###
“MY HEART ACHES for both of those boys.” Julie’s tired voice shook as she swept broken glass into small piles for Danny to scoop up.
The scene that had gone down between Max and Kyle was one that would forever be imprinted in her mind. A confrontation that led to an explosion. Virtual strangers learning secrets about the other that even close friends wouldn’t share.
Watching Max come undone as what seemed like his already fragile life blew apart was devastating. Seeing the guilt, torment, and anguish slice across Kyle’s face was flat-out debilitating. Every bone in Julie’s body ached to help the two men she’d grown to care about, to mend a hole that needed to heal. But Danny had held her back, both physically and emotionally. He wanted her away from accidental harm and felt no words of wisdom would be heard until the damage had time to settle.
“Jules, they’ll be okay,” Danny reassured. “It’s gonna be tough. Hell, if I found out—from a new friend, nonetheless—that my wife was fucking someone else—hell, lots of someone elses—I’d lose my goddamn mind. But add to that that the nasty bitch allowed that shit to get filmed and uploaded to the internet?” Danny shook his head. “Doesn’t matter what Max has ignored in the past. He can’t ignore this.” Shattered glass tumbled from the dust pan into the trash can. “Max is ashamed and angry, and he may misplace that on Kyle for a bit, but it won’t stay there. Max is a good man. They both are. It’ll pass, I promise.”
And it did, quicker than Julie could ever have imagined. Max’s wife died in a car accident the following morning, in the process of leaving her marriage behind. The minute Kyle heard the news, he got to Max’s side and stayed there.
In the months and years that followed, a brotherhood formed between the two that made no sense to some, but to Danny and Julie, it felt like a blessing. Two amazing men both fighting darkness but doing it together instead of alone. That was what she and Danny had been doing for years—fighting darkness together.
She looked around the bar, their dream packed into four walls, but she heard Chester’s voice and encouragement everywhere. He gave it to them, changed their lives, and she wanted to pay it forward. She went to her office and called her friend. His voice still made her smile.
Chapter Twenty-One
We Can’t Just Take Her On – We’ve Gotta Take Her In
DANNY’S ON MAIN was closed on Sundays, a decision made during their second month in business.
“The bar was our dream,” she’d reminded Danny as they dragged their exhausted asses into bed at three o’clock one Sunday morning. “The last thing I want is for it to turn into our nightmare. Until we find people we can trust to manage it without us, I think we need to see what day is our least profitable and not open the doors that day.”
When Danny’s bloodshot eyes focused on her for too long without him responding, Julie thought he’d fallen asleep with his eyes open. Not something he’d done before, but their fatigue had reached new levels. She wouldn’t have been surprised.
“Woman…brilliant. Tomorrow, closed.” While lacking enthusiasm, Danny’s voice, hoarse from repeating orders, breaking up bar fights, and just being social, made it clear he truly did think a day off each week was a great idea.
“We can’t close tomorrow, babe.” Julie rubbed her hand over her husband’s stubble-laden cheek. “We have staff that may or may not turn up and customers that are expecting us. But we can look at our reports, pick our day, and put up a sign with our new hours.”
Within a couple weeks’ time, she and Danny had determined the bar would be closed on Sundays. It gave them a full day and night to do home projects, explore the surrounding towns, or drive to Maryland to visit with Sheila and Chris. A day off gave Julie time to bake and Danny time to exercise—something he’d started doing more as he got older. Nothing sexier than Danny without his shirt, covered in sweat, and knowing that he was keeping his body healthy. Mmm.
###
JULIE SIGHED AS she fastened her seatbelt. “I love seeing Sheila and Chris. It doesn’t matter if it’s been a month or six months—we always pick up where we left off.”
She and Danny had driven to Maryland for the day. It had been months since the four of them had been together since Danny’s stayed busy and Sheila and Chris had become grandparents. Conveniently, the baby had been born on a Saturday, so Julie and Danny got to go to the hospital that Sunday with Sheila and Chris.
“Seeing that man holding a little girl…” Danny chuckled. “You believe he told me not to curse in front of the kid?”
Julie giggled. “That’s sweet.”
“She’s a baby. What’s she gonna repeat?”
Being with Sheila had been wonderful and seeing Sheila’s granddaughter was lovely. But a tiny part, not so deep down inside, of Julie still grieved the loss of their family. Julie didn’t begrudge her friend a family, not even a little bit, but watching Danny hold that sweet pink bundle…grandkids were another thing Julie could never give him. No children… no grandchildren. Shake it off, Julie.
Julie forced a laugh. “She won’t repeat anything…yet. But Chris was being protective of his girl. Let him be.” Julie rolled down her window as the need for fresh air overwhelmed her.
Danny’s large hand covered her knee, and silent comfort filled her body. “I get it, honey. Understand exactly how he feels, wanting to protect his girl.” His voice lowered. “The only thing that matters, baby.”
His words, more gentle than his caress, eased the ache in her chest that she hadn’t had the heart to voice. The way he knew her, saw through her, loved her was a blessing.
The way Danny could read people in general was a gift.
***
“WHEN’S THE LAST time you had yourself a real meal, sweetheart?” Danny stared at the skinny young woman who had entered the bar but had not taken a second step past the doorway. Sadness and loss rippled off her body in waves, too fierce for any person, let alone someone so damn young, to navigate. He’d seen that look before—every day when he’d seen his own reflection.
“Umm…” The blonde’s gaze darted around the open space, looking for what he had no idea, but when her shoulders slumped, she took a second step away from the door. And then a third.
“Seriously,” he coaxed, “have a seat, hun. We make a mean burger and a sweet cherry soda.” He didn’t leave his position behind the bar, fearing that his size may intimidate her, but he hoped the enticement of food would be enough to make her stay. Girl looked as if she’d been living off of hardly anything for weeks. She was clean and kempt but malnourished, which led Danny to believe that she could afford to eat but didn’t have the desire to do so. “Hamburger?”
“I’m not all that hungry,” the girl said with conviction that didn’t quite reach her eyes. At that moment, Julie delivered a burger and fries to customers having lunch at a table by the window. “But I guess a cheeseburger couldn’t hurt…and fries too. Please.”
He wasn’t sure why getting her to accept food felt like such a win, but it did. “You got it.” He tapped the order into the computer system that he’d finally learned how to use, then pointed at the stools. “My name’s Danny Marcus. My wife, Julie, and I own this place. Why don’tcha sit on down there, and I’ll pour you a cherry cola. I don’t use any of the pre-made shit.” He grinned, hoping to set the poor young woman at ease. “I have my own recipe.”
The girl gave a tiny smile, and just like that, her face transformed from innocent, maybe even appealing, to alluring.