Page 18

Alex Sebring

Magnolia pads into the kitchen wearing a pale pink silky pajama set, its bottoms teasing me with a peek of her cheeks with every step she takes.

The matching top has tiny buttons barely holding on, the fabric pulled tight enough across her tits that one good breath might pop them clean off.

It’s a miracle of physics, and it’s begging for failure.

Damn. That kind of outfit was designed for ruining a man’s Saturday morning golfing plans.

Her legs go on forever, smooth and bare. Her hair’s a wild mess tamed into a bun, like she just rolled out of my dreams instead of our bed, and that sleepy little grin she gives me? It’s lethal.

She hums softly, opens the fridge door, and bends over to grab something from the bottom—shorts riding up in a way that makes me want to cancel my day of golf with Elias and take her back to bed.

“What time are you leaving?” she asks, voice casual, pretending she doesn’t have a clue what she’s doing to me.

“Tee time is in an hour.”

“Do you play golf with Elias a lot?”

“Every few months. He loves to pretend he stands a chance.”

She sips her coffee, lips pursed in mock thought. “Has he ever beaten you?”

I flash her a grin. “Hell no.”

“So this isn’t a friendly game between brothers?”

“It’s eighteen holes of brotherly ego and passive-aggressive shit talk. My kind of fun.”

She sets her mug down and strolls over, mischief in her eyes. “You know… I’ve never seen you play. Only heard the stories.”

“What stories?”

She lifts her brow, already smiling. “Your dad says you slice like a drunk pirate.”

I laugh under my breath. “Yeah, that sounds like him.” I shake my head. “He talks a lot of shit, but the truth is he’s good. Always has been. I get a lot of my skills from him. Athleticism, drive, competitive streak that won’t quit.”

Her eyes soften a little. “So you’re saying you’d impress me?”

I step closer, dropping a kiss to the corner of her mouth. “I’m saying you’d fall in love with me all over again.”

“That sounds like a challenge.”

“It is.” I grab a spare visor off the hook by the door and toss it her way. “Get dressed, sweetheart. You’re coming with.”

“Wait—really?”

“You think I’m gonna say no to having you witness me crush my brother in real time?” I pause, smirking. “Besides, having those big hazel eyes on me? That’s something I need in my life.”

She laughs, already walking to our bedroom. “If you lose, you can’t blame me for being a distraction.”

“You’re always a distraction.”

“Damn right I am.”

The sun’s warm enough to feel good on my shoulders. Not a cloud in the sky. This morning was made for a perfect game—and if I’m lucky––a little showing off for my bride-to-be.

We swing by the pro shop before heading to the tee. Magnolia eyes the women’s section, running her fingers across the rack of skorts and sleeveless tops. She holds up one tiny white set, brow cocked. “Too much?”

I give her a slow once-over, let my eyes drag from her bare legs to the tight curve of her waist. “Never.”

She smirks. “I’ll meet you outside.”

Ten minutes later, she struts out in that outfit, ponytail high, lip gloss shining. The top hugs her tits in ways I’m not strong enough to ignore. And the skirt? Short enough to qualify as cruel and unusual punishment. All I can think about is how fast I can get us back home after eighteen holes.

Elias is already waiting at the first tee box, club in hand, smirk locked and loaded.

“Well, well. Wasn’t aware this was a spectator sport.”

Magnolia lifts a hand in a lazy wave. “I’m here to see if the legend of Alex-Bagger-Vance-Sebring lives up to the hype.”

“Legend, my ass.” Elias chuckles. “Have you heard about his slice?”

“You love telling that story, don’t you?” I grin, stepping up to shake his hand, our ritual before playing.

“What can I say? Dad tells it like it’s gospel.”

“The worst slice of my life. But give me a break—Magnolia had just gone back to the States, and I didn’t know when I would see her again.” I glance back at her with a mock-wounded expression. “I was emotionally compromised.”

She laughs from the cart, sunglasses tipped down just enough to meet my eyes. “Hey, don’t blame me for your tragic golfing skills.”

I chuckle and turn back to the tee. “I’m the happiest man on earth now. Which means you’d better be ready, little brother.”

I nod toward the tee box. “You’re up first.”

He steps forward, tees his ball, and glances over at Magnolia. “You might want to avert your eyes, teine. Watching greatness can be overwhelming.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” she says, settling into the cart. “I’m saving all my applause for the winner.”

I step in behind her, wrap an arm around the back of her seat, and murmur low enough for only her to hear, “You keep wearing that skirt, and I’m gonna start swinging like Tiger in ’05.”

Her lips twitch. “Guess we’ll see how much pressure you can handle.”

Game on.

We’re three holes in when the cart girls roll up—sun-kissed, all legs and lip gloss.

One of them—the blond, tanned, too-much-lip-gloss type—grins when she spots me. “Well, damn. It’s The Wall. Who let the rugby boys out to play today?”

She twirls her pen between her fingers, eyes dragging a little too slowly over my body. “Anything I can get you? Water, snacks, something a little stronger?”

Magnolia steps down from the cart and loops her arm through mine. “Could I get a water, please?”

I don’t miss a beat. “This is my fiancée. She’s the one I’m trying to impress today.”

The blond’s smile flickers for half a second. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” Magnolia replies, sweet as sin. “He’s a keeper.”

The girl redirects to Elias, who’s already halfway through unwrapping a protein bar, unconcerned.

Laughter ripples through the girls, their attention landing on Elias. The blonde tilts her head, smiling. “You got a fiancée too?”

Elias leans on his club, unfazed. “No fiancée.”

The brunette perks up. “That’s interesting.”

