Page 60 of When I Should’ve Stayed (Red Bridge #2)

Clay

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!”

The crowd cheers. I stare at Josie.

“Forty-six! Forty-five! Forty-four!” Eileen leads everyone into the countdown, and I watch Josie as she smiles at that idiot Dale.

“Sure,” she says, nodding. “That’d be great.”

Dale’s responding smile is so big, Sheriff Pete should write him a fucking ticket for taking up too much space.

“Nineteen! Eighteen! Seventeen!” The countdown dwindles, and I stare at Josie.

By the time the crowd is reaching ten, I’ve positioned myself as close to Josie and her little friend Dale as I can without drawing any attention to myself.

Bennett leans forward to kiss Norah when the crowd reaches five, and she laughs, playfully slapping at his chest and telling him he’s too early. He doesn’t give a shit and just keeps on kissing her.

And when everyone shouts, “One!” Dale turns to Josie.

I don’t know what his plan is, I don’t give a fuck about his plan, and I all but shove him out of the way as I step directly in front of Josie with a smile.

“Clay,” Josie groans when her eyes lock with mine. “What are you doing?”

“Sorry, but I love you too much,” I say and pull her into my arms and hug her. “Happy New Year, Josie.”

I know she wants to bitch at me, but I don’t care. I just hug her and hold her and keep her in my arms until I know I’ve reached the point where she wants to pull away. I feel fucking victorious when she allows it for a good thirty seconds before I start to feel her body tug away from mine.

I step back, smile intact, and when I see Josie’s face is filled with annoyance and she starts to open her mouth to most likely yell at me, I just give her another quick hug and press a soft kiss to her forehead. “I can’t wait to see what this year brings.”

I meet her eyes one last time before spinning on my heel and heading back to The Country Club with a fucking pep in my step.

Resolutions are for pussies, but I guess that’s what I am now. Because I am resolved. Determined. Fucking certain.

This will be the year that I get my wife back.