Текст книги "Danny's Main"
Автор книги: Lisa N. Paul
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Текущая страница: 16 (всего у книги 18 страниц)
“Danny?” Max’s voice was firm. “Everything okay?”
“No, son, everything is far from okay. We lost the bar tonight…”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Few hours ago, Julie and I got a call that the place was on fire. They just followed up. What wasn’t eaten by flames was ruined by hose and hurricane damage. Place is totaled, boy.” Danny did his best to hide his anguish, but his best wasn’t good enough.
Max’s sob traveled through the line. “Why’d you wait so long to call me, Dan?” Max cleared his throat. “We would’ve come to you, sat with you, and waited until you got the news.”
Even through devastation, they all looked out for each other.
“That’s why we didn’t call you, son. We need you and Janie safe at home. We needed all of you where you belong. We’re gonna figure this out, Max, I swear we will. Just hold your woman tonight, hug her for us, and tomorrow we’ll talk.”
“Okay, Dan. You do the same. Give our love to Julie. We’re in this with you, no matter what. Whatever you need, man.”
After they disconnected, Danny called the rest of the group. There was still no answer from Kyle, and Danny refused to leave a message with that kind of information, so he requested a call back and hung up. Talking to Ryan was difficult, because not only did the kid have to process the loss himself, he needed to share the news with Ashley. That wouldn’t be an easy task.
During each phone call, Julie sobbed, but as he spoke to their kids, he became stronger. Their reactions were all similar: shock, sadness, and complete support. Not one of them wavered or folded. They all promised to support Danny and Julie, and he truly believed they would.
“It’s gonna be okay, Jules. I swear it.” He knew that deep in his soul. “The bar is insured, no one got hurt. It’s just stuff, honey. That’s all. Just things.”
Sniffling, she nodded. “You’re not wrong. I think the tears are more from shock.” She wiped at her face, but the tears continued to fall. “We’ve had enough bad in our lives. I thought we were done. This was a reminder not to get too complacent, huh?”
Danny’s eyes narrowed. “No, baby, maybe it’s a sign that things needed to change.” Once the thought left his mouth, he found himself believing it. Was he currently happy? Certainly not. His business was destroyed, the building ruined, fifteen years of memorabilia gone, but his wife was snuggled into his side, his family was healthy, and they would be able to rebuild if that was what they chose to do.
It could have been worse. They’d both lived through worse. And survived it. They’d survive this as well.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Silver Lining
TWENTY-FOUR HOURS AFTER Hurricane Leo left Charistown, Danny and Julie walked around what was left of Danny’s on Main.
“This is painful,” Julie said, holding up the mangled picture frame that used to hang near the kitchen door. The image inside was water-logged under the cracked glass. “I’ll never forget the day Kevin Bacon walked through those doors. The best burger in Charistown, he said.” Tears stung Julie’s eyes as she stared at the ruined image. She swore if she looked hard enough, she could still see Kevin, one arm around Danny and the other holding a burger. She blinked, and only a shredded mess remained.
“It was a great day, honey.” Danny gently removed the broken frame from her hand and tossed it in the trashcan. “We’ll have more great days. Besides, I heard Bacon is a vegan now. Ironic, huh?”
She giggled at her husband and continued the walk-through.
Danny’s father called to check in, heartsick that he couldn’t fly up to help with the wreckage. With snow in the forecast, it was better for Allan’s arthritis if he stayed south until spring.
“Love you, Dad,” Julie shouted as Danny said his good-byes and disconnected the call.
“We’re here,” came a voice from the front of the bar.
Max, Janie, Lyla, Ashley, and Ryan walked through the hole that had once been the entranceway. Judging by the looks on their faces—grimaces on the men and tear-filled eyes on the women—the destruction hit them almost as badly as it did her and Danny. If she could have shielded them from seeing it, she would have, but there was no hiding what had become of Danny’s on Main.
The smell of pine, along with Danny’s strong arms and strong chest, surrounded her.
“I got you,” he whispered.
Like a freight train, Ashley threw herself against them, sobbing quietly as they enveloped her in their embrace. Before long, they were all hugging and crying, laughing and sighing. Never had anything felt more right.
“Where in the hell is Kyle?”
