“NOPE.” Hannah shook her head so hard her braid whipped Noelle in the back. “I want to get you into a tux, save the farm, and get you back your girl.” She pulled Noelle out of the work shed, into the cold.

“We’re going to talk about this. Don’t think you can avoid it forever,” Noelle said, following her back up to the house.

She was already late. There was an alarming number of audaciously rich people in sequins milling around looking at her trees. She hoped this meant the auction would be a success. For an event they’d planned in five days, Noelle could barely believe how many people had arrived, and how totally the inn’s regular guests had embraced the party. New Year’s Eve at Carrigan’s had never been quiet, because Cass never let an occasion for excess pass unfulfilled, but this year, the mood was frenetic.

All the Christmas trees in the main house had been replaced by displays of Miriam’s art. Guests were being shown through the first floor by Mrs. Matthews before being escorted to the party in the barn. Hannah had disappeared to play hostess.

Noelle slipped past everyone, trying to get to her room without being waylaid by too many well-meaning well-wishers. She was on a mission, and that mission was: look hot enough to distract Miriam into talking to her for however long Noelle needed to apologize, grovel, beg forgiveness, and vow to do better.

And also save the farm. Probably somewhere in there, they should save the farm.

In her room, Noelle found herself taken back to the morning of Cass’s funeral. Like that day, she freshened up the buzzed side of her hair, fastened her cufflinks, slipped into dress shoes.

That morning, she’d thought a part of her life was ending and nothing would ever fill the void Cass had left. When she’d tucked a comb into the back pocket of her funeral slacks, Noelle hadn’t known that she would meet an infuriating, mesmerizing elf who would change her entire internal landscape. Somehow, in the midst of one of the saddest and most difficult times in her life, she’d become lit with hope for the future, excited for every tomorrow in a way she’d never thought she would be again.

Tonight, as she folded her pocket square and tied her bow tie, she was prepared. Noelle knew that the next time she saw her wild-haired chaos elf, her life was going to change again, for better or worse.

God, she hoped for better.