“We think her pants are caught on something weird on the inside sill,” Emma explained. “Before she got tired trying to balance at that awkward angle, she tried undoing whatever it was with her hands. When that didn’t work, I tried to pull her, but the blinds fell. So I don’t know what she’s really stuck on, but we were afraid it would break the window if we kept trying.”

“I also tried taking my pants off.” Sloane sighed. “Clearly it didn’t work.”

“And no one has caught y’all yet?” Brady had driven to the back lot as Emma instructed by connecting through the For Rent office of the next-door lot. That way, no one from the front of The Drinking Spot could see them. Still, surely someone on staff would make their way out to the parking lot at some point. A smoke break, a staff shift, or maybe curiosity at hearing someone wiggling around a window in one of their back rooms.

Emma shook her head. “The owner is running the bar before his bartender gets in at six. There’s only a cook in the kitchen. Thomas said they get really busy around five and ‘until then everyone coming in is a sweet, sweet bonus.’”

There was mild disgust in her tone. Brady felt it, too. Along with slight panic.

“Thomas Bleuth is here?” If he caught Brady in whatever was going on, it wouldn’t be pretty.

“Yeah, and he spent our entire meal hitting on Emma.”

“Which was why I was the perfect distraction. He assumed Sloane left, but she was actually sneaking into the back while I dazzled him with fake laughter and, like, one compliment.”

“But why?” Brady couldn’t believe how his afternoon was turning out. The women around him were acting like they’d gone on a grocery run and gotten a flat tire on the way back.

They should have been more concerned. Right?!

Before Brady could get any more answers or questions, a car came into view, driving through the parking lot the way Brady had come. He was two seconds from yanking Sloane out—adios, window and Sloane’s pants—and throwing both women into his truck and flooring it out of there, but Emma saw his expression and stilled him by holding out her hand.

“Right after I called you, Callum called, and I’m a terrible liar.”

Sloane sighed. “Holy cheesy fries, this is embarrassing.”

Callum parked on the other side of the girls, effectively blocking in their awkward situation, and jumped out with a look caught between wonder and worry. He wasn’t the only one. A young boy with giant glasses and a wide grin stepped out behind him. Brady assumed it was the boy he often watched over, Justus.