Page 57 of True Abandon

“Do you think they’re gonna do that after every hole?” I ask Jax as we watch Mark and Shayna play tonsil hockey when she gets a birdie on the ninth.

“My money is on yes.”

“Ugh.” I can’t help but orally display my annoyance.

“It’s refreshing.”

While I make a mock gag face, he watches them as someone would two doves in a tree—with a peaceful gaze and a keen interest in nature’s beauty.

“What’s refreshing?” I ask, looking at the Waimer’s plaid hips congealed together.

Jax doesn’t miss a beat. “Seeing a couple so into each other they want to vocally and physically express it with one another.”

“You can’t be serious.”

He gives a light nod. “I am. I like them.”

I do, too. While I may have an issue with their public displays of affection, I really like the Waimers. They’re excited about everything and have a zest for life.

“Why does their affection make you uncomfortable?” Jax asks, his attention now on me as I rub the back of my neck. “We were always holding hands and kissing when we were together. Granted we had to hide because your parents wouldn’t let you date, but if we could have, we would totally have made out on a golf course.”

“We were teenagers—they’re grown adults. There’s a difference.”

He looks at my arms crossed in front of my body.

“When’s the last time you were affectionate with someone?” he asks, and I shoot him a dirty look.

“That’s none of your business.”

“It is.”

I want to punch him for thinking so.

“That guy you dated. You never kissed him at a club or straddled his lap in a park?”

Rehashing our past is hard enough to avoid. Looking into my relationships with men since Jax is a whole other ballgame. I won’t let him have this conversation-not here, not anywhere. “We were doing fine today. Why do you always have to push things to the next level? Leave it alone.”

His eyes travel from my chest and the way I’m taking in quick breaths to the strum of my fingers on my forearm.

“Fine,” he says in defeat.

“The wife and I have a favor to ask.” Mark’s words break our mention. We turn to him. He grabs Shayna’s hand and kisses it, then says to Jax, “Will you sing at our vow renewal?”

“You were just married,” I state.

Shayna smiles and explains, “We’re doing it again. This time, just us. No family or itinerary.”

Mark jumps in. “No big dress and uncomfortable suit. Just a man and a woman making a promise to spend forever with each other.”

“I’d be honored,” Jax answers without hesitation. “Just let me know when and where and I’ll be there.”

“Great.” Shayna jumps up and down. “Now, we have another favor to ask.” She looks at Mark and back to us. “We want to go back to the room. The excitement of today has us feeling a little—”

“Yeah,” I say, not wanting to hear about how randy they are.

Doesn’t matter, because Mark then throws out the words, “Ben wa balls.”

I gasp. “Oh my God.”