Im not angry, he said, and Jenks snorted his opinion. Im simply changing my plans. For all his backward thinking, Limbcus is right about one thing, he said, glancing at me. If youre going to be on the fairways, you should know how to play. I was going to teach you is all.
My heart seemed to catch before it thudded all the louder. Me? I stammered, shooting Jenks a look to shut up when he darted backward in glee. I dont want to know how to play golf. He wants to teach me golf?
Undeterred, Trent looped an arm in mine, the bag over his shoulder thumping into me. Ive got an old driving range in one of the pastures. Ill get it mowed and you can practice your drives until this gets worked out, he said. He turned to Kevin and shook his hand. Kevin, give Jonathan a call later this afternoon and Ill courier over the funds for the game. He winced, but it was clear he was in a better mood. I had no idea why. This is going to be expensive.
Thank you, the young man said, all nervous smiles as he pumped Trents arm up and down. And again, Im sorry about all of this.
Trent touched the tip of his golf cap and turned us around. His cleats clicked on the pavement, and my face felt hot. I dont want to know how to play golf, I repeated, but Trents pace remained unaltered as we walked to the SUV hed bought to cart his kids around in. Why did he want to teach me golf?
Jonathan stared at us from the open back, and I yanked myself out of Trents grip. It only made Trent smile all the wider, hair falling to half hide his eyes. Jenkss laughter as he pantomimed a golf swing as he hovered wasnt helping. God, I wasnt stupid! Trent was going to marry Ellasbeth as soon as he was done punishing her for walking away from the altar the first time. But that kiss wed shared three months ago hung in my memory. He hadnt been drunkId swear to itbut that didnt mean it hadnt been a mistake. You couldnt be two things. Id tried, and it didnt work. And I wouldnt be his mistress. I was better than that.
Damn it, Im babbling.
You dont have to boycott them on account of me, I said as we neared the SUV. Jenks darted to my car in the shade, and Trents posture relaxed. He liked the pixy, but Jenks was noisy.
Im not, he said softly as he handed his clubs to Jonathan. I dont want to be out here without someone watching my back, and Ive seen their security. That ball shouldnt have exploded. Not with that little tap you gave it. Youre going to get it checked out?
I nodded, and reminded it was still in his bag, I went to get it. A chill took me as I held the prickly, twisted mass of rubber and plastic, and I looked out over the overdone green luxury, glad that distance and vegetation hid us from most of the prying eyes. Id never liked it out here, but Id thought it was the snobby attitudes. Maybe it was more. Im going to ask Al about it.
Trent jerked at the mention of Algaliarept, a new light in his eye making me wonder if he wanted to come with me. Sahan? Jonathan questioned, and the look died as Trent took the dress shoes he was holding out.
Just calling it early, Jon, Trent said, his voice holding a new weariness. I got a text about a misfired charm in one of the off-site labs and want to check it out personally.
You need me? I asked, and Jenkss dust sparkled from halfway across the lot. He had very good hearing.
But Trent only smiled. No, but thanks. Those things are almost foolproof, and I want to talk personally to the man who got burned. Make sure Im not being scammed.
I nodded, my creep factor rising at the siren coming from the nearby interstate.
I heard shouting, Jonathan prompted, clearly unconvinced as Trent sat on the tailgate and unlaced his shoes.
We took care of it. Trent stopped. Hunched over his feet to look both out of reach and totally accessible, he tilted his head and eyed Jonathan, clearly wanting him to leave.
Jonathans thin lips screwed up as if hed eaten something sour. Back ramrod straight, he stalked to the passenger side and got in, slamming the door in protest. Trents lips quirked and he went back to his shoes. Jonathan could still hear us but at least he wasnt staring. The wind was catching in Trents hair to make me want to smooth it out.
Stop it, Rachel.
My car was three spaces down and across the lot, but I was reluctant to leave. Trent looked weary, the sun full on his face and his green eyes squinting as he took a cleated shoe off and slipped his dress shoe on. I remembered how hed stuck up for me, and something in me fluttered. It had been happening a lot lately. Dont get involved, Rachel. You know its because hes out of reach.
Trent stood, cleats in his hand. Let me know what you find out.
Tomorrow. Unless its bad news, I said, and Trent shut the back of the SUV.
Tomorrow, Trent affirmed as he came closer, and my smile froze. I wasnt sure what he was going to do. Thanks for today, he said softly as he gave my hands a squeeze.
