The Hunt for Snow by S. E. Babin Page A

see anybody. It was harder to scope the crowd with so many people. While I was looking forward to seeing my friends, I was also terrified at what their reception would be. Grumpy notwithstanding, it was possible everyone else could be holding a major grudge. I hoped not. I could do with some down time. In between Max trying to kill me and the meeting with Naomi, I was ready to kick up my feet and sleep for a week.
    Unfortunately, the vodka I’d consumed had long since burned off, leaving me a little queasy because I hadn’t eaten much since lunch. Fighting for your life tended to burn off a lot of calories. We kept walking toward the room as I glanced around trying to take in everyone and everything—the shadows playing off the walls, any suspicious-looking waiters—but especially Max.
    As we rounded the corner, I halted, my breath caught in my throat. I knew almost everyone was here, but I didn’t expect to see everyone from my other life all at once. My dear friend, Red, stood lounging against the wall, a tumbler of something in her hand, talking in earnest to a handsome man I’d never seen before. Grumpy was milling around with some of the others. I felt a smile creep on my face as I noticed Happy and Clumsy—two of my favorites—who from the look on Grumpy’s face were annoying him to no end. Robin was surrounded by three simpering females, one of whom appeared to be Rapunzel. I’d never liked her. She was all fluff and no substance. Seriously, anyone who couldn’t figure out how to get out of a tower didn’t deserve much respect, in my opinion.
    Belle stiffened beside me. Looks like she’d gotten a glimpse of Robin and his new BFF too. “Rapunzel,” she muttered under her breath, “what a bitch.”
    “Belle!” Cyndi said, mortified. “You can’t say things like that here! You never know who’s going to overhear you.”
    “I don’t care who overhears,” she said. “It’s true.”
    Cyndi looked over at me, her expression pleading, but I shrugged. “Sorry, I kind of agree with her.”
    Belle offered me her fist and I bumped it. We moved as swiftly as we could through the wash of bodies. The stares of the people followed me as I swept past them, but I did not acknowledge them. If I made eye contact with anyone, I nodded and kept moving. This was not the open arms affair I often longed for in my dreams. We finally made it to the bartender, and while we were waiting for our drinks, I craned my neck to look inside the ballroom. “Looks like just the usual people we’d expect right now.”
    “All the evil people don’t come out to play until nine,” Belle said dryly and snagged her drink as the bartender set it in front of her.
    “Make fun of me if you want to, but there’s a reason I’m still alive. It’s called Paranoia. With a capital P.” I smiled when my drink was handed over to me and took a long sip of my spiked tea.
    “Do they offer that class in college?” Belle asked, deadpan.
    I elbowed her hard enough to slosh her drink, but she shut up. Red still stood in the corner, engrossed in conversation. I wanted to go over to her so much, but I was nervous. Would she reject me? Cyndi looped her arm through mine. “Red was one of the people asking about you before we left. Come on. It will be fine.”
    I allowed myself to be led in Red’s direction, hope knocking around in my chest. If I got a good response, it would be one of the first since I got here. Everyone else seemed to get twitchy. Cyndi cleared her throat once we got close enough. Red’s cool gaze swept over Cyndi, recognition taking a moment. She suddenly straightened, her jet-black hair swinging with the motion.
    “Hot damn! Cinderella is back!” A wide grin broke out as she swooped in for a hug. Cyndi reciprocated, and as Red straightened she noticed me standing there. So many emotions went through her face that I paused, scared like a rabbit. Anger, love, hurt and concern all flashed before she gave me the same