Jackson (Wild Boys After Dark, #3)(23)

Perfect.

“The blonde reminds me of Erica.” Dylan wiped down the counter, then tossed the towel over his shoulder.

Fuck. So much for that idea.

“Forget the blonde,” Jackson mumbled.

Dylan moved down the bar to help another customer, and Jackson sipped his drink, trying his best to forget about Laney.

His phone vibrated with a text, and despite his wanting to forget Laney for a few hours, his pulse kicked up with the hopes of it being from her. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and felt a spear of disappointment as he read the text from Cooper.

Remington’s PR rep wants to meet with us before the opening. When are you coming back?

Jackson hadn’t told anyone they’d come home early. He knew Sage Remington’s public relations representative, Luce Palmer. She was a spunky little brunette with a killer body and a well-honed ability to turn down Jackson’s advances. Usually the thought of taking on Luce gave him an adrenaline rush. He loved the way her eyes sparked with annoyance and heat at the same time, and he loved the challenge of trying to bed her—even though he had yet to succeed.

He waited for the familiar zing of excitement to hit him, and when it didn’t, it pissed him off. He rubbed the aching muscles at the back of his neck and responded to Cooper’s text.

I’m back.

His phone rang seconds later.

“You’re back?” Cooper sounded accusatory. “What happened?”

I f*cked up. “Nothing. I had things to take care of.”

“Bullshit. You didn’t have shit to take care of. You realize it’s Sunday night, right?”

Jackson winced. How could he have lost track of days like that? He never screwed up when it came to family. Then again, he never screwed up when it came to Laney, either, and he’d f*cking mastered that this weekend.

He checked the time. It was still early enough to make it to his mother’s house and see everyone. He slapped a handful of cash on the bar and nodded to Dylan as he headed for the door.

“I’m on my way.”

“You okay to drive?” Coop asked.

“I’ll catch a cab. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” He ended the call and flagged down a cab. On the drive over he realized that Logan and Heath would have their fiancées with them, and he wondered if he’d have been better off nailing the brunette than going to see his family.

Half an hour later he was cornered by Cooper in his mother’s kitchen, wishing he’d done just that.

“You look like shit, you smell like whiskey, and you’re giving off a don’t-f*ck-with-me vibe.” Cooper was two years younger than Jackson, with jet-black hair and the recent addition of a beard, which women went crazy for. He shared the same dark blue eyes as the rest of their brothers and the same unwillingness to back off.

“Take the hint.” Jackson reached into the cabinet and took down a plate to join the rest of his family, who were already seated at his mother’s dining room table.

Cooper grabbed his arm. “Dude, did something happen with Erica?”

Jackson wrenched his arm from his brother’s grasp and stalked into the dining room without answering.

“Jackson?” His mother lifted her blind eyes in his direction. “Is that you, honey?” Mary Lou Wild pushed to her feet and opened her arms.

Jackson sank into her embrace, startled by how much he needed it. “Hi, Ma.”

“Sweetie, you sound stressed, and”—she sniffed the air around him—“have you been drinking?”

“I had a few. Sorry, but don’t worry, I took a cab.” He forced a smile and sat down in the empty chair at the end of the table. He slid his eyes around the table. Logan was sitting with one arm around Stormy, a curious look in his eyes. Heath sat in a similar position with his fiancée, Ally, the exact same look in his eyes. He could try to lie his way out of this situation, but they all knew him too well. He was transparent as glass when it came to his family.

“Is everything okay?” his mother asked as she took her seat. “You came back early.”

Jackson let out a frustrated breath and said, “Bryce proposed to Laney.”

Cooper snickered. Logan and Heath exchanged concerned looks, and their mother reached for Jackson’s hand.

“Oh, baby, I’m sorry.” Sweetie, baby, lovey. Every time she called him one of her many endearments with her concerned voice, it brought his emotions to the surface. Her blue-gray eyes filled with empathy as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

“And she’s accepting it?” The surprise in Heath’s eyes did not go unnoticed.

Jackson shrugged. “I assume so. I don’t know.”

“Man, Jackson,” Logan said. “No wonder you look like hell. That’s a hard pill to swallow.”

“Erica’s getting married? I thought you two were a couple,” Ally said. She tucked her dark hair behind her ear and leaned closer to Heath. “I thought you said they’d been seeing each other for years?”

Jackson shot Heath a dark stare, but before he could say anything, his mother said, “Jackson and Erica have been best friends since they were kids.” She squeezed Jackson’s hand again. “Jackson, sweetheart, I assume you’ve talked with Erica? How do you feel about her getting married?”