The question came from Ryan, but Julie and Danny had been worried about him for days. They’d been calling and texting with no response. The fire at Danny’s was all over the local news, so for him not to check in meant something had to be wrong. Really flipping wrong. As if on cue, Danny’s cell phone rang. Like a trained reaction, Julie’s stomach clenched. Once she heard it was Kyle’s brother, Nixon, on the phone, her lungs seized up as well.
“What happened?” they all asked in various ways when Danny hung up.
Twice in as many days, she saw that look in her husband’s eyes. No, no, no, nothing can happen to Kyle. Bile rushed up her esophagus. I can’t handle that. Please, let him be okay. Danny’s fingers threaded through hers and tightened, grabbing her attention and pulling her eyes to his before he spoke.
He explained that Kyle had been in a car accident the night before, during the hurricane. He was drunk and wrapped himself around a pole. While Danny listed the things broken and bruised, the surgeries Kyle’d gone through and what more he’d face, she was just thankful he was alive.
Before they left for the hospital, Julie looked from Ashley to Ryan. There was something different between them, in the way his arm draped over her shoulder, the protective way he held her close. In the midst of anguish and pain, a ray of sunlight bloomed. She cleared her throat in a purposeful fashion.
“Jules,” Danny grumbled, a smirk creeping across his handsome face, “you can’t possibly be thinking about our bet now, while all hell is breaking loose in our lives?”
She grinned, wiping away the last stray tear from her cheek. “Danny Marcus, you, my sweet husband, have always preached about finding the silver lining when the skies are at their darkest, and here it is, buddy. Now pay up. The rest of you too. Don’t think you can get away with stiffing the boss lady.”
When Ashley looked concerned and Ryan upset, Danny explained that everyone else had made a bet. Julie had said Ryan and Ashley would get back together during the storm if the power went out, and everyone bet against her.
“Pedicures on me, spicy girl.” Julie smiled before leaving the mess behind.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Welcome Home
WEEKS PASSED AND the group was busy, not just with spending time at Danny’s going through debris and saving anything salvageable but doing the same with Kyle. Danny and Julie took turns bringing Kyle and Nixon home-cooked meals and fresh laundry. When Nixon went to work, between the eight of them, they made certain Kyle was never alone.
As a group, a family, they worked together to restore health, happiness and normalcy into each other’s lives. Of course there were disagreements and disapproval, but as Danny sat in bed with his wife and thought about Christmas, he realized that each year, he assumed life couldn’t get better. Yet the following year, it always did. Even with losing the bar and the unspeakable fear of losing Kyle, Danny still saw the year for what it was—better than the previous one. Julie’s head lay on his chest, her soft hair wrapped around his knuckles.
“Christmas is almost here,” he said.
“Yep. I’m thinking we should have it at our house this year. I’d like to do something special for the kids.”
The woman had read his mind. “What were you thinking, beautiful?” His fingers massaged her neck.
“I’m thinking if you keep doing that, you’ll be having this conversation with a sleeping, drooling wife,” she teased.
A chuckle left his body, but he didn’t stop his massage. “Seriously, babe. I have an idea, but it’s big…huge. I’m not sure what you’ll think about it.”
She pulled the sheet around her breasts and sat up straight. “Dan, you’ve got me so curious now. When have I ever not liked one of your ideas?”
“Umm, you do remember the Empty Contest, right?”
Her giggle made him laugh. “Let’s not discuss that ridiculous contest, Mr. Marcus. Tell me what you’re thinking.”
He’d been tossing the idea around for a couple of weeks, working on the logistics of it. But he couldn’t make it work, not even in his mind, without Julie’s input. He needed her even in his imaginary whatifs. “How would you feel about inviting them to be partners in the bar? All of them. We obviously don’t need their money to rebuild, but Danny’s on Main has been a family-run business since the day Max showed up. Since they are our kids, I was wondering how you’d feel about making it family owned and operated?”
The way her eyes glowed in the soft light from the nightstand lamp was striking, but not nearly as magnificent as her smile. “It’s an amazing idea. I love it.”
“You do?”
“I do! And I love you.”
“Thank God for that.”
***
ON CHRISTMAS EVE, with everyone except Kyle, who was still hospitalized, sitting around the tree, bellies full, and drinks in hand, Julie and Danny gave out small wrapped boxes. Julie began to explain how much each of them meant to her and Danny, but her throat tightened with emotion.
Danny took the reins and finished her thoughts. “Julie and I are going to start rebuilding Danny’s on Main, but well… we’d like it if you all were part of the process.”
