I turn to assure Jim that we’ll figure something out, but his attention isn’t on me anymore. He’s looking over my shoulder. I turn to follow his gaze and see a woman in her mid-twenties with long dark hair, walking toward the bar. She looks a little bedraggled, although she’s pretty. She’s definitely not from around here. Nothing too unusual in that, aside from the fact this woman is wearing sneakers, a faded gray hoodie, and a wedding dress.

I glance at Jim and he shoots me a look that says, What in the hell?

I still don’t have any answers for him. I glance at Walt to see if he understands what’s going on, but he looks as confused as I feel. I turn to the woman again, just as she slides onto the barstool one down from mine.

“I’d like a drink,” she says.

The bartender who knows me better than I know him says, “Well, you’ve come to the right place. You want to be more specific?”

Her eyelids flicker as she takes a breath and thinks about it, like she was expecting the bartender to decide for her. Now that he hasn’t, she’s having to make a decision she hadn’t planned for. “Do you have tequila? On the rocks?”

She picks one of the three brand names she’s given, and when the glass appears in front of her, she hesitates before she brings it to her lips. She takes the tiniest of sips and lets out a huge sigh. It seems she’s been waiting for that drink all day.

“You just get into town?” Jim asks the woman.

The woman doesn’t hear him at first. She’s staring forward and thinking so hard, I can almost see her thoughts in front of her face. She’s worried. And out of energy. Like she’s reached the end of the road.

Then, as if Jim’s words have taken a couple of seconds to register, she turns to him. She offers him a tight smile and nods—she’s not interested in small talk.

Jim goes to follow up on his question, and both Walt and I interrupt him at the same time.

“I’m sure we’ll come to some understanding,” I say, just as Walt tells Jim I’m not about to stop him walking his dog wherever he wants.

“Let me have a think about it, Jim,” I say. “And if you have any other questions⁠—”

“I have a few things I want to talk to you about,” he says. He’s about to launch into his list, but he stops himself. “Why don’t you settle back in. Catch up with your buddy here.” He slaps Walt on the back. “But don’t be a stranger, you hear me? I’m gonna run. Gotta get back home by the time Love Island finishes.”