Forget Me

by K. A. Harrington

  I took a deep breath, lined up the putt, and went for it. It hit the bricks where I wanted and missed the hole by an inch. But I tapped it in for an easy two.

  Reece went next and also scored a two. I chewed my lip. If only he’d gotten a three, then I’d be in the clear lead. Evan would probably get a three or a two himself.

  “What happens in the event of a tie?” Reece asked.

  “We skip a round,” Evan answered, not looking up from his club. “Though that won’t be necessary.”

  With a metallic click, his putter gently hit the ball. I thought it was too soft at first, but then it ricocheted off the bricks right where mine had . . . and rolled into the hole.

  Evan smiled. “I win.”

  I had to admit, that smile was pretty sexy. And infectious. Every time he flashed it, I had to smile back, like my body had an involuntary response.

  “So who are you going to ask?” Reece said, adding under his breath, “Obvious.”

  Evan gripped the handle of his putter with both hands. “Morgan.”

  I stiffened. “Go ahead.”

  He barely even paused. “Had you ever seen me before the night of Reece’s party?”

  CHAPTER 11

  I didn’t know what I’d been expecting, but that question wasn’t it. It was interesting, though, and I didn’t know how to respond. I had seen Evan online, yeah, but that didn’t count. He meant in person.

  “No,” I answered. “Why do you ask?”

  He made a tsk-tsk gesture with his finger. “You don’t get to ask a question until you win a hole.”

  I groaned playfully at his rules, but inside my mind was racing. He wouldn’t have asked that unless he thought there was a chance I had seen him before. Why would he think that?

  “Next hole!” Toni called, racing ahead of us.

  On this one, we had to launch the ball up a metal slide and through a clown’s mouth. Clowns are creepy in general, but this one was even more so, because it was (a) giant, (b) made of paint-chipped plastic, and (c) missing an eyeball. Toni took three tries to get up the clown’s tongue/slide, then two more to get in the hole. I was starting to wonder how much of it was an act to help me win and how much she just sucked at mini golf.

  I lined up at the tee, took a couple of practice swings, then hit. I knew right away it was a good putt—not too much power, just enough. It went through the clown’s mouth and right into the hole.

  I spun around to face Evan. “What do they call that? Oh yeah, a hole-in-one.”

  He smirked. “Too bad this will be a tie.”

  “Don’t count on it,” I replied in a singsong tone.

  Reece scored a two, staying consistent.

  Evan went next. He took off his jacket and tossed it onto a bench. Underneath he was wearing a plain black T-shirt. As he lined up his shot, my eyes traveled up his forearms and biceps, to the broad shoulder muscles stretching along his back. Reece had mentioned that Evan was a “power hitter” in baseball. It was easy to imagine how good those muscles looked with the shirt off.

  Evan glanced at me over his shoulder, as if he could feel my eyes burning into him. I blushed and looked away. Lovely. He’d caught me virtually undressing him. That’s not embarrassing at all.

  Evan hit the ball and I forced myself to focus, readying for the plunk as it dropped into the hole. But the telltale sound didn’t come. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

  Had I . . . rattled him?

  He needed two more putts to get it in.

  “How many was that, Evan?” I joked. “I lost count.”

  He folded his arms across his chest. “Ask your question.”

  I decided to fire back the same one. “Had you ever seen me before the party at Reece’s?”

  Evan blinked quickly, showing a slight slip in his confident composure. “In person?” he asked.

  I nodded, surprised that he had the same thought process I’d had.

  “No,” he said.

  He seemed honest in his answer, but also taken aback by my question. And now it was my turn to wonder. With his “in person” clarification, he’d obviously seen me somewhere.

  “Come on, you guys,” Reece called from the next hole.

  Toni had already finished by the time Evan and I caught up.

  “I got a three!” she called.

