Chapter 48
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Karl
The cold air bites at my face, but it feels good tonight. We’re all dressed up, ready for the New Year’s Eve celebration in Coyote Glen.
Usually, we work tonight, but because we have so much to celebrate, Riley and the other guys were more than happy to take the shifts for us. Thank goodness.
No more running from the past. No more shadows hanging over us. Richard Stokes is about to get his. And damn, does it feel good to say that out loud.
I’m in the back seat of Jesse’s truck with Olivia beside me, while Jesse drives and Leo rides up front.
The vibe is different tonight. Lighter. Every time I glance at Olivia, I see it.
The weight’s been lifted from her shoulders.
The last few days have been a damn rollercoaster, but tonight? We’re all stepping into a new era.
“Can you believe it?” Leo says, his voice half laughing, half amazed. “Richard Stokes is going down. Really going down. Sloane’s story has set his life ablaze.”
Jesse lets out a snort, slapping the steering wheel. “The bastard’s going to have a lot of time to think about all those ‘business decisions’ in prison.”
We all chuckle, but there’s something about the idea of Richard being behind bars that doesn’t quite feel real. The guy had been a ghost in our lives for so long. Always lurking, always trying to make Olivia the fall guy for his mess.
“It’s insane, right?” Olivia says, still processing how everything has shifted. “I never thought it’d come to this… but Sloane really pulled it off.”
“You’ve got to give her credit,” I add, leaning back against the seat, feeling the weight of it. “She got the ball rolling. And now Richard's scrambling. Probably already trying to hire lawyers who can’t fix the mess he’s made.”
Olivia shakes her head, a soft smile creeping onto her face. “At least he can’t do anything to me anymore. I get to stay here, in Coyote Glen, running my coffee truck, without any stress.”
“Hell yeah,” Leo pipes up. “This is it, Liv. The end of his game. And the best part? He’ll never get his hands on you again.”
The truck lurches as Jesse shifts gears, the excitement building. The closer we get to town, the more I can feel the buzz in the air, and it’s not just from the excitement of us finally winning.
The whole town knows what’s been going on. Everyone’s been rallying behind Olivia. Supporting her, giving her the strength she needed to fight back.
I catch Olivia’s gaze, and there’s a new confidence in her expression. She’s still Olivia, but there’s a fire in her now that she didn’t have before. Something that says she’s taking her life back.
“I guess I’m not the only one starting fresh this year,” she says, her voice full of that quiet strength.
“Nope,” I agree, my grin spreading. “This is a fresh start for all of us. And you know what that means…” I pause dramatically. “Time to ring in the New Year with a damn party.”
Jesse nods enthusiastically, his fingers tapping against the wheel. “You bet your ass. The whole town’s celebrating tonight. You know how it goes. Bonfire, music, everyone making good memories for once.”
“We’ve earned it,” Leo adds. “Let’s kick off the year the right way. Screw all the stress. Screw the lies. Tonight’s about having fun and looking forward.”
The truck rolls into town, and the first thing I see is the big bonfire burning in the park. People are already gathered around, drinks in hand, the flames casting a golden glow on their faces.
The entire place is alive with the energy of people ready to let go of everything bad from the previous year.
We pull into a spot, and Jesse throws the truck into park. I’m already grabbing my jacket, the buzz of anticipation crackling through me.
“Alright, let’s do this,” Olivia says, adjusting her coat and fixing her hair, that confident grin back on her face. “No more looking back. Let’s start this year off right.”
I open the door and step into the night, the cold air instantly sharp against my skin. I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of everything lift a little more with each step.
“Happy New Year, Coyote Glen,” I say, throwing my arm around Leo’s shoulders as we head into the crowd. “Here’s to new beginnings.”
The crowd’s buzzing with excitement, the music thumping louder, and I can feel the energy building in my chest. Tonight’s going to be epic.
“Let’s make it a night to remember,” Jesse says, full of determination.
