“Don’t stop.” She whispered the words as if Bell might be able to hear her a soundproofed floor away.

My spine straightened. This was the first bit of encouragement I’d gotten from Bell’s inner circle. “I wasn’t planning on it. You got any tips?”

Caelyn pressed her lips together, glancing back at the stairs. “You can’t give up. Don’t push, but don’t back down either. I know that might not make sense—”

“No, it does.” I studied her for a moment, light brown hair swept back in two braids that were tied off with colorful rubber bands, and so much hope in her eyes. “Think you could put in a good word for me?”

A mischievous smile stretched across her face. “Please, I already am.” Her smile briefly turned to a grimace. “You might have more of a battle bringing Kenna over to your side, though. She’s not one to forgive easily.”

I sighed. “Thanks, Caelyn. I’ll win you over one at a time.” I set down the rag. “Let me walk you to your car.”

She waved me off. “I’m fine, Ford.”

“I’d feel a lot better if I did.”

The humor fled Caelyn’s face. “All right. You can just watch me from the door.”

I led the way to the back door, unlocking it and holding it open for her. “Get home safe.”

“I will. Hopefully, Will didn’t sneak the girls candy while he was babysitting, and they’re all asleep.”

I chuckled. “Good luck with that.”

She gave a little wave, her gaze catching mine. “Stay the course, Ford.”

I nodded. I would stay the damn course if it killed me. But for the first time in a long while, something foreign invaded my chest. Something that felt a lot like hope.

27

BELL

I stretched up onto my toes, straining to dust every nook and cranny of the light above the bar. I almost had it.

“What the hell are you doing?”

Ford’s sharp voice caused me to shriek and jerk my arm back, sending my delicate balance off-kilter. “Oh, shit.” My arms windmilled, but just as I started to teeter off to the side, strong arms caught me and tugged me in another direction. I landed with an oomph against a hard chest. Thankfully, it was my unmarred cheek that took the brunt on my landing.

“What. Were. You. Thinking?” Each word was gritted out as if it were its own sentence.

I struggled free of Ford’s hold, straightening my t-shirt and tugging on the hem of my denim shorts. “I was thinking I was cleaning. What did it look like?”

“It looked like you were taking completely unnecessary risks with your safety.”

I scoffed. “I was doing just fine until you scared the crap out of me.”

A muscle in Ford’s cheek seemed to flutter. “Don’t do it again. It’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.”