Page 13 of Icy Pucking Play

"As it often does."

"Not helping, Cyn."

"Sorry, sorry." She doesn't look sorry at all. "What exactly did this, um, ‘brain-free mouth’ of yours say?"

"So I said, and I quote, 'Oh, I love golf! Maybe I could join you and we could discuss the feature between holes?'"

Cynthia stares at me for a long moment. "Sophie Bennett. You have never played golf in your life."

"I know!"

"You once called it 'soccer with sticks’."

"I know!"

"You tried to return the golf clubs your dad got you for Christmas because you thought they were weird baseball bats."

"I was twelve! And again, not helping!"

"The closest you've ever come to golf was that time you got kicked out of mini-golf for hitting the ball too hard and breaking the windmill."

"That windmill had it coming." I sink lower in my chair. "And technically, that means I do have golf experience."

"Mini-golf isn't real golf, Soph."

"Tell that to the very angry teenager who had to fish my ball out of the castle moat."

She takes another sip of my coffee, clearly enjoying this. "So, what did Mr. Tall, Dark, and Grumpy say?"

"He said, 'Fine. Tee time is seven a.m. Don't be late.'"

"And you're sure he wasn't being sarcastic?"

“With Evan? Who knows? But I have to go now. I already committed." I pull up another golf tutorial video. "Did you know there are different clubs for different situations? Like, a lot of different clubs. Who needs this many sticks to hit one tiny ball?"

Cynthia snaps her fingers in front of my face to get my attention. “For the love of God, tell me why exactly you’re doing this?"

"Because I need him to approve the feature on Ryland?"

"Try again."

"Because it's my first big assignment and I can't screw it up?"

"One more time, with feeling."

I deflate. "Because I hate that he thinks I'm just another ruthless reporter out to exploit his family."

"And?"

"And nothing! That's it. That's the whole reason."

"Sophie." She fixes me with a look that reminds me way too much of my mother. "You've had his coffee order memorized since the first time he gave it to you."

"That was my job!"

"You still follow his daughter's hockey team on Instagram."

"They post good drills!"

---