Sun Kissed ✓

eight

FORTUNATELY, the sun returned in his full glory and, unfortunately, it didn't take either boy long to realise that Tanner was much more skilled in the art of mini-golf than Austin. He had yet to do poorly on any one of the holes and the bounce in his step, the delight in his grin, the sharp glint in his eye and the effortlessly smooth swing of his club was only throwing Austin even more off his game— which sucked especially hard once he considered that he'd never been on his game.

"How many people do you take on mini-golf dates?" Austin frowned, leaning his shoulder against a wooden post with one foot crossed in front of the other and holding his club in both hands as Tanner lifted his club and gently hit the ball into the hole.

"You're the first," he said, grinning mischievously and swinging the end of the club over his shoulder and striding towards Austin, "but I'll admit that I occasionally come with my friends and my dad is a pretty avid golfer."

"I bet you come from a country club family," Austin scoffed, pushing himself up from the post he was leaning on.

Tanner laughed. "My dad is a pretty big country club guy, yeah. All his friends like to hang out there."

"You play golf with him there?"

He shrugged, stepping back from the course as Austin took his go. "Not so much," he said. "I'm more of a tennis guy myself— even more of a swimmer."

"Oh, that's right," Austin said, repositioning himself after he hit the ball too far to the left and remembering Tanner's status on the school's swim team, not to mention all the time he spent in the ocean. "I forgot about the swimming. You're pretty athletic, huh?"

Again, he shrugged and smiled shyly. "Pretty, yeah," he said. "Aren't you?"

Austin barked a laugh. "No," he said. "The one thing I'm good at is soccer. Oh, and I'm a pretty decent runner. Other than that? No."

He was having a good time, even if he was losing hard and the competition element of the date was now practically non-existent. Honestly, he liked having something to distract him while he talked to Tanner; it put him at ease so that he didn't think so much about what he was saying. Focusing on something else while he talked helped him separate his attention in a way that relaxed him and not only was that a benefit itself, but he could also use their conversation as an excuse for why he was losing so badly. Really, it was a win-win situation.

Though the distraction certainly helped, and he was extremely relieved that Tanner suggested mini-golf instead of dinner or a walk in the park, he had to admit to himself that they were making progress. Some days they made more than others and some days they made none at all (occasionally, it even felt like they were going backwards), but Austin was more than okay with that and the talk they had on the beach the other week really seemed to help clear the faint confusion and apprehensive distance that lingered between them beforehand. He was especially grateful for the comfort provided by Tanner's sincerity and openness— and the joking around during shifts, walking home together and hanging out on the beach during dusk didn't seem to be doing any harm either.

A soft laugh escaped his pink lips and he clapped his hands together as Austin got the ball in the hole much quicker than he had for any previous courses. "You're improving," Tanner said.

"Not by much, but it's still something," Austin agreed with a shrug as Tanner led them onto the next course.

"I should take you sometime," he said, grinning when he saw the white castle on the next course. "Oh, dear."

Austin, on the other hand, was completely horrified and groaned, "Just as I was improving." He was caught off guard and blushed when Tanner ruffled his dark, already messy hair and stepped past him.

"You'll get there," he said, concentrating on lifting his club away from his ball a few times before he struck it and it rolled towards the castle.

"You were saying something," Austin said, "about taking me somewhere?"

"Oh! Yeah, to the country club. Maybe not for golfing," he joked, "but we could play tennis or go swimming."

"You're really inviting me to the country club?" Austin asked with wide eyes and a flutter in his stomach.

"Yeah," Tanner said, glimpsing back at him for the briefest second before his eyes were back on the ball. "You don't have to if you don't want to, but we might have fun, right?"

"Are you kidding?" Austin cried. "I mean. . . If you're sure you're cool with it, I'd love to go."

Tanner nodded to him. "I'd love to spend some time with you there," he said. "We don't have to go straight away or anything. Actually, I was kind of thinking we might go on another date first." He seemed to forget about the game entirely as he said this, looking at Austin with a pair of bright, hopeful blue eyes, patiently awaiting a response.

His gaze alone made Austin's heart jump excitedly out of his chest and a wave of delight washed over him so intensely that it made him feel a little dizzy. "Another date? Where?"

"I thought you might wanna choose," he said.

Austin pondered this for a second. "How do you feel about bowling?"

His laughter let loose the butterflies in Austin's stomach. "I suck at bowling," he said, knocking the ball into the hole again.

Upon seeing another consecutive golfing conquest, Austin nodded firmly. "Bowling it is."

Tanner sighed melodramatically, slipping out of the way for Austin to take his turn. "I suppose I could stand to be humbled."

"That's the spirit," Austin said with another terrible hit. "Learn to be a loser."

"That's the other thing I suck at," Tanner muttered dryly.

Carelessly, Austin stuck a finger up at him and grinned to himself when he heard the gentle, melodic laughter that was becoming so beautifully familiar. "Be a loser this one time and then we can go on all the dates you want," Austin chuckled, his own nerve surprising him.

"All I have to do is lose once and then we get endless dates?"

"That's the deal," he said. "Sound worth it?"

"Austin," he said, so tenderly that Austin's heart leapt and the tips of his ears burned and his head span, "for that reward, I'd lose a million times."

NOTE

Officially around halfway through the story! I hope you're enjoying your journey alongside these characters so far and, as always, thank you for reading! Much love <3

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NEXT UPDATE

Sunday. 15. August. 2021.