“If I can’t have Bethy you are de initely my runner-up,” Jace said with a crooked grin. I couldn’t help but like the guy. He’d more than proved himself with his feelings for Bethy.
“Good. Now, y’all make me proud,” I cheered as I headed to the next group. This was my
irst female group. I recognized them but I wasn’t sure exactly who they were. I thought the tall elegant blondemight be the Mayor’s wife.
After I got them their sparkling waters and slices of lime I headed back to the front. It was almost time to start. I glanced back and looked for Rush but didn’t see him. I wasn’t sure whose team he was on but I knew he was playing. I assumed Grant would be with him but I
didn’t see him either.
Rush
I was going to murder Grant in his sleep. Or maybe right here in public with witnesses. I slammed my clubs down and the caddie quickly grabbed them which was a good thing. I was getting ready to throw something.
“Meg? Really Grant? You asked Meg?” I growled, looking past Grant to see Meg checking in
and pointing our way.
“We needed three. You pissed off Nan so we were short a person. Everyone else was taken.
Meg wanted to play. What’s the big deal?” Grant handed his bag to the caddie and shot me an annoyed look.
Blaire was the big deal. I hadn’t told her that Meg would be on my team because I hadn’t
known. Now if she saw us she’d think I was trying to keep it from her. I needed to find her.
“Can I get you three a water?” a redheaded cart girl whose name I couldn’t remember asked. Figured Woods wouldn’t let me have Blaire. That would have helped. I could have explained this to her and she’d been able to see it was completely innocent.
“Yes, please, Carmen,” Grant replied. He was lashing her a grin and she was batting her
eyelashes. He’d probably slept with this one. If not, he would be tonight. “Give one to grumpy pants too. He needs to hydrate himself,” Grant joked.
“Ready to kick some ass?” Meg asked, walking up to us.
No, I was ready to ind Blaire and explain this. I looked back over at the cart girl. “Where in the lineup is Blaire?” I asked her.
She made a pouty face. “I’m not good enough?”
“Yes, sugar, you’re perfect. He just has the hots for Blaire. Nothing personal,” Grant explained, winking at her. She beamed at him again.
“She got the irst group. I think Mr. Kerrington is in that group. The young Mr. Kerrington.
Mrs. Darla said something about Mr. Kerrington requesting Blaire,” the girl replied with a satisfied smile.
Woods was a dick. I didn’t doubt it.
“Good morning, Meg. Sorry but we have a bad mood Rush on our hands,” Grant said in way
of greeting to Meg who I’d forgotten had joined us.
“I can see that. I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume that Blaire is the girl he chased after leaving me all alone without an explanation the other day.”
“If he chased after a girl then yes, it was Blaire,” Grant replied.
I ignored both of them and started to walk toward the front of the line when I saw the irst group tee off. Blaire’s cart also pulled away at the same time. Shit.
“Would you calm down? Blaire isn’t the one to get jealous. That’s you,” Grant grumbled then took a swig of his water.
“Okay, is it a problem that I’m playing with the two of you? Is that what this is about?” Meg asked, staring directly at me.
“I don’t want Blaire upset,” I replied and looked back out in the direction she’d driven.
“Oh. Well, this is just golf; not a date,” Meg replied.
She was right. I was being ridiculous. We weren’t in high school and I could play golf with a female. Blaire now knew that Meg was an old friend and we were with Grant. It wasn’t like it was just the two of us. This would be okay.
“I’m on edge. Sorry. You’re right. This isn’t a big deal,” I agreed and decided to relax and enjoy the day. At least Blaire was in the front. She’d be done and inside sooner. That was probably why Woods had requested her. So she wouldn’t be out in the sun as long as the others.
By the time we’d made it to the sixth hole I had relaxed and was enjoying myself. Except
for the occasional worry about Blaire being in the heat I was ine. I knew Woods was watching her and as annoying as that was it was also a relief.
“Come on Grant, so far Rush has the best out of three and I have the best out of two. This one is yours buddy. You can do it,” Meg taunted him as he set up to put for par.