Youre welcome, I said, wanting to acknowledge it but afraid to, and his grip fell away. Professional. I was professional. Hed been nothing but professional back to me ever since that kiss, his mouth tasting of wine and me breathless and wanting to know how long it took to get him undressed. I knew that he was going to marry Ellasbeth, that he had a standard to live up to that didnt include a local girl with a crazy mom and pop-star dad.
But he kept touching me. And I kept wanting him to.
Jenks was picking the bugs out of my car grille with his sword and shoving them off with his foot. Meeting my eyes, he made a get-on-with-it gesture, but Trent wasnt making any motion to leave and I didnt know what he wanted. Ill talk to you later then, I said, rocking back a step.
Right. Later. Head down, Trent started to go, then he turned back unexpectedly. Rachel, are you available tonight?
I continued to back up, going toe-heel, toe-heel, not watching where I was going. There it was again. Professional, but not. My first response was to turn him down, but I could use the money and I had promised Quen Id look after him. Jenkss dust flashed an irritated red at the delay, and I said, Sure. Business or casual business?
Casual, Trent said, and I put my hands in my pockets. Ten okay? Ill pick you up.
He was going to want to nap around midnight, so whatever it was, itd be over by then. Either that, or it was a meeting with someone on a night schedule that couldnt be tweaked.
Ten, I said, confirming it. Where are we going?
Trents head ducked, and spinning on a heel, he walked to his SUV. Bowling! he shouted, not looking back.
Fine, dont tell me, I muttered. It didnt matter. Id be wearing something black and professional no matter where we went. The kite show, a horse event, the park with Ellasbeth when she came to pick up or drop off the girls and Trent didnt want her on the grounds. Even an overnight trip out of state for business. I liked doing stuff with Trent, but I always felt like a cog out of place. As I shouldI was his security, not his girlfriend.
Oh, for sweet ever loving Tink! Jenks complained when I got to my car. Are you done yet? Ive got stuff to do this afternoon.
Were done, I said softly as I slipped in behind the wheel of my little red MINI Cooper. Trent was backing up, and I waited as he leaned across a stiff-looking Jonathan and shouted out the open window, Let me know what Al says!, before putting it in drive and heading for the interstate. If Quen had been here, he wouldve insisted on driving, but Jonathan could be swayed and I knew Trent liked his independencenot that he had that much.
Al, huh? Jenks said, suddenly interested as I sat behind the wheel and watched Trent leave. You think thats a good idea? Jenks asked again, now hovering inches before my nose.
I leaned forward to start my car. He can tell me if there was a charm on it, I said, and Jenks landed on the rearview mirror, distrust and unease falling from him in an orangey dust. I was tired, annoyed, and I didnt like the unsettled, more-than-being-said feeling I was getting from Trent. It shouldnt have exploded, I added, and Jenkss wings slowly fanned in agreement.
If someone was targeting Trent, I wanted to know. It was worth bothering Al over, though hed just tell me to let the man die.
That ball shouldnt have exploded.
Two
The sun was a slow flash through Cincinnatis buildings as I fought afternoon traffic headed for the bridge and the Hollows beyond. The interstate was clogged, and it was easier to simply settle in behind a truck in the far right lane and make slow and steady progress than to try and maintain the posted limit by weaving in and out of traffic.
If someone was targeting Trent, I wanted to know. It was worth bothering Al over, though hed just tell me to let the man die.
That ball shouldnt have exploded.
Two
The sun was a slow flash through Cincinnatis buildings as I fought afternoon traffic headed for the bridge and the Hollows beyond. The interstate was clogged, and it was easier to simply settle in behind a truck in the far right lane and make slow and steady progress than to try and maintain the posted limit by weaving in and out of traffic.
My radio was on, but it was all news and none of it good. The misfired charm at Trents facility wasnt the only one this morning, and so far down on the drama scale that it hadnt even been noticed, pushed out by the cooking class in intensive care for massive burns and the sudden collapse of a girder slamming through the roof of a coffeehouse and injuring three. The entire east side of the 71 corridor was a mess, making me think my sand-trap crater had been part of something bigger. Misfires werent that common, usually clustered by the batch and never linked only by space and time.
Jenks was silent, a worried green dust hazing him as he rested on the rearview mirror. But when the story changed to a cleaning crew found dead, the apparent cause being brain damage from a sudden lack of fat in their bodies, I turned it off in horror.
Jenkss heels thumped the glass. Thats nasty.
I nodded, anxious now to get home and turn on the news. But even as I tried not to think about how painful it would be to die from a sudden lack of brain tissue, my mind shifted. Was I really seeing what I thought I was in Trent, or was I simply projecting what I wanted? I mean, the man had everything but the freedom to be what he wanted. Why would he want . . . me? And yet, there it was, refusing to go away.