What If?

~ Chapter Seven ~

|| Joe ||

It was the start of a warm and sunny afternoon. Joe woke up from his slumber and sighed deeply as his eyes drifted around the room. It was Saturday, the day he had to go golfing with Donald.

Usually, Joe would be happy about this because it meant he would be one step closer to accomplishing his plan. However, the more time he spent with Donald, the more he started to feel different emotions around him. These feelings reminded him of what he had experienced when he first met his now ex-wife, Jill.

Joe felt his heart race whenever he talked to Donald. He felt nervous, even anxious. During their last debate, he had even stuttered because of Donald. This was all before Joe realized Donald had a nice side to him, which only intensified those unexpected feelings.

Of course, Joe knew that he couldn't act on these feelings. Donald was a competitor, and that was all he should be.

Joe decided to text Donald, telling himself it was only to check the time they were supposed to meet. He picked up his phone, his fingers hesitating for a moment before typing out the message. His heart raced slightly as he hit send, knowing that this small interaction would bring him one step closer to seeing Donald.

'Hey, what time are you thinking of meeting up at?'

Joe texted and smiled as he awaited Donald's expected quick response. He couldn't help but wonder: Was he the only one Donald responded to so promptly?

Joe tilted his head slightly, his smile growing wider. He had to admit, he definitely hoped that was the case. The thought that he might hold a special place in Donald's attention filled him with a warm, pleasant feeling.

He grinned broadly as he felt the familiar vibration of his phone. He looked down, smiling as he read Donald's response.

'Does 1pm work for you?'

'Yeah, that works. See you then :)'

Donald responded quickly, and Joe's grin widened. As he read the message, his heart felt warm and happy, a comforting glow spreading through his chest.

"Stop it, Joe. You can't be feeling things like this," he reminded himself sternly.

He felt like he was in the midst of a mental war. On one side, he knew he needed to stick to his plan, convinced it was for the best. On the other, his growing desire to be with Donald was becoming harder to ignore. With every conversation they had, Joe's need for Donald's company intensified.

——————-

Hours had passed, and the time was now nearing one o'clock.

Joe paced around the bathroom anxiously, his thoughts racing. How would their golf session go? Would he unintentionally reveal his growing feelings for Donald? And, more importantly, would Donald even show up?

He sighed deeply, running his fingers through his hair for what seemed like the 40th time. The anticipation was almost unbearable, each minute feeling like an eternity as he tried to calm his nerves and prepare for the meeting ahead.

The clock ticked closer to one, and Joe's heart thumped with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. He had been pacing around the bathroom for the past hour, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. With a deep sigh, he checked his appearance in the mirror one last time. He was wearing a crisp white polo shirt and khaki shorts, his hair neatly combed back. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. Today's golf session with Donald felt different, more charged with an unspoken tension.

Joe grabbed his golf bag and headed out the door, his mind still a battlefield of thoughts and emotions. The drive to the golf course was uneventful and short because of the fact that the club-hotel was literally right on the course.