Victoria Dahl - Real Men Will

All the credit for this book goes to my family and
friends. The romance community is notoriously
supportive, and I felt that support in full this year.
I cant possibly name all the friends who helped
push me forward, but Ill have to do my very best.
Thank you, Lauren, Jami, Courtney, Tessa, Carrie,
Julie, Barb, Jeri, Louisa, Zoe, Meljean, Rosemary,
Viv, Ann, Megan, RaeAnne, Anne and Carolyn.
Jodi, Carrie P. and Lara, thank you too! Whew.
It takes a village!

And to Jennifer Echols
friend, therapist and critique partner
extraordinairethank you for making me laugh
in good times and bad. Youre the best.

Thank you to Amy, Tara and Leonore
for all your hard work and patience.
And thank you to all my wonderful readers!

But most of all, thank you to my amazing
husband and the best two boys in the world.
Im so glad were in this together.

B ETH C ANTRELL HADNT thought about him in almost six months.

Well, that wasnt exactly true.

Beth cleared her throat and shifted, glancing around as if everyone in the brewery could feel the lie she was telling herself.

The truth was that shed thought about Jamie Donovan plenty of times. Shed remembered the hour or two theyd shared, shed fantasized about what mightve happened if shed stayed the whole night in that hotel room.

But in the past six months, shed never once let herself think about seeing him again. She hadnt considered calling him or making contact in any way. That had been their agreement, after all. One night. One time. No strings attached and no expectations. Shed had to abide by that, because she would never have let herself meet him in that hotel room otherwise.

He wasnt her type. He wasnt part of her social circle. And she definitely wasnt part of his. Beth Cantrell managed the White Orchid, the premiere erotic boutique in Boulder. Her friends were her employees: women she loved like sisters. They were bold and powerful and sexually progressive. And they dated people like themselves: tattooed, pierced, educated and cool. Absolutely cool, even when theyd only reached the pinnacle of cool by being so incredibly nerdy that they actually circled around to cool again.

Beth, on the other hand, wasnt cool. She was just Beth. But that was okay, because she was their manager and they loved her, and they did their best to pull her into their sphere. They fixed her up with guys. Friends of theirs. Men they knew and liked. Men who were cool and hip and progressive. And not one of those guys had ever pushed her buttons the way Jamie had.

She still flushed when she thought about him in his tidy polo shirt and khaki pants. His wide white smile and broad shoulders. Hed looked even better in a business suit. The perfect vision of middle-class preppy beauty. And Beth had wanted him so much it hurt.

Theyd been strangers, despite this small town. But in that hotel room, with the promise that it would happen only oncethe isolation of the act had made it safe. Yet she couldnt stop thinking about him.

And right in the middle of the first good date shed had in years.

Hey, her date said as he waved a hand in front of her face. You okay? He smiled, taking any sting from the words.

Sorry. Before shed started thinking about Jamie, her date had been talking aboutsomething. She racked her brain. Something artsy and important about Robert Mapplethorpes early career.

Im really sorry, she finally said. I didnt realize how tired I was until the glass of beer hit me. Im not usually so rude.

He smiled in a way that told her he hadnt taken offense. Im glad you didnt mind coming to the party with me. Faron and I have been friends for years. I didnt want to miss it. And I figured you knew her, too.

Yes, we have mutual friends. The party wasnt the problem. Or the guest of honor. The problem was that Beth had had no idea the party would be at Donovan Brothers Brewery. Not until her date had pulled into the parking lot, and Beths heart had sunk to her toes.

It wasnt his fault that the party hed decided to take her to just happened to be at Donovan Brothers.

Shed spent the forty-five minutes since scanning the line of customers and servers at the bar, but Jamie wasnt there. It was pure luck on her part. Jamie Donovan was an owner of the brewery, but he was also a notoriously friendly bartender. Or so shed heard. When shed spent time with him, hed struck her as serious and intense.

She didnt want to see him again like this. Didnt want him to think shed bring another man to his brewery. She kept expecting Jamie to walk by at any moment, and she couldnt think past the torture of that.

Im going to run to the restroom, she blurted out. She watched as her date took a beer from the waitress, giving her a warm, open smile as he said thank-you.

Do you want me to order you another beer while youre gone? he asked Beth.

No, thank you. Her mouth hung open for a moment. Oh, God, shed forgotten his name. Yes, it was their first date, but hed been so nice. No, thank you, she repeated, grabbing her clutch purse and sliding out of her chair so quickly that she nearly stumbled. Ill be right back.

Unfortunately, she had to walk past the bar to get to the restroom, and her knees felt as if they wanted to buckle under her weight. She scanned the bar, noting that the guy behind the tap was the same slender young man shed spotted before. Then her eyes raced over the whole room again, her heart drumming a terrified beat.

He wasnt here, thank God. When she reached the short hallway that led to the bathrooms, she nearly broke into a run. She pushed open the door, said a quick prayer of thanks that the bathroom was empty and pressed her hand over her eyes.

Hes not even here, she told herself.

Once her heart had stopped its mad gallop, she set her purse on the counter and washed her hands in cold water. The icy shock made her feel better. Its going to be fine, she whispered, trying to convince herself that she was ready to go back out. But when Beth met her own wide eyes in the mirror and saw just how pale her face was, she knew shed need a few more minutes.

She put her hands on the sink and leaned closer. Its going to be fine, she repeated.

Two minutes, and then shed walk out with her head high and her heart back in the right place. And she wouldnt think about Jamie Donovan again tonight.