“I had to come cheer on the local girl. It’s a rule, or something.” I’d already checked in and organised myself before meeting her, and the tournament was held on hotel grounds so we didn’t have far to go. “Can I get you a drink before you head out?”
“No thanks, but if you want to walk with me, maybe that will settle my nerves?”
I agreed with a nod, slipping my shades back on as we moved towards the tournament area. A lot of familiar faces, a few waves and shouts, but mostly we were left alone to do a lap of the perimeter. I was glad I’d opted for flat sandals.
“I thought the whole Cortes Ruiz brand was about not getting nervous?” I asked, only teasing a little. “Or is the scrappy underdog thing changing as you get back up the rankings?”
“It just means more, being here. I know it’s not even on your radar, but it’s the first pro tennis my dad ever brought me to see.”
“Does it make me spoiled if mine was at Wimbledon?”
“Yes!” Toni smacked my arm. “I got a bunch of messages from Xavi saying he’d like to talk, but screw him. Mira’s great, I know you’re scared of her but—”
“I’m not scared of her!” Okay, so maybe I wouldn’t have challenged her to a fist fight, exactly, but I was more offended by her dislike of me. “You looked good in Qatar.”
“I just need to get these nerves fixed, then nothing can touch me. You’ll have to teach me your secrets someday.”
“But then they won’t be secrets anymore.” We circled around to the players’ area, and I sent her off with a kiss to the cheek and went to find the bar. I had half an idea for how to make the suggestion about dating now. I just had to wait until the match was over.
Toni wasn’t kidding about those nerves, and she dropped the first set against an opponent she could have dispatched with her eyes shut. Although she won in the end, it took her a long while to get done with showering and doing post-match with Mira.
Who was the first one of the two to appear while I waited at the bar, and I couldn’t exactly ignore her.
“Missing television yet?” I asked, hoping it sounded polite enough.
“I’ll still be doing slam coverage, don’t you worry. Maybe now I’m coaching I’ll find a way to get you to answer questions without looking like you’ve been held hostage, Elin.”
Ouch. Fair, but ouch.
“You’re doing good work with Toni. She’s much more optimistic about this season.”
“Thank you. Can I buy you a drink?” That was way more civil than expected.
“Actually, Elin and I have plans,” Toni said, arriving in her civilian wear. “I promise, I’ll be on the courts at seven to practice what we talked about.”
“See that you do,” Mira said, giving me what looked suspiciously like a warning glare. “No distractions, Antonia.”
We walked off, and I left my half-finished soda and lime on the bar.
“Antonia,” I teased in my best Mira impression. “Aren’t you two professional?”
“She’s not so bad,” Toni said. “But I let her down today. That first set was a mess. It still takes me too long to take control of the game.”
“I might be able to help with that. We just need some quiet, and some privacy.”
“Oh yeah?” Toni said, leading us back into the main body of the hotel. “Your room or mine?”
It took me the entire elevator ride to compose myself after the way she said that, wink and all. Somewhere in there we must have decided on her room, and it turned out to be a pretty decent junior suite.
“Coming up in the world,” I remarked, shrugging my blazer off and draping it over the back of the sofa. “But come on, sit here with me.”
“This better not be hypnosis,” Toni grumbled, but she came to take a seat beside me all the same. She looked more relaxed in her tight T-shirt and running leggings, her hair still a little damp from the shower. It was distracting too, how good she smelled. But I had a favour to grant.
“I’m going to tell you something that I’ve never told anyone, outside of Parisa and my immediate family. Okay?”
She shifted a little, turning towards me a little more. Serious face, which was sweet considering we’d just been joking around.
“I know it’s not exactly a secret that I don’t love attention, crowds, all of that. It’s not just a picky little preference. I was diagnosed with a generalised anxiety disorder years ago, before I even went pro. And yes, it’s difficult sometimes. I manage, though, and the discipline of this whole life actually helps in a lot of ways.”
“Oh. Elin, I had no idea—” She reached out and squeezed my shoulder. I couldn’t help liking how tactile she was, how it all came so easily to her to comfort others.
I waved away the concern. “It’s not as bad as it could be. Lots of people have it way worse. But I manage it with therapy and all the healthy crap we have to do anyway. Which makes me useful to you.”
“Useful?” Toni asked with a smile. “You mean, I’m not just in this to steal your racquets?”
“It’s cute that you think you could get them off me. But seriously, just trust me, okay? I’m not trying to get in on Mira’s job or anything. I don’t want to be your coach.”
“No, because if you were my coach, people would assume we’re sleeping together. Like they did with Xavi, and already with Mira.”
“Mira’s straight,” I pointed out.
Toni shook her head at me, her expression saying I was way behind on this one. “How did you miss that?”
“Anyway. I’m not sleeping with you.”
“Why is that, by the way?” Toni asked, brown eyes sparkling as she
