I like watching you have fun.
Her eyes bounce up to the cameras, which are still recording our every movement and conversation, and then cut over to meet mine. She doesn’t say anything in response, but her cheeks turn a bubble-gum-pink color.
“Thanks,” she says, and leaves it at that.
The other two women take their turns, and then Ava calls, “Picture time!”
I look off camera, and Callen nods and steps forward.
“Let’s do it on this cute little bridge.” Ava points at the smaller of the two bridges—the one for golf balls.
“It’s not meant to be walked on,” I tell her. We had that drilled into us as kids. You got in big trouble if you were caught crossing the water via the bridge instead of via the designated walking path. “We could go on that one.”
“But the background is way better over here,” Ava says, like it’s obvious.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Zelda skips up the incline. Ava joins her and motions for Mallory and me to come on.
Mallory shrugs and sets her putter and scorecard down by the tee box. I wait for her to go first and then follow her up the small incline.
Callen has moved around to the walking bridge so he’s getting the shot of us with the waterfall in the background. Ava is directing him.
“Holland, come this way so you’re in the middle of us,” she says.
There’s not a lot of room up here, and as I try to skirt around Mallory, I inhale the peachy scent of her skin, and I feel momentarily lightheaded. My hands connect with her hips as we navigate the narrow space, and my hands are immediately on fire. This is what I was hoping for when I gave Mindy Sue her little lesson earlier. But no. I have to be having a visceral, physical reaction to my coach. What is wrong with me?
“Uh, Holland?”
I blink and look down. I’ve still got my hands on Mallory’s hips. “You good?” she asks.
“Yeah. Sorry. Let me squeeze over here.” I step around her, and we get situated. Now I’ve got Ava to my left and Zelda on her other side. Mallory is standing solo on my right.
“Scoot in, everyone.” Ava loops her arm around my waist and squeezes. I barely register the contact until I feel a softer, more tentative touch coming from the other direction.
I’m acutely aware of the feel of Mallory’s fingers against my back, and as I sling my arm around her shoulders, I can’t help but catalog the way the right side of my body is burning up at the close contact to my coach, and the left side of my body is perfectly neutral.
Where’s Mindy Sue when you need her? This weather is not adding up.
“Smile!” Callen calls.
“Take a couple!” Ava says, sounding strained as she keeps her mouth closed.
“All set.” Callen pockets his phone. “Let’s keep going. We’re on a schedule.”
Zelda skips down the far side of the narrow bridge, followed by Ava.
I turn to do the same when, out of nowhere, a giant, blindingly white seagull divebombs toward me. I turn to avoid a collision, but my shoulder knocks into Mallory, and then my foot steps on top of hers.
Her eyes go wide, and her arms pinwheel as she lists backward. I take a step toward her and grab hold of her arm in a desperate attempt to catch her before she tumbles into the water. In my hurry, my foot hits the edge of the narrow bridge, and I go flying sideways. Instead of sparing her a dip in the stream, I end up yanking her along with me as I careen off the other side of the bridge.
The next thing I know, I’m flat on my back in the mini-golf stream with Mallory splayed on top of me. Our bodies are submerged, and the splash from our impact kicked water up and into my eyes. My hands are pinned under Mallory, so I blink and shake my head like a dog, trying to clear my vision.
When I open my eyes, it’s to find that Mallory’s face is less than an inch from mine. Her green eyes are saucers as she stares down at me. Her mascara is starting to run at the corners, and she opens and shuts her mouth a couple times. I’m convinced she’s going to reem me out for being careless and uncoordinated, and messing up her hair and her outfit, and making her cold and wet.
I open my mouth to apologize profusely.
But before I can, she drops her head to the crook of my neck, and I’m so stunned by the feel of her nose tucked into my collarbone and the way her warm forehead rests against my slick neckline that I forget every word in the English language.
Then I hear it.
