Kaylee’s forehead sweat and droplets ran down her temples. Her golf shirt stuck to her breasts and back, and she was panting lightly. From hitting golf balls. Who would have thought?

“Bent arm… Nope, butt’s out too far.” Bella giggled. “Kaylee, I just showed you how high to hold the club.” Bella sat on her princess perch at the far end of the driving range, giving orders. Wes’s idea.

Kaylee dropped the head of her club to the grass and looked over. “Bella, anyone ever tell you you’re a slave driver?”

Bella laughed, her giggles making her body shake on the low storage unit where she sat.

Kaylee sighed with a smile. “I’m happy I can amuse you.” She set up another shot. “Not like my arms are about to fall off,” she said dramatically. “And my butt hurts. Why does my butt hurt?”

More giggles from the peanut gallery.

“You’re not used to using your ass muscles?”

Wes.

She swung around and Wes stood behind her, watching the entire show. “What are you doing here?”

He crossed his arms. “I work here. Oh, and I own the resort. But to be more specific, I’m here to grab my star pupil.” He glanced at Bella. “Good work. Kaylee’s form is marginally better. Keep it up and you’ll be my next assistant pro.”

Bella hopped off the wooden three-foot structure and went to Wes’s side. She tugged on his shirt and he leaned down.

He nodded at something Bella whispered into his ear. “Set up your clubs first,” he told her.

Wes watched Bella run off then turned to Kaylee. “If you’re that sore, you might want to call it a day. You look a little flushed.” He smirked.

Kaylee wiped her brow. “Gee, thanks.”

Still grinning, Wes turned and walked away.

Kaylee was happy things had softened between them these last couple of days. Wes didn’t appear as angry as he’d been when she first arrived at Club Tahoe. But that didn’t mean things were comfortable enough for a deep talk. At this point, it was hard to imagine they would ever be, but Kaylee had hope.

She collected her golf clubs and lifted the heavy bag onto her shoulder. Under the weight of her clubs and with a sore ass, Kaylee lumbered toward the pro shop. Who knew golf was such a physical sport? It appeared so easy when Wes played in college or when she watched tournaments on TV with Eddy.

Just past the shop, Kaylee stopped to use the restroom and found Wes standing beside the women’s locker room. His arms were crossed and his head was bent as though he were waiting.

“You okay there?” she asked, and craned her neck to the side. “Men’s restroom seems open. You sure you wouldn’t rather use that one?”

His mouth twisted. “Funny. I’m waiting for Bella.”

Kaylee’s smile fell. “Is she okay?”

Wes lifted his back off the wall, arms still crossed. “She’s fine. She, uh…likes me to walk her to the restroom. Doesn’t want to be alone. Thinks the bathrooms are creepy.”

Kaylee’s lips parted, but no words came out. Wes, her tall, cocky, athletic ex-boyfriend, was waiting outside the women’s bathroom…so that a little girl wouldn’t be afraid? “Who are you?” she finally said.

Before he could react, Bella emerged.

“Hi, Kaylee,” she said happily, and tugged on Wes’s shirt. “Come on, Wes. Let’s go crush it.”

Wes started to follow Bella to the driving range, but Kaylee touched his arm, stopping him—and felt the shock of attraction run up her body again, dammit.

That was getting annoying.

Wes looked down at her hand and she quickly dropped it.

She glanced after Bella. “That little girl has you wrapped around her finger,” she said with a smile.

He shrugged. “She needs me. And she’s a good kid. You got a problem with that?”

Kaylee swallowed, her smile dropping. She shook her head. “No—I’m just surprised.”

“Well, don’t be. You don’t know me anymore.” He stormed off, and Kaylee stood there, eyes growing misty.

He was still angry, and it hurt, but it was also going to make what she came here to do more difficult. Even so, watching Bella and Wes together was the sweetest thing she’d seen in a long time—and it broke her heart.

Because when Kaylee saw Wes treat Bella with such gentleness, she worried she’d been wrong about him all those years ago.

---

Kaylee entered her parents’ Tahoe house after wiping sweat—and a few tears—from her face in the golf course restroom. She’d never have expected Wes to be so caring with a child. And it messed with her head.

“Hello?” she called out.

“Up here,” Eddy said from the second floor.

Her parents’ house was a two-story split-level with a large fireplace, open floor plan, and ceiling-high corner windows with a view of the forest. She loved this place. It felt more like home than the one she’d grown up in. Yet she’d avoided it for years.

At the top of the landing, Kaylee caught sight of Eddy in the spare catchall room, lifting weights without a shirt on.

“How was the driving range?” He forced out a breath and inhaled slowly for his next repetition of arm curls.

Enlightening, she wanted to say, but that might open up a can of worms she wasn’t ready to talk about. “Hot. Sweaty. Kind of painful. I’m still sore from my lessons the other day.”

Eddy set down the weights he’d been using. “No pain, no gain.” He huffed out a chuckle. “And you need the work.”

She pouted. “Don’t rub it in. I’m getting enough grief from Wes and Bella.”

“Bella?”

“Just another student at the range.” No way in hell she’d admit she was getting shown up by a five-year-old. “What do you want to do tonight?”

He walked over and leaned down, kissing her on the neck. He smacked his lips and his face pinched. “Salty. What do you say you hop in the shower and then I rock your world?”

Eddy was “salty” too, but she didn’t mention it. Wouldn’t have mattered, because she wasn’t in the mood for sex. Not while she was having inappropriate physical reactions to her ex.

Everything would be fine once she and Eddy married and left Lake Tahoe. For now, she would have to deal with the awkwardness. “I’d rather we hang and watch TV.”

“Babe, I told you. I’m going out with the guys tomorrow night. They’re only in town for a couple of days, and I leave the following morning at the butt crack of dawn for my trip. If I don’t tap that tonight, it’ll be weeks before you get laid.”

She rolled her eyes. “Have we been together so long that you don’t even try to woo me anymore?”

He parted his lips in a silent what?

“Besides, I can handle a few weeks of no sex. Can you?”

He huffed out a breath. “Of course.” He swatted her on the ass and headed out of the room toward the master bedroom. “That’s what my right hand is for.”

Kaylee sank onto the mattress and took off her shoes, because despite not being in the mood, she was taking a shower. “This will be good for us,” she called. “It’ll make the wedding night that much more special.” And maybe make Eddy more appreciative.

Eddy had gotten lazy over the last year when it came to making her feel important. It was probably normal for couples to stop trying as hard after a while, but Kaylee wasn’t even married to Eddy yet. And she had a hang-up about not being someone’s priority.

“What?” he yelled. “No way in hell I’m waiting that long to get laid.”

Kaylee sighed. She supposed asking Eddy to wait two months until their wedding was a lot. But she didn’t want her current relationship to end up like her last. She wanted to be appreciated. Which was why she was determined to confront her past and resolve any lingering issues she had with Wes. But talking to him was going to be much harder than she’d imagined.