Alice laughed weakly.  “Not quite.  I guess it’s just one of those nights, y’know?  Reflecting, remembering and regretting can be a real pain in the ass.”

Shane nodded thoughtfully.  “Don’t forget resolving…after all it IS New Year’s.  So, are you making any resolutions?”

Alice thought about it. “I guess the usual…lose 10 pounds, write a Pulitzer prize winning story and no swearing in front of Angelica.  You?”

Shane chewed her lip.  “No more long term relationships.  I’m sick of disappointing people.”

“Hey, you can’t say you disappointed Paige…I think it was the other way around.  After all, she was the one who up and moved to Iowa.  Really, who the fuck moves to Iowa?  All they have there is corn and prairies.  She couldn’t realistically expect you to sell Wax and go with.  Iowans would so not get your hair!  You’d be broke in, like, six minutes.”

A slight lopsided grin broke out almost unwillingly on Shane’s face.  “Yeah.”

The two walked the remainder in companionable silence, shoulders hunched against the cool air.

As Alice drove the short distance to Shane’s house, she thought about the peculiar tradition of New Year’s resolutions.  What should she resolve to do this year?  If she could start fresh, how would she choose to live?  Suddenly, she recalled the phone message she’d received earlier in the day.

“Al—you’re going to miss the turn!”  Shane’s voice penetrated her fog of thought.  With little warning, she swerved the wheel hard to the left and made the turn on screeching tires. 

“Jesus—I can’t believe I let you drive!  What the fuck were you thinking about so intently?”

Alice smiled sweetly.  “Hey, no complaints.  I got you home in one piece.”  She pulled to the curb and killed the engine.

Shane climbed out of the mini and stooped to say goodnight to Alice.  “Coffee at The Planet on Wednesday?” 

Alice shook her head.  “Can’t.  I have a meeting with the editor at LA Weekly…he wants to pitch a story to me.” 

Shane laughed.  “Shouldn’t that be the other way around?”

Alice smirked.  “You’d think…but suddenly, with the website success and the radio show, I’m a hot commodity.  He wants my name as a byline.”  She thought back again to the message that Steve had left earlier that day.  “I’m kind of intrigued.  He mentioned it as a long term assignment that was sure to keep me on my toes, and motivated.  He said I should get ready to pack my bags.”

Shane frowned.  “I’m not sure I like the sound of you going away for awhile.  Who else would climb billboards to protect my honor?”

Alice snickered.  “I seem to recall that Bette is surprisingly good at activities that require stealth and subterfuge…not to mention raw steaks.”

Shane laughed.  “True.  How about Wednesday evening for dinner?  Come over here, we’ll grill and you can tell me about the story.”

Alice nodded.  “It’s a date.”  Starting the engine, she leaned forward and flashed a smile at Shane.  “Happy New Year again….thanks for spending it with me.”

Shane nodded.  “Always.”