Grant shot her a warning glare. Putting wasn’t Grant’s strong point and it hadn’t taken Meg long to figure that out. If he sunk this one it’d be a miracle.
“I think he needs a little help, Meg. Maybe you could go give him a lesson,” I suggested.
The angry look on Grant’s face made both of us crack up. Damn he was too easy. “You might wanna back up, Meg. He looks ready to blow. If his putter goes lying you don’t want to be in the line of fire.”
Meg backed up and stood by me. “Does he really throw clubs?” she asked with a hopeful
smile.
“Don’t get too excited. If he’s pissed enough to throw clubs then he is pretty damn mad.”
“I’m not scared. You have the bigger arms,” Meg said throwing another grin toward Grant.
She was goading him.
“He does
not
have bigger arms!” Grant barked, straighteningup from his putting stance with a defensive look on his face.
Meg reached over and squeezed my arm. “Um, yeah these are pretty damn impressive.
Show me what you got,” she teased Grant some more.
Grant jerked his shirt off and walked over to stand in front of Meg lexing his muscles. “Feel that, baby. He ain’t got nothing on me. He’s just a pretty boy.”
Rolling my eyes I started to walk back to the golf cart. Grant reached out and grabbed my
arm. “No you don’t. This is a contest I’m gonna fucking win. Flex those puny arms. Let her see who is packing more heat.”
I had no desire to win this contest. “You won. I’m good with it. He has bigger arms, Meg,” I said, jerking my arms free of his grip.
“No, he doesn’t. You weren’t lexing when I felt yours and I’m positive yours were bigger,”
she replied with a wicked grin. I was positive this was a bad idea. I didn’t think she was lirting but I wasn’t sure.
“That’s bullshit! Flex your arm, Rush. I’m proving this one. I got the better guns.”
“Yes, you do. It’s cool,” I replied.
“Flex them now, I mean it,” Grant demanded. He was really in a pissing contest here. One I was gladly willing to let him win. I was just ready to move on to the next hole.
“Fine,” I agreed. “If this will make you go putt that ball so we can move on to the next hole I’ll flex my arm.”
Grant grinned and held his arm out again for her to feel. She was waiting on me. I lexed
and let her feel. This was ridiculous.
“Sorry Grant, he wins this,” Meg replied squeezing my arms just a little too long. I dropped my arm and headed back to the cart.
“Putt the ball, Grant,” I called out.
“You didn’t win this! She just picked you because she feels loyal to you since she was your first fuck,” he replied.
I jerked my head around to see if anyone had heard him. Thankfully, it looked like no one
had.
Blaire
I sat there as they got on their cart and drove to the next hole. I was supposed to be getting more drinks. My desire to see Rush had gotten the best of me and I’d taken a small detour until I found him.
Now, I wish I hadn’t. For the first time this week I was sick at my stomach again. He hadn’t told me Meg was his first. He’d just said they were old friends.
Knowing what kind of old friends they were didn’t help. I was well aware that Rush had a
string of girls that he’d slept with. It was something I knew when I’d gone to his bed the irst time. But seeing him with the one. The one that had been his first was painful.
She’d been lirting with him and he’d been lirting back. Trying to impress her with his muscles. They were impressive enough without him lexing them and showing off. Why had
he done that? Did he want her to be attracted to him? Was he curious about what she was like in bed now?
My stomach rolled and I forced my cart into drive and pulled away from the trees I’d been
hiding behind. I hadn’t meant to hide. I’d taken a short cut to see if Rush was at this hole. But when I’d seen him smiling at Meg and then letting her touch him I’d stopped. I couldn’t go any further.
She was a part of his world. She it into his world. Instead of driving a drink cart around she was playing golf with him. He couldn’t have asked me. For starters I had no idea how to play and then, of course, I worked here. I couldn’t play. What was he doing with me? His sister hated me. I couldn’t be a part of his life. Not really. I would always be on the outside looking in.
I hated the way this felt.
Being with him was amazing. In the privacy of his house or my condo it was easy to pretend we could be something more. But what happens when I’m showing? When I’m very
pregnant and he is with me? People will know. How will he handle it? Can I expect him to?
