Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 121210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
A day I wish would’ve never happened.
A gentle hand squeezes my shoulder, and I glance back to find Clay standing there, right behind me. “Today’s always a tough day, isn’t it?”
I don’t respond, but I also don’t break eye contact. No one, and I mean no one, has the ability for empathy more than him.
But ever since Halloween night, when I lost my marbles and kissed him, it feels like Clay keeps managing to insert himself into my life, and I’m suspicious.
The man almost never drank coffee when we were together, but he’s shown up at CAFFEINE nearly every single day to order coffee. He’s been attending church every Sunday, even though he never used to before.
And while I never used to see him at the Fall Farmers Market, he’s been there the last two Saturdays.
I’m half expecting him to try to bait me into a conversation about the past, but I’m surprised when that’s not what he does at all. Instead, he just leans forward to press a gentle kiss to my forehead. “You don’t have to say anything,” he whispers. “I get it. It’s always a hard day for me too.”
He heads toward Norah and Bennett to offer them hugs of congratulations and I just stand there, trying to understand why I feel equal parts relieved and disappointed.
The last thing I would’ve wanted him to do was hound me with questions or make me recall memories I’ve already been fighting against so hard all day, but if there were one person in the whole world I would have wanted to talk about those hard things with, it’d be him.
But it’s for the best. The more we talk, the more tempted I am to tell him all the things I never told him.
The more tempted I am to tell him why I couldn’t stay.
58
Clay
Friday, December 31st
New Year’s Eve in Red Bridge always consists of three very important things—spiced hot chocolate from my bar, cinnamon rolls from Josie’s coffee shop, and everyone gathering in the town square at eleven p.m. to ring in the new year together.
And every damn year, it’s cold as fuck. Half the time, there’s already snow on the ground, and this year is no different.
The night sky is dark with only the glow of the moon and some shimmering stars, and the town square is lit up with the twinkle lights Harold and Earl always install the day after Thanksgiving.
DJ Mikey has moved his set from inside The Country Club to the center of the square, and he is currently blasting music that has several townspeople cutting a rug in the snow. Sheriff Pete is in his uniform, pretending to patrol the square for any funny business, and Mayor Wallace watches on proudly from his perch on one of the benches.
Melba giggles with Fran as they drink their hot chocolate. And Marty Higgins wraps his arm around his wife Sheila’s shoulders as he comes to a stop behind her, a towel from the bar still slung over his shoulder. Every year, I shut the bar down from 11:00 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. so that everyone can enjoy the countdown in the square with their family and friends. And clearly, so DJ Mikey can keep the party rocking and rolling.
I’ll be honest, the kid is shit at DJ’ing, but what he lacks in skills, he makes up for in personality. It’s hard to be mad at him when he’s so damn enthusiastic about every song he plays.
I scan the crowd, looking for only one woman, and when I spot her curly blond hair, I slowly head her way. Josie stands beside Norah and Bennett, but they’re so damn busy canoodling with each other that she’s stuck there as the third wheel.
I’m fully prepared to step in, to save her from her current situation, but before I can reach her, Dale Cowens walks over to her with a smile on his face. He’s a handsome, single guy in his midforties and someone I’ve never had a problem with.
Until now.
I don’t like how close he’s standing to Josie, and I sure as shit don’t like the way she’s smiling as he whispers in her ear. I don’t like it at all.
“So, yeah, I just figured since I’m single and you’re single, maybe we could ring in the new year together.” He shrugs and slides his hands into his pockets. “You know, just a hug or handshake or whatever.” An outsider would commend him for being so polite, but I think he’s crossing the fucking line.
Josie doesn’t need someone to ring in the new year with when she has me. She always has me, ready and waiting.
Eileen Martin waves her hand toward DJ Mikey. He cuts the music and plugs in his microphone, handing it to her. She takes it and announces, “It’s 11:59!”