“We wouldn’t miss it.” Holt steps back. “This is my wife, Izzy. Bryson’s wife, Baya. My sister, Annie, and her husband, Blake. He’s the—”
“Star of the show,” I cut him off with a laugh as I shake everyone’s hand. Blake is the lead singer of the 12 Deadly Sins, the Black Bear’s house band that’s wildly popular with the kids at Whitney Briggs.
Brody and Axel pop up, and I do a quick round of intros before Axel offers to get them a table.
“The food is on the house.” I slap Bryson over the shoulder, and he hangs back as the rest of his party takes off to be seated.
“It’s looking good,” he muses as he sweeps the place with a glance. “Is being your own boss everything you thought it was cracked up to be?”
“It’s one glorious headache after the next, but I wouldn’t change a thing.”
“That’s the right answer, man. So, where is she? I’m dying to meet the girl that shattered you and put you back together again.” I shared with Bryson and Holt the happy resolution to my story. As good as it felt to let it all out to begin with, it felt that good and better to let them know things worked out in the end the way I hoped they would.
I glance up, and Low flies over and wraps an arm around me, and I do the introductions.
“You’ll have to meet my wife, Baya,” Bryson offers. “I know she’d love you.”
“I will for sure.” Low salutes him.
Bryson takes off to meet up with the rest of his party, and we head back to where Raven and Lex sit at the bar.
“You’re looking good, big bro.” Raven gives my legs a slight kick. “I talked to Chip. He said things were better between you two. Is it true? Or is he just feeding me a line to keep me out of his hair?”
“He was feeding you a line.” I try to hold back the smile, but Low gives me a hard pinch in the ribs so I go with it. “Of the truth. I think Chip and I finally squared everything away. Or at least I’m hoping we did. Time will tell. But I think we’re good.”
“Wow.” Raven gives a wistful shake of the head to her best friend. “I guess you were good medicine after all.” Her eyes widen, and she gets that mischievous look on her face I’ve seen one too many times before. Raven hops up and steps in close, her breath slightly tinged with alcohol. “I have a tiny confession to make.” She giggles to Low. “That day you called and said your life fell to shit? Well, I could have easily allowed you to stay at my penthouse, but I just knew you needed someone, and my ice cube of a roommate was the last person who could give you comfort. So, I thought about it.” She turns my way. “And I knew you needed some comfort, and I wish to God I could have been there for you more, so I thought why not send you the next best thing? My very best friend, Harlow Hartley.” She bites down hard over her bottom lip, her eyes filling with tears. “I knew fireworks would go off fast. And deep down, I was rooting for just that.”
“What?” Both Low and I shout over the music at the very same time. There’s no way Raven just said what we think she did. Not after riding us hard—warning us to not even glance in the other’s direction.
“You heard me.” She presses her fists to her hips. “I simply implemented a little reverse psychology—you can’t have this—don’t touch that, and before I knew it, the two of you were glued at the hip.” She frowns over to Low. “And when you sent me those bogus texts about Evie, you really threw me. Lucky for me, I had an ace up my sleeve, someone willing to snap pictures of Evie when you weren’t looking. I knew you were bullshitting me from the start when you sent me those pictures of Lex.”
Low gasps. “Who ratted us out?”
Raven looks to me and gives a little shrug. “Mer. Don’t get mad. We’re still friendly. And I want to be. She happens to be the mother of my favorite little niece. I plan on playing nice for a very long time.”
“Mer.” I look to Low and frown.
Low shakes her head at Raven. “I don’t know what to say.”
Raven takes a step back toward the bar. “Just say thank you!” She laughs as she falls back into her seat next to Lex.
I press a kiss to Low’s lips and nod toward the band. “How about you and I hit the dance floor?” Usually I’d be the last person to be anywhere near a dance floor, but I think I’ve got this next dance down to a science.
“Really? Is this some sort of grand reopening miracle? Because I’m pretty sure I’ve seen you boot scoot your way out of the dancing vicinity for the last few months.”
