So, he'd made his choice, Darcy thought, half an hour after Lewis had left. She'd waited hopefully for a few minutes, thinking he might come back. But no. He was on his way to Grace. To the kiss he'd designed a damn app around.

When the doctor came in, Darcy had been embarrassed, but had also been flying high, knowing that what she and Lewis had just shared was a real connection. Not some schoolgirl fantasy of hers, or a kiss claimed through deceit-as was his annual kiss with Grace.

She'd never been more certain in her life that she and Lewis truly had a future together. Until the doctor examined her and she realized Lewis's phone was still in her lap. She started to give it to him-his back still to her. But when she touched the screen, the picture of the lips zoomed out to show the entire face of...no big surprise...Grace Devine.

Okay, she could handle that. Though the thought of Lewis testing the app on Grace's picture fueled a fire in her, she really couldn't blame him. She had designed the lead in Mirth to look, sound and act like Lewis. Then she touched the game to escape and saw the working title card.

"A Kiss of Grace."

And it was just like a few hours earlier when she'd watched Lewis see Grace in her beautiful gown-something inside her snapped. She wanted Lewis desperately, but not if he still wanted Grace.

Set a caged bird free and if it returns...oh whatever the hell that saying was, Darcy knew she had to do it.

So, she set Lewis free to fly. Being the stand-up guy he was, he didn't want to leave her stranded at a hospital, but she'd convinced him she didn't need him.

She wasn't sure if she'd done a great job, or if it was easy for him to believe, but he left. The memory of their kiss, of their bodies fitting together so perfectly, stayed with her. And she hoped maybe Lewis would return to her after all.

***

Lewis tucked his shirt back into his pants as he made his way into the Club. It was just before midnight. If he hurried, he'd get there just before the craziness. When he'd pulled his phone out to show Darcy the kissing game, he'd noticed texts from Tess, but didn't bother reading or responding to them. The point seemed moot at the time, as it looked like he'd be in the hospital at midnight, not in any position to help out Tess.

Now he fumbled in his pocket for the phone as he approached the Club. He patted his pockets, but came up empty. He must have left it at the hospital. Was Darcy hanging on to it when they'd started kissing? Honestly, he lost his phone all the time when he was on top of things. But to be able to keep his wits-and possessions-about him during and after that kiss? Not remotely possible.

He entered the building where all his friends still were. And some people not so much his friends. He remembered the co-worker of Grace's. Ramos. Was he still here? Would he be Grace's first kiss of the new year? The thought of that would have seriously pissed him off just a few hours ago. Now, Lewis found he couldn't work up any anger over the idea.

Maybe Grace really liked the guy. Maybe they'd make a good match. They could clean their guns together in front of the fireplace.

He walked by the coat check girls, thinking that he should get Darcy's shawl thingy to bring home to her. Or maybe he'd just tell Ellen and John that it was still with the coats, because he wasn't sure if Darcy would even want to see him around the house later. Or tomorrow.

Man, if she was pissed at him, and regretted their kiss-and he wasn't sure about either of those things, unable to read those last few minutes in the examination room-being a guest at the Bennett house was going to be pretty awkward.

The unfinished floor of Brooks's place was sounding better and better.

But maybe if he could...just maybe

When he entered the main ballroom, he stopped. It was too quiet, something was off. He realized everyone was looking at the stage where Grace stood, looking proud, and yet a little bit nervous.

Grace, nervous? That didn't seem right. He took a step back, and then another, and then another until he was standing back in the hallway. He could hear Grace's voice, but not her words.

He turned around, and ran smack into Brooks.

"Dude, what are you doing here?" Brooks asked him.

"I'm...I'm...." This was crazy. What was he doing here? It was a dumb, futile idea. He'd never be able to...."I'm going back," he finally finished his sentence, and looked at Brooks fully. "I'm going back to Darcy. Right now." He'd simply ask her why she'd kicked him out. He could do that, couldn't he?

"Um. Okay. Good. She's okay, right? Mom said Darcy would text if it was serious. That's not why you're here, is it?"

"No. She's fine. Just a sprain. Bad sprain. But it doesn't look like anything's broken. They're doing an X-ray just to be safe, and she's waiting on that."

Brooks let out a sigh of relief. "So...?"

"I just...." How could he tell Brooks why he was really at the Country Club? It sounded idiotic in his head, he could only imagine what Brooks would say, so he decided to fudge the truth a bit. "I, um, wanted to let John and Ellen know. And that I'd be bringing Darcy home from the hospital."

