Jagger
“It’s set for next Tuesday, yeah?The parents aregonna show at the Compound for dinner?”Jagger asked.
“Yeah, baby,” Archie answered.
“Right.Good,” he replied.“I got the guys sorted.Dutch,Joker and Hugger are gonna swing by in their trucks to ferry the kids to Ride.We’re gonna do a store tour, a garage tour and finish with the parents showingand a cookout at the Compound.”
They were in her kitchen.
He’d just finished pounding some pork chops into cutlets forthe schnitzel Archie was making for dinner for him and his parents.She was ata bowl that was full of broccoli, cheese, red onion and bacon she was mixingwith some dressing made of mayo, sugar and vinegar.
She hadn’t yet met him, and still, she was going to servethe perfect Hound Salad: mayo, bacon, cheese, sugar with a nod to somethinggreen.
“They’re really gonna like this food, baby,” he told herafter she turned to the fridge to shove the salad in.
She shot him a smile.“Awesome.”She wandered the short wayto him and leaned against the counter close by his side.“Now, can we talkabout how cute it is you’re all in to plan this field trip?”
“Sure, but before you push me up on that pedestal, when I dogood things for your kids, I get head, so it’s not entirely altruistic.”
She busted out laughing.
The buzzer sounded.
“I’ll get it,” she said, still laughing.“Can you dredgethose cutlets in flour?”
“What’s dredge?”he asked.
She changed her mind.“Never mind.You get the door.I’lldredge.”
He nodded, kissed her cheek as he passed her and headed tothe intercom.
He hit the button.“Yo.”
“Let us up,” Joany demanded.
Needless to say, Joany was not who he expected since hisparents were due any second now.
Because of this, he turned his gaze to Archie to see how shewanted to play this.
And as he did, she was saying, “For shit’s sake.”
The intercom sounded again.
“Dude, buzz us up,” Joany repeated her demand.
“Ask her ‘who’s us’?”Archie ordered.
He hit the button.
“Who’s us?”he said into the speaker.
“Me and Lafayette,” Joany answered.
Again, Jag looked to Archie.
The instant he caught her eyes, she queried, “How non-judgyare your folks?”
“Very.”
