— You are changing the subject, a smart move, but not with me. But for you, I’ll pretend to be a fool that it worked on, — Holy Merlin! I felt my face gradually flooding with a blush. — And so-o-o I would play with you, but you’re not in shape, — he looked at my long skirt with slits.
— That won’t stop me from winning, don’t worry, — giving him a pat on the cheek, I walked toward the first lane.
I had only played golf once when I was eight, and some wealthy man invited Ella's mother to the golf club. Back then, I crushed my friend, but I didn’t get to play again until now. I grabbed a white ball with a big letter “A” and set it up just as Leo returned with his ball.
— Eighteen holes! — he announced. — I take it you don’t need an explanation of the rules?
— No, — I replied.
Almost an hour later, the girls still applauded nearby, and Lelija approached her fiancé, whispering something in his ear. Finally, Philipp planted his feet shoulder-width apart and took a deep breath. Closing his eyes, he focused and swung, the club striking the ground strongly. The ball soared into the air, gaining speed, but landed by the hole instead of dropping in. Leo was next. The guy walked up to his ball, clearly determined to win, took the club, and swung. His shot rolled a few meters and landed perfectly in the hole. Leo smiled joyfully, turning to his brother, who stood beside him with a dissatisfied expression on his face.
In the end, after a few hours, Nick crushed Cam, and he decided to exit the game, joining Miss De Ville, who gladly welcomed him. I shoved the ball with such force that it bounced off the sand and flew out of bounds.
— What a bummer!
— You’ll have to flatten the sand, — Nick remarked. — How did you make such a hole with that tiny ball?
The ball really had created a sizeable dent in the sand.
— Why do I have to flatten it? — I asked the guy.
— Golf etiquette, — he shrugged.
I took the rake in my hands. To be honest, the word "etiquette" was already making me feel sick. When I finished with the sand, it was time to head into the woods to find the ball I had hit far out of bounds. Actually, I was offered to send an assistant instead, but I decided that I needed a little walk to air out all my emotions.
A bush. And another one. But my ball was nowhere to be found. My white sneakers got stained from grass and a bit of yellow falling leaves. But I wasn’t about to give up, so I went further and further, delving deeper into the woods until I finally came across a small lake with crystal clear water and a tiny wooden pier. By the very edge, I spotted my white ball and headed toward it. The ball was in the mud, but that didn’t stop me; I leaned down to pull it out. To wash off all the dirt, I dipped my hand in the azure water. A dull thudding sound came from behind. I wondered if there were wild animals here?
Just as I thought to get up, the ground beneath me began to give way. No! Not like this! I was about to slide right into the water! Yes, a refreshing dip wouldn’t hurt right now, but not like this! My scream rang with panic, and I plunged into the cold water headfirst. All I could do was flail around in the water, desperately trying to catch my breath. My brain was panicking wildly, refusing to work, and my legs got tangled in the fabric of my skirt, making this ordeal even tougher. I was just thinking it was the end when I heard:
— Damn, Adelina! — a blond head flashed before my eyes.
That’s exactly what a damn mess this was.
Leo, without thinking, dove into the water. He quickly lifted me into his arms. But I just couldn’t come to my senses, even feeling relief that I no longer had to save my life and could breathe calmly.
— For heaven's sake, what happened to you?
— I wanted to wash the ball off in the mud, but I slipped into the water when I was getting up, I panicked because I couldn’t stay afloat in this damn skirt, — I lowered my eyes, coming to.
— Because of this damn skirt? — I couldn’t tell if he was mocking or just surprised, so I simply nodded in response. This seemed to satisfy him, and he added:
— Whatever it is, I still like it, — despite everything that just happened, he was in a good mood. — It’s good that I went after you, and nothing happened.
I smiled gratefully, rolling my eyes. An awkward pause followed. And at that moment, turning away from Leo and his piercing gaze, I noticed the beauty of this incredible place. Big green trees loomed above us, but with a bit of yellowing leaves, and the lake mirrored them, making the forest even more majestic. The air here is pure and fresh, infused with the scents of branches and moss. Birds hardly sing here, but you can hear the rustling of leaves and the lake’s surface. The water is pretty cold, but we’re both so shocked that we don’t even pay attention to it. Leo’s white, completely soaked shirt now clings to my body. Drops of freshwater drip from his hair, reminding me of that evening we danced in the rain, and his eyes perfectly match this enchanting place.
— Ahem, maybe we should get out of the water; I’m a bit cold, — I hide my lips and blink. He carries me out, and as soon as we’re on dry land, I jump down and step back a little from the guy.
— We need to change, — notices a slightly flustered Leo, and I nod, agreeing.
— Yes, of course.
— Do you need help? — now I’m the one feeling flustered. But instead of showing it, I merely hand him the ball I’ve been holding in my hand all this time.
— No, I can still walk, — I remark, but then add, — thanks for saving me.
— Are you sure? — the guy doesn’t let up, ignoring my gratitude.
— Absolutely, — I confirm and narrow my eyes, to which he simply smiles a bit and adds:
— Then I'll tell everyone we’ll be there soon, and I’ll also go to change.
— Good, — I turned one hundred eighty degrees and walked in the direction where I thought the house should be.
— You’re going the wrong way, — a voice laughed from behind me.
— I know, — and my cheeks flushed crimson yet again today.