“Oh shit,” Lafayette said.
“Unless you’re sharing something personal to you thatabsolutely cannot wait for me to complete hosting a dinner party for myboyfriend’s parents, I don’t have anything to hide from Jag or his family,”Archie declared.
Joany looked from Arch, to Jag, to his parents, back toArch.
She then spilled.
“Okay, I might be wrong, but I could swear I saw Elijahcasing the store.”
“Casing…?”Archie asked, but the look on her face wassuddenly not right.
“He drove by three times,” Joany shared.“That I saw,” sheconcluded.
“You’re joking,” Archie said.
“I could be wrong,” Joany replied.
“If it was three times, and you know what he looks like, andwhat he drives, which you do, for both, how could you be wrong?”Archie asked.
“Okay, I’m probably not wrong,” Joany admitted.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”Archie demanded.
“I tried!”Joany returned hotly.“I’ve been sending textsfor the last half an hour.”
This was true.Her phone was binging.Archie was ignoring itbecause she’d been making salad.
“You weren’t replying,” Joany went on.“I showed to warnyou.Hence,” her head bounced to indicate where she was standing.“I’m here.”
“Arch?”Jag asked leadingly.
She looked to him.“I got three voicemails from Elijahtoday.”
“Well, shit,” Jag murmured.
“Um…who’s Elijah?”Keely queried.
Before Jagger could answer, Archie told her, “My brother.Wehad a to do.We’re on the outs.”
“You’re still not picking up from him, babe?”Jaggerinquired.
She shook her head to Jag.“No.Not since that scene at Dadand Haley’s.”She turned back to Joany.“Why would he be driving by?That’sweird.”
“Maybe working himself up?”Joany asked back.
“For….?”Archie trailed off on that and looked to Jaggerbecause they probably knew for what.
“Okay, I’ll get drinks for everyone and maybe you shouldcall him,” Jagger suggested.
Archie got a stubborn set to her face, “He—”
“Call him, baby, and tell him tonight is not the night andyou’ll hook up with him later,” he instructed.
“I don’t want to hook up with him later.He had his chanceto talk things out the other night,” she reminded him.
He made note, as laidback as his girl was, she could hold agrudge.
“We can talk about this later, for now—”
