Chapter Forty-One. New Year’s Eve
Chapter Forty-One
NEW YEAR’S EVE
Four Months Later
Five minutes to midnight, every TV in Beau’s played the New Year’s Eve countdown. Patrons spilled out of the dining room and onto the deck, enjoying their last bits of the year by embracing the cold weather and beach view. Above, the full moon glowed like a disco ball in the sky.
Cam did a circle around the party, capturing content to post on Beau’s social accounts.
In only four months, Beau’s following had doubled, thanks to her in-depth social strategy and regular posting schedule.
The increased social media presence—along with a fantastic report in a local magazine—had increased traffic in the offseason.
Autumn had become another mini-peak season, with the out-of-towners hitting New England for fall foliage and ghost tours also swinging by Elswick to visit Beau’s.
With her encouragement, Danny had also started vlogging his homebrewing experience, recounting his journey from family recipe to developing dozens of brews and winning competitions.
He wasn’t getting millions of views, but he did officially hit five thousand subscribers, which was impressive for a niche passion project.
The New Year was only the beginning for his beloved hobby and the same was true for her dreams. In four months, Cam’s entire life changed.
She finished her first ever manuscript, and miraculously, after only a month of querying, signed with a literary agent.
Now, she was busy working on revisions, and by the spring, they’d start submitting to publishers.
Her career prospects were improving, too.
As promised, Drew helped her land a part-time copy writing job with one of his clients, which allowed her to work weird hours remotely.
And when she wasn’t copy writing or working on her manuscript, she was helping Danny with Beau’s social accounts.
Danny paid her for the responsibility, and like during the summer, she waited tables a few nights a week for quick cash.
And because it was fun. It really did remind her of Diner Dash.
Things were looking up. She had a man she loved, a career she was happy with, and she’d even managed to pay off nearly all her credit card debt.
Her focus would soon shift to her ever-increasing, seemingly insurmountable student loan debt, but she was learning to celebrate every win.
To focus on her accomplishments instead of fixating on what she hadn’t done yet.
Celebrating every win meant enjoying her New Year’s Eve. She watched Drew and Cory sandwich Danny by the bar, hollering for another round of drinks. Morgan sat beside them, rolling her eyes, but smiling through the antics. Cam joined them, cheering along as the fresh drinks were handed out.
All their friends had made it. Drew was always a quick drive away.
Cory was on his own, as his fancy investment banking job had prevented him from joining Tabitha in Japan on a work trip.
And Morgan had kept her promise, flying back stateside for the holidays to visit her brother and his family.
She’d remained for New Year’s, her flight scheduled out of Boston tomorrow night.
Cam was overjoyed by their presence. Because nothing felt as natural as the five of them, getting drunk and laughing as the ball dropped.
When the crowd screamed at the thirty-second mark, Danny rushed to Cam. “Apologies ahead of time,” he teased, “because I’m gonna taste like beer when I kiss you.”
“You tasted like beer the first time we kissed,” she replied. “Maybe that’s why I’m starting to develop a taste for it.”
“Yeah?” He laughed. “Good. Because I’ve developed a taste for you.”
Ten seconds. Danny took her hand. Morgan turned down a flirtatious Jagger. Esme and Axel made out beside the bar. Drew and Cory shouted each number as it flashed on the screen.
When the ball dropped, Morgan downed her drink, Drew and Cory shared a bro hug, and Danny pulled Cam into his arms with a burning hot, beer-flavored kiss. Once the celebrations died down, Morgan insisted they relocate to the beach, so they could welcome the New Year with brisk cold and salty air.
The five of them hit the sand, and within seconds, their peaceful walk turned into the same ridiculous antics of their college years. Drew found a Frisbee, and Danny and Cory battled to catch it, tackling each other and coating their holiday attire in damp sand.
As Cam watched the guys, Morgan came up beside her and grabbed her hand. “Cute bracelet. Where did this come from?”
Cam smiled down at the jewelry, relieved to see it back on her wrist. The threads were fraying, some of the colors had faded, and there was a brown film across half of it, probably dating back to the time she spilled coffee in her work bag.
But … she loved it. Loved how it matched Danny’s, loved how its imperfections and signs of age were like a physical representation of their relationship.
The bracelet had been through a lot, but it still looked beautiful on.
“Tulum, actually. Danny and I bought them way back when.”
“Ugh, I’m obsessed. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this happy. Maybe we’ll be planning your wedding soon.”
Cam laughed. “Morgan, I’m still in severe debt. I love Danny, and I’m so happy, but we can wait.”
With Danny, it was a question of when, not if. They’d only been official for four months and yet … she knew it was forever. She knew he was her forever.
“Fine. But weddings are fun.”
The guys reappeared then, their Frisbee lost in the dark waters. Cory threw an arm around Morgan. “If you’re desperate for another wedding, maybe it’s your turn. What’s the new lady’s name?”
“Nope!” Morgan cried. “It’s too early for me to be sharing anything.
Let’s talk about everyone’s goals and resolutions instead.
I’ll go first!” She grinned. “This time next year, I’ll have finished my program.
So, my goal is to have found a job in Copenhagen.
Or … somewhere new. Maybe … Paris. Milan. Amsterdam.”
“Any place would be lucky to have you,” Danny replied. He turned to Drew. “Maybe you’ll finally find the one.”
Everyone laughed, and Drew rolled his eyes. “Ha-ha. So funny. Maybe this one”—he waved to Cory—“will be a daddy.”
Cory winced, shaking his head quickly. “No thank you. My only goal this year is paying off our wedding.”
Danny turned to Cam and said, “By this time next year, you’ll have sold your book and probably be finishing up the second.”
Her cheeks burned. She couldn’t help it. Whenever he expressed his unwavering belief in her abilities, she turned into a furnace.
“And you,” Cam added, “will have decided which of your million beer recipes you’re going to pass down to your three-times-great-grandchildren.”
“Yeah?” he teased. “You gonna help with that?”
“Which part?” she asked, biting her lip.
“Look at us!” Morgan cried, interrupting their moment. “So much to look forward to.”
“Speaking of! I have a fun idea.” Cam grinned, turning to Danny. “Will you play ‘Wonderwall’ for us?”
He threw his head back, as if in pain. “Not if you’re gonna film it and immortalize my playing forever. The laughter will be bad enough.”
“You can’t know how to play the acoustic guitar bro song and not indulge us,” Cam replied. “It’s not fair.”
As the other three egged him on, he pulled Cam into his arms. “You’re a fucking menace, Milly. If I didn’t love you so much, I’d throw a rock star fit and storm off.”
She tapped his chest, pouting. “Will you play?”
He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her wrist, exactly where her tattoo sat. “You stayed, and for that, I’ll play.” He turned to the others and said, “Alright, hang tight while I grab my guitar.”
While Danny ran towards Beau’s, their friends cheering in the background, Cam closed her eyes. With the cold breeze assaulting her hair, the sea brine overwhelming her senses, and the man she loved preparing to serenade their friends with a ’90s open mic night classic, she felt complete.