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I nod. “I’ll work on it. I will.”
Ivy’s shoulders relax. “I need to get back. I have a foster parent coming for a checkpoint meeting.”
“All right. I’ll call you.”
Ivy pushes open the car door, swings her feet, and is about to get out. I touch her shoulder. “Ivy, wait.”
She turns.
“It’s good to see you,” I say. “And I’m sorry I accused you.”
She smiles sadly. “It’s good to see you, too, Lizzie. You really dolook amazing.”
“So do you.”
She snort-laughs. “You’re full of shit. But thank you for lying.”
I smile. “I’ll let you know if I find out anything.”
Twenty minutes later, I slow my car and turn into the parking lot of Liars Pub. I park the car, shut it off, and scan until my eyes find what I’m looking for.
A red pickup.Noah’sred pickup.
CHAPTER
16
Iglance up at the tattered vinyl sign hanging over the door as I reach for the handle. “Ladies drink half price and free hot wings.”
I suppose it explains why the parking lot is so packed, compared to last time I was here.
Three steps inside the bar, my eyes lock on Noah. He’s on the other side of the room, but he looks up, spots me, and a slow smile spreads across his face. He’s talking to a blond girl wearing a yellow sundress—well, she’s talking to him—but she seems to have lost his attention as his eyes follow my every step. I wonder if she’s the one—the one who wants the white picket fence and a yard full of kids.
I make my way to the bar, ignoring men whose eyes rake up and down my body, definitely ignoring the guy in the trucker hat who drawls, “Damn, is it hot in here, or is that just you?”
Noah’s waiting by the time I push the rest of the way through.
There must be a speaker overhead, because in this corner of the room, the music is deafening. Noah leans to my ear and yells over Luke Combs. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you.”
I sense eyes still watching me. Glancingover to where Noah just came from, I find Little Miss Sundress looks irritated. To her credit, when our gazes meet, she stands taller, doesn’t look away.Good for you.I ignore her anyway.
“I think someone else might not be so thrilled I’m here.”
Noah’s brows pucker. I lift my chin in the direction of the woman, who is still staring.
He waves her off. “That’s Ginny. We’re just friends.”
I’m not sure Ginny got the memo on that. “She’s very pretty.”
“Doesn’t hold a candle to you.”
The bartender walks over, a different woman from last time. Same half shirt, though. Must be the uniform. “You need something, Noah?”
He looks to me. “You want Hendrick’s again?”
I shake my head. “I’ll just take a water.”
He grins, then turns back to the bartender, holding up his Miller Lite. “Another one of these and a bottle of water, please, Kiki.”