Caddy for Hire

"Dessert! What am I going to make for dessert?"

She only needed a moment to decide.

"Nutella-stuffed strawberries!"

No sooner had she settled on the dessert when it hit her that they required nuts, and she had no idea whether or not Marc was allergic to them. Or to anything else.

"Sorry to bother you again, but...." she texted. "Are you allergic to anything? Like...nuts?"

Marc laughed when he read it.

"No. NKA," he texted back.

"NKA?" a confused Renee replied.

"No Known Allergies."

"Oh, jeez," she said to herself. "You knew that!"

Still feeling very happy, she sent back a 'duh' with a goofy-faced emoji.

She set her phone down but seconds later Marc texted her again.

"Renee? You don't need to do anything special, okay? Mac and cheese out of a box is fine by me. I'm a lot more interested in who I'm eating with than what we'll be eating."

There was a pulsing heart next to the text, and Renee laughed out loud. Her good mood went into overdrive as she texted him back.

"I'm kind of looking forward to being with the person I invited over myself."

She wanted to put a heart next to it but thought better of it. After all, he was probably still just being friendly, and he was her boss, so to speak. Still...

Renee was also an excellent time manager, and by 6:50, dinner was ready to be served, Lexi was also ready, and she'd showered, done her hair and makeup, and was ready for her....

She wasn't sure what to call Marc. Visitor? Friend? Golf pro? Date???

"Definitely not 'date'," she said as she made a final check of the food.

The doorbell rang a minute or so later, and Renee's heart skipped a beat.

"Can I get it, Mommy?"

"Sure. Go ahead, honey," she said as she stood back and waited, taking slow, deep breaths as her daughter ran to the door.

Lexi opened the door and said, "Hello. Welcome to our home," just as her mother had taught her.

"Well, hello. You must be Lexi," the tall, handsome young man said to the little girl in a very pretty dress.

"Yes, sir. I am."

"Hi, Lexi. I'm Marc."

"I know. My mommy told me your name," she said matter of factly as he stepped inside.

Marc was smiling when he looked up and saw Renee, but the smile disappeared when he saw her.

"Um...wow," he said, his eyes open wide as he produced a bouquet of flowers he'd been holding behind his back.

"Marc! Oh, my goodness. You didn't have to do this!" she told him as he handed them to her.

He pulled one of the white roses out, bent down, and handed it to Lexi.

"Flowers for both of the pretty ladies."

"Thank you!" she said, her smile so big it made her mother very happy. "Mommy! Look! Marc gave me a flower, too!"

"I see that!" her mother replied as she went to get a vase.

Marc found it impossible not to stare as she walked away. Her long, blonde hair was down and fell to her bare shoulders. She was wearing an off-the-shoulder, black, knit dress that fell to about four inches above her knees that looked amazing in contrast to her golden hair and tanned skin. He had no idea what makeup she'd worn before compared to now, but he did know she looked incredible from her very pretty face to her narrow waist to her long, shapely legs and the black heels she was wearing that made them look even...nicer.

He stayed a few feet away as she trimmed them up, but he could smell her perfume even from there, and he was thankful he'd chosen dark colored pants to hide a new 'growth problem' he was experiencing.

"These are beautiful, Marc. Thank you so much."

He waited for her to look his way then said, "Yes, you are. Very beautiful."

It was so ridiculously corny that he expected a roll of the eyes and a shake of her head. Instead, he saw her turn away from him and go back to the flowers.

"That was way out of line, wasn't it?" he said, worried that he'd taken advantage of his new caddy.

"What? No. It wasn't out of line, at all. It just...surprised me. That's all," she said without looking at him.

He really wanted to ask her if it was a good surprise or a bad one but didn't just as she finally looked at him again, flashed that amazing smile his way, then said, "A very pleasant surprise."

Marc rarely wore pink, but he did have a pink shirt, and something told him it would be okay to wear to dinner. So he paired it with some black pants and black dress shoes and the nicest black leather belt he owed.

"You look quite handsome yourself, by the way," she told him, having noticed that from the moment he walked in.

He thanked her then kind of nervously said, "Real men wear pink, right?"

Renee laughed, then told him she'd heard that.

"They uh, they just don't wear it too often," he added, drawing another laugh.

"Well, I think it looks very nice on you."