  This hole had a windmill, and you had to get your ball in the door and through the base of the structure. When the course had been open, the windmill was motorized and the blades spun, adding an extra challenge. I’d always been great at this hole. I was patient and had good timing. But now only two of the three blades remained and they didn’t move, taking the challenge away.

  “Why don’t I start going second,” Reece suggested. “Since you guys seem to have this thing going on.”

  That would also conveniently give Reece more time to hang out with Toni at the other end of each hole while they waited for Evan and me to finish.

  Toni didn’t seem too perturbed by the suggestion, so I said, “Sure. Maybe I can intimidate Evan more playing back-to-back.”

  Evan laughed from behind me. “You can try . . .”

  I kicked at a loose brick while I waited for Reece to finish. I didn’t pay attention to his score, but I doubted he was even paying attention. Reece and Toni had seemed to accept that this truth wager was just between Evan and me now.

  Reece finished and sauntered over to the other side. Toni swept her hair to the side and flashed him a huge smile. I was glad she was being nice like I’d asked. And Reece had used my tips. He wore jeans and a long-sleeve button-down shirt. No overpowering cologne, no gaudy sunglasses. His hair even looked better—lightly tousled instead of hard and spiky. He whispered something in her ear and she laughed. Not her fake laugh, either, because I knew the difference.

  Now if only I could figure out why Evan looked at me like I was a big mystery, the night would be a complete success.

  I was about to line up my shot when Evan walked to the middle of the green. “What are you trying to do,” I said, “distract me?”

  “Could I?” he asked with a flirty smile.

  I really wished he hadn’t caught me checking him out.

  “I’m just thinking we should keep it traditional.” He reached out and spun the blades of the windmill manually. “Unless you’re afraid of a little challenge.”

  I hid my grin. “Go for it.”

  Evan kept the blades spinning and I watched them, mentally calculating the distance and speed, waiting patiently for my chance. When I had it, I gave the ball a moderate hit with the club. It went straight, right between the blades and through the open door.

  Evan jumped around the windmill to watch it come out the other side. It landed a foot away from the hole. I tapped it in for a two.

  “Not bad,” Evan said.

  I smiled wickedly. “Your turn.”

  Evan stood at the tee and waited for me to start spinning the blades. I wouldn’t cheat. I’d keep the speed steady and consistent. But to reach the windmill without standing on the green itself, I had to tilt way over. I planted my feet on the bricks and leaned forward. My shirt rose slightly as I spun the blades. I felt a kiss of cold air as an inch of skin was exposed to the air.

  Evan’s eyes were on me.

  He putted and the ball bounced off a blade, knocking it into the corner of the green. He muttered a curse under his breath, and I snickered. It took him three more putts to get it in. His worst score yet.

  I strolled up to him. “I believe this one’s mine.”

  He inhaled deeply. “Go for it.”

  “Why did you want to see me tonight?”

  “Can’t a guy want to be set up with a pretty girl?” That dimple formed again.

  Flattery wouldn’t sway me. I looked straight at him. “The real reason.”


  He met my gaze, his eyes searching mine for something. He hesitated, far too long for his answer to be honest. “You intrigue me.”

  We stared at each other for several heartbeats. “How so?” I asked.

  He held two fingers up. “That’s two questions.”

  “This one’s awesome, guys! Come on!” Toni was bouncing up and down at the next tee.

  I wasn’t satisfied with Evan’s answer, but he walked off and joined Toni and Reece. I’d have to win another hole and figure out a different approach with a new question.

  The next hole had been my favorite before this place closed. It opened with a drawbridge over a water hazard. The small pond used to be the brightest color of blue. I’d thought it was magic until my parents explained that it was just dye. In any case, that beautiful crystal water was now green and thick with algae. Over the drawbridge was a big plastic castle. When you walked inside, it was like you were in a cave. It had felt so cool and refreshing on those hot summer days. Now there was probably a family of rodents living inside. I wasn’t planning to linger.

  Toni shot first and did horribly, as usual. Reece went next, then joined her in the castle. Toni’s giggle echoed from the darkness.

