The country club was old money central - the kind of place where memberships were inherited, not bought.

Lila had expected to find Ethan there, but Grant? Talk about a curveball.

"Seriously?" Chloe dug her French tips into her husband's arm. "You didn't think to mention Grant would be here? How's Lila supposed to talk to Ethan now?"

Her husband looked like a kicked puppy."I swear I had no idea!"

But it was too late to bail - Ethan had already spotted them.

He looked like a Ralph Lauren ad in his crisp whites, towering over everyone else on the green.

True to form, he acted like Lila was a total stranger, only acknowledging Chloe's husband with a power-player nod.

Then those blue eyes landed on Lila.

She'd dressed for battle in her tennis whites - form-fitting tee that showed just enough, tailored shorts that made her legs look a mile long.

Her chocolate waves were twisted up in that messy-but-perfect way that actually took an hour to achieve.

"And you are...?" His poker face was Olympic-level good.

Chloe's husband, bless him, played along perfectly.

"Mr. Caldwell, this is Miss Lila Carter - Chloe's college friend. She teaches piano."

"Miss Carter." His million-dollar smile came out to play as he extended his hand. "Pleasure."

The country club vultures were already circling, eyeing the handshake like it was prime gossip material.

Some silver-haired guy in Vineyard Vines couldn't help himself: "Lucky man, Caldwell!"

Lila felt her cheeks heat up. She wasn't used to being social currency.

When she took his hand, hers practically disappeared in his grip.

"Care to join me for nine holes?" he asked, smooth as top-shelf bourbon.