Josh, in grey jeans and a white henley with white sneakers, has his dark eyes on Bennett while listening to what we can’t yet hear.
Nax has his back to our approach, giving me a fantastic view of another pair of blue jeans, these darker than before. The way his navy blue T is stretched over those broad, muscular shoulders inspires my fingernails to tear it. Converse sneakers in red. He mentioned his buddy didn’t like his wardrobe, but I do. He’s just a…guy. I like that he doesn’t seem too thought out.
Under my breath I ask, “Does your boyfriend always wear suits?”
Christina answers covertly, eyes on him. “Always. So hot.”
“A tie to mini golf?”
She glances up and down my body. “Have you seen yourself?”
“If Noah knew I was here he’d show up and block me. Can’t really blame him, because I don’t feel so good right now. I should go home.”
“You really want to?”
Bennett looks over, expression changing as he spots us.
It turns Nax around, his easy smile so handsome. “Ladies! Ready to get your asses kicked?”
Christina grins and grabs my elbow to keep me from leaving, calling back to him, “Them’s fighting words!”
Bennett opens an arm for her to strut into as he warns her, “I’m afraid I won’t go easy on you.”
She laughs, “As if you ever do,” and receives a kiss that makes my insides scream I want that!
To their sons Josh says, “We’re going in, guys. They’re here.”
As Josh heads for the entrance without greeting us, arm reaching for Will, Tempest’s face becomes an opaque mask. Not the reaction she was hoping for, I’m sure of it.
And me? No wow in Nax’s eyes. Nothing. Only promised rivalry.
Hmm…
That’s good.
This will be a friendly match. I can let my guard down. I’m just here for mini golf with friends. Easy peasy.
Sunlight turns Nax’s sea-blue eyes into a paler blue as he holds a ticket out for me, smiling, “We got your tickets.”
Taking it, I raise my eyebrows. “We?”
“Yeah. We each got two adults, one kid.”
Glancing to Tempest, noting that it means Josh bought hers, I thank Nax and lock eyes with him to add, “That was nice of you.”
“I’m a gentleman.”
Bennett smirks, “You can’t call yourself a gentleman.”
“Just did.”
“You own it. You don’t say it.”
“I did both.”
“You’re an idiot.”
“You’re uptight.”
“I’ve got standards.”
“I’ve got these.” Nax dances his pec muscles in a steady beat.
Bennett roll his eyes. “I can do that, too.”
“Do it!”
“No.”
“Because you can’t.”
“Because I’m not an idiot.” Taking Christina’s hand he follows Josh’s lead that it’s time to play. We all do, and I stay beside Tempest, both of us watching as Josh walks back to hand her one without a hello.
“Thank you,” she frowns.
He nods, and turns his back to us, walking into an urban course with upscale landscaping, fitting for Manhattan. There are no clown mouths to aim for or windmills to hit — the coolest thing here is a cave — but what it lacks in tricks it makes up for in a view of the harbor, sunlight making diamonds of water peaks every time you stop to look.
At the first hole, Joe, Nax’s son, readies his aim, blue eyes flicking to me. “Wouldn’t it be great if they had dinosaurs here, Zia?”
Will perks up with recognition. “You were our guide at the museum!”
“Duh! You just figured that out?!” Joe takes his shot, making a hole in one. “Woohoo! Did ya see that, Dad?”
Nax claps with a huge grin. “Way to raise the bar for all of us, kid!” He mutters to Bennett, “Your boy is the brain. Mine is the braun. He’s got natural athletic ability, as you can see.”
“That’s great.”
“You know it’s true.”
“You know what I know? That I care nothing about sports.” He waits until Elliot takes his shot, next, and we all follow its flight into a water feature. “That’s the braun! Well done, Elliot!”
“I didn’t get it anywhere near the hole,” Elliot mutters, disappointed and head tilted by confusion.
“But such power!”
“Really?”
“Sure! Now go get that ball.”
Will says to Josh, “Dad, look at this!” and takes a swing that sends his golf ball over the park’s fence, out of the course altogether. “Power!”
Bennett smirks, “You’re welcome.”
Josh cuts a look to his ginger friend, then tells his son, “Go get it, Will. I’ll watch you from here.”
“I don’t wanna go out there alone!”
But before Josh knows what’s happening, Tempest offers, “I’ll help you,” and they walk away with Will reenacting his move for her. “I hit it and pow! Flying over the fence! I aimed for it!”
“You’re very strong,” she laughs, “I’ve never been able to do that.”
As I place my ball and ready my swing, distance begins to mute their conversation but before it does I hear him ask, “You tried?” and her answer, “Yes, once. To beat my brother.”
Christina tightens her ponytail on a laugh, telling everyone still here, “She hit the fence and Mom made Dad get the ball since he’d egged them on. It was hilarious.”
Eyeing the hole, I aim, swing, the result highly unimpressive, but Nax claps, “Great job!”
With amused suspicion, I lock eyes with him. “Don’t placate me.”
“Not placating. Supporting!”
“Oh okay.”
“Look, it’s my turn. See if you can support me, okay?”
“See if I can?”
“Give it a go.” Rolling his shoulders he says, “See how it feels.”
“I’m very supportive.”
“Then why can’t you spot it when it’s aimed at you?”
My mouth clamps.
He takes a swing, doesn’t do much better, and for a moment it’s clear Nax is surprised.
I clap my ass off, shouting at the top of my lungs, “Woohoo!!! Great job! Amazing work!”
He shoots me a smirk, “Subtle.”
I toss back one of my own. “Just showing how supportive I can be.”
From then on, every time Nax swings or I do, we go ballistic with cheering, outdoing each other’s last round of ‘support’ until we’re cracking up even Josh. Neither of us plays well, but by the final hole, strangers have caught on
