Gallant Golfer (River's End Ranch Book 10)

by Cindy Caldwell

  “Huh,” Brian said. “I could have told you he’d say no. I’m disappointed, but not surprised.”

  Emma pulled her hair back, twisting it into a bun. She shoved her hands in the pocket of her robe and stared at the fire. She began to yawn, the weight of the day crashing heavily on her. “Maybe we should just get through the exhibition tomorrow, and something might come to us,” she said as she stretched.

  “I hope so, Emma. Maybe we could contact your school. There’s got to be some provision for internships that aren’t working out.”

  She rinsed out her mug and set it in the sink. “I called the other day. There has to be cause. And while he’s a big jerk, he hasn’t done anything outside of the contract that would cause it to be null and void.”

  “Oh,” Brian said, his voice dull as he stood and stretched himself.

  He crossed into the kitchen and took her by the shoulders, looking in her eyes. “Well, if we can’t break the contract that simply, the least I can do is kick his butt tomorrow in the exhibition. That’ll provide at least a little satisfaction, don’t you think?”

  She laughed and hugged her big brother. Yes, that would provide a little satisfaction at least. And maybe buy her some time to think of something else.

  She stiffened as the doorknob jiggled. Brian had locked it behind him and she was grateful that she had time to slip into her room and close the door before she had to face Skip yet one more time. As she closed the door, she peeked out and nodded at Brian.

  “Everything’ll work out. I promise,” he whispered as she closed her bedroom door—and locked it.

  CHAPTER 17

  C had couldn’t sleep after he’d left the bar, and he headed down to the pro shop. His stomach still churned at Skip’s words, and he couldn’t imagine someone being so selfish and callous. Especially at Emma’s expense.

  The lights were on in the shop and he poked his head in, startling Simon.

  “What are you doing here?” Chad said as he glanced at his watch. It was after nine and Simon was usually gone well before this time. Heck, there was never anybody at the shop after sundown.

  Simon hung some shirts on the rack. “Well, tomorrow’s the big day. I want everything to be looking good in here, and I spent the evening with Jaclyn. So I’m a little behind.”

  Chad smiled. Simon took his job at the pro shop very seriously, and seemed to be quite invested in what people wore on the course—neon or not.

  He’d known the older man for some time. He wasn’t at all surprised when Simon said, “What’s on your mind, Chad. Something going on behind those eyes. I can tell.”

  Chad pulled off his cap and set it down as he leaned against the counter. “I think maybe I’ve done something stupid.”

  Simon’s eyebrows rose as he leaned against the shirt rack. “Oh?”

  “Yeah. I think maybe I promised something I can’t deliver.”

  Simon went behind the counter, straightening a pile of invoices by the cash register. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with that beautiful Emma, would it.”

  “It would,” Chad said as he rested his elbow on the counter, his chin in his hand.

  Simon took his cap off and ran his hand through his gray hair before pulling it back on again.

  “I’ve seen a lot of things in my day, son,” he said slowly. “Seen a lot of people miss out, not act, and regret it for a very long time. To my mind, no harm can ever come from following your heart.”

  Chad sighed. That’s exactly what he’d done—followed his heart. And it had led straight to Emma.

  That wasn’t the problem, though. He was overwhelmed by his feelings for Emma—and certain that he didn’t want to be without her. Would do anything for her. But what if his heart and his body weren’t on the same page? That his heart had promised something that his skill couldn’t deliver?

  “Try not to worry. You know, life can pass you by. It’s best not to waste time.”

  Chad picked up his cap and pushed away from the counter, nodding at Simon and shaking his hand. “Thanks, Simon.”

  As Chad headed for the door, Simon said, “You know, sometimes it’s not about winning. It’s about showing up.”

  Chad shook his head and wished he was right. But this time, it was about winning. He had to beat Skip tomorrow, and he headed for his cart, wondering if he’d be able to sleep. He had to be his best tomorrow. For Emma.

