Thanks as always to my beta A Cullen Wannabe for speeding this back to me after I agonized over this chapter.

I'm keeping the golf info here just in case you want to reference it again. Also, in this chapter Edward calls Bella the next "Ouimet," which is a reference to Francis Ouimet, the first amateur to ever win the US Open. He won against incredible odds with the best golfer in the world as his competition.

When players are referenced during the golf rounds, they are traditionally referred to by their last name only, with the exceptions of amateurs, like Bella, who are referred to as Mr. or in this case, Miss. So you don't get confused, here's the full list of the important characters:

Jacobs – Alec
Logan - Garrett
Miss Swan – Isabella
McCarthy – Emmett
O'Hare – Liam
A. Volturi - Aro
King - Royce
C. Volturi – Caius

I know most of them are easy, but there are a few that I made up names for so I wanted to give you the cheat sheet. Any random last names not above are players who are fabricated simply to fill out the threesomes as we follow them and will have no real affect on the outcome of the rounds. You won't be following their play so much as acknowledging their presence. And finally, scoring goes as followed:

Eagle – 2 under par
Birdie – 1 under par
Par – The score set for the hole
Bogey – One over par
Double Bogey – Two over par (and so forth…)

Also, someone asked me the ages, so Bella is 20 and Edward is 22, soon to be 23.

Isabella cleaned herself up after her crying jag and began to steel her nerves as Edward left her be before the men returned to their locker room. It took everything within him to stand up and walk away with her, but he knew better than to cause them both trouble, which was sure to happen if he was caught in that part of the clubhouse. So instead, he went to attend to her clubs and be prepared for her when she exited the clubhouse.

After redoing her makeup to hide any trace of distress, Isabella reemerged from the locker room only to run into Emmett McCarthy and his wife in the hallway. As soon as Rosalie noticed her, she rushed to her side. "I hate to bother you so close to your start time, but would you mind if I used your locker room for a moment? I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

Bella smiled and gestured behind her. "Go ahead; the bathroom is the first doorway on the right."

After Rosalie disappeared behind the door, Emmett walked over to Isabella and smiled. "Thank you, Miss Swan. I tried to get my Rosie to leave you alone, but she had to use the restroom something fierce."

Bella laughed at his comment and then turned down the hall for a moment. "Thank you for earlier, and when you get a private moment with Logan thank him for me as well. You really didn't have to get into it with them over me, but I appreciate that you two don't seem to be personally affronted by my presence."

Emmett laughed. "You earned your spot on the card and proved it out there this morning. You've got Garrett by two strokes and he was still one of the first to praise your game play. Don't let those windbags get to you, many of them won't last the night."

Bella smiled again as Rosalie exited the locker room. "Thank you again, Miss Swan, and I'll see you on the course."

"You're welcome and please, Rosalie, call me Isabella."

The couple smiled and went out as Isabella let out a deep breath and followed them. Rosalie gave her husband a quick kiss and then blended in with the crowd as Isabella stepped out into the flash of the cameras and the clicking of the television reel as she passed the cameraman for NBC that would show her results as well as the other competitors for both of today's rounds later that evening.

Edward found her and escorted her to the first tee, where she could see Jacobs blow his shot at par on the opening hole. Once again, McCarthy took his tee shot first and hit it an impressive distance. O'Hare hit a similar shot and walked to follow it as Miss Swan addressed the ball with her 3 wood and was able to get a par on the first hole. As they set out to tee off on the second, they heard the moan that let them know that A. Volturi had missed his putt and was already behind one hole into the round.

Jacobs continued to show his age as he went on to miss shots that he should easily make. Logan landed his second shot on hole 2 in the bunker and it took him two shots to get out, earning his first bogey of the round. In Miss Swan's group, they all parred that hole as well.

Logan was the only one in the first three groups not able to get par on three, but behind them, C. Volturi continued to seal his own fate, following his bogey on number 2 and a double bogey on 3, leaving him now three over par. Unless a miracle occurred, both Logan and C. Volturi were out of the race for the title.

