He leaned against the building, well out of sight of the entrance around the corner, fidgeting with his phone. His tie was crooked and despite the pleasant seventy-two-degree weather, he’d already mopped his brow three times with a handkerchief.
She left the gift in her car but snagged her small purse so she’d have somewhere to stash her keys and phone, then gave Jackson two seconds to catch up. “Anna Grace?”
She latched onto his arm, ignoring the flutter in her heart from touching him, and pulled him toward Dr. Kelly. “How are you with distracting retired colonels who are crashing their ex-wives’ wedding?” she murmured, looking anywhere but at him and the bronze oak leaves on his shoulders.
She hoped like hell afterthiswedding she’d be stripping a man out of uniform.
Especially since Neil had nothing on Jackson. The uniform had made Neil look good, but Jackson made the uniform look good.
“I, ah, he—what?”
She nodded toward Dr. Kelly. “Kaci’s ex,” she whispered.
Jackson’s face twisted into an expression that made her wonder if his momma knew he knew those ungentlemanly words. His lips settled into a resigned line. “Gonna owe me for this one, Anna Grace.”
“Got an overnight bag in my car.”
He didn’t twitch a single muscle, but his eyes turned to midnight. “Got a pie in it?”
She laughed. “Something better.”
Dr. Kelly looked at both of them, and his eyes narrowed.
Jackson nudged Anna forward. “Works for me.”
Kaci’s ex looked ready to bolt, and not toward the parking lot, so Anna stepped up her pace. “Hi, Dr. Kelly,” she called. “Beautiful day, isn’t it?”
Jackson gave a soft snort. “Smooth, Anna Grace.”
She elbowed him. Dr. Kelly angled closer to the corner.
“Whew, this place is crawling with military guys today,” she said. “Weren’t you?—”
“Evening, sir,” Jackson interrupted, sticking his hand out. “Been a while.”
Dr. Kelly clasped Jackson’s hand. “Stuck it out this long, have you?” the older man said. He spared another eyeball toward Anna before focusing on Jackson again. “Thought after AFIT, you’d hook up with Boeing.”
She stifled a surprised squeak. Neil always said it was a small Air Force. Guess it was true.
“Not in it for the money.” Jackson nudged her.
“Nice to see you,” she murmured, and slunk around the side of the building to let Jackson handle it.
She thoughtKaciprobably owed him for that one, but she was willing to take one for the team and pay her friend’s debt.
She was a giver like that.
She pushed through the revolving door and into the reception area. Clumps of people in fancy attire milled about the room in a disorganized line to the ballroom.
The ballroom where her marriage had evaporated.
Hoo-boy.
“Anna?” A somewhat familiar, lanky, brunette captain approached. She flashed a smile at Anna, her brown eyes keenly observant. The wings on her mess dress flashed.
Anna didn’t know much about Lance’s sister beyond her call sign and that she flew fighters—and that Jackson had once asked her out—but if anyone fit the bill as a relative of Lance’s, this woman did. “Lightning?”
She tipped her head up when she laughed. “Cheri, please. Kaci’s asking for you.”
