9. Daisy
Chapter 9
Daisy
I f someone put a gun to her head and told her to play golf if she wanted to live another day, Daisy would seriously consider the merits of dying. Yet she stood tall, carrying a nine iron in her gloved hands, on the Ridge’s famed eighteen-hole golf course.
When she woke up that morning, Daisy intended to spend her day poolside. She enjoyed breakfast with the others—Nelson, Iris, Miranda, and Jensen—fully ready to hit the deck chairs until Harrison approached with shareholders trailing behind him.
The gaggle included Kenneth Malone, who vocally opposed her campaign for CEO. According to Sandra and Kagami, her name stayed in his mouth at every turn with nothing nice to say behind it. For lack of a better word, they told her he was “hellbent” on seeing her lose.
Daisy refused to lose.
She listened as Kenneth spoke, inviting Jensen to play a few holes of golf with some friends. The offer sounded innocent enough to the untrained ear, but every moment counted to win over the hearts and minds of stubborn shareholders.
So, when Harrison offered her a chance to join them and an out to reject in the same breath, Daisy shocked everyone by agreeing to accompany them. Her dislike of golf wasn’t exactly a secret—given how much she complained during last year’s charity golf tournament—but true winners never quit.
Kenneth wanted to make her look stupid? Then, he better try harder.
“Daisy’s up!” Harrison whistled from the final stretch of green, pointing toward the hole with its red flag fluttering in the breeze. After hours under the sun and wearing a tennis skirt a half-size too small on her, Daisy considered throwing her clubs into the nearest body of water.
But, with the grace of a princess, she plastered on a smile while trotting down the hill toward where her bright blue ball sat. She passed Harrison on his way up, sharing a look with the person she trusted most.
“You’ll make it in next time, sir!”
“Ah, I’m out of my prime. Take home a win for me.”
Daisy chewed on her lip, fighting a chuckle while she jogged to her ball. Despite her vehement hatred of golf, her skills with a club exceeded expectations—seeing as she sat atop the scoreboard.
She didn’t play golf before working at the company, but she paid for some lessons and a couple dozen hours at the driving range in preparation for any more charity tournaments.
Daisy angled herself several times, examining the distance between her and the hole. She lined up her club, glanced behind her at the spectators peering from the top of the hill, and swung.
The soft thwack of iron meeting the golf ball echoed as her ball rolled across the green. Lucky for her, the swing generated enough force to knock the ball into the hole, eliciting applause or mumbling from the crowd.
“That’s a bogey for hole sixteen!” Daisy shouted while collecting her ball from the hole.
As she bounded up the hill, Jensen descended it with his club. His turn landed directly after hers for several holes; the jabs had been flying for the last four hours while in between rounds. Jensen fixed the brim of his hat while passing, causing Daisy to roll her eyes. Fucking jerk made tan shorts and a visor hat look attractive.
She climbed onto the back of the golf cart Harrison rented for him, Daisy, and Jensen, swapping her golf club for her ice-cold water. She doused her throat while listening to the crowd murmur about Jensen, followed closely by his swing.
Upon their whistles and cheers, Daisy scowled. As good as she was, Jensen had years of practice and more appreciation for the game—making him her biggest competition once again.
"That's par for me!" Jensen shouted before he appeared over the hill, smiling wide. Someone wrote the score down and cleared their throat, lost in the crowd.
“That moves Jensen up in the scoreboard to second place. Daisy’s still in first with a one-point lead. Others can still catch up if they wish on a star and hope for a miracle.”
Daisy faced away in the cart and slumped back, hearing scattered laughter among some grumbles. The gap between Jensen and third place ballooned, leaving Daisy and Jensen vying for first place. As usual.
After a moment, Jensen slid into the back of the golf cart with her while Harrison took the wheel. The putter of the engine groaned to life as the three veered down the road, leaving the others behind.
“I don’t know about you two,” Harrison started. Daisy spotted his eyes in the rearview mirror, looking between her and Jensen. “But I think I’m all golfed out.”
“Agreed,” Jensen groaned.
"Yeah, me too," Daisy added, arms crossing over her chest until her golf bag jostled over a bump in the road.
Harrison chuckled. “I have a wager for you two then. How about we skip past seventeen and go straight to number eighteen? Let the old-timers enjoy their golf and conversations, and you two can compete for a small prize.”
“A prize?” Jensen and Daisy perked up.
Daisy’s grip on her bag tightened with every glance she threw Jensen’s way or each one he returned. Nothing like a competition to kick them into a second wind, huh?
