Page 78 of Is This for Real?
Two shots. My ball is in the hole. Rory takes four shots to get it in.
He’s biting his lip as he analyzes the next course. He rolls up his sleeves. Rory’s forearms are sexy.No time to get distracted.He catches my glance and winks. This course is curved. Rory gets it in three.
“Just needed to warm up.” He swings his golf club nonchalantly.
I also get it in three shots. We catch up to the couple playing in front of us and have to wait. They are on a date. She asks him to show her how to hit a certain shot, and he puts his arm around her to demonstrate.I should take notes.Rory is also looking at the couple. Our glances meet and skitter away.
Rory pushes his hair out of his eyes. “I forgot how much fun it is to play minigolf with you.”
“We should check out that minigolf course on the Hudson this summer,” I say. This summer.Rory will probably have a new girlfriend by the summer.
The next one is a loop. I hit it too hard, and the ball flies out into the parallel course. I apologize and pick my ball up. The guys on that course are drunk, and one says, “Thrown for a loop.” Ha-ha. I chuckle politely and return to the course. I hit the ball, again too hard, and the ball jumps off the course—again.
Rory gets it in one shot because the ball shoots out of the loop right into the hole. He leans against the wall, holding his club, watching me. I hit it too softly, and it drops out of the loop. The four behind us have now caught up.Concentrate.
Rory saunters over to stand between me and the spectators. He rubs my shoulders. “RememberCaddyshack. Be the ball.”
I finally hit it just right, and the ball goes into the cup. Relieved, I pick up my ball.
The next few courses are challenging.
I decide to “rememberCaddyshack.”
As he warms up for the swing, I ask, “So, what have you liked best about our London trip so far?”
He gives me an annoyed glance. “Shh . . . I need to concentrate.”
Oh, he thinks I didn’t do that on purpose. Poor baby. He raises the club back again and just as he swings, I ask, “Do you think our towels are fluffy enough? I think I like them fluffier.”
He misses the shot. Rory shoots me a I-know-what-you’re-up-to glance. “Two can play this game.”
“La, la, la, la, la, not if I don’t hear you.”
I line up my shot, ignoring him. I just have to be better at ignoring him than he is at ignoring me. I’m prepared. I should not get flustered. I bring my putter back . . .
“My absolute favorite scene inAlienswas when . . .”
And he’s got my concentration because I want to know what his favorite scene was.
I miss my shot.
I turn to him. “Is what?”
“When Ripley fights the alien queen. What was yours?” He smiles at me innocently, but not.
“When the annoying guy gets killed.” I smile sweetly at him.
“I thought it would be when there were sparks between Ripley and Hicks.” His hand grazes my elbow as he moves me slightly aside so he can take his next shot.
“Those are my second favorite scenes. Hicks is hot.”
“Is he?”
Our gazes catch.
I hunch down to make the next complicated shot. Rory’s eyes widen at the view. He misses the next shot. I smile wickedly.
We are tied. The last course is by the large windmill. The couple in front of us are still trying to get through it. She kisses her date when she wins. Zelda’s right. Now I don’t know what’s real and what’s not, and I don’t have the option to just kiss Rory. I’m the idiot who said “no kissing.”
