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“For what?” I scoff, turning around and walking back to the beach house.
“Taking a leap, opening up to someone other than me.” He shrugs. “You even smiled in your interviews yesterday, that’s huge.”
I roll my eyes. “You watched my interviews? What are you, my fanboy now?”
Ezra’s booming laughter makes me smile. “Yeah, well. I have nothing better to do since I’m stuck at home. Just me and my therapy appointments.”
“Don’t stay cooped up. Find something to do. Trust me,” I say.
Ezra nods, looking around his apartment. “I’ll figure something out. I’ll be watching you play first. Good luck out there today.”
“Thanks, man. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
I end the call and breathe out my relief. I feel better now, lighter. I wipe the sand off my feet and put my socks and shoes back on. The patio door swings open, and Hazel pokes her head out, giving me a searching look.
“Hey,” she calls out. “Mike and Joanne are about ready to throw you over their shoulders and take you to the golf course already.” She chuckles, fully stepping out and closing the door behind her. “Is everything okay?”
I lean against the side of the house between the door and the nearest window. I thread my fingers through the belt loops of her shorts and pull her closer to me. She lands against my chest with a soft oomph, hands on my chest, fingers curling in the collar of my white polo.
“Better now,” I say, leaning in. My lips meet hers in a tentative kiss, and she melts in my arms, her pillowy lips opening up for me as I softly dip my tongue in to meet hers.
“We’ll get caught,” she mumbles through the kiss.
I wrap my arms around the small of her back in response and pull her in tighter. “I don’t care.”
She gasps as I graze my teeth against her bottom lip and gently bite down, tugging a little. I soothe the spot with my tongue and press one more kiss to her lips.
When I pull back, her eyes are still closed, and her mouth is open and a little swollen. The freckles on her nose and cheeks stand out from being in the sun, and I run a thumb over them. “You look beautiful,” I say.
She blushes and runs her palms over my shirt, straightening out the wrinkles she made with her fists. “Thank you,” she says, looking straight at my collarbone. “You look…” She trails off, gaze searching mine. “…like the next U.S. Open champion.”
We grin at one another, and I press my forehead to hers, taking in a deep inhale of her lavender and rose scent. I’ve gotten so accustomed to it, I have half a mind to buy her a whole damn case of whatever it is and use some myself.
“I can’t wait until we go home,” I say, pulling away. It takes more willpower than I have, but I do it anyway. “Four more days.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Hazel
Three days later, I’m watching the game from the stands with bated breath. A tie? A fucking tie between Levi and his opponent, Scott McCalhoun.
I pace the short length of the patio, biting the cuticles on my thumb. I’m not the only one on edge. Alan clutches a glass of whiskey on the rocks, the contents more watered down now since he’s not actually drinking it. I think he just likes the comfort of having it in his hand.
Murray keeps scratching his beard as a nervous tick, eyes narrowing every time the commentators bring up Levi’s drive and how, even though he’s been consistent, he’s not going as far.
I clench my jaw, mad at myself. What if it’s because we made him change his ball? He was driving just fine before we made the switch. If my stupid decision is the reason he loses, I’ll never forgive myself.
Bryan’s hands land on my shoulders and I straighten up. “Don’t even think about blaming yourself,” he says, almost like he’s reading my mind.
“But what if—”
“Ah-ah,” he says, turning me around and pointing a finger at me. “Don’t backtrack. Don’t apologize. It was a strategy that Levi fully accepted, knowing the possible risks.”
I slowly nod, head clearing. “Right. Besides, he’s gonna win,” I say, looking towards Levi. He’s nothing but a tiny blob from our position, but the multiple screens around the patio show replays of him throughout the day.
Due to the two-hole aggregate, Levi and Scott need to replay the last two holes. The winner takes all.
