by Lisa N. Paul
Chapter Twenty
Danny’s On Main
“THE SIGN LOOKS fantastic,” Julie called from across Main Street.
Her husband and Chester were directing the employees of Hang Around, the local sign company, on where exactly to hang the handcrafted, white cedar sign that was relaxed and classy rather than pretentious or tacky. After a full year of business, that same description fit Danny’s on Main to a tee.
Danny’s on Main. Just thinking of the name brought a smile to Julie’s face.
She and Danny had been in Charistown for two weeks when they finally decided on the location. They ended up not choosing Chester’s friend’s space due to the structural damage that said friend had never disclosed but was found during inspection. Chester himself flew up for a visit that week. Within days of Chester’s leaving, that pub was closed down by the health inspector and his friend moved to places unknown. The spot Danny and Julie chose was on the corner of Main Street. It was larger than they had originally expected, but the location couldn’t be beat. With the property owner recently deceased and his family out of state and wanting to get rid of the building as soon as possible, the Marcuses could purchase the place for a steal and did so without hesitation.
Danny and Julie worked around the clock for months to make the dilapidated bar their dream bar and grill. The neighboring businesses stopped by with welcome baskets and friendly smiles, and she and Danny marveled at the good fortune that had finally come their way. The only thing they couldn’t decide on was a name for their dream. He kept choosing names that were “bad-ass” (her thought), and she leaned toward “cutesie-crap” (his thought).
Then it happened. She and Danny were sanding baseboards in what would be the billiards room once the bar was completed. She stood to stretch her torso at the same time Danny was drinking from his Thermos. He peeled off his tank top, tucked it into the waist band of his jeans, and took another long pull of water. Mmm. His broad, sculpted chest was a thing of beauty with the way each bead of sweat clung to his skin, as if it knew how lucky if was to be up close and personal with such muscled perfection. Her eyes drifted to his ink, to one tattoo in particular, and she realized it was time to add a little color to her canvas.
Danny didn’t flinch when she said she needed a break. He just told her to take all the time she needed. Turned out, she didn’t need much.
Ninety minutes later, she returned to the building with a bag of takeout in her hands and tingles in her tummy. While what she’d done might have felt spontaneous, she had discussed it in the past with her husband. Would he appreciate the sweet gesture?
“I’m back and brought lunch.” She heard the mischief in her own voice, so she knew Danny would question her mood.
“Hmm, if you’re lunch, I’ll definitely dig in.” His brows waggled as he closed the distance between them, cupped her head, and pressed their lips together.
Sweat, soap, and Danny’s distinct scent flooded her senses, melting her like always. She wanted more, and she got it when he pulled her tight against his hard body.
“Oww,” she hissed, breaking the kiss and putting slight space between them. Shit, how quickly I forgot.
“What’s wrong?” Danny’s eyes scanned her body like a gentle touch, looking for a problem… an answer. “Jules, talk to me.”
“Nothing’s wrong, I promise.” Squeezing his hand, Julie moved to place the food on the folding table before returning to face her man. The two vertical lines pressed deep between his brows screamed that he was far from reassured.
“Start talking,” he rumbled. “Make me believe that you’re okay.”
God, that low tone turned her to mush. The dominant side of Danny Marcus had always been her weakness. Even after all their years together, that hadn’t changed.
“Um,” she hedged, “I’ve been thinking about getting a tattoo—for a while now actually.”
“For real? In the past you said you liked them on me but not for you,” he recounted.
“True. But as you said, that was the past, and we’ve started fresh.” His hazel eyes twinkled as she explained. “You and I, we’ve been through so much. Happy, sad, joy, love, loss…all of it. And then we decided to start fresh.” Julie reached for Danny’s hands, laced her fingers with his, and continued. “Started fresh, baby, but not started over. You and I never needed a new beginning because what we have has always been amazing. And you were right all those years ago on our wedding night. No matter what happens, you will always be mine.” Julie brought Danny’s hands to her waist and guided them to the hem of her T-shirt.
