The Touch of a Villain: An Enemies to Lovers High School Romance (The Boys of Clermont Bay Book 1) by Holly Renee (best short books to read .TXT) 📗

He was sure and firm, and he never let his assurance waver.

“Beck Clermont isn’t a good influence.” He nodded his head toward them, but I didn’t look. “I’d rather you didn’t spend your time with him.”

I bit down on my tongue until I couldn’t stand the pain. He didn’t really get to tell me who was a good influence.

He was a man who had chosen not to take care of his own child because he refused to give up his lifestyle and my mother refused to stay with a man who valued money and power above his family.

“As you’ve already told me.”

“Then you should listen,” he snapped, and my spine straightened.

If I wanted to be around Beck, I would. My father’s opinion of him wouldn’t sway me one way or another.

That was a lie. It made me want to be around him more. If Beck Clermont pissed off my father, then I would gladly spend time with him for that reason alone.

I stared up at my father as he adjusted the golf glove on his hand. “I know the two of us don’t exactly see eye to eye on most things, but this isn’t up for discussion.”

I bit down on my lip and didn’t say a word. He didn’t care what I had to say.

Beck lifted his chin as soon as I walked away from my father and climbed back into the cart, silently asking me if I was okay.

I gave him a single nod and planted a smile on my face before driving us to the next hole.

Beck was far less playful as the rest of their game continued. He concentrated on his game, and much less on me. I knew his mood was off the moment he saw my father, but I would be lying if I said it didn’t hurt me in some way.

Whatever Beck thought of me, he couldn’t separate me from my family. He may have let himself forget for a moment, so had I, but all either of us needed was a reminder.

But I wanted Beck Clermont regardless of our circumstances. I wanted him regardless of what his plans were for me, and I didn’t know if anything could change that. Because the reality was he wanted me, and he was bringing out the version of myself I’d been wanting to be since I moved here. He might be doing it in the worst way possible, but I couldn’t deny it. I just needed him to see me as Josie, the new girl in town, the new girl who shared the same name as his worst enemy.

I pulled the cart back up to the clubhouse, and there were many more people there now than there were when we left. Mr. Clermont climbed out of the cart and was immediately bombarded by people talking to him.

I watched Beck as he carried his and his father’s bags over to another guy who quickly grabbed them, and I couldn’t stop watching him as some girl who also wore a Clermont Bay Country Club uniform spoke to him.

I had no reason to be jealous. Beck owned this place, and this girl was clearly an employee, but she didn’t look like she was discussing business. She looked like her talk was anything but professional.

Not that I could talk. I was at work and I had let him be far too close to me to ever be considered acceptable.

I was sure it was the way Beck worked, all a part of his game, and as she leaned forward and whispered something in his ear, I couldn’t stand there and watch him do it.

I went through the front door and saw some guy at the front desk who looked overwhelmed. I walked behind the desk and tried to help him as best I could without a lick of training. He handed me a few keys to hand out to members and had me call the bar for a few orders that needed to be taken to carts.

I did everything he said, and I tried to work hard enough to fight the urge to look back out the front windows at Beck.

It didn’t matter if he was still with that girl. It also didn’t matter that I was bothered by that simple fact when he had been driving me crazy since the moment I met him.

School was starting tomorrow, and I was going to have to face it during every part of the day.

I set a cooler of craft beer on the back of one of the carts and a man with more gray hair than not thanked me.

Beck looked my way as I passed him, but I didn’t stop. I just continued to do my job and pretend like he wasn’t there. I tried to pretend like he hadn’t flipped a switch the moment he saw my father.

Sam was standing behind the desk when I returned. “What else can I do?”

I didn’t want him to think I was horrible at my job, even if I may have not made the best first impression.

“Can you head over to the bar? They need some more ice.”

“Of course.” That was something I could do. I had to fill the ice all the time in the dining room.

I checked my phone as I walked toward the bar that was connected to the course for easy access and saw a message from Allie.

I wish you weren’t working today. We could be shopping.

I wish I wasn’t either.

I had turned Allie down originally to go shopping. She needed school clothes and I didn’t. She would be able to dress normally, and I would be in some uptight uniform.

I should have gone. If I had gone, I wouldn’t be here, and I wouldn’t have seen Beck. I hadn’t told Allie about what happened with him outside of his father’s office, and I wasn’t sure if I would.

I grabbed the ice bucket and headed to the back of this wing of the building where the ice machine