Love, Chocolate, and Beer (Cactus Creek #1)(117)

She rolled her eyes. “Remember the fight I told you about during the last AFC playoffs? And that brawl on Cinco de Mayo with the four guys who all found out they were screwing the same chick?” Dani flickered her eyebrows up with pride. “All Lia. All by herself.”

Luke’s jaw fell open in awe. Dani grinned as he immediately scanned the crowd of guests for the woman in question, the stunning, albeit quietly sad, Asian woman chatting with Aidan near the stage. “I’d never have guessed by looking at her. How’d you even know to hire her? Did she audition or something?” he asked, still shaking his head in disbelief.

“In a manner of speaking. Lia has an antique arms shop nearby, a spin-off of her family’s business. She used to come around to eat after work. One night, she stopped a huge fight for me, which got us talking. She needed extra money since her shop was just starting out and I needed muscle on the rowdy nights. We’ve had this perfect arrangement ever since.”

“I always thought she was just your friend who hung out at Ocotillos a lot. I can’t believe I never knew she was your bouncer.”

Dani shrugged. “Most people don’t. Lia keeps a low profile. She mostly just sits in the corner by the door reading. Things rarely escalate to the point where we need her.”

“Huh. Interesting.”

“What’s interesting?” She followed his gaze. Luke wasn’t even looking at Lia anymore.

“Did I ever tell you about my friend who I’d always thought of as a big brother?”

“The one who used to protect you from getting bullied in middle school?”

“Yep. Hudson was the big brother I never had. After seeing some bullies beating me up in sixth grade, he watched out for me until I was big enough to handle myself. And he always let me hang out with him on the weekends, even though I was a few years younger. I completely idolized him.”

Dani looked over at the gruff, totally ex-military guy sitting in the corner with a gorgeous blond woman who looked vaguely familiar.

“Who’s his date?”

Luke squinted. “Oh, that’s the actress. They dated in high school and somehow stayed friends through all the years he was in the military—surprising since he was in some intense stuff with the Rangers and then Special Forces.” Shadows filled his eyes in remembered agony then. “Last year, Hudson lost almost all his men on a mission that he barely survived himself...only to have a part of him die anyway when he found out the damage to his fine motor function was too extensive for him to return to his unit.” Clenching his jaw, Luke shook his head in frustration. “I tried to get him to move back here after his discharge but he said he just...couldn’t. He chose to start fresh in California instead.”

She watched the pain in Luke’s gaze gradually ebb away and soften into...hope.

Puzzled, Dani looked over at Hudson again and then saw it too.

Hudson, the quiet epitome of a wounded warrior, was politely listening to his date talk on and on, even as his eyes kept covertly flickering over to Lia. With more than mild interest.

Even more fascinating was the fact that Lia was glancing at him in the exact same way.

Watching their hidden attraction grow, Dani asked idly, “What’s he do in California?”

“Actually, he’s moving over to Arizona in a few weeks. Temporarily. Apparently, that actress got him a consultant gig for the movie she’ll be working on down in Southern Arizona.” Luke’s smile was slow and meaningful. “He’ll be consulting on fight scenes and weapons.”

Dani’s eyes rounded, darting between Lia and Hudson before slowly turning back to Luke.

“Nooo way.” Luke gave a hell-no headshake and scooted his seat away from her.

Her eyes softened and became pleading.

Ruefully, he shook his head again. “Honey, Hudson would kill me if I meddled in his life.”

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Dani sent him a quietly forceful glare that grew more intense as the seconds passed.

“Yowza.” His eyebrows shot up. “Woman, stop hanging out with Quinn! I’m pretty sure that’s what Rylan calls the wife glare. And you’ve already mastered it,” he complained. “I am so screwed.” Though his voice was teasing, it was also turned on. Her being in a snit could always get him going, mostly because he loved being able to turn her all buttery and sweet again.

Knowing that wonderful weakness of his, Dani purposefully slid over onto his lap, stubborn pout firmly in place. “Where’s the harm in introducing two friends who obviously—”

Luke halted her guerrilla tactics with a counterstrike, an incendiary, heart-tripping kiss. “Why don’t we stop thinking about our friends who, even without our help, all seem hell-bent on hooking up?” He put his forehead against hers. “And focus on our wedding bliss instead?”

That made her smile like a sap. “Alright,” she said softly, meaning it too. “But, you better believe we’re having this conversation again right after our honeymoon, buster.”

He chuckled, clearly not expecting any less. “Hey, that reminds me, are you ready to tell me what you planned for our honeymoon yet?

“Nope.” She flutter-clapped lightly in delight. “I want it to be a total surprise.”

“You hopeless romantic.” He grinned. “Wanna bet I can get the secret out of you?”