Jennifer Crusie - Manhunting

Kate winced, remembering the luau, and nodded.

“Well, that was my idea. I have a lot of ideas like that. They bring a lot of people to this resort I’m indispensable.”

“Lucky you,” Kate said uneasily. She felt a sudden need to get far away from Valerie, as if she had something contagious that she might catch. Like maybe rum-less ambition and a total lack of humanity. She smiled brightly at Valerie and pushed back her chair. “Well, I’ve got to run. I’m late to play golf.”

“Who are you playing with?” Penny asked.

“Peter somebody.”

“Oh, he looks rich,” Penny said. “Good luck.”

“Good luck?” Valerie raised her eyebrows at Kate.

“On my golf game,” Kate said. “I’m going to need all the luck I can get.”

“Well, then, I’ll wish you good luck, too,” Valerie said. “Let’s get together again later and talk. We’ve got so much in common.”

“That would be wonderful,” Kate said, trying not to look appalled. “Really.”

“Really,” Valerie said. “I consider you as a role model.”

“Wonderful,” Kate said as she backed away. “I can’t tell you how that makes me feel.”

I do not have anything in common with that woman, Kate told herself as she crossed the lobby. And I am not her role model or anything else. Then she caught sight of Peter waiting for her and stopped, startled by how familiar he looked as he came toward her. Who did he look like? Derek? Terence? Paul? All of them, she decided. Tall, distinguished, graying at the temples, determined, aggressive. He reached her with the same long strides her father always took and put his arm around her and looked down at her, smiling. She hated it when men did that. She always felt small.

“You look fantastic. I’ll have to show you off to everyone,” Peter said, and she stared up at him for a moment, speechless with dismay. Now that he was close, he didn’t really look all that much like any of the men she’d been engaged to. It was more the way he moved, looming over her, beaming at her. As if she was something he’d achieved.

“Um, wait a minute,” she said, and automatically backed off toward the lobby desk to get away from him. When she backed into the desk with a bump, she realized she’d left him standing in the middle of the lobby, confused and annoyed. Snap out of it, she told herself. You‘re acting like a fool There is nothing wrong with this man. What’s wrong with you?

He cheats, Jake had said. And for some reason, she suddenly trusted Jake in his dumb cowboy hat and ratty shorts more than she trusted this man in tailored flannels.

On an impulse, she called Will over to the desk.

“Do you have any field glasses?”

“Just small ones.” Will reached under the counter for a pair of miniature folding binoculars. “They’re no good for bird-watching. I can hunt up some bigger ones for you if you’re not in a hurry.” He gave her an open, friendly smile that confused Kate. What was a nice man like this doing destroying neighborhood bars with a barracuda like Valerie?

“Kate?” Will said as she stared at him.

“These will be fine,” she said. “The bird I’m watching is pretty big.” She slipped them in her pocket and went back to Peter, who was pointedly looking at his watch.

They walked toward the course, Peter nodding right and left to acquaintances, always keeping a proprietary hand on her back as if she were his entry in a particularly prestigious pet show. He’s in public relations, Kate remembered. Maybe he considers me good for his image.

“The flat Toby’s Corners course is a good amateur course,” Peter informed her when they reached the hill course. He signaled to a couple of caddies. “However, if you’ve had any experience at all, we should golf on this course.” He smiled down at her, patronizing her and challenging her at the same time. “This one is more demanding.”

Kate smiled back warily.

“Of course, it’s not as impossible as everyone claims it is.” Peter chuckled and handed his bag and the bag he’d rented for her to the caddies without looking at them. “In fact,” he added, “I’ve been scoring under par pretty regularly here.”

The caddies were about twenty, and the redheaded one looked familiar. Kate saw them look at each other and grin when Peter announced that he played under par. Score one for Jake. How did she find these men?

These men are what you’re looking for, aren’t they? Tall, distinguished, successful, and rich. You just forgot to put “honest” in your job description.

“How about a little bet?” Peter was looking at her guilelessly. “I’ll even add ten points to my handicap.”

Her father always smiled like that just before he closed a deal. She had always hated that smile. How could she get out of this date?

“You have played before?” Peter asked.

