Game. Set. Match.

by Jennifer Iacopelli

  “I know what you want to say, Jasmine, but I don’t want to hear you’re sorry. I want you to show me you’re sorry.”

  The laughter and smile from just seconds before were gone, replaced by a stern glare and a set jaw.

  “I will. I promise.”

  “Good. Now try not to start another fight while I’m gone.”

  After Dom walked away, Indiana and Jasmine made eye contact for a second, but the other girl looked away first. Indy bent and dug through her racket bag, pulling her cell phone out and shooting off a rapid text.

  “So Dom’s been pretty tough so far, huh?” Jasmine said, swallowing back her pride.

  It was lame, but it was the best she could do and, hell, at least she was trying.

  Indy looked up from her cell phone, disbelief written across her face. “Yeah, I guess.” The phone binged in her hand and drew her attention.

  Jasmine watched as Indy wandered to the opposite end of the court, tapping away at her phone screen. “Or we could just not talk.”

  “Hey, Randazzo.”

  Her shoulders stiffened as an involuntary shiver slid pleasantly through her body. It was so annoying that Teddy could still do that to her, even when she was pissed as hell at him. He stood just outside the fence, smiling at her. A sense of déjà vu niggled at the back of her mind; they’d been here before, just after they kissed.

  “Isn’t it a little early for you?” she glanced over her shoulder at Indy, who was still focused on her phone.

  Teddy shrugged. “We need to talk and I knew you’d be here.”

  “I don’t want to talk to you.”

  She thought she’d made that pretty clear right before the Classic final, and if that hadn’t done it, she’d ignored every single text and voicemail he’d sent since. When was he going to get the point? Why couldn’t he just accept that things would never be the same between them?

  “You don’t have to talk. You can just listen.” His eyes crinkled at the corners, the damned dimple appearing alongside his easy smile, and then he hopped the fence. “Or you can stand there and pretend like you’re not listening while I talk.”

  “You’re such a stubborn ass, you know that?” Jasmine avoided his eyes. If she looked into his eyes she’d be lost, just like the night they kissed.

  “So, how’s it going?” he asked, a hand gesturing at the court.

  Her patience was already gone. “Seriously, that’s what you’re leading with? ‘How’s it going?’ Did you actually want to talk to me or are you just wasting my time?”

  “Not well then, huh?”

  “Teddy—”

  “Fine, look, I wanted to talk to you because…” He trailed off, losing his momentum. Jasmine had enough of his hesitation and stepped forward, pushing past him, but he caught her arm. “Because I feel terrible about what I said to you. You were right. I was being a shitty friend.”

  “Come on,” Jasmine said, shooting a hesitant glance toward Indy, who was still focused on her phone. The last thing she needed was for Indiana Gaffney to know what an idiot she made out of herself with Teddy. She led him through the gate and around the corner back behind the courts where they would have some privacy.

  “You wanted to talk, so talk.” She crossed her arms over her chest and waited.

  “Don’t look at me like that, Jas. We both said some crappy things to each other. And look, you were right, about Indy. I wasn’t helping her just to be nice. I—”

  “You always did have a thing for blondes.” She cut him off, pushing the hurt down as best she could. “If you like her, you should go for it. Ask her out, I mean.”

  “Maybe,” he said, shrugging.

  Jasmine looked away, studying the twisted chain-link fence intently and avoiding his gaze. “I shouldn’t have let those girls be horrible to her. I could’ve put a stop to it and I didn’t.”

  Teddy sighed. “We shouldn’t have done a lot of things, huh?”

  Like getting drunk and kissing and nearly destroying their friendship. “You got that right.”

  They lapsed into a comfortable silence for a moment, and then Teddy looked down, before shooting her a boyish grin, that dimple reappearing, making it impossible for her not to smile back.

  “So, how is it going, really? Penny told me Dom paired you guys up as a doubles team.”

  “We haven’t done much yet.”

  “I think you two would make great partners.”