Understanding lit Danny’s eyes as he lifted the shirt up her body, leaving nothing more than a satin bra and a gauze bandage on her torso. His mouth curled into a sexy smile as the roughened pad of his thumb stroked the skin above Julie’s left ribs.
“No matter what happens, Danny, I will always be yours.” She peeled off the bandage and revealed:
Danny’s Main
Her husband stared wordlessly at her tattoo.
“Yes, I have a vow vaporizer too,” she said. “I believe in us. Danny? Are you okay?”
Danny’s laugh rang in her ears, but not as much as the words that followed. “Welcome to Danny’s on Main, honey.” He motioned toward the unfinished bar. “What do you think?”
Her main man, her bar, on Main Street… “I love it!”
###
TO CELEBRATE THE one-year anniversary of their grand opening, they purchased the beautiful sign, hired a band—regulars that had just signed with a record label—and were hosting a huge bash. Allan and Anita were flying up to celebrate Danny and Julie’s wedding anniversary in July, so they weren’t coming up for the bar’s celebration, but Chester had refused to miss any occasion where, “beautiful women and half-priced cocktails partied together.”
And party they did—until two in the morning when the drinks were empty and the music stopped. The evening was as successful as the year had been, leaving Danny and Julie smiling as they bid their customers good night.
The only thing they hadn’t found success with was staff. In the twelve months since the doors opened, they had had too many people behind the bar and none of them were tending it. Late, lazy, free-loading, obnoxious, no-shows, inappropriate beyond control—that was what Julie and Danny had found, leaving the two of them working to exhaustion both behind the bar and behind the scenes.
“I finally understand why Chester kept that bitch Bunny around as long as he did.” Julie yawned, sitting at her desk. “That woman may have been a walking STD, but she came to work on time and loved the hell out her job.”
“She certainly loved the hell out of the customers and staff,” Danny retorted. “I remember she gave good ol’ Chester his fair share of lovin’ too. I’m thinking that’s a huge reason why he kept her around so long.”
“Whatever,” she admonished, staring at a spreadsheet. “The fact is, we need to do a better job of screening our hires. We’re wasting a ton of time and money training people only to have them leave us high and dry. I swear to God, I think most of them only want to work here so they can drink the booze.”
***
SHE WASN’T WRONG. Over the next few years, many faces wore staff shirts at Danny’s on Main. Some lasted six shifts, others six months, but in the end, the Marcuses never felt a connection with the bartenders. Hot men serving drinks were always appreciated by the ladies, but Julie noticed the revenue increased when women were behind the bar. Danny couldn’t disagree—what man wouldn’t want a sexy lady serving him drinks?
A problem occurred when one of the bartenders started crushing on him. He thought nothing of it at first. It was good for the ego to know that women still found him attractive, but the only woman who would ever have his full attention was his Julie.
“Suzette likes you,” Julie stated one afternoon while the two were in the back office—working lunches, they affectionately called the time together. She was transferring their bills over to electronic bill pay wh
ile eating strawberries, and he was writing out the shift schedules and drinking a Coke.
“Honey, Suzette likes everyone. That’s her job.” Danny popped a grape in his mouth, savoring the sweet juice as well as the prick of enjoyment he got from his wife’s possessiveness.
Shaking her head, Julie nibbled her lip. “You’re wrong. She flirts with you, Danny. It’s more than a friendly notion, and it’s escalating. I don’t like it.”
Wow, is she worried? “You realize that you’re it for me, right? I don’t care who flirts with me. I only want you.”
His dick hardened the moment his wife’s firm ass found purchase on his lap. How could she doubt for even a second that his feelings for her blew his mind? When she twisted to face him, he had no doubt the vixen used the friction of her weight against his throbbing erection to gain his attention.
“I know you love me. That isn’t the issue or the concern.”
Fuck, not sure what’s hotter: her confidence or the cleavage showing in her V-neck staff shirt.
“I know what you’re thinking, and no, I’m not jealous,” she said. “I’m annoyed. Girls like Suzette don’t worry about damage. She doesn’t care about boundaries, and she sure as shit won’t care about causing trouble.”
