Love, Chocolate, and Beer (Cactus Creek #1)(28)

THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS CHOCOLATE GOGGLES. I VOTE BEER.

Dani burst out laughing.

Xoey’s eyes glinted with a playful sparkle. “Hey, if you like that one, what do you think about me kicking it up with a racier set of slogans? Of the borderline-inappropriate variety?”

“Uh, that would be a no. I draw the line a good distance away from your borderline.”

Xoey pouted. “Spoilsport. C’mon. I wouldn’t come up with anything terrible. Just funny ones like: When I eat chocolate, my butt gets bigger. When I drink beer, your—”

“Oh hell no.” Clearly, Xoey couldn’t even see where that line was.

She snickered. “Fine. I’ll scratch that one.” Still chuckling, Xoey hopped up to head to the bar for a drink. “Give me an hour to think up a few more tastefully naughty ones.”

Dani’s brain staggered, knowing her imagination couldn’t even fathom whatever Xoey would likely be coming up with in terms of dirty chocolate/beer ads. There really was only one way to stamp that kind of rampant creative energy. “Wow, Xoey. Keep up all this hard work and you’ll be getting that promotion in no time,” promised Dani sweetly.

Aghast, Xoey dropped the box of shirts like it was on fire and dashed out of the office, running right past Rylan, who jumped to the side as she bulldozed past him. His eyebrows sprung up. “Do I want to know how you managed to get that one scared?”

“I just made it clear that there was no glass ceiling for her here.”

“Ah right, that’ll do it. Pity. If she wanted, that woman could be running her own bar.”

“Yeah, but she doesn’t want it. Not yet, anyway.” Dani leaned over and gave Rylan a peck on the cheek. “What’s up, handsome?”

Rylan pulled out his smartphone and showed Dani what he and the rest of the band members had cooked up. A Facebook fan page flashed on the screen. “What do you think? Since you’ve done so much for me and the guys, we wanted to show our allegiance in this war between you and the chocolate shop guy with a three-night concert before, during, and after Valentine’s Day. I know we didn’t clear it with you first but we’ve already talked to a few other bands. Two were in nearby states for tours, and that last one is a local band that’s been killing it in venues across Arizona. None of ‘em have ever been asked to perform on Valentine’s so they’re stoked.”

Dumbstruck, Dani stared at the vibrant ‘WE VOTE BEER’ fan page before her.

“The concert won’t be anything fancy so don’t worry. You can just pay them our normal rate. And of course, load ‘em up with beer.” When she started to protest paying any of them that little for a full-blown concert, he held her head in his hands to stop it from shaking right off her shoulders. “Sweets, these guys are my friends. Besides, they’re not really doing it for the money. They just want to hang out, have a good time, and jam a little.” Oh so casually, he then snuck in a quick, “By the way, our band is going to play for free all three nights.”

Her look shot down that ridiculous idea. “I’m not going to not pay you guys!”

He not-so-subtly ignored her. “Hey look, the concert already has a few hundred ‘likes.’”

She slugged him lightly in the gut before hugging him tight. “You didn’t have to do all this. You do know you’re getting too big to play in my lil’ ole brewpub, right? You all should be on the road touring or something, not helping me with this crazy wager.”

“Aw, you know that’s not us. We all have good jobs, and the half of us who’re not already living the family life are trying real hard to get there. This is just what we do for fun.” He kissed the top of her head. “So yes, we did have to do ‘all this’ because you’ve been with us from the start, allowing us to live out our rock star fantasies and have that fun.”

The rest of the band members trotted in shortly after. “Well babycakes, what do you think?” asked Aidan. “Did we overstep or are we all booked here for the concert?”

She ran over and hugged each of them. “Of course you’re booked here; don’t be silly!” Dani stood back, teary-eyed as she lovingly pouted at each of the men who’d become brothers to her. “Ohmigod, you guys are too much. I’m about to gush and chick-cry,” she warned.

The guys immediately pivoted and made for the door. She laughed and gave them each one last peck on the cheek as they exited. “I’m paying you all double for this concert!”

The guys murmured and nodded in a way that assured her if she did, she’d find her checks ‘accidentally’ left behind in her rubbish bin.

Rylan popped his head back in after the guys cleared the doorway. “Hey, we’re all rooting for you, so kick his ass, doll.” He waggled his eyebrows. “No holding back just because you’re head over heels for the guy now.” He gave her a knowing wink and then ran after the guys before she could so much as stammer a response.

Dammit, were her growing feelings about Luke that transparent?



*



IN THE HUSH of the pre-dawn morning, Luke pulled out a couverture dark chocolate block from one of his top chocolate makers and carefully chopped it into thin slivers, all the while savoring its deep aroma as he did a great cup of coffee.