Page 35 of Bastard Bartender

All sites pale in comparison to the approaching Grand Canyon.

“On a scale of one to ten, is this cooler than driving with your grandpa?” he asks as he rolls up the windows.

I run my hand through my hair and hold it back. “Kind of. I mean, my grandpa was a total badass—for an eighty-year-old guy, of course. But this is pretty unforgettable. Definitely up there with most awesome drives ever.”

Nic’s eyes crinkle. “It’s cool you loved your grandfather so much. You were close?”

“Very. I think he’s why I adore rebels so much. He was the ultimate rule breaker. Grams told me about how he’d get into fights when he was younger, always in her honor. A real hothead, and yet he supported his family, doing any odd job he could. He was a high school dropout, and yet my mom wanted for nothing growing up. You can say he was street-smart over book smart. He rode motorcycles, went to Elvis concerts, and enjoyed a cigar on a Tuesday. My grandmother was always on him to slow down, but he never did. Work hard, work smart. Trust God and take chances. That was his motto.”

“And he did?”

“Oh yeah, he surely did.”

I breathe in the dry desert air and close my eyes, saying a small prayer for myself in thanks of the time we had with him before he died. My words pause as I feel a warm hand on mine, squeezing it gently. I open my eyes and look over to Nic’s concerned green ones gazing over to me.

I part my lips and share my moment with him. “He died two years ago. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about his laugh or how he’d sneak candy bars into my backpack before I went to school. My grandparents lived with us, so they were around all the time. He was the one who taught me how to play poker, throw a wicked right hook, and change motor oil.”

I look down briefly and swallow. “He went skydiving on his eightieth birthday and died that night in his sleep. My grandmother was devastated. We believe it because it was only three days later that she suffered a massive heart attack. Doctor said she died of a broken heart. They were buried together. While I miss them terribly, it’s also so romantic how they left this earth together. You know?”

He nods coolly, agreeing with my sentiment. “It’s amazing. I take it, that’s why you’re also looking for Mr. Right? Trying to find the man to die by your side?”

“God, that sounds morbid, but yeah. It wouldn’t completely suck to be old and in love even if he drove me absolutely wild.”

“Then, why be opposed to bad boys?”

“Because, while they’re exciting, hot, and make you feel alive, there are some serious downsides to dating a bad boy in the modern age.”

“Ahh. So, there are specifics.”

I lift a hand and rattle off while counting on my fingers, “Dave came with a serious sexual past under his belt. I can’t fault a man for who he slept with before he knew me, but this man had women knocking on his door at all hours of the night. One night, he invited one in and asked if I was up for a threesome.”

Nic laughs, but I’m not as I continue, “Max had a serious problem with authority, Steven had a hot temper, Luke was controlling, and Seth maxed out my credit card.”

“Damn. Those weren’t bad boys. They’re losers.”

“Exactly. It’s what I attract.”

“So, who was the straw that broke the camel’s back?” He looks over and quirks a brow. His question is all-knowing.

I let out a sigh. “Brandon. He’s the guy I thought was the one. A bakery owner in a leather jacket. He was cool and financially stable. Seemed like the kind of guy who was ready for the long haul. Then, I found him in bed with one of my friends. I was shattered. So, I took a job three hundred miles away and decided to start over. I’m looking for my one in a million by getting out of my attraction zone.”

“Good thing there’s over seven billion people in the world.”

My head rolls back with a belly laugh.

Once we get to the western rim of the Grand Canyon, I’m sad to get out of the car even though I know the next two will be just as fun to drive in. The parking attendants guide us to a special area, where five parking spots are reserved.

“Wow, talk about special treatment,” I say.

“If you had roughly two million dollars’ worth of cars, wouldn’t you want them parked right up front?” He puts the car in park and turns it off.

I look at him in shock at the values of these sports cars.

He laughs as we both exit, and I turn to him over the hood of the car. “Are we staying for a while?”

“Yeah. We’ll relax a bit, have lunch, and even do the Skywalk.”

My stomach instantly drops at how nonchalantly he suggests that. “The … Skywalk?”