Page 7 of When I Should’ve Stayed (Red Bridge #2)

Clay

Josie throws her head back and cackles as Sheriff Peeler regales her with his third whiskey-inspired tale of the night, and I pop the cap off a couple of Miller Lites and pass them across the bar while I watch.

“Thanks,” Harold Metcalf says, and I reward him with a two-finger salute and a nod. I could be friendlier, seeing as his patronage is what keeps me in food and shit, but all I want is a little time with my obsession, and it’s like all these fuckers are expecting me to actually tend bar.

I dole out two more mixed drinks and a bucket of beers for the boys in the back, and I finally find myself in front of the dazzling blonde with the magic smile and perfect eyes just as Sheriff Peeler gets scraped away by Hal Newton and Earl Lathers, the owner of our sweet little town’s one and only grocery store.

“You know what I just figured out that I’m really afraid of?” I ask by way of greeting, earning a special glare from my gal.

“Clay. Come on already.” She rolls her pretty little eyes at me. “Don’t you think that joke is played out?”

Ever since our night on the water tower, I’ve been using the power of fear to experiment in the most exciting of sexual ways. It’s not my fault, though. It’s the only thing that helps, you know?

I wave her off and settle my elbows into the bar, leaning toward her as she plays with the stem of her cherry with the tip of her tongue. If she wants me to think about something other than sex, she’s doing a really shit job.

“Nah, Jose. I’m for real. This isn’t one of those made-up fears. This is legitimate.”

She narrows her eyes. “Oh really?”

“Yeah,” I say, punctuating the word with an enthusiastic nod. “I’m not messing around.”

“All right. Fine. I’ll bite,” she says, and I sink my teeth into the flesh of my bottom lip to keep from smirking and getting myself in trouble. “What’s got you so scared this time, Clay?”

I lean in, my face and voice grave as I whisper, “This bar full of people. It’s feeling real claustrophobic-like, you know? As if the walls are closing in on us. I think I need to find somewhere to be alone, but alone in the way that it’s with my mouth on your pussy.”

“Clay!” she shrieks, smacking me in the shoulder as I stand up to my full height again and wink at her.

“I don’t need long,” I carry on, utterly loving the way her cheeks are now flushed pink. “Just a few minutes upstairs, and I swear I’ll be feeling better.”

“You’re too much.” Her laugh is music to my ears. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”

“Take off your pants and fall on my face?” I suggest yet again, making her stand up from her stool with a shake of her head.

I reach out and grab her by the hand. If she’s on her feet, I’ve almost got her convinced.

Just a little more sweet-talking and we’ll be upstairs in a heartbeat.

“Come on, doll. I’m scared if I don’t taste you, I’m going to—”

“Clay,” a deep voice interrupts from right behind her, pulling us both up short and making Josie spin around.

It’s not out of the ordinary these days for the two of us to get lost in each other even in the middle of The Country Club’s crowd, but it’s completely out of character for someone to interrupt.

We’ve been going strong and hot and heavy ever since that night on the water tower.

The sheriff and Harold and Sue and everyone else…

they’ve all overheard too many risqué things at this point to approach without warning anymore.

It doesn’t matter that it’s only been about a month since I convinced her to go on that first date with me—Josie Ellis and I are damn near inseparable.

I stand up straighter and squint through the dim light to focus on the face in front of me. He looks a little worse for wear, and I haven’t seen him in years, but it only takes a moment or two to register who it is.

Bennett Bishop, my best friend from childhood and my brother from another mother.

The guy I’ve been through more with in this lifetime than I’ve been through with anyone else in a million lifetimes put together.

We did prep school and college together.

We partied and messed up and grew up together.

We made poor choices and spent our parents’ money and fucked around until it got us both in way too much trouble.

I haven’t seen him since I decided I couldn’t live that life anymore and left New York three years ago, though we’ve texted and talked on rare occasions.

But now, he’s here, standing in the middle of my bar with a baby-filled car seat in one hand and a diaper bag in the other, and everything we’ve been to each other for our entire lives comes rushing back in an instant.

I round the bar and go to him, pulling him into a hug only our kind of brotherhood can foster. I don’t know why he’s here and I don’t know why he’s holding a baby, but I know I’ll do anything he needs once I find out.

“It’s good to fucking see you, man,” I say, and when I step back from the hug and grab his shoulders with my hands, I see tears in his eyes as he gathers himself.

“Good to see you too.”

Bennett Bishop is not a man who cries. Not fucking ever. If people think I’m tough, Ben’s made out of steel. Whatever’s going on with him—whatever brought him here—is more than a middle finger to his father like it was for me. Whatever this is is serious.

Josie comes to stand beside me, and after staring at Bennett for a long beat, she turns directly to me. Her face is gentle and considerate, but it’s also teasing. “I’m open-minded, Clay, but if you tell me this is your lover and your baby, we’re going to have to figure some stuff out.”

Bennett’s eyebrows draw together, and I guffaw, pulling Josie up and under my arm as I introduce them.

“Josie, this is my best friend, Bennett. We grew up together in New York. He’s the closest thing to a brother I’ll ever have, and I haven’t seen him since I left.”

“And the baby?” Josie asks, glancing between the two of us a few times before her eyes latch on to the little baby doll in the car seat. I’m no expert when it comes to babies, but this little lady dressed in a pink outfit is so small, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was literally born yesterday.

I smile down at the baby, taking in the way her eyes are closed shut with sleep and the way her blond hair makes her look downright angelic. I move my eyes back to Bennett. “You didn’t steal her, did you?”

Josie smacks me in the chest. “Clay.”

“She’s mine,” Bennett affirms then, looking down in awe before looking back at me and Josie. “And it’s a long story. But man, I could really use your help. I can’t go back to New York. Summer and I…her name’s Summer…we can’t go back to New York.”

“Say no more,” I reply without hesitation, ready and willing to do whatever’s necessary.

Josie rolls her eyes and pushes me again. “While that’s a sweet sentiment, the whole say no more thing, I’m personally hoping you’ll say a little more. What do you need? A place to stay? A job? Something else? The more we know, the better we’ll be able to help you.”

“Yeah,” I agree then. “What she said.”

Josie shoots me a look, and I know in an instant the best thing I can do is shut up. Bennett may be brand-new to Josie’s life, but with one word about how important he is to me, she’s ready to welcome him and Summer with open arms.

Family to me is family to her. Just like that.

Funny thing—when I’m not messing around, I’m not feeling afraid of much of anything anymore. Josie Ellis makes sure of that.