“Adonis,” Jan breathed, moving closer to the door, but making no move to open it. Instead, she stared fixedly out at something.
Curious, Natalie turned to peer out the window next to her, but the umbrellas on the patio blocked her view. Reminding herself to shut them before closing shop, she walked around the counter to join Jan at the door.
“What—?” she began, and then fell silent as her gaze landed on the blond man talking on his phone under the floodlight at the end of the path leading to the clubhouse.
“Is that MacKenzie?” Jan asked, her voice a little breathy.
“I don’t know,” Natalie said slowly, her gaze shifting over the man’s figure in the dark clothes he wore. He was built like a Greek god. Muscular chest and shoulders in the black T-shirt he wore, and sculpted legs in the tight black jeans that rode low on narrow hips. She noted the golf bag slung over his shoulder, but quickly skipped up to the blond hair that was a little longer on the top than on the sides, long enough that several locks fell across his forehead as he lowered his head to listen to whoever was on the phone.
“Lift your head,” Jan breathed. “You’re too pretty to be looking down. Let me see your handsome face again. I—Oh there,” she sighed as he lifted his head and began to speak into the phone. “Dear me. God was having a seriously good day when he made you.”
Natalie couldn’t argue that. God had outdone himself with this man. He was gorgeous, she acknowledged to herself as her gaze slid over his icy blond hair and sharp features. Then her gaze returned to the golf bag over his shoulder and she frowned. “That can’t be MacKenzie. He booked a golf cart. He always does.”
“So, he’s another customer who likes to golf at night?” Jan asked, not taking her eyes off the man. “Is there anyone else booked right now?”
“No,” Natalie admitted, her gaze sliding over the unknown man’s face. “Valerian MacKenzie is the only one golfing right now.”
“Then it must be him,” Jan reasoned.
“Maybe,” Natalie allowed. “But then where’s his golf ca—?” Her question ended on a gasp when Adonis finished his call, and turned to glance toward the clubhouse as he slid his phone into his back pocket. It was Jan’s alarmed squeal as much as the fact that the man’s eyes landed directly on them staring out at him that had her leaping to the side and out of view.
Back plastered to the wall on the left of the door, she turned wide eyes to look at Jan, who was doing the same on the right-hand side. They were both breathing quickly and staring at each other with panic, and then Natalie gave her head a shake and pointed out, “We’re acting like a couple of twelve-year-old girls.”
“I know,” Jan said, a grin suddenly busting out on her face. “Fun, huh?”
“Ridiculous,” Natalie countered on a laugh, and stepped away from the wall.
“What are you doing?” Jan squealed. “He’ll see you.”
“You think he won’t see us when he comes in here?” Natalie asked dryly, crossing in front of the door to walk around behind the counter again.
“Oh damn, you’re right,” Jan said with dismay, and quickly followed her.
The sound of the door opening caught her attention and Natalie shifted her gaze to it just in time to watch the Adonis enter. He was even more gorgeous up close. Taller and more muscular looking too, she thought as her gaze moved over his wide chest and thick arms. Not beefy, brawny arms, but nicely muscled. Beautiful, really, she thought. The man was a walking work of art.
“Good evening.”
Natalie’s eyes flickered back up to his face, but didn’t quite make it to his eyes. His mouth was just so . . . and his cheekbones were . . . Realizing he had been speaking for a couple of moments and she hadn’t heard a word he’d said, she forced herself to focus on what he was saying.
“—so, I thought I’d best let you know where I left it.”
Natalie pressed her lips together, unsure what he was talking about. She took a moment, trying to find a way to avoid admitting she hadn’t been listening, but then sighed and said, “I’m sorry. You thought it best to let me know where you left what?”
His eyebrows rose slightly, but he explained, “Your golf cart.” When she didn’t respond right away, he added, “As I said, it died on the seventeenth hole. Out of gas, I think.”
“Oh.” She blinked as her brain slowly processed what he was telling her, and then blinked again and said, “Oh no. I’m so sorry, Mr. . . . MacKenzie?” Natalie queried, just to be sure she’d grasped the situation and knew who she was talking to.
“Yes. Valerian MacKenzie,” he confirmed.
“Right. Again, I’m so sorry. Roy usually makes sure every cart is fully fueled before releasing them to clients. I can’t imagine why he—”
“Roy wasn’t the one to set me up with the cart today. It was a young kid. Late teens, early twenties, dark hair.”
“Roy left early,” Jan reminded her, suddenly at her side in the crowded space behind the counter. “He had that appointment with the heart specialist.”
“Right. Timothy set him up with the golf cart,” Natalie muttered with a scowl, and then forced it away and managed a smile for MacKenzie. “I do apologize. Timothy doesn’t usually take care of the carts. He must have forgotten to top up the fuel. I’ll refund you for today’s round and give you a credit for the next one to make up for the inconven—”
“That’s not necessary,” MacKenzie cut in to say. “I just wanted to let you know where your cart is.”
“And I appreciate that, but you’re a good customer and this was an inconvenience. I want to make it up to you,” she said. “It’ll be no trouble to you. You don’t even have to be here for it. I have your credit card on record. I’ll just refund your payment and—”
“No,” Valerian interrupted the petite woman, and then offered a smile to temper the sharp word. She was a pretty little thing, her expression so sincere and earnest. She was trying to be fair, but in his opinion was offering too much. “I take some responsibility here too. I should have checked the gas gauge when I accepted the golf cart.”
“You shouldn’t have to,” she responded solemnly. “That’s Roy’s job. Well, Tim’s tonight since he covered for Roy,” she added with a small frown, and then muttered almost to herself, “I’ll have to remind him to check the fuel gauges on the carts to make sure they’re full before he releases them next time. Although it’s doubtful there’ll be a next time.”
Valerian’s eyebrows flew up with concern at the possibility that the young Tim would lose his job over this.
Seeing that, and seeming to recognize where his thoughts had gone, the woman quickly explained, “Roy never takes time off. So, it’s doubtful Tim will have to take his place again.”
“Oh.” Valerian relaxed. “Still, while I appreciate the offer to refund me for the night, that’s a bit extreme and completely unnecessary.”
She was shaking her head before he even finished talking. Knowing she was going to be stubborn about this, he quickly slid into her thoughts to give her a gentle nudge to make her accept his refusal and be content with it. However, Valerian was met by a brick wall. He couldn’t get into her thoughts.