“I’ll let you know, but I’m glad it worked.”

“See ya,” he said with a grin before turning around and heading back toward the bar, disappearing into a small group of people.

Turning back to Rip, I raised my eyebrows. “He works at one of the parts stores we order a lot of things from,” I explained when I noticed his gaze was in the direction the guy had gone.

That had my boss glancing back at me with that remote face.

“He’s nice,” I added for some reason I wasn’t totally certain of.

His fingers brushed over the stubble covering his chin, eyes zeroed in on me almost thoughtfully.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“What?” I insisted.

“Nothing, Luna.”

Okay then. If he didn’t want to tell me, I was fine with that.

“Luna!” another familiar voice shouted in the bar.

Glancing over my shoulder, the group of coworkers I had greeted when I’d first walked in—who were behind me—waved me toward them. “You can have my seat!” one of them offered.

“I’m okay!” I yelled back. “I’m all right over here.”

“You sure?”

I gave them a thumbs-up.

When I glanced forward again, Rip was taking another drink, and he was watching me.

“What?” I asked.

“Do you know everybody here?”

I rolled my eyes, hoping he’d know I was just playing with him. “Not everyone. Just like half of them,” I joked.

Honestly, it looked like he believed me, but what I didn’t like was the way his jaw kind of ticked to the side and how his voice went from tight to honestly a little sharp as he said, clearly, “I don’t need a babysitter.”

I couldn’t help it. I frowned.

“I’m not being a babysitter.”

“You don’t have to sit with me,” he said coolly out of nowhere.

What the hell had crawled up his butt? “I know that. I came over here and sat with you. If I had wanted to sit somewhere else, I would have,” I told him, trying to process his words and tone. “But if you don’t want me to sit here, I can get up and go. It won’t hurt my feelings if you don’t want me around. I don’t want to wear out my welcome.”

Damn it, why hadn’t I just said that he wouldn’t hurt my feelings if he wanted to sit by himself instead? I didn’t mean to make it… about me. But regardless, I didn’t shove my stool back and get up. I wasn’t going to show him his words and his tone bothered me.

Because they didn’t.

Much.

Before I got a chance to say anything else, my phone started to ring from inside my purse. Rip didn’t say a word to confirm or deny that he wanted or didn’t want me to sit with him. He didn’t tell me to leave either, but that didn’t make me feel much better. Phone out, I saw THEA flashing across the screen, and I answered it, cupping my hand around my mouth so she could hear me.

“Hello?” I pretty much yelled anyway.

“Luna,” her watery voice came over the line. “I got broken into.”

I froze. “What?”

“My place. It got broken into,” she explained with a sniffle that was so loud I managed to hear it despite the loud background. “What do I do?”

Shit. “Call the cops but not the emergency line,” I rattled off, trying to think. “You’re sure no one’s still in the apartment?”

“Positive,” she confirmed, her voice wobbly and honestly sounding pretty freaking panicked, not that I blamed her. “Can you… can you come?”

“Yeah,” I agreed, quickly. “I’m not home, but I’ll leave in a little bit. Call the police and start making a list of what they took. But whatever it is, don’t get upset, okay? It’s just stuff. What matters is that you’re fine.”

“Okay, I’ll call now, but hurry, please.”

My stomach turned as I took in the fear in her voice. “I will. Maybe don’t touch anything. I don’t know. Ask the dispatcher who answers, okay? I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I swallowed. “I’m glad you’re okay though. But don’t stress. Everything can be replaced. Text me your address, Thea, okay? It’ll save me time from looking for it.”

Giving me a broken goodbye, my sister hung up, and I shoved my stool back and got to my feet.

Poor Thea. I couldn’t imagine how she felt, much less that she called me first before calling the freaking cops. I was honestly surprised she wanted me to come, but I would never tell her no if she needed me. Not to any of my sisters. Or anyone I cared about. But that didn’t change the fact that my relationship with the oldest of my three younger sisters had been strained since before she had moved out. Since the night I had tried to give her a hug and she’d pushed me away, telling me to leave her alone. I hated that string of words more than any others. I really did.

Why was I thinking about that? I had promised myself I wouldn’t again.

Taking in a calming breath, I unlocked my screen and quickly started going through the apps on it.

“Everything good?” Rip asked, honestly reminding me he was there. I wasn’t sure how I’d forgotten, but I had.

Opening the app I needed, I glanced up at him and rushed out, “My sister’s apartment got broken into.”

The little notch between his eyebrows popped up. “She all right?”

“She doesn’t sound like it,” I told him, glancing down at my phone as I put in the address I was going to need to get a ride to. “She asked me to go see her, so I need to get back home, and drive up there.”

“Drive where?”

I didn’t glance over to him as I hit the search icon to find a ride on the app. “Dallas. She lives in Dallas.” I grabbed my purse and watched the screen blink as it searched.

“What are you doing?” Rip asked instantly.

“Trying to get a car to take me back home,” I told him, still looking at my screen. “My friend dropped me off.”

I heard him shove the stool back instead of seeing it. “I’ll take you.”

That had me glancing up at him. “You don’t have to.”

“I’ll take you, and don’t say anything about the favor either.” He was already up and making his way around the table. “Let’s go.”

I blinked, but… I hit the icon to exit the app.

Maybe I should have argued with him a little more, but… maybe he’d count this as the favor once he really had a chance to think about it. Not that I held much hope since driving me to San Antonio hadn’t counted, so I doubted driving me a few minutes away would, but…

His choice.

I nodded and took off toward the door, waving absentmindedly at the coworkers who watched me leave, giving curious glances, probably because Rip was right at my heels behind me. It took seconds to get out of the bar. Rip pointed down the street, and half a block down I spotted his yellow truck. In no time at all, we were at it and he’d unlocked the passenger door to let me in. The second my seat belt was on, he pulled onto the street.

“You good?”

I took a breath, not realizing that I was staring out the windshield. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little worried about my sister,” I explained, thinking he didn’t know her name. “I’m just surprised she called me, I guess. Not that surprised her place got broken into. Her apartment isn’t in the greatest neighborhood I’ve ever been in.”

“She lives by herself?”

“No, she’s got a roommate.” I took another breath in and out of my nose. “I’m sorry, Rip, do you need me to give you directions?”

“I know how to get there.”

Another breath in, another release of it. “Thank you so much for driving me,” I told him.

“Uh-huh.”

I eyed the clock and swallowed back a yawn. It was going to be after midnight by the time I made it to her house. I’d gotten up at 5:45 that morning. I could make some coffee, and I’d make it just fine. Well, as close to fine as possible. Worst case, I’d roll down the windows and let the air wake me up.