  “Am I clear to shoot?” I yelled. I didn’t need my hole-in-one ruined when the ball bounced off one of them.

  Their shadows moved out of the castle and onto the cracked sidewalk behind it. “The green is clear, Miss Serious Golfer!” Toni yelled back.

  Then Reece swore, and I heard muttered sighs of disappointment.

  “What’s going on?” Evan shouted.

  “The lower half of the course is flooded!” Reece said. “This is the last playable hole!”

  Damn it. I had to win this one. I needed more answers.

  Evan stepped closer. “No pressure,” he whispered over my shoulder.

  I closed my eyes and breathed deeply through my nose. I wouldn’t let him get to me. I focused, lifted the club just a tad, and swung. It was a good, strong hit. The ball had no problem getting over the drawbridge and into the castle.

  Evan held his arm out. “Let’s see where you ended up.”

  We walked over the bridge and peeked into the castle. My ball was against the wall, in a very bad position.

  “Oh, that’s too bad,” Evan teased. “You can move it away from the wall one club-head length.”

  “Thanks, Rules Man,” I mocked, though I knew the rule, too. I’d played here enough. I placed the ball out, but my shot was still tough. I hit it, hoping for a miracle, and didn’t get one. Another putt got the ball in, giving me a total of three. The best I could hope for was a tie.

  Evan grinned, resting the club on his shoulder. “My turn.”

  My jaw clenched. I followed him out of the castle and stood on the bricks lining the drawbridge. His first putt got him over the bridge easily. I squinted into the darkness of the castle. He was stuck in the same position I’d been, against the wall.

  “Good luck,” I said mockingly.

  “Don’t need it,” he said back.

  On the surface he looked just like Flynn, but the more I watched him, the more I saw the differences. Whereas Flynn was skittish and wary, Evan had an easy way about him. Flynn’s look was a bit wild and unkempt, and Evan’s was cleaned up and controlled. But I had to admit, Evan was hot. The kind of hot that made you feel light-headed and happy and maybe a tiny bit scared. Like cresting the first hill on a roller coaster.

  He placed the ball one club-head length away from the wall, lined up his shot, and took it. I closed my eyes, hoping for a miss. But the telltale sound told me it had gone in. He won.

  I opened my eyes to Evan standing right in front of me.

  “Why did you shine the flashlight in my face at the party?” he asked.

  “I wanted to see who you were.” If you were my dead ex-boyfriend.

  Evan raised his eyebrows. “And was I who you were expecting?”

  I held up two fingers. “That’s two questions.”

  With a laugh, he returned to the hole and grabbed both of the golf balls. He came back to the bridge and handed mine to me, his finger grazing the skin on my hand, sending a tingling charge throughout my entire body.

  I stepped back, almost involuntarily, forgetting that I was on the narrow bridge above the pond. Remembering in midstep, I tried to regain my footing. But the bricks were slick and my foot slipped. I stuck my arms out for balance, but it was too late. I was falling backward. My eyes widened. I opened my mouth to scream.

  Evan threw himself forward and grabbed my arms, in an automatic response. He pulled me toward him, roughly, and I landed face-first against his chest. My senses were all on overdrive from the shock of nearly falling. And now they were overwhelmed with him. I could hear his heart beating. His chest rose as he took a deep, relieved breath.

  “Sorry,” he said, releasing me. “I hope I didn’t grab you too hard.”

  I slowly pulled back. My pulse raced as I looked into his eyes, Flynn’s eyes. But then he smiled and Flynn was gone again, though my heart kept racing. I looked over my shoulder at the gross muck I nearly fell into. It was probably only four feet deep. I wouldn’t have drowned, but I could’ve easily come out diseased.

  Evan smirked proudly. “I saved you from a messy, algae-related end.”

  Finally finding my voice, I put my hand over my heart and said, “My hero.”

