Page 51 of Anyone But Her

"Don't worry about it. You'll be out in the guest house. They won't even notice you're there. So when should I tell them you'll be at the house?"

"After the funeral. Sandra already has it set up for Wednesday. I'll leave after that."

"But you have to be out on Sunday. Where are you going to stay?"

"I'll find a cheap motel. Or maybe I could put a tent in the back yard. Then again, Sandra would probably charge me for it."

"What a bitch."

"I'd rather not talk about her. Let's talk about you. What have you been doing since you got home from college?"

"Golfing. What else is there to do?" We both laugh. "I'll be golfing all summer. My dad has me working with two coaches now, one for skills, one for conditioning. I won't have much free time." He smiles. "But we can still take time to meet girls. Some new ones just joined the country club. Fuckin' hot. They're always hanging out by the pool."

I'm not interested. When I think of girls all I can think of is Taylor. I can't get her out of my head.

"You said you'd be gone next weekend?" I ask, remembering he said something about going to see Taylor.

"Yeah, we're picking Taylor up at college."

"Is she going anywhere? For the summer?"

"No, she'll be at home. She'll be golfing, like me, and working with her coach. My dad found her some new guy. He's really expensive but supposed to be really good."

"Then why aren't you using him?"

"He specializes in women's golf. He's been training women golfers for thirty years." He takes a drink of his water. "You should come with us."

"Where?"

"To pick up Taylor. While we're there we're going golfing. You liked that course we played by her college. You'd get to play it again."

"Thanks but I think I'll stay behind. You'll have a lot going on getting her moved out of the dorms."

"That'll take a couple hours, max. You're going. You shouldn't be sitting around the house by yourself after losing Albert."

"You sure your parents will be okay with it?"

"I told you we always take friends on trips, and out of all my friends they like you the best. They'd love it if you tagged along."

"Then I guess I'll go."

I'm going to see Taylor. And all summer I'll be living at her house, or near her house. The guest house is in the back yard, just behind the pool. I'll see her when I go in the house to eat or hang out with Cal.

I wonder how she'll react when she finds out. Will she pretend to be mad but be secretly happy? Or will she be annoyed that I'm there? Maybe she's moved on. It's entirely possible she has a boyfriend by now. Cal hasn't mentioned her dating anyone but we really don't talk about her that much.

She wanted me to stay away from her but now I can't. Now I'll see her every day. I'm happy about that but also a little worried. I'm worried I won't be able to hide how I feel about her, and if I can't hide it, her family will find out.

Maybe living there isn't the best idea but I don't have anywhere else to go. I'll just have to hide my feelings for Taylor. Easier said than done.

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