Page 9 of Doctor I Do

“Maybe.” I shrug, not knowing what I’ll be doing. I have a membership that costs me a small fortune, and it’s a good place to drink and unwind after work, so I might just be.

I give them a genuine smile, then look over at Alice. “I’ll see you soon. Rest up and kick them out if they’re annoying you.” I wink.

As the group gasp, Maddison fires back, “Shut up, you.”

I chuckle and take one last glance at Tahlia before giving her a smile, to which she gives me a wide one back. I dip my chin, and, for some reason, my chest feels heavy as I exit the room.

I swing my driver and hit the ball, watching as it sails into the air.

“Nice shot, son,” my dad says proudly.

My lips part into a smug grin before watching it land on the green perfectly. Fuck yeah.

“Think you’ll be going down, old man,” I say as we walk back to the golf cart. I take my seat on the driver's side as he slips in beside me, holding on to the bar when I take off.

“I think I might be buying you beers today.”

“You may have had a better chance if Mike was here,” I tell him, taking a quick glance at his profile.

“Ha. You mean come in second instead of last?” He meets my stare.

“Exactly.” Still grinning, I look ahead of me and put my foot down to go a little faster until we arrive at our golf balls. I park.

“Are you on call this weekend?” Dad asks, as we both step out of the cart.

He walks around to pull a driver out of his bag and walk up to his ball.

I stay silent as he makes his hit, and then I answer, “No, I’m off, so I’ll catch up on a little paperwork, maybe watch the game, or go to Luxe, but really, nothing much.”

He walks over to me, fit as the sixty-six-year-old he is, and comes to stand beside me. I keep my arms over my chest as his ball lands closer to the hole.

“Nice,” I mutter.

“Is there someone you’re meeting up with at Luxe?”

I tilt my head in the cart direction in silence, offering to get in the cart.

“Do you mean a woman?” I pull on the brim of my green hat, shielding the sun from my eyes. I’m pissed I forgot my sunglasses at home.

“Of course, I mean a woman.”

I chuckle. “I’m just checking. But to answer your question, no, I’m just catching up with my friends, Ryan and Jackson.”

“You know your mom kills my eardrums over you not settling down or bringing anyone to Sunday dinner.”

I roll my eyes, picturing her talking my dad’s ear off about my single life and how I need to settle down, as Mike and my sister Stephanie did.

“I can imagine her following you around the house, lecturing you. How I’m the last one and how disappointed she is.”

I pinch my lips closed at the last part, hoping he didn’t hear it, but it slipped out. It was supposed to stay in my head. But of course, I’m not lucky and the old bugger has the best hearing.

“She isn’t disappointed; she just doesn’t want you lonely or to never experience love.”

Sitting in the parked cart, I don’t make any moves to get out. I sit still, holding the wheel in my hands, and stare out at the lake the course backs onto. The trees, shrubs, and peacefulness are hard to beat out here. It’s the best course to play at. I try to do this once a week with him now that he’s semi-retired, but I’ve been so snowed under with work that I’ve missed a few weeks. I continue watching the lake, not wanting to face him when I talk about how I feel. It’s not that easy to confess the hollowness, the empty sex, and the lack of connections I fill my life with.

“I don’t believe I’ll be lonely…but I don’t know about love. I don’t have much faith that it’s out there for me.”

“I think you will find the right person at the right time. Well, that’s what I tell your mom anyway.” He grabs my shoulder with his hand and squeezes. Not a tight one, just a dad offering his soft, reassuring squeeze.

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