris went to open the door. Nick froze seeing Porty at the doorstep. The moment Porty saw him with his cake in his hand, he stomped into the room.

"Hello S sir, I was just going," he said stuffing the rest of the cake into his mouth as Porty stared at his cake with dismay. Nick didn't wait to chew. He rushed outside with his mouthful and started his car and sped off. What a narrow escape he had! Then he remembered Porty's words. He had to inform his dad Nolan Taylor that Eric Davenport, the Dean of his college had summoned him at 2 o'clock the next day.

The moment he left, Eric Davenport came to his senses. "You gave him the last piece of my favorite cake ma? I had saved it to eat it today," he complained.

"I'll make you another Eric. Don't make a scene over a little piece of cake," said granny.

Iris sat like a statue feeling bad for her dad as well as Nick. What he might have thought of her family!

"It's not that ma. That boy calls me potty, do you know?" Yelled her dad.

"No dad, he doesn't call you that. It's PORTY from Davenport. Not potty," corrected Iris.

"It's the same thing. I don't know what you see in that boy. Of all the students in the whole college, you had to befriend him," said her dad, shaking his head. "I'm disappointed you Iris. I didn't call you to Houston to romance right under my nose. Love and romance look good in books. In real life, these things don't happen. That boy will play with your emotions and throw you away like shit. There's still time. Stay away from the likes of him." Warned her dad, stomping away angrily from the room, leaving Iris staring after him with tears in her eyes.

Nick reached home and parked his car and went inside. Hey Nick, what took you so long?" Asked his twin brother, Nelson who was studying the undergraduate program in hotel and restaurant management from Conrad College in Houston. 

"I was held up bro. Did you need me?" Asked Nick going up to his room.

"We're getting late for work. Uncle Henry would be waiting at The Grub Club," reminded Nelson. Henry Taylor was their dad's older brother who lived on the same road, kitty-corner from them with his wife, aunt Hannah and their five boys, Stuart and Sean,  Denver and Daxton and Drake and of course,  their dog, Timmy. Uncle Henry looked after their largest and main multi-cuisine restaurant, The Grub Club where Nelson worked after college, helping him.

Their dad's younger brother, Benjamin Taylor lived opposite to uncle Henry with his wife, Patricia and two sons, Ryan and Nate and of course,  their dog,  Queen. Uncle Benjamin looked after their hotel, Sterling Plaza. Their dad Nolan Taylor looked after their fast food restaurant, Quick Bite and Nick helped him after college.

"You go ahead. I'm feeling a little unwell," said Nick rushing up to his room. Nelson left while Nick rushed into his en-suite and threw up. He had never felt so sick before. Maybe Porty really did mentally curse him after all for eating his cake!

He freshened up and felt drained and gulped some water but yet the nausea didn't leave him. "What happened to you Nick?" Asked his ma, Pauline Taylor as she came into Nick's room. "Nelson said you're unwell?" She asked with concern.

"Ma, if you eat someone else's stuff, do you fall sick? I mean do you get that person's curse?" Asked Nick feeling cursed.

His ma chuckled. "Whose food did you eat now?" She asked with interest.

"I can't tell you," said Nick shaking his head.

"Nick, tell me, I'm now dying of curiosity, " said his ma.

"My dean, Eric Davenport's, " said Nick and his ma burst out laughing.

"Well in that case, you're in for trouble but no, you can't fall sick from his curse,"  said his ma.

"But I have fallen sick, see? I've been throwing up his cake ever since he saw me eat it," complained Nick.

"You might have eaten in a hurry Nick," explained his ma and Nick stared at his ma.

"He has called dad to see him at 2 o'clock tomorrow at his office," said Nick.

His ma looked at him with disbelief. "He summoned your dad because you ate up his cake?" She asked him.

"Nnooo, he called dad because I fell down on the floor with his daughter, " said Nick, scratching his neck. "It was actually an accident ma but he doesn't believe me."

His ma massaged her temples. "I knew there was a girl involved somewhere, " she said and Nick looked at her guiltily. "Now tell me exactly what happened. "

"His daughter joined our college, I sat beside her and sir kept picking at me. Then I collided with her and we fell down and again he was after me. Then I dropped her home and her granny offered me the cake which was his. I ate it up and he came home and got mad at me," sighed Nick.

"Hmmm, grave situation. I'll try to explain it to your dad," said his ma with a sigh.

"You will?" He asked jumping up from his bed.

"Yes, provided you do my deliveries for the next two weeks," said his ma. His ma took up special baking orders for parties and other events. It was her dream to open a small bakery but she never could make it happen with the twins who had always been a handful since birth.

"Done, thanks ma," said Nick with a grin. His ma gave him medicine and he lay down to rest a little.