Butterflies flapped in her stomach as each couple and Lyla unwrapped their gifts. In each box was a white tag attached to a long, ornate, iron key.
In your home,
you are always loved.
Welcome home.
Danny’s on Main ~
“Look at me,” Danny said, his tone not offering an argument. “This is a no-pressure deal. If you want it, we want you. If you don’t, we still want you in the same way you’ve been with us up to this point. If you want in, but money’s tight, we’ll come up with something. The only thing we’re asking for is honesty. So no answers tonight or tomorrow. Think about it and get back to us. But know we love you all like family, and the new Danny’s will be about our family.”
The noise was deafening as everyone spoke at once. Squeals of excitement and grunts of appreciation carried through the room.
“Think it’s safe to say they like their gifts.” Danny chuckled.
“Yeah, well, you’ve always been a very generous giver,” Julie said.
“I got something large to give you the minute they all leave.” His brows lifted with his sexual innuendo, making her face flush and her body heat.
“Okay,” she called to the group, “the later it gets, the worse the roads get with drunk drivers and such. So you should all get going.”
Danny’s chuckle turned to a laugh.
“Why don’t you just admit you want us to leave so you guys can fool around?” Max challenged.
Danny picked up the challenge and ran with it, leaving Julie’s mouth gaping. “We want you to leave so I can make my woman come till she can’t see straight. That what you wanna hear, DeLucca?”
“Yep.” Max popped the p and ducked when Janie punched his arm.
“Yeah, so that isn’t at all awkward for my date here,” Lyla deadpanned as she pushed her date, Rick, out the front door, then spoke over her shoulder. “Lord, I was hoping he’d think I was a sweet, virginal kind of girl.” She giggled and hugged Danny.
“The dude has met you, right?” Ryan jabbed. “Hell, the shit that came out of your mouth tonight alone would cause lesser men to rock in a corner.”
“Whatever.” Lyla waved off the comment. “He’ll be gone by the end of the night anyway. It’s just fun.” Lyla hugged Julie and left.
Ashley giggled. “Love that woman. And we’re out of here too. Night, guys.”
“Merry Christmas, everyone,” Julie shouted and closed the front door behind them just before Danny lifted her over his shoulder and carried her to their bedroom.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The Woman Still Blushes
MONTHS PASSED, AND construction progressed on the bar. With everyone, including Kyle, on board as partners, Danny’s on Main was shaping up to be better than ever. Maybe Danny had been correct. Maybe the bar’s destruction was indeed a way of making something great into something fantastic.
Seeing the happiness on Ashley and Ryan’s faces and the sparkly magic on her left ring finger made Julie giddy with excitement. His proposal on Christmas morning had been a surprise to Ashley but not to Julie or Danny. Receiving the call from a tearful and blissed out Ashley was a Christmas gift Julie would never forget. The two of them weren’t looking to set a wedding date yet, but they were elated to finally be official.
As for Kyle, while his body was mending, he was emotionally stagnant. It didn’t seem to matter what she, Danny, or anyone else did or said. No one could get through to him…until Cate Lockton, the mysterious woman who saved him the night of his car accident, showed up when Danny’s on Main reopened its doors. Kyle referred to the woman as an angel, and Julie and Danny—while watching Kyle transition from lost to found, broken to breathing, pieces to whole—had to agree.
Danny grinned over lunch one afternoon. “The woman belongs here. I say this with nothing but respect, but she’s got that look, Jules. You know, the one that we all started with, the one that screams, ‘Love me or leave me, but if you love me, please don’t leave me.’”
“I know the look.” Julie arched her brow. “And in case you missed it, Kyle isn’t going anywhere. That boy is holding on to her for dear life.”
She was proud. Kyle had found love. She saw it in every move he made, and he was going the distance to make sure his woman knew he was all in. Knowing Cate, it may not be easy for him, but Julie believed his strength and stubborn nature would finally work to his benefit.
Cate and her business partner, Elliot, owned a party-planning business, and they were hired to organize a grand reopening bash for Danny’s on Main. Live entertainment, catered food—the whole nine yards—all to thank the crowd who had supported the bar and come back the minute the doors reopened.
Two weeks after reopening, Julie and Danny had a working lunch in one of the two new back offices. She looked at the computer screen, then at Danny, who sat off to her left. “Here I thought it would take months for word to spread and our customers to return, but looking at these numbers, after two weeks, our Thursday nights are nearly back to where they were before.”
