“You paid?” Rhodes asks Jake, who scoffs and shakes his head.
“You think I’m going to pay when I know you will anyway. You always said, you date, you pay. So, Daddio . . .”
“Yeah, yeah,” Rhodes muses, laughing under his breath as he steps up to the window. “Two adults, a student, and a child.”
“You want a family pass? It’s cheaper,” the booth attendant asks.
“Sounds good,” Rhodes pays for all of us, and we’re directed to the next window over where the young guy behind the counter goes to Harvey first.
“Hey, dude. I can tell by looking at you that you’re a bit of a putting shark. Am I right?”
Harvey blushes a little and bumps one shoulder. “Yeah. I’m not bad.”
“Oh, you’re one of those guys. The ones who make you think you’ve got a chance when really they’re going to whip your butt.”
“That’s me.” He stands a little bit taller under the attention.
“Better get the best putter for the best player,” the attendant winks at Harvey before looking the rest of us up and down then turning away. He returns with four putters and four different-colored golf balls a minute later.
He hands me the scorecard and pencil. “And for the lady, ’cause we all know these guys will try and cheat to impress you.”
“You’re not wrong there.” I laugh when my three playing partners big and small scoff in defense.
The attendant holds his fist out to Harvs. “Good luck, putting shark. Make sure you do a victory dance at the end when you win, okay?”
And after an exploding fist bump—from both of them—Rhodes runs his arm around my waist and the four of us follow the signs toward the first hole of eighteen.
Halfway through our game, I’m starting to think Brad was right about Harvey. Or else Rhodes and Jake are playing bad for his benefit. Whatever the case, I don’t think I’ve laughed more on a family outing in years. Jake is a born entertainer, and you can tell the relationship he has with Rhodes is rock solid. They look out for each other. They’re always joking, teasing, or cheering each other on.
Whereas Harvey has been focused on two things: impressing Jake and winning.
But I’m relaxed, I’m happy, and I’m definitely enjoying the subtle and sometimes discreet ways Rhodes has been flirting and touching me. The current hole we’re on has a windmill that rotates to block a ball-sized tunnel through to the other side, and so far I’ve missed it three times, much to Jake and Harvey’s glee.
Rhodes comes up behind me, cloaking my back with his and holding me close as he mimics my stance and reaches around to cover my hands over the grip. “Now this is how we should be playing mini golf. Definitely much better,” he croons in my ear, sending a shiver through me. I discreetly push my ass into his pelvis, my lips curving into a smirk at his barely audible groan and the growing hardness I find.
“Behave, sweet cheeks.”
I turn and meet his eyes over my shoulder. “And where’s the fun in that?”
“Oh, we’ll have fun in this position, just not when our kids are right there.” Rhodes’s voice is laced with humor and heat, which makes me laugh and clench my thighs together in the same breath.
“Step away from your teammate, Dad. No cavorting allowed,” Jake announces rather loudly.
Rhodes groans and shifts back, taking a deep breath as he does. “Damn smartass.”
“Pleased to be of service, Dad,” he says with a smirk before turning back to me. “C’mon, Dee, chant the rotations in your head and hit the ball on the count of three so that you’re through the gap before you hit four. Get it?”
“Yeah. Let’s give it a shot, right?”
“Ha, get it, Mom? Give it a shot,” Harvs says, hilariously stating the obvious and making us laugh.
“See, I’m not just a pretty face.”
“No, you’re a damn sexy one too,” Rhodes murmurs behind me.
I whirl around and point a finger at him, narrowing my eyes. “Behave, Mr. Anderson. You’re not supposed to distract your own teammate. Besides,” I say, lowering my voice, “if I don’t get the ball in the hole, you won’t get the pleasure of watching my ass when I bend over to collect it.”
“My eyes have been glued to your ass since the minute you first arrived, Ms. Duncan. So don’t worry about me.”
“Good to know these jeans are appreciated,” I say with a wink.
“Everything about you is.”
My breath hitches, but I quickly cover up my reaction. There will be time for that later, whenever Rhodes and I can arrange our adult alone time. Something that is definitely overdue.
“C’mon, Mom. Hit the ball already,” Harvey calls out, making me roll my eyes.
“Kids these days, I dunno . . .” Then I bob my head in time with the rotations, taking Jake’s advice and counting. When I hit three, I tap the ball hard with the head of the putter, and thankfully it slides past the blade of the windmill in time to a chorus of applause from my three male cheerleaders.
Harvey runs and hugs me tight before straightening and trying to look cool again. Jake offers me a high five, and Rhodes wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me into him, touching his lips to my temple.
God, I could get used to this.
We’ve just finished the horrible windmill hole when a familiar voice calls my name. Turning around I spot Faith and Bryant walking toward us, golf clubs in hand.
“Hey, sis,” I say as we hug each other. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Curing world hunger.” Bry embraces me after his wife. He shakes hands with Rhodes and Jake before ruffling Harvey’s hair.
“They’re playing mini golf too, Mom. Jeez.” Harvs states the obvious, yet again.
I roll my eyes at him and return to my sister. “I mean, where are the kids?”
“We left them at home. I mean, they’re old enough to watch
