Page 23 of The Perfect Putt

I spin around just in time to see him push open the shop door and take off his sunglasses. He’s wearing fitted black golf pants and a matching black polo. I’ve always been a fan of soft, beachy colors, but he looks good in all black. I watch his bicep flex as he tucks his sunglasses in the collar of his shirt. He looks around the shop and I suck in a breath when his eyes land on me. Molten heat settles deep in my core when the corner of his mouth hitches up in that infuriatingly sexy smirk. Yeah, there’s nothing polar between us except the fact that we’re polar opposites.

“Morning,” I say, sounding too breathless for my liking.

“Morning,” he echoes. There’s a small, hesitant smile on his face. I turn back around and grab both of our cups, ignoring Molly’s smirk.

“Here you go, one cup of watered down coffee,” I say and hold it out to him. I realize too late that he’s going to have to take it from me. His hand brushes mine as he does. The contact sends warm tingles across my skin. Yeah, I’m in so much trouble.

Chapter thirteen

Ellie Hart

If I’m ever in need of an ego check, I know what to do: Google my boss’s extremely successful–and gorgeous–friends. Last night I stayed up past midnight looking through articles and social media posts featuring Shaw and Sutton. I told myself I’d just look them up real quick so that I’d know their faces when it came time to pick them up from the airport today, but then I spent the whole night texting Molly and Naomi in a group chat about how they were both too pretty to be human.

Shaw Daniels is tall, muscular, and has a bad boy edge that has gotten him plenty of female attention. He’s been skating since he could walk according to countless magazine interviews, and that history shows every time he’s on the ice. For someone so big he moves with a kind of natural grace that’s rivaled only by his stunning fiancée, Sutton Jones. She’s tall too, and moves like a ballerina thanks to her time as a competitive figure skater. Her long blonde hair should be research material for every product that claims it can get rid of frizz. It’s silky smooth in a way my curls will never be. And her style is impeccable, which is probably why a number of her posts on social media are sponsored by various fashion brands. On top of her looks and her athletic abilities, she also graduated top of her class from Duke.

They’re a power couple to say the least. And I’m in charge of picking them up from the airport, then driving them to the club where Miles should be finishing up a round in time to have a late lunch with them. Miles surprisingly told me I could stick around for lunch if I wanted to. Though I guess it’s not all that surprising given the last week. I thought after our Cape Alamanda trip that he’d pull away again like he did before, but everything has been normal. Well, our version of normal, which involves arguments and playful jabs. I’ve enjoyed the past few days too much. It hasn’t helped stifle my crush in the slightest. I’m clinging to the hope that Sutton or Shaw will tell me something about Miles that I can hate, because so far the only thing I can find that’s unappealing is that he plays golf and has terrible taste in coffee. Both of which are becoming less and less of an issue to me as the days pass.

While I still have no love for golf, his passion is evident in everything he does. Seeing him go after his dreams only heightens my attraction toward him. And it’s kind of nice that he doesn’t order a super expensive drink. It balances out the seven dollars I spend on mine. Or rather the seven dollars he spends on mine, because ever since he picked me up the other day, he’s been having me get coffee for both of us before work. He gave me a debit card to use, and told me it’s all a tax write-off, but I still felt my stomach flutter the first time he told me to get mine on him. Then I reminded myself that he’d likely do that for any assistant, and that killed off a few of the stubborn butterflies that have been making a home in my stomach. Not all, but some.

Today those butterflies have been drowned in the washing machine that is my anxiety. I’m not someone who is easily ruffled by meeting new people. But meeting two people who are for all intents and purposes famous, and important to Miles? That makes for a fair amount of nerves.

I pull into the Alamanda International Airport and focus all my energy on navigating to the correct parking deck. This place is huge, and since I don’t fly often, I don’t know my way around very well. But I think even if I flew every week I’d still manage to get lost with how confusing the signs are. After a few wrong turns, and a few almost fender benders, I finally find a parking spot.

The inside of the airport is just as confusing as the outside, and it feels strange to be looking for a couple without any kind of sign or indication of who I am. But when I asked Miles about bringing one, he laughed and said they knew what I looked like. Apparently Molly and Naomi aren’t the only ones who cyberstalk people. He said that Sutton looked me up the day before I started the job. That’s another reason I’m so nervous. Sutton’s Instagram feed is that of a glamorous future hockey wife with photos of her next to expensive cars and on private jets with the team. Mine, on the other hand, consists of photos of my backyard garden, the beach, and me–usually in one of those places. What will she think of me? Will she look down on me the way people have at the club so far?

I bite my lip as I search the crowd for the two people causing me to spiral.

“Ellie?” I hear a woman’s voice say. I turn around to find a tall, blonde woman snuggled into the side of an even taller man. Both of them are wearing wide smiles and don’t look at all like they just got off a plane.

“Oh! That’s me. And you’re Sutton, right?” I ask, as if I haven’t practically memorized her face from looking at it half the night.

“Yep! And this is my fiancé Shaw,” she gestures to the hulking man next to her, a giant diamond ring winking in the light. His blue eyes twinkle as he shakes my hand. He’s got this mischievous look about him, like he’s got a secret.

“It’s so nice to meet you both. How was your flight? Can I help you with your bags?”

“Our flight was fine. We’re used to the travel by now,” Sutton says easily. “And don’t worry about our bags. Shaw will handle them. Gotta put all that muscle to good use,” she says, giving him a teasing smile.

“I know of a few other ways that would be a lot more fun than carrying a suitcase, Jones,” he says to her in a low voice. She rolls her eyes, but I can see a flush of pink on her cheekbones. I probably look like a tomato in comparison, because wow, who says that kind of thing in public?

“So, are you ready to head to the car?” I manage to squeak out. Shaw looks amused by my reaction, but doesn’t say anything more. Sutton says she’s ready then begins regaling me with the story of how this trip came to be, while Shaw walks behind us. He’s got a suitcase in each hand, and a large backpack on, but looks altogether unphased by the extra weight.

“Can you believe he wanted to just show up?” Sutton shakes her head.

“That’s what we do. Not everyone needs a binder for every trip,” Shaw says with a chuckle as we walk out into the parking deck.

“You love my binders,” she says, her tone indignant.

“I love you,” he replies and she shoots him a smile over her shoulder.

“Touché, Daniels.” She pauses, then adds in a honey-sweet voice, “And I love you too.”

“Of course you do. What’s not to love?” he asks.

“I see Miles isn’t alone in his inflated ego,” I say without thinking. I’ve gotten too used to sparring with Miles recently that it’s made my filter weak. My lungs seize up in panic. Have I just ruined any chance at a friendship with them?

Sutton throws her head back laughing. Some of my nerves dissipate with the sound.

“Oh, I like you. We’re going to get along just fine,” she says to me with a grin. I glance over my shoulder at Shaw and breathe a sigh of relief when I see him wearing a wry smile.

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