Page 60 of The Ones We Fight For

“I actually have a big test tomorrow, and I should really study for it,” Colin agreed, finding Walker’s other side. “Huge test. Massive. It’s life or death, really.”

Walker’s nephews were like two bouncers about to toss his ass out of a bar, one with a firm grip on his bicep and the other rambling on about the dire consequences of not being prepared for a test that Walker knew Colin had already aced that morning. The test was logged in the calendar that Talia also had access to. Even if she didn’t, Colin’s acting skills were abysmal.

“What is happening right now?” Clifford turned to Talia, and Walker cut in before she could answer.

“Nothing.” Walker clenched his jaw and sucked in a breath. His nephews were right. He needed to get the hell out of there before he dug himself into an even deeper hole. “We were just leaving.”

“No, no!” Talia exclaimed with a short, sarcastic laugh, shoving Walker’s shoulder harshly. He flinched, recognizing the fire behind her eyes that was zero parts sexual tension and all pure rage. It had been a while since she had been this obviously pissed at him. “You know what? I’ll go since I need to ‘get a room’ so badly. I’ve got a few of those in my house, and I’ve been thinking all night about how I’m just dying to rub my hands all over my Kindle. Is that okay with you? Any objections? Want to stop by and make sure that my book keeps its hands to itself? I know a certain filthy contractor that would probably break my pipes.”

“Tal, wait, I—”

“Forget it!” Talia pushed past Walker, shoving her putter into his arms and only looking back over her shoulder when she was halfway down the hill. "Cliff, we’ll talk tomorrow.”

“Uh, okay, I’ll call you,” Cliff yelled back, then turned toward Walker in irritation. Clifford the Big, happy Red Dog had apparently left the building. Cliff held up both his arms for Talia’s club, balancing his own on the pads of his hands. “I’m going to return our stuff. It looks like it’s about to start raining, and I can’t imagine that will help your golf game. Good luck with that.”

Wordlessly, Walker dropped Talia’s putter into Cliff’s outstretched hands and raised his fingers to his temples to massage his incoming stress headache. As predicted, it started raining immediately, the clouds decidedly graying alongside Walker’s mood. Clifford turned to walk the opposite direction of Talia, toward the rental booth, and Walker watched for a moment before impulsively shouting after him.

“You broke her heart. I’m just protecting her.”

Clifford stopped mid-step, but he didn’t turn around to face Walker with his response. “If she didn’t want to try again, why did she suggest coming here?”

A new wave of hurt socked Walker in the chest as Cliff continued his descent. He had assumed, incorrectly, that Clifford had set up this little shindig, but it was Talia. If she wanted her ex back and Walker ruined another piece of her happiness, he’d never forgive himself.

"Shit," Walker cursed.

“Are you going to go after her, or are you just going to stand here like an idiot?” Piper sighed loudly over the sound of the rain pelting the ground as it started to come down harder. She pointed in the direction Talia had stormed off, and Walker bit his lip, his teeth gliding off it from the moisture. Even the weather seemed to realize he had made a complete ass of himself and had opened up the sky to let him know it. Staring off toward where Talia had made her grand exit, he thought over his options.

It was obvious to everyone else what he felt for her. Talia had to know why he had been such a jerk. Walker could only assume that the reason she was so mad was because she had wanted to rekindle something with Clifford and he’d ruined that. She at least deserved her shot at cutting him down a step for his less-than-stellar behavior.

“Go, dummy!” Pearl yelled. Walker was so shocked that the sweetest of all his nieces and nephews was yelling at him that he really had no option but to chase Talia down. Sucking in a decisive breath, he took off in a jog. If nothing else, Talia could yell at him, and it might make him feel less pathetic.

A minute later, Walker found Talia stomping toward her car in a whirlwind of fury, her hair drenched and clumped together in thick strands. Her clothes were sopping wet, clinging to her body like Saran wrap. If he hadn't been so aware that she was livid with him, he might have found the sight of her covered head to toe in fresh rainfall arousing. What he did feel were his waterlogged shoes beginning to soak through into his socks. Oregon weather was always unpredicatable. He should have known to wear his boots, but he had opted for tennis shoes earlier, thinking that boots might hinder his mini golf game.

It's mini golf, jackass. You're not Tiger Woods. Literally no one cares if Clifford is better.

When he caught up to Talia, Walker thought he’d either be turned to stone or burned by lasers from looking into her eyes. It turned out Medusa and Supergirl had nothing on Talia’s rage. She jerked open the door of her Lexus when he drew near, pretending he was a fly she could easily flick off, which hurt more than plain old anger.

“Tal, wait,” Walker reached out, pressing his palm into the door to stop her from leaving. She whipped around to face him, outrage etched into the lines of her beautiful face. He winced, taking a step back, but still shut the door, careful to avoid hitting her. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you being such an asshole?” Talia jabbed his chest with her pointer finger, aggressively stepping into him, toe to toe, just like the first time they met.

“Because he doesn’t deserve you!” Walker shouted back, feeling defensive. It was true—no one really deserved Talia—but it wasn’t why he had thrown a wrench into the night.

“That can’t be the only reason, Walker!” Talia instantly called his bluff, like she always did, and he frustratedly rubbed a hand over his face. For once, he wished Talia would just accept whatever lie he wanted to tell her as fact. “I’m not his to have. I already told you that we weren’t on a date.”

“Fine!” Walker snapped. “I’m jealous. Is that what you want to hear?” He threw his hands up, relinquishing any illusion of calm.

“Of what? My mini golfing skills?” Talia folded her arms over her chest, defiantly staring him down.

“You are terrible at mini golf and we both know it,” he scoffed. There was no way she didn’t know what was going on. He was too goddamn obvious. “It was the perfect excuse for that asshole to put his hands all over you with that ‘let me show you how’ bullshit.”

“So why, then?” Talia ignored Walker’s cut at Cliff’s impromptu (totally planned) golf lesson.

“You’re really going to make me say it?” Walker shook his head slowly. “Come on, you know why. I’m not very good at hiding it.”

Talia remained silent, just arched her eyebrows, waiting for him to continue. Refusing to back down.

Fuck.

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