Every December [Soon to be Self Published]

Chapter 23

Austin

The dinner with Ashley and Nick unfolds comfortably, and despite Nick's initial crush on me, he's a good guy. Maple, for some reason, seeks me out and waits for me to pick her up. She's like an oversized bowling ball and I divert her to Lydia, whom she seems to have no use for. But I get to see Lydia outside of our neat little hole we've dug the past couple of weeks.

She and Ashley are close, they laugh easily, and shows me how effortless friendships should be. It's something I don't get to do much, hang out with friends or couples. The events I attend are big, with photographers, media, and expensive champagne. I had forgotten that quiet nights like this exist.

"What are your plans for Christmas Eve?" Ashley asks. Maple is snug in her arms, sucking on a bottle, but her eyelids are growing heavy. Is this what my child will be like? Will he rest in my arms? How huge a fight will Brielle put up to keep our baby to herself? Because she is going to fight me every step of the way. She's going to come after everything from my time to my money.

"We hadn't really made plans," Lydia says, keeping her gaze on Ashley.

"Nick has a friend from when he was here as a kid, we're going to his family." Ashley smiles and stands. "Let me put her down. She's out."

It's true. The bottle releases from Maple's mouth.

Lydia yawns, and I nod at her.

"Think we'll head out," she says as Ashley comes back down the stairs.

We say our goodbyes. Hugs and handshakes. The evening couldn't have gone better for not knowing what to expect. I put my hand on the small of Lydia's back, eager to be alone with her. A glimpse of a future that's not ours hits me square in the center. Me, knowing she's in the crowd at a tournament. Me, stalking off the greens with the crowd watching, and going straight for her, having her walk next to me at the end of a tournament. Me, coming home to her after traveling and press conferences and practice.

It's not particularly late, but Lydia and I watch Snow Bride. I'm half paying attention to the plot of a woman pretending to be someone else while writing a story about the man she's falling in love with.

We just talk. So much. About everything, pausing to listen to a few lines of the movie.

Lydia tells me about her most memorable patients. I tell her about the weird things fans have done, like the hotel maid who waited for me in lingerie.

"Please tell me she was arrested," Lydia comments, situating the blanket around her.

"She was. She was escorted out in a hotel bathrobe."

"Do you ever hook up with these women? I mean they're at every game waiting for you to notice them. I'm sure you...notice."

I clear my throat. "I did, I do, but it's different now. I'm not 28. Actually, I once had a woman offer me a contract if I would sleep with her exclusively for three months. I didn't even know her last name. I also had a woman send me a photo of her son that she named after me and tried to pass off as my own, even though I'd never seen her before."

Lydia's gaze isn't disgusted. She looks sad. "Does it get old?"

"It's been old for a long time. When Brielle and I got together, I was ready for something that wasn't so temporary. I had several exes that lasted a few months, and just didn't go anywhere."

"I guess everyone has a bunch of maybes and nobodies before meeting the real thing." She shrugs and smiles. "But not as many as you."

"It's not my fault I'm really good at golf and get that kind of attention." A grin rides up my mouth and falters. "But I want to be up front with you that I thought Brielle was the start of a relationship that would turn into marriage, but somewhere in the last few months, before she cheated, I kept putting off that next step of going ring shopping. I was waiting until this year, when I was going to bring her out to New Hampshire. A few weeks ago she did have a plane ticket and I was intending for her to meet my father. What she did changed all that. Meg and Myla have changed that even more. I have a chance to get to know family."