As her competitors continued to falter, Miss Swan listened to Edward's suggestions and was able to sink her putt for a birdie on the fourth hole. Coming up on the fifth hole, Jacobs hit another poor tee shot, leaving himself at + 11 for the tournament so far, wondering when he may be able to qualify for a tournament again after this showing.

After her first shot, Edward walked close behind her as they moved towards the spot where her ball had landed. "Keep it out of the sand, you'll be able to hit it onto the green close enough to make the putt. This is where Jacobs got himself in trouble on this hole."

Isabella nodded as she stepped up to her ball and did just as Edward told her, making par once again. King cursed behind them as he wasn't able to make his putt again, leaving him at even par through the first five holes.

Coming up to the par 4 sixth hole, Logan was able to right himself, as was Jacobs, knowing they were both playing now in the hopes that they could in the least maintain their score and watch some of the others falter enough to gain them a pass into the second day.

In the second group, McCarthy and O'Hare both played the hole as well as they could, but their putters tripped them up as they weren't able to do better than par. Miss Swan, however, stood close to Edward as he whispered to her. "You've already mastered this hole, just keep it up, you can do this."

Stepping up to the tee, she hit a high line that left her in excellent position for her second shot, which landed close to the hole, allowing her to tap it in for a birdie, moving her one step closer to a record round and with that, the history books.

Over the next two holes, the competitors showed the game play that got them onto the Tour as they all parred numbers 7 and 8. Hole 9 had King displaying the advantage of playing on his home course as his first two shots landed him within 8 feet of the hole, earning him the only birdie for the big name players on the hole.

With another two holes being parred by the field of players, Miss Swan was the low scorer of the round currently at two under par, with King one shot behind at one under. McCarthy and O'Hare were both even parred through 11 holes, with A. Volturi at one over and C. Volturi, Logan, and Jacobs all sitting at four over for the second round.

As the first group made their way onto the 12th green, Jacobs found himself continuing the long run of pars, now aiming to save face and thinking ahead to the next tournament's qualification. Logan tapped his putt beyond the hole for bogey as did O'Hare while McCarthy and Miss Swan saved par. The affect the wind of the approaching storm that was forecasted for tomorrow's rounds was already being felt, making the par four elusive for the players in the later groups. The 13th hole was another one where the wind came into play, and King was the only one to earn a birdie on the hole as they approached the final five holes before the cut would occur.

After a routine 14th hole, the impressive streak of pars for Jacobs came to an end as he bogeyed the hole 15 along with Logan, who couldn't seem to master the narrow fairways as he hit another shot into the rough.

In Isabella's group, McCarthy hit the wrong side of the green and then missed his first two putts saving a bogey as he tapped in the third. Miss Swan's second shot landed in the bunker by the hole and the wind picked up again, sending her skirt flying. Fighting to keep from giving the nation a show as the cameras continued to roll film, Edward came up to calm her but she snapped, a little curt due to her current predicament. "Edward, I'm not upset about the bunker! Just stand behind me and block the wind."

Edward's brow furrowed, but he did as she asked a second before she pulled a few of the pins out of her hair and bent down in front of him, working on her skirt. Her rear brushed his crotch as she moved back and forth, using two bobby pins on each side of the skirt, giving her enough room to move to continue playing, while restricting the fabric so it could no longer blow up.

Edward held in the feelings the position they were in evoked, and instead calculated yardages and wind speed for the remaining holes, hoping to distract himself from what was now obviously more than a professional relationship for the caddie.

Standing back up, Miss Swan squared her shoulders and hit the ball out of the bunker, but the fear of hitting it past the hole and rolling back off the green caused her to come up short, earning a bogey as well, while O'Hare earned a par. In the group behind them, A. Volturi continued to get himself into position to be a threat tomorrow.

Approaching 16, the wind carried McCarthy's shot into the high rough, eliminating his chance at par as he had to hit a short second shot to get himself in position to reach the green at all. O'Hare continued to live up to his reputation and made the birdie that pushed him closer to his chance at taking the trophy back to Ireland.

Edward hung back as Miss Swan deftly parred the hole showing the type of play that had helped her make it this far. A. Volturi bogeyed when he too found the bunker thanks to the wind that whipped through after his second shot.

