Love, Chocolate, and Beer (Cactus Creek #1)(114)

While Vince Dobson had been doting father and brewing mentor to Dani, since Derek hadn’t taken to the brewpub the way she had, he’d never had that connection with their dad. From a guy’s standpoint though, he’d had something even more special—a dad as his best friend. The father-son relationship they’d shared was the kind a grown man would try not to get all choked up over after witnessing on a commercial. But crushingly, in one of life’s truly cruel moments, their dad’s second heart attack and resulting stroke had occurred just weeks before he would’ve stood next to Derek as his best man.

A reminder that had plagued her as she planned her own wedding this past year.

Until, that is, Jonathan and Derek took her on the side one day and practically smacked her upside the head and told her to stop torturing herself.

Derek reached down to wipe away her tears. “Shhh, no crying at your wedding, sweets. Not about this.” Unshed tears were in his eyes as well. “Jonathan and I got to spend a lot of time with him as a family. Even if it was only for a short while, I’ll always have those memories to cherish. So I didn’t need a letter from him like you did, hon.”

Dani held him tighter. “You’re still holding strong as the best brother I could ask for.”

He kissed her forehead. “And I’d still trade you in for a puppy,” he replied, his voice pitched low and heavy as he said the token threat he’d lovingly given her since they were little.

She hugged the stuffing out of him for the remainder of their dance as they shared their favorite memories of their father.

Afterward, Derek led her back over to Luke, who was waiting at the edge of the dance floor. Dani imagined if her dad were alive today, he’d be wearing an expression similar to the one her brother had on right now. She nearly lost it as the two most important men in her life shook hands and exchanged a silent look, father figure to husband, then hugged for the first time as brothers.

“Thanks for giving her away, Derek.” Luke’s voice was rough with emotion.

“Thanks for taking her,” joked Derek, equally affected. “No returns, now.”

Gazing at Dani, Luke replied softly, “Never.”

Derek gave Dani one final kiss on the cheek before releasing her into Luke’s arms.

A soft melodic guitar intro rang out from the stage and a lilting, romantic tune wafted through the air. Although it was a thoroughly oddball thing for her to say to her husband during their first dance, she just wouldn’t be Dani Dobson-Bradford if she didn’t mention it: “Hey, look how perfect our exes look together.”

Luke almost stepped on her feet. When he looked over to see, indeed, how well-matched and happy Eric and Angie looked, Luke turned back to Dani, eyebrows raised in question. “The two last-minute guests you wanted to invite to our reception were our ex-fiancees?”

She grinned. “Yep.”

“How?”

“Well, Eric was easy. You’d be amazed at what a guy will agree to do after having almost destroyed your business.” Dani shook her head in admiration. “Angie was a tougher nut to crack though. The whole leaving you at the altar thing? Didn’t even earn me a maybe. She maintained her decision was the best for all parties involved. And then she just waited until I upped the offer. It was impressive, really. Total respect.”

Luke rolled his eyes at that. “So how’d you finally get her to cave?”

“I tricked her.” She beamed. “I got her to come to one of the Meddling Cupid mixers, and paired them off. After dominating in all the cooking competitions, Angie and Eric went on to decimate everyone in the couple video game rallies. It was one of my most successful pairings of the night.”

Luke burst out into laughter and pulled Dani in close. “You are something else.”

“Why thank you.” Dani preened.

At the sound of the two gorgeously twined voices coming over the sound system in perfect harmony, Luke and Dani looked up onto the stage where Rylan and Quinn, aka Mr. and Mrs. Grey, were performing the beautiful duet they’d composed for Luke and Dani’s first dance.

“Married life suits them,” said Luke, looking at the happy couple singing on stage together. “I didn’t even know Quinn could smile like that, let alone sing like that.”

Dani chuckled. “Rylan’s taking credit for the smiles but he said the singing is all her. He’s even complained that the guys have written him out of a few songs in favor of her singing lead.” Those two really were a match made in heaven, with an exciting new future ahead of them that she was ecstatic to watch unfold. With a content sigh, Dani rested her head against Luke’s chest and listened to Rylan and Quinn’s perfectly harmonized voices weave fairytale-ending magic all around them.

Just one more thing to add to make this a true happily ever after…

“Come with me,” she said eagerly, the moment the song ended.



*



LUKE SMILED at the excitement flittering across Dani’s expression as the waiter brought over a small glass. Yep, his romantic little bride had something planned, alright. His eyebrows arched in amusement as he looked at the little lowball glass she’d slid in front of him with the two-layered liquid in it. “Is this a Black and Tan?” He picked it up. “In a kiddie cup?”

Dani was practically bouncing in her seat. “My newest creations.” She showed him the two levels of beer in the light—the top one was tinged deep red while the bottom had a white cast to it. “A spin-off of the Black and Tan, only I’m dubbing it a Red and White. Try it.”