Anything for You (Blue Heron #5)(71)

“Barely. Is your wife here?”

“Nah. She’d be bored. So what’s up, Jess?”

“Hey, Jess,” said someone else. Jake Green, one of the ones who’d left and never come back. He hadn’t been nice back in high school, and he still looked like the entitled brat he’d been back then.

Yes, she’d slept with him, too.

“We havin’ a party over here?” Chris Eckbert, who’d been like a puppy dog to Jake. “Jess! Good to see you. Happy, happy memories.”

And she’d slept with him, too.

Mark Renner came over, too, looking much the same as he had in high school. Another football player, and yep, him, too. “How you doin’, Jess?”

“Mark. Nice to see you again.”

Her charms, for lack of a better word, had worked on Frankie and Mark. They’d befriended Davey, and with two giant football players calling him buddy, Davey hadn’t been picked on as much. Most guys had been good investments. Tanner Angst and Chris had been mediocre. And Jake...not at all. He’d been a waste, and one of her few miscalculations.

“You still a slut, Jess?” Jake asked now.

Great. He was already drunk. “No, I joined a convent after learning I had syphilis. And you are...?” Let him think she forgot him. He’d been forgettable, that was for sure.

“Jake Green. Bet I could convince you to go back to your slutty ways.”

“You’d lose that bet.” Ass.

“Jess, I for one want to say thank-you,” Frankie said. “You sure made high school a lot more fun.”

“And I’d like to thank you, Frankie. For looking out for Davey. You, too, Mark.”

“Oh, man, yeah!” Mark said. “How is he?”

“He’s great.” See? It had been a fair trade. And now with the advantage of maturity, Jess could see that if she’d just asked Mark and Big Frankie to look out for her brother back then, they probably would’ve said yes just because they were nice.

“Tell the little dude I said hi, okay?” Mark said.

“I will. Thanks.”

“Let’s go somewhere,” Jake slurred. “I’ll make sure you remember me.”

“Shut up, ass-hat,” Frankie sighed. “You never could handle your booze.”

“I’m fine here,” Jessica said.

“Well, maybe I’ll follow you home. We can party.”

Did people still say that? “No, thanks.”

“You think you’re too good for me now? Trailer-park trash turned ice queen? We’ll see about that.”

And then Jake was on the floor, holding his hand over his mouth, which had just been soundly punched by Connor.

Oh, boy.

“Get up,” Connor growled.

Immediately, there was a crowd around them. Jake stayed where he was.

“Get up so I can beat the shit out of you,” Connor said.

“This is really unnecessary, Connor,” she said, putting a hand on his arm. He glanced at her. Oh. He was furious. Was it wrong to be a little turned on? Probably. Still, though. He looked... Damn. “It’s fine. Jake’s just an ass, same as ever.”

“He threatened you.” Connor looked back at Jake. “Get up, Green.”

Jake stood up. Great. “Fight,” someone said rather cheerfully. Where was Levi? Why was there never a cop around when you needed one?

“You’re gonna fight me over this whore?” Jake asked, and then Connor hit him again, and Jake staggered back, then swung at Connor.

Jess threw up her hands. “Stop it, please. Frankie, can you do something?”

“Are you kidding? Jake earned this.”

“I always hated Jake Green,” Colleen said. “Lucas, remember him?”

“I do. If Connor needs any help, I’m here. Also available for body disposal later on.”

“Oh, stop! You know I love when you get all gangster on me.”

“Does anyone care that they’re fighting?” Jessica asked. Connor landed a nice hit to the ribs, and Jake grunted. “Jeremy? Nothing?”

“Doctor’s hands,” Jeremy said, holding them out. “It’s a liability thing. Plus, I never could stand Jake.”

“Where’s Levi?” Jess asked.

“He stepped out to call my dad and check on the baby,” Faith said. Connor took a hit to the face, then gave a rather beautiful right cross, knocking Jake right on his ass.

“Okay, that’s enough,” Jessica said. “Gerard! Get over here and drive Jake to his parents’ place. I assume that’s where you’re staying, dumb-ass?”

Jake nodded sullenly, and Gerard hauled him to his feet and led him to the door. “Save me a dance, Jess,” he said, grinning.

Right. There was dancing. The DJ put on a slow song—“Angel” by Dave Matthews—and couples began drifting out to the dance floor.

Connor was still bristling with anger.

“Come on, Connor, let’s dance.” She took his hand and pulled him to the middle of the gym. Put her hand on his shoulder, feeling the heat and hard muscle there. “That was really unnecessary,” she said.

“I just defended your honor. Thanks would be nice.” He wasn’t looking at her, but his hand was on her waist, making her breath catch a little.