Eve’s heart sank.
Fine wasn’t the same as here.
The evening progressed. Ten o’clock came and went. Eleven.
Eve found herself standing near the edge of William’s property, staring out at the dark pond.
Chaos sat beside her, his head resting against her leg.
“He’ll come back,” she whispered to the dog. “He has to.”
At eleven forty-five, someone started setting up for the midnight countdown.
A large screen was erected in the center of the street, ready to show the ball drop in Times Square.
People began gathering, filling the street, champagne glasses in hand.
Eve let Mia pull her into the crowd.
Nolan stood on Mia’s other side, his arm around her waist. Lila and Brian were nearby with a group of teenagers. Dan and Milly stood with William and Julie.
They were all together.
Everyone except David.
Eve’s throat tightened.
The screen flickered to life, showing the crowds in Times Square. The glittering ball waiting to drop.
The countdown began.
“Sixty seconds!” someone shouted.
The crowd started chanting. “Sixty... fifty-nine... fifty-eight...”
Eve looked around at all the happy faces. All the couples holding hands, ready to kiss at midnight.
Her chest ached.
“Forty... thirty-nine... thirty-eight...”
She closed her eyes.
Please, she thought. Please let him be okay. Please let him come back.
“Twenty... nineteen... eighteen...”
The crowd’s energy was building. Excitement crackling through the air.
“Ten... nine... eight...”
Eve opened her eyes, looking up at the stars above Circle Pond.
Mary, she thought.If you’re out there, if you can hear me...
“Five... four... three...”
“Two...”
