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Fore!(Play)

Chapter 3

Aiming

Aiming: the act of aligning the club face to the target.

The office isn't the only thing that's changed in the six years since I've seen Jasper. Those girlish curves Emmett claimed Jasper had noticed, disappeared years ago—lost between too many late-night study sessions and too many forgotten meals. Any remaining softness was honed away by regular workouts in the gym and an early morning jogging habit. I'm all hard muscle and sharp angles, much to my mother's, and my own secret, dismay.

But the biggest change in my appearance was the sudden growth spurt after my eighteenth birthday. I was always embarrassed by my shortness. Most of my friends were taller than me. Imagine my surprise when I actually grew three inches during my first year of college. Helped along by the high heels I'm wearing, Jasper will face a much taller person than I used to be when I open the door for him.

I've done other things to alter my looks so he won't recognize me. A dark rinse covers the normal honey brown color of my hair, and the curls have been tamed by a severe chignon at the back of my head. Heavy tortoiseshell-framed glasses help disguise my eyes, and my clothes, purposely worn too loose, are severely cut and tailored. My nametag is prominently pinned on the left side of my shirt above the Swan Creek Club logo.

With all these changes in my appearance, I'm confident Jasper won't recognize me. Yet I know the most important aspect of my disguise will be my demeanor and the way I handle myself. So, after one last glance in a small wall mirror, I straighten my shoulders, paste on a frown, and open the door to my office.

Jasper is standing just outside in the hallway, his fist raised to knock again. He's tried to make himself more presentable by combing his hair, washing his face, and straightening his clothes. He smells like peppermint when I wave him past me into the room and direct him to take the seat next to Emmett. I assume he's tried to cover the smell of alcohol on his breath.

Settling into my chair, I watch Emmett and Jasper greet each other. There are no one-armed bro hugs or friendly pats on the back that might have been expected between two men who have been friends most of their lives. Instead, their handshake is cool and their greeting awkward, evidence of the strain between the two of them. Emmett's eyes are cold and calculating as he studies Jasper closely. Jasper flinches, unable to meet their inquisition, before quickly turning away to sit in his chair.

For a brief moment, my heart hurts for the changes I see in him. He looks tired, defeated, almost frail in his vulnerability, but my pity is quickly wiped away when I watch him transform right before my eyes. With a lift of his shoulders, a puffing out of his chest, and a cocky tilt of his head, he becomes the personification of golf's "Golden Bad Boy."

It's a façade I know well. In the last six years, I've watch it slip over him every time he was interviewed by the press, every time he was featured in a sports magazine, and every time the paparazzi photographed him in bars, nightclubs, and casinos. More handsome than any man had a right to be with his curly blond hair, almost turquoise eyes, and a rakish smirk that attracted both men and women, he was always surrounded by groupies and hangers-on, and always, always with one or more beautiful blondes clinging to him. Most often, the beautiful blonde was Tanya Denali, his longtime companion.

The public loved him. The sportscasters and writers loved him. The golf community and the golf industry loved him. His photos and interviews sold magazines and newspapers. His name on equipment sold golf clubs and golf memberships. When he wore clothing from his exclusive line with Nike, the pieces sold out within hours. He made appearances and huge donations at charity events, raised money for hospitals and sick children by playing golf with politicians and celebrities. Jasper was everything the public loved: handsome, rich, generous with his time, talent, and money, a winner who managed to be a nice guy and still party hard all night.

He ignited a firestorm of interest in the sport not seen since Tiger Woods' early years. Three years ago, when he was named People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive", the attendance at the tournaments he played in more than doubled. He made money—for himself, for his sponsors, and for everyone associated with him.

Professional sports is a tough business however. Constantly being in the public's eye is a soul-draining experience. When Jasper fell from grace, it was swift and devastating. I knew why he clung to his façade. I understood why he felt it protected the real Jasper from a fickle public that had turned its unforgiving back on him, even after his innocence in the scandal was proven. I knew the hurt caused by rejection.

So, I unclench my hands, soften my face, and give him a brief welcoming nod before speaking. "Thank you for joining us, Mr. Whitlock. My name is Marie Dwyer. I'm the new manager of the Swan Creek Golf Club. I've asked your lawyer, Mr. McCarty, to join us today to discuss an employment offer the Swann Golf Corporation would like to extend to you."

Jasper grimaces when I mention my family's business. He hides it quickly, yet the reaction is there. I don't begrudge him his feelings, but I do wonder how much is anger and how much is disappointment and regret. Perhaps, if my plans work, he'll no longer harbor any resentment toward Charlie and everything that was said and done after my disappearance.

This isn't the time to dwell on the past however. Reaching into the top right drawer of my desk, I pull out a large folder. It contains multiple copies of the contract I've prepared. Unbeknownst to Jasper, Emmett and I have already spent hours debating the terms of the offer I'm about to make to him. We've discussed, argued, and finally compromised on almost every detail. I know what I'm about to do is risky, and I also know the conditions of the contract will make Jasper angry—very angry—but I'm determined to do this. Even if it means I'll lose any chance I have at reconciliation with him.

With a quick glance at Emmett, who gives me just the slightest nod of encouragement, I hand a thick copy to him and one to Jasper. "Now, Mr. Whitlock," I begin, "let's go over the terms of this contract together, shall we?"

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AN: Thank you for reading and for the overwhelming support for this story. There was a line in the last chapter that I probably should have changed or at least made a bit clearer. Nothing more than some kissing and cuddling went on between Jasper and Bella after her graduation party, but there were some major misunderstandings that happened because of that encounter and what happened later. More details will become clearer later on in the story. I apologize for the confusion.

The next chapters will have a bit of sadness and some drama as we learn more about Jasper's problems.