“I paused,” Zep claimed. “Damn, man, there’s no one out there for me to hit. I like to think of that particular stop sign as more of a suggestion.”

“Then, according to Roxie, he argued with her for twenty minutes, refused to take the ticket, and suggested that she shouldn’t be on patrol during her time of the month.” Noelle shook her head.

Damn, he’d stepped into it. Still, Zep could cause trouble down the line if he ever did find a lawyer who would do more than try to get him out of his numerous parking tickets. Armie’s hands went to his keys and he stopped because he had wanted intel and Zep’s brother was married to Lila’s sister.

He could use this.

“Noelle, go ahead and put that order in,” he said. “I think I should talk to our friend here. Put him on the straight and narrow.”

Noelle sighed and turned her chair around. “He’s going to grill you about Lila Daley. I’ll go see how much money’s in the emergency fund because I want some fries. You two should settle in because I’m having Roxie take me out there to pick up the order and we’re going to eat there because fries do not travel well.”

“I’m actually kind of hungry now,” Zep started before he looked to Armie. “Or I can wait. I’m good.”

It was nice to know his stare could still make a man think twice. Especially since it didn’t do anything to the women in his life.

Zep made himself comfortable as Noelle went off to find Roxie. “So you’re interested in Lisa’s sister. You’ve come to the right place, my man. I’m kind of a love doctor.”

He was absolutely certain if he wanted to have a skanky one-night stand and end up needing antibiotics or worse, Zep would be his go-to guy. “I only want to know what she’s like. I do not need advice. I saw her back at Remy and Lisa’s wedding. I was sitting at the table next to hers. I might have listened in. She seems funny and smart.”

He wasn’t sure why, but she’d sparked his interest in a way no woman had in years.

“Well, if you want my advice,” Zep began.

“I just said I didn’t.”

Zep was not listening. “You should find someone with less baggage. That girl has a ton of it.”

“She’s a woman.”

Zep shook his head. “According to Lisa, she’s kind of controlling. She also called me a moron more than once.”

That was not a disqualifying characteristic for him. Zep was a moron at times. “Why did she decide to leave Dallas? Most people do the opposite.” Not a lot of kids stayed here in Papillon.