“Appreciate that,” I say, then rack my brain for the best way out of this as I glance longingly at my office door. Maybe I can camp out in there all day? Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.
“I think we should all do it. Make it a whole thing,” Levi says, and that sounds horrifying.
“Yes! A fun night out for the team,” Hazel adds, right as the door blows open, like it’s flying off the hinges.
“Workplace bonding,” Zuri adds while a redheaded devil races toward us brandishing a to-go coffee cup. A redheaded devil who’s revealed my secret.
Irritation rushes through my veins.
But I need to snuff out this workplace bonding time right the fuck now. “I’d rather not have an office ka?—”
“Night golf!”
Blinking, I snap my gaze to Chloe, who locks eyes with me as she sets down her cup with a loud smack, adding, “Are you sure you don’t want to do night golf, Sawyer? I was telling them how much fun it was when I found you at the Duck Falls golf course last night.”
I could fucking kiss her.
She didn’t expose me. She saved me. “Yes, that was fun,” I manage to say.
“I didn’t even know they had night golf,” Zuri says.
“It was a special one-off event,” Chloe says, the wordsplay alongclearly written in her irises. Like I’d do anything else right now. “I told them all how they did a driving range under the lights. The blinking fairy lights were such a great touch. A whole special night out for members.”
She’s brilliant, and I’m a world-class idiot. Why didn’t I assume she’d told the cover up like she said she would?
Because you don’t trust people you’re into.
“It was pretty cool,” I say, nonchalant and cool. Like a boss who really does play golf instead of sing cover tunes.
Levi nudges me. “Member? Aren’t you Mister Fancy Pants?”
And I will take this teasing, thank you very much. I shrug sheepishly. “I like golf.”
At least that’s not a lie.
“I’ll say,” Zuri says with a whistle. “Member? Damn. Someone’s bougie.”
Hazel frowns. “Too bad. I thought it was a mini-golf thing. And we’d be doing night golf with windmills and waterwheels. Real golf is so boring.”
Levi nods. “Like, put me to sleep right now.”
“Let us know when you get a membership at a cool place like mini golf,” Zuri adds.
“I will,” I say, meaning it from the bottom of my relieved heart.
“Well, you don’t know what you’re missing,” Chloe says.
“I’ll have to trust you on that,” Levi says.
The Husky yaps again—a cue to get back to work. Another cue comes in the form of Salma who pushes open the door, Dandelion trotting by her side.
“Hey, Salma. Nice to see you two again,” I say, grateful to focus on the business.
“Dandelion practically pulled me here all the way from the market. She’s obsessed with this place.”
“That’s what we like to hear,” Zuri says, then toggles the mouse to wake up the computer screen. “Let me check you in.”
I head to my office and snick the door shut. I let out a long breath as I sink down in my chair.
