Page 32 of Tee’d Up For Trouble

“So? Lucas says that begging for forgivenesslateris better than asking for permission.”

“And how does that work out for Lucas?”

Amara laughed softly. “I’m married to himandsix months pregnant. How do you think it’s worked out for him?’

The road to true love never did run smooth, and it didn’t with Lucas and Amara, but they’d gotten there—and there was a lesson in that: easy didn’t mean a successful relationship.

“I’ve fallen for her,” I admitted. “She’s been through so much, and she’s still standing. Still fighting for her family, for her village, for everything she believes in.”

“That sounds like admiration. And maybe a little bit of something else?”

I knew what she was saying without saying it. She wondered if I’d fallen in love. I didn’t know. Could you fall in love in four weeks? Was that enough time to act on your feelings? Or was this just infatuation, and once we fu…made love, it would fade?

“Maybe.” I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. “She’s lost almost everyone she’s ever cared about. I just…I don’t know if she’ll let anyone in. If she’ll letmein. I don’t know if we have a chance to even find out what that something else I feel for her is.”

Amara was quiet for a moment, her tone softer when she spoke again. “She sounds like someone worth fighting for. And if anyone can break through those walls of hers, it’s you. You’ve got that Southern charm thing in spades, remember?”

“You think?”

“I absolutely do,” Amara replied with confidence.

Before ending the call, we talked about friends we had in common and her pregnancy. Looking at the time, I knew I still had another fifteen minutes before Dee was ready for our regular Monday morning walks.

I called Brad, who I knew would pick up no matter where he was and what time it was.

“Yo,” he greeted. “You finally called your agent? You know how many texts I’ve sent you?”

“I don’t get them all,” I reminded him. “Some disappear into the ether.”

“How are things? You still enjoying your holiday? Ready for it to be over?”

“Good. Yes. No.”

“Right,” Brad said. “You have a meeting in two weeks in London, and then one in Dublin. There’s some party thing there, too.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“You want me to see if we can do it remotely?”

What I loved about Brad was that he never pushed me to do more than he knew I wanted to when it came to activities other than golf. He tried, but he always knew when to back off so as not to completely piss me off.

“Nah. I need to meet with them. Their CEO is coming and all that.”

“Okay.” Brad was quiet for a long moment. “You wanna tell me what’s going on?”

“I like it here.”

“You like a cold Irish village?”

“Yeah.”

“You working out? You need?—”

“I found a gym and am doing cardio. I do need to find a golf course.”

I heard sounds on Brad’s side of the line, and then a door slammed shut. “You want me to set you up? I think there are a few in Ireland.”

“Private ones where I won’t become fodder for fuckin’ Instagrammers?”

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