Lexi had been quietly watching and listening to them, and just as her mom finished with the last rose stem, she asked Marc a question.

"Do you like my mommy?"

"Lexi!" her mom said before Marc could answer. "Remember what we talked about?"

"I know. He's your boss. But he's very handsome. Just like you said," the child, who was being honest again, told her mother.

"Well, thank you very much, young lady," Marc told her as he bent back down and took her hand and kissed it.

Renee was expecting an, "Eeew!" from her daughter. Instead, she saw her little cheeks turn bright red.

"You ready to eat, Lexi Lex?" her mom asked, hoping to mitigate her daughter's embarrassment or crush or whatever was going on.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm very hungry."

"I hope you brought your appetite," she told Marc as she walked by him to get her oven mitts.

"Starving," he said as her scent created another stir in him.

"Go ahead and have a seat if you like," she told him as she pulled the casserole dish out of the oven.

"That smells SO good!" Marc said as he helped Lexi with her chair.

Her cheeks were only a little rosy as she thanked the handsome man who then waited for her mother.

"I can get my chair," Renee told him when she saw that he was waiting for you.

"No, sorry. No, you can't. Not if I'm here," he said in that quiet, baritone voice with a look in his eyes that caused her a different kind of 'stirring' of her own.

She set everything down then allowed him to help her with her chair. Once he was seated she Renee thanked him then said, "Okay. Let's eat!"

Marc asked Lexi what she wanted and got a serving of the chicken out and put it on her plate.

"Do you need me to help you cut it up, or are you good?" he asked the little girl.

"I might make a mess," she told him very sweetly as she looked at her mom who was smiling at her for being so grown up.

"No problem. Have knife. Will cut."

Renee had what she wanted on her plate, and once Marc was ready, she smiled at him then cut a small piece as he did the same. She waited for him to take a bite then asked, "So?"

His eyes went rolled up like he'd died and gone to heaven. After just a few chews he told her it was fabulous.

She smiled then took a bite.

"Oh, it is good!"

"Good? It's incredible!"

For the next hour or so the two of them talked without a lull of any kind except for Renee getting up to bring dessert.

"Strawberries! Yummy!" Lexi said as her mom sat one on her plate. "Mommy? Do I have to cut mine up?"

"No, honey. Just pick it up and eat it."

"Okay!"

Lexi watched Marc bite off the top half of his and tried to do the same. It was a little much for her tiny mouth, but she managed to deal with it.

"A little smaller bite next time though, okay, sweetie?" her mom said as Marc popped the rest of his into his mouth.

"I have a very big mouth!" Marc said as he leaned toward Lexi and almost put his forehead against hers.

The little girl giggled and said, "You're funny!"

"Hey! Did you just say I'm funny...looking?"

Marc made circles with his eyes and got another laugh.

Then out of nowhere Lexi asked, "Are you married?"

Renee's eyes opened wide in shock, and Marc tried not to laugh.

"No. I am not married."

He waited for a second then said very seriously, "Are you?"

Renee had to cover her mouth as she laughed when the look on her daughter's face got to her.

"I"m six years old, silly! I can't be married!"

"Oh. Sorry. I was just wondering."

"Marc's silly!" Lexi announced.

Now concerned that the young bachelor might be on overload with his fill of child banter, Renee asked if he'd like to have a glass of wine.

"In the living room. Away from...."

She only kind of nodded at her daughter, and Lexi didn't notice.

"I like...." Marc replied as he nodded at Lexi exactly the same way.

The look in Renee's eyes told Marc she was very happy to hear that.

"I do, too, but not everyone is a big fan of, you know...." as she mouthed the word 'kids.'

Marc looked at her and smiled as he said, "I'm not everyone, Renee."

Her smile disappeared again as she broke eye contact.

"Let me get that glass of wine."

Lexi was easily entertained and played quietly as the grownups talked and sipped their drinks.

"Dinner was great, Renee. Thank you."

"I'm so glad you liked it. And thank you for coming over. I love having someone to cook for."

"If tonight was any indication of how well you cook, you can ask me to eat with you guys anytime."

Renee tried to hold his gaze as he looked at her, but once again she found herself unable to.

"So...once you qualify this upcoming Monday, you'll be off to Sea Pines, right?"

"Once WE qualify," Marc replied, gently correcting her. "I can't do this without you, Renee."

