The Long Shot Page 10

  “Let’s take a break,” Harry said gruffly before Adrienne could offer.

  Morgan said nothing but handed Harry the putter and followed him as he walked briskly off the practice green. Adrienne had requested use of one of the course greens, but the club had refused, reluctant to have it risk being damaged so close to the tournament itself. It was less than ideal. There were other players coming and going, with all the attendant background noise that generated, and the filming so far had been a complete waste of time.

  Jenny appeared beside her. “What’s going on? She doesn’t look so good.” She motioned with her head toward Morgan, who conferred with Harry and looked agitated at whatever he said.

  “I’m not sure,” Adrienne said, watching Morgan and Harry.

  Should I step in?

  She glanced down at her schedule. They really only had this chance with Morgan today, unless she could perhaps push Kim Lee to tomorrow. That would seem particularly rude, though, asking the world number one to bump because the world number three had a bad day. Screw it. Morgan’s just going to have to make this work. It was the same attitude she’d have for anyone she filmed.

  So why did it not sit right when applied to Morgan?

  She drew in a long breath and strode over to Morgan and Harry.

  “Hi, sorry to interrupt, but we’ve only got so much time this morning, and we need to press on.”

  Harry glared at her, his contempt plain to see. Ouch. But she’d been subjected to worse; Harry was a teddy bear in comparison to some of the people she’d butted heads with. He opened his mouth to speak, but Morgan’s hand on his arm stopped him.

  “No, she’s right.” Morgan smiled at Adrienne, but it was half-hearted at best. “I’m sorry. It’s me. For some reason, being filmed today is making me over aware of everything I do in making a shot.” She shrugged. “I feel like I’m under a microscope.”

  “And it’s putting stress on her she doesn’t need two days before a tournament starts.” Harry’s eyes narrowed.

  Adrienne held up a placating hand. “I understand. All of it.” She turned to look Morgan in the eye and found herself distracted once again by the remarkable color of those eyes. The gold flecks were almost mesmerizing in the way they shifted and shimmered in the sunlight.

  Morgan stared at her, and the faintest of blushes stole across her cheeks.

  Oh great, now she thinks I’m going to tell her off.

  “Morgan, the last thing I want to do is put any pressure on you.”

  Harry snorted.

  “I thought this would be an interesting segment for people to watch,” Adrienne continued, keeping her gaze on Morgan. “To see how you and Harry work together. Is it just today that it’s giving you an issue, or do you think it would be the same no matter which day we chose?”

  Morgan’s chuckle sounded strained. She shook her head. “No, it’s…” She glanced away and sighed. “You must think I’m some kind of diva.”

  “Not at all.” Adrienne chuckled. “Trust me, I know what a diva acts like, and you are not it.”

  Morgan looked back at her, and this time her smile seemed real. “Thanks. Look, can I just have five minutes to grab a coffee?”

  “Sure. Want Jenny to go get it for you?”

  “Oh, no, I’d rather go myself. Does anyone else want one?” She threw the question out in the direction of Jenny and the crew, who all shook their heads.

  Not really in need of a second cup but recognizing an opportunity when it stepped in front of her, Adrienne said, “I’ll come with you if that’s okay.”

  Morgan’s eyes widened ever so slightly. “Sure.” She turned on her heel.

  Harry shot Adrienne one last glare before she followed Morgan.

  The clubhouse buzzed with activity, but the coffee bar was thankfully quiet. Morgan ordered her coffee—black, no sugar—and turned to Adrienne.

  “And for you?” Her voice held a hint of huskiness that sent a shiver down Adrienne’s spine, a shiver that had no right to come into being.

  “Oh, uh, with cream, no sugar. Please.”

  As they waited for the coffees, the silence between them was awkward, and Adrienne searched for a way to break it.

  “It’s not really my thing,” Morgan said, her voice low.

  Adrienne blinked, not understanding.

  “Being the center of attention.” Morgan gave her a wry smile. “When I’m out on the course, I’m one of many, and I can lose myself in that.” She sighed. “But put me up front on my own, and I…struggle.”

