My father waves at us and leaves with the group of men, but my brother stays behind and walks toward us. He’s thirty years old, just two years older than me. His wife had to work and wasn’t able to join us. I think she knew it was going to be a crazy fest and used the excuse of work to get out of coming. Smart girl.
When he gets to the table, our mother kisses his cheek and tells him to have a good day before walking off to join the women for their shopping adventures.
Bryan takes her seat and shakes his head. “It’s like a damn circus. How the hell are we coerced into coming to this shit every year?”
He chuckles and I laugh with him. “They’re our family. We can’t trade them in.” I nod toward our father who leads the group of men into the lobby. “Where are the guys going?”
Bryan glances back at them and laughs. “Patriots Point.” He turns his attention to me. “I’m not about to go anywhere publicly with Uncle Earl. He’s embarrassing enough as it is. I’m already dealing with that shit Jennings blathered to the media.”
If he only knew that Greyson was here. I want to tell him, but decide against it. Then again, Greyson deserves to get his ass kicked for what he said to the media about my brother. It was all over every single social media outlet … Bryan Nelson Fakes Injury to Avoid Defeat. The media had a field day with it. Bryan had broken his wrist after slipping on some rocks while hiking with a group of his buddies in the Grand Tetons. The world didn’t want to hear that though. All that gets put in the media these days is drama, not the truth.
I finish the last of my orange juice. “So what do you want to do today?”
Bryan smiles at something over my shoulder. When I look out the windows, it’s the perfect view of the ninth hole, right by the shoreline. “Seriously? You want to golf?”
He stands and stretches his arms above his head. “I think I’m ready. The wrist hasn’t been giving me much trouble.”
It’s been a while since my brother and I have been able to enjoy time on the course together. When we were younger, our father used to take us golfing a minimum of three times a week. Any day we weren’t on the course, we had to practice our swings in the back yard.
Bryan walks around to my side of the table. “Come on, Leah. You know you want to get out there.” And I do. I miss the tranquility of it all. Golfing has always been a way of relaxing for me, especially after a long week of working at the hospital.
“Fine,” I say, getting to my feet. “It just so happens I brought my golf clubs. They’re in the pro shop. I just need to change clothes really fast.”
He winks. “Perfect. I’ll meet you there in fifteen.” We’re staying at one of the best golf resorts in Charleston. I knew one way or another I’d want to play a few rounds of golf, even if it is just by myself.
I quickly run up to my room and change out of my sundress into a white golf skirt and sleeveless pink polo shirt. Once my hair is braided and out of the way, I’m ready to go. When I get down to the pro shop, Bryan is outside in a cart with our clubs strapped to the back.
“That was fast,” I call out.
He shrugs. “I had them all ready to go before I even asked you to golf. I figured you’d say yes so I made us a tee time earlier this morning.”
Laughing, I hop in. “Smart.”
The first hole is close by, and luckily, no one is there. We can get right to teeing off. The fairways are plush, and the greens are immaculate. A beautiful course. The wind is strong, but we’re used to playing in various weather conditions and geographical locations. My family and I traveled the world when my dad played in tournaments. What I love about playing golf in Charleston is the ocean.
Bryan walks up to his tee box and stretches. I’m curious to see how he does with his wrist. When he broke it, the doctor said it was one of the worst breaks he’d ever seen. Once his ball is teed up, he gets into place and drives the hell out of it. I watch it sail down the fairway, straight to the green.
“Oh my God, Bryan, that was amazing,” I squeal.
He turns to me and brushes off his shoulders. “I’ve been practicing.”
“I can see that.” He gets in the cart and drives me down to the forward set of tees. “The PGA Tour starts soon. I’m not missing it.”