"Okay. I...I just hope I have my act together enough to be a help to you."

He'd never taken his eyes off of her and was still looking when he told her, "You've already help me."

She looked away again, but Marc waited for her to look back then said, "In so many ways."

"Honey? Can you maybe go play in your room for a few minutes?" she asked her daughter.

"Okay!" Lexi said without argument.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" Marc asked once Lexi was gone.

"What? Why would you think that?" Renee asked, a genuine look of bewilderment on her face.

"Because I keep saying things I have no business saying."

Still looking confused, Marc tried to spell out what he thought was obvious.

"I'm fully aware that you caddy for me. And I'm equally aware that that means I should see you as a caddy. And only a caddy."

Renee finally understood where this was going and felt her pulse quicken the way it had so many time around him.

"But?" she asked, a kind of hopeful look on her face.

"But...I can't. I can't because you're...you're not just a caddy. You're...different. You're obviously beautiful, and that's not a bad thing, but it's more than that. You're really good at your job, and you're pleasant and I...I love being with you."

His voice trailed off with the last five words, but the meaning came through loud and clear.

"I...love...being with you, too, Marc."

Now it was his turn to ask, "But?"

"I'm not even sure where to begin."

"Just start," he quietly suggested, knowing he was about to be put in his place, romantically speaking.

"This whole thing--you and me--it's been wonderful. But it's just so...confusing."

"Confusing? How so?"

"Since Don's death I haven't even looked at another man. I suppose that's because I had no interest in looking. And maybe that was because it was just too soon."

She took a small sip then set her glass down.

"But just recently it's really hit me how lonely I've been. And...and then you came along, and...."

"And?"

"You...you made...feel something; something I haven't felt since my husband was alive."

"Renee, I've been feeling something, too. Something pretty wonderful. If you're feeling anything even close to that, shouldn't we at least see if this 'something' that's going on is real?"

Suddenly, Renee felt sad. And she knew the reason why. She was about to answer all of her own questions as she said this out loud, and she knew that after she said it, there would be nothing left to say.

"It...it's very real, Marc. I...I haven't felt this good since, you know. In fact, I haven't really felt much of anything since losing Don."

"But?" Marc asked again.

"Marc. You're incredible. You're smart, you're funny, you're a really good golfer, and you're very handsome.

"I still haven't heard the 'but', so that's coming now, right?"

She looked at him like she was trying to soften the blow, and Marc steeled himself for it the best he could.

"But...I'm...forty years old, Marc. That means there's 14 years difference between us, and...."

"Wait. Is there something else coming in this 'but' or is age the only thing you're going to mention?"

"I...I don't understand," Renee said as she reached for her glass and took another sip.

He was on the love seat while Renee was on the sofa a few feet away. Marc stood up and walked over to her then sat down beside her leaving almost two feet between them.

"I know golf brought us together. I'm also well aware that you're my caddy. And I know better than anyone that we really just met. But the truth is, I don't want you to just be my caddy."

He watched her eyes as she watched his with even more intensity. It was as though each of them was trying to look deep into the soul of the other person to find any hint of dishonesty or some subtle hint of insincerity. But there wasn't anything like that to be seen on either face.

As Marc raised his right hand Renee's eyes watched its movement like a hawk. Her hands where in her lap, but when Marc's touched one of hers, it somehow raised itself up until it was in his and holding it as his curled around hers.

"I can't stop thinking about you, Renee Roberts. And if you knew me, you'd know that doesn't happen. I...I just don't...fall for women. Ever."

She was still looking at their hands but finally looked up as he finished his thought.

"But I am...falling...for you."

Her heart was pounding in her chest, but even so, she knew she had to make him understand that 14 years was...insurmountable. But before she could try, he slid closer.

"I don't care about your age. Or my age. Or anyone's age."

He softly squeezed her hand then quietly said, "All I care about is who you are, and from everything I've seen, you're an amazing woman. I...I'd really like to get to you know you and spend more time with you."

She tried to speak to remind him she had a six-year old daughter, but her mouth was so dry that nothing came out.

"And Lexi. Who's the sweetest little girl I've ever seen."

Renee felt her 'ironclad' excuses rusting and turning into a reddish dust as her heart melted. She wanted to insist this was all some kind of huge mistake, but before she could even finish that thought, Marc leaned closer to her.

