“I’m repeating what you said to me, Malin.”
“Tell me, once this op is done, how do you see us?”
“I don’t know. Taking some time off, going back to the island, figuring out what life might look like for us.”
“You’ve decided all of this without consulting me.”
“Hold on a minute, I said I didn’t know.”
“What if I see us going our separate ways?”
Dutch opened the front door of the cottage and motioned for her to go in ahead of him. “Is that really what you see happening?”
“Are you really asking me to make a decision about my future when I’m in the middle of the most important thing I’ve ever done? I mean, could you imagine if I’d showed up in Somalia when you were on your way to extract Mantis from the pirates, and I said, ‘Hey, Dutch? What do you say we move in together when this is all over?’”
“It’s a little different.”
“Is it? Are you under the impression that I don’t need to stay as focused as you had to be under those circumstances? Are you also under the impression that I’m not fighting for my life?”
“I think you’re exaggerating the situation.”
Malin couldn’t believe her ears. “I want you to leave.”
“Leave? Where am I supposed to go?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t want you here.”
“What does that mean, exactly? Leave the cottage, leave the ranch, or leave your life?”
“For now, the cottage.”
“Jesus, Malin. Hold on a minute…”
“No, Dutch. I can’t be around you right now.”
—:—
Dutch stood by the front door and watched Malin walk up the stairs. What the hell had just happened? One minute he was kissing the back of her neck, and the next she was kicking him out of bed.
There was no point in arguing with her, so he walked out the door and back over to the winery.
“What are you doing here?” asked Onyx, who was standing just inside the front door. “I thought I saw you leave with the beautiful Miss Malin.”
“What the fuck, Onyx? You got a thing for Malin? ’Cause the way I see, she’s with me.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” he said, holding up his hands. “What did I do?”
“Quit with the ‘beautiful Miss Malin’ shit, okay?”
“Not a problem. Why don’t you tell me what’s turned you into such an asshole?”
Dutch walked over to the bar, wishing they had something behind it stronger than wine. Onyx came around and picked up a bottle.
“You want some of this?” he said, holding up what looked like a bottle of red wine. “Or this?” He held up bourbon.
“I love you so much right now.”
“It’s a damn fine line between love and hate with you, bro.”