Chapter 22
Luke
Did she just…
Three beeps end the call, and I’m left with Genevieve’s ‘Love you.’
My heart is thumping against my ribcage.
Did she mean that?
When my phone buzzes, I snap my mouth shut and immediately answer. “I thought you were gonna leave me hanging.”
“You thought I was going to leave you hanging?” Instead of Gen’s sweet voice teasing me, it’s my cousin. “What about you with all the rumors flying that ‘Golf’s Grim Reaper’ is getting a new nickname?”
“Oh, it’s just you,” I grumble. Dropping on the park bench next to my bike, I raise my cap, before shoving it back on my head. “Your co-worker needs a new hobby. How much you know about me and my career is not normal.”
“It’s good to talk to you, too, Luke!” Cole’s annoyingly upbeat voice rings through the phone. Despite everything, my lip twitches at my cousin’s mood. “Want to tell me what has you in such a good mood?”
“Ha. Ha.” But my grin widens. “I think Gen just said she loves me, but I’m sure since she hung up right after.”
Bogey’s paw taps my leg to inform me he’s still thirsty.
“Whoa! We’re at the ‘I love you’ stage already?”
“Maybe.” I shrug, tightening the cap on the dog’s water bottle.
“Well, that explains a lot.” I hear Cole’s stubble rasp as he runs a hand over his jaw.
“Are you growing a beard? And can you please tell me what you’re talking about?”
“My mom was talking to your mom, and she said your dad is freaking out. And no, I just haven’t shaved in a few days.”
Oh fun, a game of telephone. My family’s favorite way of communicating.
Cole lowers his voice into a perfect imitation of my dad’s gruff tone. “‘Your game is too relaxed’, ‘You're gonna lose focus, and wreck your entire career’.”
Scrubbing my face, I feel a weight on my thigh. My hand finds Bogey, and immediately the heaviness clamping down lessens. “Yeah, well, that’s why I fired him.”
“When I talked to him, I told him you haven’t looked this on fire in years.”
My cousin’s dad is my father’s younger brother. When it came to our sports careers, our lives have been eerily similar.
“What did he say to that?”
“I got the infamous Nichol’s bluster, before he grumbled something about not knowing what I’m talking about and then hanging up on me.”
“Yup. Sounds like my dad.”
“Seriously, Luke, you look great. Whatever you’re doing, keep it up.
” Cole has always been someone I could talk to about my relationship with my dad.
His advice has been spot on in the past. “For the first time in a long time, you’re finally in the right headspace to live up to the Grim Reaper name. ”
The words he’s saying are what I need to hear, but I can tell there’s something he’s leaving out. “Buttt?”
“Expect your dad to show up at your tournaments.”
Squeezing the bridge of my nose, I exhale slowly. Bogey nudges my elbow. “He’s already started doing that. He was there last weekend.”
“Hmmm.”
“What?”
“I’m surprised, that's all. You used to have a tell when your dad was in the crowd. I didn’t see anything that would’ve led me to believe Uncle Theo was there watching.”
Running my hand over Bogey’s head, I realize how much of a difference he’s made. Not just with my anxiety, but overall. “Thanks for pushing me to get additional help.”
“Hey, stubbornness runs in the Nichol’s line,” Cole teases. “You caved faster than I thought you would, though. Guess you found the motivation you needed. Speaking of, when do I get to meet the special one?”
I am not letting my family get involved with Genevieve and me right now. It’s all too new. “I think Gen and I need to solidify things first before—”
“I was talking about Bogey! From the photos I’ve seen, he’s gorgeous.”
“Whenever you and Noelle and my second cousin are down in North Carolina, let me know, and we’ll get together.”
“Mom has been begging me to plan…”
A beep pops through, and my heart spikes, but immediately sinks when I see it’s my dad calling. “You’re not allowed to imitate my father's voice anymore,” I groan.
“Is he calling?” Cole asks incredulously.
“Yeah.” I rub my forehead, hoping to alleviate the tension building. “Let me take his call.”
“Good Luck! Call me if you need to talk later.” I barely hear Cole’s words through the pounding in my skull.
Rolling my neck and letting out a heavy sigh, I answer.
“Hey dad.” My fingers curl into a fist just as a weight settles on my thighs.
Bogey jumped on the bench beside me and placed himself on my lap, nudging my clenched fingers.
Stroking his fur, the pounding in my head becomes a dull thump. “What’s up?”
“Luke.” My dad’s cheerful voice catches me off guard, my hand stilling on Bogey’s flank. “I was at your tournament last week.”
“You were?” I ask, playing dumb. I’m not sure where he’s going with this, and the last thing I want to do is say anything that could be taken as me looking for his feedback.
“I tried to get your attention, but you were so dialed in. I’m not sure you heard me.”
“I’ve been working on maintaining focus and ignoring the crowd.”
“It shows.” There’s an edge to his voice that has me swallowing hard. Once you become aware that someone is manipulating you, it’s hard not to see when it begins.
This is my dad starting.
“This tournament was great, but I’m worried about your son.” Here we go.
“Why’s that?” My tone is hard, but my dad, as usual, doesn’t notice. Or more likely doesn’t care.
“I’ve seen the press you’ve been getting lately. I’m afraid that you have too many distractions going on and not enough time on the course practicing.”
“I’m not sure J.B. would agree with you.”
“He’s your agent, Luke. Not your coach.” He scoffs, dismissing me. “You need to—”
“‘Eliminate distractions’, ‘Maintain my focus.’ This isn’t anything you haven’t said to me before, and I’m well aware of what I need to do for my career.”
“Then what about that girl? Is that what you call ‘eliminating distractions’?” The anger and disgust in his voice brings me back to the Genesis tournament.
My heart constricts.
Vision blackens around the edges.
A warm, wet nose nudges my hand, and immediately my fingers move through silky fur.
Swallowing, I take a deep breath. “If the last few tournaments are any indication, I’d say your assessment is incorrect.”
“Luke, you’re going to destroy what we built if you—”
“You mean what I built through years of determination and hard work? No dad. I think you have this all wrong.” Gripping my phone, I say something I’ve been too afraid to ever say to my father.
“I’m finally on a path that allows me to not just enjoy golf, but have a life off the green. Something you told me was impossible.”
“Son—”
“No,” I say forcefully. I’m not a son to him; I’m a commodity. “My career is no longer your concern.”
“Luke,” he growls. “You’re making the biggest mistake of your life.”
“Actually dad,” my voice is calm and certain. “For the first time ever, I feel like I’m doing exactly what’s best for me.”
Wet slobber covers my cheek from Bogey as if saying, ‘You tell him’.
My dad’s silence hangs heavy, but unlike the past, my body is unresponsive. Breathing is normal, heart rate stable, and I feel in control of the conversation.
“Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?”
He heaves a heavy sigh, one that would have previously had me stepping back from what I said or did in order to regain his approval, but today I ignore it. “No.”
“Tell mom I said hi, and I’ll call to set up a time for dinner. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
For the second time in less than an hour, three beeps signal a disconnected call. This one, though, I feel really confident about.
“Well, that went better than expected.”
Tongue lolling, my four-legged companion lets out a supportive ‘Awooooo’.
“Ready to do another mile?”
Bogey hops off the bench and prances toward the bike.
My father’s call is already forgotten.