Page 29 of All the Ugly Things
“Good. Want to go play eighteen and skip out on the rest of the day?”
“Was that the favor you wanted?” I had an easy day and could easily go. Maybe golf would relax me so I could once and for all kick Lilly out of my brain. She took up too much space.
“No. But I figured I’d butter you up by paying.”
I gave him a flat look. “We’re members. It doesn’t cost me shit to play.”
“Sweet.” He grinned that smart ass grin of his and slapped my shoulder. “Then you can pay for mine and that’s not my favor either.”
“Dick.”
“Yup. You in?”
What the hell.
It was Friday afternoon, and my focus was already shot.
Plus, Brandon was a rabid dog with a bone. He wouldn’t drop anything he wanted from me until he got it.
“All right. I’ll go and I’ll pay. But we’re having drinks at Dad’s later.”
“Wouldn’t miss time with David for the world. How’s he doing? I haven’t seen him much.”
“Ornery as hell.”
Brandon grinned. “So, the same then.”
“Pretty much. Let me get some things cleaned up here, let Stephanie know, and then we can take off.”
* * *
“Not interested.”
The jack hole waited until we were on the back nine, fourteenth hole, the farthest tee box from the clubhouse. He knew I wouldn’t leave his ass on the course and make him hike back. Although I was tempted.
“Come on. Jenna says she’s gorgeous and sweet. As soon as she ran into Harper and they got to talking, she thought about you.”
There was a foursome moving slow in front of us, still in the fairway so we couldn’t hit. We should have asked to pass them, or even better etiquette, they should have waved us on, but Brandon and I weren’t in any hurry.
At least I hadn’t been until he finally asked his favor. There was no way I was taking out one of Jenna’s friends, but since I was trapped, I humored him.
“What does she do?”
“Moved here for a job to manage the actuarial department at DDM Financial.”
“Sounds dreadfully dull.”
“She’s hot. And Jenna doesn’t have dull friends.”
“Not anymore, but she hasn’t seen her in what, six years?”
“Not since college, but that doesn’t mean anything and what’s your hesitation on going on a date with a hot chick? I’m not asking you to marry her. I’m suggesting you take her out for drinks, maybe a little something after.”
I went out with my friend and his fiancée occasionally. With her storytelling abilities, one-hour dinners could easily turn into three, along with several bottles of wine. She was a riot, but getting stuck with a woman I already knew I wouldn’t be interested in for that long sounded painful.
“You haven’t dated much lately, not since—”
“Enough.” I knew exactly why I hadn’t dated. Brandon only knew the half of it but the best way to ruin my mood was Brandon bringing it up.
