Page 162 of Dirty Padraig: Dirty Dusters

“And what made you come here today?”

She shrugs. “I needed someplace to think.”

“About Ace?”

“Among other things.”

There’s a lengthy pause. She’s got something else on her mind. I wait for her to speak.

“Eoin cheated on me.”

And there it is. What’s also causing her distress and the reason my brother looks like death warmed up.

“Are you sure?”

She moves past me, then stands up. She walks toward the window to look out, even though the door’s wide open.

“I witnessed it with my own eyes!”

“Why would he cheat? He loves you. Why would he have bought you the hog if he didn't?” I keep my voice calm. There’s no point antagonizing her when she’s clearly volatile.

She spins around, eyes flashing green. “It won’t have been for my benefit. It will have been to lessen Mr. I Can’t Keep My Dick In My Pants’ feelings of goddamn guilt.”

I chuckle. “It must be an O’Connell trait.”

“You never cheated on me. He did.”

“No. You’re right. I didn’t.”

I stand and walk toward her just as my phone starts to ring.

“Dylan,” I answer, then put him on hands-free.

“Have you found Jaine yet?” He sounds panicked. He’s no doubt been getting it in the neck from our eldest brother.

“I’m here, Dylan.” She answers.

“Jaine, are you….”

“I’m fine. I just needed some time to process everything, that’s all.”

A pause.

“I’ll get off then. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Everyone was worried sick.” What he means is that Eoin was worried and making his life a misery.

I need to speak to Dylan about this cheating allegation. Did Eoin or didn’t he? Now’s not the time for that discussion. Not with Jaine so adamant that he did.

“I’ll give you a call on my way home, Dyl.”

“I look forward to it.”

I disconnect the call just as our eyes are both drawn to the slip of paper protruding from behind my handset.

“I know what that is.”

My lips turn upward. “So, you broke into my apartment and then went snooping.” I remove the photo, and we both stare at the image.

I watch as she pulls her own phone from her inside pocket. She opens the case and lifts out the handset. We’re confronted by the same image of us from our Yale days.

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