Page 16

Older Women

Mallory

“ W hat did you mean when you said you kissed him to prove a point?” Poppy asks after a second.

“Exactly that.”

I stare into my cup of tea, contemplating how much I want to share with these women.

I don’t know them at all, but they’re the only friends I’ve got in this town, and they’re Holland’s people.

The last thing I want to do is lead them on or get their hopes up only to disappoint them when it comes out that Holland and I are not a couple.

I lean in. “If I tell you this, it can’t go beyond this circle, but maybe you can help me run interference with the rest of this town, which seems to have Holland and me walking down the aisle already.”

“You’re not wrong,” Noli says. “They’re placing bets at the flower shop about what you’ll carry in your bouquet. Odds are on azaleas, in homage to MEM , obvi.”

I gape at her.

“Go on,” Rose presses. “You were saying?”

“I’m being paid to be on Most Eligible Mister with Holland. I’m in it for the money for my family, and that’s it.“ I blow out a breath. “Please don’t hate me.”

“How could we hate you?” Poppy waves me off. “I’m not going to ask details about personal stuff—“

“Except that’s all we’ve been doing, prying into your personal life,” Noli puts in. “Sorry,” she adds, looking sheepish .

“She’s right,” Poppy agrees, “and I’m sorry too, but I just mean we know as well as anyone how important family is. If anything, the fact that you’re doing the show for money not for yourself, but for your family, is a point in your favor.”

“Thanks for saying that.” I exhale. There’s something about these women that puts me at ease, and I want to open up to them.

“It’s for my mom. She needs some therapy for an autoimmune condition she has, and it’s expensive.

But the payout from this helps—a lot, actually.

Otherwise, there’s no way I’d be here, putting myself through filming and the publicity. ”

We all sip our drinks in silence for a second.

“Just to be clear, you have no interest in Holland?” Poppy says.

“Outside of golf? No. We’re the furthest thing from compatible. He wears his emotions on his sleeve, loves attention, and is annoyingly carefree. I’m high-strung and private and controlling.”

“Opposites attract,” Rose heaves the words into her fisted hand, like she’s covering a cough.

I offer her a small smile. “It’s not that sort of thing. Holland isn’t into me either. He thinks I’m a fun-sucker.”

What he doesn’t understand is that I don’t have the rope he has.

I don’t have the luxury of having fun, goofing off, and letting my emotions loose.

I’m a woman in a male-dominated field. One ill-timed display of feeling, and at best, I’ll be called hormonal, and at worst, I’ll be branded a volatile woman who can’t be trusted to do her job.

I hate that it’s how things are, but I’m not about to slip up and have everything I’ve worked for snatched out from under me.

That already happened once with Brevan. At this point, I’m a professional at bottling up my emotions and keeping my outbursts contained until I’m alone or with people I can trust not to use them against me.

Poppy looks thoughtful. “I don’t know. I mean, you know your relationship with him the best, and you spend the most time with him, but are you sure about that? I swear Holland was more attentive to you last night at his parents’ house than he was the entire two months I was dating him.”

I take a sip of my tea to buy myself some time, because the swoop in my gut is back, and it’s terrifyingly close to the fluttering feeling my mom was describing.

There have been so many moments since we started filming this ridiculous show that I’ve seen another side to Holland.

The panic attack, sure. But also the way he opened up in the car on the way to his parents’.

The sweatshirt. Today, his honesty about Poppy and how he wants to be a better man.

His self-awareness is running in direct contradiction to the self-centered guy I’ve known him to be. When I told the other women that, outside of golf, I don’t know Holland at all, I was telling the truth. Now I’m realizing that maybe I was selling him short in what I was assuming about him.

“He’s been reaching out to Mack more lately,” Poppy goes on. “The two of them haven’t always had the closest relationship, but I get the sense they’re both putting in the effort to rebuild what they may have neglected over the years.”

“You may want to give him a chance,” Noli says carefully. “Take it from someone who had written off a man only to crash into love with him after getting to know him better.” She raises her hand.

I smile. “I’m happy for you. I don’t know if—“

I cut myself off as the subject of our conversation appears across the street. Holland is leaving the flower shop…and he’s not alone.

Rose squints out the window. “Is that—“

“Holland,” Poppy says, “with Candace Patchcab.”

“Who’s Candace Patchcab?” I ask, peering out toward Main Street.

