Chapter 4
FOUR
JUDE
“Hey, Tyson,” I mutter from the driver’s seat of the golf cart.
We’re on our tenth hole for the day, and I’m really enjoying his company.
He isn’t someone I’ve spent a lot of time with in the past, but all of my friends are finding girlfriends and getting married and becoming too busy for me, so I’m clinging to whatever single friends I can find.
“Yes?” he asks, looking at me over his shoulder. I know I’ve interrupted him setting up his shot, but I’ve spotted Charlotte two holes away from us, and I know she’ll be here soon.
“Can I ask you to do me a favor?” I question, reaching into my back pocket and pulling out a hundred-dollar bill.
Tyson raises his eyebrows as he looks at the cash in my hand. “Whatever it is, I don’t need the cash, Kensington. I’d like to remind you how well Bishop-Moore hotels is doing right now.”
I laugh and roll my eyes at him. Tyson runs the Bishop-Moore hotel empire alongside his sister, Winnie, and her husband, Archer.
They’ve only been at the helm of the company for a couple of years, and their increase in revenue is more than impressive.
We’ve recently started a partnership where some of our luxury brands are featured in their hotels, and it’s really helped both our companies financially.
“I know you don’t need the money, but in about a minute, a cart girl is going to pull up and ask for our drinks, and I want you to tip her this. ”
Tyson narrows his eyes but closes the distance between us and snatches the bill from my grasp. “And why can’t you just tip her?” he asks incredulously.
“Because she won’t take it from me.”
“Does Jude Kensington have a girlfriend?” he asks, his lips lifting in a half smirk. “I know I prefer to stay clear of the social scene in our circle, but even I know the gossip when it comes to you.”
My cheeks feel hot as I watch Charlotte get closer to us. “She’s a girl who’s a friend. Don’t forget to tip,” I whisper before plastering on a smile. “Char!” I yell before sliding out of the golf cart.
Her mouth turns up in a radiant smile. Why does she have to be so damn beautiful? I aim a look in Tyson’s direction, hoping he doesn’t notice just how stunning she is. “I was wondering if I’d run into you today. Do you two want a drink?”
“Always,” I answer, coming to a stop next to her bev cart.
She grabs the club’s iPad and stands up, a smile staying on her face the entire time. “What do you want? Beer? Or are you switching to liquor?”
My eyes rake over her body, and I’m just about to answer her when my mouth snaps shut. I cock my head to the side. “Since when do you have a pro shop jacket?”
Charlotte looks down at her jacket. On the left side, right over her chest, is the Pembroke Hills logo, and it doesn’t take long for my eyes to focus on the name stitched underneath.
“And since when is your name Teddy?” I ask, my gaze bouncing between Charlotte’s eyes and the name stitched over her chest.
She looks down before lifting a shoulder in a shrug. “I was cold, and Teddy let me have his jacket. I still need to order myself one. What do you want to drink?”
I tell myself that it doesn’t matter that she’s wearing Teddy’s jacket.
It’s just a jacket, but something hot runs through my veins at the knowledge she’s wearing something of his.
I stare at his name stitched across her chest for a few more seconds before shaking my head and turning my focus to her face.
She smiles at me with a lifted brow, clearly waiting for me to answer her.
“I’ll take a beer. What about you, Tyson?”
I look over at him, finding him taking a step closer to us. “A beer’s perfect. And they’re on me.” He hands the cash over to Charlotte.
She gives him a warm smile. “Perfect. I’ll grab your beers and your change.”
Tyson’s eyes skirt over to me for a moment before his gaze snaps back to Charlotte. “Keep the change.”
Charlotte’s eyes go wide as she focuses on removing the bottle caps from the beers. She regains composure as she finishes, meeting both our eyes with a bright smile. “Thank you for the tip, Mr. Bishop.”
Tyson tosses a knowing look in my direction before returning her smile. “Of course.”
“How’s your coffee tasting?” I ask, changing the subject and catching her attention.
I need her to stop looking at Tyson and look at me.
My chest still burns at the sight of her wearing Teddy’s jacket, and now that she’s smiling at Tyson, I think I might be feeling jealous, and I have no idea why. This is Charlotte.
Luckily for me, she looks away from Tyson, and with her attention on me, I’m finally able to take a deep breath and get rid of the tightness in my chest. “The coffee’s been delicious.
I’m trying not to drink it too fast. Thank you again, troll.
” She bites her lip after saying the nickname, clearly amused with herself for continuing to use the name she called me when we were texting earlier.
I place my hand on my chest and pretend to be offended by the nickname. “You’re hurting my feelings, Char. I’m not a troll.”
“How are you both doing today?” she asks as she hands me my beer.
I try not to frown when she focuses on Tyson again.
“Jude’s kicking my ass today.” Tyson laughs as he takes the other beer from Charlotte.
I smirk and try to push away the sudden jealousy I’m feeling when it comes to Charlotte. I lift my shoulder in a shrug. “I’m having a good day.”
Charlotte aims a beaming smile in my direction, and I try to ignore the way my pulse spikes because of it.
“Good for you.” She wipes her hands against the fabric of her skirt before clapping her hands together.
“Well, I’m going to get on with it. There’s a lot more of you out today than I was expecting. ”
“There’s definitely a lot more people here at Pembroke for it not being the busy season yet.”
“Everyone’s in on your secret of how great it is during the off-season,” Charlotte quips.
She slides onto the bev cart seat and gives Tyson and me a wave before leaving.
I’m watching her drive away when Tyson’s deep laugh breaks me from my thoughts.
“What are you laughing at?” I ask, putting my focus on him.
He tucks his free hand into his pocket while using the other to bring the bottle to his lips. “Nothing, Kensington. It was nice of you to be so insistent on tipping your friend.”
I narrow my eyes. “She’s told me how cheap people can be here. I knew she wouldn’t take anything from me, but I just wanted to make sure she made good money.”
“Mm-hmm.” Tyson takes one more sip of his beer before setting it in the golf cart’s cup holder.
I roll my eyes and plaster on a smile. “So, are you going to take your shot, or are you going to keep grilling me about being nice to my friend?”
Tyson ignores me and returns to the green to line up his shot.
We don’t see Charlotte again for the rest of the day, and he doesn’t bring her up again.
It’s the first time I’ve spent so much time with Tyson, but I like the guy.
He comes off quiet and reserved, but he’s cooler than I thought.
And he doesn’t want to talk business the entire time or make everything a pissing contest. I’m glad he’s choosing to spend more time at Pembroke Hills.
With Cal busy being madly in love with Lucy, and Ryker attached at the hip to Camille, it’s nice to have someone who has a fairly open schedule.
Usually, I spend a lot of time with Charlotte, but with this new job, she’s busy working every weekend.
I keep quiet as Tyson lines up his shot.
For some reason, I can’t stop thinking about Charlotte in that damn jacket.
It shouldn’t bother me that she was wearing Teddy’s jacket, but it did.
Add in the way she was smiling at Tyson, and I’m wondering what’s up with me today.
I don’t ever get jealous, but that’s exactly what I felt when watching the two of them together.
I scrape my hand over my mouth and wipe all thoughts of Charlotte from my mind. I was up late working, and then seeing her first thing this morning might just be messing with my head.