“Yeah, a friendly wager. Whoever wins the last hole gets the prize.” Harrison passed the entrance to hole seventeen, guiding them around the small lake. No turning back.
“Sounds good to me,” Jensen spoke first, tipping his head toward Daisy. “Is that suggestion amenable to you, Your Highness?”
“It is, and I can’t wait to win,” Daisy replied, snidely smiling when Jensen’s smug look fell as he registered what she said.
Harrison didn’t interject to espouse a plea for peace from the driver’s seat, leaving Daisy and Jensen to glare at one another. He drove them further down the greens until reaching the marker for hole eighteen.
While Harrison hopped out of the golf cart and beelined for the starting tee, Jensen and Daisy lingered. Jensen scoffed, sliding his bag over his shoulder.
“Considering which of us has the better golf record, I’ll be the only winner today.”
“All I need is to keep my lead over you. I’ve been doing that since hole one.”
"You're one point ahead. I can't wait for you to whine about me winning because I will never let you live it down," said Jensen.
Daisy cupped his chin, holding him still, and smirked. “I wasn’t the one whining this morning, begging on my knees for attention. Remember that, or did you suddenly get amnesia from how good my head is?”
Jensen’s jaw dropped, face painted pink with shock at her comeback. Daisy hadn't planned her response but couldn't be disappointed with the result. Point Daisy.
Daisy lightly tapped Jensen’s cheek and jumped from her side of the golf cart, hearing Harrison’s whistle. “Jensen! Daisy! Let’s go!”
“Coming!” Jensen’s bag caught on the seat, but Daisy raced down the green without a second thought. She arrived first, observing Harrison load up the tee and practice a few swings.
Jensen caught up quickly and stood beside Daisy. The two watched Harrison line up and swing, laughing as his ball traveled further down the green. “Looks like I can get a par if I’m lucky. Daisy, you go.”
"Yes, sir." Daisy set up her shot. The final hole had a par of three, so if she scored par or above, she should come out on top. Standing behind the tee with a precise angle, the rest of the world vanished until she swung.
Daisy grinned, spinning around to face Jensen as her swing landed her right in the final green, seemingly inches short of the hole. Almost a hole-in-one for a not-so-avid golfer. . . Beat that .
Jensen brushed past her without a snarky comment. His face schooled into a concentrated frown—eyebrows knit together while his stormy eyes darted between the tee and the hole.
He slid up to the tee, audibly exhaling as he swung. A high-pitched whistle sounded off as Jensen’s ball soared across the greens, rolling into the final stretch. Horrified, Daisy watched as the ball rolled into the hole, plunging her heart into her stomach.
Jensen laughed incredulously. “Hole in one! Looks like the prize is mine.”
“Don’t count Daisy out yet, son,” Harrison warned. The sentiment hardly felt applicable to just their game of golf. Daisy’s fingers curled tighter around her club, swallowing hard when trailing behind Harrison.
As Harrison prepped for his second swing, Jensen’s presence materialized by Daisy’s. She barely heard his quiet inhale before stopping him. “Don’t even think about it.”
“I won fair and square, or are you going to accuse the wind of favoring me due to nepotism?”
“You haven’t won yet.”
“Daisy,” Jensen paused, almost sounding concerned for her. “You can’t win.”
“But that doesn’t mean I lose, you dimwit.” Daisy marched ahead after Harrison’s ball landed shy of the green, ready for her turn. She jogged over to her ball and smacked it gently enough to roll in, scoring the hole in two. “A birdie from me ties our scores. It’s a draw.”
Harrison leaned down, picking up his ball without a third swing. "She's right. Both of you won. . . or lost, depending on your view. So, will we repeat this hole until one of you breaks the tie?"
“No!” Daisy gasped, ready for golf to be over. As much as she liked to fight Jensen, no prize was worth extra rounds of golf. Much to her surprise, Jensen shook his head hard. He looked more exhausted than she felt.
“Then, will you two agree to split the prize?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Yeah, Dad.”
“I want to see you two shake on it.” Harrison gestured between them. Under his expectant gaze, Jensen reached out his hand first. Daisy met him halfway, avoiding any comments as they shook on it.
They glanced at Harrison, who reached into the pocket of his cargo shorts. He pulled out an envelope and handed it to Daisy. She peeled the sticker off, recognizing Oceanview Spa's wave-themed logo.
“It says a spa package for two at Oceanview. A massage and another service of each person’s choice.” Daisy heard Jensen choke, but she couldn’t blame him. Oh, Harrison set them up—hook, line, and sinker.
