Except Andy, he took three.
And Jag, who got three too.
Jag was on his back, Archie curled into his side,nuzzling his skin with her nose and mouth and trailing her fingers over hischest.He had his arm around her and was tracing random patterns on the skin ofher shoulder.
They’d fucked, she’d cleaned up, and they were in her bedeven though they’d planned to spend the night at his pad (after the emotion ofthe day, he wanted her to have her space).
It was dark because it was late.
But the space by the bed lit up with her phone going again.
She had it on silent.
And neither of them had to look to know who it was.
“How many is that?”he asked softly.
“Who cares?”
She did, he knew.
He said nothing.
Her brother was blowing up her phone.
She didn’t block him, but she didn’t pick up.
To take her mind off it, he urged, “Tell me about Haley’sex.”
She drew in a breath, let it go, which he hoped was lettingthe shit happening with her brother go (at least for now) and gave it to him.
“I’ve only seen him a couple of times.Never met him.Lianeplayed lacrosse in high school.He came to a few games.He’s a workaholic.Heabandoned them without officially abandoning them, if you know what I mean.”
“I do,” he confirmed.
He felt rather than saw her nod.
She then continued.
“Haley tried to get him to work on their marriage, not hisjob, he kept promising he would, but didn’t.She got fed up with it, and whenhe was away on business, which he was a lot, she had the locks changed.Askedhim for a separation.He’s not big on failure and wouldn’t even discuss it.Healso wouldn’t change his ways and spend more time in his roles as a husband andfather.So she saw no way forward except to file for divorce.He’s neverforgiven her and he’s not the kind of guy who lets things lie.That means now,even though they’ve been divorced since the girls were little, I think it’sbeen maybe ten, twelve years, he still intermittently gets in her shit about‘giving up on them.’”
“What a dick.”
“Yeah, and I will note, I saw him go to a few of Liane’sgames.And I didn’t go to all of her games, but I’d say more than half of theones I went to, he wasn’t there.But Dad never missed one.And Hellen plays theflute, and she’s had some concerts, and I’ve never seen their dad at Hellen’sgigs, not once.My dad…again, always.”
“Really dig your dad, baby,” he murmured.
She cuddled closer.“I do too.”
He grinned at the ceiling, tracing random patterns on thepoint of her shoulder.
“We need to arrange you to meet my folks,” he told her.
“I reallywannado that.Do youthink they’d come here?My haul today included this pretty kickass table withthese pale blue bucket chairs.I haven’t put it out on the floor because it’dfit perfect up here.And I need a dining room table.They could help mechristen it.”
“They’d love that.”
“They can name the night, boyfriend.All my nights are foryou anyway.”
