Chapter Nineteen
Aw fur coat and nae knickers: Saying, superficially cultured, dignified, classy and elegant but you’re actually common.
* * *
Hunter
Three days. Three long days since I’ve seen Eden. I feel like shit and look like shit.
“Concentrate, Hunter. Your form is way off this week. I need you to focus,” I hear Luke call out from behind me.
“Your lower body is overactive at the start of every downswing. You’re needing to close your stance dramatically to make that shot.”
“Argh.” My sudden outburst booms around the practice range in front. Simultaneously, I launch my golf club at high speed, and it sails through the air, landing hundreds of yards away from me as it falls to the grass with a thunk.
“Yup, that’s gonna fix your problem.” Luke laughs behind me. “Break?” He chuckles.
“My swing is screwed. Over, under, too short, off-balance. What the fuck is going on?”
“Your head’s not in the game, Hunter. I think if we go looking, we’ll find it in somewhere called The Garden of Eden. You’re fucking lost.”
Facing outward still, I rest my hands on my hips and exhale loudly with a growl.
“You always said you would never, not after Jess, let another woman jeopardize your game. But that’s what’s happening. Look at you. Just go and see her, make it right. There’s no way you can let her go. Not after how you’ve told me you feel about her. Just go see her.”
“No. I can’t. I was a dickhead to her the other night, and she probably hates me. And I need a plan to be with her and I can’t figure any of it out; none of it makes sense.” Turning around I make a beeline for the door and storm past Luke. “I’m taking the day off.”
“You can’t afford to have any more days off after this one. This is your last one. Go see if you can get a massage with one of the team. Loosen up,” he instructs.
I don’t need a fucking massage. I need her.
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”
As I stomp back to my cabin, I spot a limo pulling into reception. Someone must be checking in.
Getting closer, I catch a glance of a brassy blond with bright-red lipstick encased in a garish fur coat exiting the car. My stomach lurches. I would recognize that fucking gold digger anywhere. Well, doesn’t this week keep getting better and better? What the fuck is she doing here?
Thank you, fucking universe.
I continue stomping toward the limo.
“What are you doing here, Jess?” Completely out of character, my voice booms across the retreat. Clearly, I’ve lost all sense of myself this week.
Startled, Jess flounders on her sky-high red stiletto heels on the gravel.
As the words leave my mouth, Jax hangs his head out the limo door. Jax Parks. What the fuck? “Is she with you now?” I ask, my voice laced with confusion and anger.
“That’s no way to speak to the best agent you’ve ever had now, Hunter. C’mon, man.”
“I’ll fucking speak to you however I like; I pay you good money. What the fuck is she doing here?” I say, looking at Jax but pointing at Jess.
“Hunter, don’t be like that,” Jess purrs at me. “It’s really good to see you.”
“I wish I could say the same,” I scoff. “Is someone gonna tell me what the fuck is going on and why you are here, Jax?” I bellow.
Jax’s mouth twists in a smirk as he pulls a cigar from the inside of his oversized trench coat. The two of them look like something out of a bad ’50s detective movie. What the fuck did I ever see in her? Bile bubbles in my stomach at the very thought.
“C’mon, buddy, calm down. I was going to call you, but I thought it would be best speaking to you face-to-face. Yes, Jess and I are dating now. I didn’t want you to find out like this. I thought you’d be training, and I was going to come and see you later. We have a sponsorship deal to do with the Scotland Golf Association. I thought I would personally come and oversee it rather than by video call. You’ve been here for weeks now and I miss my best client,” he sneers.
I’m sure he fucking does. I make Jax more money than he ever needs to last him a lifetime, and I’m not his only client. Although he’ll need it all now if he’s with Jess.
“You really didn’t think to call? And you should have left her back in the States,” I say, turning to face Jess now. “Has he given you a credit card yet, sweetheart?”
“Hunter, please stop, you’re ruining our lovely Scotland trip,” she whines and pouts.
My eyes bug out as I glare back at Jax. “How long?”
“How long what?” Jax replies, acting stupid.
“How long are you here for?”
“Just four days. We leave on Sunday.”
“Fine. I’ll meet you for the deal on Friday.” I turn to Jess and shoot her a venomous look. “You, stay away from me, and don’t fucking speak to me if you see me. After all that shit you said about me in that magazine interview, you’re lucky I’m letting you stay.”
“Hunter, I’m so—”
“Save it. I’m not fucking interested.” Turning on my heel, I pound loudly back across the gravel. “Have a fucking lovely time in Scotland,” I say sarcastically, waving my hands in the air.
Feeling her presence, I spot Eden from the corner of my eye, firmly rooted to the spot. She’s clearly watched the whole ‘Hunter Having a Melt Down’ show. Just brilliant.
