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Holiday Heir

Page 151

by Maggie Cole

Mama stays entirely too calm for a woman who just sent my heart rate into triple digits. "Jagger took Charlie to see your daddy."

My mouth drops open.

Her lips twitch.

I recover. "He what?"

"He wanted to surprise him."

I stare at her. "Surprise him?"

She shrugs.

"You let Jagger take Charlie to Daddy's farm?"

"She's his daughter too, Lainey."

"I know she's his daughter. That's not the part I'm stuck on." I stand and shove my foot the rest of the way into my boot. "You let Jagger go meet Daddy without me?"

"I didn't let him do anything. He's a grown man."

"Daddy might shoot him before he gets out of the truck!"

She snickers.

"Mama!"

"Oh, calm down. It'll be good."

"How?"

She crosses her arms and tilts her head. "Because your daddy misses Charlie."

The irritation drains out of me almost instantly. I know he does. Daddy tried to hide it when we left, but he called every night the first week. Half the time, he barely talked to me. He just wanted me to put the phone near Charlie so he could babble at her.

Still.

Jagger.

Daddy.

Alone.

That combination could go in about twelve different directions, and eleven of them end with Jagger bleeding.

I demand, "What did Jagger say he wanted to talk to him about?"

Mama arches an eyebrow. "Man things."

I groan. "Oh, Lord."

"That was pretty much my reaction."

I pull out my phone, but there aren't any messages. "What time did he leave?"

"About three hours ago."

"And you're just telling me?"