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“You’re probably right,” Lex replied. “I’ve had a grumpy Hollis on my hands, and it resulted in me throwing a book at his head.”
“Oh my.” Devney’s eyes were wide as saucers. “Well, I’ll leave the book-throwing to you.”
Lex laughed. “Deal.”
As Devney left, I rapped on the bar three times and said, “Last call!”
When that happened, more people cleared out until there was only a handful left. Ol’ Man Rooster approached the bar, strutting like a proud granddad. “Looks like I may have Marlena married off soon.”
Uh. Oh.
Lex was apparently at a loss for what to say, so I asked, “What do you mean?”
Putting his hands in his overall pockets, he gave a shit-eating grin. “Oh, you can tell by the way your doctor fellow is looking at her that he’s smitten.” He tapped the counter. “My work here is done. Night, guys.”
“Night,” we called out in unison.
I glanced over to Hollis, who looked anything but smitten as he stood. Marlena waved her fingers before walking toward her grandfather. Lex looked at the door, then at Hollis again. Oh, I knew where this was going. I put my hands around Lex’s waist and brought her a little closer. “I can see the wheels spinning.”
She gave him an innocent look. “Whatever could you be talking about?”
“I wonder.”
Before Lex could reply, Hollis was at the bar, pointing at Lex. “Why didn’t you come save me?”
I busied myself putting a few beer glasses up.
“You looked smitten as a kitten,” Lex said with a giggle.
Hollis glared, but I noticed he kept looking around the room as if searching for someone.
“She left,” Lex said.
“Who?” Hollis put on the worse fake innocent look. Yeah, he liked Devney. He and Hayden should get together and compare notes on what not to do. And the first was not to let t
he girl slip through your fingers.
Lex countered, “Well, who are you looking for?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. So, Drake, ice fishing?”
Oh, hell. I was being brought into this. Casually, wondering where he was going with it, I asked, “What about it?”
There was no telling with Hollis. For all I knew, he wanted his own ice hole. I wondered if the guy had ever been fishing before, much less ice fishing.
“I think we need to get a group together. You know—be Alaskan men in an ice hut. Catch fish. Drink beer. I don’t know… be manly.”
I chuckled. This guy grew on me more and more every day. You’d never know he was a doctor just from talking to him. “Well, I go every December with my brothers. Want to join us?”
Hollis slapped the counter. “Count me in. I’ll order the gear. Night.”
I waved goodbye. Only one person remained at the bar. I did a double take, surprised to see Chazz sitting there. When did he slip in? He was watching us, and it was obvious from the way he tracked our movements that he wanted to talk to us. Lex stiffened beside me. What the hell kind of game is he planning? I put Lex slightly behind me before I said, “Sorry, man. I’m closing up.”
“Understood.” He looked around the room, not moving an inch. Apparently, he didn’t understand. I was about to say something when he said, “Alexa, may we talk?”
“Whatever you have to say to me you can say in front of Drake.” Her voice was cold, distant.
Chazz adjusted his suit jacket, then his cuff links, taking his time. He was about to get booted out, forcefully if needed. “Very well. How shall I put this? The information you recently received—what do you plan to do with it?”
