20. JT
Chapter twenty
JT
“I’m working with the pilots to get your flight finalized,” Sam says Monday morning as I’m on my way back from dropping Lila off at work. Her car is inoperable, and as all the rental cars in the area—what few there are—are being used by other people whose cars were damaged beyond repair by the hail, I told Lila I was happy to be her driver.
“What do you mean?”
“Are you not…are you not planning to go back to California?”
“No. Why would I?” I ask as I pull into the driveway of Jameson’s house.
“Well, because you can’t golf at Wild Bluffs right now,” Sam’s confused reply comes through.
Huh. I hadn’t even considered the fact I can’t practice until the grass on the golf course recovers from the damage done by the hail. Lila and I had walked down to the restaurant yesterday after finishing up with the town cleanup crew, and I’d been shocked by how much damage an ice pellet the size of a baseball could do to a fairway, let alone the more fragile area on and around the greens. But the fact that I’m supposed to be returning to golf in less than two weeks hasn’t crossed my mind once since the storm started.
“I’m sure I’ll be able to practice soon,” I reply. “No need for me to head back to California. Plus, I’m Lila’s ride right now, and I wouldn’t want to strand her without a vehicle.”
“If she drops you off at the airport, I’m sure I can get your rental switched over to her name.” Of course he can, because Sam is the most competent person I’ve ever met. Unfortunately, I’m actively not looking for ways to solve this problem right now. Similar to Lila and I sleeping in the same bed the last two nights. Did I realize as soon as we walked into Jameo’s glass-free room that Lila could stay there instead of with me? I sure did. Do I also suspect that Lila has realized it as well? I can’t imagine it hasn’t crossed her mind. And yet, we both pretend like it’s her only option and that she’ll be moving back into her room just as soon as they can get the glass out of her bed.
They had the window covered the first afternoon, but the cleaning crew has been extra busy trying to get the common areas to be glass-free, which apparently takes a professional-grade vacuum making multiple passes over an area and then it being mopped if possible. After seeing how long it took to get our living area to be usable, not to mention listening to the sound of the vacuum for that long, we assured the cleaning crew that Lila’s room could wait.
I’m trying to smother the part of me that hopes it never gets cleaned, but every time I wake up with her ass snuggled into me as I spoon her and a huge fucking smile on my face, it gets harder and harder to deny. It turns out the spark between us can ignite more than just annoyance and bickering.
“That’s okay,” I say in response to Sam’s suggestion to switch the car over to Lila’s name. “I’ve really dialed in my game out here, and I don’t want to get out of this headspace before my first tournament back,” I lie to Sam.
“Oookay. You sure there isn’t something else going on that I should know about?”
I roll my eyes even though he can’t see me. Sam doesn’t need to know about the personal goings-on in my life, but unfortunately for me, our relationship often strays into the realm of TMI. He’s really more like the brother I never had than my assistant.
“I’m not sure what’s happening, but I just feel like I can’t leave right now.”
“Are you finally rethinking your stance on relationships?”
I scoff. “Please, Sam. Let’s not get carried away here. You know I need to be focused on my game now more than ever. My cashflow needs an infusion, and on top of that, my parents have an investment they need additional funds for. Besides, I’ve stuck around cities before when I had someone I was enjoying spending time with. That’s all this is.”
“And is it someone from town, or…?” He trails off, but we both know exactly how he wanted to finish that question. Or is it Lila, the little sister of your best friend?
“Do you really think I’m stupid enough to risk losing Jameson as a friend?”
“I don’t think you want me to answer that question. Also, Jameson is not Luke. He’s not going to just dump you as a friend if you and his sister try dating and it doesn’t work.”
Maybe, maybe not, though. And I’m not going to risk losing my best friend. I also didn’t think our friend on the golf team would stop hanging out with me when I broke up with his cousin after dating for five months during my freshman year of college, but I was wrong about that.
“Why have I not fired you yet?” I ask, avoiding his comment.
“You need me far too much. You actually have no idea how to do anything without me.”
“I’d still know how to golf.”
“Yes, but I’d love to be a fly on the wall as you’re trying to get yourself to the golf course.”
“I could do it.”
“I sincerely have my doubts.”
We exchange a few more quips, finalize my schedule for my first tournament back after my “injury” in a few weeks, and hang up.
