Page 3 of Jag

“Now that we caught up on the news from home, why don’t you fill me in on the woman that left, Jag?”

“Shit, where to start, man,” I said, then figured the beginning would be best. How long could it take to cover a few months? Coast listened while I recounted my time with Simone.

“Seriously, brother, your taste in women... Hell, you can pick them.” He chuckled, and I wanted to be pissed, but I had no argument or excuse because he was right.

“They haven’t all been bad. Most had been the have-fun-while-it-lasted type. And it had been mutual with no strings.”

“Uh huh, that’s worked over the years for you. Let’s see, your car was repainted because the one chick spray painted ‘cheating bastard’ on both sides while you were in the restaurant with another woman.”

“She was the one who said it wasn’t working out. I agreed, then moved on. I can’t help it that she changed her mind and turned into a stalker. I wouldn’t have been so pissed if she’d just painted bastard, it was the cheating part that irked my ass. I don’t cheat,” I said indignantly, but it didn’t bother Coast, he snickered and went on.

“Two slashed bike tires, your gas tank with the words ‘I hate you’ scratched into it, the nick in your shoulder when the one chick threw the cooking knife at you. Need I continue. Admit it, brother, the strange and crazy are drawn to you.”

“Hey, there wasn’t anything wrong with Marilee. I really liked her, and I’ll even admit that I hated she moved away after graduation.”

“Seriously, you have to go back to high school to come up with one? Dude, that is fucking sad.”

“It counts!”

Coast shook his head and smirked. “Fine, I’ll give you that one. I liked Marilee, she was nice, funny, and smart even with the crappy foster family she was stuck with.”

“See, there is another thing to look forward to about going home, the women around the club and town know the deal,” I said.

“True.” The doorbell rang right after Coast spoke, and I stood. I looked at him as I walked to the door.

“You know, for the first time I think I understand why our dads always say they don’t need or want ol’ ladies.”

“I’m not opposed to finding a woman who doesn’t play games. A sweet one who doesn’t harp and does what I say.” I couldn’t hold back the laughter at Coast’s words.

“Brother, you’d be bored inside a week. At least with the sweet. The game playing, well, never been a fan of that shit myself.”

I pulled the door open and paid for the food. Once I set the containers out on the coffee table, I went and grabbed a couple more beers for us.

It was nice having one of my brothers to hang with for a change. As Coast and I talked more about home and the changes the dads were making within the club, the more at peace I became with my decision. It was time, Black Hawk was definitely where I needed to be.

“To home and one day finding the right woman.” I held my bottle out to Coast.

“And until she’s found, in the faraway future, plenty to keep the nights from being cold and lonely.” Coast tapped his bottle to mine.

As I tipped my bottle and took a drink, my decision to leave the military felt right. Knowing my brothers would be there too, just made it that much better.

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