“I thought you were taking the weekend off.” My tone is as flat as her stare.
“I am.”
I chew on the inside of my cheek. “Then what was that?” I gesture to the phone.
Mom averts her gaze. “It was nothing.”
I don’t know why I’m surprised. Mom has made and broken many promises over the years, but this ismywedding. I figured that for this, of all things, she would finally show up for me. I hate how wrong I was.
“Come on, honey, don’t be mad. It was just a phone call,” Mom says dismissively. She laughs, but I don’t laugh with her. My parents have always put their careers first. They sacrificed our family’s happiness, which is exactly why I quit my job—because I vowed never to be like them.
“Mom, I believe the hospital can manage things without you for a few days.”
She sighs. “Yeah, maybe.” She goes silent, and I’m about to leave when she asks, “Where are you going? Is the party over already?”
“I’m looking for Leigh,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Is everything okay?” Mom asks in that gentle tone—the one she mainly uses with patients.
Pushing my hair out of my face, I nod. “Yeah.” She understands that Leigh has been struggling since losing Aradia.I’ve just been pretending it’s not as bad as it really is. Mom’s good at reading people, too.
She studies me a little longer, her clinical gaze searching for cracks. Satisfied that I don’t need her to patch me up, she grins. “I saw your bride heading that way”—she points behind me—“maybe six minutes ago.”
“Thanks.” I turn around, but she grabs my sleeve.
“Wait, I want to talk to you. Your dad—” She opens her beaded bag.
I glance down the hallway. “Can it wait?” I want to see Leigh one more time before we exchange vows at the altar.
Mom snaps her purse shut. “Of course.”
I kiss her cheek. “Desi and Vane are in the ballroom. You should go mingle.”
“Sounds fun.”
Feeling satisfied, I leave Mom behind and pick up my pace. Smirking, I run my fingers over the silky ribbon in my pocket.
Leigh, what are you up to?
Jaxson glaresat Vane like he’s stolen his favorite toy.Me.
Vane is deep in conversation with Ry, ignoring how Jax is sizing him up, as if he could somehow throw my six-five vampire husband out the nearest stained-glass window and into the Acheron River below. I shift uncomfortably. What’s his problem? I thought we were all friends.
I scan the ballroom for Jaxson’s boyfriend, Anselm, to help me run interference. I’ve seen pictures of him on Jax’s social media, but he’s not here. My stomach drops. He was invited. Wasn’t he? I don’t recall seeing him at dinner either.
If they broke up, Jax would have told me—unless they ended things because of me. That could explain Jax’s hostility toward Vane.
Jax and I broke up years ago. We don’t see each other often, but we talk regularly on the phone. Not once has he mentioned still having feelings for me or ending things with Anselm. I wouldn’t even imagine it, but the haunted look in his whiskey-colored eyes tells me he has something painful to say, and once he does, there’ll be no taking it back.
I cross and uncross my arms, trying and failing to listen to Vane talk about the live performer we booked for Little Death. I can’t focus with Jaxson standing there. The energy coming off him is overwhelmingly suffocating.
I should either say something or pull Jax aside and ask him directly what’s going on. I haven’t seen him this anxious since right before he dumped me because he was worried Wilder would find out we were dating. He’s hiding something, and I can only hope I’m wrong and it has nothing to do with me. Because there’s no way I can hurt him again; he’s my best friend. I’m fully committed to Vane, but I want to let Jax down gently. I couldn’t live with him hating me.
I put distance between myself and Vane. No point in rubbing salt in the wound if Jaxson still has feelings. This weekend isn’t about us. It’s about Leigh and Wilder. I won’t make a scene.
“I didn’t see Anselm at dinner. Is he coming tonight?” I ask to test the waters.
“He’s not,” Jax says, his tone uneasy.
