Chapter 8
Lainey
“Well, well,” Zach drawls, his voice dripping with amusement. “Who’s stalking who now?”
I glance up from the registration table to find Zach Darling standing just a few feet away, dressed in a fitted polo shirt and wearing his signature cocky grin.
The sunlight glints off his tousled dark hair, making him look annoyingly perfect in this country club scene he’d insisted on for our first date.
The local golf tournament fundraiser is in full swing, with clusters of people scattered across the manicured fairways. It’s the kind of sunny day that should make me feel relaxed.
I roll my eyes, fighting the urge to smirk. “Chloe invited me,” I say, my tone cool. “Don’t flatter yourself. Not everything revolves around you, you know.”
He chuckles, his blue eyes gleaming with mischief. “If you say so.” His grin widens, completely unfazed.
As I lean closer to sign my name on the clipboard, I lower my voice just enough for him to hear. “How did I do?”
“You did good, baby,” he says, winking as his voice dips into that low, teasing tone that always manages to fluster me.
A blush creeps up my cheeks, but I force myself to maintain my composure as Chloe steps up beside me, clearly catching the tail end of our exchange.
“Can you two please play nice today?” Chloe asks, exasperation written all over her face.
I let out a dramatic sigh, casting a glance at Zach, who’s standing there with his trademark smirk. “Of course we will, right, Zach?” I say, giving Chloe a tight, overly innocent smile.
Zach raises his hands in mock surrender. “I’m nothing but nice.”
Wyatt laughs as he steps up beside Chloe, nudging her lightly. “See? They’re getting along just fine.”
Chloe shakes her head, clearly holding back a laugh. “Alright, alright. Let’s get to it.”
Wyatt drapes an arm around her shoulder as he surveys the course. “This is going to be fun,” he says with a grin.
“Sure, fun,” I reply, my voice light but tinged with sarcasm.
Chloe shoots me a look that’s half amusement, half warning.
As the tournament begins, the group pairs off into teams. I glance at Chloe, who’s already linking arms with Wyatt, her smile apologetic.
She gives me a pointed look before mouthing, Sorry. I narrow my eyes at her, then mouth back, Traitor, making sure to add an exaggerated glare for good measure.
Her lips twitch, clearly trying not to laugh as she grabs Wyatt’s hand as they walk away, leaving me stranded.
Zach chuckles. “Looks like you’re stuck with me.”
“Fantastic,” I reply, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “This day just keeps getting better.”
“Don’t worry—I’ll make sure we win,” he says, clearly enjoying himself as we head toward the starting point. “I’ll even teach you a thing or two while we’re at it.”
“Oh, please do,” I say, my tone light and playful. “Because the one thing I’ve been missing in my life is golf tips from Zach Darling.”
“Trust me,” he says, his smirk softening into something more genuine. “I’ll make this fun for you.”
Zach and I are teamed up with two other players—a pair of single women who look at Zach like he’s the last ice cream cone on a hot summer day. One of them flips her hair as she introduces herself, and the other giggles at every word Zach says, no matter how mundane. It’s nauseating.
“Looks like you’ve got a fan club,” I whisper as we head to the first hole.
Zach leans closer, his tone playful. “Jealous?”
I scoff. “Hardly.”
But as the game begins, I can’t help but notice that while the women try their hardest to grab Zach’s attention, he barely spares them a glance. Instead, his focus stays on me, his teasing and banter never letting up.
“You’re actually pretty good at this,” he says after my second shot lands just shy of the hole.
I straighten, smirking. “Don’t sound so surprised. I’m not as hopeless as you think.”
“Hopeless isn’t the word I’d use,” he replies, his voice low and amused.
I narrow my eyes at him but refuse to let him throw me off my game. As the round progresses, our rhythm becomes almost effortless. Zach offers tips here and there, guiding me on my stance or swing, but for the most part, he lets me do my thing.
“You’re going to kill it at the reunion,” he says at one point, his voice surprisingly sincere.
I glance over at him, startled by the unexpected compliment. “You think so?”
“Definitely. You’re a natural,” he replies, his grin softening.
The rest of the game is a blur of laughter, banter, and competitive energy. By the time we reach the final hole, I’ve completely forgotten about the two women trailing behind us, though their glares suggest they haven’t forgotten me.
When Zach sinks the winning putt, he throws his arms in the air triumphantly. “And that’s how it’s done!”
“Alright, alright. Don’t get cocky,” I say, but I can’t help smiling.
He turns to me, his grin infectious. “Come on, admit it. We’re a great team.”
“We’re decent,” I reply, though my smirk gives me away.
Back at the lounge area, I grab a bottle of water, trying to cool off after the game. Chloe appears beside me, her expression a mix of curiosity and amusement.
“So,” she starts, her voice casual. “I saw you getting cozy with Zach out there.”
I choke on my water, quickly wiping my mouth. “What? No, we weren’t cozy.”
Chloe raises an eyebrow. “Really? Because from where I was standing, it looked like a lot more than friendly banter.”
I glance around, making sure Zach isn’t nearby, before leaning in closer. “Okay, fine. But you have to promise not to tell anyone.”
Her eyes light up. “Spill.”
I hesitate for a moment, but there’s no avoiding it now. “Zach and I are… fake dating.”
Chloe’s jaw drops, and then she bursts out laughing. “Fake dating? Are you serious?”
“Shh!” I hiss, glancing around again. “Yes. It’s just… temporary. He’s helping me get through your wedding without looking like a sad, dateless maid of honor, and I’m helping him survive his family reunion.”
Chloe crosses her arms, a smirk tugging at her lips. “Let me get this straight. First, you have a one-night stand with him, and now you’re fake dating? Lainey, this is gold.”
I groan. “It’s not like that.”
“Oh, sure it’s not,” she teases. “Are you sure you’re not secretly in love with him?”
“Not funny,” I snap, though my cheeks burn.
Chloe bites back another laugh. “Alright, fine. I’ll keep your secret. But seriously, what about all those dates you’ve been on?”
I sigh, leaning against the counter. “They didn’t go well. And honestly, with the wedding, your bridal shower, and the bachelorette party, I just don’t have time to deal with it anymore. This was… easier.”
Chloe’s smirk softens into something more understanding. “Alright. But you know this is a disaster waiting to happen, right?”
“What could possibly go wrong?” I reply, though the words feel a little too optimistic as they leave my mouth.
Before Chloe can respond, Wyatt appears, his phone in hand. “Ready to go? Jasper’s waiting for us.”
“Yeah, let’s head out,” Chloe says, giving me one last pointed look before following Wyatt toward the exit.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. But before I can fully regroup, a familiar voice murmurs behind me, “Hey, baby.”
I jump, spinning around to find Zach standing there, his grin entirely too smug.
“Don’t do that!” I hiss, pressing a hand to my chest.
“What? Can’t help it if I missed you already,” he says, his tone dripping with mock sincerity.
I narrow my eyes at him, but the blush creeping up my neck betrays me.
“Ready for round two?” he asks, his grin widening as he gestures toward the parking lot.
Before I can respond, Zach steps closer, his voice dropping to a teasing whisper. “I’m going to make you question every rule in that contract.”
And just like that, I know I’m in trouble.