Inez comes to stand by our table, setting down a sandwich in front of Rose. “The old lady who lives in the giant Victorian house right next to Daisy’s Inn. She’s sort of a loner. ”

“Collin told me she was widowed when she was fifty-five,” Noli says. “That was twenty years ago, and she’s never been the same. Stopped coming around for town stuff. Yells at kids who cross her lawn. Puts off miserable vibes.”

Rose frowns. “That’s so sad.”

“The kids who come to the rec department are scared of her,” Poppy puts in.

“What’s Holland doing with her?” Noli asks what I imagine we’re all wondering.

“Did he mention anything to you at practice?” Poppy asks.

“Or were you too busy making out?” Rose deadpans. There’s a thunk under the table, and one of the other sisters must’ve given her a swift kick to the shin, because she cries, “Ow!” and then winks at me.

I shake my head. I don’t want to be amused, but I’m amused. “He didn’t say anything. But speaking of practice, I’ve gotta go. I was supposed to be back at Daisy’s Inn…like an hour ago.”

“I’m glad we ran into you.” Poppy stands and gives me a hug. “You have my number, so be in touch if you need anything while you’re in town. We’re all planning on coming to the Grand Masters, at least for the Saturday and Sunday rounds, but hopefully we’ll see you before then.”

I nod. “I’d like that.”

I walk outside, and I can see Holland and Candace a block ahead. They’re walking slowly enough that if I go at my usual clip, I’ll catch up to them before they reach Daisy’s.

I instinctively slow because the last thing I want to do is face Holland right now. Not when my arms are still doing their floaty thing, and my stomach is bubbling like a bottle of champagne someone is getting ready to pop open.

Holland has his head inclined toward Candace. Since he’s got her by a good nine inches, he’s hunched over and appears to be listening intently .

Curiosity sparks, and I’d love to be able to hear what they’re saying. What’s Holland doing with the town loner? Why do they look like this isn’t the first time they’re chatting? If I had to describe it, it seems as though they’re in each other’s confidence.

I trail them, careful to keep my distance.

Holland walks Candace to her door beyond the inn. She points her finger at him in a way that looks like she’s scolding, but he’s got a smile on his face.

It’s not his usual pie-eating grin. It looks softer, more indulgent, and again, I’m so curious. Candace disappears into the huge house, and Holland waits on the porch for a beat before turning and hopping down the stairs onto the front walk.

Dang it.

I dive into a nearby rose bush, praying I hid myself in time so that I can avoid—

“Mallory?”

I hold my breath. Maybe if I’m very still and quiet, he’ll go away.

“You know I can see you, right?”

I poke my head out from around the bush slowly to find Holland squinting at me. “Uh, hey.”

“Why did you throw yourself into the shrubbery? What are you doing out here?” His eyes widen, and then the confusion on his face melts into a cocky grin. “Were you spying on me? Can’t get enough, huh?”

I throw my shoulders back. “I was simply walking home from the café. I stopped there after practice—“

“Dodging production’s rules, you little minx.”

“And,” I continue, ignoring him, “when I was walking home, I thought I saw a bunny go back here, so I followed it.”

“You dove into the bush after a bunny?”

I step out from the undergrowth of the hedge. “Oh, yeah. Big animal guy—or gal. That’s me.”

Holland’s eyes dance. I can tell he wants to call my bluff, but he’s not, because he’s enjoying this far too much.

The way his brown eyes are glittering as he stares me down makes my skin feel hot and tight.

But I refuse to cower in front of him. “You realize there are too many of them to count around here. They literally multiply. That’s kind of their whole schtick. ”

“I wanted to get a closer look!” Why am I getting defensive over a non-existent bunny?

“Noted.” He’s fighting a smile, and I hate to admit it, but he definitely won this round. I’m acting like a fool. “I’m going to leave you to it, then. I’m on my coach’s orders to rest this afternoon ahead of my date tonight.”

“You’re actually going to listen to your coach?” I feign surprise. “Color me shocked.”

“I always listen to my coach,” he says solemnly. “Taking orders from her is one of my favorite pastimes.”

I roll my eyes.

“Even when she’s demanding and screechy.”

“I am never screechy.” The retort jumps from my lips without hesitation.

Holland smirks at me, and I play back my tone. Okay…he has a point.

“Well,” I huff. “Excuse me for taking my client’s career seriously.”