I let myself into the house, surprised when Jack runs over, tail wagging, excited to see me. He’s not an unfriendly dog, but he’s the dog version of shy for sure. Just as I’m sitting down to read a few more chapters of our pirate romance—I’m getting so close to the good part—my phone rings again. I glance at the screen and see my mom’s name. Elated is maybe too strong of a word to use to describe my feelings, but my mom never reaches out to me after I’ve disappointed her. She either makes my dad call me and guilt-trip me into calling her, or she just waits me out until I finally miss her enough and feel guilty enough to call or visit her, usually with an expensive gift in tow. Maybe we’re turning over a new leaf.
“Hey, Mom,” I say, my excitement coming on a little too strong for my mom’s more restrained attitude.
“I didn’t think you had it in you, JT.” Her voice is as polished as ever, but there is a hint of warmth seeping through.
Well, that was not what I was expecting. “Didn’t have what in me?” I ask.
“Using a natural disaster to help you make inroads with the Fergusons? Brilliant. I don’t think I could’ve thought of anything better.”
“I’m not following. How do you know about the hailstorm?”
“Oh, please, JT. You don’t have to play innocent with me. You helping board up windows at the nursing home in Wild Bluffs is trending on social media. Not to mention donating additional funds ‘anonymously’ to help repair the important buildings in town? Your father and I are both so proud.”
I feel…dirty, and, frankly, pissed at Sam. I wasn’t out helping clean up around town because I wanted any sort of praise or recognition. It was the right thing to do. So was donating money so the real repairs could begin immediately rather than having to wait for insurance to come through. I told Sam those donations were supposed to be anonymous. I meant it.
My mom has told me she’s proud of me several times in my life: when I won my first junior championship, when I won my first major tournament, and when I signed my first big endorsement deal. Each of those times, it filled me with joy and pride knowing I finally was someone my parents could be proud of. That their sacrifices were worth it.
But this, this doesn’t feel that way. I’m proud of myself for helping because it’s something that a good person would do. So I’m proud of myself for being a good person, but I’m not proud of it becoming a publicity play to try to win favor with the Ferguson brothers. I hope Conrad and his brothers don’t think I was the one behind leaking it to the press, though I suppose my “people” were. Shit. I hope they think less of me for that. Not that I want them to think less of me, but I want them to be the types of men who see through that bullshit and lose a little bit of respect for someone who would use a town’s disaster to their own advantage.
“I didn’t realize Sam was publishing that,” I say.
“Well, that boy must have more brains in his head than I gave him credit for.”
That boy was about to have a considerable amount of wrath headed in his direction. Okay. I don’t actually do wrath well, but I am going to let him know I’m extremely disappointed. Well, disappointed. Though he was just doing his job. I’m sure he had my best interests at heart. So I guess I’ll need to call Sam and talk this through with him.
My mother continues her monologue about how smart it was to be seen taking an interest in the town for another five minutes, before changing tactics and grilling me about when I’ll be back to playing. Apparently, she and my dad are really excited about this new investment, and my inability to line up the cash they need is causing them a lot of problems. I apologize again, promising to focus on nothing but golf for the next two weeks so I can have the funds after my first tournament back.
Once I hang up with my mom, I consider calling Sam back but decide I’m better off just shooting him a quick text asking him to run any stories he’s releasing to the press by me first. I can’t have Sam getting upset with me and taking another job elsewhere.
Me
Next time, please run any stories you’re sending to the press by me first.
Sam
I didn’t leak this one. I posted the photo of you helping out on your socials but didn’t mention the donations anywhere.
Me
How did it get out, then?
Sam
My guess? Penelope. She called from your dad’s office asking about the photo. I didn’t tell her anything about the donations.
Sam
But also, anyone who knows you would know that you were going to donate to that nursing home.
Sam
So I assume she made the leap. The articles do just strongly suggest that the donations were made by you. They don’t conclusively say it was you.
Me
My mom thought it was you.
Sam
Penelope likely didn’t fill your mom in.
Sam shared his theory that my dad was banging his assistant exactly one time with me, and that was enough for both of us. I can’t imagine my dad would do something like that. Not because of his relationship with my mom, but because it could seriously hurt his career if it got out. Well, it could hurt his career, or it would bring him even more firmly into the old boys’ club that he runs with.
Entirely disgusted with society as a whole by this point, I shift my attention to someone with ethics—pirates. I pick the book Lila and I are sharing, and warmth spreads through me as I realize she’s started her annotations again. I know I should be focused on winning that money for my parents, but right now, all I want to do is let myself fall into a story with Lila.