Love, Chocolate, and Beer

by Violet Duke

  All that was about to change as well.

  As Luke began sharing these new plans with the random strangers he met throughout the day, not only did they provide enthusiastic support of his changes, they gifted him with priceless romantic advice as well. Each couple, in their own way, helped him remember how much he loved Valentine’s Day. Looking back on his life, he could recall most every Valentine card he’d ever written, every gift he’d fussed over, and each person he’d celebrated the day with. Valentine’s had always been a privileged time for him to lay all his emotions out in plain sight for one special person to see, and have that person show him the same.

  But Dani never had any of that.

  Yet she was still the most naturally romantic person he knew.

  With that fresh in his mind, Luke uploaded all the photos onto the Desert Confections blog site, putting the starting gate spotlight on the photo of a pair of teens wordlessly cuddling at a bus stop like there was no tomorrow. Below their picture, he typed the advice they’d had for him, just as they’d said it: “Remember to hold hands as much as you can, for no reason, even.”

  Reading that again made him smile.

  The next photo to go up was of a third grade girl giving a boy at the playground a sweetly wrapped homemade chocolate. Luke and the two kids’ mothers had thought it just about the cutest thing they’d ever seen. The boy had torn open the chocolate right away, pausing a brief second before inhaling the treat to thank the girl and see if she wanted to ride bikes together the next day. When the little girl’s mom asked her why she’d given that particular boy a valentine when they always seemed to fight in the park, the girl replied like it was so obvious: “It doesn’t matter if the person you like acts stupid sometimes. You should tell them you like them anyway.”

  Talk about profound.

  The business guy sitting at a coffee shop with his fiancé had similar advice. The camera revealed the man looking at the love of his life as if the sun had just risen when she laughed and told him she loved him because he knew how to order her complex coffee drink exactly how she liked it. The man told Luke: “While gestures may speak louder, it’s still nice to hear the words.”

  That one immediately made Luke think of Dani.

  The photo following was the one that had hit him the hardest. It was of an elderly couple walking down the lake path this afternoon. The woman’s purse strap had slipped down her arm and her husband, hands shaking in his old age, tucked the strap back onto her shoulder as if he’d done it a million times before. The action prompted a smile between them with a familiarity that simply transcended time. Luke was racked with emotions when he showed them the resulting photo and listened to the sage advice they gave to him in that half-you/half-me way of speaking only those couples who shared everything could. The husband said, “Though your brain can give you good advice, your heart is the only organ you should listen to about love.” And the wife finished, “But always remember to go with your gut on when you should heed that advice.”

  Luke finally understood.

  Probably the funniest photo of the day was of a young couple perusing the display cases in Desert Confections. It had begun as a whimsical shot focused solely on the dog they had with them—a tiny yippee one in a pink dog dress and matching jeweled collar, sitting pretty in a giant purse carrier. But, instead of catching the moment when the pup got the little ‘doggie bag’ containing their special line of dog-friendly chocolates, the camera’s shutter lag instead caught the boyfriend rolling his eyes dotingly at his girlfriend. When Luke showed the photo to the couple, the boyfriend chuckled and said, “Can’t really help it. Seeing someone you love be silly happy should always make you happy too.”

  And on it went.

  The gallery displayed the new, passionate love as in the one between Jonathan and Derek who’d given each other a rock and a bottle for reasons that were significant to them alone. It showed the my-heart-is-yours love of a man giving his wife an eternity band with the promise of more years to come And finally, it celebrated the kind of love Luke hoped to one day have—the one of a man exchanging homemade cards, treats, and hugs with his wife and children.

  The completed photo gallery showcased love in every aspect of the word. Seeing it all brought him a sense of calm as he opened the Desert Confections blog site and started typing:

  HOW BEER BEAT CHOCOLATE ON VALENTINE’S DAY

  Yes, it’s true. Shocking, I know.

