“Listen, Carolyn isn’t my favorite person either, but she’strying and we both know it isn’t cool you bring some rando chick in order to—”
Okay, there we go.
That was precisely why he hated it when Dutch started ridinghis ass.
Because he usually did it when he didn’t know what he wastalking about.
“She’s not rando,” Jag bit out.
“So you’re seeing some woman who you’ve never mentioned toanyone and she’s important enough to bring to a family dinner?”
“I met her the day her mother was put into the ground.Itwas a day I was visiting Dad’s grave.And that day was my sixteenth birthday.”
That shut Dutch up.
Jag kept talking.
“I haven’t said anything because we haven’t pulled our shittogether.Now, we’re pulling our shit together.She wanted to have dinnertonight.I told her I had plans, told her about Carolyn and she wanted to bethere.So she’s gonna be there.”
There was stuff he left out and Dutch didn’t miss it.
“You’ve been seeing someone for over ten years and I’venever heard of her?”
“It’s a long story,” Jagger replied.“But bottom line foryou is, this isn’t about Carolyn.You want this not to be weird for Georgie.And you want what Georgie wants.Family sitting down together and breakingbread and you want it to go well for her.Now, the bottom line for me is, youand Georgie are going the distance and I’m eventually gonna end up with someoneand Carolyn is gonna see that and she’s gonna have to move on with her ownlife.If she’s not ready to do that, then I should not have been invited tothis dinner.”
“I’m still not feeling the fact you’ve known some woman whoclearly means something to you for ten years and I’ve never heard her name.”
“How ’bout you let me have my shit, and I’ll let you in onit when I’m ready, like you have your shit, and I hang tight and wait for youto let me in on it, if you’re ever ready to let me in on it.”
“When have I had shit that isn’t yours?”Dutch demanded.
Was he for real?
“Uh…Carlyle.And you and Georgie investigating his dad’smurder,” Jag returned.“And, say, you and Georgie being hot and heavyatalland we only found out because we showed at your house as a surpriseand she showed at your house and it was a surprise to us, but it absolutely wasnot to you.”
“Fuck,” Dutch muttered.
“Unh-hunh,” Jag returned.
“That was going on days, not a decade, Jag,” Dutch shotback.
Okay, he was done talking about this.
“Listen, there’s something between me and Archie and there’ssomething Archie is dealing with and something I’m dealing with and it’s ours.Just lay off.And be cool with her when she comes over.Or if you can’t be coolwith her, and me, tell me now and we just won’t come over.”
“What are you dealing with?”
Fuck, fuck,fuck.
“Did you not hear me when I was talking about shit that wasmine and I’ll let you in on it when I’m ready?”
Dutch went silent again.
“So, Archie and me good to come over tonight, or not?”Jagpushed.
It took a second before Dutch spoke again.
“I’m always there for you, man, you know that, don’t you?”
