Half an hour later, she stood outside the pro shop with a nauseating hip-length green caddy bib tied over her polo shirt, doing her best to make herself invisible by hiding behind Mark. Since she had him by at least two inches, it wasn't going well. Fortunately, the approaching foursome was too engrossed in a conversation about the breakfast they'd just finished and the dinner they planned to consume that night to notice her.
With the exception of a man she assumed to be Spencer Skipjack, she recognized them all: Ted; his father, Dallie; and Kenny Traveler. And with the exception of Spencer Skipjack, she couldn't remember ever seeing so much male perfection grouped together, not even on a red carpet. None of these three gods of golf showed signs of hair transplants, shoe lifts, or subtle dabs of bronzer. These were Texas men-tall, lean, steely-eyed, and rugged-manly men who'd never heard of male moisturizers, chest waxes, or paying more than twenty dollars for a haircut. They were the genuine article-the archetypal American hero civilizing the West with a set of golf clubs instead of a Winchester.
Other than possessing the same height and build, Ted and his father didn't look much alike. Ted had amber eyes, while Dallie's were a brilliant blue, undimmed by the passing years. Where Ted had angles, Dallie's edges had been smoothed. His mouth was fuller than his son's, almost feminine, and his profile softer, but they were both stunners, and with their easy strides and confident bearing, no one could mistake them for anything other than father and son.
A grizzled man with a graying ponytail, small eyes, and a pressed-over nose came out of what she'd learned was the bag room. This could only be Skeet Cooper, the man Mark had told her was Dallie Beaudine's best friend and lifelong caddy. As Mark strode over to the group, she dipped her head, dropped to one knee, and pretended to tie her shoe. "Good morning, gentlemen," she heard Mark say. "Mr. Skipjack, I'll be caddying for you today, sir. I've heard you have quite a game, and I'm looking forward to watching you play."
Until this precise moment she hadn't thought far enough ahead to ponder exactly which player Mark would assign her to.
Lenny, the coleslaw-hating caddy, wandered out. He was short, weather-beaten, and tooth challenged. He picked up one of the enormous golf bags resting against the bag rack, slung it over his shoulder as if it were a summer jacket, and headed straight for Kenny Traveler.
That left . . . But of course she'd end up caddying for Ted. With her life in free fall, what else could she expect?
He still hadn't spotted her, and she began retying her other sneaker. "Mr. Beaudine," Mark said, "you're breaking in a new caddy today . . ."
She set her jaw, conjured up her father in his most menacing screen role as Bird Dog Caliber, and stood.
"I know Meg will do a good job for you," Mark said.
Ted went absolutely still. Kenny regarded her with interest, Dallie with open hostility. She lifted her chin, squared her shoulders, and made Bird Dog meet the frozen amber eyes of Ted Beaudine.
A muscle ticked in the corner of his jaw. "Meg."
As long as Spencer Skipjack was within earshot, she realized Ted couldn't say what he wanted to. She nodded, smiled, but didn't offer even a simple "hello," nothing that would force her to call him "sir." Instead, she headed for the rack and hoisted the remaining bag.
It was exactly as heavy as it looked, and she staggered ever so slightly. As she heaved the wide strap across her shoulder, she tried to figure out how she was going to lug this thing over five miles of a hilly golf course in the blazing Texas sun. She'd go back to college. Finish her bachelor's and then get a law degree. Or a degree in accounting. But she didn't want to be a lawyer or an accountant. She wanted to be a rich woman with an unlimited checking account that allowed her to travel all over the world, meet interesting people, take in the local crafts, and find a lover who wasn't either crazy or a jerk.
The group began moving toward the practice range to warm up. Ted tried to lag behind so he could rip her a new one, but he couldn't get away from his honored guest. She trotted after them, already breathing hard from the weight of the bag.
Mark sidled up next to her and spoke softly. "Ted's going to want his sand wedge when he gets to the range. Then his nine-iron, seven-iron, probably his three, and finally his driver. Remember to clean them off when he's done. And don't lose his new head covers."
All these instructions were starting to jumble together. Skeet Cooper, Dallie's caddy, glanced over at her and studied her with his beady eyes. Beneath his ball cap, his grizzled ponytail fell well below his shoulders, and his skin reminded her of sun-dried leather.