  But beer has in fact triumphed over chocolate by exactly one tie-breaking vote.

  My vote.

  All month, Desert Confections has promoted the “new” Valentine’s Day, challenging men and women everywhere to change how they celebrate this special day. Now while I do wholeheartedly believe that a day for women to spoil their men separate from a day for men to spoil their women is still a terrific idea, I’ve recently been reminded of what I seem to have forgotten along the way.

  I - Love - Valentine’s - Day. Exactly as it is, antiquated though it may be.

  And I’m not alone.

  In the photo gallery below, you’ll see what I saw all day throughout Cactus Creek—folks showing their love for one another through gestures unreliant upon any preconceived rules. All of these couples graciously allowed me to post these photos to celebrate their love and to help remind me of what else I forgot.

  Valentine’s Day isn’t about chocolate sales.

  I think somewhere, for various personal reasons, I forgot that a little. One woman, though, has stayed true to the meaning of the day. I think you all know who. Dani Dobson has done nothing but inspire romance over the last month in her brewpub without any agenda (well, perhaps the thrill of beating me was a tiny bonus). All she wanted was for people to love and be loved, experience the greatness of romance without antiquated notions or new kitschy pressures.

  We should all be so lucky to experience that from her. I know I am.

  What’s even more incredible is that Dani was able to show me all the most romantic parts of Valentine’s Day, amazingly, without having experienced one of her own. Those closest to her tell me she has spent the last seventeen years never once having celebrated Valentine’s Day, instead choosing to ensure all those around her created the best memories possible in her place.

  And she doggedly insists that she’s not a romantic.

  I’ve never wanted to prove a woman more wrong in my life.

  So from today, I will. I plan on showing Dani what a romantic she truly is by having her closet romantic meet my inner romantic, who now has new life again because of her. And according to him, I should start at the beginning by giving Dani every one of the seventeen Valentine’s Day memories she missed out on growing up, and allow myself to experience the holiday anew in the process.

  I can’t wait.

  Now in addition to that, I’d also like to get some help from all of you. From what I hear, it’s no secret that over the years, Dani has inspired more than just me in lessons of love. So, my request is this: if you have a special story of love starring Dani or her brewpub, please send it to Ocotillos via a Valentine’s card so she can be reminded of just how much she and her business have touched all of you. I know your valentines will mean as much as any I could ever give her.

  With that request, I sign off on this Valentine’s Day eve with this final concession. Though I still think chocolate reigns supreme over beer any day (hehe), I do defeat to Dani, not just by town tally, but because—unique though her methods may be—she has clearly proven herself far more of a romantic.

  For now. But just wait, honey...I’ll catch up.

  Happy Valentine’s Day, all.

  Luke

  * * * * *

  DANI STARED at her laptop screen. No freakin’ way. Luke did not just go and make that outrageously romantic declaration on his web page.

  Oh yes he did. The blog tags showed tons of replies already, all in huge support of both his concession and this romantic crusade of his. Some folks posted suggestions for his seve
nteen Valentine’s Day re-do’s while most just gushed their congrats for the ‘happy couple’.

  The happy couple. That’s what she and Luke were being called. When she clicked over to her twitter feed, she felt her jaw drop. Holy Hefeweizen. Tweets were pouring in by the second. It was unbelievable.

  Why the heck are so many folks online now instead of on their Valentine dates?!

  True, it was after midnight but still, she never thought quite this many people cared about the throwdown. As she spent some time reading through the posts and tweets, however, she realized the majority wasn’t about the brewpub’s victory over Desert Confections, but rather, in giddy response to the news of her and Luke being in a fairytale relationship.

  “I think people like us.” Luke came up behind her and leaned against her doorframe to her office, looking very much like her very own personal Prince Charming come to life.

  “I can’t believe you did that,” she whispered as she made her way over to him.

  “What? Give you the win on a silver platter? I mean, how else was beer going to beat chocolate in—” Amused as the devil, he caught her hand before it socked him in the belly.

