She waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. You tried. She was…well, anyway, she probably won’t remember meeting me next time I see her.”

Maddie was clearly grateful. “I don’t know about that. You’re pretty memorable.”

She had no immediate reply, and as she tried to think of something, someone jostled her from behind, making her stumble into Maddie, who steadied her, hands on her forearms strong and sure.

“Sorry!” someone shouted.

She took a small step away from Maddie—as far as she could in this press of people—but their faces were still very close, their bodies nearly flush. A tried New Yorker, she didn’t have a problem with crowds, but this proximity was testing her in other ways. She was close enough to see little flecks of steely gray in Maddie’s blue eyes and a smattering of pale freckles on her nose.

“It’s getting crazy in here,” Maddie said, sounding quiet and calm. “Let’s get you that drink and out of this hubbub. There’s a little TV room upstairs where we can escape. I bet you anything Stuart’s already up there.”

“Lead the way,” she said, still flustered.

Once again, Maddie took her hand, and as they wove through the rest of the room, several people called out. Maddie didn’t stop this time, only lifting her free hand and waving them off. She held up their linked hands a couple of times to show someone that she was busy.

They finally made it across the room and through another doorway, which led to a blissfully empty hallway, at the end of which was a steep set of stairs.

“We should find something to drink upstairs,” Maddie explained as they climbed. “I didn’t want to have to face the craziness of the bar down there.”

They were still holding hands, and Ryann didn’t fight it, a small part of her giving up. She was tired, overwhelmed, and didn’t want to make any kind of deal out of it. So they were holding hands. Who cares?

Apparently someone.

When they walked into the TV room, Stuart’s eyes flared wide, and he stood up, gaping at them.

“What the hell?” he said, pointing.

“What?” Maddie asked. Then following his finger and seeing their linked hands, she said, “Oh. Well, Ryann was about to get swallowed by the crowd. She needed—”

“She needed a strong woman to rescue her,” Stuart said.

“Can it, Stuart,” she said, letting go of Maddie. “She said there was alcohol up here?”

“Some beer, but it’s good—local,” Stuart said. “In that little fridge in the corner.”

“Do you want one, too?” she asked Maddie.

“No—better not. I have to get up really early. Unless you’d be willing to share?”

“Sure. What kind?”

“Whatever you like.”