Our eyes lock and my fucking chest cracks open. Like Venus in Nike, Eden stands, bare-faced, in her pale-pink dance gear, honey hair up in a messy bun, and white trainers.
She’s the complete opposite of the bloodsucking parasite behind me. I’m pretty sure that’s why Jess wears red lipstick all the time. Her lips aren’t coated in lipstick; it’s the blood of men with gold credit cards.
Filled with sorrow, I want to run over to Eden, bundle her up, kiss the shit out of her, and tell her everything’s going to be alright and I was wrong. Wrong about everything, that I want to spend the rest of my time with her here, that we can make it work and that we can be together, forever. Fuck, it hurts.
Eden is irreplaceable, and she’s consumed my every thought since I’ve been here. I feel her everywhere, all the time. I don’t want anyone else but her. My head hurts trying to figure out what to do.
All I’ve done is sleep and train since Sunday night. I haven’t even been out with the guys or spent any time with Pippa either. All I want to do is hibernate and sleep, because when I’m asleep, I don’t feel any pain.
Eden probably thinks I’m a class A cock after speaking to Jess and conducting myself the way I just did. Way to go, Hunter.
Thinking about it, it suddenly dawns on me Jax was probably cheating with Jess all along. It’s so obvious now. What a pair of assholes. They deserve each other. I need to find a new agent. Stat. I’m doing that straight after The Cup is over.
Eden bows her head, breaking our gaze, and starts scurrying toward the reception entrance. She didn’t even wave. This sucks.
It hurts to breathe being so close to her. I really don’t want either of us to get hurt. But it already does hurt, Hunter, so what are you doing?
That old saying, if you love someone, set them free—I’m doing just that. Wait, am I in love with her then? Not just lusting over her?
Fuck if I know. All I know is that Eden is hurting and so am I.
What a true shocker of a day.
However, I got to see Eden today. My girl.
No. Not your girl anymore, Hunter.
Not anymore.
I’m going back to bed. Fuck this day.
* * *
Eden
Arms folded against Mum’s wooden kitchen table, I rest my head on them, feeling defeated.
“Oh, Eden. What’s the matter, hen?”
“Nothing, I’m just tired, Mum.”
“She’s not tired; she’s lovesick,” Ella replies.
“Ha, you’re one to talk,” I mutter.
“What do you mean?” Ella snips back, leaning against the black range cooker with a cup of tea in hand.
“Weelllll.” I lazily pull myself back up, squeaking my palms against the tabletop. “I bumped into Fraser down on the beach on Sunday.” I watch as Ella clenches her jaw. “And I finally figured out why you’ve never had a boyfriend since Fraser.” I stare. “He’s the one, isn’t he? You can’t move on from Fraser?” I question.
“Ella?” Mums says, confused. “Are you still in love with Fraser after all these years?” Mum loves our girly drama and bathes in it regularly.
“No.” Ella snorts as I confirm, “Yes.”
“You’re lying, Ella. He said on Sunday you were his world when you were together. His world, Ella. I know now that you’ve been pining for him from afar for all these years. Trying to fill the gap of heartache and pain with dogs and bloody horses.” I point to Treacle, who’s curled up sleeping next to the warm range. He must be roasting as Ella has him dressed in a gray dog hoodie today. “Knowing what I know now, you should have left with him. It’s been years and you’ve never had a boyfriend. Never. Are you still in love with him?”
“What are you talking about? Left with him?” she exclaims, now playing with her necklace. She’s nervous, I know, because I do the same. “How could I have done that? We were all signed up for dance school.” She flushes.
“You could have trained to be a dancer anywhere; you could have finished school and then moved to be with him,” I state, unblinking.
Silence.
Eventually, she says, “Maybe I should have. Why did we not talk about this back then?” She shuffles in and sits opposite me at the table in the bay window of Mum and Dad’s kitchen.
“I think we were too young then to even consider it. Being a triplet is weird. I think we always thought we had to do everything together.”
“He asked me to go with him, you know?”
“Ella, why didn’t you tell us?” Mum gasps. “You know your dad and I would have worked it all out for you. We would have let you go. We would have made it work if that’s what you had wanted.”
“I didn’t think I could leave Eden and Eva, or that it was even possible. We had never been apart before. Christ, we can’t talk about this now; I’m going to end up regretting more than a decade of my life if we talk about this and I have always believed that everything happens for a reason. Don’t turn around and tell me I messed this up and didn’t make the right decision back then.”
Resting her elbows on the table, she runs her fingers through her hair in exasperation.
“He asked me to ask you if you would consider speaking to him. He wants to make amends. Will you talk to him?” I ask.
She shakes her icy-blond locks. “He’s got a wife and family and everything now. I don’t think it’s right that I speak to him. And I’m not still in love with him. I just haven’t found anyone that lives up to him. I can’t believe he’s back in Castleview.”
