deserved. Unfortunately, this wasn’t an ideal situation, and he was racing against the clock, the time ticking too close to midnight for his comfort. So, he bypassed his home and sped straight to the historic center where they were holding this year’s ball, hoping no one would still be taking tickets this late in the party.
He threw his car into park in the middle of a fire lane and raced up the front steps and into the building, not stopping until he crashed through the double doors of the event hall. The space was crowded, filled with Havenbrook residents in their finest. This year’s theme was A Masked Affair, so everyone inside wore one, cloaking half their faces.
Not that it mattered—Cole was able to spot Sadie from across the room. Even if it weren’t for her vibrant red hair spilling down around her face, he’d still be able to find her. He hummed whenever they were in the vicinity of each other, his body aware of her every move. He’d ignored it for so long, pushed it out of his mind as if that were all it would take to forget about her. But now that he’d accepted it, his body came alive in her presence.
“This is the latest arrival I’ve ever seen,” Edna said, perched on a chair by the door, a jar filled with tickets in front of her.
So much for that wish.
He ran a hand through his hair, taking his gaze off Sadie only long enough to attempt to sweet-talk Edna. “I don’t have a ticket.”
“I can see that, sugar. Don’t have a suit either, apparently.” She clucked her tongue and eyed him up and down, a slow shake to her head.
“Not a lot of time to swing by and grab it.”
“No?” she asked. “Why’s that?”
“I need to get to Sadie before midnight.”
A slow smile swept across her face as she leaned toward him. “It was the carriage ride, wasn’t it? I knew it. I’ve got a knack for pushin’ two people together who’re meant to be.” She stood and pressed a hand to his back, not so subtly shoving him into the room. “Go on, now. And hurry. It’s almost midnight.”
“Thanks, Edna. I owe you one.”
“You remember that the next time I get into another snafu,” she called after him.
He shook his head, breathing out a laugh as his gaze sought out Sadie once again. She’d moved, somehow inching even farther from him, and urgency gripped his throat as he glanced at his watch. Six minutes.
“Mr. Donovan,” a woman called as he passed.
He glanced over to find Aubrey Hayward, the woman from the shelter he’d spoken to a couple weeks prior. While he kept an eye on Sadie as she moved through the room, he said, “Please, I told you to call me Cole.”
“Cole.” She smiled warmly and lifted the two flutes of champagne she carried and gestured to a man who stood a few feet away. “I’m gonna ring in the new year with my husband, but I just wanted to thank you again for offerin’ your services. We’re so grateful.”
“Of course. I’m happy to help however I can. I look forward to meetin’ with you next week,” he said before excusing himself and striding toward Sadie.
He couldn’t tell if the lightness in his chest was because he felt a new sense of purpose in his career, or because he moved closer to Sadie with each step he took. Both, he decided, smiling for the first time since he’d last been with her.
Still halfway across the room from where she stood, he recognized the asshole from the inn sidling up to her. He clenched his jaw at the prick’s audacity. She’d already told him no, several times. And, despite it being fake a couple weeks ago, had mentioned she had a boyfriend. Cole curled his hands into fists and forced his way through the crowd faster than before. Sadie stood, arms crossed, her negative body language rolling off her in waves, but the other guy didn’t take a hint. He inched closer to her as midnight loomed, and Cole had absolutely no doubt this bastard was going to attempt to make a move when the clock struck twelve.
Cole strode up until her arm brushed his chest, and he exhaled a sigh of relief at the contact, not realizing until that moment just how much he’d needed it. “It should be enough for a woman to tell you no, but that’s apparently not the case with