Page 112 of Fangirl Down

Even then, she didn’t quite believe it. Her eyes had to be lying.

“Tallulah?”

Josephine didn’t know it was physically possible to have tears burst forth from her eyeballs, but that’s exactly what happened. Theyejected. Trembling and overcome, she crawled on her hands and knees to the front of the limousine, her best friend meeting her halfway. Laughing tearfully, they threw their arms around each other and toppled sideways onto the leather row seat. It took a full minute for Josephine to speak, words kept getting stuck in her throat. Was this real? Was this really,actuallyreal?

“What are you doing here?” Josephine sobbed, pulling back to look at one of her favorite faces of all time, before diving back into the hug.

“Keeping the secret has been so hard. I’ve wanted to call you a hundred times.”

“When? H-how?”

“Wells Whitaker, that’s how. He emailed me a couple of weeks ago and asked what it would take to bring me in for a visit. When he finally convinced me he wasActual Wells Whitaker, I told him it would take an act of God to get me days off and a trip to California. And he said, ‘Then you’re in luck. Have your boss give me a call.’ I think he promised her tickets to Augusta or something.” Tallulah grasped the sides of Josephine’s face. “You are caddying on the PGA Tour, Joey. I repeat, you are caddying onthe PGA flipping Tour.”

“I know. I know, right?”

“You weren’t joking on the phone!”

“Nope.” Josephine plopped back on her butt on the floor of the limo, still swiping at the moisture in her eyes. “I can’t believe he did this.”

Finally making it up to you.

This was repayment for the time he’d hung up on Tallulah.

Unbelievable.

He was unbelievable.

“I’m not even going to get mad at him for yelling the C-word.”

Tallulah nodded in agreement. “Everyone has to yell it once in a while.”

Josephine laughed. Reached out to trace her best friend’s prominent cheekbones that, despite her time in Antarctica, still held the glowing, natural tan that heralded her Turkish background. She traced her dark brows and smoothed a palm down her long, brunette waves. “How long are you here for?”

Tallulah winced. “Therein lies the rub. Only one full day, I’m afraid.”

Josephine’s heart sank a little. “You won’t even be able to watch one day of golf?”

“No,” her friend said, straight-faced. “And I’mdevastated.”

“You’re a terrible liar.” Josephine shook her head. “Golf was never your thing.”

“That might be true, but I wanted to see you in action, Joey. This research study is going to be over in a month, though, and then I’m there. Front freaking row.”

Josephine didn’t want to ruin the incredible moment by explaining she probably wouldn’t be caddying for Wells in a month’s time. It would start a whole conversation she wasn’t ready to have yet. Not even with Tallulah. And those voice mails from Nate were still ringing in her ears. If Wells couldn’t be on good behavior for one day without her, what chance would he stand without her... indefinitely?

“You okay over there?” Tallulah asked, perceptive as ever.

“More than okay,” Josephine assured her.

“Good, because I’m going to need every scintillating detailof this Wells Whitaker partnership. Don’t even think about telling me you’rejusthis caddie. You are more than qualified, but a dude doesn’t track down your best friend and fly her to California from Antarctica unless romance is afoot.” She tilted her head back and squealed. “Oh crap, you’re already blushing! I’m going to flash a mounted policeman, I’m so excited.”

“I’ll never live that down.”

“Nope.”

Once again, moisture flooded Josephine’s eyes out of pure happiness to be sitting next to her best friend. “Wells is...” She tried to search for the words that would adequately describe the waterfall of emotion in her chest when she thought of the temperamental golfer. “Well, he’s my boyfriendandfriend. We balance each other. I smooth out his rough edges and he makes me feel... stronger and more capable than I’ve ever felt. Ever. He respects me. Look what he did, flying you here. He’s thoughtful. And he’s somean, but in a way that I love? Becausethat’snormal.”

Tallulah sighed gustily. “More. I need more.”

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