Page 201 of His Flash Mate
The sleek, modern clubhouse embraced outdoor serenity with indoor rock gardens and fountains designed in a way that incorporated the snack bar and pro shop instead of surrounding them.
It was exactly the same type of experience the Southside project wanted to replicate, but with a downtown vibe.Keeping up with Kaya, I mentally cataloged what elements were giving the biggest “outdoors, indoors” impact.
She patted my arm, a reminder to focus on our original purpose.I’d ask Konni to bring me back for another look around later.
After checking in and ordering juice-flavored carbonated waters, we met the instructor Kaya requested for me.The woman fitted me with a driving club and led us down the glass walkway that connected the clubhouse to the driving range.
Small quakes of fake turf lined the concrete patio under the elongated building’s extensive veranda.As the instructor stopped at ours, I watched another woman hit a ball.The tee disappeared into the turf, a ball appeared in the hole, then rose up, perfectly teed up for the next swing without having to do a thing.
Kaya moved to the spot beside mine and started hitting balls as the instructor started teaching me how to hold the club.I began to understand why the golf club was an important place to be when, only a few minutes after starting, a man approached Kaya.
“Nice swing, Mrs.Steele.Saw the news.Has the Stonestocks’s withdrawal affected your customer acquisitions?”
“Mine?You know I don’t involve myself in company issues,” she said lightly, then nodded toward me.“She’s the one you want to ask.”
The man looked at me.I paused my practice and straightened.
“And you are?”he asked curiously.
“Sophia Elmantas, part of Steele Corp’s CEO secretariat.Ms.Stonestock’s departure and her parents’ subsequent investment withdrawal haven’t negatively impacted business, despite claims otherwise.Steele Corp’s financial supply chain is self-sustaining and doesn’t rely on outside investments.The Stonestocks were allowed to invest in Steele Corp because of Mrs.Stonestock’s friendship with Mrs.Steele.”
Kaya went back to hitting balls, hiding the fact that she was trying not to laugh.
“That’s very forthcoming of you,” he said.
I shrugged.“Everything I shared has been in the news recently.Except for the part about Mrs.Steele allowing their investment.That was news several decades ago.”
“It was,” Kaya confirmed without pausing.
“Does that mean it’s true Ms.Stonestock left because of poor management?”
“Isn’t that what departing employees always say?”I asked.“That they don’t like how things are being run?Considering the very low turnover rate of Steele Corp tenured employees, it seems more likely that she left due to personal reasons than business ones.”
He glanced at Kaya, thoughtful.“Does this mean relations between the Stonestocks and Steeles are strained?”
Kaya stopped swinging.“Of course not.Lianna wasn’t a prisoner at Steele Corp.She has the right to pursue her passions.And I wouldn’t have begrudged Laurence and Christine any Steele profits they earned through their shares, even if Lianna is no longer there.”
I silently applauded Kaya for shifting the perspective back to Steele’s thriving state.
After the man excused himself, I focused on the instructor, who’d been patiently waiting.In no time, I was hitting the ball reasonably well.
“That’s good enough to join the fun.Are you ready?”Kaya asked.
I nodded even though I wasn’t sure what I was agreeing to.
A few minutes later, we walked up the gently spiraled staircase to the second floor of the clubhouse.The sound of conversation from the thirty women gathered near the wall of windows overlooking the course drifted across the space.
I spotted Lianna wearing a short white skirt and a bright coral-red top that aggressively accentuated her chest.The woman beside her wore the same outfit, but it looked more tasteful on her, despite the similarities in their build…and their facial features.
Suddenly, I understood why Kaya and I matched, too.
“I thought we were trying to be low-key about our relationship,” I side-whispered to her.
“We are.Trust me.Trust the process.”
A woman looked our way.
“Kaya?”The excitement in her voice seemed genuine.So did the way she broke from the group and Kaya's smile as they briefly hugged.
