Brynne waited to feel that tearing-away sensation common to breakups, even after some time had passed, but it didn’t come. All she felt was exuberant anticipation—Davey and Maddie were coming to visit, at long last.

She could barely wait.

The call went on for about twenty more minutes, while the kids told Brynne about their school, their friends, the things they’d given and received for Christmas. Once again, they’d thanked Brynne for the books she’d sent as gifts.

When it was over, when goodbyes had been said and the laptop screen showed the Boston skyline again, Brynne reached for her teacup, took a sip and realized the stuff had gone stone-cold.

She smiled, carried the cup to the sink, emptied it and placed it on the top rack of the dishwasher. Since she took most of her meals downstairs, it often took days to fill the machine.

It was still early, and the preparations for tonight’s big celebration were complete, for the time being. Around six, when the doors opened for business and the first crop of celebrants showed up, she would be there to greet them, the consummate hostess.

She had a special outfit for the occasion, an off-white, somewhat clingy dress covered in tiny faux pearls and crystals, designed to shimmer glamorously in changing light. She planned to pin her chin-length hair up, leaving a few wisps and tendrils to dangle in strategic places, and she would wear her best earrings, diamond-and-pearl studs her folks had given her for college graduation.

She would spritz on some perfume and even put on makeup. Mascara, eye shadow, a very light dusting of blusher.

As for shoes, well, she’d chosen a pair of sexy heels, a close match to her dress.

It was more effort than she would usually have made, even for New Year’s Eve, but she was a businesswoman, she told herself. She had to maintain a certain image, even in remote Painted Pony Creek.

She was dressing up for the community in general, not Sheriff Eli Garrett.

Okay, not just for him.

Eli might not even show up, given that there would be plenty of drunk drivers on the road on this night of nights. Bailey’s would be packed, but places like Sully’s Bar and Grill would do plenty of business, too, and that meant both the small local police department and the sheriff’s people would be on high alert.

Since the big snowstorm, there had been a significant thaw, but according to the weather forecast, the temperature would drop below freezing as the evening went on, and stay there. That, of course, meant the roads would be icy and thus dangerous, even for sober people.

Like Brynne’s crew of volunteer drivers, for instance.

She closed her eyes and offered a brief, silent prayer for the safety of everyone concerned.