  CHAPTER 18

  C had poured himself an extra cup of coffee the morning of the exhibition. He figured he’d need it, and as he rifled through the golf shirts in his closet, he passed over all the shirts he’d kept from when he was on the tour—passing over the ones who had logos on them from some of his biggest sponsors. Those days were over. Skip and Brian wore those shirts now, and he pulled out a clean, royal blue one and reached for a pair of pants. Nothing fancy.

  His conversation with Simon—and the one before it with Skip—played through his mind as he showered and dressed. What had not long ago been a friendly exhibition for tourists had now become something he cared deeply about winning.

  He stood in front of the trophy shelves, his eyes roaming over those with his brother’s name on them. Randy had been the one to teach him how to play and had always been better than Chad himself. He remembered the sadness in Emma’s eyes when he’d told her the story—a sadness he hadn’t chosen to remember for quite some time.

  His brother had always told him to go for what he wanted, to never give up and he sighed, guessing that he had given up a long time ago. But now, he reached for a service medal his brother had sent him from his early army days and slipped it into his pocket. Couldn’t hurt, and his brother had been his biggest cheerleader—until he’d met Emma.

  He’d told her he didn’t care about winning, but now, all that had changed. He did care. Very much.

  He tucked his shirt into his pants and looked up at a knock on the door. The sight of Emma when he opened it took his breath away—her long, copper curls tumbled over her shoulders and her green eyes swept over him.

  “You look great,” she said. “Like a winner.”

  He moved aside as she brushed past him, helping herself to a cup of coffee. “Thanks. Not feeling quite like a winner. I don’t think I’ve been this nervous in a long time.”

  She opened the cupboard and pulled out some sugar, pouring some into her coffee and giving it a good stir. “You haven’t competed in a long time. It’s natural. Technically, you’re not even competing now,” she said. “So it should just be fun.”

  He fingered the medal in his pocket, wondering if he should tell her that yes, he was competing. For something very dear to him. But he decided against it. No reason for them both to be so anxious.

  “You’ll be there, right?” he asked quietly, not sure if it would be easier for him if she weren’t.

  “Of course I will be. Dani and I plan to follow in our own cart. She mentioned something about wanting to check the perimeter. Not sure if that’s about Bigfoot or what,” she said with a giggle.

  “Right,” Chad said as he reached for his favorite cap—used to be his lucky cap—and pulled it on. “Well, wish me luck.”

  He sighed as Emma pushed herself away from the kitchen island, crossing over to him and throwing her arms around his neck. She landed a kiss on his cheek, and he inhaled deeply as she hugged him. The scent of vanilla washed over him, and he vowed—win or lose—to remember it forever.

  “You don’t need luck,” she said as she pulled away and crossed behind him, rubbing his shoulder. “You’re an amazing athlete, and your muscles have changed quite a bit in just a few days. You’ll be fine.”

  Ah, he thought. She thinks I’m worried about my injury. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that he felt fine—never better—but the stakes were so high that he’d be nuts not to be worried. All of his competitive instincts, the ones he’d let slide for years, needed to come back and save him now.

  He took one last glance at the trophy shelf and his eyes stopped
at the small trophy of his own he’d kept. The trophy at stake today made all of the ones on the shelf pale in comparison.

  “You ready?” she asked, pulling him away from his memories.

  He reached for his gloves on the kitchen island and grabbed them, shoving them into his back pocket. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” he said as he opened the door for her.

  “Can I drive?” she asked as the crossed over to the golf cart. “I think I might be getting better at it.”

  He laughed and shook his head. All he needed was to crash on the way to the exhibition. No, he couldn’t take the chance, and he slid behind the wheel, patting the seat beside him and ignoring her pout.

  “I’ve got this.”

  She rested her hand on his knee as they passed through the old West town, around in front of Kelsey’s Kafe and past the main lodge, onto the road toward the golf course. Tourists streamed in the same direction, and he memory teased him with the many times crowds had gathered before to watch him golf. The thought crossed his mind that he hoped the tourists weren’t disappointed, then quickly remembered his goal. It wasn’t entertainment. It was to win.

  He glanced over at the reason for his commitment. Emma smiled and waved at the tourists they passed, clearly enjoying the moment.