I glance at Olivia as we approach the fire, her eyes shining with a kind of peace I haven’t seen before. She’s here. She’s free.
“Yeah,” I say, raising my voice so she can hear me over the noise. “Let’s make this a year to remember.”
The moment is full of light, sound, and the promise of freedom. The fireworks begin, exploding in colors above us, and the entire town comes together in one collective cheer.
People hug, laugh, and embrace as if we’re all one. And for a moment, the whole world is cheering for Olivia’s new chapter… and for ours.
As we get closer to the bonfire, I see Ivy waving from across the crowd. She rushes over and pulls Olivia into a tight hug, the two women laughing together as the rest of us follow.
It’s a reunion of sorts. People from all over town are stopping us to congratulate Olivia, high-fiving us, and telling her how proud they are of her.
“Liv!” Ivy says, hugging her again. “I can’t believe it. You did it. You’re free!”
Olivia laughs, squeezing her back. “I couldn’t have done it without all of you. You’ve all been there for me.”
As we stand there, the heat from the bonfire brushing against our skin, the buzz of laughter and music fills the air, wrapping around us as a warm blanket.
People are dancing, chatting, and enjoying the night. I glance around, noticing the curious glances from some of the townsfolk, the way they look at us, then at each other, then back at us.
Their heads tilt slightly, eyes narrowing in on Olivia and us, as if they’re piecing something together.
I see it in the way Bill, who’s always been quick to gossip, raises an eyebrow at us, exchanging a few whispered words with Mayor Hartwell.
The mayor’s lips curl into a smile, but there’s something in his gaze that lingers on our group.
Dottie, standing nearby, nudges Lani, and they share a look, the same one I’ve seen a hundred times before when a rumor’s about to spread. The whispers start slow but soon grow louder.
“Are they all together?”
“What’s going on there?”
“Have you heard?”
I catch Ivy’s eye across the fire, and she’s grinning, a knowing smirk on her face. She’s always been good at reading the room, and right now, she knows exactly what’s happening.
People are starting to put two and two together, the pieces of the puzzle clicking into place. But this time, there’s no running from it. No more pretending.
I feel Olivia shift next to me, her posture a little more tense than usual. I glance at her, and she’s watching the crowd, her lips pressed together in a soft line. She knows.
Jesse is the first to speak up, his hand sliding into Olivia’s and pulling her closer to him. “Yeah. We’re all in this together. All of us. She’s not just mine or Karl’s or Leo’s. We’re all in this together.”
Leo smiles, stepping closer and brushing a lock of Olivia’s hair behind her ear. “We’ve all been a part of each other’s lives for a while now. And it’s not about hiding it anymore. We’re not ashamed of what we feel.”
Karl steps forward, placing a hand on Olivia’s shoulder and meeting her eyes with a steady gaze. “We love you, Liv. All of us. And we’re not holding back.”
There’s a hush in the crowd for a moment as people process what’s being said. It’s a moment of truth, one that shifts everything, makes everything feel real in a way that nothing else has before.
Olivia’s breath catches, but she looks at all three of us with a mixture of awe and affection. “I love you, too. I’ve never felt so sure of anything in my life.”
The crowd erupts into applause, but all I can do is focus on her, on the way her eyes shine in the firelight. The fireworks above us are a mirror of the way my chest feels. Full of hope, of love, of possibility.
As the countdown eventually begins, the energy of the crowd intensifies, and as the seconds tick down, I pull Olivia closer, wrapping my arm around her waist.
And then, at the stroke of midnight, we all share a kiss in turn. Gentle at first, then deep and full of everything we’ve fought for, everything we’re about to embrace.
The fireworks explode in the sky above, bursting in colors as bright as the future we’re stepping into together.
It’s official. The past is behind us, and this is only the beginning.
“Happy New Year,” I whisper, pulling her close, feeling the warmth of her in my arms. “Here’s to everything that’s to come.”