Bewilderment crested through him as Julie’s words sank in. Never had he seen her so guarded, so ready to defend what belonged to her. While it was sexy as fuck, it wasn’t something he’d ever intentionally bring out in her. “Jules—”
Her mouth met his with a kiss so claiming, so passionate, so wanton, Danny’s thoughts disintegrated on his tongue.
“I’m not saying we should fire her,” Julie whispered into his lips. “Just pay attention, okay?”
One more quick touch on the lips, and Julie’s weight was gone. The office door clicked, leaving him alone with the taste of berry on his lips, the faint smell of gardenia, and a raging hard-on as the only evidence that she was ever there.
###
AS USUAL, JULIE wasn’t wrong. Over the following weeks, Suzette’s behavior became more brazen. Her eye contact went from confident to blatant, and her flirty comments became sexual. When she started finding reasons to touch him, Danny drew the line.
Danny arranged for the bartender to come in for a chat before her shift. He was fully prepared to work her hours behind the bar when she quit. “Suzette, how do I say this nicely? You do realize I’m a happily married man, yeah?”
What he wasn’t prepared for was the answer the woman gave him.
“You think you are.” Her arm slithered across the table, long talon-like nails grazing his skin. “But you’re not. She’s not enough for you, baby.” Her saccharine voice explained, “She’s good to make you dinner and wash your laundry, but I can make you happier in the bedroom. I can rock. Your. World.” Suzette’s tongue moved across her shellacked lips in a way that turned Danny’s stomach instead of turning him on, as he assumed was her intent.
What the fuck? Chick is clearly a whack job. She isn’t going to quit; I’m firing her ass. Anger boiled in his veins as Danny reminded himself to stay calm. Eyes narrowed in disgust, Danny popped up from his chair as Suzette sat back in hers, undressing him with her hooded gaze.
“Max?” Danny growled.
The new hire looked up from behind the bar.
“Over here, now.” Regulating his breath was a challenge as Danny mentally shuffled through his words, pulling forth the ones that wouldn’t get him slapped with a sexual harassment lawsuit.
“Boss?” While Max DeLucca had only been employed for two weeks, he’d been a lunch regular for over a month. The kid showed more respect and loyalty than all of the hires Danny and Julie had taken on in the four years since the bar opened. He stood by Danny’s side, his hulking size a threat to anyone, regardless of his gentle demeanor.
“I need a witness, DeLucca. You’re here, so you’re it.” Danny’s words were aimed at Max, but his stare never left the aloof and clearly oblivious Suzette.
“Go, sir.”
“Suzette, your presence is no longer needed or wanted here at Danny’s on Main. You’re fired.”
“Fired? Stop it, baby,” Suzette purred as she stood and attempted to stalk toward Danny.
“Ahh, okay.” Danny grinned, arms folded over his broad chest. “So you don’t do nice.”
Suzette beamed. “No, I love it rough, Danny. I told you that.”
Purposely obtuse? Christ, was this really happening? Judging by the look on Max’s face, it certainly was.
“Rough it is,” Danny conceded. “Little girl, my wife is more woman than you will ever be, and I’m the lucky son of a bitch who has the honor of being with her. You think it’s okay to screw with the person who writes your paychecks? You think that person is me? Guess what—you’re wrong on both accounts. You have absolutely nothing to offer us because pretty faces are a dime a dozen, and your bartending skills are subpar. So get your shit and get gone.”
Had her face not made him physically ill, Danny would have enjoyed her round eyes and slacked-jaw look as Max escorted her to the door. Instead, Danny went to the office and apologized to his wife the best way he knew how—simple words followed by a mind-bending orgasm.
###
IT WASN’T MORE than a couple of weeks later when Danny found himself in a similar situation, although the target was different and Danny’s patience was nonexistent. Max was the ideal employee. He worked his ass off, took on extra hours, and even though he was dealing with some sort of marital issues at home, he never brought them behind the bar. Women wanted him, men wanted to be him, and Danny wanted to clone him. So he did what he thought was the next best thing—he hired Wayne.