She’s lying. And she does know all about his family and new life. She’s been keeping tabs.
“Well, what about Luke? He’s a great guy. There was Gordon, too. What happened to him?” I question.
“Luke and I are just having some fun while he’s here. To be honest, it’s all a bit of flirty banter; nothing’s happened.”
“Yet,” I say.
“Mmm, and Gordon, well…”
“He wasn’t Fraser,” I confirm. “Oh, Ella,” I put my hand out for her to take it. “If you change your mind, Fraser told Hunter he would DM him on Instagram, so you could always get in touch with him that way.”
Ella turns her gaze to the window and looks out across the vast expanse of the retreat, consumed in her thoughts I watch her chew on the side of her mouth.
I know I’m correct about her and Fraser. I actually even got the impression Fraser still maybe loves her a smidge too, even though he’s married. I feel terrible thinking this because I bet his wife is lovely, and he has a lovely son with her, but they say your first love is always the one you remember. He’s never forgotten Ella. I watch Ella gazing out the window; she’s never forgotten him either.
“Ah, how is Hunter?” My mum's face lights up.
I let go of Ella’s hand and slide it back onto my lap, then drag out, “I… have… no… idea.” And shrug my shoulders.
“Why, what happened, Eden? He’s such a lovely boy. He’s the first boy you’ve looked at since Jamie. Hunter is a catch and a half,” she says, her eyes full of mischief. “You two looked like you were having fun the other morning.” She giggles now.
Oh heck.
“Mum, he’s not a boy, he’s a man. You should know; you got a good look at his Three Wood the other morning, and I ain’t talking about his golf club.” Ella titters.
“That’s enough, Ella.” Mum points her finger at her.
“Well, he decided that I’ve to find someone local. Because his job is complicated and I live in a fairy tale and I deserve someone who can give me stability and a family, and he can’t give me that because he lives on the other side of the world,” I drawl out. “And… Yadda yadda yadda.” I finish my sentence, lean my head forward, and knock my forehead against the table, tapping it lightly up and down. “I. Give. Up,” I say in time to my taps.
“Stop doing that, Eden.” Mum scolds me and Ella laughs.
“Christ, what are we like. At least Eva has her shit sorted out. One out of three ain’t bad.”
“Ella, language, please.”
“Oops. Sorry.”
“I really like him, like really like him. He’s just so, everything. Although did you see what just checked in.” I roll my eyes, leaning against my seat. “His ex-girlfriend is here. Her name is Jess. She is nothing like me. We’re like green grapes and rainbow chard.”
“Green grapes and rainbow chard? What the hell are you talking about?” Ella giggles.
“Well, I’m the green grape—tiny, boring, easy choice, and plain. And she’s the rainbow chard—long, lean, extravagant, and multicolored. I saw you checking her in, Mum. What did you think? And why is she even here?”
A dozen thoughts hit me. Is he back with her? This sucks big-time, if it’s true. My stomach knots. Was everything he said a lie? Was he expecting her, and that’s why he ended us before her arrival? But then he was arguing with her in the driveway. He wouldn’t do that if he was with her.
I hope it wasn’t just about the sex. It didn’t feel like that at all.
Not one bit. He made me feel like I was his.
Like I belonged, and he shared his inner feelings with me too. It felt incredible being together, but maybe I was wrong. I’m not great at this relationship stuff. But his words meant something to me; I absorbed every word deep. I believed him.
At least the benefits of working with a therapist have stood me in good stead. Over the past few days, I’ve been able to get on with my life using some of the Dr. Anderson’s coping tools she has me do daily. I feel as fragile as a spider’s web, but I’ll be okay, again, eventually.
“She’s all fur coat and nae knickers if you ask me.” Mum interrupts my thoughts, and she waves her hand in front of her face. “I really shouldn’t talk about our guests like that. And you, young lady, need to stop talking about yourself like that. You’ll be glad you’re nothing like her. You’re more like a pitaya fruit—unique, beautiful, and intriguing.”
Ella and I both laugh. Mum is so ridiculous.
“She’s here with that Jax fellow. He informed me he’s Hunter’s agent.” She continues. “They both checked in together and are sharing a cabin. They’re together, together.” Mum loves this gossip; her whole face beams with glee as she continues spilling. “They were chatting in reception. Hunter is not happy at all with Jess being here. And not that I listened that closely.” Yeah right. Mum’s words speed up now with the excitement of it all. “But apparently Hunter didn’t even know that Jax and Jess were dating. Jess was whining to Jax about how upset she was because Hunter didn’t want her here and that she’s not allowed to speak to him.” She puts on a fake squeaky American voice toward the end. Ella and I giggle again.
Well, now I feel like a complete bitch for thinking badly of Hunter. Maybe what he said is true. It felt true. All of it.