Walking up to 17, the groan that seemed to always precede them was heard again as Logan was the one to bogey this time, cementing his place below the cut line. O'Hare hit the ball beyond the green and into the sand trap that resided there, making a quick shot out and then two putting for a bogey. McCarthy and Miss Swan parred 17, as did King, while A. Volturi hit one of the best shots of the day off the tee, knocking in the ten foot putt as his brother followed with another bogey, a growl slipping through his lips in an attempt to hold in any foul language.

The final hole wasn't able to shake the standings, and as the final golfers came off the course, little would change for the early birds as King held the top spot on the leaderboard with a score of one under par for the round and was at even par for the tournament. Tied for second were Miss Swan and McCarthy both at +2 for the tournament after her second round score of one under and his two over par for the afternoon round. A. Volturi was also even par with a two round total of three over. O'Hare also kept his footing with a score of one over for the second round and four over overall. With the cut line at +7 for the tournament; C. Volturi, Logan and Jacobs had all played their final shots of the open with tournament totals of +10, +12, and +13 respectively.

As soon as the flashbulbs woke her from her stupor, Isabella fled for the security of the clubhouse, knowing that Edward would meet her as he had this afternoon as soon as he was able. Ducking into the locker room, she realized that there was no point in showering here as she would only have to change back into her sweaty clothes to return to her cottage to get ready to go to dinner with Edward's family. Unpinning her skirt, she cleaned up her face and then heard the knock on her window. Running to it, she was disappointed to see Laurent until he told her that with the men using their locker room, he made it look as though Edward was helping him with the laundry hamper so as to sneak him in there. Directing her to the door next to the locker room, she ducked out and then into the darkened room.

Reaching above her for the string, she pulled and the room filled with a dim light as she called out. "Edward?" She spoke in a hushed tone as the running of several washing machines helped to disguise her voice.

"Bella." He came around from behind the hamper he had hidden near and she ran to him allowing him to sweep her into his arms. Spinning her around, he finally sat her on her feet and was pleasantly surprised when her lips briefly came in contact with his. She pulled back, the coloring of her cheeks darkened to a deep red as her eyes flashed to the floor, but soon Edward pulled her close again and kissed her in earnest.

Breaking away a moment later, he smiled as the words poured out of his mouth. "Bella, you were phenomenal out there this afternoon. You had the lowest score of the round! Just think, if you wanted, you could join the Tour and compete full time. You'd have to start out slower at first, maybe only play in a few of the lesser tournaments on the Tour and then add to it from there. Bella we could work so well together and-"

Bella placed her hand on his mouth, relishing in the feel of his lips on her fingertips as she began to speak. "Edward, I'm not playing professionally. No matter what happens out there tomorrow, my final putt here will be the last I ever take."

Edward recoiled from her as though he'd been burned. "You're going to quit? Just like that. No regret, no real thought behind it-" Edward's voice rose as he spoke but once again, Bella interrupted him.

"There was plenty of thought behind it. I made this promise to my mother before ever leaving Washington. It was the only way she would give me her blessing, and everything I've endured since my arrival has only proven my mother right. There's no place for a woman in this game, unless it's beside her husband."

"I can't believe you're saying this. This isn't like you. You've fought so hard today and you proved yourself better than 72 of the men that started out by tying for second. You were born to play this sport."

"No. I started playing because it was something I could do with my father, and then I continued for the love of it, but between the fighting, the embarrassment, and the evening edition of the Rochester Post with the headline reading 'The Belle of Beech Knoll.' This is too much; the fun has been taken out of it."

Edward lost it in that moment as he had been unprepared for what he had heard up to this point. "That right there is why women shouldn't play! Golf is supposed to be that thing that you have to do, no matter what. You can't give it up, it's too important."

"Important? It's only a game, Edward. And this game has ruined more than a good walk. I'm a laughing stock, do you understand that? I'm a joke. How am I supposed to find a husband if-?"

"A husband? Is that really what's most important to you? I thought you were different. I thought you and I were the same."