  “You would,” Jasmine drawled.

  “Not like that. Your games, they’re complementary.” He shrugged, waving a hand in the air. “It’s like pairing up Sampras and Agassi, power and precision with speed and hustle. Her weaknesses are your strengths and vice versa. A perfect match and Dom’s a genius for thinking of it.”

  “Yeah, he’s a real Einstein.” The muscles in her calves twitched at the mere mention of the word. “Besides, that’s not the worst of it.”

  He stood there, silently, waiting for her to continue, but the words caught in her throat. The girls she thought were her friends clearly weren’t, and she definitely couldn’t tell her parents. She didn’t have anyone else to talk to and Teddy used to be the person she’d trust with anything, but she couldn’t anymore. She couldn’t tell him about how Dom agreed with Hodges about her game and how he didn’t think she had it in her to be in the Top Ten. That she wouldn’t win Grand Slams or Olympic medals or live up to her parents’ legacy and that everything she worked for all these years was just a stupid dream, one that they all let her believe in for way too long. So, instead, she let the dam inside her break, a lump in her throat choking her as the tears burned in her eyes and fell in streams down her cheeks.

  Somehow, even after all the crap they’d been through, he knew exactly what she needed. She needed him to just be there. Teddy didn’t love her, not the way she wanted him to, but in that moment, as his arms tightened around her and he hushed her lightly, Jasmine knew she would never find a better friend and maybe one day that would be enough.

  Chapter 16

  May 24th

  “You know staring at your phone isn’t going to make a text magically appear, right?” Indy stood in her closet, positive nothing inside of it was appropriate for Paris. “And you’re supposed to be helping me pack.”

  On their last day before leaving for the French Open, she and Penny were spending their lunch break in her dorm, digging through her wardrobe for the clothes she’d need, plus a dress for the Player’s Gala before the tournament began. The dress had to be elegant and sexy and strike Jack Harrison speechless. Not that it would be much of an accomplishment. He hadn’t uttered so much as a word to her since the day she won the Classic. Even when he’d jumped in to stop Jasmine from tackling her on their practice court, he’d barely spared her a glance.

  Penny sat down on Indy’s bed, laying her phone down beside her.

  “I’m sorry. It’s just things were so weird when Alex left for London. We barely had a night together and then he was so mad when I spilled about that medication. It’s just…It’s making it almost impossible to focus at training. And Jack’s an okay hitting partner, but he’s not even close to the same level of play.”

  Indy sighed, sitting down next to her. At least Penny had someone who wanted her or would admit that he wanted her or whatever. “He’s busy. He’s probably got a lot on his plate, and besides that, he’s got to train.”

  “I know,” Penny said, flopping back on the bed. “I know you’re right, but everything just happened so fast.”

  “Like you wanted to rip Alex’s clothes off the second you met him,” she said, leaning over her friend with a wicked smile.

  Penny grabbed a small pillow and smacked her in the head with it. “Like, I barely had time to catch my breath after we hooked up, and now it feels like none of it happened, like it was some insane, amazing dream.”

  “You could always go online and check out what the gossip sites are saying about you if you need proof.” Penny chucked the pillow at her this time, but
Indy caught it before it could hit her. “You’re leaving for Paris tomorrow. You’ll see him there, and after you kick Zina Lutrova’s ass in the final, you two can figure things out.”

  “Third round,” Penny corrected. “If we play, it’ll be in the third round.”

  “Third round then,” Indy said and just as she did, Penny’s phone vibrated against the bed. Indy grabbed it and held it just out of Penny’s reach. “You don’t get to talk to him unless you promise you’re not going to turn into one of those mopey girls every time you guys are apart. If that’s going to happen, we so cannot be friends.”

  “I promise,” Penny said, a little too quickly.

  “Pinky swear?” Indy held out her little finger.

  Penny looked longingly at the phone. “You’re kidding?” It buzzed again. “Fine, fine, I pinky swear.” She hooked their pinkies together.

