Page 74 of Sweet Spot
My job was always a point of contention with Lacey. The honest truth is that I worked harder at golf and then the business than I did at being a good husband. And while I have my regrets, I think I always knew that she and I would never work.
Selfish men don’t get a happily ever after. They might get a significant other who deals with always being second priority, but that knowledge comes at a price. Lacey wasn’t willing to pay it, not that I blame her, and I’m not willing to put anyone through that again. No one deserves that. Not Lacey and certainly not Keira.
I smile at the thought of Keira letting anyone put her second to anything. And then there’s that pang in my chest again because, for the first time, I realize it isn’t going to be me who walks away from Keira when we’re done working together, it’ll be her walking away from me. Because she deserves better, and she knows it.
27
Keira
Comingdown off the high of my win today, I sit on my bed eating frosted animal crackers and watching Abby pack an overnight bag. Nothing like a post-celebration with a little sugar and bed crumbs.
“I’m heading to Smith’s,” she says, zipping her backpack and slinging it over one shoulder.
“Thanks for hanging out tonight.”
After the tournament, she and the guys took me to The Hideout to celebrate. I’d been too amped up to eat then, but now I’m starving. I’m also a little tipsy, which probably isn’t helping.
“Are you kidding me? There is no way I would have missed tonight. I’m so freaking proud of you.”
“Thank you.”
She points to the pile of clothes between our beds. “Can that disappear before I return?”
“I can’t do laundry when I’m celebrating.”
She laughs. “Well, then, at least move it to the other side where I don’t see it. Out of sight, out of mind.”
“Okay, Mom.” I smirk.
She waves and heads out, shutting the door behind her. Silence floods the room and washes away the adrenaline from today.
I unlock my phone and open my texts. I haven’t heard from Lincoln since the good luck message he sent this morning, and I’m desperately trying not to be upset that he hasn’t checked in yet. It isn’t like I expected him to be glued to his phone waiting for updates, but I thought he'd be more anxious to hear how it went. Even my mom has called to say congratulations.
I flip through Netflix for something to watch, but I’m too antsy or tired or some weird combination of both, so I give up and get out of bed to grab my wedge and a ball. The door to my dorm opens before I reach my bag, and I look up, pleasantly surprised to see Abby again.
“Hey, you’re back. Thank God, I just realized, I have no idea what to do when I’m not—”
Lincoln steps in behind her, silencing me with his presence.
“Look who I found,” Abby says around a grin. While Lincoln isn’t looking in her direction, she mouthsoh my Godand fans her face.
I laugh, and Lincoln turns to see what’s so funny.
Abby uses the hand she was fanning herself with to wave. “See you two later.”
Once she’s gone, he walks toward me slowly, offering a quiet, “Hey.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
“Well, you succeeded.”
I close the space between us with two skips and throw my arms around his neck. “I can’t believe it. Seriously, not complaining, but why are you here? I thought you’d call.”
He waits until I pull back. His hands frame my face, and the pad of his right thumb runs along my cheek. “You won today.”
Three simple words that make pride and happiness swell inside me. “I did.”
