Wes headed for the driving range at the time he’d agreed to meet Kaylee, and found her already there with Bella. His star pupil was showing Kaylee how to reposition her backswing.

Bella shook her head. “Not like that, Kaylee. Watch.” Bella demonstrated the move with her small club perfectly.

Kaylee raised an eight iron, attempting to mimic Bella, but her angle was off.

Bella set her club to the side and jumped up, trying to push Kaylee’s club higher and to the left, but she was too short.

“I got it,” Wes said.

Kaylee whipped around and looked at him warily. “Wasn’t sure if you’d show today.”

He touched her elbow and she flinched, her green eyes widening.

Wes swallowed, ignoring the familiar, clean scent of her—and the heat that licked his body when she was near. He raised the club to the proper position. “Like this,” he said, and stepped back. “Try again.”

She did as he said, and her position this time wasn’t half bad.

He nodded. “Good. Now bring it back exactly like that ten times. Then take a full practice swing.”

Kaylee practiced her backswing and Wes turned to Bella. He sank onto his haunches, putting him eye level with her. “What’s going on? You’re not due here until later.”

Bella crossed her small arms and pouted. “My parents are at the casino. They told me to go play. I don’t want to play. I want to hang out with you.” She appeared anxious.

Wes glanced at Kaylee, who’d paused in her practice and was staring at them. He focused on Bella. “You can hang with me. We’ll give Kaylee some tips, okay? At some point, though, make sure to check in with your parents and tell them where you are.”

Bella nodded enthusiastically and ran to grab her clubs at the end of the driving range.

Kaylee practiced her full swing, and it was much better than when he’d first seen her with a club. “That was really sweet,” she said without looking over.

Wes turned to make sure Bella wasn’t near. “Her parents are assholes. Bella’s a good kid.”

Kaylee nodded, but her shoulders had stiffened and it was affecting the way she held the club.

And here was his opportunity to be civil. “Everything okay?”

“Fine.” She took another practice swing. “I’m just glad Bella has you. She’ll remember it, you know? It’ll make a difference that you were there for her.”

He wasn’t used to being there for anyone aside from his brothers. And, at one time, Kaylee. Only she said he’d failed her, so maybe he was wrong about that.

He crossed his arms and spread his legs, focusing on her swing. “You’re lifting your front foot and bending your elbow too much.”

He pointed to her elbow and showed her with his own arm how he wanted her to hold the club. “Focus on those three things: the height and position of your backswing, keeping your foot down, and making sure your elbow is straight. I’ll be back in a minute.”

He went to check on Bella, but his mind raced in every direction, panic settling like a blow to his chest. This was the kind of shit that had drawn Wes to Kaylee in the first place. Not many people would have given more than a second thought to Bella’s situation. It didn’t appear she was abused by her parents, but the little girl was lonely. And Kaylee saw it and worried for Bella.

Wes related to Bella more than he liked because of his upbringing, with a dead mother and an absent father. The friendship Kaylee had formed with Bella, the way she worried over the little girl… Wes didn’t want to remember all the reasons he’d fallen for Kaylee.

He’d been raised in a mansion and left to roam a luxury resort. Lonely or not, Wes was used to getting what he wanted. And that confidence spilled over to women as well. Yet in college, whenever his ego had gotten out of hand, Kaylee would either call him out or laugh at him.

Laugh at him.

That had been enough to put his ego in check. And to have him chasing her until she was his.

Wes’s physical response to Kaylee had been pretty fucking intense. Kaylee’s beauty, combined with her kind heart and sass, meant he’d fallen for her hard. Until she’d let him go. Which he still hadn’t recovered from.

If Wes didn’t know Kaylee—if she was simply some woman who’d come in for golf lessons, with her beauty and kindness—he’d have brought out his A-game and pursued her.

But Kaylee was his ex. She was engaged. And more importantly, she’d broken his heart, though he’d never admit it to her.

Wes didn’t trust Kaylee. And what they’d shared had been destroyed long ago. There was no them, and whatever his chest was feeling had better settle the fuck down. Because he wouldn’t take a second chance on her.

---

Wes watched Kaylee practice alongside Bella for two straight hours. Kaylee had wisps of dark hair stuck to her sweaty face and her arms were limp at her sides, while Bella seemed ready to take on another two hours of hitting balls.

Kaylee held up her arm and stared at him. “My hands are locked in a claw position. I think I need to stop for the day or I might lose the use of my hands.”

Bella swung her driver in the next lane over, clocking her ball way the hell out there.

“Nice one, Bella,” he said.

“On second thought…” Kaylee stared at Bella wearily. “I should put away my clubs and prepare to sit in the stands. Because, really, this feels pointless next to Bella’s ability.”

Bella grinned from ear to ear. “Let’s get lunch from the restaurant. You can come, right?”

Kaylee glanced hesitantly at Wes.

He took a deep breath. He was turning over a new leaf and letting bygones be bygones. “Join us. The course restaurant has good brats.”

Kaylee laughed. “Nothing like a big sausage after a long day.”

He smirked, and Kaylee blushed. She made it too damn hard to pass up grinning when she gave him innuendo ammunition like that.

“Don’t even go there, Wes,” Kaylee said. “I know where your head is.”

He picked up Bella’s small clubs. “Not me talking about large sausages.”

Kaylee glanced nervously at Bella. “He’s referring to the brats and beer we used to grab from a pub on campus in college. Ignore him.”

“Come oooon,” Bella said, and grabbed Kaylee’s hand, dragging her toward the restaurant. “I’m staaaarved.”

Kaylee looked back at her golf bag.

Wes already had Bella’s on his shoulder—might as well grab Kaylee’s too. “I’ve got it,” he said.

She gave him a light smile and faced forward, walking hand in hand with Bella.

Wes’s chest tightened. Again.

Fuck. Being friendly with Kaylee didn’t feel safe. It felt dangerous. Blaming her for all that had gone wrong between them, and for his failed golf career, was much easier.

But probably not healthy.

He sighed. He’d always respected Kaylee. He supposed if there was any woman he could be friends with, it was her.

Wes grabbed Kaylee’s golf bag and tossed it on his shoulder, following the girls to the restaurant.