Last night she had spent close to an hour plotting her route and studying the highway’s topography. Road hazards? Manageable. Bends, merging lanes, and straightaways? Memorized. Now here she was, ready to toss those out the convertible roof for a possible route deviation to who knows where with a guy she met only yesterday. All for a small taste of adventure.

Do something you’ve always wanted to do. Her, not Judy.

Joy had been looking forward to seeing the Grand Canyon. Judy had talked about her desire to visit on numerous occasions. She’d studied the area in geography class and showed Joy the photos in her textbook. Her parents had planned a family camping trip here the summer before Judy was supposed to leave for college. They never made it.

Joy had thought she’d feel less remorseful about the missed opportunity by honoring Judy with a visit to the lookout featured in a textbook photo that had fueled her sister’s interest. But just a glimpse of the sprawling canyon with the surreal coloring had stricken Joy with grief. And she was getting so tired of feeling sad all the time, which was why it was imperative that she finish the bucket list, and every other list in Judy’s box. Once she did, Joy could believe that Judy would have forgiven her for the mistakes she’d made. Maybe Joy could find the strength to forgive herself.

“Can I get you anything else?” the waiter asked, refilling her water glass.

“Just the check, please.” Joy gave him Dylan’s credit card, deliberating on whether she should walk out and drive away before Dylan returned. She had the car keys in her pocket. He, though, had her phone. He also had his paper map in his back pocket. She couldn’t even get a jump on searching the surrounding area’s network of roads and highways to put her mind at ease before she drove to wherever they were going. Driving any unplanned route made her nervous, especially since she had a passenger.

Joy propped her elbows on the tabletop and dropped her face in her hands. She groaned, conflicted. Yes, she wanted to go on Dylan’s side trip. No, she wasn’t going to abandon him at the Grand Canyon. Yes, she was aware that what she was doing—driving with a stranger, trusting him—was dangerous. No, she wasn’t going to call Mark, or Taryn, or her parents to talk some sense into her.