As soon as she stepped into the main office, she caught Ferris watching her from his desk, a crestfallen look on his face. The earlier phone call from Bethany came into focus, all the questions it’d raised now having answers. This was why Ferris had given Bethany all that information. He knew this was going to happen. He was trying to help.

She took a steadying breath and headed his way. Do. Not. Cry. She gave him a pained smile. “Well, that sucked.”

“Oh, sweetie,” he said, getting up from his chair and giving her a hug. “I’m so sorry. I couldn’t say anything, but I heard that big cowboy through the door yesterday. What a jerk-off.”

She gave her friend a squeeze before stepping back. “He’s the worst.”

Ferris leaned forward conspiratorially, his floppy brown hair falling into his eyes. “So it’s true?” He lifted a palm. “I mean, I don’t blame you if you did. The rich hick is hot, but why would he come in now?”

Kincaid glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one else was listening, not that word wouldn’t get out when she left. The office was full of gossips. She should know since she used to be one of them. “He lied about how it went down. We got together after the business part was over and done. But he’s coming in now because he got his boxers in a knot when I turned him down at a bar recently. He got real nasty with me after I said no. One of my friends ended up punching him.”

Ferris’s eyebrows shot up. “Someone punched the cowboy on your behalf? Who?”

“Ash. You don’t know him. He’s an old friend from high school who’s staying in town.”

Ferris’s mouth curved. “Oh, sweetie, you’ve got yourself a brave knight. Is he cute?”

She gave a little shrug. “If you like that sexy, bookish, skinny jeans type.”

“Girl.” Ferris lifted his palm for a quiet high five. “I see you.”

She laughed, thankful to her friend for making her feel a shade better. “And guess I’ll have lots of time to spend with him now that I’m unemployed and facing two mortgages.”

Ferris frowned and reached out to take her hand between his palms. He gave her a serious look. “I know it’s not what you want to hear right now, but you need to sell the lake house, babe. You know Bethany will give you top dollar.”

She grimaced. “But I have nowhere to live. The farmhouse isn’t ready, and I don’t have the money to make it that way yet.”

He gave her a look that said she didn’t have a choice. “Stay with a friend. Get a cheap apartment while you renovate enough rooms to get by at the farmhouse. Don’t pass up a sale and money in your pocket.”

The truth of his words settled over her, and now she really wanted to cry. Her lake house. Gone. To Bethany Winters.