Page 51 of Playmaker

What I’d told Cooper was true—I’d consulted at one meeting with Duffy but he wasn’t my file. Still, it wouldn’t be unheard of for him to complain to the firm. He was obviously entitled, and I shouldn’t have gotten involved. But I’d rushed to Cooper’s defense like he needed my help.

But really, to criticize professional athletes about their game? When they were just having an evening out? That was stepping over some lines. Duffy had relied on the fact that these younger, bigger and much fitter men had to be polite because they had a reputation to uphold. That was taking advantage, and it bothered me. Which was unnecessary. Those men dealt with that all the time. I hoped they didn’t laugh over my intervention.

I wrenched my attention back to my work. We were replying to CRA about how they’d interpreted the way a client had set up a subsidiary, and I needed to make sure all my citations were correct.

A knock on my doorframe interrupted me. I glanced up. Leonie was away from her desk and oh goody, Benson had stopped by when there was no one to run interference.

“May I help you?”

He leaned on the doorframe he’d knocked on. He was in an expensive suit, but I examined his shirt. Was this one the wrong color as well? I wanted to take a picture to check with Cooper, but I didn’t see a way to do that without Benson getting too much information about me.

“I hear you’re going to the golf tournament in September.”

“That’s correct.”

“I’ll be there too. My third time.”

Yes, I knew. Benson didn’t keep it much of a secret.

“Too bad you didn’t get those golf lessons with the pro at Briarwood.”

My smile grew. I think I’d come out ahead on that one. I might have been slightly better off as a golfer with the pro, though the extra sessions at the driving range were paying off. But the golf pro couldn’t have given me the inside knowledge of being at the club as a client rather than an employee. “I’ll manage.”

“My dad is really enjoying them.”

I raised my brows. Benson had bid on those lessons just to foil me? Perhaps I needed to get out of my little bubble and find out why he was so determined to make me look bad.

“I’m sure they’ll be very beneficial.” Some people took golfing way too seriously. I could see Benson’s family being like that.

“Maybe you don’t want to go to this thing? If you don’t know how to play or how to act at the club…I’d hate for you to look bad in front of the partners and some of our best clients.”

“I’ll manage,” I repeated.

“Oh, Benson. What are you doing here?”

Praise be, it was Mr. Anderson. Why he came in person I didn’t know, since he normally set up meetings through our assistants. But I really wanted Benson to move along and share his particular charm with someone else.

“I was just checking something with Callie.”

Anderson frowned. “I wasn’t aware you were working on anything together.”

“He was asking for some general tax advice,” I said.

Benson stiffened.

Anderson focused his attention on me, and I held myself upright. If Anderson was here to scold me about my interaction with Duffy in front of Benson…

“You made it out to Briarwood again? Someone told me they’d seen you there.”

I thought back. I hadn’t spoken to anyone, but several of the partners were members and they might have recognized me. Oh, maybe they were in one of the foursomes we let play through. “I’ve been there a few times.”

Benson glared at me. “You’re not a member.”

I shook my head. “A friend brought me. So I’d be familiar with the place before the tournament.”

Anderson nodded. “Excellent. Sound planning. I’m happy to see you’re not limiting your education to tax issues.”

I had to thank Cooper for helping me see that I had to broaden my focus past the tax act.

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