  “I guess I owe you an apology, then,” Adrienne said quietly.

  What did they say about the word assumption? Oh boy, did she feel like an ass now. Just because Morgan grew up with fame didn’t automatically mean she was comfortable with it. Idiot.

  “Why?”

  “Because I made an assumption, based on who you are. Or rather, based on your name and your background, not on who you really are.”

  “Ah. You thought I’d be used to all this?”

  Adrienne nodded.

  Morgan sighed again. “Yeah, not so much.”

  Their coffees were ready, and they each took a proffered cup. Once again, Morgan led the way, and Adrienne hurried to keep up with her long-legged strides. So much started to make sense after Morgan’s admission. Why she always appeared so aloof and cold in press conferences, why she kept herself apart from the crowds. And yet I’ve still got a project to deliver. Shit.

  “How about if Toby films most of the practice stuff from farther away?” It was a big compromise and one she really didn’t want to offer. But understanding so much more about Morgan now, it seemed the right thing to do. “We can always do a separate interview after with you talking about practice, and we’ll use it as a voiceover?”

  Morgan slowed her pace and faced Adrienne. “Will that give you the best result?”

  Okay, just how honest should I be? Adrienne took in Morgan’s expression, her head tilted slightly to one side, her eyes narrowed.

  Tell her.

  “No, it won’t. What I want is a more intimate scene, with the audience really seeing how you work and how you and Harry communicate. I won’t get that with a long shot.”

  Morgan pursed her lips.

  Adrienne waited her out, sensing that somehow this was the make-or-break moment of the entire project. If Morgan wouldn’t go for it, Adrienne would have to put her foot down, and then their working relationship would be a shadow of what it could be, of what it had already become. And Morgan would think less of her as a result, and that thought stung.

  “I’ve never done anything half-assed. Everything I put my energy into, I give it 100 percent.” Morgan smiled, but Adrienne could see the hint of nerves in the tightness of her mouth. “And as much as I was pushed into this by Hilton, I did agree to it, so I need to do it right. Or at least try my best to.” She shrugged, then sipped her coffee. “So let’s do it right, okay?”

  Adrienne smiled, nodded, and raised her cup in salute.

  Morgan laughed, and it changed everything about her in an instant. Suddenly, she was carefree, open, and…God, beautiful. Adrienne fought hard against the overwhelming urge to say the word out loud.

  No. You are not going there. She’s way too young, and this is just, quite frankly, embarrassing. Get a grip.

  “What did she say to you in there?” Harry looked puzzled.

  “Not much.” Morgan reached for her putter and grinned when Harry growled. “Come on, we need to get this done. And I’m fine, okay?”

  “I hope so.” He handed her the putter. “I’m still not sure this TV thing is a good idea.”

  Morgan made to speak, but he held up a hand.

  “Look, I get what Hilton said about getting you more exposure. But these people, they’re…parasites. I’ve seen them pull other players down by never leav
ing them alone. I don’t want that to happen to you.” He paused. “Do you really want to carry on with this?”

  Morgan pondered his words for a moment. She knew they held some truth, but they were countered by Adrienne’s thoughtfulness and her attention to Morgan’s needs in the process. Somehow, she knew Adrienne wasn’t like the other press and TV journalists Harry warned her about.

  “I do. I really trust her to do this right. But I appreciate your concern.”

  He sighed, then nodded.

  Morgan smiled at him, bumped his shoulder, then turned back to the TV crew.

  “Okay!” Morgan called, thrilled at the big smile that painted Adrienne’s full lips in response. I want to make her smile like that all the time. She nearly groaned aloud. Oh God, this crush has to stop!

  Because that’s all it was: a silly crush. She’d been aware of it since they met, since she’d held on to Adrienne’s hand a little too long as they parted after their lunch in Phoenix, as she’d stared into those incredible brown eyes. It was the main reason she’d struggled earlier that morning with the filming session. Knowing that Adrienne was close by and watching her every move had turned her into a pile of jelly. It was ridiculous. Adrienne was so out of her league, all sophistication and poise, and yet Morgan couldn’t stop thinking about her.

