Chapter 8. If You’re Not Keeping Score, What Even Is the Point?
If You’re Not Keeping Score, What Even Is the Point?
“The aim of the game is to finish the round in as few strokes as possible. There are nine numbered holes, and you need to complete each hole in order, without skipping any.”
“As few strokes as possible, got it. Do I hold the club with my left or my right hand?”
That earned me a disgusted look. “You’re joking, right?”
I popped my eyes wide. “Absolutely not.”
Rob sighed. “You hold it with both hands. Your dominant hand is in front of your nondominant one. Like this.” He gripped the end part of his club with his right hand, then placed his left one above it.
“Every stroke counts as a point, and the player with the least strokes at the end wins. You’re only allowed six strokes per hole before you must move on to the next one. ”
“Got it.” I twirled my putter with my hand. “Those folks are moving on, so it’s our turn now. Why don’t you start us off and show me how it’s done?”
We were at Ace Adventure Golf Park, a popular mini golf place half an hour outside of town.
It was still bright at seven thirty, perfect to enjoy the outdoor course we’d chosen, that was winding and twisting around miniature man-made lakes, waterfalls, and sand pits.
The place was buzzing, full of couples on dates and young families with excited kids.
A family of five ahead of us had just finished the first hole, so we stepped up to take our turn.
“Watch and learn.” Rob placed his red golf ball at the end of the green, then gripped his putter and bestowed his full concentration on it, as if that would help him score a hole in one.
The ball slid smoothly on the green, before teetering on the edge of the hole, and finally falling in with a soft plunk.
“Impressive.”
He suppressed a smile, trying his best to look modest but failing miserably. “Your turn.”
“It’s a lot of pressure. Don’t know if I can live up to that excellent shot.”
“You will, with practice. Here, I’ll show you how to do the proper stance.
” He stepped behind me and placed his hands on my hips.
“Good posture is the key. Try to keep your feet at least a foot apart, lining up with your shoulders. Use a putting stroke, which means you need to keep your swing below your waist and hit the ball with a firm yet smooth stroke.”
Theoretically, I knew what to do. I’d watched enough golfers during my short caddying career and played myself several times, so golf stances and putting strokes weren’t foreign, unfamiliar terms. But all my prior knowledge seemed to have mysteriously evaporated into thin air, and all I could focus on was how he was standing so close, with his annoyingly warm hands on my body, and how I was enjoying this a little more than I was supposed to.
Get a grip, Kim. You know better than to fawn over a cute guy with warm hands.
“Back up a little, Carmichael. Not too close. I got it.” I aimed for the hole and swung my putter. The club hit the ball with a soft thwack, before smoothly sliding into the first hole. “Look at that! A hole in one. Are we keeping score?”
Rob was gaping at the hole, as if it had somehow sprouted an invisible hand that had reached out and pulled my ball into it. He gave me an accusing look. “You’ve played before, haven’t you?”
“Well, I did use to caddy back in college…”
He scoffed. “Then hell yes, we’re keeping score.”
We ambled to the second hole, where the family of five was still playing, and the father was helping one of the children with their shot. Rob was watching the dad and the child with a smile, chuckling to himself when the little girl cheered each time her putter managed to even gently tap the ball.
“She reminds me of my niece and nephews,” he said. “I know I’m biased, but they’re just the most adorable kids you’ll ever meet.”
“How many have you got? You never told me about your family.”
“One niece, two nephews.” He glanced at me. “Didn’t I? That I have five older siblings?”
“Yeah, but you never told me about your relationship with them. And your parents. Are you all close? Do you talk to them a lot?”
Rob stiffened a little. “Why do you want to know about my parents?”
His offhand remarks about his father popped back into my mind.
“I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer if you’re uncomfortable.
It’s just that, I love hearing people talk about their big families, because I’ve never had that.
Ellie and Jenna are the closest I have to sisters, so I’m always jealous of people with a lot of siblings. ”
“You can have mine. They’re adults now, but they’re still annoying.
” Rob smirked. “But no, I don’t mind talking about them.
” His eyes were back watching the laughing family in front of us.
