Page 51 of The Other Plan

With a smirk and a little reminder that I wasn’t one to give up easily, I petted her dog on the head and said goodbye before jumping in my car to get back to my hotel. After getting showered then dressed in the plaid pants and sweater vest Valentina had given to me, I took a quick look in the mirror.

Pink. She had me wearing pink plaid pants and a pink vest over a white polo. Not exactly the best look on me to go and seduce Jenna again.

With no other choice but to do what the bride wanted, I headed off to Peninsula State Park Golf Course, where we’d all agreed to meet at eleven.

“Over here!” Eric called when he saw me get out of my car. He stood by the golf cart parking lot with the rest of the guys in our golf party. I had to swallow down my guttural groan when I saw they were all wearing the exact same outfit as me.

Seriously, Valentina?

Though I was embarrassed I’d be in a group of guys all matchy-matchy today, I supposed it was better than being the one guy rocking the pink plaid pants like a lone weirdo all day.

“Glad you could make it.” Eric gripped my hand when I got to him. “Should be a fun day. The girls are all up in the clubhouse shopping.” He rolled his eyes. “They’ll be out soon, and we can pair up into teams of four. We were going to do guys against girls teams, but most of the bridesmaids haven’t golfed, so we didn’t think that’d be fair. Instead, we’ll pair off in teams of two, one golfer one non-golfer, and do two carts per hole.”

I motioned for him to come closer. “Is Jenna here?”

He nodded, then narrowed his eyes in a curious stare. “Yep.”

A smirk tugged up the corner of my mouth. “I’m gonna need a favor then. Make sure she’s paired with me.”

The same mirth that had sparkled in his eyes a hundred times when we’d been up to no good returned. It was the same look he’d had in college when I’d suggested we ditch out on the last week and road trip to Tijuana. The same look he’d had when I’d proposed streaking through the senior year homecoming game. The same look he’d always get when I knew he had my back no matter what crazy thing I had in mind.

“You got it, brother. Consider it a done deal.”

He reached out his hand, and I took it, giving it an exaggerated shake while I placed a palm on his shoulder. “Thanks, man.”

He leaned in. “I’m guessing this means things went well yesterday?”

With a soft shrug, I answered, “Yeah. And no. But they’re gonna go well tonight if you get me in that cart with her.”

He pulled back and grinned. “Then let’s get it done.”

“Honey!” Valentina called from the pro shop situated just above the golf car parking lot. “Do you want a blue or black Pen Park Golf hat?”

“Whatever you think is best, sweetie,” he answered.

“Okay, blue then! I’m gonna get you the matching hoodie and socks too.”

I shot him a look and stifled my chuckle.

“Shut up,” he joked. “I gave up fighting her buying clothes for me years ago. Some day when you’re married, you’ll understand.”

Someday when I’m married.

It was crazy to think that I’d almost been. It seemed another life I’d lived going home to Camilla every night and planning a future with her... starting a family with her. I’d already been mostly recovered from the breakup before I’d arrived, but one look at Jenna and Camilla’s face seemed to have been erased from my memory completely. Like the past ten years hadn’t happened, and I’d just had one long blink that had brought me back into Jenna’s arms.

The women filed out of the clubhouse wearing matching pink skirts and white polos the same shade as our plaid pants and vests. At least their outfits looked normal and not like the caricatures of golfers like me and the boys.

And then I saw Jenna step out to the side of the group.

Her eyes went wide for a moment when she saw me, then quickly, she looked away, pretending to laugh at something Cameron said.

“We’re ready!” Lydia called as they walked down the path toward us. “Jason, the manager, said just take whatever carts we need, and he’ll send the beverage cart around several times.”

“I love the beverage cart.” Eric grinned. “Best part about golfing.”

“I hear that,” I agreed, excited to have a couple beers and have some fun today... fun tormenting Jenna.

Valentina came up to his side and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You’re gonna love your new stuff. Jason’s gonna put it in our car. I also got you some new club covers, a visor, and the cutest little Pen Park Golf shot glasses.”