by Jen Talty
She opened her mouth to deny her father’s spot-on observation, but all that came out was a noise that reminded her of a billy goat.
“Oh hell,” she muttered.
“You broke my rules,” he said with a stern voice, but the right side of his mouth twitched.
“You have rules for caddies? Because last time I checked, as a caddie, I work for Jack, not you.”
Her father waved his finger under her nose. “Oh no, you don’t, young lady.”
“Don’t you young lady me.” She sat up a little taller. “I am a grown woman with a kid of my own.”
“This is true.” Her father let out a long breath, leaning back on the sofa. He lifted his feet and rested them on the counter. “So, you and Jack, huh?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Since we got home, things got weird. And there’s the issue of Tom.”
“I think I know why Jack’s being weird.”
“What do you mean?” She set her glass on the end table and tucked her feet under her butt. She glanced toward the stairs. Bri had begged for Jack to put her to bed, and he’d been more than willing. That meant it would take twice as long because that little girl had him wrapped around her pinky.
“He saw the check that came in the mail from Tom.”
“I would have told him.” Courtney let out an exasperated sigh. “The lawyer said that while money doesn’t make up for his lack of visitation, it’s enough to keep him in the picture.”
“And we all know he paid that money because of Jack.”
She pinched the bridge of her nose. “That’s going to screw with his game.”
“What about his heart? And yours?”
She snapped her gaze toward her father. “His game is all we need to concern ourselves with. That’s why he came back.”
“That’s not the only reason he came back, and if I know him as well as I think I do, golf is actually at the bottom of his list.” Her father’s feet hit the floor with a heavy thud. He leaned forward and cupped her cheeks. “You both deserve to be happy. Don’t let Tom stand in your way.” He kissed her forehead and headed toward the stairs.
She wished life were that simple. Being with Jack was easy, and she loved him, no doubt in her mind.
Or her heart.
She didn’t think he loved her back, but she knew he cared deeply, and love took time to develop. She’d had years of loving him, and he’d had years of fighting himself. What they needed was time and space from the insanity their youth and past had created.
Only, Tom would make that impossible.
Jack leaned against the doorjamb and stared at Bri. Her pudgy little fingers curled around the stuffed puppy he’d given her earlier. She’d fallen asleep halfway through the third time he’d read Three Billy Goats Gruff.
His cell buzzed in his back pocket.
Taylee: How’d you find me?
Jack: I ran into your mother.
He wasn’t about to tell her that he’d run into her mother about a year ago.
Taylee: I’ll have to remind her that I want nothing to do with anyone in golf.
Jack: I appreciate you getting back to me. Can we talk?
Taylee: That’s what we’re doing.
Jack let out a slight chuckle.
Jack: About Tom.
Taylee: No. I’ve put that entire ordeal behind me.
Jack: I hate to ask and wouldn’t if Courtney and her daughter weren’t involved and Tom wasn’t screwing with them.
Taylee: Screwing with them how? And why does this involve me?
Jack: Can we just talk on the phone?
Taylee: I can’t right now. Tomorrow morning. Call me at 9.
He stuffed his phone back into his pocket. That would have to do.
“Hey, you,” Courtney whispered as she rubbed her soft hands across his shoulders. “She’s so proud of you.”
He pointed to his trophy. “I hope you don’t mind; I gave it to her.”
“Not at all,” Courtney said. “How does it feel to win again?”
“I won’t lie, it feels damn fantastic.” He laced his fingers through hers and tugged her toward his room. “But it’s bittersweet.”
“Why?”
“Because I know the competition and most of the big names weren’t there.”
She stopped dead in her tracks, yanking her hand away. “Do not belittle that win,” she said a little too loudly.
He brought his index finger to his lips and waved her down the hallway.
Reluctantly she followed.
After stepping into his bedroom, he closed the door. He made himself comfortable on the edge of the bed and patted a section of the mattress.
She folded her hands across her middle. “You shot eleven under par for the weekend and that was nine strokes ahead of the number two man.”
“I realize I played well, but there wasn’t much pressure.”
She cocked her head. “You’ve always been your worst enemy. You are the pressure.”
He chuckled. “That’s true. But also not the point. Without having someone as good as Tom on the leaderboard, I don’t have a care in the world. Until I start consistently landing in the money week after week against the Toms of this world, it’s not going to mean much to me.”
“Don’t let my father hear you say that.”
“He agrees with me,” Jack said. “He wants me to play in the Masters this year.”
“That’s in two months. Is he nuts?”
“We both must be, because I said I’d do it on one condition.”
“Shit. You want me to caddy.”
He nodded. “I want you to stick with me through my first major, and then I’ll find someone else. I know this is going to be tough on you and on Bri, but I figure there are some trips we can take her on.”
“You want her to travel with us?” Courtney splayed her hand across her middle and stared at him with wide eyes. “Wouldn’t that be a major distraction?”
“Neither she nor you could ever be a negative in my life. All either of you do is bring a smile to my face.”
