First Date (28 page)

He
is
perfect, God
.

“So if we’re not going fishing, where are we going?”

“Where would you like to go?”

“If I tell you and it’s different from what you planned, we’ll both be disappointed.”

“Just try me.”

“Tell me about the other dates so far.” Addy changed the subject.

“Okay, Lila was first.”

Addy knew that. She had overheard Hank tell the crew to get Lila’s segment “edited to perfection” while Ruby was finishing Addy’s makeup that morning.

“I took her to New York to see a Broadway musical.”

“How exciting.”

“The play was amazing.” Jonathon sipped his iced tea and shot Addy a look that said far more than he could verbalize with the cameras around. “Afterward, we went backstage to meet the cast. They gave us a tour of the theater. Lila even got to wear one of the lead character’s costumes and sing a song from the show with the orchestra accompanying her.”

“I heard her saying something about that at breakfast,” Addy said. “So you had a good time?”

Jonathon looked at Addy again and rolled his eyes, making sure his back was to the camera.

“Your lunch, Mr. Jackson, Miss Davidson.” The waiter lowered their plates and Addy’s mouth watered over Jonathon’s juicy cheeseburger.

Addy closed her eyes to pray, and when she opened them, Jonathon was staring at her with wide eyes.

“There’s a lot about you I don’t know,” he said.

Is that a good thing?

“Okay, guys. I’d like a few minutes to have
actual
conversation with Addy, if you don’t mind,” Jonathon said. The crew happily obliged, most discussing which items on the menu they were planning to try.

“Alone at last.” Jonathon smiled.

Did Jonathon know when Hank would be joining them? She had texted him about the change but wasn’t sure he had received it.

“Where’s Bull?” Addy asked.

“Right here.” The big man poked his head through an opening in the French doors.

“Bull,” Jonathon said. “Just a few minutes of privacy. Please?”

“Jeff and I are just standing outside these doors. We’re not listening to anything.”

“Then how did you know Addy asked for you?”

“Sixth sense.” Bull pointed to his temple. “I just know things. All kinds of things. You have no idea what’s stored in here.”

Jonathon lifted his hands in surrender. “Can you read minds?”

Bull closed his eyes, then jumped forward. “Jonathon Jackson. That was a mean thing to think. All right, then. I’ll go.”

Bull closed the door and Jonathon shook his head, laughing. “So what do you want to talk about?”

“I was going to ask you the same thing,” Addy said.

He smiled. “Hmmm. What do I want to talk about?” His smile grew serious, then he glanced to the door. “Actually, there is something I’ve wanted to tell you for a while. It’s a secret, but I think I can trust you with it.”

“A bigger secret than you wanting to be an editor?”

“An even bigger secret than Mike being your uncle.”

“You know that?” Addy dropped her napkin and looked at Jonathon in surprise.

“I did my homework for the segment I edited, Addy. It didn’t take much to find out. But don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.” He winked and Addy’s toes began to tingle.

“And your secret?” Addy prompted.

“Much bigger and much more secret.” Jonathon’s solemn demeanor intrigued Addy. He really
was
being serious.

“Tell me,” she whispered, leaning forward.

“I didn’t want to be on this show.”

“What? It’s
your
show. I thought it was your idea. Money and publicity and all that.”

“Addy, don’t you know me well enough by now to know that I don’t go in for all that?”

She hadn’t really considered that before, but as she reflected on Jonathon she realized he never did try to do anything to draw attention to himself. He didn’t shy away from the spotlight, but he wasn’t like Hank, constantly trying to be seen. “So why did you do it?”

“My dad.” Jonathon shrugged. “His approval ratings were low, and with his reelection bid coming up in the fall, he needed some help.”

“And you were that help?”

“Yes. All the publicity for the show has really helped Dad’s ratings. I wasn’t kicking and screaming about coming on . . .”

“Like some people we won’t mention?” Addy finished.

“Well, I wasn’t going to say that.” Jonathon laughed. “I love my dad and he loves his job. I wanted to help him, and this was how I could do it. But it wasn’t my idea. I’m a senior in high school. I was just hoping to finish out my year, play baseball, and get ready for college.”

“Instead you’re stuck here, having girls throw themselves at you so you’ll pick them for prom.”

“I picked my prom date the first week of the show.”

Addy’s heart thumped wildly as she felt Jonathon’s knee brush hers under the table.

“I tried to tell you all this that day I saw you out in the woods,” Jonathon said.

“And I thought you had hidden cameras, so I treated you like you had the plague.”

“Hidden cameras?”

“I assumed you were just like—”

“Get in there so you can catch me walking in,” Hank demanded, interrupting Addy and Jonathon’s conversation.

The crew rushed in, lights turned back on and cameras perched and ready to go.

Hank beamed his newly whitened smile as he walked slowly from the French doors to the table, stopping to greet Jonathon with a handshake and Addy with an air kiss on her cheek. When he became European, Addy wasn’t sure. Sitting down, Hank unrolled his napkin and glanced through the menu.

Jonathon, poised as always, shot Addy a “What is
he
doing here?” look. Addy responded with a halfhearted smile and mouthed, “Check your phone.” He did, scrolling through messages until he found her text. Still confused, Jonathon shrugged and bit into his cheeseburger.

Determined to let Hank have what he wanted, Addy asked, “So, Hank, how did you get into show business?”

“I have always loved it. I love stories, I love the glamour and the excitement.”

“So you’ve wanted this since you were little?” Addy asked.

“From the time I was eleven or twelve, I’d sneak out to go to the movie theater—strictly forbidden in my family,” he said derisively, “and watch whatever was playing. I didn’t care if it was comedy, romance, action, or horror. I just loved being caught up in a great story, being whisked away from reality and placed into someone else’s life.”