I belt out a laugh. “Let’s just say you have the power to make me do things I wouldn’t normally do—and that’s a good thing.” I take her by the hand and lead her all the way down to the heart of the dance floor just as a song is finishing up. I flag the lead singer down with a wave, and he winks my way.
He leans into the microphone as the girls around us sigh. “We got a request tonight for something a little old school. Hope you enjoy it.”
That familiar tune rips through the speakers, and Low jumps up and down as if she just won the lottery.
“‘Key Largo’!” she screams so loud a few other girls join in just for the hell of it. “Who do you think requested that?” She gives a quick look to the bar, then back at me. “Did you plan this?”
“I may have had something to do with it.”
“You!” She latches her arms around me as we begin to sway to the music. “This is why I love you. You’re full of surprises.”
I frown playfully at the idea. “Why am I suddenly hungry for brownies?”
“Because I’ve trained you well. That’s not the only Pavlovian method I’ve got up my psychological sleeve. Your sister wasn’t the only one paying attention in our psych class.”
“Duly noted.”
“And speaking of all that higher education I went through the trouble of getting—is there any chance I could put it to good use around here again?”
“I’ve already put a desk in the office for you.”
She gasps. “Really? I’m pretty sure I’ll have zero use for it—but hey, that’s pretty cool! You’re just full of surprises tonight, aren’t you?”
“You could say that.” I reach back into my pocket and pull out the big surprise I’ve been holding close to the vest the entire day. “Something for you.”
“What’s this?” She takes the paper and unfolds it. “What?” she squeals before wrapping her arms around me tight, and I rock her as we hug it out right here on the dance floor. “Two tickets to Key Largo? Are you kidding me? I’ve never been! This is going to be amazing.” She wipes the tears from her eyes. “When do we leave?”
“Next week if you’re okay with that.”
“Hell yes, I’m okay with that.” She buries her face in her hands a moment before looking up at me. “All my life it felt as if every step I took led to disaster, and here you are, proving me wrong. The day I stepped into this bar was the best move I ever made.”
“Bailing you out of jail was the best move I ever made.” I give a quick wink before landing a kiss to her lips. “And those bedroom moves,” I whisper hot into her ear. “You know all the right moves in there, too.”
“I learned from the best.” Low reaches up and takes a bite out of my bottom lip before sealing her mouth over mine. We finish up that song and dance through the next three just like that, conjoined at the mouth, at the hips, at the heart.
Key Largo is every bit as beautiful as we thought it to be. Low and I spend our days diving the coral reefs, our nights walking along the white sandy shores hand-in-hand. It’s a dream come true—one I didn’t even realize I had.
She gives my hand a squeeze on this navy balmy night as we walk along the shoreline. “Have I told you how relaxed you look?”
“I guess I needed a vacation.” That may be true, but I’m not feeling so relaxed at the moment. In fact, I’ve been sweating bullets all day long, and it has nothing to do with the weather.
“I needed this vacation.” She pulls us under a palm tree, and we gaze out at the moon as it dances over th
e crystal blue water. “This is paradise. Not only is ‘Key Largo’ our special song—I think it’s our special place. I foresee many a vacation spent here.” The dirty grin I love so damn much floats to her lips as she pulls me in by the collar. “In fact, I think when it’s time to make those babies, we should come down and kick off baby making season right here.”
“Mmm.” I kiss a line from her lips to her ear. “I think I’d like to practice. I’d like to have six or seven for starters.”
Low belts out a laugh while smacking me over the chest. “You are insane. Try two—okay, maybe four, but just because you’re cute.”
“I think you’re pretty cute, too.” I swallow hard as the waves lap the shore in what amounts to a perfect tropical setting. Perfection is something I wanted for this moment. It’s the real reason I flew Low down here to begin with. I drop to one knee and pull a box out of my pocket.
