I grinned at Crosby and rubbed a hand over my stubbled jaw. “Sorry. It’s just been one of those weeks.”

Crosby returned my smile. “Having the hots for your dead girlfriend’s little sister will do that to a man.” My body gave a small jolt at his words, and Crosby grimaced. “Sorry, that came out a little more honest than maybe it should’ve.”

“It’s not like that.” It was totally like that. But I needed to bury that shit and do it fast, because the last thing I needed on the road to winning Bell’s forgiveness was me drooling over her like a pathetic hound dog. She was beautiful, and I’d always loved her as a friend. It was understandable that my body and brain were going a little haywire getting to know this new and grown-up Isabelle. I just needed to put her firmly back in the little-sister category.

Crosby popped a French fry into his mouth. “She looks at you the same way.”

My eyes narrowed on him. “Don’t go stirring shit.” Bell didn’t look at me that way. She looked at me with a mix of longing and anger, as though she wanted what we used to have but knew it was impossible. And that broke my damn heart.

Crosby held up his hands. “Okay, okay. You guys figure out who left that shit on her doorstep?”

My jaw hardened. We hadn’t. And Bell was taking it all too lightly. I’d put Caelyn, Darlene, and Hank on alert, and they were keeping an eye out for any customers lurking where they shouldn’t be. So far, nothing. “Not a damn thing.”

“Maybe Bell’s right, and it was just someone who thought they were doing something nice and didn’t realize how creepy it was.” Crosby didn’t sound like he believed a word that was coming out of his mouth.

I reached for a glass and poured two more beers, handing them to customers at the bar. “We’re all keeping an extra eye out so, hopefully, whoever this is gets the picture that they can’t keep that shit up.”

“Then you better go to this bonfire.”

“Why?” All my muscles seemed to get a bit tighter.

Crosby grinned and took the final swig of his beer. “Because Bell and her girls are going.”

My jaw worked back and forth. “I’ll be there as soon as we close up.”

Rocks crunched under my feet as I made my way from the back patio towards the beach. The fire was blazing high, and about two dozen people milled around it. Kenna and Caelyn were laughing with Darlene. Ethan was shooting the shit with Crosby. And plenty of other familiar faces were crowded around the flames.