Page 7 of Moonlit Colorado

I shook off my depressing thoughts. “I’ve got all the excitement I can handle. The fall festival is this weekend. And look at this amazing haul of books I just brought in.”

She made a face, shoving the box to the far end of the counter. “Sadly, your used financial books don’t tend to fly off the shelves.”

“Hey now, there’s some historical fiction and biographies in there too.”

“Be still my heart. By the way, how are your firefighter bros?” She grabbed a peanut butter cookie from her display case, breaking it in half and handing me the other.

“Only one of them ismybro. And they’re actually okay as roommates.”

“The views are probably nice with all those muscles.”

“Gross. That’s my brother.”

“Not Callum. He’s practically my brother too. I meant the other three.”

“Not interested.”

“Sure, but you can look. However, I recognize that you, Grace O’Neal, are the kind of woman who enjoys a hefty serving of brains with her brawn. You need a touch of elegance.”

I gestured at myself, baggy sweatshirt, messy hair and all. “The very picture of elegance, right here.”

“All the more reason that you need a glamorous night out. And I donotmean the fall festival.” Piper reached into the pocket of her apron and produced two tickets, each decorated with a stylized picture of a mask. She glanced around to see who was listening, but the coffee shop was experiencing a rare lull.

“You and I are going to the VIP grand-opening party tomorrow night for the new hotel at the ski resort.”

“What? How on earth did you get tickets?”

Pretty much everyone in Silver Ridge had heard about the grand opening of the new hotel. There had been some kind of drama about the ski resort’s finances, and my brother Ashford’s friend from the Army, Dane Knightly, had swooped in to buy them out. Or his family’s company had swooped in. Something like that.

Ashford had always spoken highly of Dane. Yet the man had never made a single trip to Silver Ridge, either before or after buying the resort. Knightly wasn’t even planning to attend the grand opening.

Piper shrugged. “Hanson Barker provided the tickets. I’m going with him, and he had an extra for you.”

“The mayor’s son? You broke our no-dating pact for Handy-dandy Barker? The former king of shop class?” Famous for making a bong shaped like a huge penis. Poor Mrs. Barker had been president of the PTA back then, and at the fine arts festival, I’d never forget the shade of purple that she’d turned when she saw her son’s creation.

Piper hushed me, giggling. “Give the man a break. High school was a long time ago. Hanson is a nice guy. He only got tickets because of his mother’s position, and he wisely chose me to share them with. Besides, my pact with you is about not dating.” Her eyebrows wiggled. “Not about sex.”

“You’re having sex with Handy-dandy?” I deadpanned.

She got a mischievous glint in her eyes and leaned in. “No, we’re friends. But who knows. I might get lucky tomorrow night. Because I’m going to that party, dressed to the nines. And you’re coming with me. I deserve this night out, and I won’t apologize for it.”

Piper had been my best friend since we were kids. She’d lived in the house across the street. She and I had gone to college together in Fort Collins, where we’d had plenty of wild times. Usually because Piper egged me on. We’d been a team. If one of us drank, the other stayed sober. We’d been there for each other no matter what. Looked out for each other. Ride or die.

Now that her ex-husband had left Silver Ridge, she was a single mom. Thank goodness her older brother Teller, the chief of police, was around for her son Ollie. Of course, my brothers and our friends stepped in and helped with Ollie whenever they could. But it still wasn’t right for Piper’s ex to leave her in the lurch like that.

Surprising? No. But so not right. Piper had dubbed our friend group the Lonely Harts club for a reason.

“You do deserve it,” I said.

“But so do you. When was the last time you did something truly for yourself?” She paused. Like she really expected an answer.

I didn’t have one.

I sighed. “I guess you’ll need someone to keep an eye on you.”

Piper pumped her fist in the air. “Yes!”

I took the ticket from her hand and my eyes traced the looping script. “I don’t have anything to wear, though. It says black tie.”

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