Chapter Twenty-Five
Katie
June
The sun beats down, blue sky stretching above us with not a cloud in sight.
I sip on an iced-cold strawberry soda, my legs kicked up and ankles crossed on the curved bar at the back of the cart.
The club’s cart girl just left, serving us these soda drinks and restocking the snacks that Ivy and I brought along for the day.
She sits next to me, her Kindle on her lap, and she sips gently.
I stick my arm out, the warm sun heating my skin as I turn my arms over.
The bracelet Flynn gave me for my birthday sparkles in the sunlight, and I smile.
My eyes dart over the green to where the boys stand, both in shorts and polo tops, leaning on golf clubs as they discuss something in quiet voices.
Flynn was cleared to work out and play low-impact sports a month or so ago. He immediately decided golf, where he’s swinging a club back and forth in a repetitive motion, was going to be his new thing.
I lost my boyfriend to the golf course, and it hasn’t given him back, so the only logical option was to join him. Naturally, as Scott was being dragged along with Flynn in his new sporting venture, I dragged Ivy along.
“The sun feels nice today,” I say, my sunglasses sitting low on my nose.
Ivy doesn’t look up from her Kindle, taking another small sip of her drink as she gives me a non-committal hum.
I look back at the boys. Flynn is waving an arm around, pointing out towards the course and the hole they are currently trying to aim for. They’re both terrible at golf, but bless them, they try.
“What do you think they talk about all day while they’re out here?”
“Scott says Flynn just babbles about all the jobs he thinks he might try.”
I sigh. “He still keeps saying he just wants to be a bartender.”
“That would be hilarious.” Ivy snorts, finally laying her Kindle down in her lap and looking over at me. Her hair is tied into a high ponytail and she’s wearing a matching golf skirt to mine, just in white where mine is blue. Of course, we had to dress the part. “I think he should coach.”
“Me too.” I nod, glancing over at them as Scott swings, and the sound of the club coming in contact with the ball, sending it sailing through the air, echoes. I put my fingers to my lips and whistle loudly. “Nice shot, Harvey.”
“Hey!” Flynn turns immediately, holding his arms out.
He’s got a cap over his blond hair, his polo shirt is tucked in, and his shorts are almost too tight against his thick thighs.
My eyes run down his body, and I tip my head forward, obviously checking him out. “What about me? I’m a great shot, too.”
“You’re doing great, baby,” I call out with a smile. He tugs his sunglasses down his nose so I can see his eyes and winks.
“So.” I turn back to Ivy. “Are you wearing the black or the green dress tonight? Did you decide? And, should I bring a bottle of champagne in the car? I wonder how long it will take to get to the hotel?”
“Ah,” Ivy says, hesitating as she glances around me and at the boys. Flynn is now lining up his shot. “I don’t think I’ll drink tonight.”
“What, why?”
“I-I, uh.” She sighs and places her cup in the small holder between us. “I don’t think I can.”
I shake my head, confused. “We have been talking about this night for ages. It’s ring night. We said we were going to drink lots of free champagne and dance the night away.”
“I know, and I’ll still dance the night away with you, but I just won’t have a drink.”
“Why the hell—” I sit up suddenly. I rip off my sunglasses and scan Ivy head to toe. Her cheeks go a deep shade of red, and she sinks into her seat. “Oh my god. Oh my god.”
“Shh.” Ivy waves her hand. “I haven’t told Scott.”
“What? Why the hell not?”
“Because, he would make a big deal and then not want to go tonight.” She shakes her head. “Besides, I only took the test this morning. I’m late, but it could be anything. I want to get tests done. And the dress. I want to wear the dress before I get too big for it.”
“Ivy… this is, like, huge news.” She nods but I notice the tears springing to her eyes. I reach over and grab her hand. “Are you—are you not happy about this? Do you not want kids?”
“No,” she whispers, her free hand resting gently on her stomach. “I do. With him. It’s just … scary.”
“I bet.” I glance over at the boys just in time to see Flynn take his swing.
He whoops when it goes straight and does a happy dance.
