Page 58 of Blame It on the Bikini
"Because I'm actually starting to have a good time."
She smiled. "Let's try to keep that going."
Lexie was happy to hear that Grayson was having a good time and loved that he'd confided in her about his job, his aspirations. She liked knowing what made him tick, and she was also happy that they still had some fun times ahead. Being away from Ocean Shores felt like an escape from the dark cloud hanging over the future, something she refused to think about now. She just wanted to stay in the moment, because it was a damn good moment.
A short time later, they reached the small town of Joshua Tree, which boasted a Main Street filled with touristy shops, cafés, art galleries, and even an old-time saloon. The gourmet deli was at the end of the street. The heat was even more oppressive, but the inside of the deli was cool and clean. She ordered a tuna salad while Grayson opted for a triple-decker club sandwich, and when their food came, she couldn't help but steal a few of his fries.
"You don't mind, do you?" she asked.
"What's mine is yours," he said with a smile. "But I had you pegged for a woman who boldly ordered her own fries, even if she was opting for a salad."
"I usually do, but I was thinking I was hot, and a salad would be less heavy. However, these are delicious."
"Take as many as you want. They were generous with the fries."
"You know, I had you pegged for a man who was more comfortable in restaurants with linens and crystal glasses and more than one fork in the place setting. Friday night, I saw you eat chili fries with onions and cheese and thought that was just because you were high, but now I'm thinking you actually like French fries."
"I love them. And I don't care about linen tablecloths and crystal glasses. What I care most about is if the food is good."
"But you wouldn't entertain your clients at Chuck's Chili or this place, would you?"
"No, I wouldn't. Because our clients expect me to treat them like they're important and deserving of only the best."
"My father felt the same way. He always treated his big clients to luxurious dinners, trips, and box seats to sporting events. I know he had fun doing it, because who wouldn't have fun? But it seemed like a lot of money was going toward people who did not need it. And trust me when I say, I am not against having money. I like it just as much as anyone. I just don't want to do certain things to get it. In my case, that was being a lawyer. Now, I'll probably be a starving artist who turned up her nose at being a wedding photographer."
"But you'll be happy."
"If I'm not, I'll do something else. One thing I have realized is that nothing has to be finite. Life has twists and turns, and different paths make the journey more interesting."
"Did you make that up, or did you read it in a book?" he teased.
She laughed. "I don't think I read it, but maybe. Things have a way of sticking in my head."
"Well, I like it," he said with a nod. "You can't be disappointed if you end up somewhere different than you expected."
"Because it might be better," she finished, her body tingling as his warm gaze swept across her face. And she couldn't help wondering if maybe his journey to sell Ocean Shores could take a left turn, but she didn't want to get into that now. "Are you done? Shall we go?"
"Let's do it."
When they arrived at the park entrance, Grayson rolled down his window, fed bills into the automated kiosk, and grabbed a park map from the dispenser.
"Here," he said, handing her the map once they were moving again.
"Look at all these places," she said, unfolding it. "Hidden Valley, Skull Rock, Cholla Cactus Garden... the names alone sound like poetry."
"Where do you want to start?"
"Everywhere," she said with a laugh. "But let's see what calls to us."
Entering the park felt like entering another world, Lexie thought, sitting up straighter, her breath catching in her chest as Grayson drove them past the first grouping of Joshua trees.
"They don't look like trees," she murmured. "More like monsters with spiky arms, in strange poses, each one different from the other. They almost look like they could come alive, don't they?"
"Yeah, like the trees in a nightmare," he said, pulling off to a vista point.
She jumped out of the car with her camera, taking pictures of the trees from far away before getting closer. She glanced back to see Grayson leaning against the hood of the car, watching her.
"Take your time," he said. "We're in no rush."