“Oh, once or twice,” she said, adding silently, since college when I was on the golf team. The problem was that college was fourteen years ago.

“How about fifty bucks?” he asked.

I can’t believe this, Kate thought. He’s trying to set me up. And then he’ll probably try to make me. Well, the hell with you, Peter-Derek-Paul-Terence. I’m tired of being used by men like you. This time, I’m going to win. And I’m not just talking about golf.

She beamed up at him. “How about a hundred?” she countered.

Peter beamed back. “Fine, fine.”

Her redheaded caddie was gently shaking his head at her, and she winked. His eyes widened and he exchanged glances with the other caddie.

Peter’s first drive hooked into a nearby field. As he and his caddie trailed to where the ball had gone in, Kate took out her field glasses, keeping them hidden in her hand. When they reached the field, Peter waved to her and went to find his ball. Kate brought the glasses up and saw him kick the ball back out of the rough.

“I do believe that my opponent’s ball just took another bounce,” she murmured to her caddie.

“Your opponent’s balls tend to do that,” her caddie said.

“Do they, now? I’m Kate.” She offered him her hand.

“I’m Mark,” he said, taking it.

“The bartender,” Kate said, remembering. “Is there anything you don’t do here?”

“Not much,” Mark said cheerfully. “I’m studying hotel management, and Will wants me learning from the ground up.”

Kate surveyed the hill straight ahead. “Well, the ground here certainly goes up.”

“The better to cheat you on.” Kate looked back at him sharply, and Mark nodded. “Unfortunately true. I think you’re going to lose a hundred dollars.”

“Oh, no,” Kate said. “I’m used to righting uphill battles. And I was brought up to be a winner. Daddy wouldn’t settle for anything less.”

She teed up her ball and hit it sweetly onto the green.

“I’ve got a feeling I’m going to enjoy this round,” Mark said.

“Oh, me, too,” Kate said.

She realized early in the game that she could have beaten Peter easily if he’d played fair, but his cheating evened things up considerably. Kate wasn’t surprised. That was probably how he’d gotten where he was today. After all, most rich men didn’t get that way by refusing to cut corners; they took every advantage they got. That’s what she’d liked about them. They were aggressive. Hard-hitting.

God, I’m dumb, she thought.

Peter smiled at her condescendingly.

But she wasn’t as dumb as he was. She smiled back. Two could play that game. With that thought in mind, on the fourth hole when she sliced into the rough, she kicked her ball back out without any compunction at all.

Peter looked astonished when he saw her ball. “Weren’t you in the rough?”

“Lucky bounce,” Kate said.

Mark nodded solemnly.

Peter scowled at her and went back to his ball.

“This is getting nasty,” Mark said. “Personally, I like it. Too bad Jake isn’t here to see this.”

Kate frowned at him. “Jake?”

Mark opened his mouth and closed it again.

“Tell me,” Kate said, and Mark shrugged.

“Jake sent me out here to look after you,” he said. “He figured you wouldn’t listen to him, so…”

“So you’re baby-sitting.” Kate sighed.

“Don’t mention I told you,” Mark said.

“Told me what?” Kate widened her eyes at him. “Now, get out of my way, sonny. I’m a woman on a mission.”

The game degenerated into the kind of game the CJA would play-covert golf. They both preferred to hit when the other’s back was turned. As the game progressed and the cheating grew more blatant, Kate shook her hair out of her chignon and laughed, and Peter began to look frantic.

“This is the only way to play golf,” Kate said to Mark. “And it took me until now to discover it. I’m going to take this jerk to dinner tonight in gratitude.”

“I don’t think he’s going to make it to dinner.” Mark watched Peter, frowning. “He’s never lost before. And he’s never turned that color before, either.”

“He’s fine,” Kate said. “There’s only one more hole.”

Peter choked on his swing again, and his ball disappeared into the brush. He stalked off after it, leaving his caddie in the lurch with Kate and Mark.

The problem with men like Peter was that they always got away with their slimy little tricks. That wasn’t fair. Something had to be done about that.

“Let’s go watch this time,” Kate said, and the three of them trailed silently after him.

They got to the edge of the course just in time to see Peter kick his ball savagely back onto the green.

“Why, Pete,” Kate said brightly. “That’s cheating.”