  Cradling her in close, he said softly, “I did it for all the reasons I wrote,” before slanting his mouth on hers in a deep, drugging kiss.

  When he let her come up for air, she slowly opened her eyes. Then she shook her head to clear it of lovey-dovey cobwebs. “Wait, stop. Luke...I have to tell you something.”

  He gave her a suspicious once-over. “You have that look like you want to talk business.”

  She winced. “I do...sort of.”

  “Then I don’t want to hear it. No business talks today.”

  “But—”

  He kissed her again. Still holding her in his arms, he nibbled distracting kisses along her jaw. “Stop focusing on work. If you haven’t noticed, I did a pretty romantic thing tonight.”

  She ducked her head down and smiled. “I noticed.”

  He sighed. “But you’re still stuck on this my voting for you, throwdown concession thing aren’t you?”

  She hesitated, but couldn’t stop herself. “I don’t want any of this to affect your shop in a bad way,” she exclaimed, concerned. The man was certifiable. Romantic, but crazy. This couldn’t possibly be good for his business. “Luke”—she placed both hands on his chest to keep him at least an arm’s length away—“you basically undermined your entire Valentine’s Day and White Chocolate Day campaign by admitting you prefer the original solo day Valentine traditions. Because of me.”

  “I know,” he said with pride.

  Dani was seriously torn between frowning and swooning. “I love what you did and what you’re planning for me...” She forged past the flipping of her heart at the reminder. “But shouldn’t we be thinking damage control? A backup plan to save White Chocolate Day at least?” Her eyebrows stitched together. “Would you stop with that panty-melting smile?! I’m being serious.”

  “God, you’re incredible.” His eyes searched hers tenderly, his expression almost disbelieving. “Damage control is to fix mistakes. This wasn’t a mistake.” His tone was firm, unyielding. “I meant everything I wrote, consequences for my life’s work be damned.”

  If it were possible, she just fell in love with him even more.

  He stroked her cheek gently. “Everything will be fine, sweetheart.”

  Dani looked away, hidden guilt an arrow through her heart. “What if you’re wrong?”

  He chuckled at her lack of minced words, his eyes crinkling in mock offense. “I wonder if I should be offended that the two women closest to me both think I’m wrong here.”

  She frowned, puzzled.

  “Fear not, my dear. Quinn’s already on it. She’s doing this whole ‘since Luke fell in love with the enemy, we’re changing White Chocolate Day to Red and White Day’ spiel. No, don’t go look it up—you can check her blog later. Hello, romantic man sweeping you off your feet here.”

  Dani nodded in false complacency...before breaking free to run back to her computer.

  His unsurprised laughter followed her as she jumped on her laptop to see what genius Quinn managed to spin this time.

  Whoa. “This is even better than the original White Chocolate Day idea.” Dani was in awe.

  “I know. It’s the only reason why Quinn hasn’t killed me, I think.”

  “Red and White, as in roses right?” Her eyes narrowed in mild offense at his confounded expression. “Even I know red and white roses symbolize love and unity, or some other metaphor to that extent.” She held her hand up to keep him from speaking further while she read through Quinn’s new pitch. “I get it. I like it. So you’re encouraging folks to give everyone special to them—significant others, relatives, friends, whoever—something red and white to celebrate the different kinds of love that unites them on March 14th, in contrast to February 14th, which is only for romantic love.” She smiled. “That’s sweet.”

  “Yup, and I’m not just making it just about chocolate this time either. The whole month, while we’re promoting Red and White Chocolate Day, I’m going to give shout-outs to florists, bakeries, card makers, brewpubs, and pretty much every industry that helps bring people together.”

  Dani sighed in relief. So he hadn’t ruined all he’d been working toward in one insanely romantic gesture. This new campaign was going to be a huge success, she had no doubt.

