Looking like absolute fire.
Mom
You guys are so cute! I’m so happy!!!!
Dad
Proud of you, Mallory!
Mom
When can we go wedding dress shopping?
I snort.
Mallory
One thing at a time, Mom.
Mom
Why wait?
I roll my eyes and stash my phone. There will be time to curb my mom’s enthusiasm later. For now, I’m going to soak up this victory with a giant grin on my face, relishing the freedom I’ve given myself to let my feelings—about both golf and Holland—show.
47
Epilogue
Mallory
We’re in the tree house. Holland brought out the comfy pillows and the blankets. He’s using his phone as a hotspot so we can watch the final episode of our season ofMost Eligible Misterhere, in private.
This has been our hideaway. When the two of us want to reconnect or eliminate all the distractions and focus on each other, we come out here. It’s been a warm and dry summer, so the lack of a roof hasn’t been an issue.
Holland strung up battery-powered twinkle lights around the upper edge of the tree fort’s planks. When we want lighting, we turn those on. Otherwise, we use starlight.
Holland rubs his hand up and down my arm. We’re leaning against the back wall of the tree house, and he’s cradling me next to him. The laptop is propped up on his legs. I snuggle into his side, watching the screen as the moment from after the PGO championship, when I met Holland on the eighteenth green, plays out in front of us.
The producers overlayed the footage with our commentary after the fact, since neither of us were mic’d up in real time. I sigh happily. It was the best ending toMost Eligible MisterI could have asked for. We made good on our promise to show the world our developing relationship, but we got the privacy of having our conversation kept to ourselves.
The camera cuts to me, sitting in a room at the clubhouse, answering questions in my one-on-one.
“Have I told you how much I love it when you wear your hair down?” Holland asks, nuzzling his nose into my temple.
“You might have mentioned that a couple times.” I smirk as TV me explains what happened with my mom and how I ended up surprising Holland at the tournament.
“He’s been so supportive from a distance, constantly showing up for me in little and big ways,” I tell the camera.
“I’ll show you a big way,” he murmurs next to me.
“What does that even mean?” I say with a roll of my eyes.
“You know. Use your imagination.”
“Would you keep it classy?” I swat his arm. “I’m trying to listen to this! This is our love story playing out for the world to see.”
“But I already know the ending.”
