As soon as he was inside, the door closed behind him, he searched the room, found Brynne. Held her gaze.

Her heart jumped.

He was pale with exhaustion

They simply stared at each other for long moments, across the crowded space between them.

Then Brynne slid off the stool, stood on her shoeless feet and waited.

Eli came to her.

“You look terrible,” she said.

He quirked a grin. “Thanks. You, on the other hand, look fantastic.”

Brynne blushed. She’d heard that particular line many times, from many different men, but coming from Eli Garrett, well, it was different.

She didn’t speak, because she couldn’t.

“Festus is in the SUV,” he said. “Is there any way I can bring him inside without getting you in trouble with the health department?”

Brynne studied him briefly, feeling troubled by his mood. What had happened since he’d left the place earlier?

“Come in through the back way,” she said. “I’ll be watching for you.”

Eli nodded, looking grateful and worried at the same time.

“Eli,” Brynne said, taking one of his hands, much as she had taken Carly’s a few minutes before, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing you need to worry about,” he said.

“Not good enough, Sheriff,” Brynne countered gently. “I meant it when I said you look terrible, and I want to know why.”

He dredged up a smile. “Okay,” he replied, “but later.”

The countdown had begun, led by Carly, who held the microphone.

Cheers erupted a second after she’d shouted, “One!”

And Eli took Brynne in his arms, gazing straight into her eyes, while she looked up at him in hopeful wonder.

When he kissed her, the earth swayed on its axis.

It was as if they’d both sprouted wings and soared into the dark night sky to seek out hidden stars and claim them for their own.

“Happy New Year, Bailey,” Eli said gruffly, when the long, long kiss ended.

“Same to you, Garrett,” Brynne replied.

He laughed.

The noise surrounding them was deafening, and yet they might have been entirely alone in a silent place, for all the attention they paid the others.

Twenty minutes later, when virtually everyone had shaken Brynne’s hand, thanked her for a great evening and/or kissed her on the cheek, the restaurant was finally empty.

Except for herself and Eli, that is.

They stood facing each other, close together, swaying ever so slightly from side to side, in response to music they could feel but not hear.

Streamers dropped from the ceiling.

Confetti covered the tables, the counter and the floor.

The buffet table was a mess.

All of it, Brynne decided, could wait.

“Go and get Festus,” she said. “I’ll head upstairs and shut Waldo—my cat—in my bedroom. Meet you out back in about five minutes?”

“Five minutes it is,” Eli agreed. “Lock the door behind me.”