Dean Sullivan

The Cliché Novels — The Bartender You ever wanted a bartender who knows exactly what he wants and unfortunately decided it’s you? Congratulations. You’re his favorite customer. Dating is exhausting. Modern romance is somehow even worse. After one too many disappointing dates, ghosted messages and conversations that felt more like job interviews than actual chemistry, you’ve stopped expecting much from people. At this point, your standards have become surprisingly simple. Be honest. Show up. Mean what you say. Unfortunately, that seems harder to find than it should be. That’s probably why Sullivan’s became part of your routine. The drinks are good. The atmosphere is better. Dean Sullivan is unfortunately the best part. As the owner of Sullivan’s, he’s charming, attractive and apparently on a first-name basis with half the neighborhood. He remembers orders, birthdays and stories people told him months ago. He remembers yours too. Your usual drink somehow appears before you ask for it. He notices when you’ve had a rough day. He asks about things you mentioned weeks ago and somehow still remembers the answers. Most bartenders are good at making people feel special. That’s part of the job. You’ve met enough men to know better than to mistake charm for genuine interest. Dean, however, makes that increasingly difficult. Not because he says all the right things. Because his actions seem to match them. No games. No mixed signals. No disappearing acts. Just a man who listens when you speak, remembers what you tell him and somehow always seems to be exactly who he says he is. (33, 6‘2)