Page 34 of Embattled Return

“Gotcha. Zeke has a couple he likes. I’ll have him bring them over. Do you guys want an appetizer?”

“Oh,” Marigold said, “fried pickles, please!”

Grinning, Ember nodded. “You got it. I’ll be back with your drinks.”

Marigold leaned forward on the table. “In case you missed it, Ember is Zeke’s fiancée. They’ve been engaged for a good while, I think. Not sure when they’re getting married. Anyway, her dad built this bar so that he and his friends could have a place to hang, but I think Ember and Zeke have pretty much taken over the running of it. Her dad has a new love interest so he hasn’t been paying as much attention to the business.”

Logan gave her an understanding nod. “I don’t think I’ve met either of them.”

“Zeke is... a former Marine, I believe. Most of the people at LNF are Marines, with a few former Navy SEALs thrown in.”

He nodded again and glanced up. His eyes widened and Marigold assumed Zeke was on his way, all six foot five of him. The dude was built like a heavy-duty football player, with broad, muscular shoulders and trim hips. She’d seen more than one woman preen with interest before they saw his ravaged face. As much as she felt for Logan and the healing scars he was dealing with, she’d never seen anyone so harshly damaged as Zeke. His entire face was a mass of old burn and surgery scars, some faded white, a couple still angry red. It was obvious he’d had a devastating injury, and the doctors putting him back together hadn’t necessarily been successful.

Logan looked at him, obviously shocked. Then he jerked and seemed to come back to himself.

Zeke, bless his big old heart, set the flight of pale amber beers down in front of Logan and the diet Coke in front of her. “Hi guys. Marigold, good to s-s-see you again.”

Zeke thrust his scarred hand out to Logan. “Zeke Foster. I think I saw y-y-you at LNF the other d-day.”

“Logan Vance. Yes, I saw you, as well. John is helping me track down some family.”

Zeke nodded, grinning crookedly. “He’s good at that. Mind of I j-j-join you for a minute? I’ll tell you about the b-b-beer.”

Zeke pulled up a chair and started pointing at each of the beers on the flight of glasses. Marigold wasn’t much of a beer drinker, so she didn’t pay a lot of attention, just watched the men interact with each other. Zeke was one of the most self-assured men she’d ever seen, and she knew working at the bar was probably a big part of it. Ember was another part of it. She’d seen them together, laughing and touching. The love between them was obvious for anyone to see. Though she hadn’t been around them a lot, she’d seen Ember stroking his rough cheeks and the lines of his surgery scars.

Maybe Zeke’s self-assurance would filter over to Logan. Ember came back at one point to drop off their appetizer and take their food order. She smiled crookedly as she watched the men sip from the glasses, and leaned down to Marigold. “Zeke is really loving some of the local IPAs coming out right now. Sorry if he’s horned in on your date.”

Marigold snorted. “This is not a date. Believe me.”

Ember looked between her and Logan, her dark brows raised skeptically, as if to ask, you sure?

Marigold watched Ember go, wondering if the other woman was seeing something she herself couldn’t. Even when she’d kissed his ear the other night he hadn’t seemed especially moved, so she’d drawn back. Then he’d given her the no-commitment spiel and distanced himself from Nancy’s. She was done making advances and being shot down.

11

Logan didn’t like the derision he’d heard in Marigold’s snort. He tried to listen to Zeke go on about the Lion’s Head IPA, or whatever it was. The beer was good, and the information had been interesting, but when Ember had asked Marigold about this being a date, he’d been too interested in the answer. Then inordinately disappointed at the disdainful snort. Why had she done that? Was he not good enough to go out with?

Then Logan realized how hypocritical he was being. He proclaimed not to want commitment, but when she disavowed it he was peeved.

Make up your damn mind, already.

Plus, she’d kissed him. Kind of. And he’d basically shut her down.

The previous version of himself, the guy before he’d been blown to hell, would have loved to date Marigold. She was unique and beautiful and didn’t seem to mind looking at his ugly mug. Hell, if the flush earlier at the hotel was anything to go by, there was attraction there as well. He doubted she would move on it again, though. It would probably be up to him.

Marigold excused herself to go to the restroom, and he watched her walk away, unable to help himself.

Zeke had obviously asked him a question, because he was staring at him expectantly. “Sorry, Zeke. What was that?”

Zeke smiled softly. “Nothing, buddy. I’ll get out of y-your hair and let you en-en-en...have fun on your date.”

“This isn’t a date,” he denied, repeating Marigold’s words.

Zeke hesitated, then turned to look at the dark-haired woman behind the bar. “Let me give you a w-word of advice, Logan. Even if you don’t want to, if every p-p-part of your b-being wants you to curl up into a ball and fade away from the world and commitment, d-d-don’t. Take the chance on the girl. And have faith that she knows what she wants.”

Logan frowned. “I appreciate the advice, but I’ve only known her a couple of days. We’re not dating.”

Zeke shrugged his broad shoulders, glancing back at him. “Ember and I n-n-never really did date. But she is the core of my heart.” He pushed up from the chair. “I’ll get y-y-your food and another beer.”

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