Page 37 of One Pucking Surprise
Clarissa’s smile widens. “Well, then it’s settled! I’ll join your team, Blair.”
“Great,” Blair mutters, clearly unimpressed.
Clarissa loops her arm through mine before I can stop her. “Come on, Zach, let’s get started!”
I pull my armfree with as much subtlety as I can muster and take a step forward, putting distance between us. “Let’s get moving.”
Behind me, I hear Lainey’s soft voice as she links her arm with Blair’s. “It’s okay,” she says gently, and when I glance back, she’s giving Blair a reassuring smile.
Blair huffs but relaxes a little, throwing a pointed look at Clarissa. “You really need to tone it down,” she says flatly. “Zach’s girlfriend is right here.”
“Oh!” Clarissa exclaims, turning to Lainey with a wide, too-bright smile. “I’m sorry! I guess I’m just used to being… well, familiar with Zach. I didn’t mean anything by it. You understand, right?”
Lainey’s expression doesn’t falter, but there’s a sharpness in her eyes that only I catch. “Just this once,” she says smoothly. “But let’s refrain from doing it again, okay?”
Then, as if to drive her point home, she strides over and grabs my arm, flashing a wide, sweet smile. “Come on, baby,” she says, her voice light and teasing. “Let’s win this thing.”
The grin that spreads across my face is unstoppable. I slide my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “That’s right, baby.”
Her smile widens, and for a moment, it’s like no one else exists.
The game begins, and it’s chaos from the start.
Clarissa makes a point of sticking close to me, but I counter every move by pulling Lainey closer—an arm around her waist, a hand at the small of her back, brushing my fingers over hers as we strategize.
“You’re going to have to focus eventually,” Clarissa says at one point, her voice strained.
“I can multitask,” I reply casually, giving Lainey a quick wink.
Lainey laughs softly, playing along effortlessly. “And he’s pretty good at it,” she adds, her voice full of warmth.
“Unbelievable,” Clarissa mutters under her breath.
Blair snorts. “Maybe you should focus on your swing instead of their relationship.”
Clarissa’s face flushes, but she doesn’t respond.
As we move through the course, Lainey’s confidence grows. She teases me when I miss a shot and giggles when I press quick kisses to her cheek.
“Zach, focus,” Clarissa snaps after missing a crucial shot, her frustration bubbling over.
“I am,” I reply smoothly, wrapping an arm around Lainey’s shoulders. “We’re a team, right, babe?”
“Right,” Lainey says, grinning as she leans into me.
Blair lets out a loud, exaggerated sigh. “Can we all agree that Clarissa is the weak link here?”
“Blair!” Clarissa gasps, her voice trembling with poorly masked irritation.
“What?” Blair says innocently. “Just stating facts. Your missed shots are killing us.”
Clarissa sputters, her face going red, but Lainey steps in with a grin. “Don’t worry,” she says lightly. “We’ve got this.”
Her confidence rattles Clarissa enough that she misses her next shot entirely. Blair groans loudly, throwing her hands in the air. “This is why I hate golf tournaments.”
By the time we reach the last hole, it’s neck-and-neck. The tension is palpable as Lainey and I line up for the last shot.
“Think we’ve got this?” she whispers, her eyes sparkling.
