Page 11 of Grand Escape

“He can arrange a tour through the hotel.” Rylan didn’t bite on his suggestion, but I tucked the factoid in my brain and planned to ask her later for a tour.

“How much do I owe you?” I pulled out my card and started to hand it over to Sam.

“Charge him for mine,” Rylan was sure to add.

“Never. You get the goods for life. And since you’re a friend of Ry’s, you too.”

“Sam, what did I tell you?” She glared at the older man, her badass act firmly back in place.

“This little ball of fire was made for bigger things,” he said, and when she growled his name at him in warning, he ignored her. “She was determined to get my blend into the hotel. Marched straight into the head honcho’s office right after a shift, and told him. Next day, she calls me to come over right away with the beans. Thirty minutes after a tasting, we had the deal to supply the whole hotel. Marva was over the moon, and that was before Little Miss Ballbuster asks for them to give us the ballroom at a discounted rate for our daughter’s wedding.”

“Are you done?” Rylan asked through gritted teeth.

“I’m done, but you should have taken that promotion.”

“See you later, Sam,” she said, taking her coffee in one hand and my forearm in the other. Dragging me to the door, she told me, “Say good-bye to Sam.”

“’Bye, Sam.”

“’Bye, Adam. Don’t forget the turtles.”

I didn’t have a chance to answer because the door slapped shut behind us.

“Come on,” Rylan said. “I’ll lead you back to your luxury hotel.”

With her long ponytail swaying from side to side, her bronzed skin glowing in the sunlight, the hot pink cropped shirt barely hiding her body, I was enraptured with this mystery woman. We walked silently for a while, sipping our coffees.

“You know, you really are beautiful when you’re quiet,” I said.

“Stop.” She kept moving, one foot in front of the other, past the roundabout.

“Something wrong with complimenting a woman?”

“You’re a guest.”

“Guess what? I checked the Grand’s employee handbook, and there’s not a fraternization clause.”

“Oh. My. God.” Rylan tried to scowl at me, but a big smile burst free. “I knew you were a crazy stalker.”

“Just a lawyer,” I said, defending myself.

“Of course. Adam Stern, Esquire, from Michigan. Let me guess, business contracts law?”

“Family law, actually. Mostly divorce. It’s ugly, but someone has to do it.”

“Are you this nice when it comes to getting a settlement for your clients?” We stopped at an intersection, and I almost stepped out before she said, “Look the other way.”

“Shit, you drive on the wrong side here.”

“Yep, and we want you to get home alive.”

“Barely.” When we started walking again, nearing the hotel entrance, I asked, “So, the promotion?”

“It was a while ago. Water under the bridge. I don’t want it. In fact, I don’t want to do anything where I have any power over others,” she said, standing straight, her words coming out as more of an affirmation to herself than a response to my question. “I like my job. I make good money, and I live by my own rules. Plus, I didn’t go to college, so it’s always a roadblock someone needs to get over when it comes to me.”

“College or not, I’m impressed. You seem pretty wise.”

“I’m a bartender, end of story. Got it?”

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