I smirk. He’s such a fucking dork sometimes.
I look back at Ivy to see her watching Scott, her hand still on her stomach.
I squeeze her hand. “He’s huge. That baby is half him.
Oh my god, you’re going to get ripped apart. ”
“Stop it.” She laughs, sniffling the tiniest bit, but no tears.
“Well, if it’s for real, and you are, then I’m so happy for you.” I squeeze her hand again before letting go, settling back into my seat as the boys make their way back over to us. “I’m going to spoil the shit out of your kids. It’s going to be so fun.”
Ivy just smiles, shaking her head a little before her eyes flicker over my shoulder. Seconds later, I feel a hand dive into my hair and tug. My head falls backward, and a smile forms when I see Flynn’s face hovering closely over mine. He smirks and leans down further, lips pressing to mine.
“Did you see my shot?” he asks between kisses.
“Yes.” I reach up, my hand finding his newly healed shoulder and tracing the fabric of his polo up toward his neck. I pat him gently. “Don’t beat yourself up too much about it, you’re still improving.”
He growls, tightening his grip and tugging at my hair again. “Rockstar. You’re being a brat. You’re supposed to hype me up if you come to golf.”
“I never said that.”
“You said you’d watch me play.”
“And I did.” I smile, watching his eyes flash with playfulness and cheek. “My feedback is that you have time to improve.”
“You’re lucky I love you.” He gives me one last kiss before retreating. He leans his arms on the top of the cart. I look over to find Scott in a similar position, except he has one hand on Ivy’s neck, his thumb gently stoking down her throat as she lifts her strawberry soda for him to try.
“How much longer is left? We need to head home and get ready for tonight,” I ask, eyeing Ivy suspiciously again. The deep flush she had only moments ago has suddenly drained from her face. She takes a couple of deep breaths, and I nudge her knee a little.
“Only one more hole.” Flynn wraps my ponytail around his fingers, toying with my hair. “You’ll have plenty of time.”
“Okay, well, let’s hurry up. Perfection takes time.” I reach up and tug my hair from Flynn’s grip. He lets go but dips down again, pressing a kiss to the corner of my lips.
“Scott and I were just talking—”
“How dangerous of you both.” I smile.
Flynn leans down and nips at my ear. “Behave or I won’t wait until after the ring ceremony to ruin your nice new dress.”
Scott groans. Flynn’s whisper obviously wasn’t so quiet after all. I readjust my sunglasses and glance at him. “Payback.”
“Anyway,” Flynn interrupts before I settle into a verbal sparring match with Scott. “We were talking and, if you can swing it, we thought we should head back to Italy again. Get the same villa. Make it a summer thing. Maybe every year.”
I smile at the hope in his voice. This isn’t the first time he’s mentioned Italy to me again, or proposed another holiday with the two of them.
He loves living so close to Scott. They see each other daily, training at the gym, going running.
I know he’s getting nervous about camp and pre-season, and Scott going back when he won’t be.
They’ve always had football in common. It’s been the foundation of their friendship for so long, I think he’s worried now that he can’t play, he might get left behind.
“Oh, that’s a great idea,” Ivy says, looking between the boys.
“I agree. Making it a yearly thing would be fun, too. I loved it there.”
I look up at Flynn, still standing over me with his arms resting on the top of the cart. He smiles brightly, his eyes full of excitement. He’ll be over the moon about Ivy, excited for Scott, and just like me, he’ll be itching to spoil the new addition.
I think about what Doug told me, about having friends to do life with, how it makes a difference.
My brother is so much younger than me. My parents are retired and enjoying their hard work. They’re thinking about traveling for a few months when Sammy graduates, getting out to see the world. Flynn’s parents are the same as always, supportive but uninterested in being involved.
Scott and Ivy have become family. They’re the ones we celebrate the wins with, who are next to us through the hard times. The milestones seem bigger and brighter, getting to cross them off with them by our sides.
I’ll never tell him this, but thank god for Scott and the day he decided to gamble on me giving Ivy a coaster with his number scribbled on the back.