“Oh boy.” Courtney sat on the edge of the bed. “Who are you and what did you do with Jack?”
“What does that mean?”
“I’ve never heard you talk like that before. It’s so sweet, kind, and weird.”
He laughed. “But it’s all true.” He took her chin between his thumb and index finger. “I have a confession to make.”
“Yeah. What’s that?”
“I didn’t come back here just to play golf. I came here because I’m in love with you.”
She smacked his chest with the palm of her hand playfully, as if he were joking. “You what?”
“You heard me.” He frowned. “I love you, Courtney. I think I was in love with you when you were seventeen, as inappropriate as that might have been.”
She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
“You don’t have to say it back, not yet anyway. I know it’s a lot and its fast, even though it’s always been there.”
She bolted upright. “No. No. No.” She paced at the foot of the bed, shaking her head.
“Are you telling me you don’t feel the same way?” Perhaps he’d read the situation all wrong. Wouldn’t be the first time.
“It doesn’t matter how I feel. You and me in a long-term relationship isn’t possible. Not with Tom lurking in the background. I can’t—I won’t—do that to Bri.”
“And if I have a solution to that problem?”
She stopped pacing, dropped her hands to her sides, and gawked at him. “He’s her father. Unless he dies, he’s in her life. I can’t change those facts. Having you in my life is a new challenge for me to navigate with Tom and that’s fine, as long as we’re friends. But if we take it to the next level—”
“We already have.”
She let out an exasperated sigh. “I’m not talking about sex, and you know it. Tom will insert himself so deep into our lives, or he’ll find a way to take Bri from me,
and I won’t have that. Not even for you.” She took a couple of steps back, curling her fingers around the doorknob. “And yes, I love you, but I love my daughter more. No offense.”
“None taken,” he said, tapping his fingers against his chest in tune with his heartbeat.
She loved him.
That was a start.
Now all he had to do was find a way to get Tom out of their lives, and he figured Taylee had all the answers.
13
“What are we doing here, Jack?” A few days later Courtney sat at the picnic table at a park three towns over. Things had been awkward since they’d both said how they felt, but it wasn’t horrible, and it hadn’t affected his game.
That was a good thing.
“You’ll find out soon enough.” He sat across from her with a solemn expression, and that scared her.
“Why can’t you just tell me?”
“Because this isn’t my story to tell.” He pointed toward the parking lot. “It’s hers.”
Courtney glanced over her shoulder and gasped.
Taylee had just handed a toddler over to a handsome man who kissed her gently on the lips before taking the little boy toward the swings.
“I don’t understand.”
Jack stood. “She’ll explain it to you.” He bent over and kissed her temple. “I’m going to go for a walk. Text me when you’re done.”
She and Taylee had never been friends. Taylee was a few years older and never really gave Courtney the time of day, especially after she’d married Tom. Courtney had always suspected there was some history there, but she honestly hadn’t cared. Tom had a history with most women.
“Hi, Courtney.” Tentatively, Taylee sat down. She picked at the skin on the side of her thumb.
“I’m sorry, but I’m really confused. Jack hasn’t told me anything.”
“I know. I didn’t want him to.” A tear rolled down Taylee’s cheek. “Until Jack called me the other day, the only other people who know the truth are my husband and my mother. Now Jack knows, and I’m going to tell you.”
“The truth about what?”
“Tom,” Taylee said flatly. “And what he did to me the night of the Langley party.”
Courtney’s heart dropped to her gut like a cement brick tossed into the ocean. “I’m so sorry about what happened that night.”
Taylee nodded. “Thank you. This is going to sound weird considering what I just said, but I still don’t remember, which might be a blessing. But I do know who raped me.”
“If you don’t remember, how can you know?”
Taylee swiped at her cheeks. She turned and waved to the little boy she’d come with. “That’s my son. His name is Oliver.”
“Is that his father?” Courtney asked.
“In the true sense of the word, yes. But Steve and I have only been married for a year, and he came into our lives when Oliver was one. He just turned three a couple of months ago. He’s the most amazing little boy in the world, and I can’t imagine my life without him, but I never want his biological father to know about him.”
“I wish Tom never knew about Bri. He’s been making my life a living hell for years. I do my best to keep her out of the middle, but it’s impossible sometimes.” Courtney lifted her water bottle, bringing it to her lips. “Who is Oliver’s father?”
“Do the math, Courtney.”
Courtney spit out her water. In the back of her mind, she’d been forming the same thought, but her heart hadn’t wanted to go there.
“Tom raped me that night, and I ended up pregnant with Oliver. I never told anyone I was pregnant until I was close to six months, and by then, Tom had been cleared of any suspicion. Deep down, I knew it had been him, but the only way to prove it would be a paternity test, and I saw what he was doing to you.” Taylee paused to wipe the tears away again. “And your daughter and I couldn’t have that for my child.”
