Page 20 of Rewrite the Rules

“Sure. Happy to. Although now I’m suspecting you invited me so you could show me up. You schooled me on that mountain.”

“Technically, I didn’t invite you. You ‘voluntold’ me you were coming. And if my grandma was here, she’d tell you that it’s not how you finished, it’s that you did. So, kudos.”Did I just say kudos? Kill me now.

“Sounds like you were really close to your grandma.” Joel reaches over and pats my knee chummily but my stomach swoops causing me to flinch. He snatches his hand back.

“I was.”

He lets out a sigh and keeps his eyes fixed on the windshield. I get it, it’s uncomfortable. “She passed?”

“Nine years ago, today.”

The last hike I went on with her we climbed to the top of Pike’s Peak in the middle of winter. We took on the beast at the worst time possible. It took fourteen hours, six pairs of socks, an entire jar of peanut butter, four packs of handwarmers, eight homemade power-protein coconut balls, and our camelbacks were bone dry by the time we finished. Best day of my life.

“Shit, Adler. I’m sorry. I didn’t know this hike was a whole thing—”

“It’s not a thing.”It is though. It’s a huge thing. Every year.“It’s just I always miss her a little more on this day. I was raised in the Springs. We used to do the incline almost every Sunday morning, and then we’d go get buffalo tamales and she’d let me have the tiniest sip of her margarita. Then we’d walk around downtown Manitou until she was certain she was sober which was pointless because she never finished her drink. It was an excuse to dawdle, put off Sunday chores, and to buy me retro candy.”

“What is retro candy?”

“You know, like Charleston Chews, bottle caps, and the good kind of saltwater taffy. I fully blame her for my candy addiction.”

He laughs. “I might have some Altoids in the glove box if you need your fix.” The car slows to almost a stop behind what has to be a mile of angry red brake lights. There must be an accident ahead. Joel throws the vehicle into park. “Yeah, we’re not moving anytime soon.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to eat up your whole Sunday.”

“No, it’s fine. I’d just be in the office anyway.” With traffic at a standstill and the car safely stopped, Joel turns slightly to meet my eyes. “You should’ve told me about all that stuff. I love tamales. We could’ve done like a whole remembrance tour, honoring your grandma.”

“No. I wouldn’t have wanted to do that with you.” Joel looks slightly offended as he raises his eyebrows, so I clarify. I don’t want his incredibly sweet gesture to go to waste. “Oh, sorry not like that. I just mean sometimes I worry all our special things—the moments I treasure—won’t feel the same with someone else and I don’t want to muddle up perfect memories. Does that make sense?”

He bobs his head slowly. “I get it. There’s this French wine, probably my favorite—Le Vol. I don’t necessarily like it when I drink it by myself. But the memories I have of it live in my mind as perfection.”

“Exactly.”Kind of.I’m not going to lie, I really still like Charleston Chews and saltwater taffy no matter who I’m eating it with…but sure. We’ll roll with it because I can tell he’s trying to connect. And all I want to do is connect with this man.

“What memories?”

“Le Vol is from a little French vineyard that belonged to family friends. My parents married there when they were young. It was the wine they served at their wedding. It’s the bottle they’d share on every anniversary.”

“That’s really sweet.” I wonder if my parents share any nostalgic traditions like that.

“The vineyard burned down about five years ago. Ironically the same year my parents separated. The last bottles from that vineyard are scattered across the world. They are impossible to find.”

“You know, as your executive assistant, it’s kind of my job to make the impossible…possible.”

“Oh, no, Adler. Don’t even bother. Believe me. I haven’t come across a bottle in ages.”

“I’m kind of amazing at research. Ask Steve how I hunted down that limited edition collector’s copy ofStar Warssigned by the director.” It involved shameless begging and crocodile tears, but once I pulled it off, Steve bought me and the girls an all-expense-paid weekend in Breckenridge, he was so thrilled.

“I have no doubt you’re amazing.” Joel pulls off his glasses and exposes his dark-honey-colored eyes that make my stomach flip and dip.

The faint sound of honking around us fades away and suddenly there is a spotlight on Joel. Everything except his handsome face is out of focus. I free myself of my seat belt and plant my hand firmly on his knee. Leaning across the center console, I place my lips just inches from his.

Kiss me.

But he doesn’t.

He leans backwards. The lines of his face contort in alarm. “Wait.”

Oh shit.“Um…I wasn’t—”

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