Mal’s question made him stop and look back at the kid.
“I’m standing here, aren’t I?”Jag noted.Then joked, “Imean, as much as your joyous company lights my day and gives the promise of amillion better tomorrows, I dogottawork to pay mymortgage.”
His joke made Mal crack another smile.
That smile did not have a long life.
“I…” Mal seemed like he was going to say something, but Jagfigured what came out of his mouth next was not what Mal intended to say.“I’llsay sorry to Fabe.”
“Awesome,” Jag said.
“And I’ll get on my homework,” Mal continued.
“Great, kid.”
Mal pulled his lips in and nodded.
Then he slid off his stool and crept through the store tothe back, where Archie had storage, a break room, the bathroom, and a setup forthe kids to watch TV, play videogames, and sit at a table and do homework.
And again with the creeping.
He couldn’t say he knew Mal all that well.That was thelongest period of time he’d spent with the kid and they’d done it barelyspeaking.
But he always seemed full of something, himself, swagger,whatever.
Now he seemed…
Beaten.
Archie was at his side before Mal made it to the door to theback.
Joany was with her.
Joany spoke first.
“What was up his ass?”
“He didn’t share,” Jag told her as Archie slid an arm aroundhis waist simultaneous with him curving an arm around her shoulders.
Joany gave them an up and down and stated, “I hate to be theone to inform you of this, but it’s impossible for you two to physically fuse.”
“You are very wrong about that,” Archie returned.“Do wehave to have aconvoabout the birds and bees?”
Joany made a face.“Don’t gross me out.You’re my girl.You’re asexual.”She jerked her head at Jag.“He’s not, of course.He’sverysexual.But you have Barbie parts.”
Jagger started chuckling.
“Learn early, Jag, don’t encourage her,” Archie advised, nottaking her eyes off Joany.
Jag didn’t quit chuckling.
“Andagain,” Archie said this to Joany, “stopperving on my boyfriend.”
“If you date a hot guy, you give up the right to ask friendsand acquaintances not to perv on said hot guy,” Joany shot back.
“That is not true,” Archie retorted.
“Sis, if I was dating a hot guy, I’dso totallyletyou perv on him.It’d be my civic duty.”