  Toni ran over. “Are you okay? I saw you nearly fall in!”

  I stepped away from Evan and walked off the little bridge. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  “Gotta love those fast baseball reflexes,” Reece said. Then he launched into a story about how he was playing first base and caught a foul line drive that would’ve “killed” the kid sitting on the bench if he’d missed it. I thought it was a tad overdramatic, but he was clearly trying any angle to win Toni over.

  We walked slowly back to our cars and I wondered what would happen now. Would we go to dinner? It felt too soon to end the night. I wanted to spend more time with Evan, find out more about him. He strode beside me silently. I wished I could hear what he was thinking.

  He touched my elbow, stopping me. “Hey . . .” He spoke softly, like this was a conversation only for me.

  I let Reece and Toni walk ahead a few steps, putting some distance between us.

  “What?” I asked.

  Now that the night was coming to an end, Evan’s eyes were less playful and more determined. He licked his lips nervously. “Do you . . . trust me?”

  Our eyes locked. Yes, I thought immediately, though I didn’t know why. I barely knew this guy and he obviously had his share of secrets. “Why?” I said instead.

  “Because, after tonight, I feel like I can trust you. But I’m not sure.”

  “Trust me with what?” I asked. We obviously both had secrets. That’s why we were playing that game tonight, warily dancing around each other’s words.

  He scratched the back of his neck. “If I show you my cards, will you show me yours?”

  The game continues . . .

  “I’ll put them on the table,” I said. “But you first.”

  “Fine,” he agreed. “Let’s meet tomorrow. Just the two of us.” His eyes darkened. “I have something you need to see.”

  CHAPTER 12

  I told Evan I would meet him back at the mini-golf course at noon, so I got there early to take some pictures. Last night had been interesting to say the least. I’d been shocked enough that Evan had wanted to go out with me. But it turned out that he was the one who wanted to figure me out. I couldn’t stop wondering what he had to show me.

  I pulled my camera out of its bag at the first green. I laughed again at the interesting choice of graffiti on the boulder and zoomed in. Click. That creepy clown was a must-shoot, so I went to that hole next. I took a wide shot and a midshot, but that face was begging fo
r a low angle close-up. I knelt on the green turf and checked the display. Not good enough. If I were a bit lower, the open mouth would seem even more menacing. I lay flat on my belly. My shirt would probably be nasty after this, but the photo was worth it. Propping myself on my elbows, I framed and took the shot. Click. Perfect.

  That would be one of my favorites, I already knew it. I got up and dusted myself off, then walked to the castle. I knew yesterday that I had to have a photo of this. Once the glorious (by mini-golf standards) highlight of the course, it was now peeling and sad, surrounded by a moat of algae instead of magical blue water.

  I focused, then pulled the zoom back to fit the entire castle in the frame. Click. I wondered what kind of shot I could get of the inside with this light. I walked up the drawbridge and paused, remembering a moment from yesterday. Before I nearly fell in the water like an idiot. In that brief instant, after Evan touched my hand, I’d felt sparks. It sounded cliché, but there it was. Sparks. Anytime we spoke during the whole date, the air seemed to crackle between us.

  With a guilty lump in my throat, I pushed those thoughts away. Toni had spent the rest of last night trying to convince me that I should not only move on, but move on with Evan. As much as she’d hated Flynn, she immediately liked his “non-evil twin” as she called him. But I couldn’t go there. Flynn had been dead only three months. I should’ve still been in mourning, not swooning over someone new.

  “Trying to fall again?” a voice called out. “Be careful, because I might not make it in time to rescue you.”

  I straightened and looked over my shoulder to see Evan standing fifty feet away, wearing the same jeans and black fleece as the night before. And the same sexy grin.

  I held up my camera. “Just taking some photos.”

  He moved closer, interested. “Cool hobby.”

  “Yeah. And job. I take pictures for the local newspaper sometimes. But this”—I motioned to the rotting golf course—“is for my personal collection.”