All afternoon, I pretended I didn't see or understand what she was doing.
Gina was absorbed with watching her brother and Vance interacting with their women. If I had to guess, I'd say she wanted that kind of easy familiarity for herself.
We were getting there, but couldn't do so if she didn't share what was going on inside her. Gina had more issues than her mother's prejudice, but until she trusted me enough to share the real problem we'd be stuck in limbo.
"You're up," Gina said, when she sat next to me in the golf cart.
"Thanks." I got a seven-iron and hit my second shot into the green.
The ball landed on the green, and I waved for her to leave me.
Huge trees, neat bunkers and manicured fairways were the norm on each hole—lovely to look at and calming to the spirit. I preferred to walk, since I hadn't been able to exercise between yesterday and today and the course was lovely.
Kemar and I had met again and worked most of the morning, so this afternoon was a good opportunity to stretch my legs. Although Kemar's family owned a few pieces of exercise equipment, I didn't want to impose on them. I'd either find a gym close to where we were working, or do a routine at home and jog around the neighborhood.
I wondered what Gina would think of us jogging together and came close to laughing. She'd probably ask if I'd been smoking something potent. I was now convinced Gina only exercised because of how she ate. That didn't stop me from loving everything about her. Regina Chu was a one-of-a-kind woman.
My gaze shot to her as if she could possibly hear my thoughts. She was talking to Anna-Lise and didn't see me looking at her, which was a relief. Where did that come from? I knew I could love her. She was smart, funny and considerate. Her major insecurity had to do with her mother and some other thing she wouldn't talk about.
The more time I spent with her, the more I enjoyed her company. She wasn't what my parents would want for me, but I wasn't like Gina. I respected my elders and wanted them to be happy with my choices, but if they weren't, it wouldn't make or break me. If Gina made me happy, she'd be mine for life.
I collected my thoughts and put my mind back into the game. As I went to get the putter from the bag Garth loaned me, Gina anticipated what I wanted and got it out before I could.
"Thanks, but you didn't have to do that."
"No problem. I wanted to."
Her brilliant smile pulled me out of the game and I was lost in her eyes, when Vance cleared his throat. "Try making love to her later and not on our time."
They all laughed as I took the putter from Gina. Thankfully, my skin couldn't give away my embarrassment.
"Don't pay them any mind," Gina said. "They're a terrible lot."
I sank my putt in one stroke, which I'm sure saved me from more teasing.
Living in America made me forget about friendships, like the kind I saw with Garth and his circle. I was usually so busy working through my tight schedule with clients that I didn't take a lot of time for recreation. Seeing how this group of friends supported each other, I wondered how Gina had given up this kind of comfort and ease for the life she led in Fort Lauderdale. It then occurred to me this group wasn't hers, but her brother's and she'd only spoken about Casey since she'd come home. Although Gina had a lot going on, in terms of our social life it seemed we weren't so different.
My life was mostly about work and meeting personal targets. Entertainment and a busy social calendar weren't that important to me.
The final two holes saw me leaving the course with eighty-three shots. Gina hadn't kept her scores because with five people playing, it took us a long time to finish the round. She hit a few shots now and then, claiming she wasn't good enough to complete a decent round.
After we put away the shoes and golf bags, we sat at a table in the clubhouse eating and drinking. The group looked at me as if I'd sprouted a second head when I ordered a salad, instead of the fried food they chose from the menu.
Gina squeezed my arm and smirked. "He's not alone. I'm having the same thing."
Garth laughed and shook his head. "You forget I'm related to you. I know how you eat. You must be trying to impress Kofi by ordering a plate of leaves."
Wearing a smug expression, Gina said, "I'm learning better habits from him."
Her comment was hilarious, but I didn't laugh. Gina ate exactly what she wanted, no matter what I thought. Another thing I adored about her. She did her own thing despite my opinion. Her show of support was cute, and I whispered that in her ear. She blushed, and I wanted to kiss her but that would have to wait until we were alone.
She looked at me in a way that had me burning in a place I had no business being hot in, considering where we sat. As if she understood what was happening to me, she patted my thigh and rubbed her hair against my cheek.
We wouldn't be making love today, not if I delivered her to her parents' house as I planned to do when we left the club.
As we ate, I enjoyed the view and the vibe. Garth and his friends asked about my life in Ghana and the States. I realized that by the time they stopped asking questions, even Gina knew a few more things about me than I'd told her previously. On our way out of the clubhouse, the guys reminded me they were going to take me for a night out—clubbing in New Kingston. After promising we'd get to it soon, we separated when we hit the highway.
Given the distance we were traveling, Gina drove us back into Kingston. She didn't talk much on the way and when we pulled into her parents' driveway, she sighed as she switched off the ignition.
