Page 58 of Putting Out
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Kenny could hear the commotion of Reilly starting to pack up her stuff. He closed the bedroom door and sat down on the bed with his cell phone. He wasn’t sure why he thought it necessary to call Erica now, but after the way they had left it, he figured he at least owed her an apology and at the very the least the courtesy of letting her know they were moving the operation.
After all, she was supposed to be his girlfriend.
The folded unopened birthday card in his back pocket really had nothing to do with it. He hit her contact and waited for her to pick up.
“Hi.”
“What do you want, Kenny?”
“I wanted to apologize about getting so ticked off with you regarding Reilly. You’re entitled to your opinions. Looking at it now I guess it seemed silly to be so bent over it.”
“Yeah,” she returned slowly. “It did seem silly. Kind of like one of those fake arguments a person makes up when they want to end a relationship quick and easy.”
Kenny scowled. Hell, he never said Erica was stupid. He wouldn’t have been interested in her in the first place if she was. He was willing to acknowledge to himself at least that he’d overreacted to the situation between Erica and Reilly. He was also willing to admit the overreaction came on the heels of seeing Tessa again.
Tessa, who wouldn’t even open a damn birthday card.
“I don’t want to end anything,” he finally said.
“Kenny, I’m not getting the impression you really want to start anything, either. We seem to be stuck. This thing with Reilly… I’m not kidding, it’s probably going to get ugly.”
“Ugly? Why?”
“Did you hear what Sinjin Rye said on television? Sure it was a jab at Reilly, but when a jerk says something about a professional golfer, an LPGA golfer, it hurts all of us. Makes us look less than what we are.”
Since he was trying to make nice, Kenny didn’t think it was necessarily a good idea to mention he didn’t see how a nasty comment about Reilly affected the entire LPGA tour.
“Like I said, you’re entitled to your own opinions. I’m not going to try and convince you they’re wrong.”
“Okay. So you still want to try us.”
“Definitely. A trial us is exactly what I had in mind.”
“I’m heading up to LA for another tournament. You could meet me there.”
“Actually, I also called to let you know we’re changing camps. Things are getting too hectic here. The reporters are swarming at the property lines. One got a little overzealous and bumped into the car Pop was driving with Grams in it. We don’t want them hassled anymore so we’re going to head down to one of Luke’s properties.”
“Where?”
“Savannah. Some house he’s got on Skidaway Island.”
“Okay, but why do you have to go?”
Kenny flinched. “What do you mean? Of course I have to go. She’s training for the biggest tournament she’s ever going to play in.”
“Right.She’straining. You’re not. You’re just the caddy.”
A rush of blood filled his face and his gut turned over on itself. He had to swallow a few times before he could speak because he sure as hell didn’t want her to know he’d reacted in any way to her comment.
You’re just the caddy.
He breathed out slowly. “I think I’m good for moral support. You know how Reilly can get.”
“Not really. I’ve never seen her train for anything. She doesn’t seem to work at it. She just wins.”
“Not this time. This time she’s working.”