“I talk a lot to my mom and siblings. Alexandra, the oldest, is a retired athlete, and now hosts a podcast about women in sports. Amanda is a screenwriter. She’s about to write and direct her first movie, a romance murder mystery set in the 1950s. ”
“Ooh.” I whistled. “I’ll watch that.”
“My dad had wanted to continue with the ‘A’ names, but my mother vetoed the idea. Jennifer is a fashion designer, and she just launched her newest clothing line earlier this year. Kylie is the smartest of us all. She’s the youngest adjunct professor of science in her department and has authored more than a hundred academic papers.
Paul is only fifteen months older than me and is the CEO of a fintech startup. ”
“Your siblings sound super intimidating.”
“Tell me about it. My mom’s an interior designer, and my dad’s an architect. So was my grandfather, who had started the family business. Carmichael Architects used to be one of the oldest, most well-respected architecture and design firms this side of the country.”
The young family had just finished their turn, so we stepped up for our shots, and Rob motioned for me to go first.
“But things haven’t been going so well lately. Dad used to run it with his sister, until my aunt retired a few years ago. She didn’t have any kids, so it was down to me and my siblings to continue the firm, but none of us are interested in getting involved.”
“But isn’t what you’re doing still in the same industry?” I tapped the golf ball lightly with my club, and it slid smoothly down the green directly into the hole. I smirked at the crestfallen look on his face. “Are you regretting asking me to mini golf?”
“Not at all. I’m just getting warmed up.” He placed his ball on the ground. “Anyway, my dad had always wanted me to continue the family business, because he thought I could use a bit of direction in my life.”
I frowned. “Why? What were you doing that he thought was directionless?”
Rob hit the ball and was quiet for a few beats before answering. “I dropped out of my architecture degree. Second year.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“It’s not something I go around telling people about.
” His laugh was dry as we headed to the next hole.
“It’s kind of embarrassing when the rest of your family is achieving great things left and right, while I was still trying to figure out my life, you know?
And Lucy—she’s my ex—she and her family used to always say that I had more to offer.
That I don’t take my life seriously enough.
They think I should go back and finish my degree. ”
“But you don’t need fancy degrees to be successful. There are people who dropped out of college and still did well in life.”
“Yeah, but I mean, I am the least successful one out of all my siblings.” His face was unreadable as he watched the parents in front of us cheering on their children.
“I spent my entire childhood”—he paused to shake his head—“no, actually, my entire life having my dad compare me to them. Being told I wasn’t as smart.
Two of my sisters were always top of their classes, and my other siblings were always winning an award or two.
I never did, because I was too busy goofing off and joking around instead of burying my nose in a book.
“Long story short, that’s why I’d gone into architecture.
Because I wanted to make my dad proud. But my heart just wasn’t in it, so I decided to quit.
” The family of five moved on, and Rob thwacked the ball with a steely glint in his eyes that probably had nothing to do with mini golf.
“Dad never forgave me for that. Not even today, even after more than ten years. I think he considers me a disgrace to the family, because I’m the only one without a degree and who hasn’t had an article or ten written about me somewhere.
For him, a college degree is an important measure of success, and dropping out of college meant I was a quitter and a failure who had let everyone in the family down. ”
“That’s unfair.” A white-hot surge of anger passed through me.
I wouldn’t call my own father parent of the year, but at least he never belittled me or my life choices (probably because he was never around).
“You’re not a failure because you chose your own path instead of doing what your father wanted you to.
Does the fact that you have your own business mean nothing to him? ”
“Absolutely nothing.” His golf ball rolled into the hole with a satisfying plunk. “I’m actually working on a house flip with Alec. You know, buying old houses, then renovating and reselling them. We’re about to finish the work on our first one.”
“Rob! That’s impressive.”
“I’m not just a pretty face, you know.” He gave me a small smile as I took my turn.
“Dad isn’t impressed, though. He’s disappointed I’m not designing luxurious, award-winning homes for high-profile clients, like what he and my grandfather had done.
To him, that was unacceptable.” He paused for a beat, looking like he was debating whether to say whatever was on his mind out loud.
“And after the breakup with Lucy, I’ve been wondering if maybe my dad was right. ”