  “Oh, there’s Jaclyn. Can we give her a ride? She shouldn’t be walking this far with her ankle.”

  Chad slowed and Emma scooted over, making room for Jaclyn, who hopped in.

  “This is so exciting,” she said, once they’d gotten under way again. “I don’t think I’ve been to anything like this before.”

  “It’s going to be fun, isn’t it? Just watching these guys golf—well, it’s an honor. They’re all so good,” Emma said as she patted Jaclyn’s knee. “Glad to see you up and around.”

  “Oh, my dear, that salve you brought over saved the day. It’s something special, that’s for sure. You should market it. I wouldn’t be here today to watch the exhibition without it.”

  “Oh, shucks,” Emma teased. “I just like to share it with people I care about.”

  “Well, hopefully it’s helped Chad, too,” Jaclyn said. “I hear there’s a lot at stake here today, so I hope he’s in his best form.”

  Emma frowned and looked from Jaclyn to Chad. “No, it’s just an exhibition. But he’s in great shape. His shoulder’s doing really nicely,” Emma said as she smiled and watched as the tourists crowding around the first tee. “Although I have to say, I hope somebody beats Skip, just for good measure.”

  “Mh-hmm,” Jaclyn said as she glanced at Chad out of the corner of her eye.

  He cleared his throat, wondering what Simon had told her. It didn’t really matter, though. He was going to win and that was all there was to it.

  CHAPTER 19

  I t was a beautiful day for a golf exhibition, and Emma couldn’t wait to watch. Chad had dropped Jaclyn off at the pro shop and Simon had met her there, offering to drive her in a cart.

  “That is if you can fend for yourself,” he’d said to Chad as he nodded at him—and Emma thought maybe he even winked.

  Chad cleared his throat and looked from Simon to Emma. “Yep, I’m all set. Brian can ride with me and Skip—well, he can drive himself.”

  A couple other tourists who fancied themselves pretty good golfers had signed up to play in the exhibition, Wade happy to have them included. They’d leave River’s End Ranch with bragging rights for having sparred with three famous golfers, and it could do nothing but help the Ranch’s publicity and marketing. They’d talked about prize money, but eventually Wade had settled on a free week’s stay at the ranch. Emma had wondered at that—it would be something to shoot for for everyone but Chad. He was lucky enough to live here, and didn’t need a free stay. That was fitting, though. He’d been pretty clear how he felt about competition these days, and Emma knew he was just playing for fun. Brian, Skip and the guests could vie for that prize.

  Simon extended his arm for Jaclyn. “Shall we go, madame? Your chariot awaits.”

  She smiled up at him as she looped her arm through his. “Absolutely,” she said. “I can’t wait for this.” She winked at Emma as Simon held the door for her and they headed to the cart barn.

  Emma turned to the picture windows that looked out over the course. People milled around the first tee, weaving in and out of tents that Lily had set up. Streamers flew from the top of the tents, and she had tables set up with punch and cookies. She’d mentioned that the exhibition would end a little after lunch time, and she had appetizers planned that would be ready for the spectators as they came back when the whole thing was over.

  Emma thought it looked beautiful, the mountains soaring around the golf course. She turned to wish Chad luck and was startled to find that he was right behind her.

  “Oh,” she said as he brushed his hand against her cheek.

  “Emma, I need to tell you something,” he said softly as he lifted her chin and held her eyes.

  Her stomach fluttered. She’d tossed and turned all night, thinking only of him, and how if Skip forced her to leave, she’d miss—well, exactly this. She’d wanted him to kiss her since their near-miss on the course yesterday, and had been afraid she wouldn’t get the chance before she had to leave.

  Now, as he leaned forward, his lips soft against hers, her eyes fluttered closed and warmth washed through her. This. She wanted this. And much more of it.

  He pulled away, brushing her hair back. “I know yesterday I said I didn’t care about winning. That competing wasn’t important.”

  “Yes?” she said as she cocked her head.

  He pulled on his gloves and waved at Brian out the window, who stood waiting for him by the cart barn.

