Nick:

Hailey refuses to let us give her a ride to the party. “That’s ridiculous,” she points out. “I can’t leave work until the Weekly Goat is sent to the printers. By the time I get back home, change and head to Ms. Grantham’s house, I’m going to be at least an hour late. I’ll just drive there.”

There’s a small amount of lingering tension between us. Last night, Sean had said those three words that transform everything. I’d almost blurted them out too, but I’d held back at the look of thinly veiled fear in Hailey’s eyes.

We’ll get there. What matters is that she spent the night in our arms. She’s still here, and so are we.

Elvira’s mansion is filled with people. Most of the conversation centers around the election, and there’s an undercurrent of tension in the room. Backed by McDuff’s, Eric Hardy has poured an unprecedented amount of money into this race. Elvira isn’t poor, but she can’t compete with the cash-rich retailer. Her track record is solid, and our group of volunteers has knocked on every door in Goat. Hopefully, it’ll be enough.

I’m chatting with Blake, Elvira’s great-nephew, about his medical practice when Hailey pulls up, much earlier than expected. She’s wearing a deep blue wrap dress. The fabric is soft and clings to her curves, and I can’t take my eyes off her as she walks up to us.

“You look amazing.” I put my arm around her waist and brush my lips against her cheeks.

“You really do.” Blake grins at her. “Although the blue’s a little sober for you.”

She chuckles. “I wanted to wear a bright yellow dress, but I thought I’d tone it down.”

She smells like flowers. As much as I like Elvira Grantham, I can’t wait for this party to be over. “You’re here early.”

“Connor wouldn’t let me stay late when he found out I was invited to this party.” She looks troubled. “I asked him if he was coming too, but he said no.”

“Poor Connor,” Blake sighs. “I love my great-aunt, but I’ve never understood why she’s kept him at a distance.”

“Fear’s a powerful motivator,” Hailey mutters.

The conversation is getting too serious, and I can’t bear to hear Hailey sound sad. As ridiculous and poetic as it sounds, I want her life to be filled with laughter and happiness. Snagging a flute of champagne from one of the caterers that Elvira has hired tonight, I hand it to Hailey. “It’s party time, baby.”

She looks at the club soda in my hand. “You’re not drinking?”

I shake my head. “Cantu’s wife is sick, so we swapped spots. I’m on call at the fire station.”

“Is that where Sean is?”

“Where am I supposed to be?” Sean walks up to us, his eyes lighting up when he sees the woman we’re both crazy about. “Has anyone told you that you look beautiful?”

“Ah, you guys kissed and made up.” Lana joins us too, a look of satisfaction on her face. Declan’s at her side. “Isn’t that nice?”

“Stop looking smug.” Hailey grins at her friend. “It doesn’t suit you.”

The six of us fall into conversation. Sean and I have known Blake all our lives, but I haven’t hung out with him much since he started dating Lana. It’s nice catching up with them. The kind of relationship that Sean, Hailey, and I have embarked upon is still rare. Declan, Blake, and Lana have been together for a year, and they seem to be really committed to each other. It’s reassuring.

“Did they ever figure out what caused Tammy’s barn fire?” Declan asks.

“No,” Sean says, with a shake of his head. He’s filled Hailey and me in on the conversation he had with the investigator, but he doesn’t bring it up now. “The insurance company closed the investigation and paid out.”

“The timing seems so coincidental,” Lana muses. “Tammy had just paid off the last of her loans, and then her stable goes up in flames? Somebody really doesn’t like her.”

“Didn’t you go out with her?” Blake turns to me with a raised eyebrow. “It’s the Nick O’Sullivan curse.”

“What Nick O’Sullivan curse?” Hailey’s voice has the tiniest edge in it, one that both Sean and I pick up on. I stiffen warily. It’s no secret in Goat that I have a reputation as a player, and Blake meant no harm by his comment, but man, talk about inconvenient timing. We’d just taken a major step forward in our relationship last night.

Blake grins. “It’s a running joke. I swear, every woman Nick’s gone out with seems to end up at the clinic. Beth Greenwood got salmonella poisoning, remember? So did Diana Witt. Maria Sandoval had a mystery three-day stomach bug, and of course, Tammy’s stable burned down. All in the last month. That’s the Nick O’Sullivan curse.” He chuckles. “Go out with him at your own peril, Hailey.”

Remind me to strangle Blake. “Come on, you guys.” I feel my face heat with embarrassment. “I didn’t go out with quite as many women as the gossip suggests, and I’ve never been involved with Tammy. Stop making me out to be some kind of manwhore.” I give Hailey a cautious glance, bracing myself for her anger.

To my surprise and everlasting gratitude, she doesn’t seem perturbed. “We all have pasts,” she says, her fingers lacing in mine. “I’m more interested in the present.”

“There you are.” Elvira appears out of nowhere. “Hello again, Hailey.”

“Ms. Grantham.” Hailey sounds nervous. “Thank you for inviting me.”

I put my arm around her waist, and Elvira catches the gesture of support. Her eyes soften. “I just wanted a word with my great-nephew. Blake, the bartender the caterers provided doesn’t seem to know his scotch at all. Can you point him to the good stuff?”

“I can do that, if you’d like,” I offer.

She shakes her head with a smile. “Oh, no, Nick. You’re off-duty tonight.” She’s about to add something else when my pager goes off, as does Sean’s.

Sean reacts first. He pulls his phone out and reads his message. “There’s another fire,” he says. “We’ve got to go.”

“Where?” Lana asks.

I look down at my screen, and my blood runs cold. The address the dispatch has sent us is a familiar one. “It’s Connor.”

Elvira’s face goes deathly pale, and she sways on her feet.