Jasmine’s stomach twisted and a lump slid up into her throat. She could see the article in her mind already. Penny Harrison, the star. Indy Gaffney, the one to watch. And Jasmine Randazzo, the daughter of two tennis legends. That was just great.
“Thank you, that’s wonderful,” Harold said, fiddling with his phone before pocketing it. “I think that about covers it, ladies. Thanks so much for your time. I know you probably have practice to get to. Good luck in the tournament to you both.”
“I’ll walk you back,” Dom said to Hodges, and they went back to the photographer, who was nearly finished clearing up his equipment.
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at training,” Indy said as she began walking away, back up the beach.
“Yeah,” Jasmine said, still staring at the men as they walked away. Had that really just happened?
She heard Indy climbing the stairs, leaving her behind.
“Hey, Indy,” Jasmine called.“Do me a favor?”
Indy turned. “Yeah?”
“Kick Lara’s ass in the first round, okay?”
Indy tilted her head, a small grin tugging up at one corner of her mouth. “I plan on it.”
A swell of courage roared through Jasmine’s body. “Good, then I’ll have the pleasure of beating the hell out of you in the final.”
“We’ll see, won’t we?” Indy shouted back.
“Damn straight we will,” Jasmine said to herself. “Damn straight.”
AFTER DUMPING THE LAST BUCKET OF ICE INTO THE TUB, Indy slid out of her training clothes with as little movement as possible. She let them fall to the floor. Bending down to pick them up wasn’t an option; it would hurt way too much. It didn’t matter, though. She had her dress for the Outer Banks Classic Coaches and Players Reception hanging in her locker.
Her body protested with a violent jolt, joints unbending, as she lifted one leg then the other, her calves spasming as she lowered herself into the tub of icy water. She huffed out a breath, and her entire body tensed as the frigid water saturated her skin, shocking her muscles into submission.
Less than a week and she was in constant agony. Every workout was harder than the last, every mistake magnified and dissected by her new coaches. Her strengths weretwisted into weaknesses; her limitations were highlighted at every opportunity.
She knew going in it would be hard. She never imagined it would bethishard. Then again, she wasn’t sure what exactly she’d imagined. Whatever it was, it definitely hadn’t included daily ice baths.
Groaning as her head fell back against the edge of the tub, she tried to force herself to think about anything other than the numbing cold surrounding her body. It would get better soon. It had to get better soon or she was going to crack.
Fifteen minutes later, she lifted herself out of the tub, teeth chattering and gooseflesh spreading over her skin. She wrapped herself in a towel and moved into the main locker room.
As soon as she passed each row of lockers, the girls there dissolved into whispers and stares. She turned into her row, and across the aisle Lara and Addison were putting the finishing touches on their outfits for the night, Addison pinning her long red hair into a bun at the top of her head and Lara sliding bangles onto her wrists. Both girls ignored her, which was an improvement as far as Indy was concerned.
“Hey,” Penny said, emerging from the other end of the row, wrapped in a towel as well. “Enjoy your ice bath?”
“Hilarious, but I’m too cold to laugh,” Indy said, her teeth still chattering as she spun through her locker combination. The shivers outweighed any nervousness she still felt in front of OBX’s star player.
“You’ll get used to it.” Penny pulled on a pretty pale yellow sundress, clearly not what she was planning to wearto the party, which was a formal affair held every year prior to the beginning of the Classic. OBX students were supposed to mingle with the press and sponsors and welcome the other players. The only welcome Indy wanted to give her competition was a serve into the body, but it was a mandatory event for all OBX players and staff, Dom’s orders.
“Doubtful,” Indy replied. She pushed the metal clamp up on her locker and opened the door. It was empty—the garment bag with her dress in it was gone.
“Did you bring your dress here?” Penny peered into the locker, too.
“I thought I did.” Indy leaned in, as if searching the empty space would somehow make it appear again. “What the hell? It was right here when I went out to practice.”
Penny frowned and glanced across the row to Addison and Lara, who were putting on a badly acted show of indifference but glancing at Indy every few seconds. “I think I know.”
Indy closed her eyes. Those bitches. “I’m going to kill them. Both of them.”
“No,” Penny said, grabbing her arm. “Put on whatever clean clothes you have and come to my house. I have way more dresses than I know what to do with, and we’re close to the same size. We can find you something.”
“I can’t just let them get away with this,” Indy whispered through gritted teeth.
