I fronted up to the golf club ready to join up with three friends for a game. We'd had this organized for a couple of weeks and I'd been looking forward to it because I'm quite a respectable player. Walking into the club house I was accosted by Hans, the club secretary.
"Ah, Miss Pettigrew, how are you this afternoon? You're looking as lovely as ever."
"Afternoon, Hans," I said, immediately suspicious. My experience with Hans was that he was only ever effusive if he had bad news or if he wanted something.
"I am desolate," he said. OK. Bad news coming up. "Miss Covens called and asked me to tell you that they have to cancel this afternoon's game. She had an accident and has a sprained wrist. She tried to contact you but you did not answer your phone."
Well, damn. I'd turned the phone off so I wouldn't be bothered by my mother wanting me to do something rather than play golf. As far as she's concerned any little task she wants done is preferable to me wasting my time playing golf. She forgets I'm twenty and don't even live at home. She hears the word golf and has five things that should take priority.
I whipped out my phone and turned it on. Half a dozen missed calls and another half dozen messages. Half from my mother, naturally, and the others were from Susan, letting me know the game was off. I said a rude word to myself and put the phone away.
"Fortunately, Miss Pettigrew, I have some good news to go with the bad. Mr Covens was also in the car and was also injured. A broken arm, I believe."
That was good news to me as I couldn't stand Susan's big brother, Alan. A totally selfish asshole, in my humble opinion, but while worth a smile from me I couldn't see it being good news from Hans point of view.
"Mr Covens was also scheduled to play this afternoon but he didn't find time to let his partners know he was injured. We only found out when Miss Covens rang me."
Yep. That was Alan in full asshole mode. Never mind that he only had to make a call to let them know, he just wouldn't have bothered. I still didn't see what this had to do with me.
"The rest of his party have arrived but they're one short of a foursome. I suggested that they might like to include you as a fourth and they have agreed."
Now I was surprised. Alan is a condescending chauvinist who is both athletic and stupid. I'd have assumed that his friends would be of a similar nature and not be caught dead playing a round with a woman. Still, if they were willing then so was I.
Hans escorted me out and introduced me to Tony, Mike, and Andrew. I'd seen them around the club a couple of times so knew their faces but I'd never actually known them. They were all in their mid-twenties and all seemed reasonably fit. They seemed quite happy to include me in the game, with no female type aspersions being cast.
That's not to say that they didn't check me out, but that didn't bother me. I knew what they'd see. A fit and personable young woman who was quite attractive with a damn good figure, even if I do say so myself.
His duty done Hans trotted off, looking for more doom and gloom he could spread.
"Call me Kylie," I told the boys. "Shall we get under way?"
