Page 33 of Serenity at Seagrove
"Thank you," he managed to say, squeezing her hand, "for being here, for believing in me."
"Always," Luna said softly. "Now, let's see what other magic we can make out here today."
They made their way down the fairway, and Archer felt a different kind of hope taking root inside of him. With Luna by his side, he felt like he could conquer the world. Like he could face anything, even the uncertain future that still stretched out before him.
* * *
Archer stood on the driving range and watched as a group of kids gathered around him. They all looked so eager and excited, and it reminded him of when he was a kid and started golfing with his dad.
When he'd first mentioned the idea of giving some free lessons to local youth, Dawson jumped into action. He was enthusiastic about everything. If he had to describe Dawson to somebody else, it would be a golden retriever. He was always at the ready and excited for whatever was to come.
Dawson also saw the idea of giving lessons as a sign of growth in Archer. He always saw the best in him. Some of the country club members had been skeptical, wondering what a former golfer would gain from teaching a bunch of scrappy Seagrove kids. But Archer looked out at the crew assembled before him and felt a sense of rightness in his bones. Right now, this is where he was meant to be, sharing his love of the game with a new generation.
"Okay, everybody," he said, clapping his hands to get their attention. "Who's ready to learn how to swing like a pro?"
A chorus of excited cheers went up from the kids. He smiled, feeling their enthusiasm wash over him like a medicine.
"Okay, first things first," he said, picking up a club. "Your grip. If you don't start with the right grip, everything else about your game is going to fall apart."
He showed them the proper hand placement and then moved through the group, adjusting fingers and offering critiques and encouragement. As he worked, he couldn't help but be excited about the way the kids were soaking up his instructions, their faces lighting up with determination. It was a whole different side of the game he'd never witnessed himself. He was that kid back in those days, and then he went on to be a professional. He was only worried about himself, but now he was feeling joy from these children.
Had he ever been quite as eager and hungry to learn as they were? He tried to remember back to his early days, but all he remembered was the pressure of tournaments and sponsorships that eventually weighed him down.
"Coach Archer, do you mean like this?" One of the boys, a pretty scrawny kid with a mop full of red hair, held up his club.
Archer crouched down and made a small adjustment. "Perfect, you're a natural, kid."
The boy smiled, puffing up with pride. Archer felt warmth in his chest. This is what he'd been missing, this pure love of the game, untainted by any expectations or competition or ego. As the lesson progressed, he found himself lost in the rhythm of teaching, laughing and chatting with the kids. And for the first time in longer than he could remember, he didn't feel the pain in his shoulder. It must have been there somewhere in the background, but it was being overpowered by joy and satisfaction.
"Looks like you've got quite the fan club."
Archer turned and saw Luna standing at the edge of the range. He felt his heart flip over in his chest.
"What can I say?" he said, trying to act nonchalant. "I'm always a hit with the under-twelve crowd."
"Yeah, I probably wouldn't go around saying things like that in public," Luna said, laughing. "Seriously though, this is wonderful. Look at how happy they are."
Archer looked over at the kids as they grinned and chatted with each other, each of them practicing their grip. "You know, I didn't realize how much I needed this," he said softly, "to remember what it's like to just love something for the sake of loving it."
She touched his arm. "Well, sometimes the greatest gifts come in unexpected packages."
"Thank you for encouraging me to do this, for always seeing something in me that I can't see in myself."
"You've always had it in you, Archer. You just needed a little reminder of who you are beneath all the accolades and expectations."
As the day wound to a close and Luna headed back to Serenity, Archer held on to the feeling—the love for the game, the joy of sharing it with others, and the support of this woman he'd been lucky enough to meet.
* * *
Luna spread out a blanket on the sand, watching as Archer unpacked the picnic basket he'd brought. The evening air was warm, as it often was in the South Carolina Lowcountry, and carried with it the salty-sweet scent of the ocean. She'd never expected this. Hadn't expected him to suggest that they share dinner on the beach after her last class of the day.
"All right, SuAnn insisted on providing the food," he said, pulling out the containers. "I don't want you to think I'm lying about being a good cook or something. It's definitely not my forte. But I think she's convinced that we're both too busy to eat properly."
Luna smiled, thinking of SuAnn's motherly concern. "You know, she's not wrong. Most days I forget about lunch entirely."
"Well, that stops now," Archer said, his tone mock-serious. "Coach's orders."
"Ah, Coach?" Luna raised an eyebrow. "So I see the kids at the golf course are rubbing off on you."