Courtney did her best to hold back her own tears. Taylee didn’t need her pity. She needed her empathy and understanding. Courtney reached out and took her hand. “I think if the tables were turned, I would have done the same thing, but I hate to ask, how do you know Oliver is Tom’s?”
“Because I did my own private paternity test.” Taylee pulled out an envelope from her purse. “I had someone I know that was close to Tom get a sample of his hair. This is proof that Oliver is his child. I’m so sorry, Courtney, for everything that Tom has done to you and your daughter. I wish that I had faith back then that this would have been enough to prove that Tom was the one who raped me and that he’d have to pay for his crime. I want you to know that all I’ve been doing is protecting my son. I didn’t keep this to myself for any other reason. I never wanted to hurt you or your daughter. But I don’t want Tom to have a claim to Oliver.”
“I don’t blame you for that.” Courtney held the envelope in her hands. “And I wouldn’t want you to risk your son’s happiness for anything.” She pushed the envelope back. “There is no reason for you to tell the world that Tom is Oliver’s father.”
“I’m not doing it for that reason. When Jack called and told me a little bit of what you’ve been going through, I realized that I’ve enabled Tom to continue with his criminal ways. The world needs to know Tom is a rapist. I’m not the only one, you know.”
Courtney nodded. She knew because while she’d been his wife, he’d done the same thing to her, and she’d done nothing about it.
“I’m tired of being afraid.”
“Oh boy, do I know that feeling,” Courtney said.
“I’ve spoken to a lawyer and the detective that was in charge of my case. While paternity alone doesn’t prove he raped me, his statement about how he and I have never slept together will help us prove he did. That and I’ve talked to one other girl I know he raped. She’s willing to come forward. I believe more will as well.”
Tears flowed freely from Courtney’s eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”
“There’s nothing to say. We’re in this together.” Taylee moved to the other side of the table and hugged Courtney. “Together, we’ll make sure Tom goes to jail where he belongs.”
Courtney waved to Taylee and her family as they pulled out of the parking lot. She leaned against her car and waited for Jack to return. He’d texted that he was only a few minutes away.
That was five minutes ago.
She scanned the area and found him strolling in her direction carrying a couple of sodas and a bag from a food truck around the corner. She took the cold beverage and twisted the top, taking a long swig. “How did you know about Taylee and her son?”
“I saw her mom about a year ago. She filled me in on a few details, but not all of them. But over time, it started to click, and I decided to give Taylee a call. When I told her about you and Bri, she filled me in on the rest.”
“Wow.” Courtney still struggled to process the information. “Part of me is pissed as hell at you.”
“Why?” Jack took a blanket and spread it out on the grass. He sat down with the bag of food as if this were just any other normal conversation.
Which it was anything but.
But her stomach was screaming for sustenance, so she joined him, digging into the Caesar chicken wrap he’d brought while she continued to try to wrap her brain around what just happened.
“You went behind my back.”
“I wasn’t sure she had anything we could use to go after Tom,” Jack said. “Or if she’d actually give it to us, much less want to go after him criminally. I didn’t want to get your hopes up until we knew something for sure.”
She couldn’t be mad at him when he made such perfect sense. “Does my father know?”
Jack shook his head. “I figure we can tell him together at home this afternoon, although I did tell him that I thought I had some information that might help you get rid of Tom, and he told me to just do it.”
“Well, I’m glad you did, but I don’t want Taylee or her family to be dragged through the mud for me.”
“She wouldn’t be doing this if she wasn’t ready,” Jack said.
“What do we do next?”
“We don’t do anything. Taylee will hand everything over to the district attorney. They will take it from there.”
“And what if Tom gets away with it?” Courtney asked, tears forming in her eyes. “What do we do then?”
“I don’t think he will, but if the worst case happens, we stick together and deal with it.” He took her hand and pressed it against his chest. “I love you, Courtney. I want to be with you and Bri always. I would do anything for you.”
“Anything?” she asked with a coy smile.
“Yes. Anything.”
“Will you come with me and Bri to Disney Orlando after the Masters?”
“Consider it a date.” He leaned in and kissed her tenderly.
“I love you, Jack.”
Chapter 14
Six Months Later…
Jack sat in the back of the courtroom holding Courtney’s hand. She squeezed so hard he thought she might actually break a bone.
Her father sat on the other side.
Taylee and her husband sat in the row in front of them.
Three other women who had come forward with allegations of rape also sat in the courtroom.
The trial had gone on for a week, and Tom still denied any wrongdoing, though he never took the stand in his own defense, but the evidence the district attorney had gathered had been quite damning.
Jack’s only regret had been how this affected Bri. They had tried and tried to keep her from hearing about any of it, but she saw it on the television one night and had way too many adult questions. Both Courtney and her father struggled to answer them, but Bri shocked them all when she told them she wanted a divorce from her biological father.
She even went as far as to ask the psychologist they had been sending her to if that was possible. And at the end of the day, Tom agreed to give up his parental rights, regardless of the outcome of the trial, and since the beginning of the ordeal, he hadn’t tried to contact Bri at all.