Page 76 of All Bets Are Off

“Okay, Shortstuff,” I drawled. “You just sit there and look pretty.”

She flipped me off, causing me to laugh, and then I realized that the couple we’d been paired with—Edgar and Miriam Hart—were watching us. They did not look tickled by the banter.

“I think she’s done,” I said to them when they stared.

“She can’t be done,” Edgar replied. “We’re on the third hole.”

“She’s well aware.”

“There are eighteen holes.”

I was convinced Edgar was playing some sort of joke on us, but one look at his face told me he didn’t even know the meaning of that word. “You can mark her down for a twelve for each hole,” I said finally.

“Oh, that doesn’t sound fair,” Miriam replied, solemnly shaking her head. “I mean … that’s going to give you an astronomically high round number.”

“I don’t think it matters to us,” I hedged.

“How can it not matter?” Edgar blinked. “It’s golf. Of course it matters.”

“Yeah, not so much to us.” I cast Olivia a challenging look. “Isn’t that right, Squirt?”

She shot me an incredulous look. “What did I say?”

I laughed because I couldn’t help myself. When I turned back to Miriam and Edgar, however, my smile disappeared in an instant. It was obvious they could suck the fun out of any situation. “She doesn’t want to golf,” I explained. “She just wants to drive the cart and drink her iced tea.”

“We’re at a golf tournament,” Edgar gritted out. “You’re supposed to golf.”

I poked around in my ear to buy myself time. “Um…” I looked over at Olivia. “Just give me a second.” I marched over to her,momentarily losing myself in her smile. “He says you have to golf,” I said after a few seconds. I was loath to ruin her day, but I didn’t know what else to do.

“Who says I have to golf?” Olivia demanded.

I pointed toward Edgar, who continued to glower.

“Well, he’s a laugh a minute,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “I don’t want to golf.”

“I know. He’s not just going to let it go, though, and I’m worried that he might kick up a fuss and ruin my mom’s big event.”

“Ugh.” Olivia let loose a disgusted sigh. “Fine.”

She was already halfway out of the cart before I realized that her sudden acquiescence likely wasn’t a good thing. “Wait.” I grabbed her hand. “What are you going to do?”

She blinked, the picture of innocence. “I’m going to play.”

“Yes, but … I sense trouble.”

“Aw, Snookums, don’t be worried on my account. I’ve got this.”

Yup. She was definitely gunning for trouble. “Well, go nuts.” I moved out of her way. “At least this way we’ll never have to worry about being invited to the couple’s tournament again.”

She gave me an odd look.

“What?” I asked, suddenly self-conscious.

“Nothing,” she replied, shaking her head.

“Did I say something?”

“No.” Her smile was genuine when she flashed it this time. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’m going to give it my all.”

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