“Oh my God, are you okay?” She slaps me over the face three times fast before I can get to the good part. “You’re not having a heart attack, are you? Oh my God, I’ve killed you!” she howls as if her luck somehow played a part in all this. It did, but in a good way.
“I’m not dead.” I can’t help but laugh. The moon kisses her features, and she glows in this soft light. “I’m more alive right now than I’ve ever been.” I open the tiny velvet box and hold it between us. “Harlow Hartley, I love you more than words can say.” She gasps and falls onto her knees in the sand next to me. “I love you more than I ever thought humanly possible. I already know I want to spend forever with you. I don’t need another moment to decide that. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Low drops her head in her hands and instantly sobs. “Yes.” She struggles to blink back the tears as she tackles me into the sand. “Oh my God, the ring! Give me that rock right this minute!”
“Yes, ma’am.” I pluck it out of the box, three solid carats of princess cut perfection for none other than my princess. I slip it onto her finger, and it fits perfectly.
“Levi.” Her gaze is still set on that rock. “My God, this must have cost you a fortune. You could have given me a wire, and I would have gladly worn it.” She pulls me down and covers my mouth with hers, and we roll around on that sand, laughing, showing one another all of the affection you can on a public beach in paradise.
“Long or short engagement”— I rub my thumb over her cheek—“it’s entirely up to you.”
“Short.” Her eyes light up like pinwheels, and I can practically see a million ideas rolling around in there. “I say we hold the reception—and the wedding at The Pelican.”
“Really?” It hadn’t even entered my mind, but I like it. “If that’s what makes you happy, then consider it done.”
“I already have what makes me happy.” Her fingers float to my cheek as she gives a light scratch to my stubble. “That would be you, Boobear.” Her hand slides up my shirt, and her nails graze over me with promise. “I’m thinking we should head back to the room and celebrate our newly engaged status. I don’t want to let anyone else in on our secret until we get back to Hollow Brook and we can tell them ourselves.”
“I’m thinking you’re full of good ideas tonight. Correction, every night. You single-handedly saved The Pelican.”
“So that’s why you want to marry me—my ninja marketing skills have you captivated.”
I pull her on top of me, and her blonde curls rain down on my shoulders. “You remember that first night you walked into the bar and I said I hoped to own your heart? I knew exactly what I was saying. Every last part of you had me captivated right from the start. I love you, Peaches.”
“Peaches and Boobear forever.” She bubbles with a laugh, and I laugh right along with her through our open-mouthed kisses, teeth bumping over one another as we roll closer and closer to the waterline, until that next wave washes right over us, baptizing us—we are indeed born again, new without blemish, starting over with one another in this weary world on a perfect beach in Key Largo.
Some might say it’s a perfect ending to our story. But it sounds more like a perfect beginning to me.
Low and I spend hours on that beach with our arms wrapped around one another, dancing in the water, our mouths fused together as the future rolls out before us as certain as the tide.
Low and I each walked through a fire in our lives and came out on the other end, unsinged, without the hint of smoke on us, hand-in-hand the way I believe it was always meant to be. We took the pain life gave us and molded it into something beautiful, our love.
This isn’t how we end.
This is how we begin.
A Note from the Author
***Look for Dirty Disaster (Low Down & Dirty 2) Lex and Axel’s story coming up next!***
* * *
Want to head back to Hollow Brook? Check out Whitney Briggs University’s 3:AM Kisses Series where each story can be read as a standalone! The first book in the series is FREE!
