Chapter Sixteen #3
“Now, honestly, if you cannot get your head out of your ass,
Eli, I have to tell you, in front of company, two of those company I do not
know but I very much want them to like me, but I have to say this anyway…we
have an official problem,” she declared. “Because I’m not playing this game for
you anymore. You either figure it out, and I’ll help you, or we co-own a
building and that’s it. And if you have some issue with how I manage it, you’ll
have to put it in writing, and I’ll decide how I feel about your concerns. If
you don’t like my decision, you can let me buy you out, or you can sue me.”
Elijah’s eyes widened. “Are you honestly standing there
reducing us to that over Haley?”
“No,” she whispered, and Jagger’s gut clenched at the pain
in that one syllable. “I’m reducing us to that because I’m sick and tired of
you treating me like shit.”
Hearing these words, Elijah’s entire upper body jerked.
“I don’t treat you like shit, Arch,” he said quietly.
“It’s me having the feeling, Eli, and I can assure you, it
feels like you treat me like shit. You break Dad’s heart, over and over again,
I’m powerless to do anything but watch, and it hurts witnessing it. You act
like I’m your personal assistant, and I’m not. I have a life and a business and
I’m falling in love.”
Well.
Damn.
Keely made a noise.
Hound sounded like he’d swallowed a grunt.
There was some tittering in the area Lafayette and Joany
were occupying.
And Jagger got even closer to his girl.
But Archie was focused.
“And do you know why all that hurts so bad?”
Elijah didn’t say anything.
But Archie did.
“It hurts so bad because Mom would hate how you’re
behaving.”
Elijah looked away.
Oh yeah.
There it was.
He knew that was the truth.
“And you know it,” she finished.
Elijah turned back. “Maybe we should discuss this another
time.”
“Yes,” Archie agreed. “Maybe we should.”
Elijah shifted his attention Joany and Lafayette’s way.
“Good to see you guys.”
Lafayette’s eyes narrowed in annoyance and Joany’s widened
in fury.
“Are you for real?” Joany asked.
Lafayette murmured, “Quiet, baby girl.”
Joany shut up.
Elijah looked at Jagger and said, “One day, we’ll spend time
and there won’t be a drama.”
“I fucking hope so,” Jagger replied.
Elijah’s jaw clenched.
He then turned to Keely and Hound.
“I’m sorry to intrude.”
Neither said anything.
Finally, back to Archie. “We’ll work this out.”
But she wasn’t backing down.
“Yes, we will, if you do the work.”
His jaw jumped again before he dipped his chin, turned and
walked out the door.
“Swear. To. God. If you don’t get me a goddamn
cocktail, right…freaking…now, I will scream,” Joany declared
in Lafayette’s direction the minute the door latched.
Jagger pulled Archie around and into his arms, calling,
“Hey,” since she was looking at Joany.
She tipped her head back and gave him her gaze.
“I think cocktails are so totally in order,” she announced.
She had tears in her eyes.
He dipped his face closer to hers and whispered, “Baby.”
“Best memories, best memories ever, bar none, Jag,
were when we were all together. I had mom moments with her I treasure. I think
of them and they hurt at the same time they feel so good. But the
birthdays and Christmases and going to Mile High Stadium to see fireworks on
the Fourth of July all together, those were the best. Because she was at her
happiest, all of us together. I did not lie. She’d hate this. She’d hate it.”
Her nostrils were flaring with the effort it was taking to
try to fight the tears, so he cupped the back of her head and pulled her face
in his chest.
His phone in his back pocket rang with a call, which was
probably a robocall because no one ever phoned him.
He ignored it and held Archie close.
“We’re gonna skip,” Lafayette said quietly, sidling close
and taking Joany with him.
“Right, man,” Jagger said. “Nice to meet you.”
Lafayette nodded.
“She needed that,” Joany told him as they passed.
“I know, babe. Go have a drink. Thanks for trying to take
her back,” Jagger replied.
Joany patted Archie and she pulled her face out of his chest
to give Joany a weak smile as Lafayette and her moved out.
Jagger’s phone had stopped ringing, but he heard Archie’s
that was in the kitchen start right up.
She ignored it, and even if Jagger didn’t and he thought
that was weird, he had to stay with her because she was turning them to his
parents.
“I’m so sorry,” she said.
“No need to be, darlin’,” Keely replied gently. “You want us
to take off? We can do this another night.”
“No, no, we have tons of food and I’ll rally, I promise,”
Archie said.
“How about we make a deal and Hound and me finish up
whatever needs done in the kitchen, you and Jag chill out with a drink for a
bit, and we’ll reconvene over dinner. You cool with letting me in your
kitchen?”
“I couldn’t—” Archie started.
“I love to cook, so does Hound,” Keely assured.
“I love to feed her, and my boys, I don’t actually like to
cook,” Hound amended.
Keely sighed, but not with irritation, because she didn’t
miss the first part of what he said.
Jagger relaxed because Archie’s lips were turning up.
But Jagger’s turned down because Archie’s phone stopped
ringing, and Jagger’s started up again.
That finally got Archie’s attention, and her gaze came to
his, her brows drawn.
“Just a sec,” he murmured, pulled it out, and when he saw
the screen, quickly took the call. “Hey, Mal, what’s up?” he asked, using Mal’s
name so Archie would know who it was.
She no longer looked puzzled, she looked worried.
Mal’s voice came in his ear.
“My grandma died, and I need you.”
Jagger dropped his head, turned from everyone, and gave Mal
all of his attention. “Sorry, buddy, what?”
He sounded choked when he said, “Gramma died. Mom’s not
good. We need to get to the hospital, and I took her keys because she’s cryin’ so bad, we won’t be safe. I need you to drive us.”
“Okay, bud, I’ll be there. Does Archie know where you live?”
“I think so.”
“Okay, I’ll ask her. Be there as soon as I can.”
“Thanks, Jagger.”
“You bet, Mal. Hang tight. Be there soon.”
Mal hung up.
Jagger turned to Archie. “His grandmother died. His mom is
in no shape to drive to the hospital. He wants me to take them.”
“I—” she began, her eyes sliding to Keely and Hound.
“You go, we’ll sort out your kitchen,” Keely said
immediately. “Do we need a key to lock up?”
“I have an extra,” Archie stated hurriedly, rushing toward
the kitchen.
Jag caught Hound’s eyes.
“This one of those kids Dutch told us about?” Hound asked
low.
Jag nodded.
“Fuck,” Hound murmured.
Archie rushed back to him with her bag in her hand.
Keely came to her and grabbed the key.
“Okay, let’s go,” Arch said. Her fingers locking around
Jagger’s, she pulled him toward the door. “Sorry. So, so sorry. We’ll
reschedule.”
“Don’t think about it for a second,” Keely said.
“You be safe out there,” Hound said.
“Yeah, thanks, later,” Jagger called as they walked out.
“How’d he sound?” Archie asked in the hall as they moved
swiftly down it.
“Like he was holding it together but was about to lose it.”
“Shit,” she bit out.
And they both broke into a jog when they hit the stairs.