“Yes, my girl. She was all sunshine and roses even though the world was going to hell around her. But now, she’s got the sad eyes. I haven’t seen those in a very long time. So, what’d you do?”

My back molars ground together. “I don’t know.”

Caelyn threw up her hands. “Seriously? Then how are you going to fix it?”

I glared at her. “I’m going to ask if you and Hank can close so I can take Bell home early and get to the bottom of this.” She was going to tell me what was going on, even if we had to stay up all night. My girl was stubborn, but so was I.

“I like the sound of that. Maybe have some nice make-up sex to round out the night?”

Hunter groaned. “I do not need to hear that.”

“Caelyn…” I warned.

She held up both hands. “All right, all right. I can close.” Her stare seemed to bore into me. “Just bring that smile back.”

“I’ll do my best.”

The night seemed to drag, more and more locals pouring in, more and more questioning stares. I was about two seconds away from biting someone’s head off.

“Hey, Ford.” The tone was meant to be seductive, but it grated on my nerves.

“Hey, Lacey. What can I get you?” The last thing Bell needed tonight was Lacey goading her into a fight. Bell hadn’t mentioned her since I’d returned, but the brief encounters I’d had with Lacey a few weeks ago had told me that nothing had changed in her world. And that meant she was probably still giving Bell shit. I’d suffer through taking her orders and making her girlie drinks all night if it meant she left Bell alone.

“How about a daiquiri?” She leaned over the bar, making sure I got a nice view of her ample cleavage, and plucked up a cherry from behind the bar.

“We don’t serve frozen drinks here, Lace. How about a vodka cran?”

She gave a pout that was supposed to look cute but just looked ridiculous on anyone over the age of ten. “Not even for me?” Lacey popped the cherry into her mouth, pulling out the stem.

“Not even for you. Vodka cran?”

A hint of annoyance flickered in her gaze. “Can you handle a cosmo?”

“That I can do.” I got to work pouring ice into a shaker.

“So, Ford…” Lacey let her words dangle, and I braced myself for what was to come next. “The rumors aren’t true, are they? They must be something Isabelle started.”

I stiffened but forced myself to pour the cranberry juice into the shaker. “What rumors?”

“That you two are dating.” She said it as if the idea were disgusting.