"We can never be the same, Edward! If you choose never to marry, then fine, you get a job and go on living. I don't have that option. I cannot earn a living wage and keep my dignity. Besides, the things I desire most…love, security, children…they require a second person."

Edward stared at the hardened face of the only woman he had opened his heart to, feeling it splinter in his chest. "That's a cop out. It got too hard so you're giving up."

Bella narrowed her eyes at him. "I never said I was giving up. I'll still play my hardest, but that doesn't change my decision."

Edward shook his head. "I'm never going to get another loop at this club again."

"Then why'd you pick me?" Isabella asked before the thought registered in her mind.

"Because I thought you'd be the next Ouimet, and I wanted to be there with you."

"I'm sorry I didn't live up to your expectations, but I'll save you the shame of being on my bag."

Edward looked up and had to make sure he'd heard her correctly. "What?"

Isabella squared her shoulders and backed towards the door. "You're fired."

Fleeing the room, before he could follow, she ran into the locker room. She made it just before the tears fell, only to be startled by a familiar voice.

"Isabella?" Bella looked up to see Rosalie and Kate standing in the middle of the locker room looking concerned. "What did those jackasses do now?"

Bella tried to catch her breath, but only managed to get the words out between sobs. "It wasn't…them…Edward…got mad…fired…I don't…I can't…"

Rosalie ran into the bathroom as Kate sat next to her and pulled her closer. The sound of the shower running threw Bella off, but she saw Rosalie return with a smile. "That way no one comes in here to bother us. Now what happened?"

Isabella took a deep breath and started again. "I got in a fight with my caddie. He was congratulating me on how well I'd done and how this could be the beginning for me, but then I told him that I wasn't going to continue to play and he got so angry. He said I was quitting and that I was why women shouldn't play golf. I was so mad at him that I fired him. I'm playing my final two rounds tomorrow and I have no caddie."

"I'm sorry that he upset you like that, but if he was harboring those types of feelings, then maybe it's best that he's off your bag." Kate rubbed her back as her eyes fell to the carpet.

"I kissed him." Isabella whispered the words and Rosalie gasped.

"This is a lot more than a wounded ego, isn't it?"

Bella nodded and started crying again. "I thought he felt the same way. He kissed me back, but then two minutes later…"

"Enough of this wallowing, we're going to take you out. Kate, talk to Laurent about her situation. Isabella, I'm going to find our husbands and let them know that we're taking you out to dinner at the hotel after that horrible incident at lunch, and we'll sort this all out."

"But Kate, wouldn't you want to eat with your husband after what happened this evening?"

"Sugar, I'll be seeing plenty of my husband this weekend as we wait to see whether Emmett or you pull out a win. We travel together, so that means we don't leave until both our men are out of the tournament."

Isabella smiled and looked between the two women. "I don't have a change of clothes here. I was going to go back to my cottage to get ready for dinner with Edward's family tonight, but after everything that happened, I guess that invitation has been rescinded."

Rosalie smiled as Kate went to where the window to Laurent's room was. "We'll make everything better, you just stay in here."

With that, Rosalie walked out and after a few minutes, Laurent came in the room. "There's no one in the yard, but I was informed before the tournament started that I may have to serve double duty, so I'd be happy to now."

Bella looked at him, her mind clouded by her confusion. "I'm sorry? I don't understand."

"I was a caddie at Augusta National in Georgia before I moved up here. I'm not sure if you know this, but all the caddies there are black. Even when the Master's is played there, the professionals are required to use the Augusta caddies out of tradition. I moved here hoping for some more freedom, but the only difference up here is they're sneakier about it. They smile and act like they're better, hiding behind segregation laws to explain why we're second class citizens here as well. It's why I shine shoes, clean toilets, and have to 'sir' and 'ma'am' these young snots who have no clue what life is like. They'll live off the family money and never struggle like I have. All you want is to play a game you love, and because you don't fit into the box they've assigned you, they want to run you out. The only difference is you can make them eat their words. I'm here to see that happen. I'll carry your bag until you ask me not to."

