“Since you have plans, I won’t keep you. But let’s get together and catch up soon,” Sebastian said, pushing the door open again and allowing in bright sunshine.
“Um, sure.” Although he was her ex, she had no real hard feelings toward him, and they had known each other a long time.
Neither she nor Matt spoke as they walked outside to his car. Parked between her VW Bug and Edith’s late-model Corolla, Matt’s car stood out like a rose in a vase full of carnations, and Liv shook her head when he opened the door for her. Ferraris and those who drove them were far removed from her day-to-day life, and if she knew what was good for her, she’d remember that.
“Since you seemed so surprised to see him, I’m guessing Sebastian isn’t someone you talk to often,” Matt said as he fastened his seat belt and started the engine.
“No, at least not anymore. We went to school together, but today was the first time I’ve talked to him in almost two years. I see his sister occasionally. She still lives in town, but usually she goes to visit him.”
“But he was stopping by to see you?”
Is he jealous?
Almost as soon as the thought popped into her head, she dismissed it. This was Matt Sherbrooke. He had no reason to be jealous of another man.
“Sebastian and I were together for about a year, but that was a long time ago. Before today, I can’t remember the last time I saw him.”
Well, she could, because it was the day they’d officially ended their relationship after trying to do the long-distance thing, but Matt didn’t need that particular detail.
Back at Liv’s apartment, when Sebastian said he’d asked about her whereabouts at the restaurant and then decided to see if she was home, an unfamiliar emotion had overcome Matt. Liv’s announcement that they had been a couple not only reinforced the feeling but allowed him to give it a name: jealousy. While he recognized it as irrational, he hated the idea of an ex-boyfriend showing up at Liv’s place out of the blue.
Who was he kidding? He hated the idea of one visiting her period. But if he knew what was good for him, he’d keep his big trap shut. While Liv clearly enjoyed spending time with him, Matt wasn’t sure how invested she was in their relationship yet. And the last thing he wanted was to send her running in the opposite direction because she thought he was a jealous asshole who tried to control who his girlfriend spent time with. And, yes, although he hadn’t come to town looking for a relationship, he thought of Liv in those terms. Most of the time, he sensed his feelings were reciprocated. Every once in a while, though, Liv sent him some confusing messages. If that continued to happen, he’d address it with her, but for now, he was going to enjoy spending time with her and getting to know her better.
He’d passed by the recreational complex located about twenty minutes outside of town several times, but he’d never been. But during a conversation earlier in the week, Liv mentioned how much she enjoyed mini golf, and a visit to Smugglers’ Cove seemed like a great start to their day. In addition to mini golf, the complex also offered guests batting cages, boats that could be rented for a relaxing trip around the lake, go-carts, and a ropes course. While he’d only planned for them to play mini golf, if Liv wanted to hit some baseballs or complete the ropes course before moving on to his second surprise of the day, he wouldn’t object.
“Smugglers’ Cove,” Liv said when he turned into the parking lot. “How did you know I like it here?”
“The other night you said you loved mini golf.”
“I did?”
“We were talking about things we loved to do when it’s nice outside. And based on the reviews, this place has the best course in the state.”
“The reviews are not wrong. When I was younger, I used to come all the time with my friends. It’s been well over a year since I was here.”
Matt navigated his way through the crowded parking lot. It appeared as though they weren’t the only ones taking advantage of the gorgeous weather.
“Are we just playing mini golf while we’re here?”
“I’ll leave that up to you, but I do have plans for us later this evening, so we can’t spend all day here.” He took her hand as they moved away from his car.
“They sell Heavenly Ice Cream here, which is out of this world. And since I know your little secret, I think we should get some.”
“You had me at ice cream. Consider it done.”
Based on the complex’s website, the facility actually consisted of three separate courses. The one labeled bronze was a basic, family-friendly nine-hole course with silly, cartoonlike animals placed throughout it. The second one, labeled the silver course, consisted of eighteen holes, and according to the website, the shots were more challenging yet not impossible.
The gold course sounded the best to him, however, and it was the one he’d opt for today if left up to him. The website’s description said the course’s twenty-four holes were spread out through a maze of trees and flowers. In the pictures, a small stream flowed past several of the holes and sometimes even through many of the greens. He imagined more than one player had their ball land in the water instead of where they’d intended.
A teenager chewing gum and wearing far too much makeup looked up from her cell phone, a look of pure annoyance on her face when Matt greeted her. “Bronze, silver….” The teen’s voice trailed off, and as her eyes doubled in size, he knew what was coming next before she continued.
“Oh. My. God. I know you!” The teen hopped to her feet and covered her mouth with her hands. “You’re Matt Sherbrooke, the lead singer of Eclipse.”
He’d never been so happy that no one was around. Today was the first time they’d ventured out in public together. While he’d suggested outings before, Liv always insisted she’d rather either stay at her house or his. He didn’t want their first outing in public to turn into a spectacle. But if the teen didn’t turn the volume down a few notches, people were going to get curious.
“I love your music. I’ve seen you in concert three times. Is the band going to release any new songs soon?”
Matt glanced at the teen’s name tag. “I don’t know, Kirsten.”
