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“Masks really do conceal identities,” I said.

“Just walk around kissing everyone until you find the perfect fit.”

“That’s a great idea,” I said sarcastically. “But I only have an hour here.”

“So we should just scream his name in the next break between songs?”

Across the room, I saw him. I knew it was him. His hair was a deep shade of brown and had a slight wave to it. His shoulders were broad. And there was something about the way he carried himself, relaxed, confident. On his face was a black jeweled mask, the one I’d seen in the picture he’d sent me.

Fiona must’ve realized I saw him because she smacked my back and said, “Go get him.”

My heart was in my throat. “Any luck, by the way?” I asked her before I moved toward Ryan. “Finding out info about the suing Scrooge?”

“Maybe,” she said. “I’ll talk to you about it later. But keep your ears open.”

I walked a dozen steps forward, then turned back to smile at her, but she was already heading for the door. For a second, I wondered where she was off to, but then I quickly focused on my destination again.

I felt a bit light-headed as I wove my way toward Ryan. He wasn’t dancing. He was talking to some friends. They looked like the guys from the golf cart.

I stepped up behind Ryan and swallowed. Then I tapped him on the shoulder. “Would you like to dance?”

“No, I—” he started to say as he turned, but his words caught in his throat as he met my eyes. His expression went from neutral to confused to smiling. His eyes shot down to my dress then back up to me, and without another word to me or his friends, he took my hand and led me out to the middle of the room where people were dancing. He pulled me into his arms, even though it wasn’t a slow song, and swayed me softly, his palms flat against my back.

“Hi,” I said by his ear.

“How?” was all he said.

“My brother helped me sneak away from the work party. I only have an hour. Well, fifty minutes now.”

“Your brother?” he asked, backing up enough to look me in the eyes again.

I nodded with a smile. “Yes. My brother.”

He hugged me to him again. “I’ll take as many minutes as I can get.”

“This place is amazing,” I said. “Beautiful.”

“I knew you’d like it.”

It felt good to be in his arms in the middle of a crowd even though I knew nobody knew it was us. Well, maybe his friends did. And maybe people recognized Ryan. But nobody knew me.

“Have you been having fun?” I asked into his ear as we kept dancing.

“Now I am, yes.”

I swallowed. “Fiona is here too.”

“Fiona? With a date?” He was confused.

“No, she snuck in. She’s spying, hoping to find out information about who is suing the town.”

“Spying?” His shoulders went tense with the question.

“Just eavesdropping.”

“Why does she think it’s someone who’s here?”

“She doesn’t, necessarily. We just figure people here are well connected and know things. Talk.”