Isabella smiled at him, feeling grateful that she had people on her side. It was hard to think about what had happened between her and Edward, but at the moment, she had to focus on being ready for tomorrow. Rosalie returned with a smile on her face as she headed back to Isabella's locker. "Get what you need and we'll head out. You have to be hungry after everything that's happened."

Bella nodded and grabbed her toiletries, walking out the back entrance with her new friends as they headed along the path to the cottage.

Edward, however, was far from feeling better. After exiting the laundry room in time to see the ladies locker room door close, hearing the water start a moment later, Edward went outside, knowing Isabella would have to come out sometime, and she wouldn't exit too close to the pro-shop because the press had camped out there after the round.

His chest was tight and he was filled with a dread that hadn't filled him since his time in Korea. Although it had only been 30 hours since he rounded the side of the building and first saw her, Edward knew that she was his future, and now he was fearful that he had lost it in his anger. He continued to pace, nearly running into McCarthy and Logan as they walked past him.

"Whoa, what's wrong, boy?" Garrett smiled to him and he ran his fingers through his hair, tugging on it violently.

"I'm looking for Miss Swan. Have you seen her?"

Emmett shook his head but smiled at Edward. "Not personally, but she went to dinner with Rosie and Kate. After her performance this afternoon and the incident at lunch, they wanted to celebrate with her. I'm sure whatever it is can wait until tomorrow."

Edward shook his head, but turned for home, thanking both men for their help.

Meanwhile, Isabella came out of her small bathroom to see Rosalie going through her closet. "You have more options for the golf course than you do for socializing."

Isabella giggled at her tone. "Well Rosalie, strictly speaking, I came here to golf, so it was more important that I have plenty to choose from in terms of that."

Kate started laughing immediately, shaking her head. "I like her. Think I can convince Garrett to take her home with us?"

Rosalie and Bella joined in and then she sighed loudly. "Can you at least show me what you plan to wear for the final two rounds, so that way I know what I can't pick." Isabella walked over and pulled out a black shirt-style dress with a full skirt and a pair of slacks with a blouse and sweater. Rosalie continued picking through it and sighed again. "Here, this dress is perfect!"

Bella blushed and took the brown dress with the pink sash from her. "This is what I was going to wear for the closing ceremony dance."

Kate's head snapped up as they looked at her. "You don't have anything fancier?"

Bella shook her head and Rosalie spun around to address her friend. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"The cream one?" Kate questioned.

"With the black overlay." Rosalie nodded.

"Perfect." Kate agreed as Bella looked on in shock.

"What just happened?"

"Don't worry about it. Put this on, we have the perfect dress for the dance. Now go, and slick your hair into one of those buns you manage so beautifully." Kate pushed her back into the bathroom.

Soon they were leaving the cottage, Bella wearing more makeup than she was used to. As they walked across the gravel road to the hotel, a sense of unease filled Isabella, but her new friends refused to let her falter.

They were shown directly into the dining room and were soon ordering their dinner. In the beginning, the conversation was light, with Kate and Rosalie regaling Isabella with stories from their travels across the country to watch their husbands play. Bella felt a twinge in her heart as she thought of Edward again. When they noticed her distraction, they asked her about what had happened prior to the fight and she began to open up.

"It wasn't one large thing, per say. He was the only caddie who would come near me on Wednesday, even taking me around the course so my first time wouldn't be this morning. Then after the party, he was around talking with the caddie master when I left early. He walked me home and gave me his coat because I didn't bring one. Then he told me that I shouldn't walk to the cottage alone so he offered to escort me. This morning he arrived with some fruit and bread from his father's store as he didn't know if I had much food there and then he was there for me every step today. He guided me when I needed assistance, he held me as I cried after lunch today, and when I saw him after the second round, he was so proud. He made me feel safe and content. I've always been the girl who played golf, and I'm not so naïve as to be unaware of the cost, but until he spoke those words, I thought he was different. I thought-" Isabella stopped short, unsure of how best to complete that sentence. She knew she cared deeply about him, but what had she imagined?

"This is a mess from the 'm' to the 's'." Kate shook her head.

Just then Jane and Alec Jacobs entered and sneered at Bella. "Looks like they'll let anyone in here as well." Jane hissed loud enough for the room to hear.