  Toby approached, his camera settled firmly on his shoulder.

  “All right, Harry,” Morgan said with a grin. “Time to make you into a TV star.” It helped, teasing Harry like this, taking her mind off Adrienne’s presence.

  “Whatever,” Harry grumbled, but his wink told her he was game.

  They resumed the putting practice, and this time, Morgan could put the camera out of her mind. Talking with Adrienne had been a curious dichotomy. On the one hand, explaining to Adrienne about her nerves in front of the camera had helped relax her into accepting the filming session. On the other, spending time alone with Adrienne had made her nerves tingle to the point where she thought she’d never string a coherent sentence together in her presence again.

  She and Harry worked a practice session for the camera for fifteen minutes before Adrienne started throwing occasional questions in.

  “How hard does he work you usually?”

  “Too hard!” Morgan said quickly, grinning for the camera when Harry scowled at her.

  “She needs it!” he said.

  Adrienne’s soft laughter reached them across the green. Off camera, Jenny beamed as she watched the whole thing with a rapt expression.

  “Aw, he’s the best.” Morgan threw an arm around Harry’s shoulder. “I couldn’t have done any of this without him.”

  They broke apart to set up for a long putt. Harry read it for her, she checked it and confirmed, and all the while Toby tracked quietly around them.

  “Is she a good student?” Adrienne asked as Morgan walked around the putt.

  “Don’t tell her I said so, but she’s the best I ever had,” Harry said.

  Morgan whipped her head up, genuinely astonished, and a flush of pride swamped her as Harry looked at her from fifteen feet away.

  “We’re not talking to you,” he said gruffly. “You just get on with what you’re doing.”

  This time, even Toby and Diane chuckled.

  “And cut!” Adrienne called. She walked quickly over to Morgan. “That was perfect! Thank you!”

  Morgan’s face burned. “You’re welcome. I’m pleased it worked out.”

  They stared at each other, the air between them charged with something Morgan had never experienced. Every hair on the back of her neck stood up, and for a moment, she thought her heart would burst out of her chest. Adrienne looked at her with such…admiration. It was almost too much to take. Morgan lifted a hand, then dropped it just as quickly. God, what are you doing?

  The slight hint of disappointment that flashed across Adrienne’s face did nothing but confuse her even more.

  Chapter 8

  Adrienne paced her hotel room, phone in hand. Come on, she’s your best friend. If you can’t talk to her about this, who can you talk to?

  Before she could out think herself, she pressed down on the keypad.

  Tricia answered quickly. “Hey, well done! I didn’t even have to nag you to get a call.”

  Despite the circumstances, Adrienne grinned. “You have me well trained.”

  “And it only took me twenty years. So how are you?”

  “I’m…okay.”

  “All right, there’s a story here, and I need wine. Hold on a sec.”

  Adrienne smiled. Tricia was, as usual, all in, even before she knew what was coming. And yes, wine wasn’t a bad idea, actually. Adrienne propped the phone under her chin while she opened the mini bar and poured herself a glass of the white wine the hotel provided. It wasn’t too bad, but at this point, she really didn’t care about its provenance, only the calming effect it could have on her taut nerves.

  “Okay, shoot,” Tricia said, as Adrienne eased into one of the chairs at the small table.

  “Well, the project itself is going well. As usual, Toby and Diane are handling it all without any protest. I think Toby’s enjoying this one, lots of nice scenery making a change from boring conference rooms and football stadiums. And Jenny’s having fun and learning a lot too.”

  “You’re stalling, Wyatt. Cut to the chase.” There was a smile in Tricia’s tone that softened her words.

  Adrienne sighed. “All right, all right. Well, um…” How do I even say it? “The thing is, I seem to have found myself in a situation that’s rather embarrassing, and even though I know it’s ridiculous, I can’t shake it off.” And that was the most frustrating element—she couldn’t damn well stop whatever it was she felt for Morgan. She took a long sip of her wine to fortify herself.

