Her blood pulsed in her head, thrumming and swirling and crashing through her veins until it was louder than the din of the wedding guests around them.
If he ruinedthiswedding, she’d dip his extremities in liquid nitrogen, chop them off, and shootthemup on a firecracker.
She leaned back and folded her arms to block the view of her rapidly rising and falling chest.
Not all his extremities.
Just one.
Neil’s smile faltered faster than his iPod had sunk in Kaci’s pool. “Hey, Anna.”
As if he were supposed to be here.
As if they were friends.
As if he was an idiot.
Anna could’ve asked him a million things. Why he was here? Who helped him get in? How had he arranged to be at her assigned table? What inhelldid he hope to accomplish?
Instead, she pointed to the door. “Leave.”
The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She looked to her left, and found Jackson watching her two tables over. His gaze flicked to Neil, then back to Anna. “Okay?” he mouthed. He looked as disappointed as Radish did upon being denied fried chicken.
The spinning in her chest stopped and a fire licked up in its place. She glared at Neil again. “What would your mother say if she knew you’d crashed a wedding?” she hissed.
Neil’s cheek twitched. “My mother? What does she have to do with anything?”
Anna stood so fast her chair tipped. She snatched her place tag and pointed at Neil with it. “Southern hospitality might dictate you’re welcome to stay, but I’m not Southern, and you need to get the hell out of here. You arenotruining this wedding too.”
“Maybe we could?—”
“Excuse me, Anna Grace.” Jackson was suddenly beside her, his drawl bordering on dumb redneck. “Wondering if you might do me a favor and switch places.”
Her eyes darted between her ex-husband and the man she’d hoped to strip out of his uniform tonight. Neil’s brows dipped in the pouty-disappointed look he used to get when it was her turn to pick the movie for date night. Jackson stayed cool and calm and Jackson-like. She finally settled her gaze on him. “I?—”
“Don’t need any help,” he finished. He put his hand at the small of her back and nudged.Go on, his gaze said.Cool yourjets and take it outside later.
Great. Now he’d do the man thing withherex-husband.
Jackson’s lips quirked up. Just a smidge, right there in the corner.
The room was growing quieter and people were starting to notice. She lifted her chin and headed for Jackson’s seat. Kaci and Lance were laughing with Cheri. Kaci’s momma was adjusting the straps on the dress of a junior bridesmaid. They hadn’t noticed. Maybe this reception was salvageable.
If Jackson and Neil both survived sharing a meal.
Anna’s new seat was between two of Lance’s cousins. They had almost as many stories about their misspent youths as Kaci did about hers. Still, it wasn’t enough to distract her. And when dinner ended and the cake was cut and the toasts done—without any overtly awkward moments this time—Neil dropped into the seat Lance’s cousin abandoned.
“Listen, Anna, can we talk?”
She stood. “Nope.” Jackson was still at the other table, nodding politely to one of Kaci’s older female relatives, but she knew he was watching.
Waiting to be asked to help, she supposed.
And she couldn’t decide if she appreciated it or not.
“I’m sorry you’re upset,” Neil said. “If you’d give me a minute?—”
She didn’t let him finish. She was too busy walking away.