"Please don't turn me down because of...numbers. If you don't like me or my personality or the way I look, or because of my choice of club...."

Renee wanted to smile but she couldn't.

"If it's any of those things, please tell me now so I can try and see you as nothing more than my caddy. But if you feel the way I do at all, you can't not try because of something as arbitrary as...age."

Her heart was racing and so were her eyes as they flew back and forth, looking at his, first one and then the other. But not a single word came out, and it was then that she lost the battle as Marc leaned even closer, closed his eyes, and his lips pressed against hers.

A thousand things raced through her mind about why this was all wrong, but when she kissed him back, every thought but one vanished. All she wanted was for this kiss and these feelings to last forever. And it might have lasted longer than the five or six seconds that it did had a little girl's giggle not interrupted it.

Renee pulled away so fast it startled Marc.

"Sorry," Renee said after a second or two for her head to clear.

"We have a visitor," he said with a laugh as he looked over at Lexi who was covering her mouth as she stifled her laughing.

Without warning, he let go of Renee's hand, stood up, then went over to Lexi.

"A...vis-i-tor...from...another...plan-et," he said like a robot, causing Lexi to start giggling again.

Marc held his arms out like a monster then continued.

"A...plan-et...where...pee-pull...are...very...small. Like...this...one."

And then he scooped her up and began tickling her as he swung her around.

Shrieks of laughter rang out as he spun her around while tickling her sides. He brought her over to her mother and before setting her in her lap said, "I...must...take you...to the leader...of my world...for...further examination!"

When he set her in Renee's lap, Lexi was laughing so hard she couldn't catch her breath.

"Mommy! No!" she screamed out when her mother continued the tickling.

"You...must...not...spy...on people...from...our world!" her mom said, continuing the schtick, laughing even harder than when Marc was doing it.

Marc sat next to her, and when Renee stopped the tickling, Lexi slid over onto his lap and put her little arms around his neck. Renee was overcome by emotion, and as she watched her daughter hugging this handsome, younger man she knew she was falling for, tears of joy filled her eyes.

Lexi finally let go, and when she did, Marc said, "Maybe the three of us could all do something together sometime soon?"

"Can we, Mommy? Please?"

Lexi saw her mother wiping tears from her eyes and asked what was wrong.

"Mommy's just happy, honey. That's all."

"Because Marc kissed you?"

Renee looked at Marc who was smiling at her then said, "Yes. That and...other things. Is that okay?"

Lexi slid off Marc's lap, turned around then took his left hand and her mother's right and put them together. When they clasped, she nodded her head and said, "There! That's how it's s'posed to be!"

She stood there as though she was expecting something until her mom asked what was going on.

"Aren't you guys gonna kiss again?"

"Oh. I...I don't know," her mother replied.

"I kinda think we are," Marc said as he leaned Renee's way.

She saw Lexi smiling so she leaned, too, until their lips met again.

"Yay! Now we can play a game!" the six-year old announced as she clapped her hands in excitement. "Can we play Candyland, Mommy? Please?"

An hour later and a victory under Lexi's belt, Marc watched as Renee put her daughter to bed. When she kissed the little girl goodnight and left the bedroom, Marc told her he could get used to that.

"If you had to do it 24/7 you might change your mind," she suggested with a smile.

"I don't see that happening," he told her in a way that made her believe him.

"Well, if you're not sick of us, we really would love to do something...together."

"Sick of you? No. No way. I'm not only not sick of you, I'm...."

He stopped her in the hallway then took her hands in his.

"I'm crazy about you, Renee. And yes, I know that sounds crazy, but I swear it's true."

Again, she watched his eyes, and her instincts told her he was the real deal.

"Then maybe you should kiss me again," she told him as she moved a little closer.

Marc smiled then did just that as Renee placed her hands on his chest, her arms sliding up and around his neck as the kissing grew more passionate. Just a short little flick of the tip of his tongue touched hers causing her to moan oh-so quietly.

"I think maybe you should go now or I may not be able to let you," she whispered as she pulled away.

"I hate to admit it, but you're right."

"Wait. You hate admitting I'm right?" she teased.

Marc laughed, took her hand then walked her back to the living room.

"I also hate to admit this, but I'm actually kind of glad my brother broke his leg."

Renee laughed then pretended to chastise him.

"Marc, that's awful!"

"It is, but had he not done that I'd have never met you."