"Apparently, otherwise your brother would have never been allowed to compete this week. I dare say a few of the amateurs in the qualifications would have outplayed him." Kate retorted.

"I didn't see your husband's name anywhere on the list of players continuing into tomorrow, Kate." Alec jumped in defensively.

"Perhaps, but he had an off week, That won't keep him out of next week's competition. Will you be there, Jacobs?" Rosalie said with a smile, knowing how to hurt him the worst. The two turned on their heels as quickly as they had entered, opting to order room service instead as they prepared for the journey home.

Dinner continued on and when it was over, Emmett and Garrett joined them as they walked Isabella home. Laying out her outfit for tomorrow and beginning the task of setting her hair for the following day, Isabella felt the tears begin to fall as she thought of continuing on tomorrow without Edward's sage advice and calming presence. Too tired to wash off her makeup, Isabella went to bed, the mascara staining her pillow.

Across town, Edward arrived home shortly after running into McCarthy and Logan, walking up the steps to be assaulted by his sister as she looked past him. "Edward, where is she?"

He looked down as he pushed past her. "She went out to dinner with some of the wives."

"Oh, well it's understandable that she'd have plans on such short notice, but will she come over tomorrow?"

"No." Edward walked through the living room and was on his way past the dining room table when his father approached him.

"Is something wrong?"

"I don't want to talk about it, and I'm not hungry. Sorry, Mom."

Edward went into his room without another word and stripped into his undershirt, putting on a pair of sleep pants and climbing into bed, picking up the book beside his bed, but placing it down a moment later when he couldn't get through the first sentence. He lay there in the dark room running through their fight, kicking himself for every word of it. Isabella had wounded his pride, but it wasn't her fault that his social status was such that he could only play on the caddies' day at the club, and that was if there wasn't an event that would hold precedence over any rights the caddies had to play. He had treated her cruelly. He was unsure of how to make it right, but the pain in his head that throbbed in time with his heart let him know that it would haunt him far longer if he were unable to fix this and prove to Isabella just how wrong she was. She could have everything she desired without giving up the game she loved, because if she would have him, he would marry her tomorrow.

His door creaked open and the light filtered in as his mother, Esme, brought him a plate of food. "Edward, dear, I know you are upset, but you must eat if you will go on and carry the bag tomorrow, especially with the rain forecasted."

"I have no one to caddie for; I was fired by Isabella tonight."

"Fired? Whatever for?" Esme brushed the hair out of her eldest child's eyes to see the anguish in his expression.

"I deserved it, Mother. I was harsh and mean, and I cannot tell you why. I just got so angry that she could give it all up so easily that I reacted without thinking, and I know my words hurt her."

"You'll work it out. A little bit of that Irish charm to smooth over the Irish temper and everything will be right again."

"I don't know how. How do I even get her to speak to me?"

"I'm sure you'll find a way. Just don't give up. If it was meant to be, then it will be." Edward grumbled and rolled over. "Edward Cullen, don't you dare groan at me. Do you love her? This Swan girl?"

Edward nodded, feeling the tightening in his chest increase. "I do."

"Then that's all that matters. What good is playing it safe if she is gone with the mist come Sunday? Now eat."

Edward laughed at his mother's logic and sat up to eat the dinner his mother brought him as he thought on how he could win back his heart.

To help you guys keep track of the scores, I'm giving you a mini leaderboard below.

Name R1 R2 Total
King 72(+1) 70(-1) 142(E)
Miss Swan 74(+3) 70(-1) 144(+2)
McCarthy 71(E) 73(+2) 144(+2)
A. Volturi 74(+3) 71(E) 145(+3)
O'Hare 74(+3) 72(+1) 146(+4)
C. Volturi 75(+4) 77(+6) 152(+10)
Logan 76(+5) 78(+7) 154(+12)
Jacobs 78(+7) 77(+6) 155(+13)

I know you guys probably want to hit me for the second half of that chapter, but there is a method to my madness and I'll try to get it to you a little early after the minor heartfail. Thank you all and please leave some love.