“Of course they are.” Confidence oozed from the grin that overtook Danny’s mouth. “Baby, when are you gonna believe that we’re destined for greatness?”
“Maybe you should show me some of your greatness.” Her bottom lip met her teeth, and Danny’s eyes flared.
“No, Jules, I think you’re gonna show me a little of your greatness. I’ll lock the door; you get on your knees.”
No wonder every time I walk into an office supply store, I get aroused. Then she got on her knees and only thought about the delicious task in front of her.
***
DANNY FELT A certain kind of peace watching how each of the kids found happiness with their significant others. Kyle was still struggling with Cate, but he had no doubt that in the end, Kyle would get his girl. Which left Lyla.
Lyla, after more than a year, still managed to confound him. Sometimes Danny thought he saw light struggling to escape the cracks in her veneer, but for the most part, the woman was locked up tight. Free to laugh, open to play, but sealed up when it came to her past or her emotions. She hooked up with random men, had her fun, and moved on. She never dated, and she treated the guys like…like Kyle had treated women before Cate. And like with Kyle, Lyla’s actions worried Danny.
He watched as something formed between Lyla and Max’s friend Gage. They had a barely there connection with super-charged sexual tension. Lyla actively ignored it, and Gage seemed to purposely retreat from her.
Having known Gage as long as he had known Max, Danny knew Gage was a good, honest man with a penchant for fast cars, fast women, and few words. He owned the local racetrack and the best garage in three towns, and since women found the giant of a man irresistible, there wasn’t much Gage wanted that he couldn’t have. Except for Lyla.
Danny wasn’t sure why the two hadn’t hooked up, but in a way, he was relieved. Something about those two together felt different, special, and Danny didn’t want them to find each other before they were ready.
“Knock knock.”
“Max.” Danny smiled. With Max a partner but no longer a bartender, Danny didn’t see him every day. “Come on in, son. Why are you standing in the hall?”
“I may not work here anymore, Dan, but I know damn well what goes on in this office.” Max chuckled. “Why do you think we all voted to have a second office added during the rebuild?”
Danny threw his head back and laughed from deep in his gut.
“Hey, Max. What’s so funny?” Julie asked from behind him, a bag of takeout tucked under her arm.
Danny eyed his wife, forty-seven years old and absolutely fucking gorgeous. “Max here says that he and the others believe you and I do things in this office other than work.”
Julie’s gray eyes widened while a pale blush rose in her cheeks. Twenty-eight years and the woman still blushes. Always been a lucky son of a bitch.
“Hmm, can’t imagine what would give them that impression.” Her humor-filled answer had both men chuckling as she shimmied past Max and placed the food on her desk. Danny noticed she was careful not to let her rosy cheeks show until the color was back to its natural hue.
“You know what? Whatever you guys are doing is clearly the secret to success, because while my parents are still married, and I believe happily so, I’ve never seen them look at each other the way you two do on a daily basis,” Max said.
“I like to think we’re pretty damn amazing. So thank you for noticing. But I’m guessing you didn’t come down here just to talk about how Julie and I make our marriage work. What’s going on, son? Take a seat and fill us in.”
***
MAX STRADDLED A chair and looked from Danny to Julie. “I’m going to ask Janie to marry me.”
Julie gasped. Her heart actually sighed.
“No…I’m going to tell her she has no choice but to marry me because I can’t imagine being without her,” Max said. “I want to start a family with that woman, have children… a forever. Christ, I’ve lived and loved long enough to know that every minute we aren’t married is a minute wasted.”
His impassioned speech left his emerald eyes sparkling and Julie’s heart beating a fierce tattoo. family. She wanted that for him, for them. Oh, how she wanted that.
“Max, sweetie, that’s wonderful.” Julie lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his wavy form. Her tears made it hard to see clearly.
“Good man,” Danny rasped. “Although I’d definitely give her a choice. Women don’t take too kindly to that kind of pressure.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The Perfect Day For A Party
IT WAS THE perfect day for a party. A bright azure sky promised lovely, warm spring weather, the caterer was in route, the band that Ryan had secured was doing their sound check, and Cate and Elliot were working their asses off to make everything look easy. Julie had refused to let desserts be brought in by caterers, so she had been baking for three days. She created hundreds of cookies, pastries, and a huge cake, all made with her hands and waiting to be enjoyed.