Jensen and Daisy’s gazes met, watching each other for any signs of revoking the offer. Neither moved nor spoke, stuck between chickening out of their handshake or sucking it up.
"Alright," Jensen mumbled.
“I’ll set up the appointment back at our. . . the suite.” Daisy tried to avoid Harrison and Jensen’s eyes, walking to grab the golf balls from the hole. Fantastic.
Daisy took several days to recover from the golf course events. However, she gathered her courage and booked her and Jensen’s spa appointment. Picking the earliest date on their final week at the Ridge, she considered it merciful to end their misery sooner rather than later.
But the heady blend of jasmine and mango oil floating through the dim hallways washed away Daisy's lingering agitation. Her heavy, insulated robe with 'Oceanview' monogrammed on the chest kept her warm. Her whole body buzzed, cleansed from the facial and algae body wrap she booked solo.
She needed the extra hour in her happy place before sharing with Jensen.
Daisy combed her hair into a loose ponytail as she approached the massage room assigned to her. She downed the last of her fruit-infused water before knocking on the door.
Immediately, the door swung open to the heavy aroma of eucalyptus spray, and a familiar grin greeted her. "Hi, stranger. You're long overdue for a massage."
“I was waiting for you.” Daisy grinned, accepting the bear hug from Paloma, her favorite masseuse at Oceanview. "No one does it quite like you."
Compared to Daisy's corporate vibe, Paloma embodied an earthy, free-spirited personality. She never went anywhere without her favorite crystals on a leather cord around her neck. She always glowed with a warm aura and spoke softly. Dark coily curls framed her soft, round face while her smile stretched from ear to ear.
Paloma held the door for Daisy, guiding her into the darkened room. Beyond a few lit candles, blackout curtains cut off all light from entering the room. Two massage tables sat in the center of the cramped room, draped in fresh sheets.
At one of the tables, a blond surfer-looking guy in the same all-black uniform Paloma wore smoothed over the pillow tucked underneath the sheets. He pulled his hair back into a low bun, smiling.
He glanced up, mid-crack of his knuckles. “Good afternoon, ma’am. The room is ready for you and your companion. Paloma and I will be assisting you today.”
"Daisy, this is Lars. Lars, meet Daisy Riggs. She and her companion work with the Ridge's parent company, Hidden Oasis," Paloma introduced.
“Welcome! You’ll be more than satisfied!” Lars grasped Daisy’s hands in his larger ones, shaking eagerly. “I’ll give you two some space. We need a refill for our heat rub ointment.”
Paloma waved to Lars as he exited the room, gesturing to one of the massage tables. “Anything I should know about you and your mystery man before he shows up?”
Daisy froze, quickly remembering that Easton was her boyfriend the last time she and Paloma spoke.
She shook her head. “About that. It’s not who you think.”
“Oh? That’s. . . ominous.”
“Two words: he cheated. So, I’ve brought someone else today because we promised to split the voucher for the massage. We’re not together.”
"That's too bad about your ex. What an idiot for stepping out on you because, well, has he seen you?" Paloma rubbed Daisy's shoulders, clicking her tongue disapprovingly. None of Daisy's girlfriends hesitated to drag Easton’s name through the mud, soothing over whatever wounds remained.
“You’re the best,” Daisy chuckled.
“I’ll head out for a moment so you can strip and get comfortable on your table. We’re going to expel all that negative energy caused by that man. You’ll be a new woman leaving my table,” Paloma promised before stepping out of the room.
Daisy shed her robe, hanging it on the hook mounted to the wall. She shivered at the cool air against her bare skin, quickly climbing under the warmed sheets of the heated massage table. She laid her face on the padded headrest and slumped, groaning into the sheets.
Two minutes barely passed before a knock pulled Daisy's head out of the headrest. She watched the door swing open to reveal Paloma, arms full of labeled bottles like 'lotion' and 'scalp oil.'
"Hey, there's a man out there asking for you," Paloma whispered, but her teasing smile raised Daisy's brows. "He said his name is Jensen and that he's due for a massage. Is he the Jensen I've heard so much about?"
Daisy groaned, “Yes, he’s that Jensen.”
Paloma giggled, ignoring Daisy's narrowed eyes while stacking the materials on her table. "You never mentioned he was so dreamy. How do you ever get any work done with him in the office across from you?"
“I run on spite, caffeine, and more spite. Besides, he’s annoying,” Daisy grumbled. “Tell him to get in here.”
