Fangirl Down (Big Shots, #1)

“Nope.”

Once again, moisture flooded Josephine’s eyes out of pure happiness to be sitting next to her best friend. “Wells is . . .” She tried to search for the words that would adequately describe the waterfall of emotion in her chest when she thought of the temperamental golfer. “Well, he’s my boyfriend and friend. We balance each other. I smooth out his rough edges and he makes me feel . . . stronger and more capable than I’ve ever felt. Ever. He respects me. Look what he did, flying you here. He’s thoughtful. And he’s so mean, but in a way that I love? Because that’s normal.”

Tallulah sighed gustily. “More. I need more.”

“The sex is unparalleled,” Josephine whispered.

Her best friend folded her hands and bowed her head, as if deep in prayer. “That’s what I’m talking about. Continue.”

“He’s rough with me. No one has ever been rough with me.”

“That’s what you want, right?”

“Yes.” She squeezed Tallulah’s forearm to reassure her. “Apparently, it’s what I’ve needed without realizing it. I’m not fragile. He reminds me of that, but somehow . . . I know if I wanted to have a fragile moment, he’d just whip out some glue and fill in the cracks.”

“It sounds like he’s been whipping out a lot of things,” Tallulah deadpanned.

“I’m not complaining. Clothes are stupid.”

“So stupid. Josephine.” Tallulah turned, taking Josephine by the shoulders and shaking her. “Holy hell. You’re caddying on the PGA Tour.”

“You already said that,” she laughed.

“It deserves to be said again.” She dragged Josephine back into a hug and she went willingly, sighing into her friend’s shoulder. “I’m so proud of you. Not only because you’re finally getting recognized for your talent. But because you’re getting that sweet, sweet golfer dick.”

“It’s the opposite of sweet. It’s like . . . monstrous—”

“Careful, you’ve got a sexually neglected future marine biologist on your hands.”

“Fine, it’s sweet.”

“Liar.”

“I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Me too, Joey. Now, I’ve been eating MREs for months. Someone take me to get some real food! And tequila. In that order.”





Chapter Thirty-Two




Wells was in the middle of a press conference when he saw Josephine step quietly into the press tent out of the corner of his eye. His hand shot out involuntarily and knocked over one of the dozens of microphones in his face, sending a peal of feedback through the tent.

She tucked some hair behind her ear and smiled at him, and his concentration leaked straight out of his nose. Was that a new blue dress she was wearing? Josephine probably had a lot of items in her wardrobe he’d never seen before and that fact might have annoyed the shit out of him—a lot like this press conference—if his girlfriend hadn’t been making moon eyes at him.

Last night, after getting confirmation from the limousine driver that Josephine had connected with Tallulah, he’d relaxed. Briefly. Then he’d gone for a walk through the lobby of the resort, on the off chance he’d catch a glimpse of Josephine. Sure enough, he’d seen her in the cocktail lounge looking so happy, he’d stood there grinning through the glass like a bozo, before eventually tearing himself away and going back to his room.

This was the first time he’d seen her in three days.

Which was not that long. But it might as well have been a decade.

Honestly, did she have any fucking clue how beautiful she was?

Beautiful and smart and adaptable and funny and adventurous. He could have sat there for a week listing her attributes, but the clearing of a throat into a microphone lassoed Wells, rudely pulling him back to the here and now.

“How did the practice round go, Wells?”

“Decent.”

“Do you feel more confident coming into this tournament than say . . . a month ago?”

“Why? What happened a month ago?”

Laughter filtered through the tent. His manager all but slumped over in the back row, a relieved smile on his face. All it took to get his head together was Josephine showing up and smiling at him. Something about that nipped at the back of his neck, like a problem that was beginning to sprout teeth, but Wells ignored it. There were no problems to speak of when his girlfriend was wearing a blue dress and a smile.

The media waited for him to give a serious answer to their question.

Was this his moment to let it be known once and for all how indispensable Josephine was to their partnership? To make it clear that she was far from a charity case, but more like an untapped talent that he’d been lucky enough to find and benefit from?

Yeah. It was.

He’d done more than irritate their sponsor and tussle with photographers over the last two days. He’d drawn up a new contract with Nate. The kind of agreement that had never been executed between a golfer and his caddie before on the tour.

“Yes, I feel more confident,” Wells finally answered. “A lot more.”

“Would you say that’s because of your good luck charm?”

Was it his imagination or did Josephine’s smile falter a little bit?

Yeah. Definitely. But the change had been fleeting. Maybe being the subject of their question had just caught her off guard, because she was back to being her usual serene self now. “Why don’t you ask her?” Wells jerked his chin toward where Josephine hovered inside the entrance. “She just showed up.”

Every head turned at once.

A few camera flashes popped. Murmurs carried down the rows of reporters.

Someone in a headset rushed out onto the stage with a second chair and Wells stood, holding it for her. “And it’s her birthday week, so everyone better have something to say about it.”

A chorus of baritone happy birthdays rose from the gathered media while Josephine smoothed her dress and climbed the three stairs onto the stage. “Hey,” she whispered, her green eyes turning any remaining waves inside Wells into a placid lake. “I was going to come see you last night, to say thank you, but Tallulah and I didn’t stop talking until they closed down the bar. Like, we were physically removed.” She took a shallow breath and released it shakily. “Wells, I’ll never receive a better present as long as I live. I don’t know what to say.”

He didn’t, either.

Who had filled his chest with sand?

“Uh-hmm.” He grunted. Pulled her chair out farther. “Nice dress.”

Her sides shook with silent mirth. “Thank you.”

Another grunt, as they both took their seats.

Jesus, are you okay?

Was he feeling unbalanced because he hadn’t kissed her yet?

“Miss Doyle! Do you think you’ll inspire more women to become caddies on the PGA Tour?”

“I hope so.”

“How has the reception been toward you on tour?”

“No complaints.” She hedged. “I mean, there’s always a little ball-busting in the locker room setting, but it helps that I don’t have any balls to bust.”

Laughter boomed through the tent—and some of it came from Wells.

There was nobody like Josephine.

In the wake of her joke, she turned and smiled at him, her eyes twinkling like twin lakes beneath a sunset, and he lost his ability to speak.

I’m in love with you, Josephine.

“I’ve got a question for both of you,” said a man standing at the back of the tent. “The internet seems pretty determined to prove you’re a pair on and off the golf course. How do you feel about the speculation about your relationship?”

Wells’s ability to speak came roaring back. There was his opening. He leaned forward to speak into the group of microphones. “She’s my professional partner. My equal partner. That’s the only relationship that concerns anyone in this tent.”

“What do you mean by ‘equal partner’?” pressed the reporter.

“I mean, she’s just as responsible for any success out there as I am.”

Several beats of silence followed. They were visibly nonplussed.