Chapter 21
CASH
Cash was furious. He was not having a good time.
"Did you find your ball?" Conner called.
"No.” Cash was out in the grass looking for his ball. "This is a stupid fucking game," he mumbled under his breath. He found his ball and picked it up and walked back out to the green.
"You're supposed to hit it from where it lands," Conner said.
"This is fine." Cash grumbled hitting the ball again. While it was nowhere near Conner's ball, it was at least not in the weeds this time. "I don't think I can do this. Playing at the country club with a bunch of stuffed shirts. You know how I am with those guys."
"I do, which is why I'm kind of surprised you said yes," Conner said as he stepped onto the putting green.
"I know, but Evie asked me to."
"I know I've been a little preoccupied with Sasha, but I didn't see this coming," Conner said as he got out his putter and tapped the ball easily into the hole.
Cash took another swing at the ball and groaned as rolled off the green. "I know, it all just came out of nowhere. I hooked up with her at the gala, but I knew it was going to be different with her."
"Hopefully your golf game won't be a determining factor for anything."
"It's a stupid game."
After a couple more hits Cash finished out the hole. "I know we still have a few holes left to hit, but maybe we can just go hit some balls," Cash said as he picked up the balls. That might actually be more help than this.
"Yeah, let’s go."
They loaded their clubs onto the cart and took back off for the club house.
"So, I think I'm going to ask Sasha to marry me," Conner said.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, I asked her dad for permission when we were in Illinois. I wasn't sure what he would say since he is old school, but her family is great. Not too different from the McPhee madness."
“I’m happy for you, Sasha’s pretty great.”
Conner just nodded and the two men walked in silence back to the club house to hit some balls.
“Ya know, for someone who makes millions hitting a hard round object with a long stick, you are surprisingly terrible at golf,” Conner joked.
Cash gave a rough chuckle. “Shut up…it’s not the same.”
“Clearly.”
They hit a couple balls and Cash managed to get his swing down a little better. He was by no means a golfer, but he hoped it was enough. Conner had stopped mocking him, whether that was because he was getting a little better or Conner felt bad for him wasn’t something he wanted to stop and think about. He really wished he didn’t suck at golf as much as he did.
Even with his moderately improved swing, there was a feeling he had about the golf outing that he just couldn’t shake, but Evie was worth it. He needed to prove to her that he could fit into her world. He had to show her that he was good enough for her, even though he doubted he was. He was home that night getting ready for bed. The dread of the next day was heavy.
The next morning after a long work out to try and calm his nerves, Cash was pulling his big black truck into the country club parking lot. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he didn’t belong here. Even what he drove separated from him. His was the only truck in a sea of Audis and Teslas. He took a deep breath and steeled himself for what was coming. If he hadn’t been sure of his feelings for Evie before, this moment would have solidified it for him. Everything in him was screaming to get back in his truck and drive away, but he knew he would do just about anything to prove to her he belonged.
“Cash?” he heard a friendly voice call to him.
He turned and an even friendlier face smiled and waved. “Hi,” he said extending a hand. “I’m Allen.”
“Nice to meet you?” Cash said, still not clear on who this was.
“Evie really threw you in the deep end, huh?”
Yes, Allen, the groom. It clicked in his head and a nervous jitter ran up his spine. He hadn’t felt this nervous since he was getting scouted for BU.
“I hate to do this, but you need a collared shirt,” Allen said carefully.
“I’m sorry?”
“Club policy. I don’t care what you wear, but I just thought I’d give you a heads up.”
Crap. This was already off to a bad start. He thought he was fine. He had on Khaki shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt because he didn’t think his tattoos would be appreciated either.
“Don’t worry, I have an extra shirt in car my you can borrow.”
“Thanks,” he said. Allen retrieved said polo and Cash put it on, it pulled across his shoulders and biceps in a tight fit. It was a tight fit and a neon arrow to his two full sleeves of tattoos. He loved his tattoos, but he felt like this wasn’t quite the place.
With a deep sigh he followed Allen into the country club. After they dropped off their clubs, they went into the lounge to wait for the rest of their party and their tee time. Cash ignored the nervous sweat that kept covering his brow.
“Cash Hawthorn, I didn’t know if I should believe it or not when Elizabeth told me you would be here,” said a tall man with a big round belly and a broad smile. The man also had Evie’s eyes, so he was able to place him right away. “Edward Masterson,” he said as he stuck his hand out for a shake.
After a quick wipe of his hand down his shorts, to make sure his palms weren’t as sweaty as he worried they might be, he took his hand for a firm shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”
“The pleasure is all mine. I’ve been a fan of the Magic for years.”
“Thanks,” Cash said, trying to pull confidence from thin air.
“Edward, thank you so much for inviting me,” said the final man to enter the room. His vibe was off, but Cash tried not to think about it too much because he was sure his vibe was off too.
“Bryan, Elizabeth asked me to extend the invite. I’m happy you could join us,” he said curtly.
Wait…Bryan? Was this the ex?
“Cash Hawthorn, correct?”
Cash nodded. Then the man put out his hand and Cash forced a smile to his face and took his hand.
“I understand we have a beautiful woman in common,” he said.
“It would seem so,” Cash said, fighting his instinct to punch him. But this was not the time or place.
“Looks like everyone’s here. Let’s head to the greens,” said Allen.
As they made their way, Allen made his way over to Cash. “Hey, I didn’t know he was coming. I would’ve warned you.”
“We’re good. I can handle it for an afternoon.”
“That’s good, I can assure you the Masterson woman are worth it,” he said with a smile.
“There is not a doubt in my mind about that,” he said.
At least Allen seemed like a decent guy, and he enjoyed his couple interactions with Evie’s father. They were the most important here, and he was glad of that because the other men golfing with them seemed pretentious as fuck, especially Bryan.
He stopped off at the restroom before all this started at shot a text off to Evie.
Cash - You didn’t tell me your ex was going to be here today
He waited for the dancing dots, but when they didn’t come, he slipped his phone back in his pocket. It was a couple hours; he could get through this. Later he would be out with Evie, and everything would be better, as long as he didn’t punch her ex-boyfriend or embarrass himself.
“So, you gotta tell me, what’s it like to be a professional hockey player? I bet you get some serious ass?”
Cash turned as saw Bryan with a smirk on his face he really wanted to punch right off.
“There was a time it was like that but not anymore though. I really do love playing. The game has –”
“I bet, different girl in every city. That’s what I’ve heard.”
Cash pulled back and gave in a once over. What was his angle? “No. I’m a one-woman guy.”
“Come on, I know how it is…what’s on the road stays on the road, am I right?”
Cash just looked at him for a moment. This was Evie’s ex? He was having a hard time seeing it, but he also sure as fuck wasn’t going to fall for whatever was going here.
“No. You’re not right,” he said as he fixed him with a glare.
“No way man, we all know your reputation,” he goaded further.
“Not since I met Evie. She’s it for me,” he said with all the honesty in the world.
The two men sized each other up for a long moment.
“You’re up, Cash!” Allen called.
Cash set up the tee and swung…and the ball hit a tree. Fuck. Bryan stifled a chuckle and Cash’s fist tightened. This was going to be a long day.