Wayne came with an impressive resume, a handsome face, and unfortunately roaming eyes and Velcrohands. Danny worked a few shifts with Wayne and found him to be slightly annoying, but the ladies liked him, so Danny worked the schedule so the two would intersect more than spend a great deal of time together. Julie didn’t have much to say about the new bartender, which was abnormal but not alarming.
“Julie, cupcake, no need for you to climb that step stool when you got a man right here. I’ll get that bottle down for you.”
Danny’s ears perked as Wayne’s words traveled from the bar to the kitchen, where he and Max were doing inventory.
“What the…?” Hands balled into fists, Danny’s eyes met Max’s.
“Look, boss, the guy’s a flirt. I’ve heard him call other dudes ‘babe,’” Max reported. “Let it go, and let’s just get this done.”
Accepting Max’s advice, Danny exhaled, flexed his hands, and counted forks.
“Mmm, Julie, how’m I supposed to concentrate on cleaning when every time you bend over, I get a perfect view of your sweet ass.”
A red haze slid over Danny’s vision as the fork in his hand bent in half.
“I’ll come out with you,” Max snarled. “He needs to be gone, Danny, not dead. Do you hear me? You can’t protect your woman from jail.”
Max’s words penetrated just in time to save Wayne’s life.
“Get the fuck out of here!” Danny roared as he barreled out of the kitchen and behind the bar. He grabbed the bottle of Maker’s Mark from Wayne’s hand and threw it to the floor. Sounds of broken glass crunching beneath his feet were lost behind the rage that fueled his movements.
Wayne’s hands were held up in a surrendering pose. “I didn’t mean…I wasn’t trying—”
“You weren’t flirting with my wife? You weren’t staring at her ass?” Danny left no time for answers as he advanced on Wayne, leaving the man with no choice but to retreat. “Listen here, you little fucker, the only reason you’re gonna walk out of this bar in one piece is because I care more about that woman you were disrespecting than I do ‘bout disabling you. Get the fuck out of my sight. Catch your eyes on my woman even once as you leave, I’ll tear them out of your skull. Got it?”
Wayne nodded, understanding clear on his pasty face as he grabbed his backpack from un
der the bar and scooted past Danny’s large frame. “Max, help me out here…”
“Rats and thieves,” Max rumbled, his arms crossed. “Only rats and thieves steal what belongs to someone else. Rats do it for survival…you got no excuse.”
“Five, four, three—I get to one, and you’ll be limping out of here,” Danny snapped.
Wayne ran. The empty bar became silent.
“Thank you, Max, for having my back again,” Danny said.
“Not a problem, boss.” Max shrugged. “Let’s just say I have some experience when it comes to cheating. I’m not a fan.”
Receiving the message Max not-so-subtly put out, Danny shook the younger man’s hand, “Not quite sure what I’d do without you, boy.” Christ, sounded a bit like Chester just now.
“Happy to be here, sir.”
Julie cleared her throat. “Hate to interrupt all this male bonding, but I’m standing right here in the mess that you created, Mr. Marcus, and I’m waiting for an explanation.”
Judging by the playful look on his wife’s face, no explanation was needed. She totally understood Danny’s reaction, but she was waiting for his admission.
“Jules—”
“I could have handled it, Danny. You should have trusted me to do so, the same way I trusted you.”
“I—”
“I’m gonna take my lunch break,” Max broke in. “I’ll be back in a half hour.”
The mammoth man left the bar, but Julie’s gaze never left Danny’s.
“That guy was a douche bag, Jules,” Danny said. “The way he flirted with you, checked you out…for the love of Christ, was that the first time that shit went down?” Even thinking it may have happened before had his blood pressure beginning to rise.
“Does it matter?”
Julie’s question left him speechless.
“Seriously, Dan, the guy has only worked here for seven shifts. Does it matter if he’d flirted with me before today?”