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Claire laughed, a twittering sound like tiny silver bells. “Lame, right? I’m just on vacation and wanted to see what the local attractions were. This strip along the beach is fantastic. I ate at the best seafood place.”
Austin smiled. “The Shrimp Next Door?”
Claire’s hand flew to her mouth. “How did you know?”
“We ate there a couple of nights ago.”
At the motion toward Dani, Claire’s gaze finally landed on her. Her smile didn’t change, but the mood shifted and Claire’s eyes narrowed a fraction of an inch. “Oh. Who is this?”
“I’m sorry, how rude of me. Claire, this is Dani. She’s…a friend.”
Dani flinched. It wasn’t the way he’d said friend. She knew she had put herself firmly in the friend zone when he’d subtly asked if she was taken, and she said yes. No, it was the way he’d paused before he said it, like he wasn’t exactly sure what to call her. Like he was uncomfortable being caught on what looked like a date with her.
Claire continued to smile, although it was now forced. “A friend? How sweet.” She sounded like she was talking to a three-year-old. She blinked, then took a step back. “Wait, I know you. You’re Danica Jordan.”
All Dani could do was nod and wait for whatever reaction this woman would have. She was used to all of them. There was the instant friendship kind. Those were the people who wanted something from you, or wanted to be seen with you. Those people would suck up to you until they sucked you dry. And then there were those who hated you just because of your name or money. She could usually tell from the hardening of their gaze. But Claire hid her reaction quite well behind a mask of carefully controlled expression. “How nice.”
Austin rubbed the back of his neck and gave Dani a look that she couldn’t quite interpret. “Claire and I went to the same high school.”
Claire wrapped her hand around his arm. “He’s being shy. We were high school sweethearts.”
Of course they were. Dani tried not to react, but she couldn’t help but feel like Claire had just hit the side of her head with her golf club. “How nice,” she found herself saying, echoing what Claire had said moments before.
Chapter 15
Austin tried to swallow the brick-like lump in his throat, but it wouldn’t go down. What was Claire, of all people, doing there? He hadn’t thought about her in years. How odd to see her after so long. But she was now clinging to him, and he definitely didn’t want to give Dani the wrong idea about them. There was nothing between him and Claire.
There hardly had been back in high school as well. He’d liked her for a couple of weeks, but after he got to know her better, he realized she was not his type. At all. He took a step back from her and she had no choice but to break contact. “We dated,” he said, then added on a quick, “A few times.”
He glanced at the group of teens who were now waiting for them to get done with this hole. “Well, we’d better get going.”
Claire’s smile cooled. “I haven’t seen you in so long, and I feel a little silly here by myself. Mind if I join you two?” She put her hand back on his arm. “That is, if this isn’t a date.”
Was it a date? He glanced at Dani. If he had his choice, it totally would be a date. But she’d made it clear yesterday that she was taken. No matter what he wished, he couldn’t put Dani in an awkward position and lie to Claire.
“No, i-it’s not a date,” he stammered. Oh, boy. The last thing he needed was to start stuttering again. He’d really look like an idiot. He’d had a stutter all through grade school, which had made his life a living nightmare. Thank goodness he was able to drop it after speech therapy. At least, he didn’t stutter anymore unless he got flustered. Which was happening right now. He wiped the sweat off his forehead.
“Perfect,” Claire said, looping her arm through his. “I’m excited to catch up.”
This wasn’t going to go well, he could tell right now. Claire had always been strong-willed. If she put her mind to something, she always got it. Back in high school, he’d been the object of her designs for a couple of months until Jake broke the school’s record for the highest-scoring basketball game, and she turned her affection toward him.
Where was Jake when he needed him?
“Which high school did you guys go to?” Dani asked, trailing behind them.
“Knotwood High School,” Claire answered without turning to look at Dani. She patted Austin’s hand. “Ooh, look, it’s a loop-ty-loop thing. Can I try it first?”
Before he said anything, she plopped her ball down and whacked it. It shot off the green, flew between the bushes, and landed on the mulch between holes. She put her hand up to her mouth and giggled. “Oops. I guess I need more practice.”
“That’s okay,” he said as he walked to her ball and fetched it. “You can try again. Just take a moment to aim before you hit it.” He bent next to her and placed it back on the starting point.
Claire leaned over her club, sticking out her bottom. She stared at the loop. “Hmm. I’m not sure I can make this one. Maybe you should show me how to do it.”
Before he could react, she grabbed him and tugged him behind her, so his arms were around her and he was pressed up against her. He jumped back, his face heating. The last thing he wanted to do was show Claire how to hit the ball.
“Actually,” he said, trying to stall so he could think of something to say. Brilliance hit. “Dani’s much better at this than I am. She can give you pointers.” He shoved Dani toward Claire.
Dani looked a bit stunned at first, but she took her place behind Claire. “Sure. I can show you.” She leaned closer and put her hand on Claire’s club, moving it closer to the ball. “You just need to—”
