She kissed my cheek. “I missed you too, and like I said when you got here, I always thought there was more to the story than you let on. I’m just sorry I wasn’t there to offer my support when you needed it.”

“Think we can be friends again?” I asked, knowing how middle-school I sounded but not able to bring myself to care.

“Yeah.” She flashed a smile. “I want that.”

Chapter Thirty-One

KENNEDY

Destiny Peak Ski Resort hosted an annual New Year’s Eve party. Most of the locals stayed away because it was targeted at tourists, but Blair and Tyler wanted to go and refused to leave me alone at the cottage. So here I was, decked out in the type of cocktail dress I hadn’t worn for weeks and silently cursing the fact I’d let my natural hair color grow out rather than speeding up the process with a trip to the salon. I was getting a lot of sideways glances from wealthy women who’d never be seen dead with hair in the state mine was. Things changed as soon as they recognized me though. I’d never get over the hypocrisy of some people.

I wandered to the window and looked out. The restaurant floor had been cleared of tables with the exception of a few bar leaners, and waitstaff circulated with platters of canapes. I was glad I’d eaten before we came because while the food was delicious—as should be expected with Tabitha in charge—it would never be considered a meal on its own.

“Everything okay?” Blair asked, appearing at my side. He’d barely let me out of his sight since we’d arrived except to refill our drinks.

“Yeah. You don’t need to worry.” I turned away from the darkness outside. Midnight was still an hour away, but people had already settled into their positions for the night. Some lingered by the bar, others were on the makeshift dance floor, while others stood around the fringes and made conversation. Blair was hovering on the edge of the action with me, but I’d seen him cast longing glances at the dance floor. He wanted to be out there. He just didn’t want to abandon me. “You should go dance with that cute blonde girl who was flirting with you earlier,” I suggested. “Or that guy over there with the glasses. He’s been checking you out.”

Blair blushed and sneaked a look at the bespectacled twenty-something who was adorable in a nerdy sort of way. A pair of men approached us, their apprehensive expressions suggesting they’d been working up the courage for quite some time. I opened my mouth to greet them, but Blair wrapped an arm around my waist and swept me away.

“What was that about?” I asked when he released me.