“Sure thing. I’ll give you both space.” Still giggling, Paloma opened the door and waved Jensen into the room. She shut the door behind him, leaving Jensen and Daisy alone.
Daisy propped onto her forearms, examining Jensen bundled up in the fuzzy spa robe. "You should probably lose the robe and get comfortable."
“Okay.” Jensen coughed, eyes averted from her. “Don’t look at me.”
“Unless your body changed drastically since last night, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before,” Daisy snorted, burying her face into the headrest. She listened to the rumple of a robe and the creak of the massage table beside her, keeping her head down.
Silence washed over the room as Daisy lay there with Jensen to her right, feeling the hovering presence of his hand draped off the massage table next to hers. The door creaked, announcing Paloma and Lars' return.
Ambient river noises filled the room shortly before the massages began. Hands covered in hot oil glided down Daisy’s back, and tension melted out of her with each touch, dripping to the floor. Paloma's hands applied pressure to embarrassingly loud cracking from Daisy’s body.
Daisy winced, greeted by the familiar strain of knots in her shoulders and back. She clenched her jaw hard while Paloma ran her hands over Daisy's neck, trying her best not to whimper or cry.
“Daisy?” Jensen’s voice, softer than she’d ever heard, called from her side. “Are you okay?”
"I'm fine," Daisy lied, but the painful cracking of a knot finally undone interrupted her thought. Fuck, she needed to increase her frequency of visits again.
"Hon, your back has never been this bad. Did you injure yourself?" Paloma whispered, pausing before pressing between Daisy's shoulder blades, untangling another knot.
“No, but I think my chair at the office is to blame. It doesn’t have a firm back support anymore,” Daisy admitted through the aching in her jaw from clenching so hard. She relaxed when Paloma loosened the pressure for a second.
“Please tell me you’ve already replaced it.” Jensen didn’t skip a beat, not letting the conversation go.
"Not yet. I don't want to use company funds for my personal problems. I can afford to buy it, but it fell toward the bottom of my priorities because of everything happening." Daisy braced on the table as Paloma's hands circled back to her shoulder blades.
As much as she hated the pain, it would hurt more if she allowed the knots to stay.
Paloma’s hands doubled the pressure against one of the tighter knots. Daisy cried out when the muscle finally loosened after enough weight from Paloma's body pushed down on hers.
Stuck in the haze of the pain, Daisy almost missed the feel of fingertips grazing against her hand draped over the side of the table. Yet she gasped when a hand grasped hers, lacing their fingers together.
She angled her head to the right, finding Jensen’s hand holding hers, hanging between the tables. Although she couldn’t see his face, she felt his touch and the soft squeezes of her hands.
Daisy held her tongue and squeezed Jensen’s hand whenever Paloma rolled out another knot. She gripped him hard like her lifeline, fading in and out between each spike of pain, followed by a twinge of relief.
Fuzzy thoughts swirled around her head. Yet Jensen's hand remained her anchor to consciousness.
“This normally is later, but let’s get the pain out of the way,” Paloma whispered while helping Daisy move. She released Jensen's hand as Paloma rolled her onto her back, sitting up with help. “I can help fix your alignment.”
Paloma gripped her under her shoulders and rolled her in a small circle, counting her down. Before Daisy blinked, Paloma had her bent over and rolled her spine to the raucous cracking of her spine.
A soft, breathy moan escaped her as the pressure in her back alleviated. The sudden release of tension screamed in pure bliss. Daisy slumped forward, letting Paloma bend her in a different direction to more popping and cracks.
Her gaze darted to the side, finding Jensen’s head turned out of the headrest and his eyes watching her. Even through the darkness, his eyes glittered darkly like the ocean beyond the spa's walls. Their eyes linked, but the moment was fleeting.
Daisy gripped the edge of the table while Paloma rolled her spine out until the pain finally abated. She rolled to her stomach with Paloma’s gentle guidance.
She placed her head above the headrest. She managed to face Jensen, struggling to hold his gaze while melting into the sheets from the oil and hot rub cream smoothed into her skin. Paloma murmured, “After this session, the spa offers a complimentary hot bath in our indoor bathhouse for you two. Would you be interested in that?”
Jensen's head lifted, exchanging silent glances with Daisy. Raised brows and pursed lips preceded the quiet hum from Jensen. "Sure thing."
“No peeking,” Daisy teased before tucking her face into the headrest again. Jensen’s quiet laugh reached her before she drifted off, slipping through the darkness for a while.