What about Hank’s early life could have made him so anxious to escape?
Addy wondered.

As they were finishing up lunch, Hank excused himself for a moment. Jonathon asked the cameras to be turned off and pointed toward the door where Hank just exited. “Is this payback for the other day on the road?”

“No, but that’s not a bad idea. Actually, it’s a little complicated. Can I tell you later?”

“Is it because we’re supposed to have a chaperone? Because I promise you, my Secret Service guys, the crew, and Eric would definitely qualify as chaperones.”

Addy laughed. “No, it’s not that. It’s just . . .” Addy searched for the right words but just wasn’t sure how to tell him yet. “Give me a little time. Trust me.” She looked into his eyes and melted just a little bit.

“I trust you. But I sure don’t understand you.”

Hank returned, the cameras were again turned on, and Jonathon announced where he was taking Addy.

“Augusta, Georgia.” He smiled and sat back, smug.

Hank was confused. Addy jumped up and yelled.

“Augusta National?” she asked, sitting back down, barely containing her excitement.

“Yep,” Jonathon replied. “Our tee time is at three o’clock, so we just have time to get to the airport and get down there. They have clothes and clubs waiting for you.”

Addy jumped up again. Hank took his time, obviously not thrilled with the location but perking up when he heard that a senator was a member and would take the couple around, not to mention a few famous golfers would be playing there.

The threesome flew in a private jet down to Augusta. A local camera crew was waiting for them, filming them as they left the plane and took the limo to the golf course. When they arrived, Addy went into the locker room to change.

“Lexi,” Addy said into her phone, moving it around the ornate locker room for her friend to see. “Look at this place.”

“Look at you, Cinderella. That golfing getup is better than any fancy dress.”

A full outfit had been laid out for her, complete with brand-new custom golf shoes and clubs.

Addy picked up the shoes. “And these are way better than any glass slippers too.”

“Turn them to the side,” Lexi said. “Look at that. The blue stripe in the shoes matches the blue stripe in the outfit. Man, they spent a fortune on you.”

“Hang on, I need to get changed.” Addy laid the phone down on a burgundy couch.

“Great. I love staring at the ceiling.”

“I can turn the video chat off.” Addy stepped into the blue athletic skirt.

“Are you dressed yet?” Lexi asked. “I’m bored over here.”

“Bossy.” Addy picked up the phone and carried it to the bathroom. Sitting it on the shelf above the mirror, Addy put her hair up into a ponytail and applied a little lip gloss. “Do I look all right?”

“You ask the girl whose makeup of choice is ChapStick?”

“Seriously.” Addy looked at her friend’s face on the tiny screen. “I am about to play the greatest golf course in the world with the greatest guy in the world. Help me out a little.”

“You look great,” Lexi said. “Now stick the phone in your pocket so I can hear everything.”

“No way.” Addy laughed. “I’ll call you later.”

She walked out of the locker room into the spacious lobby. Hank walked through the side door.

“Hank, will you be joining Jonathon and me on the course?”

“I think I’ll stay here.” He turned to a cameraman setting up and said, “But I’ll be around if you need me.”

“Ready?” Jonathon came up from behind Addy and put his hands on her shoulders.

Will I ever stop melting into a puddle every time Jonathon gets close?

“Ready to play the Masters golf course?”

Addy turned and looked into Jonathon’s eyes, trying not to completely lose her focus. “You better believe it.”

Jonathon and Addy walked out on the greens, a camera crew walking backward in front of them, capturing their first glimpses of the famous course.

A senator met the pair at the first hole. “Even I need an escort here,” Jonathon whispered to Addy. “But he’s really busy, so he’ll just be around the first couple of holes. Long enough to get on TV.” Jonathon waved at the senator.

“Hey, Jonathon.” The senator took a golf club from his caddy. “Good to see you.”

“You too, Senator Ray.”

The senator made his shot and walked away. Addy prepared to tee off.

This course is unbelievable
. The greens were in the best condition she had ever seen, with trees lining the borders. The sand traps were gleaming white and perfectly raked. The water was glassy, with stone bridges over some of the waterways leading from hole to hole.

“Are you all right?” Jonathon asked.

“I’ve never been so nervous to hit a golf ball. I watched this on television when we went home. And now I’m standing here. It’s unreal.”

“I’ve never played here either.” Jonathon looked around. “I’ve seen a couple of tournaments, but it’s different to be standing right here where the pros stand.”

“How about if you go first?”

Jonathon took a practice swing. “All right. Here goes. I am teeing off at the Masters.” He winked at Addy. “Can I just say this is so much better than Broadway?”

Jonathon hit the ball, its arc perfect, landing right in the center of the fairway about three hundred yards away.

Addy’s first shot wasn’t quite as good. “Not the sand, not the sand, not the sand.”

“Your ball follows instructions well,” Jonathon said as the ball landed just a few yards from the sand trap.

“The pros make it look so easy.”

Jonathon made it to the hole in five shots. It took Addy six.

“Not bad for a par four at the Masters,” Jonathon said.

At the third hole, Addy glanced up to see David Sillet walking toward them. The runner-up at this year’s tournament, Sillet was one of Addy’s favorite players.

“Jonathon,” David said. “I was hoping I’d get to meet you. I’m David Sillet.”

“I know.” Jonathon took David’s outstretched hand. “I’m a big fan, Mr. Sillet.”

“Call me David.” He faced Addy. “And you’re Addy Davidson, right?”

David Sillet knows my name
.

“My daughters watch
The Book of Love
faithfully. All three of them are rooting for you.”