Lead (Stage Dive, #3)(35)

Down the table, David sat up in his seat. “Why not Jim?”

“Because she works for me?” Interjected my boss, tugging at the collar of his shirt. Seemed he didn’t like being the topic of conversation as much as he enjoyed throwing me to the wolves. Too bad, buddy.

“Davie, please.” Mal continued on as if Jimmy hadn’t spoken. “Stop and think about this. Everyone he sleeps with ends up hating him.”

“That’s not true,” said Jimmy.

“No? Name one woman you’ve banged that still talks to you.”

Time crept on, but Jimmy did not respond, and no one else came to his rescue either.

“My point exactly. You do no aftercare and it shows.” Mal turned back to David. “He doesn’t even have the common courtesy to pretend to be interested in hooking up again. Doesn’t take the phone number or anything. It’s just plain rude.”

“That’s appalling,” I said, enjoying myself immensely. It was only by the grace of god that I managed to avoid having Jimmy’s boot connect with my toes a second time. He missed, hitting one of the legs of my chair instead. I mocked him greatly with my eyes.

“And you!” Mal pointed his finger at me. “You’re always giving him shit. You can’t help yourself. You two have your little tiffs now and it’s all cute and funny and we can all laugh at you behind your backs about it. But, Davie, man. Imagine if they were actually playing hide the sausage. We’d be spending every holiday listening to them bicker and carry on at the table, making a scene. It’s just not on.”

My mouth hung open.

“Whatever happens, you two must not bump uglies. I want your word on this.” Cue more finger pointing from Mal, this time with the added benefit of waggling. “It would make life impossible for us all.”

Anne’s mom fled the table.

“When did I ever say Lena and me were getting together?” With a long groan, Jimmy looked to the heavens for help. “Someone shut him up. Shoot him or something, anything.”

Ben scratched at his head. “Lena and Jim do fight a lot.”

David and Ev just looked mildly perplexed.

“So, hang on, should I be going or staying,” I asked. “I can’t keep up.”

“Oh you can’t go,” continued Mal. “Anybody, when was the last time Jim even had a friend, outside of us, who wasn’t either using with him or supplying him, hmm?”

After a moment, David shook his head. “Honestly can’t remember.”

“Back in school, maybe,” said Ben. “That kid who played roadie for us senior year?”

“God, you’re right,” said Ev, eyes bright with some emotion. “Lena’s his only friend. We can’t let her leave.”

“She’s not my only friend.” Color rose in Jimmy’s cheeks.

“Quiet, Jimmy,” ordered Mal. “The adults are talking.”

“But I don’t know if them getting together’s a good idea either,” said Ben.

“Or maybe you and Mal should mind your own business.” David slipped an arm around Ev’s shoulders.

“What couple doesn’t fight?” asked Anne.

“But she baits him, pumpkin,” said Mal. “I’ve seen her. She thinks it’s funny to stir him up. Wonder what that says about her.” His eyes glittered with curiosity.

I sat bolt upright in my chair. “Okay. I think this conversation has gone far enough.”

“You know, there used to be this girl in second grade who would always pick on me. But every time we played catch and kiss she’d come after me with everything she had.” He turned to Anne. “It’s alright, pumpkin. I was fast, she never caught me.”

“That’s a relief.” Anne smiled.

“I might have been a bit afraid of girl germs back then. But she reminds me of Lena with Jimmy. Did I tell you how Davie found them rolling around on the floor one day?”

“That was a professional intervention,” I said.

“Jim, just out of curiosity, how many of Lena’s interventions wind up getting physical? Do you find she often comes up with excuses to handle you, so to speak?”

“I do not,” I said, voice climbing in volume.

“Look how riled up she got when I tried to find out more about her,” said Mal. “That’s why you’re thinking about quitting, isn’t it? Afraid you’re getting too attached, maybe?”

“Mal, that’s enough,” said Anne. “Leave the poor girl alone.”

Anger surged, running hot through me. One of my buttons had most definitely been pushed. I jumped to my feet, sending my chair sliding back. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Fuck’s sake.” Jimmy’s stood and reached across the table, his hand snagging my wrist. “Calm down, Lena.”

“But—”

“Calm down,” Jimmy repeated. “He’s being an idiot.”

I huffed.

“Yeah,” said Mal. “Keep your lady friend under control, Jimmy.”

“Mal.” Jimmy gave our host flinty eyes of great unhappiness. His thumb stroked soothingly against the inside of my wrist, back and forth, back and forth. I doubt he even realized he was doing it. “I’m serious. This is Thanksgiving, enough of this bullshit.” He turned back to me. “Okay?”