Winter dusk settled early over house, garden, and driveway; the doorbell rang at short intervals to announce arrivals. Zoe could barely hear the cascade of soft chimes from the blue suite, however, and preparing for her first real holiday party required all the attention—and bravery—she could scrape together.
Mama thought Christmas should be spent in church, and once Zoe left Hall City there was no time for anything but work and dodging trouble during the holiday season. Business didn’t slow down at Royal’s club during that time either—lonely men paid more for a bit of company or fantasy, that was all.
“Great. Now look up while you…that’s it.” Jolie watched, dark gaze level in the mirror’s watery depths. Her calm cheerfulness never altered. It seemed possible she was simply that rarity,