  “I’m going to take a guess that this involves a woman, yes?”

  Adrienne slumped back in her chair. “Yes, it does. A woman I have no right having an attraction for. It’s completely inappropriate, never mind unprofessional.” God, and I was only lecturing Jenny on this the other day. Ugh.

  “Let’s set aside the unprofessional part for a moment. Why is it inappropriate? Is she with someone? Straight? Both?”

  “No, actually, it’s neither. She’s…she’s much younger than me. I mean, I’m old enough to be her damn mother. It’s…” Adrienne shuddered. “It’s very wrong, and I’m deeply ashamed of it.”

  “Okay, that sounds a tad dramatic. And I don’t like hearing you say you’re ashamed of yourself. It can’t possibly be that bad. Unless you’ve done something that—”

  “No! God, no. I just feel that a woman my age has no business being interested in someone that young.”

  “How big an age gap are we talking?”

  “I’m eighteen years older than her,” Adrienne whispered, mortification heating her cheeks.

  “Oh.” There was so much weight in that one simple word.

  “I know.”

  “Look, hon, I get it. You’ve been hurt, and you’ve been alone a while now. It’s obvious if someone shows a hint of interest in you, especially someone so young, then—”

  “But that’s the problem. It’s not her. It’s me!” Adrienne groaned and dropped her head into her free hand. “I’m the one acting like the lovestruck teenager. She’s just being as friendly as our situation calls for.”

  Tricia said nothing for a moment, then sighed. “Can I be frank?”

  “Of course.”

  “I’m worried there’s an element of wanting to, shall we say, compete with Paula here. She got herself a hot young thing, so subconsciously you think that’s a way to perhaps get back at her?”

  Is that where my brain is going?

  “I honestly don’t know. I just know I’m in danger of making a fool of myself.”

  “Well, at least you’re recognizing the problem.
And I mean, just for the record, I don’t necessarily think an age gap is a problem. You’re forty-nine, but you don’t look it, and I know damn well you don’t feel it. But…how would you feel if people said the same things about you that you’ve been saying about Paula all this time? I mean, Paula and Zoe do look very happy together, despite what you might think, but even so…”

  “You’ve seen them?” Adrienne was shocked. Paula and Tricia had never moved in the same circles, so why—?

  “We bumped into them at the Met, at that new exhibition of Frida Kahlo’s work. It seemed rude to ignore them, so we said hello, chatted for a few minutes.” She sighed. “They genuinely seemed very happy, very comfortable with each other. Yes, they look different in age, but they didn’t act it, not at all.”

  The tears welled up, but Adrienne wasn’t even sure why. Many reasons—pain for the loss of what she had with Paula, and strangely, a tinge of happiness that Paula was okay. That what she’d done to Adrienne hadn’t all been for nothing.

  “However,” Tricia continued, before Adrienne could speak, “that’s them, and this is you. I suspect you would be worried about everyone pointing fingers at you and being all ‘Oh, look, Adrienne was all jealous of Paula, so she’s gone and gotten herself her own toy girl’.”

  “Is that how you would feel?” Adrienne wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer.

  “If that was why you were pursuing this woman, then yes.”

  “I’m not pursuing her! And even if I did, that’s the last reason I’d do it,” Adrienne snapped, words spilling from her with no thought. “Morgan is much more than that. She’s smart, dedicated, thoughtful, passionate about what she does, and—”

  “Morgan?” Tricia interrupted. “Morgan Spencer, the subject of your film?”

  “Argh, yes.” Adrienne groaned. “You see, it’s totally unprofessional of me.”

  “Hm.”

  “Hm?”

  Tricia sighed. “Addy, you’ve said yourself you’re not ready for a new relationship. I hardly think getting involved with the subject of your film, someone who’s in the public eye, is the best way to dip your toe back in to the dating pool, do you? Never mind the extensive age gap.”