It was also the night Max was going to propose to Janie. After Julie and Danny approved, he’d spoken with Lyla, Kyle, Ryan, Ashley, and Elliot about sharing the spotlight, and everyone loved the idea. Ryan and Max had coordinated with the band leader, and the proposal was set to go.
Julie knew it was coming. Knew when it was happening. Had seen the ring. But when she watched Max go down on bended knee and saw Janie’s eyes widen first with surprise, then acceptance, Julie’s knees buckled. Thank God for Danny. As always, he was there, holding her tight to his chest. The steady beat of his heart calmed the erratic thud of hers.
“That was…something else,” he muttered into her ear, his breath sending chills up her neck.
“Yeah.” Something in her gut felt off. She couldn’t have been happier for the couple—for all of the couples. But inside, she felt smaller, as if she’d been shrinking for the past few weeks, and she wasn’t sure why.
Inhaling deeply, her gaze landed on Janie and Max, dancing in each other’s arms as an aura of happiness glowed around them like a bubble. Releasing her breath, Julie also let go of the niggling unease that had been growing in her gut since Max had visited them in the office those weeks ago…at least, she tried to.
***
CHEST PUFFED AND proud, Danny watched from the sidelines as Max and Janie were bombarded with well wishes and congratulations. But when his chance came to hug and kiss the bride– and groom-to-be, he gushed like any father would. The night was successful on all fronts, both business and personal, and he had his wife to thank. Where’d she go?
He stalked to the back bar to find Ashley tending instead of the new bartender, Ando. “Where the hell is Ando?” A cursory glance showed that Kyle wasn’t around either. Hmm, maybe smoking in the alley?
“Dan, have you seen Lyla?” The concerned look on Gage’s face sent ice through Danny’s veins.
“Let’s find her.”
“Not me!” Kyle’s scream echoed through the metal door that led to the alley. “Ando, help Lyla. Now…”
Adrenaline surged through Danny’s body, pulling him toward the furious, fear-filled voice.
CRASH! The metal door slammed into the cinderblock wall, and a roar—Danny later learned that came from Gage—filled the air.
Danny looked from the man in Kyle’s grip to a semi-conscious, bleeding Lyla on the dirty ground, and the situation clicked together. The punk had put his filthy hands on Lyla. He’d abused her, touched her who knew where, and tossed her down like garbage. He wanted to kill the bastard in Kyle’s hands, but he knew by the way Gage’s fists were clenched and his body coiled that Gage would actually do it. Gage’s nostrils flared as his booted foot took its first step.
“Sebastian, stop!” Danny couldn’t let a man who cared that deeply for Lyla do something that would take him away from her. “Think,” Danny whispered, “this how you want this to go down? Physically she’s gonna be okay, son. Don’t you want to be here to get her through the rest? You see what I see when you look at her, I know you do. Let us take care of that motherfucker, and you worry about her. Yeah?”
A nod. That was it. Then Gage knelt by Lyla’s side, and those hands that had been ready to kill gently tended to the broken woman on the ground.
***
FOR DAYS FOLLOWING Lyla’s attack, Julie and Danny did their best to care for her. For the first twenty-four hours, Julie stayed at Lyla’s house under the threat that if Lyla didn’t allow it, they would call Janie and inform her of the incident. Lyla didn’t want her friends bothered on their engagement night, so Julie stayed and Lyla moped.
After the initial twenty-four, the family did what it always did—swooped in and took over, leaving love and kindness in its wake.
For Janie’s sake, Lyla smiled brightly, turned on the charm, and laughed her way through days and weeks. But as they always said about Lyla Dalton, the woman couldn’t lie for shit. Even as her face was delighted, her eyes stayed dim. Unlike when Kyle was going through his rough patch and acting out, Lyla did the opposite. She kept everything in. There was no behavior to correct, no issues to discuss; she was just flat and gray behind the happy mask.
In some ways, Julie began to feel a connection to Lyla when it came to hiding behind a mask of gray. She was hiding too. In doing so, she was creating distance between herself and her husband, distance she didn’t want, but needed in order to figure out what was going on in her head. Danny had enough to worry about—the last thing she wanted was to add to his burden with an unidentifiable problem. She’d figure it out, solve it, and move forward without anyone being the wiser. Yep, that was what she’d do.
