Chapter 13
Zach
“This is wild,” Lainey says, her voice low but breathless. “It feels like an actual event. Do you guys really do this every year?”
“Every single year,” I reply, grinning. “It gets pretty competitive too.”
Lainey freezes mid-step, her head snapping toward me. “I’m sorry, did you just say fifty grand? For a family golf tournament?”
“Yup.”
“That’s…” she trails off, her expression a mix of disbelief and something I can’t quite place. “That’s insane. Who even needs that much prize money?”
“It’s not about keeping it. The winners usually donate it to a worthy cause,” I explain, watching as her lips curve into a small smile.
“That’s actually amazing,” she murmurs, her voice softer now. “Do you already have a charity in mind?”
“Maybe,” I say. “Why? Got any ideas?”
Her eyes light up as she starts rattling off causes—children’s hospitals, community outreach programs, and animal shelters. It’s cute, the way her hands flutter when she gets caught up in her thoughts.
“You’re adorable,” I say before I can stop myself.
She blinks up at me, caught off guard. “What?”
Grinning, I reach out and gently squeeze her cheeks between my fingers. “I said you’re adorable.”
Her laughter spills out, and she swats my hand away. “You’re ridiculous.”
“True.”
Before she can respond, my sisters Blair and Cora appear. Whitney conspicuously absent, as usual.
“Ready to dominate, Lainey?” Blair asks, her grin sharp and excited.
“Let’s do it!” Lainey replies, her enthusiasm drawing a laugh from Blair.
“What’s the plan?” Lainey asks, turning to me.
But before I can answer, a voice cuts through the crowd like nails on a chalkboard.
“Zach! There you are!”
Clarissa.
She practically jogs up to us, her ponytail swinging behind her, and plants herself squarely in our path. She fixes her bright smile firmly on me, though I can feel Lainey bristling beside me.
“They’ve assigned me to your team!” Clarissa chirps, her voice filled with an enthusiasm that makes my teeth itch.
I glance at Lainey, who gives me a tight, not-so-enthusiastic smile.
“Actually,” Blair cuts in, arms crossed, “Clarissa, you should probably find your own team. Zach and Lainey are with me and Cora.”
Cora shifts uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact. “Actually… I’m gonna sit this one out,” she says quietly. “Sorry, Blair.”
Blair’s jaw drops. “Seriously? First Whitney bails, now you?”
Clarissa’s smile widens. “Well, then it’s settled! I’ll join your team, Blair.”
“Great,” Blair mutters, clearly unimpressed.
Clarissa loops her arm through mine before I can stop her. “Come on, Zach, let’s get started!”
I pull my arm free with as much subtlety as I can muster and take a step forward, putting distance between us. “Let’s get moving.”
Behind me, I hear Lainey’s soft voice as she links her arm with Blair’s. “It’s okay,” she says gently, and when I glance back, she’s giving Blair a reassuring smile.
Blair huffs but relaxes a little, throwing a pointed look at Clarissa. “You really need to tone it down,” she says flatly. “Zach’s girlfriend is right here.”
“Oh!” Clarissa exclaims, turning to Lainey with a wide, too-bright smile. “I’m sorry! I guess I’m just used to being… well, familiar with Zach. I didn’t mean anything by it. You understand, right?”
Lainey’s expression doesn’t falter, but there’s a sharpness in her eyes that only I catch. “Just this once,” she says smoothly. “But let’s refrain from doing it again, okay?”
Then, as if to drive her point home, she strides over and grabs my arm, flashing a wide, sweet smile. “Come on, baby,” she says, her voice light and teasing. “Let’s win this thing.”
The grin that spreads across my face is unstoppable. I slide my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “That’s right, baby.”
Her smile widens, and for a moment, it’s like no one else exists.
The game begins, and it’s chaos from the start.
Clarissa makes a point of sticking close to me, but I counter every move by pulling Lainey closer—an arm around her waist, a hand at the small of her back, brushing my fingers over hers as we strategize.
“You’re going to have to focus eventually,” Clarissa says at one point, her voice strained.
“I can multitask,” I reply casually, giving Lainey a quick wink.
Lainey laughs softly, playing along effortlessly. “And he’s pretty good at it,” she adds, her voice full of warmth.
“Unbelievable,” Clarissa mutters under her breath.
Blair snorts. “Maybe you should focus on your swing instead of their relationship.”
Clarissa’s face flushes, but she doesn’t respond.
