The immediate clinging hug would have trounced the pitiful excuse she gave, if Noah had believed it in the first place. As it was, it only confirmed his suspicion that there was something else troubling her.
Bennet wrapped his arms around his little girl, who was no longer little and more woman than girl, but would always be his little girl. "Hey, sweetie," he said, voice muffled by her hair. "What's wrong?"