I can’t take my eyes off him as the old man swings. Now, it’s his turn. He struts up to the tee and I swallow hard when I see his ass as he bends over to place his ball. The irony that I’m gawking at him, but mad because my boss was gawking at me is not lost on me. It’s a double standard, but I don’t care. I’m looking.
He stands up straight, separating his powerful legs and my heart is beating hard when I see the V shape of his muscular back. I guess golf isn’t so bad.
With a hard swing, he clocks the ball… right into the water.
I grin as I watch him walk back to his cart with a shrug. Maybe he likes golf as much as I do.
“Carrie!” Mr. Miller shouts from across the fairway.
I turn to him and he’s got his arms open with a cigar hanging from his lips as if to say, what the hell are you doing?
I quickly grab my ball, hold it up to show him, and then rush over while the foursome behind us waits impatiently to hit.
“Did you guys hit?” I ask, feeling a little better now even though I have to wave a thick cloud of smoke out of my face.
“Right onto the green,” Raymond says with a grin, like I’m going to be impressed.
“He always gets his balls near the hole,” Barney adds with a snort, “but can never seem to find the hole.”
“After it rains, I can,” Raymond says as they all chuckle. “I can always find a wet hole.”
I put my sunglasses on so that I can roll my eyes.
“Let’s go, Carrie,” Mr. Miller says as he walks over to our cart.
“You go on, Edgar,” Raymond says. “I’ll walk with her up to the green. I have a couple of tips for her swing.”
Oh, great.
As soon as Mr. Miller and Barney drive away, I know something is up. He’s wringing his hands as he turns to me.
“I was wondering, Carrie,” he says as he glances around nervously. “Do you have any friends who would like a similar arrangement?”
I just stare at him blankly. “What arrangement?”
“Like the one that you and Edgar have.”
“Oh,” I say with a nod. “Wait. What?”
He starts fidgeting with his white glove as he reluctantly continues. “A sugar daddy situation where I pay for rent and bills in exchange for…”
“For?” I say, staring at him in disgust. I’m going to make this creep say it.
“For sexual favors,” he finally spits out.
“Gross,” I say as I stare at him in horror. “Me with Mr. Miller? Vomit.”
He bites his bottom lip as he quickens his pace.
“Is that what he told you?” I ask as I hurry to keep up with him.
He won’t look me in the eyes. “He said you two had a deal.”
“Oh, my god!” I storm past him and charge right up to Mr. Miller with my heart pounding. I want to kill him.
“You told these guys I was your whore?” I hiss as he looks inside his golf bag.
His eyes darken and he frowns as he grabs my arm a little too hard. “Watch yourself, young lady. I said no such thing.”
“You said we had a deal! What deal?”
“You work for me and I pay you,” he says, finally letting me go. “Some people would describe that as a deal.”
“You led them to believe that the deal was… sexual.” Ew. I can’t even say that without gagging.
“Oh, please,” he says as he yanks out his putter. “Raymond is a verifiable idiot. He’s always making great leaps.”
My heart is still hammering, but the wind has been yanked from my sails.
“You are an employee of Miller Inc, Miss Rivers, and this is a work event. Now, you will knock that scowl off of your face right now and put on a smile or you will be fired. Understand?”
I want to tell him where he can shove this job, but I can’t. Chester pops in my head and I have to fight back the tears threatening to pour out. I don’t want to lose my dog. He’s all I have.
I suck in a deep breath and nod my head. “Yes, sir,” I say with a forced smile that probably makes me look deranged.
“Good. Now grab your putter and meet me at our ball.”
I’m trying to figure out which one is my putter when he turns around. “And Carrie?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Have you seen my phone?”Chapter ThreeEli“Nice hit, Nolan!” Mr. Brown beams as my brother’s golf ball soars down the middle of the fairway like it’s got a freaking rocket strapped to its ass. “Eli, you’re up.”
This is the third hole and my score is already almost as high as my age. I hate golf.
But I like money, so that’s why I’m here.
“See, the trick to golf is to keep it on the grass and not in the parking lot,” Mr. Brown’s son Gabriel says with a smirk.