“It’s looking at me!” she sputtered. “And my neighbors.”
His smile belonged on a pirate outlaw. “Just saving us time. We’ve got another set of sheets to ruin. As soon as we’re done with this call, I’m going to—”
“I’m not muted, you know,” came Nate’s voice over the line.
Josephine slapped both hands to her cheeks.
Wells, not even remotely embarrassed, peered down at his phone and hit the correct button before refocusing his attention on Josephine. “Are you good with the schedule change? We’d have to drive to Miami for my clubs tonight and fly out from there.”
She performed a mental inventory of her diabetes supplies. “Yeah, I can . . .” She trailed off when she remembered something. “Oh.”
“What’s up?” Wells asked, raising an eyebrow.
Why was she hesitating to tell him this? “I’m meeting with the contractor at Rolling Greens tomorrow morning. About renovations on the Golden Tee.”
Some of the light went out of Wells’s eyes, but he nodded without hesitation. “Okay, yeah. That’s important. You need to be there.”
“The project is going to start while we’re in California and I won’t be able to be here in person.” Her palms were suddenly damp. “I just . . . I have to make sure we’re on the same page or the job will be too far underway when I get back. Changes will require more work.”
“I understand, belle.” He walked around the kitchen island, pulled her into an embrace, and kissed her forehead. Once, twice. “I can do press on my own.”
She pressed her face into his chest, rubbing her nose in the hairy patch between his pecs. “Thanks.”
His big hand stroked down the back of her head. “That doesn’t require a thank-you.” After another few seconds, he shifted against her, bringing Nate back into the conversation. “Let everyone know it’s just going to be me. Josephine can’t make it to San Diego until Wednesday night.”
Nate groaned. “Who is going to keep you in line?”
She imagined, rather than saw, Wells’s eye roll. “I’ll be fine.”
*
But he was not fine.
He was not fine at all.
As soon as Josephine landed in California two nights later, her phone started to buzz, alerting her to the fact that she had three voice mails—and none of them were from her eternally anxious mother calling to make sure she’d arrived safely.
They were all from Nate.
Still waiting to exit the plane, she hit play on the first one.
Hello there, Josephine. Just checking to make sure you got on the flight. Nervous laughter. We need you in San Diego, kid. The meeting with Under Armour went . . . fine? Notice my high-pitched voice when I say fine. Wells didn’t like the shirt they asked him to wear. To be fair, it was lime green, but he didn’t need to call it hell’s official uniform. As you can imagine, they were a little insulted. I think I’ve smoothed it over, but . . . we sure could use you on the West Coast.
Letting out a pent-up breath, Josephine moved on to the next voice mail.
You’re on that flight, right? Ack. Wells and Calhoun exchanged words during a practice round. A lot of C-words being thrown around and none of them were my favorite C-word—condo, followed closely by capital gains. The commissioner called to issue a warning. Could you speak to the pilot about taking a shortcut or something? I’m only half joking.
With a weight increasing in her stomach, Josephine hit play on the third voice mail and wedged the phone between her shoulder and ear while hauling down her suitcase, carrying it off the plane clutched to her chest.
For the love of everything holy, Josephine. A reporter asked Wells a somewhat personal question about you. That reporter’s equipment is now in the lake. We are on red alert here, my friend. Danger zone. Text me immediately when you land, please. I’ll just be over here buying out the entire antacid section of Rite Aid.
Josephine set down her carry-on outside a Hudson News and started to tap out a text to Nate, but a message popped up from Wells before she could hit send.
Wells: You land okay, belle? Airline website says you should have touched down six minutes ago.
Josephine: I’m at the airport. How did your day go?
Wells: Perfect. I nailed it.
Josephine: Really.
Wells: I even helped a reporter clean his camera.
Josephine: WOW. What a Boy Scout.
Wells: Man scout. Look for a guy in baggage claim holding a sign that says Wells’s Belle.
Josephine: What??