Page 55 of The Perfect Putt

I blink at my screen. He did not just say that.

Shaw: Don’t worry, I hit him for typing that.

I guess that means Brock and Shaw are hanging out tonight.

Jason: Thank you. Someone needed to.

Brock: I disagree.

Emmett: I’m going to mute the chat unless someone says something productive.

Shaw: ET, you can’t get mad at us when you aren’t even contributing.

Jason: Yeah, Emmett, what’s your advice?

Emmett: Stop caring if people like you or not.

Jason: ….

Jason: Anyone else?

I sigh and start typing a response.

Miles: Try to figure out something she likes, then buy it for her or talk about it with her. Maybe that will get her to ease up.

Shaw: I agree with that idea. I’m convinced that half the reason Sutton fell in love with me is because I knew all of her Star Wars references.

Jason: I don’t need her to fall in love with me. I just don’t want her to hate me. But thanks, I’ll give that a try.

I set my phone to the side once more. It’s strange to think that not long ago I was in a similar position to Jason. Except I wouldn’t say Ellie hated me, moreso golf in general. Still, it’s weird to know that we’re friends now. Friends who occasionally look at each other like they want to kiss–but friends nonetheless.

Memories from our first meeting up to our day at the beach today float through my mind. I want to keep every single one. To etch them into the framework of my mind so I don’t ever forget them. They’re all that will be left if everything falls apart.

Chapter twenty-seven

Ellie Hart

“Hey, no double jumps,” I say to Fitz. He pauses, his checker piece held in the air.

“What kind of checkers game doesn’t have double jumps?”

“The kind that also doesn’t have the rainbow jump you tried earlier. Do you even know how to play checkers?”

He takes one of my pieces and puts it on his–smaller than mine–pile.

“I’d have beaten you already if we played by my rules.”

I roll my eyes. “That means nothing. If I made up the rules, I could have won by now too.”

I move one of my pieces away from his.

“My father taught me these rules!”

“Then he must have enjoyed cheating at checkers too.”

Fitz gapes. “I changed my mind. I don’t like you anymore.”

I laugh. “Don’t be a sore loser.”

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