  Indy handed the phone back to her desperate friend. “Here.”

  Penny’s thumb raced over the screen and her shoulders slumped as she read the text message. “He says he’ll see me in Paris. That’s it, nothing else.”

  “You will see him in Paris, tomorrow. Now come on, you promised, no moping.”

  “You’re right and we’ve got to get back to training. Forget the dress. Jack’s going to have some sent over to the hotel, you can just wear one of those.”

  “Ah, you’re the best!” Indy called to her friend’s back as Penny sped through the door.

  She dumped the clothes she wasn’t taking back into her closet before trudging outside for another uncomfortable practice session with Jasmine and Dom. Okay, that wasn’t totally fair. It was awkward, but they were training hard and Dom’s idea of them being doubles partners probably wasn’t as crazy as she thought at first. Their styles were totally different and that was a huge advantage.

  “Indy, glad you’re back,” Dom said, waving her over to where he and Jasmine stood, just outside the training courts. “I was just about to tell Jasmine, your draw has been confirmed and it looks like you’ll be playing Lutrova and Grishina in the first round.”

  “Wow, that’s—” Jasmine started, but Indy cut her off.

  “Scary as hell.” Indy looked at her doubles partner and smiled. She could see Jasmine fight it for a moment, but then a bright smile spread over her face as well.

  “Go big or go home, ladies. Now let’s get started,” Dom said, grinning from ear to ear.

  ***

  “Indiana, I am glad I have found you,” Caroline’s voice ricocheted off the metal of the lockers and the tile floor of the locker room.

  “Yep, this is usually where I am after practice,” Indy said, tightening the towel around her. “Could you turn around? I have to get dressed.”

  Caroline waved off the request and Indy shrugged, dropping the towel and grabbing her clothes. If her agent didn’t mind, then neither did she.

  “I have fantastic news,” Caroline said.

  “You’re a little late,” Indy said, pulling her OBX T-shirt over her head and then buttoning her white jean shorts. “I know it’s really exciting, Caroline, but we did already kind of know this was going to happen.”

  Caroline breathed a dismissive sound through her lips. “You are speaking of the doubles tournament?”

  “Of course. What else would I be talking about?”

  Her agent smiled. “An old friend of mine is the assistant tournament director.”

  “Old friend?” Indy asked, raising her eyebrows. “The same way Dom is an old friend?”

  “No,” Caroline said, examining the clear sheen painted on her nails, which made Indy believe she’d hit the nail right on the head. “He was a friend of my father’s.”

  “Sure, okay, what about him?”

  “He has managed to procure you an entry into the junior girls’ singles tournament. Dom was unfortunately correct about your lack of experience hindering a spot in the main draw, but this is most certainly the next best thing. I expect, after how you destroyed those other girls in the Classic, that you will have no problem winning this tournament as well. There are sponsors who will be very interested to see these results.”

  Indy pulled her hair into a ponytail and tried to keep her excitement down. The truth was she was beyond ecstatic at this news. It was a solid next step and it made so much more sense than playing doubles with a girl she could barely stand. Dom probably wouldn’t see it that way though.

  “Dom is supposed to be making all the tennis decisions.”

  “He will be thrilled of course. This will bring more exposure for both you and the Academy,” Caroline said, spinning away on her stiletto heels. Indy followed slowly, dreading the explosion her agent was about to ignite.

  ***

  “Absolutely not,” Dom said, leaping up from the bench just outside a practice court, making the tiny ten-year-old boy he was coaching literally jump in terror. “Didn’t we just have this conversation Caroline? It’s not your place to go looking for tournaments for my athletes.”

  Caroline laughed off the reprimand. “Do not be ridiculous. Of course she will play.”

  “She’ll play the junior tournament or doubles, but not both. And frankly, I prefer the doubles.”

  “You are just angry because you were unable to give her this yourself.”

  “How do you know that?” Dom asked, hands crossing over his chest. “She doesn’t have the endurance to do both yet.”

