Page 45 of Fore-Ever Yours

My sister charges at me with boundless energy.

“Way to go, big bro!” She swarms us with a hug, then turns to Nick and high-fives him. “You too.”

I raise my eyebrow to Beth, who shrugs.

My mother reaches up to pat me on my cheek affectionately. “You did great, sweetheart.”

We walk off the green, Beth and I hand in hand. I may have just hit victory in my career but her heart is what I really want.

Chapter 17

Beth

IrefreshtheBluewaterresults page again. We’re sitting inside the clubhouse, anxiously awaiting the final score announcement. The unofficial leaderboard has Matthew tied for eighth, with fourteen under par. Two more players are finishing Hole 18, both with scores close to Matthew’s.

My phone buzzes from comments on my last video of Matthew’s final wave after his last great shot, right before I jumped into his arms. My stomach flutters as I replay the moment he spun me around with his green eyes so close to mine.Rule #4: No Feelingsis crumbling right in front of me.

Maggie and Alison are chatting across from us, while I reply to Matthew’s fans. It’s so sweet how they’re cheering Matthew on for this big win. I lean in to show him the comments when I notice his leg bouncing, and instinctively, I rest my hand on his knee.

Another player’s score pops up onto the screen, fifteen under par. My heart sinks a little as Matthew’s name moves down to ninth place.

He gives me a soft smile. “It’ll hold,” he says.

“Shouldn’t I be the one comforting you?” I squeeze his knee.

“You are, just by being here with me.”

He intertwines his fingers with mine. His thumb circles the back of my hand, reminding me of the first night at my parents’ house, when the weight of our arrangement hit me. Look at us now. Matthew’s career is thriving, on the brink of his dreams becoming a reality. In just one month, I’ll be back in Meadowbrook running Elevate Marketing full-time.

A strange pain begins to fill my chest. I’ve known from the start that our time together had an expiration date, but he’s more than just a client or a fake boyfriend now. He’s more than this exhilarating adventure we’ve been on together. He’s become an important person in my life. Maybe even the most important person in my life.

His hand tightens around mine. “Regardless of what happens, Beth, I want you to know—”

The room fills with a sudden roar of cheers, drowning out the rest of his sentence. A wave of nausea washes over me as I look up. The final leaderboard flashes:

Matthew Wilkes T9 -14.

He did it! Ninth place!

We all join together in congratulating Matthew. There’s a swell of joy in the room, well-wishes and compliments shared freely. I take a moment, stepping back, to watch Matthew bask in his success. He’s radiant, his smile broad and genuine, his eyes sparkling with excitement, and for a moment, I allow myself to forget our arrangements, to believe that this happiness could be ours indefinitely. Picturing us, still together, when he’s announced as the top ten player in the world.

“Matthew, my man!” Travis Holt comes barreling toward us, a wide grin on his face.

“Travis? When did you get here?” Matthew looks surprised but pleased to see his agent here.

“I wanted to surprise you earlier, but my flight got delayed. I’ve been watching replays to catch up. Fantastic job out there.” Travis claps Matthew on the back. He then turns to me, extending a hand. “Beth, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you face-to-face.”

“You, too, Travis!” I shake his hand.

“And you remember my mom, Maggie, and my sister, Alison.” Matthew nods toward our companions.

“Absolutely. Pleasure to meet y’all too.” Travis shakes their hands too, all charm and ease. “I just got off the phone and have good news,” he starts, the words tumbling out of his mouth as if he can hardly contain them. “You’ve qualified, Matthew! You’ve made it onto the Summit Pro Tour.”

I gasp and turn to look at Matthew. He’s frozen, absorbing Travis’s words.

“It’s official, kid. You did it. Your first tournament is Lowcountry Crown Classic in two weeks.”

Then Matthew sweeps Travis into a bear hug before turning to me with an elated expression. “We did it, Beth!”

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