KARLY
I spent the entire morning with my dad at the country club while he played nine holes of golf. I played chauffeur while he tried to teach me something. I tried hitting the ball one time and completely missed, the second time, I nearly buried it three feet in the sand trap, and on the last try, it went so far into the woods I knew I’d never find it.
I’m meeting Eric and Lainey for brunch as soon as we leave here, and to say I’m nervous would be an understatement. A thoughtful look appears in my dad’s eyes as we pull back around to the front of the clubhouse to drop off the cart. “Is everything okay, squirt? You look like something is bugging ya.”
“Not exactly. I don’t know. I’m just worried things are about to fall apart.”
“Why would that happen?”
“Why wouldn’t they?” I huff, “They usually do.”
Dad presses the brake down on the cart till it clicks into place and takes the keys out, “You know I just aggravate you about your dating life, right? It’s not that I actually want you to be unhappy. I’d never want that.”
“Oh, yeah,” I wave him off, “I know.”
“You seem to like Eric. He’s a good guy, I can tell.”
I nod, forcing myself to try not to smile when I think of how good he really is. How much I adore him. “He is.”
“Then what’s the hang-up? Something Is obviously causing you to feel so jumpy, and it’s not like you.”
“I don’t know,” I admit, “I’m just scared.”
Dad turns all the way to face me on the bench seat, “Don’t do that to yourself, honey. Don’t punish yourself or him for what Ashton did. What he put you through. Not every guy is gonna treat you like garbage.”
“I know,” I sigh, “I know that, and I know Eric isn’t anything like Ashton. I’m just feeling a little insecure, I guess.”
I can tell by the way he adjusts himself in the seat that he’s worried. “Why would you feel that way. You’re beautiful and so smart. Any guy would be lucky to be with you.”
I shake my head, “He’s just so established. Here I am, still hustling, trying to make it. I don’t know, I feel like a twenty-eight-year-old fuck up.”
I lean my head back dramatically, “He deserves someone like Hanna. A teacher, a mom, someone who can give him all the things he probably wants because we all know that I can’t.”
Dad’s face twists, realization washing over his features, “Eric, as in Hanna’s Eric. I don’t know why I didn’t realize this sooner. Karly, is that Hanna’s husband?”
I feel the color draining from my face, “Mom didn’t tell you?”
When we were making snacks for the game yesterday, I told my mom about everything. I thought for sure she would’ve mentioned it to dad.
“Tell me what?”
“The wedding didn’t happen.”
Dad runs his hands down his face in shock, “Jesus. Karly, tell me you weren’t having an affair with your best friend’s fiancé.”
I slip out of the golf cart, appalled. “God, no! Jameson came back to town and weaseled his way right back into Hanna’s life.”
Dad rounds the back of the golf cart to hug me, “I didn’t mean to accuse you. I was just trying to understand.”
Mom and Dad both remember all the shit Jameson did in college. I mean, I was usually there to clean up the messes. So, of course, they knew.
“Does Hanna know you’re seeing him?”
I begin to pace, “No. No one knows. It just happened, I swear. I don’t know what to do.”
Dad grabs both of my arms, anchoring me into place. “Honey, you have to tell the truth. It’s gonna be a much bigger hole to dig yourself out of if you don’t.”
“Would you hush,” I hiss, “I don’t want these bloodsucking country clubbers to think your daughter is a home wrecker!”