  “She is more than capable. Professional players do this all the time, Dominic. You know this.”

  “She isn’t a professional player yet.”

  “She is right here,” Indy cut in, “or should I just leave?”

  Dom turned to her, his face apologetic, or at least as close as it ever got. “Indy, it isn’t as simple as your agent would have you believe. Your game is up to scratch, and I have no doubt that you would do well, but your endurance level simply isn’t where it needs to be for your first pro singles tournament, and certainly not your first Grand Slam, even if it is at the junior level.”

  “C’est des conneries!” Caroline said, moving closer and nearly bumping chests with him.

  “It is not bullshit, Caroline, and you know it. You’re just so desperate to find the next big star you’re willing to put this girl’s career on the line.”

  The volume of their argument grew with every insult, and Indy rolled her eyes. She hated when adults acted like children, which was a lot more often than any of them would ever admit. “You two let me know when you’ve worked it out.”

  Her words went unacknowledged and she spun away from the court, practically running down the pathway to get away from the shouting. It was like she was seven years old again and her parents were screaming at each other over whatever stupid nothing they were always fighting about.

  She made it into the atrium, leaned against the wall, and slid to the floor. Roy sent her an encouraging smile from his desk and Indy managed a grimace in return, despite how pissed off she was. This should be one of the most exciting days of her career. She was going to the French Open tomorrow. She’d be playing on the famous clay courts of Roland Garros like so many legendary athletes before her. This wasn’t how she imagined feeling. She should be ecstatic and nervous and maybe even a little scared, but not annoyed. She let her head fall to her knees.

  “Well, this can’t be good.”

  Her head shot up at the sound of Jack’s voice. He was standing over her in a sweaty T-shirt and shorts, racket still in hand.

  “Hey,” she said, feeling a flush creep up over her cheeks. The last time they’d spoken she’d thrown caution to the wind and kissed him—sort of.

  “You okay?”

  “Peachy.”

  “Want to talk about it?”

  “No,” she said, resting her head against her knees again, hoping he’d take the hint.

  “Okay then,” Jack mumbled and the sound of his footfalls began to move away. She raised her head an inch to watch him go, his broad back moving to the far end of the atr
ium near the entrance to the locker rooms.

  “Wait,” she called out, leaping to her feet and racing to catch up to him. He was part agent, part coach and regardless of what was—or wasn’t—going on between them, probably the best person to ask about the argument probably still raging out on the practice court.

  He stopped without warning just outside the door to the men’s locker room and Indy crashed into his back. He whirled around, probably to try to catch her before she fell, but as he did, his elbow collided with the side of her head.

  Stars exploded in front of her eyes and a sharp pain began to radiate from the point of impact.

  “Shit, Indy, I’m sorry.”

  “I’m okay,” she said, her eyes squeezed shut. She pressed her hand against her temple, only to pull away with a hiss when the ache increased with the pressure.

  “Come on,” he said, his warm hands cupping her face. “Open your eyes and look at me.”

  His tone was so authoritative she obeyed without question, meeting his gaze. “Any blurriness?”

  “No.” She could see every fleck of green and gold in his eyes and small brown ring around his pupils that she’d never been able to truly appreciate before.

  “Ringing in your ears? Are you dizzy?”

  “Nope,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m okay.”

  “Good,” he said and she could actually see his concern melt away and his mask of indifference fall back into place. She hated when he did that, when his personality just shut down like he was afraid if he was nice to her for more than two seconds she’d try to rip his clothes off or something. It was just so frustrating. “Tell me what’s got you so upset. I’d like to help, if I can.”

  Indy sighed in defeat, the adrenaline spike fading with his words, so instead of calling him out on it, she explained the power struggle going on between Dom and Caroline on the practice courts.

  Jack looked thoughtful for a moment and then shook his head. “That’s an easy fix. Caroline must have Dom really tied up in knots if he didn’t figure this out right away.”