I loaded the cart back up and let my mind play over all the scenarios that could happen with us. None of them ended happily. I wasn’t one of the elite. I was just me. This past week I’d let myself play with the idea of staying. Raising this baby with Rush. As much as seeing him with Meg had hurt it had been the wakeup call I needed. No one lived in a fairy tale. Especially me.
By the time I got back my group had made it to the last stretch. I smiled and served drinks and even joked with the golfers. No one was going to know I was upset. This was my job. I was going to be good at it.
I wouldn’t say anything to Rush tonight. There was no point. He wasn’t thinking clearly. I would just put some distance between us. I couldn’t let myself believe he was my happily ever after. I was smarter than that.
I hadn’t been able to make it through the day without getting sick. The heat had gotten to me but I would be damned if Woods knew about it. I didn’t need him thinking I couldn’t do my job. Bethy held my hair back while I threw up in the toilet in the back of the of ices. I really did love her.
“You over did it,” she scolded as I lifted my head up from my last heave.
I didn’t want to admit it but she was probably right. I took the wet washcloth she was handing me and cleaned my face before sitting down on the loor and leaning back against the wall.
“I know. But don’t tell anyone,” I requested.
Bethy sat down beside me. “Why?”
“Because I need this job. The money is good. If I’m leaving once I start showing then I need all the money I can save up. It won’t be easy getting a job while I’m obviously pregnant.”
Bethy turned her head and looked at me. “You’re still planning on leaving? What about Rush?”
I didn’t want Bethy mad at him. She’d just started being nice to him again. “I saw him today. He was having fun. He it in. He’s where he belongs. I’m where I belong. I don’t it in with his world.”
“He doesn’t get a say in this? If you just said the word he’d have you moved into his house and he would be taking care of everything. You wouldn’t be working at this club and you would be at his side everywhere. You’ve got to know that.”
I didn’t like the idea of being one more woman who mooched off him. His mother and sister did that. I didn’t want to do it too. I didn’t care about his money. I just cared about him.
“I’m not his responsibility.”
“Excuse me if I beg to differ. When he knocked you up you became his ultimate responsibility,” Bethy said in a huff.
I knew the truth about the night we’d had sex without a condom. I’d come onto him. I had
all but attacked him. It hadn’t been his fault. All the other times he was careful. I hadn’t let him be that night. It was my mistake not his.
“Trust me when I tell you that this was all on me. You weren’t there the night I got pregnant. I was.”
“Can’t be all your fault. You can’t get pregnant alone.”
I wasn’t going to argue with her. “Just don’t tell anyone I was sick. I don’t want them worrying.”
“Fine. I’m not happy about it though. You do this again and I’m telling,” she warned.
I laid my head over on her shoulder. “Deal,” I agreed.
Bethy patted my head. “You are one crazy girl.”
I just laughed because she was right.
Rush
As soon as the tournament was over, I went home to shower and clean up. I didn’t even hang around to get the second place trophy. I left Grant and Meg to do the honors. I couldn’t care less. I only participated in the tournament because I’d signed up with Nan and Grant early in the summer. We did it every year. It was for a good cause.
When I’d stopped by the of ices where the drink carts were parked Darla said Blaire had
left with Bethy about an hour ago. I called Bethy but got no answer. I igured by the time I got a shower and changed they would be back from wherever it was they went.
Bethy’s car was in the parking lot when I pulled up to their condo. Blaire was home. Thank God. I’d missed her like crazy all day. I knocked three times and waited impatiently for it to open. Bethy gave me a tight smile. Not who I wanted to see.
“Hey,” I said, stepping in.
“She’s already asleep. It was a long day,” Bethy said, still standing at the door holding it open like she wanted me to leave now.
“Is she okay?” I asked,looking down the hall to her closed bedroom door.
“Just tired. Let her sleep,” Bethy replied.
I wasn’t leaving. She could close the damn door. “I won’t wake her up but I’m not leaving. So you can close the door,” I told her before heading back to Blaire’s room.