“She asked for it. And she made me promise to wrap it in a thousand layers of bubble wrap so it wouldn’t break.”
He raised his eyebrows, and a cocky grin appeared. He looked happy until he focused over my shoulder and his smile abruptly fell. A muscle tensed in his jaw, and I turned to see what he was staring at.
It was Chrystle. Oh shit.
“Oh, look who it is, Vanessa. My husband. And if it isn’t his delicious brother too. Vanessa, you remember Dean, don’t you? From the wedding?” She looked toward her friend, who shifted uncomfortably but didn’t respond. “Hi, Dean. How you doing, sweetie?”
I stared at Chrystle, wishing like hell she’d disappear into a puff of smoke, when I noticed Melissa’s hands balled into fists.
“Jesus, Jack, I guess it’s true what they say about beer goggles,” Melissa sniped, giving Chrystle the once-over with pure disgust in her eyes.
Chrystle’s jaw dropped slightly and her eyes widened as I fought back a laugh. “What did you say?”
“I said you’re as ugly on the outside as you are on the inside,” Melissa spat out, clearly not intimidated by anything or anyone.
“And just who the hell are you?” Chrystle pulled her shoulders back and tried to sound tough, but failed.
I noticed Vanessa fighting to hide a grin, and wondered what that was all about. Vanessa had been her maid of honor.
“None of your fucking business,” Melissa shot back before taking a sip from her glass.
“But it is my business. See, you’re sitting with my husband and my brother-in-law,” Chrystle said as she ran her fingertips down my arm.
I tensed before swatting her hand away. Damn, I felt violated.
“Oh, great.” Melissa rolled her eyes. “You touched her, Dean. She’s probably pregnant now.”
When Melissa’s meaning sank in, Jack burst out into knee-slapping laughter and I joined in.
“Why don’t you take your ugly skank ass away from our table so we can enjoy the rest of our night?” Melissa turned to look at my brother. “Seriously, Jack. How drunk were you to fuck that?”
I shook my head in amazement at Melissa’s lady balls, knowing that she was trying to be extra vicious to give Chrystle a dose of her own medicine, and I loved every second. That bitch deserved nothing less.
Chrystle’s face turned an unattractive shade of red and she scurried away from our table, almost tripping on an out-of-place chair. Vanessa shot us a look that almost looked embarrassed before she trailed behind her.
“Holy shit, Funsize. That was awesome.” Jack reached out to high-five Melissa from across the table.
“The easiest way to get under any girl’s skin is to call her ugly,” she said matter-of-factly. “Especially when she’s not.”
I nodded and smirked at her. “Good to know.”
“Don’t get any ideas, buster. You pull that shit with me and I’ll never speak to you again,” Melissa said with an extra dose of sass.
“Yes, ma’am,” I said in my best Southern accent.
As the three of us walked toward the bar’s exit a little later, Chrystle stepped in front of Jack and grabbed his arm.
He jerked his arm from her grasp as he said loudly, “Don’t fucking touch me, you crazy bitch.”
“I just want to talk to you, Jack.” She batted her eyelashes and tilted her head in a fake attempt to appear sweet.
Jack glared at her. “How about we talk after you sign the papers?”
Her mouth pursed in frustration. “I’m not signing those. You can’t prove anything, and you know it.”
“Keep telling yourself that,” he said.
Chrystle smirked and folded her arms over her chest. “You’re lying.”