Page 16 of The Bridges I've Burned

Did that mean I hadn’t packed provisions? No. Of course not. My favorite battery-operated boyfriend was safely tucked away in my suitcase, ready to take care of my needs, just like it had for the last…

God, how long has it been?

Just then, the bartender returned with my drink, along with his charming smile. “The owner thankfully expanded the wine list over the last year, so we’ve brought in some good brands. Hopefully, I picked out a winner.”

“Is this your favorite?” I asked. I didn’t know why. I didn’t want to give him any false hope.

“I’m more of a white-wine guy myself. I’ve never understood the idea of drinking something room temp. What’s up with that?”

I laughed—a real, honest laugh—and his face lit up. Shit. I needed to shut this down fast.

“I get that.” I had several segues I could have gone with. Most of them flirty, a few serious if I really wanted to get to know him.

But I didn’t.

I wasn’t looking for a fling.

When I saw the wisp of hair and a hand up in the air, I thought the universe was throwing me a lifeline.

I should have known better.

“Looks like your bartending skills are needed elsewhere,” I said, motioning toward the twenty-something bombshell behind him.

His gaze followed to where I was pointing, and his mouth fell open.

“Duty calls.” He sped off toward the blonde, and I swore it was like witnessing Ken meet Barbie.

Their eyes met, and he was instantly smitten. So much so that the rest of the patrons in the bar and I were instantly forgotten.

So much for getting food.

After about thirty minutes or so of people-watching and listening to my stomach growl, I wasn’t sure how much more karaoke my ears could take. Surely, in a room this big, there had to be at least one good singer, right? The math alone should prove that.

But either the talented people in the room were holding back or life simply was that cruel.

When the trio of women got up and butchered “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” I’d decided this girl had had enough.

I just had to wait for the bartender to pull himself away from his new love interest long enough that I could pay for my drink. After a quick search, I found him nearly nose to nose with her. His fingers flipped a piece of her hair, and she laughed.

God, it’s like love at first sight.

I rolled my eyes.

I reached into my bag, looking around to see if I had any mints or, by some miracle, a cookie. When that turned out to be a bust, I decided to just fuck it all and pull out my AirPods.

If I was going to have to sit here and wait for the bartender to come back before I paid my tab, I could at least save myself the sanity.

I pulled up my music app and scrolled through my playlists. When Marin and I had first met, she’d found my taste in music…lacking.

“What is all this?” she said, staring down at the old CD collection I kept hidden from my parents—the one I’d inherited from Daniel before he went to college.

She picked up AC/DC’s Back in Black album by the tips of her fingers like it was a poisonous snake. I laughed.

“You don’t know who AC/DC is?”

“I mean, I’ve heard of them. I think my dad might have mentioned them. Why do you listen to this stuff?”

When she’d found out the reason, she didn’t mind so much. She learned my hot older brother—her words, not mine—had gotten me hooked on it, and suddenly, she’d had an overnight interest in it. Of course, she was still a diehard *NSYNC fan and a proud Swiftie, but at least she wore the Guns N’ Roses shirt I’d bought her, and she could actually name most of their songs.

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