Chasing Gold

07| ulterior motives

"I don't want to jinx it, but I'm confident about it. Maybe a little too confident."

"I'm sure it went well Ev, don't stress about it too much. Jared told me you were a lovely girl, just like your mom."

"And you of course," I replied. It felt a little weird when Aunt Claire told me things like that. She always told me growing up I was just like my mom, but to me, it didn't. I barely remember her and that breaks me almost every time because I always feel like a part of me is missing.

"You're too kind Ev, too kind." Aunt Claire says and I laugh. "I heard you had a new training partner."

Peyton is such a blabbermouth. "Did Peyton tell you?"

"Yes, I had a delightful time talking with her about the topic." I'm sure she did. "Everything will turn out for the better. And maybe you'll get a new boyfriend out of it too."

Aunt Claire's and I's conversation took an interesting turn thanks to the blabbermouth I call my best friend. She started putting ideas into Aunt Claire's head but I told her that this was just strictly business. Period. Besides, if Aunt Claire saw Connery she would know that one, he's way out my league and second, he would never go for a girl like me. Have you seen the girls he usually hooks up with?

I spent the whole car ride back to campus listening to Peyton's country playlist she made on my Spotify which she titled howdy honey. We both have very different tastes in music but one thing we can agree on is country music and Taylor Swift (have you listened to folklore? It's a lyrical masterpiece). I was born in New York, but when my parents passed away I moved to Nashville where my aunt and grandparents lived. Country music and the rodeos on the weekends were my childhood. I may have moved seven hours away, but I'm still a cowgirl at heart.

When I arrived at the pavilion the only car in the parking lot was Connery's red Nissan GT-R R35. And yes I know my fair share of cars (mainly because it's all Stensby talks about aside from baseball). He was early, I was hoping he wasn't for my sake. I was still dressed in the only professional attire I had on my wardrobe (a black pantsuit with extremely high heels I wasn't comfortable wearing) and I didn't want Connery to see me dressed like this.

I grabbed my bag that had my Speedo swimsuit and my swim gear from the trunk of the car and I headed inside. Connery was already dressed in his Speedo jammer sitting by the edge of the pool scrolling through his phone. He had water dripping off of his body, he must've got his training done before he started with mine.

"Hey," I awkwardly say grabbing Connery's attention. He looked confused when he saw me in my current clothes and he didn't say anything. I know I looked bad, but I didn't know I looked that bad. I thought I looked pretty decent. "I'm going to change and I'll be right out."

Connery nodded. "You can take your time, I have 400 meters to complete my training and then we can get started."

"Okay, thanks." Okay, thanks? Everest, you literally could've said anything, anything but that.

Embarrassed by my lack of basic communication skills I rapidly walk towards the locker rooms to change into my swimsuit. In the process of changing Peyton began to text me, she's been teasing me nonstop ever since I told her I was training with Connery. How's training going? I know you're enjoying seeing Connery's gorgeous bod from up close ;). She wrote. And a minute later I replied with: cut it out sawyer.

I made sure that I had taken off all of my makeup before I walked out of the locker room. The only thing I couldn't wipe off was the popping red lipstick I borrowed from Peyton. I should have known better than to use a 24-hour matte liquid lipstick. At least I wiped the foundation and mascara off, Lord knows how much of a mess I would be in less than five minutes once I got into the pool.