Someone else might have called her mother’s visit a blessing in disguise. Jamie didn’t think of it that way, but at least one good thing had come out of it, and that was enough for her. Getting Alex to herself on a weekday afternoon was worth enduring twenty minutes of her mother’s insanity.
Alex had the double stroller and the four of them packed in his car fifteen minutes later.
“We are we going?” Jamie asked, not really caring, just happy to chat with her husband about anything that didn’t have to do w
ith work for a few minutes.
“I figured we could drive out to Mark’s club. Do you want to walk the grounds and see the course?”
Jamie smiled. “That’s a great idea.” She’d seen the blueprint but hadn’t been to the club yet. “Will Mark be there?”
“Probably.”
They drove in comfortable silence, the kids happily babbling and gurgling in the backseat. Jamie loved watching Alex check the rearview mirror every few minutes and smiling at their kids. He wore suit pants and a button-down, but had dropped the tie and suit jacket. Still hot as hell. Jamie leaned against window and enjoyed the heat of the sun on her face. Thank goodness her kids had their father’s looks.
Alex pulled into a fancy iron-gated road that led up to the golf course parking area. “I’d suggest taking a golf cart,” he glanced behind him for a second before winking at Jamie, “but I think Benton’s a little too young to drive.”
Jamie leaned over and kissed him on the mouth. He’d grown a slight shadow of a scruff and the roughness tickled her lips; she wished she could taste more of him. “You just want to sit in the back of the cart and make out.”
A single eyebrow rose as Alex shot Benton a glance. “Hey B… think you could watch your sis for a bit while I French kiss your mom and whisper dirty things in her ear?”
Jamie laughed and swatted playfully at him. “Watch it, Daddy. Pretty soon these kids are going to be repeating everything we say.”
They got out of the car together and set the stroller up, clicking the kids in and heading to the clubhouse. Mark came out to greet them.
“I thought I saw you guys pulling in. Everything okay?”
Alex clapped his brother on the shoulder. “It’s good. We just decided to take an afternoon off and let Jamie see the course. I was thinking of trying to talk her into golfing with me, but I’m afraid after a week she’ll start kicking my butt at it.”
Mark laughed and bent down to kiss his nephew and niece. “She probably will.”
“I’m not golfing, guys. Sorry.” Jamie watched a pretty girl come out of the club house with a few construction workers.
Mark followed her eyes. “That’s Erica. She’s the professional golfer I hired.”
“She’s perfect for you,” Jamie murmured. The girl had the look that she wouldn’t take anything from anybody and total sweetness at the same time.
“Jamie!” Alex laughed and shook his head. “Not everyone dates their employees.”
“Just you?” Mark tossed at him. “Okay for Alex, but not okay for your little brother?” He jumped back when Alex pushed the stroller forward. “Just kidding!” He turned to Jamie. “Erica’s great. Right now, though, I’m just trying to concentrate on getting this place open and up and running.”
“Sounds like a good plan.” Alex slipped his sunglasses on.
Mark nodded at his brother. “He’s just worried about his investment.”
Jamie loved that the two boys could hammer at each other with no anger. It was great to see. “I’m sure you’ll make him very proud.”
Mark turned serious for a moment. “I hope so.”
“You do, brother. Every day.”
There was an awkward moment of silence, where two guys who never share their feelings realize they suddenly had, and then Alex cleared his throat. “I haven’t got all day. How about we start walking before these two peanuts fall asleep?”
Jamie couldn’t stop smiling. She moved up past Mark, patting him on the shoulder as she stepped beside Alex, slipping her arm through his. “The place looks amazing, Mark.”
He shoved his hands into his pockets, pride shown in his eyes. “I’m planning an opening golf tournament—kind of like an open house. It’s going to get prospective club members in and a bit of schmoozing with the big wigs.” He glanced quickly at Alex. “You’re still coming, right?”
“Free golf? Hell, yeah.”