“Well, you couldn’t prove that by me,” Eli answered.

“I don’t date police officers,” Brynne reiterated.

“So you said.”

“But I don’t mind having them for friends.”

“Friends? I thought we were friends already.” He paused, made a huffing sound. “I’m not sure where I got that idea, though, now that you mention it.”

Brynne laughed then, and the sound reminded Eli of the merry little bell above the front door. “Will you just dial back your male ego a notch or two and listen to me, please?”

He glared at her. “I am all ears,” he said.

She laughed again. “Your face! When was the last time you asked a woman out and got turned down, Sheriff?”

“About two minutes ago,” he replied.

“And before that, about twenty years, I’m guessing,” Brynne said.

Let her think that. He wasn’t obligated to tell her about the times he’d struck out.

“It’s my turn to ask. What the hell are you getting at?”

Brynne smiled again. “If you want to come to the New Year’s Eve shindig as my friend, and not my date, I wouldn’t mind.”

“That’s generous of you,” Eli said, drawing out the words.

Just then, the little bell over the door jingled, and a flock of high school kids blew in, including Eli’s sixteen-year-old nephew, Eric, and Carly, Cord’s daughter.

They were laughing, teasing each other, pushing and shoving a little.

“Hey, Uncle Eli,” Carly called brightly, unbuttoning the bright red pea jacket she’d gotten for Christmas.

“Hey,” he echoed, his voice hoarse again.

The girl looked so much like Reba had at that age. Fortunately, Carly was a better person than her mother had been, and talented, too. She sang, wrote songs and had built an impressive following on YouTube, though these days she was busy with school and working with animals.

Brynne was out of her chair, smoothing the floral print apron she wore over her slacks and blue blouse, greeting the kids cheerfully and helping them to push several tables together, in order to accommodate the sizable group.

Apparently, more friends were about to join them.

Eli was standing when Carly came toward him, snowflakes nestling in her caramel-colored hair and just beginning to melt.

Facing him, she stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek.

“We interrupted something, didn’t we?” she whispered. A mischievous twinkle lit her amber eyes.

Embarrassed again, Eli deflected. “Of course you didn’t,” he said. “Brynne and I were just talking, that’s all.”

“Liar,” Carly countered with a smile, keeping her voice low. “Did you finally ask her out?”

“Is the whole damn town playing matchmaker?” Eli demanded, but he couldn’t help a twitch of a grin.

“Probably,” Carly answered. “Did you?”

“Did I what?”

Carly rolled her eyes and, in that moment, she looked more like Cord than Reba. “Did you ask Brynne out?”

“Yes,” he answered. “Are you satisfied?”