He shakes his head, grinning. “I’m only here for the golf—and to beat my brother. Everything else is background noise.”

They laugh, still intrigued, but he’s already turning back to the green, more interested in his swing than their flirtation.

The girls roll away on the cart, laughing as they go.

Magnolia glances at me over the rim of her drink, lips twitching. “You were quick to introduce me as your fiancée.”

“Didn’t want there to be any confusion.” I press one more kiss to Magnolia’s temple before sliding into the driver’s seat. “C’mon. Let’s go see if I can keep my lead before seeing you in that damn outfit throws off my swing.”

She lets out a content little sigh as we cruise toward the next hole, hair fluttering in the breeze. “Okay, I admit this is kind of fun. Peaceful. And very cute to watch you two compete like oversized boys.”

“You’ve never played?”

“Never so much as held a club.” She glances at the bag behind us and the green ahead. “But it’s sort of calling to me.”

“You want a set of clubs, favorite? I’ll get you a set of clubs.” I nudge her knee with mine. “Custom. Pink. Rhinestone headcovers if it makes you happy.”

Elias groans. “Please don’t be that couple.”

Magnolia laughs, then leans in and kisses my cheek, lingering for just a second longer than necessary. “You’re being extra sweet today.”

I glance down at her, a smile tugging at my mouth. “You’re being extra sexy today.”

Elias makes a gagging noise. “Jesus. Get a room or at least wait till the turn.”

Magnolia beams as if she’s already halfway in love with the idea of her own clubs. I tuck it away in the back of my mind—she’s getting a set.

No rhinestones, though. She’s not that kind of girl.

We’re halfway through the seventh when Magnolia twists in her seat, eyes on Elias as he lines up his next shot. “So…” she says, drawing the word out just enough to make it suspicious. “What’s going on with you and Violet?”

Elias pauses mid-backswing. “Wow. Not even gonna warm me up first?”

Magnolia sips her drink as though she didn’t just drop a conversational grenade. “Just curious.”

“She’s your best friend.”

“Yes, and I’m your teine,” Magnolia fires back.

Elias shakes his head, steps back from the tee box, and gives her a look. “You don’t muck around, do ya?”

Magnolia shrugs, cool as ever. “What’s the point? Life’s too short to muck around.”

“Better to fuck around, right?”

I shoot my brother a warning. “Elias––”

He chuckles. “Yeah, well… Violet’s great.”

“That’s a politician’s answer.”

He shrugs, adjusting his grip. “Fine. She’s smart, sure of herself, calls me on my bullshit. And funny.”

“So you like her.”

He smirks. “That obvious, huh?”

“I’m a woman. We know these things.” Magnolia glances toward the green. “Where’s your head at with it? Do you see potential, or are you just having fun while it lasts?”

There’s a beat of quiet before Elias answers. “I see potential. If I’m being honest, she’s the first person who’s ever made me picture forever with someone.”

Magnolia fights a smile. “So what’s stopping you from telling her?”

He gestures toward the horizon. “The whole other-side-of-the-world part. She’s got her job, her life. I’m not asking someone to uproot everything for a maybe.”

Magnolia plays it casual, a tiny shrug as if she hasn’t already thought this through. “If she moved here, y’all could find out if there’s more than a maybe between you.”

He turns, giving all of his attention to Magnolia. “You think she’d do that?”

“I don’t know. It’s possible. For the right reasons. Or the right person.”

Elias’s gaze goes distant. Then he shakes his head with a soft laugh. “You’re trouble, you know that?”

“The best kind,” she says, winking.

Magnolia’s not just curious—she’s calculating. Nudging him toward something bigger. And the longer she sips her drink and steers the conversation, the more obvious it becomes.

She’s dropping breadcrumbs.

Perhaps Violet coming to Sydney isn’t a far-fetched idea after all.

I lean forward on the steering wheel and glance her way. “Is she coming here?”

Magnolia avoids eye contact and takes another sip of her drink. “Who?”

I squint. “Don’t play dumb with me.”

Her mouth curves in the faintest smile. “Not playing. Just protecting the suspense.”

A quiet laugh slips out of me. “You’re so damn sneaky.”

She meets my eyes, that knowing gleam sparking behind them. “I enjoy seeing people get what they want. Especially when they don’t think it’s possible.”

I sit back, seeing her in a new light now. Yes, she’s the woman I love, but she’s also the quiet force rearranging lives with nothing but charm, timing, and heart.

If Violet comes to Sydney, Magnolia will have her entire world right here where she wants it. Right where it belongs.

By the eighteenth hole, Elias knows he’s been beaten.

I sink the final putt with a slow fist pump, dragging it out just enough to get a groan out of him.

“Jesus, we get it. You’re the athlete of the family,” he says, flipping me off with two fingers and a crooked grin.

I toss a grin over my shoulder at Magnolia. “You see that? Poetry in motion.”

She claps, eyes bright. “Stunning. Truly. I’ll be thinking about it for days.”

“Jealousy’s a bad look on you, Elias,” I say as we head back to the cart.

“Yeah, yeah. Enjoy your moment, champ.”

I do. Every bit of it.

But not because I won the game. Not even because I smoked him by six strokes and he’ll be stewing about it until our next rematch.

Magnolia rides beside me in the cart as we roll back toward the clubhouse, the course golden in the late morning light. Her hair’s caught in the breeze, lip gloss faded, cheeks pink from the sun and laughing too much. She’s got that quiet smile she wears when she’s content.

She came for a golf game, but she ended up putting something in motion. And if Violet ends up in Sydney? It’ll fill in the hole in her heart… and possibly my brother’s as well.

And I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that happens.