"Hey, Lewis, there's these new things called cell phones that allow you to call, or just text people, and tell them things so you don't have to drive all over town."

"Very funny. I-"

"Listen, buddy, I'd love to find out what the hell is going on with you, but if Darcy's okay, I was actually on my way out."

"But it's not even midnight yet. You can stick around for a couple of minutes can't you?"

"Nope. Can't do it, not even to steal a kiss from somebody. I just got a call that there's an ice storm headed our way. Could be really dangerous driving. Add that to the usual drunk drivers on New Year's Eve, and it could be a bad night."

"You got called in?"

His friend nodded. "Me. Vance. All of us did. Anybody who was off duty."

"Aw man, that sucks."

Brooks just shrugged. "That's the job. We can't all be CEO of our own company."

"Ha, ha."

"I've got to go. Tell Darce I'll stop by the house tomorrow and see how she's doing," Brooks said and hustled down the hall and out the front entrance. Lewis followed close behind him. Then stopped.

Crap.

He had to look. He had to try. He sighed, ran his fingers through his hair, turned around and started heading back toward the main room. A man who was dressed like a waiter or bartender neared him and asked if he needed help.

"No, I'm just looking for...." But he couldn't explain it to this stranger any more than he could to Brooks.

"It's not in there," the youngish man said. Odd that he said "it" and not "they." One would assume he'd be looking for a person. And how did he know who or what Lewis was looking for, anyway?

"You should look in the other direction," the man added as he walked past Lewis.

Confused, Lewis turned and watched as the man strolled down the hallway and around a corner. Lewis turned back toward the main room just as Tess walked out.

"You're here," she said. She looked at him strangely, but it'd been a very weird night already, so Lewis didn't even try to understand her look.

"Yeah," he answered. Could she help him with his quest? Or would she be pissed about him not answering her texts and tell him to piss off? "Uh..."

"Just in time. I should have known you wouldn't miss it," Tess said. She glanced behind her, back into the ballroom, but Lewis was still in the hallway and not able to see what she was looking at. "It's two minutes till midnight. I think you should kiss me tonight."

Seriously? Tess wanted him to kiss her? After all the years they plotted together so she wouldn't have to kiss him. Which had been fine with him, because then he got to kiss Grace. He glanced around the hallway, tried to see into the ballroom. If he had to kiss Tess, at least it'd be out here and nobody would see. Grace wouldn't see.

And Darcy wouldn't find out.

"Uh," he said, stalling for time, still searching the hallway with his eyes.

"One minute," came the call from the ballroom.

"I-" he started, not really sure what to say. Just a quick peck and then he could get on with what he'd really come here for.

Tess stepped toward him, putting her hands on his upper arms. She looked kind of surprised to grab onto something solid, like she thought maybe he really was just a brain in an empty suit. There was resignation in her voice-resignation Lewis shared-when she said, "Let's just kiss each other and be done-"

"Why break your streak now, Tess?" said Johnny Wilder, who'd stepped out of the ballroom behind her. At the sound of his voice, Tess swung away from Lewis. "After all, it's been ten years. You've never lost the bet yet," Johnny added, his eyes never leaving Tess.

And from the way Johnny was looking at Tess, Lewis knew she wouldn't be losing it tonight, either.

"Ten," came the cry from the ballroom.

"Oh, hi Johnny," Lewis said in greeting. Not really surprised at the scene that was unfolding in front of him. So, Johnny finally was playing his cards. Good for him.

"Nine," from the next room.

Yeah, they were so not going to notice if he just slipped away. He could go into the ballroom and try to finish this. Or he could call the whole stupid idea off.

Tess and Wilder continued talking as Lewis turned and started toward the doors but did a detour to the coat check area. He'd at least get her shawl. The girls that had been manning the area were nowhere to be found. They'd probably stepped out from behind the booth and snuck into the party, it being so close to midnight.

"Eight."

Lewis looked around to see if anybody was available to help, but there was nobody.

"Seven."

But he could see the corner of Darcy's filmy wrap on a table behind the counter.

"Six."

He scooted around the counter and moved a couple of fur stoles on the table out of the way.

"Five."

He grabbed Darcy's shawl.

"Four."

Started back.

"Three."

Saw something shiny on the floor out of the corner of his eye just as he stepped on it.

"Two."

And went down like Darcy had done hours earlier.

"One."

Collapsing to the floor in agonizing pain.

"Happy New Year!"

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***