And then he stayed in Willow Valley.
Some weeks later, he began teaching golf to anyone who wanted it. His first customers were Amy’s dad and Ryan. “Can’t beat ’em, you join ’em,” Ryan had said when he showed up with Bob. Pretty soon, Harrison was giving golf lessons to a long list of people. The board of the Craig Ranch club in McKinney, one of the best courses in Texas, were searching for ahead pro. They’d heard Harrison was nearby and asked Clay if he’d be interested in filling in until they could permanently fill the position. “I told them you could fill in for two months, max; that you’d be back on tour after that.”
“Sure,” Harrison said. Clay would never give it up. But he figured the temporary pro status gave him something to do while he worked out what was next for him.
When the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, rolled around in May, Jake texted Harrison to tell him Hillary had left the tour after she and Tony Cho had quite a fight at one of the player hotels. He hoped she was okay.
Harrison liked the job at the golf club. He liked teaching kids, and he liked the old guys who came in to reminisce about when Arnold Palmer was king. But mostly what he liked was having someone to go home to. It was better than any tournament victory, better than any prize he could have won. He’d known he wanted something like this, but he’d never appreciated just how much he needed it.
He didn’t play golf on the weekends anymore. He preferred to paint a fence or barbecue for Amy’s family, or wander around the quaint town of McKinney on weekends, holding Amy’s bag as she shopped.
As for Amy, she had a job she loved, her little backyard studio, her family, and the man of her dreams. No shade to Ryan. Sometimes, she’d look across a table at Harrison or see him showing Jonah how to swing, and her heart would swell, and she’d almost pinch herself to know that this was true. She gotthatguy. She was lucky she’d met Harrison at a time in her life she understood what she had found. She and Ryan had been so young, so naïve. They couldn’t have possibly known what they really needed in a partner.
Amy liked tagging along with Harrison. She’d gone with him to watch a couple of tournaments, and even liked to go out to the golf course and ride around in a cart with him while he played.
Her painting was progressing. Only one of theBossy Posse Christmases had sold, and she heard from Julie that Melissa had bought it. But her new series, of the old woman puttering around a garden with her three little dogs, was doing well. Amy was so happy. She was content. She had everything she could ever possibly need and more.
She and Harrison still lived with the uncertainty of what came next. They both seemed to be enjoying the new phase of their life and didn’t see the need to upset the apple cart. They had discussed the future in vague terms.Marriageandlong-term commitmentwere terms they sort of bandied about.
But it was Ethan who forced the issue in a way. He’d spent the night with Connor, and the next night, at dinner, announced that Connor’s mother said his mom was living in sin.
“Excuse me?” Amy asked.
“You’re living in sin, Mom,” Ethan said. “Connor’s mom says you should be married before you live with someone.”
“To each his own,” Amy said. “Live and let live.”
“Huh? I thought you were married,” Jonah said.
Amy looked at her oldest son. “You think we’re married?”
Jonah nodded.
Amy stared at her son. “Don’t you think if we were married, we might have mentioned it? Maybe invited you to the ceremony?”
“I don’t know,” Jonah said with a shrug, and shoved a giant bite of taco casserole into his mouth.
“But why aren’t you married?” Ethan asked.
“Well,” Amy started, but Harrison felt a spark in him. It was time. He put his hand on her arm. “Allow me.”
“Sure,” she said, and gestured for him to speak.
“We aren’t married because I haven’t asked her yet.”
“That’s it?” Jonah said.
“That’s it.” Harrison turned to Amy.
Amy’s eyes widened. “Wait. What…”
“Amy?” He slid out of his chair and onto his knee.
“What are you doing? Not your knee! You’ll hurt yourself.”
“Amy,” he said, and took her hand. “Will you marry me?” Jonah whooped. Ethan hit the table with his hands. “Mom!” he shouted, grinning.
Amy frowned at Harrison. “Is this a pity ask?”