“You’re excused,” he says with a flick of his wrist. I ball up my fists at my sides, and he glances at them before he locks eyes with me again. His gaze is full of mischief. “Like I said, I’ll take orders from you anytime, anyplace.” Holland leans in. “You want to order me to kiss you again?”

I suck in a breath. “I told you, that was a one-time exercise to prove there is nothing going on here. I’m your coach. You’re my player. You’re paying me. That’s why I’m here.”

“So you’ve said.” Holland leans back and slings his hands in his pockets.

“I couldn’t help but notice you had another date.” I motion to Candace’s house .

“Jealous?” he asks without missing a beat.

Darn him and his uncanny ability to be at ease.

“Nope. Just curious. Do you often hang out with older women?”

“Depends. How old are you again?”

I scowl at him. “Quit deflecting. What’s your deal with Candace Patchcab?”

His eyebrows fly up. “How do you know who she is?”

“Doesn’t matter. Who is she to you?”

“An old friend.”

I cock my head. “And…?”

“And wouldn’t you like to know.” He says it with a grin.

I fold my arms. “Why are you being cryptic?”

“Why do you care?”

“Because I’m trying to figure you out.”

The words come out without my permission, and there’s more truth in them than I’d like to admit.

A slow smile spreads across Holland’s face. “Which can only mean one thing…you do care…or at least you’re starting to care.”

I roll my eyes. “Forget it. Forget I asked.”

“Admit it. I intrigue you.”

I refuse to meet his eye, because I’m afraid he’ll see the truth.

I do want to know more. But only to satisfy my curiosity.

Nothing beyond that. Even if Holland is a decent guy and not the selfish jerk I pegged him to be, that changes nothing.

He’s still my player. I’m still his coach.

He’s a means to my paycheck. He’s giving me a livelihood—one that I happen to like and refuse to jeopardize.

“Mallory! There you are.”

Holland and I turn to find Vivian stepping onto the porch of Daisy’s Inn. She’s scowling at me, and I curse under my breath.

“You’re over an hour late. Where have you been?”

“I—“

“Practice ran long.” Holland steps forward and holds up his scorecard billfold. “I wanted to go over the course for the Grand Masters with Mallory so I can start studying during my downtime this week. Sorry I kept her.”

He offers Vivian a charming smile, and she presses her lips together and gives me a reluctant nod.

“Alright, then. Let’s get you inside. We’re having girl time before Ava’s date, and I need you mic’d up to join in.

” She pivots her gaze to Holland. “You need to get changed. You’re going out on a boat in the harbor before dinner and fireworks over the water tonight.

Your stylist has wardrobe options for you. Be back here in forty-five minutes.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Holland gives Vivian a jaunty salute, and she disappears inside.

I make to follow her, but the manners ingrained in me by my mother have me hesitating. “Thanks for covering for me,” I say, facing Holland.

“My pleasure. Maybe you can return the favor by giving me a chance to prove I’m not such a bad guy.”

“I don’t think you’re a bad guy.”

He crosses his arms and gives me a look that says, yeah right.

“Okay. Maybe, in the past, I haven’t thought the most highly of you. In my defense, you’ve always been sort of full of yourself and insufferable about it.”

“I’m not going to take that personally, because I’m waiting for you to say, ‘but now…’”

He motions for me to go on. I shift uncomfortably.

I don’t have to respond to him. I know that.

I’m a free person with free speech on public property.

I can walk away. I can flip him the bird.

I can ignore him. But I’m nothing if not fair.

And it wouldn’t be fair to not admit that I may have been misreading him.

Or that I’ve noticed a change. How to do that without giving him a big head, though? That’s the question.

“But,” I begin, searching for the right words. “I’m sure you’re fine. ”

“I’m fine,” Holland parrots. “There it is, ladies and gentlemen, the kind of compliment I’ve been waiting for.”

“Shut up. I was going to say that maybe you have some redeeming qualities, but now I’m thinking not.”

“Oh no, please go on. My redeeming qualities. What might those be in your pretty green eyes?”

I’m momentarily stunned to hear the word pretty come out of Holland’s mouth in reference to me.

“I—“ I shake my head. “Ugh. No. That’s all you get. You’re my player, Holland. I’m not here to flatter you.” I start to walk up to the inn.

Holland matches my steps. “It was my kissing that did it for you, wasn’t it?”

“Goodbye!” I shove him backward and march toward the inn.

All the while his laughter seems to multiply like bunnies in my wake.