Ivy’s eyes darkened. “I can handle this.”

A small noise came from Jenks. “Like at the FIB?” he scoffed. “Sit down, weenie vamp. I’m too big to get shoved into a water cooler.”

Feeling the tension rise, I shuffled in my bag and handed Jenks my wallet. I didn’t know what he had in mind, but it was probably a lot less scary than what Ivy had planned, and it wouldn’t land us in the local jail either. “Leave some in there, okay?”

He gave me a lopsided, charming smile, his perfect teeth catching the light. “Hey, it’s me.” Making a click to tell Jax to join him, he ambled to the bar, his pace more provocative than it ought to have been. The man couldn’t have any idea how good he looked.

“No honey toddies!” I shot after him, and he raised a backward hand. Ivy wasn’t happy when I met her gaze. “What?” I protested. “You’ve seen him on honey.”

Nick snickered and set his glass of water down. Jax flew a glittering path to the karaoke machine ahead of his dad, Jenks’s pace intent as he followed. Becky had her eyes glued to the small pixy as she talked on the phone, and I had a feeling he was intentionally dusting heavy. I wondered how this would get everyone’s eyes off us. A distraction, maybe?

The father and son clustered at the screen, a reading lesson ensuing while they looked at the song menu. Ivy glanced at them, then Nick. “Go help them,” she muttered.

Nick pulled his gaunt face up to hers. “Why?”

Ivy’s jaw clenched. “Because I want to talk to Rachel.”

Frowning, Nick rose, his chair scraping on the wooden floor. Our drinks arrived, and the woman set his cherry shake, three glasses of Coke, and a condensation-wet pitcher on the table. Milk shake in hand, Nick shuffled to Jenks and Jax, looking tired in his gray sweats.

I sipped my Coke, feeling the bubbles burn all the way down. My stomach was empty and the smell of the cooking meat was giving me a headache. Setting the glass aside so I didn’t slam it, I slumped, relying on Ivy to keep an eye on my back. I watched her relax muscle by muscle until she was calm.

“I’m glad you’re here,” I said. “I really made a crap pit of everything. He was in the middle of a survivalist group, for God’s sake. I never expected that.” I should have done more recon, I thought, but I didn’t need to say it. It was obvious.

Ivy shrugged, glancing at Nick, Jenks, and Jax. “You got him out. I wasn’t planning on staying,” she added, “but since I’m here, I’ll stick around.”

I blew my breath out, relieved. “Thanks. But is that…prudent?” I hesitated, then ventured, “Piscary’s going to be royally ticked if you aren’t there by sundown.”

Her gaze tracked Jax flitting madly from Nick to Jenks. “So what?” she said, fingers fidgeting with her new earrings. “He knows I’ll be back. It’s only a six-hour drive.”