  Now to deal with the matter of the man and his mission... She turned and saw Luke giving her the look that made her skin tingle. Clearing her throat, she stalled for another few seconds to get her bearings. “So, uh, does this mean you’re ending your campaign against beer?”

  “Sadly, yes.” His eyes took on that competitively teasing glint that totally turned Dani on. “Too bad, too.” He gave a masculine pout. “The video for White Chocolate Day was all ready to go.”

  “Yeah? What were you planning?” she asked, slowly feeling her nerves slip away.

  “Basically, it would’ve had a lonely guy, a cold twin bed, a fridge empty except for beer, and a logo that gets slapped across the screen: Shoulda Voted Chocolate.” He grinned wide.

  Dani burst out laughing.

  Luke tugged her in close. “Dani,” he said soberly, framing her face with his hands, “I meant everything I wrote. I want to give you the Valentine memories you deserve.” He put a flat, rattling box in her hands. “Starting now.”

  Dani unwrapped the gift and stared at it in disbelief. “Sweetheart candy?” She clutched the $2 box of message-inscribed heart-shaped candies and flew her eyes up to meet his.

  “You’d mentioned once that no one ever gave you these when you were younger. So, I thought I’d start there.” He gazed into her eyes. “Happy first Valentine’s, Dani.”

  Her pulse tripped. Boy, was she in trouble. The overwhelmed, watery-eyed ‘thank-you’ she managed to spill out seemed enormously inadequate, but that’s all she had for him.

  “You’re welcome, sweetheart.” He hugged her tight. “Now, while I do have a proper corresponding Valentine date for tomorrow that’s age appropriate for the year you were eleven, for tonight, how about we do something that’s a little more, ahem, our age first?”

  Smiling through her tears, she leaned in to give him a kiss in agreement when suddenly she was struck by what he just said. Pulling back, she pulled her smartphone out of her jeans.

  Luke glanced at it. “What are you doing?” he asked idly as he moved to nuzzle her neck.

  “Here, hold the candy instead of my butt,” she directed while thumb-typing on her phone.

  He didn’t seem at all thrilled about the trade, but he complied, his dimples making a flash appearance when she caught him off guard with a sweet, smiling kiss on the cheek.

  Her camera shutter went off.

  Startled, he asked her again, “What are you doing?”

  “Sharing a memory,” she answered as she tapped a few buttons to upload the photo.

  Luke peered down at her smartph
one screen and read the Twitter photo tag she’d typed in: My very first Valentine...the candy and the man. Totally worth waiting seventeen years.

  Eyes warm, he smoothly placed her atop her desk and bent down to collect a kiss.

  She knew she should’ve cleared the slate between them first, told him all about what she’d almost done to his shop, about how she’d neglected to make things right even after she got to know him. But she couldn’t. She wanted to cherish her first—and maybe last—Valentine’s Day with Luke. So she let herself forget everything else for just a little while longer.

  With a doting grin, he gripped her hips and swung her around, planting his butt against the desk before raising his hands in surrender. “A deal’s a deal. Since a forfeit is technically still a loss, you get to be on top and lord it over me.”

  “No,” she said softly, pulling him to his feet. “Nothing can top what you’ve already given me, what I’ve already won just by having you look at me the way you do every day, not just today.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Luke. Thank you for helping me see this day the way you do.”

  Hours later, after taking their Valentine celebration back to her apartment, Dani was up at four a.m.—voluntarily—kissing Luke at the door and wishing him a good day as he left for work. It was all very domestic, and strangely, she wasn’t feeling the normal quicksand of unease that was her normal allergic reaction to anything resembling 1950s marital bliss.

  Gliding back into her apartment, she noticed her blinking answering machine. Yikes, ten messages—a bigger than usual pile-up this week. She quickly hit play and chuckled as she at last heard Derek’s airport pick-up reminder. They both knew he shouldn’t have put money on her remembering, but per usual, he didn’t bet against her. That’s just the kind of big brother he was.