Perfect Bastard (Mason Creek)

Bastard. No, he hadn’t just said that. I glared at him. “One of those what?”

The bartender stepped away, wanting no part of the firework display that was about to happen. The asshat just laughed and tipped his glass to his lips.

“You know what? I don’t care.” I turned my attention to the bartender. “You.” I pointed at him. “Sure, I’d love to see you again.” I put emphasis on the word ‘love.’ The man’s eyes lit up, and he came over, looking more smug, not directed to me, but Mr. Sexy Pants to my left.

We exchanged social media accounts, and he promised to slide into my DMs. And yes, he said ‘slide in,’ which had me blocking his handle as I left. This was why I hadn’t dated much since I left college.

Too bad I wasn’t done with that sexy bastard. Nathaniel and I had unfinished business. Yes, I knew Mr. Sexy Pants’ name even though I hadn’t acted like it. He was a means to an end and a way out of Mountainside for good. And he was already living up to his reputation.

THREE

Avery

I was searching my purse for my keys when Nathaniel came loping out of the bar and to the parking lot. I looked up in time to see him barely make it to his car. Though I wanted to ignore him and just leave, I couldn’t. Not in good conscience, at least. I sighed and marched over to him, snatching the keys from his hand. “You can’t possibly think you’re going to drive home.”

He looked at me in disbelief and opened his car door without answering me. He bent in and came back out with a phone in hand. “I was getting my phone to call an Uber.”

His words were coherent, but just barely, and I found myself saying, “I am your Uber.”

The suspicion in his eyes wasn’t lost on me, but I urged him towards my Jeep. As much as I loathed him and his family, I didn’t loathe people in general. And him behind the wheel was a disaster waiting to happen.

“I called an Uber already?” he stuttered.

“Yep, that’s me.” I pulled off, sounding enthusiastic when I didn’t feel it.

There was only one other car in the lot and my guess was that it belonged to the bartender, as I didn’t notice anybody else inside. I had to shove Nathaniel in my back seat. When he was completely inside, I shut the door and had to hold back a laugh as he was halfway to face planting on the seat.

Then I had to ask myself what I was doing. The man belonged to a family my family despised.

Instead, I got behind the wheel and drove to the ranch I was all too familiar with. My father had never let my mother and I forget what he’d given up for us.

Like most small towns, it didn’t take long to get to any destination. In a little over five minutes, we were there. The ranch that I remembered driving by was no more. Sure, it was still standing. But it looked more like tumbleweeds should be blowing in the wind than the stately ranch bustling with activity that I remembered Dad driving by occasionally.

I got out like the good but fake Uber driver to help the inebriated MLB player out. His eyes were unfocused when they opened. I’d had to tap him several times to wake him. Finally, he shifted heavily toward the opened door and almost tumbled out of the car like the phantom tumbleweeds I’d imagined.

With him leaning heavily on me, I got him up the rickety stairs and to the door. He listed slightly when I ducked under his arm, ready to make my escape. He reached up above the door and rooted between the doorframe and a welcome sign to produce a key. I shouldn’t be surprised, as hardly anyone in our town locked their doors. There wasn’t much to steal. From the view inside after he unlocked and opened the door, there wasn’t anything to poach from here either.

“Don’t expect a tip,” he said, before drifting forward to dive face-first on a sheet-covered sofa. A cloud of dust rose in the air before settling around him. I pivoted before realizing he’d left the door open. When I reached for the knob, I noticed the key was still in it.

I blew out a breath and mumbled about no good deed going unpunished. But when I tried to reach up to put the key back after locking up, I found I was just shy of the stature needed. I hid it under the mat and hoped he’d figure it out.

By the time I got back in my car, my phone was vibrating non-stop. I answered the call. “Haley, I’m on my way.”

“Did you get lost?”