Books by Addison Moore
Romance
* * *
Low Down & Dirty (Low Down & Dirty 1)
Dirty Disaster (Low Down & Dirty 2)
3:AM Kisses (3:AM Kisses 1)
Winter Kisses (3:AM Kisses 2)
Sugar Kisses (3:AM Kisses 3)
Whiskey Kisses (3:AM Kisses 4)
Rock Candy Kisses (3:AM Kisses 5)
Velvet Kisses (3:AM Kisses 6)
Wild Kisses (3:AM Kisses 7)
Country Kisses (3:AM Kisses 8)
Forbidden Kisses (3:AM Kisses 9)
Dirty Kisses (3:AM Kisses 10)
Stolen Kisses (3:AM Kisses 11)
Lucky Kisses (3:AM Kisses 12)
Tender Kisses (3:AM Kisses 13)
Revenge Kisses (3:AM Kisses 14)
* * *
Burning Through Gravity (Burning Through Gravity 1)
A Thousand Starry Nights (Burning Through Gravity 2)
Fire in an Amber Sky (Burning Through Gravity 3)
* * *
Beautiful Oblivion (Beautiful Oblivion 1)
Beautiful Illusions (Beautiful Oblivion 2)
Beautiful Elixir (Beautiful Oblivion 3)
* * *
The Solitude of Passion
* * *
Someone to Love (Someone to Love 1)
Someone Like You (Someone to Love 2)
Someone For Me (Someone to Love 3)
Young Adult Romance
Melt With You (A Totally ’80s Romance 1)
Tainted Love (A Totally ’80s Romance 2)
Hold Me Now (A Totally ’80s Romance 3)
* * *
Parnormal Romance
(Celestra Book World in Order)
Ethereal (Celestra Series Book 1)
Tremble (Celestra Series Book 2)
Burn (Celestra Series Book 3)
Wicked (Celestra Series Book 4)
Vex (Celestra Series Book 5)
Expel (Celestra Series Book 6)
Toxic Part One (Celestra Series Book 7)
Toxic Part Two (Celestra Series Book 8)
Elysian (Celestra Series Book 9)
Perfect Love (A Celestra Novella)
* * *
Ethereal Knights (Celestra Knights)
Season of the Witch (A Celestra Companion)
* * *
Ephemeral (The Countenance Trilogy 1)
Evanescent (The Countenance Trilogy 2)
Entropy (The Countenance Trilogy 3)
* * *
Celestra Forever After (Celestra Forever After 1)
The Dragon and the Rose (Celestra Forever After 2)
The Serpentine Butterfly (Celestra Forever After 3)
Crown of Ashes (Celestra Forever After 4)
Acknowledgments
Thank YOU for reading Low Down & Dirty! I hope you had as much fun with Harlow and Levi as I did. So many of these scenes were born from reality that it made this book both a blast and a bit cringe-worthy to write. Which scenes were which I will never tell! Ha! Okay, so I might be
easily bribed with donuts and chocolate.
Huge shout-out and thanks to my family for putting up with my stress baking marathons, which always involve listening to “Key Largo” on a loop. But hey, you benefited, right?
A special thank you to Addison’s Angels for helping spread the word about my books. I cannot tell you how thankful I am for all of your efforts! Each and every one of you rocks, and when we have the privilege to meet in person I owe you each a hug.
A super special thank you to Lisa Markson for inspiring me in more ways than you will ever know! You have been through so much and I’m so thrilled to see you persevere. You not only inspired a kick-ass character aptly named Lisa—because everyone knows big sisters are the best—this book is dedicated to you.
To Tabby Coots, thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your encouragement and enthusiasm! Thank you for always being my first reader. You are so very much appreciated!
Kaila Eileen Turingan-Ramos, your eyes should be a classified weapon! You are beyond awesome and you know it! I can’t tell you how impressed I am by your ninja skillz. Please never leave me!
A super special thank you to Kathryn Jacoby for fighting the good fight and winning! God is on your side, girl! I love you with all my heart. Stay strong forever.
To Paige Maroney Smith, the best editor in all the land! I cannot express in words how awesome you are. Thank you for making Low Down & Dirty sparkle like the waters off Key Largo. I hope you never tire of my paperback shenanigans. I love having you on my team.
And last, but never least, thank you to Him who sits on the throne. Worthy is the Lamb! Glory and honor and power are yours. I owe you everything.