As if she sensed the direction of his thoughts, Mara frowned, too. “I’m worried about Matt. Will you talk to him?”

“Of course. Ridley was able to calm him earlier, so I think he’s okay now. But hopefully I can get him to talk to me before he puts his fist through anything else.”

She nodded quickly and then surprised him by throwing her arms around his neck. He had to switch his beer to his left hand to keep from dropping it. When she pulled back, her eyes were slightly shiny.

Please god, don’t start crying.

“Sorry. I’m fine. Don’t get that panicked look.” She swiped under her eyes. “It’s just been a hard transition with him coming back from Iraq. Then there’s the thing with Trent.” She flushed slightly and averted her eyes.

All joking aside, he’d never taken flirting with Mara seriously, so he couldn’t deny that the idea of her and Trent as a couple was just… weird. As beautiful as she was, it would feel too much like hitting on his own sister, if he’d had one. Plus, if he was honest, she really wasn’t his type. Cynthia had been quiet, more into playing the piano and singing to the boys than socializing. As wild and outgoing as he appeared to his friends, he connected better with quiet, introverted women.

Women like Ridley.

“Jackson, there you are,” a voice called out.

He turned and then groaned.

What the hell is she doing here?

Alana, inappropriately dressed as usual, in some sort of clingy, white silk dress, picked her way across the lawn on her needle-thin heels.

Mara turned as well and then glared at him. “Please tell me you’re not still seeing her?”

Alana reached them before he could answer. Her gaze settled on Mara. “Oh hello, Mona. It’s been ages.”

Mara didn’t even bother responding, just turned and walked off.

“What are you doing here, Alana?”

He didn’t bother with pleasantries. If her past behavior was anything to go on, she only showed up when she wanted something. It was just a matter of getting her to admit what it was.

“I remembered you used to have your little party every year for Memorial Day. I just took a chance and decided to swing by.” She glanced around, a look of disgust passing over her face when she took in the tables lined with picnic food. “I don’t know why you don’t get this catered.”

“You remembering the date doesn't explain why you're here. We broke up a year ago.”

“We broke up ten months ago. I think we were a little rash,” Alana huffed. She smoothed a non-existent wrinkle out of her dress. It wasn’t like her to be fidgety or self-conscious, so the movement was telling.

“You slept with my assistant.” It was strange how saying it out loud wasn’t as difficult as it had been just a few months ago. She seemed alarmed at his blunt statement but covered it quickly with a cajoling expression.

“I did not sleep with him. That was a misunderstanding.” She tried to reach for his arm but he stepped back.

“I don’t think I misunderstood you bent over his desk. Not that it matters because I’m seeing someone else now.” The lie jumped, unbidden, from his mouth.

Shit.

“You are? Who? It’s that Mona girl, isn’t it? She always had a thing for you.” Alana crossed her arms.

“It’s not Mara. It’s no one you know.” He really wasn’t trying to hurt her feelings but maybe thinking he had a girlfriend would finally convince her that it was over between them. Nothing else he’d tried had gotten the point across.

“Look, I’m sorry for the way things ended between us but I’ve moved on and I suggest you do the same.” Happy that for once he had the last word, he turned to walk away and then stopped dead in his tracks.

Ridley stood right behind him watching the exchange with wide eyes. 

*   *   *   *   *

“OH, GREAT. SHE has a lot of nerve showing up here.” Matt looked over her shoulder and frowned. Ridley turned and peered in the same direction. There were so many people there that she couldn’t be sure what he was looking at.

Until her eyes zeroed in on Jackson and Mara talking to a beautiful woman in a short, white dress.

“Who is that?” She hated to ask, hated that she wanted to know so badly. The woman was tall and thin with long, curly brown hair. Her light brown skin looked airbrushed, almost as if she’d photoshopped herself before leaving the house. Just then, she tossed her long hair over her shoulder and smiled at Jackson.

Ridley hated her on sight.

Mara turned and walked away from them, her shoulders drawn up and her lips twisted into a snarl. Matt chuckled and tossed his empty beer bottle in one of the recycling bins nearby.

“That is Jackson’s bitchy ex-girlfriend. Looks like she’s already pissed Mara off. Typical.”

Jackson crossed his arms, his body language communicating that he definitely didn’t want to be there. Miss Photoshop clearly didn’t get the message because she kept moving closer and closer, leaning in toward Jackson as she spoke even as he leaned away. Ridley clenched her fists. 

Without thinking about what she was doing she found herself moving in their direction.

“I’m sorry for the way things ended between us but I’ve moved on and I suggest you do the same.” Jackson turned as she walked up. Her mouth went dry.

The bravado that had compelled her to march over there didn’t extend to knowing what to say.