"Jesse will leave."

Kate tried to ignore Julia's e-mail. Julia didn't know how things had changed, didn't know Jesse as well

as she did. But when he walked into the kitchen the next morning and merely looked at her, his expression dark, Kate felt a bead of doubt form.

Fortunately, the doubt evaporated the minute he closed the distance between them and pulled her close.

He kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, then her lips-a long, lingering kiss that made her knees go

weak.

But when he pulled back, he didn't say a word about last night. Unfortunately, Travis bounded in behind him right then, giving Jesse no chance to say anything else. Though he would have. Surely.

"Hey, Jesse. Hey, Kate," the boy said happily.

"Morning, T," Jesse said, smiling broadly. "Are you ready to play golf?"

Travis grimaced. "Oh, yeah, I forgot."

"Come on. It'll be fun," Jesse assured him.

Jesse turned back to Kate and raised a brow. "Why aren't you dressed? We have a tee time in forty-five

minutes."

Golf. Oh, dear. The last thing she wanted to do was get out on the course for eighteen holes. She hadn't played in years.

"Sorry, really, but I don't have golf clubs, and I know the country club doesn't rent them, so I can't play.

How about I go to the store and make a big dinner for you and Travis when you're done?"

Jesse chuckled. "No way." He left, returning a few minutes later with a practically new, top of the line set in tow.

"They're your sister's," he explained.

"Oh, wonderful," she managed. "And I appreciate it, really. But the truth is, it's a beautiful day and I

have tons I need to get done before the week starts."

He ignored her comment and shoved a pile of clothes into her arms. "I got these from Suzanne as well just in case you try to use the 'I don't have anything to wear' excuse."

She silently conceded that it had been next on her list.

Thirty minutes later, she stood outside the El Paso Country Club pro shop. Travis and Jesse stood next

to her, Jesse amused, Travis about as happy about this round of golf as she was.

"Neat clothes," the boy offered.

Neat hardly began to describe the horror that she wore. A short red skirt that was dotted with golf balls sitting perfectly atop a colorful array of tees. Her requisite collared shirt was sleeveless and tucked into

the skirt, with one big ball over her right breast. If she'd had a single other comfortable sports shirt with a collar she would have worn it. She felt like a cross between a cheerleader and a fool.

"Thank you, Travis."

Jesse, on the other hand, and unfairly in her opinion, didn't have multicolored golf paraphernalia dotting

his clothes. He wore a gray-blue golf shirt tucked into form-fitting navy pants, and easily could be

mistaken for a cover model.

Her gaze met Jesse's. His dark eyes were penetrating as he studied her, as if trying to understand something.

"What?" she demanded.

He only studied her a moment longer, then glanced at his watch. "We're up."

Before they could get in their golf carts, Lena Lehman ran up to them, adorned in miniature golf clothes of

her own and sporting bouncing pigtails. "Hey, Travis!"

Travis was visibly surprised and pleased, though he glanced around a little nervously.

"You wanna play with us?" the girl asked. "Ned Greenley didn't show, and we're having a putting

tournament over on the green. I know you're really great at putting."

"Ah," he stammered. "Well, I'm playing with my dad."

"But it will be soooo much fun. Please!"

Travis glanced back and forth between Jesse and Lena, his face wrinkled with indecision.

"Do you want to play with the other kids?" Jesse asked kindly.

"Not if you don't want me to," he answered.

Jesse kneeled down until they came eye to eye. "I want you to be happy," he said softly. "I want you

to have fun."

"It'll be great fun!" Lena cheered. "Besides, I need you on my team."

Standing, Jesse turned his attention to the little girl. "How are you getting home?"

"I'll walk. Travis can walk with me."

Jesse squeezed Travis on the shoulder. "That sounds like fun," Jesse said. "Go ahead and hang out

with the kids."

Travis didn't look like he knew what to do, but when Lena boldly took his arm, he followed.

"Are you sure that was the right thing to do?" Kate asked.

"Hanging out with kids his own age seems the best to me."

"I guess you're right."

Which was how she ended up heading for the number one tee box on a sunny Sunday morning, about

to set out onto the course with no one but Jesse. Too bad it involved playing golf.

As soon as they were in the cart, he started telling her about what he had seen at the golf camp the day before. He was tight-jawed and grim about the other kids picking on Travis. Then he finished up with

how the coach had said the program didn't have enough money to allow him to deal effectively with so many campers.

"I just wish Travis could be confident enough to be himself," Jesse said.

"He's twelve."

"That means he can't be confident?"

She shrugged, thinking about the fact that even at twenty-seven she wrestled with the same issue. One

minute confident. The next feeling like a fish out of water.

He drove the cart with ease, bypassing the men's tee.

He didn't put on the brakes until they reached the bright red women's markers.

"But what about you?" she asked. Then she sat up straight when it finally dawned on her that he hadn't

brought his clubs.

He shifted his weight uncomfortably. "I hurt my shoulder and didn't think I should play."

She remembered last night and how he had picked her up out of the bathtub, then carried her into the

bedroom. "That didn't seem to be a problem about ten hours ago."

A wickedly sly smile curved on his face. "Just hit the ball."