“They look like that detective and cartoon woman from that silly film I made you girls watch when you were little. It had a cartoon rabbit in it, but it was like an actual movie. It was always on at Christmas, anything to fill in a gap. What was it called again?” She furrows her brow.
“Eh, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” Ella replies.
Christ, they really do. But Jax is slimier with his gelled back hair and Jess is not as classy as that cartoon woman, like not at all.
“How long are they here for?”
“Only four days.” Mum shakes her head. “By the sounds of it, Hunter didn’t even know they were coming or staying here.”
“They were arguing outside, but I wasn’t close enough to hear what they were saying. Hunter looked like he was having a proper hissy fit. I’m guessing if he didn’t know they were coming, then that’s why,” I say.
Mum pours herself another cup of tea from the teapot and then stands at the end of the table, hugging her cup.
“You know girls, love is never something that comes easy. If it did, everyone would be happy and singing and dancing like loony bins, and everything would be joyous and there would be no relationship experts.” Mum pauses and sits down beside us. “But love, true and real love, can be complicated. Look at your dad and me. No one wanted us to be together. Your gran and grandad tried to keep us apart. The age gap between us was a big one, especially when I was only nineteen and he was ten years older than me. But I loved him from the day I laid my eyes on him. It really was love at first sight. We fought hard for one another and it was heartbreaking, awful, and then it was wonderful. And look at us now. The ten years between us doesn’t even matter. We knew, both of us wanted to be together. And we have you girls and all this.” She motions her hands in the air to all of her surroundings. “We love each other more now than we did back then. But we fought for what we wanted and for what we believed in.”
I stare at my mum in awe. I’m not sure if I have the guts to go after what I want, but my mum did. She’s so brave and inspiring. I think this is where I get my hopeless romantic ideals from; it’s been staring at me in the face the whole time.
“And you know what, girls? We didn’t see the entire road map, not at the time, but we took junction after junction; we figured our journey out together till we reached our final destination. I’m not sure we’re even there yet; we still have so much we want to discover together. But love, girls, love, is everything. But you’ve got to fight for what you want; that’s if you want it badly enough.”
Mum smiles at Ella and me.
“Okay, I’ll let you girls sit there and let that sink in. I need to sort out the beds in cabin three.” Mum shuffles out the kitchen door. “Love you, girls. C’mon, Treacle, you come with me.” She pats her leg quickly, beckoning Treacle. “Let’s go find Dave the dog.”
Ella and I watch as Treacle’s little roly-poly ebony body wobbles following Mum reluctantly. We then look at each other.
“Mum’s right, Eden. You need to fight. Fight for Hunter. I never did with Fraser and I’m sitting here after all this time still living with deep regret. Do you want him? Truly think he’s the one?”
I pick at the knots in the wooden tabletop with my nails. “Yeah, really, I think he is. Is that weird to say, even though we’ve only known each other this short time? Christ, I thought Jamie was the one, and he wasn’t.”
“Hunter and you, boy, it’s nothing like what it was like with Jamie. After you told me yesterday what Hunter said on Sunday, the sexual chemistry and the connection you have.” She clutches her hands to her heart. “Your conversations are deep, like really deep. When you told me his reasons not to be together and how he feels, you know what I thought?”
“What?”
I was not expecting what she says next.
“I think Hunter’s falling in love with you and he doesn’t know how to react or how to work it all out. I think you’re falling or have already fallen for him. And I don’t think it’s odd, not even in the slightest.” She stares me down. “Fight, Eden. If you want this, then go after what you want.”
I rub my temples at the thought of him falling in love with me and my heart stutters in my chest. Imagining this incredibly godlike guy falling in love with me, it feels surreal.
“Okay, but what do I do? How can I explain to him we can be together for more than just a few weeks? I don’t have any of that figured out.”
“Did you not just listen to Mum? You only have to get to the first junction, then the next, then the next, you don’t have to have it all figured out. If it’s meant to be, it will all work out. Figure everything out as you go. You’re both overthinking everything.”
It’s so obvious now. Mum and Dad are living proof of doing the whole figuring it out as we go malarkey. I feel a little buzz of energy burst through my veins, and light glimmers from my inner shadows.
“So what do I do? I saw him today, and he barely looked at me.”
Ella cunningly side-eyes me. “I think we need to make an impact. Something he can’t deny or walk away from. We have to show him what he’s missing.” Rubbing her hands together, she gets excited. “I think I have a plan,” she says with glee. “If he really is falling in love with you, then this is going to tip him over the edge. He won’t be able to stay away, ever.”
I have no idea what Ella has planned. Whatever it is, I’m all in.
“But I don’t think you’re brave enough.” Ella wiggles her eyebrows.
“Are you challenging me?”
“Yup.”
“Try me.”