As we move through the course, Lainey’s confidence grows. She teases me when I miss a shot and giggles when I press quick kisses to her cheek.
“Zach, focus,” Clarissa snaps after missing a crucial shot, her frustration bubbling over.
“I am,” I reply smoothly, wrapping an arm around Lainey’s shoulders. “We’re a team, right, babe?”
“Right,” Lainey says, grinning as she leans into me.
Blair lets out a loud, exaggerated sigh. “Can we all agree that Clarissa is the weak link here?”
“Blair!” Clarissa gasps, her voice trembling with poorly masked irritation.
“What?” Blair says innocently. “Just stating facts. Your missed shots are killing us.”
Clarissa sputters, her face going red, but Lainey steps in with a grin. “Don’t worry,” she says lightly. “We’ve got this.”
Her confidence rattles Clarissa enough that she misses her next shot entirely. Blair groans loudly, throwing her hands in the air. “This is why I hate golf tournaments.”
By the time we reach the last hole, it’s neck-and-neck. The tension is palpable as Lainey and I line up for the last shot.
“Think we’ve got this?” she whispers, her eyes sparkling.
I grin, leaning in close. “No question.”
When the ball sinks cleanly into the hole, the cheer that erupts from Blair is deafening.
“We did it!” Lainey exclaims, spinning toward me, her excitement infectious.
Without thinking, I pull her into my arms, lifting her slightly off the ground. “You were amazing,” I murmur, my voice low enough for just her to hear.
When I set her back on the ground, I can’t resist pressing a quick kiss to her temple, letting my hand linger at her waist. Around us, Blair claps loudly while Clarissa crosses her arms, looking distinctly unamused.
“This isn’t over yet,” Clarissa mutters under her breath as she trudges toward the house. “There are still other teams to consider.”
Blair snorts. “She’s just mad because she dragged us down.”
Lainey giggles, slipping her hand into mine as we follow Blair back toward the house. “Is she always this fun?” she whispers.
“Always,” I reply with a grin, squeezing her hand.
Back at the house, a crowd gathers near the patio where someone set up a whiteboard with a hand-drawn tournament bracket on an easel. My cousin Sam, who’s taken on the role of scorekeeper this year, is tallying the last numbers as teams trickle in.
“Okay, folks!” Sam calls out, holding up a marker like it’s a microphone. “The moment we’ve all been waiting for. I’ve got the final scores here.”
The chatter dies down as everyone turns toward the board. Lainey shifts closer to me, her hand still in mine, and I glance down to see the mix of nerves and excitement lighting up her face.
“Team Zach…” Sam announces dramatically, pausing for effect. “Eighty-four strokes total. Not bad.”
Blair pumps a fist in the air. “Take that!”
Sam rolls his eyes. “Calm down. Let me finish.” He glances at the next numbers. “Team Noah… ninety-two strokes. Ouch.”
Blair lets out a loud cackle. “Nice try, Noah!”
Noah just shrugs, looking completely unfazed, though Alice pouts adorably at her uncle.
Sam moves to the last score on the board, drawing out the suspense. “And the last team—Uncle Joe’s crew…” He pauses dramatically, holding up the marker. “Eighty-nine strokes. Which means…”
He spins toward us, pointing the marker like it’s a prize. “Team Zach takes the win!”
The crowd erupts into cheers and applause. Lainey beams as Blair throws an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a celebratory hug.
“Not bad, team,” Blair says, grinning from ear to ear. “Not bad at all.”
Lainey laughs, the sound light and unrestrained. “That was so much fun.”
I can’t help myself—I pull her close again, this time wrapping both arms around her. She lets out a small gasp of surprise before laughing softly against my chest. “You’re incredible,” I whisper, just loud enough for her to hear.
Clarissa hovers nearby, her forced smile barely masking her irritation. “Well,” she says stiffly, “at least the money’s going to a good cause.”
“Absolutely,” Lainey replies, her tone bright but firm. “And we’re glad to have been the ones to win it.”
Blair smirks, catching my eye. “I’ve got to say, Lainey, you’re a good addition to the family. Zach better not screw this up.”
“Not planning to,” I reply, my arm still around Lainey’s shoulders.
As Sam presents the official donation card for the $50,000 prize, the crowd claps again, and Lainey glances up at me, her smile wide and genuine.
In the back of my mind, I know this is all part of the charade. But the way she lights up, the way she fits so seamlessly into my world—it feels like more than an act.