  “I just want you to know that for this exhibition—I plan to win.” He brushed his lips lightly over her cheek and squeezed her shoulder. He smiled broadly and pushed through the door, striding purposefully over to Brian and shaking his hand.

  She lifted her hand to her cheek, still feeling his soft touch. She frowned, wondering why he actually cared about this particular exhibition, but shrugged her shoulders and hoped for the best.

  “Hey, you want to hang with me today?” Dani said as she pushed through the door. “I have some maintenance things to check. The groundskeeper said there are some sprinkler malfunctions and I figured I’m out here anyway, I could take a look.” Her golf cap bore the River’s End Ranch logo and she wore the same jeans and boots she always had. No neon golf clothes for her.

  Emma sighed. “Suddenly, I’m a little nervous about all this. I’d be happy to ride with you. This is going to be a nail-biter and I might have to look away once or twice.” When Chad had told her he wanted to win, she hadn’t known what to say. She’d been pretty cavalier about it, but she knew she wanted him to win, too.

  She and Dani hung back behind the crowds as the golfers moved from tee to tee. Dani parked on a knoll as the group played the 9th hole, next to another tent Lily had set up for a 9th hole break. She had drinks and sandwiches in the tent, and Emma tried not to bite her nails, anxious to hear how the rounds were going. She hoped either Chad or Brian were winning.

  She turned to Dani when she couldn’t stand to see the last round of putting.

  “I met your twin the other day. You guys sure are different.”

  Dani smiled and pushed her cap up on her forehead. “I know. She’s a ray of sunshine and I’m—well, not that.”

  Emma shrugged. “I think you’re both that. Just in different ways. She sure seems excited for her baby.”

  Dani’s eyes softened. “Yeah, she is. So am I, but if you tell her, I’ll have to kill you.”

  Emma laughed and turned toward the green. “Ugh,” she said as applause rang out and Skip bent down to retrieve his ball, holding it high in the air and taking a spin.

  They hopped out of the golf cart and met the crowd in the tent as they all took a break. Ranch guests had cornered all three pros and phone cameras were clicking right and left, Brian, Chad and Ski
p all smiling.

  Emma grabbed Chad’s elbow between poses and pulled him aside. “How’s it going?”

  He shook his head slowly and rubbed his shoulder. “Not great,” he said as he frowned. Skip’s in the lead and Brian and I are close behind—but I’m not winning.”

  She crossed behind him, her hands working his shoulder muscles. They didn’t feel tight to her—certainly not like they had when she’d first arrived. As she massaged him, she caught Skip’s eye and his face darkened. She probably should be helping him with his wrists in the middle of a tournament but she wouldn’t. She was right where she wanted to be and she planned to stay.

  “Too bad you’re so far behind, Chad, my friend,” Skip said as he passed them, glaring at Emma. “The final nine should clinch my win.”

  Emma wished she could somehow wipe the smug grin off of his face, but she stayed put, her fingers on Chad’s shoulder. “Thanks, Emma,” Chad said as he turned around and brushed his thumb over her cheek. “All I can do is my best.”

  She stood back as Lily rang a bell and the guests set down their half-empty cups and popped the last of the sandwiches in their mouths and headed down to the 10th hole, murmuring about who was in the lead and how the last nine holes would turn out.

  Dani stepped up beside Emma as they watched them leave. “He all right?”

  Emma turned toward her new friend. “Honestly, I think he’s fine. I’m not sure that his injury isn’t in his head more than his shoulder.”

  CHAPTER 20

  “T hese guys are great to watch, but I sure wish this could be over sooner,” Emma said as she climbed back into the golf cart beside Dani. Her stomach was in knots and had been since the night before, and she wasn’t sure she could stand much more of this suspense.

  “It’ll be over soon enough,” Dani said as they hung behind the rest of the crowd. Dani seemed to know exactly where to park for each hole, the knolls overlooking the greens with an unobstructed view. She scribbled on her score card attached to a clip on the steering wheel, but Emma didn’t ask about the score and Dani hadn’t offered. She just made sounds occasionally as she added numbers to the card.