She settled into a chair next to a large pillar. She would bewell hidden and still have a view of the lobby. Of course, her motives for sitting there had nothing to do with the possibility of seeing Alex coming back to the hotel after his hitting session. The television mounted on the lobby wall was airing his press conference from earlier in the day and she couldn’t tear her eyes away.
“Last time, my opponent gave me some chances and I took advantage of them,” he said. “We’ve played each other a lot over the years, so neither of us will be surprised by the other. It’ll be a matter of executing, and hopefully I’ll be able to do that.”
“Alex, much has been said about your relationship with American star Penny Harrison,” the reporter began before Alex interrupted him.
“I’m only going to say this once, so pay attention,” he said, glaring daggers into the press pool. “Penny Harrison is the most genuinely good person I’ve ever met. She inspires me every single day to be a better man, and she’s definitely too good for the likes of me. Now, does anyone have any actual tennis questions? No? Fine, then we’re done.” He stood, knocking his chair over, and marched off camera, the reporters shouting after him.
Her heart swelled against her rib cage. She knew he meant every word of it, and she wanted desperately to forgive him, but it was too much. She couldn’t keep opening herself up only to be blasted by another disaster. She was not going to make that mistake again.
Glancing around the lobby, she wondered if he’d returned, then she shook her head at how completely ridiculous she was being. She should go back to her room, put on a movie,and try to zone out before going to bed. Sitting there waiting for him to come back, especially since she had zero intention of talking to him, was pathetic.
She started for the elevator bay when she caught a quick glimpse of sandy-blond hair at the other end of the lobby, heading straight for the hotel bar.
Backtracking in that direction, she saw Alex taking a seat at the bar, the bartender pouring a drink into a shot glass. She watched, her heart rising into her throat, as a woman took a seat on the stool beside him and ordered a drink. Tennis tournaments were notorious for attracting groupies. Alex looked up and glanced at the woman, took in her long legs, the deep-cut neckline of her dress, and the clear invitation in her pouted lips and half-lidded eyes before turning away, studying his drink even more carefully than before. The woman took the hint and sauntered away toward a table of players at the other end of the bar.
Relief swept through Penny, but then she shook herself back to reality. It didn’t matter if he hooked up with a random woman.
It wasn’t any of her business, not anymore.
Alex still hadn’t taken a sip of his drink; he stared at it like he was looking for answers. He shouldn’t be drinking. His next-round match was early tomorrow morning, even before hers. Her instincts screamed at her to go to him, to figure out whatever it was that drove him there in the first place. Except, she was the reason he was sitting at that bar, and there was nothing she could do to help. Penny felt another piece of her heart crack.
She pulled her phone from her pocket and shot off a quickmessage to Dom. He and Alex weren’t only coach and athlete. They were friends. Dom would know what to do.
Then she raced to the elevators and pressed the call button, but her patience wore out quickly. She pushed open the door to the stairwell and sprinted up the six flights of stairs to her floor. Her breath came short and quick as she scanned her key and fell into her room, the sound of the door slamming behind her heavy and satisfying. Curling onto her bed, she let go, dry sobs wrenching from her throat as she struggled to breathe.
She hugged herself, shoulders shaking with the heavy emotions spilling out of her, but no tears came. She didn’t know how long she lay there, rolled into a tight knot of anguish, but eventually her breathing slowed and her muscles relaxed.
Enough.
It was enough now.
Her pain could wait until later; after all, it wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
She woke with her mind fixed on one thing: beating Zina Lutrova. There were no nagging injuries to fuss over, no sudden hitches in her game to tweak. She was ready and it was time to go out and win. Dressing quickly, she eyed the velvet box sitting on her dresser. Alex said the necklace was for luck, and she’d need all the luck she could get.
“Morning,” Dom said when she answered the door. “Ready to go?”
“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at Alex’s match? He didn’t… please tell me he didn’t withdraw.”
“No, he sent me away, said I should be with you this morning, so here I am.”
“Oh, okay,” she said, pushing Alex’s thoughtfulness out of her mind. “Let’s go, then.”
The players’ lounge where she and Dom had breakfast was practically empty. Alex’s match was on the television, but she was determined not to watch. She would find out how he did later.
“Last night,” Dom said, drawing her attention away from her oatmeal, “you did the right thing by texting me.”
“It was nothing.”
“It wasn’t nothing. A lot of people would’ve left him there to drown his sorrows and throw away his chances at this tournament. You’re one of the best people I know, Penny. You don’t deserve what’s been happening to you the last couple of days, but don’t let it get to you, okay?”
“I’m not. I promise. I’m ready for this.”
“Good,” he said, taking her at her word. “Okay, one last time. Game plan.”
“Attack her backhand, make her move as much as possible and keep at her with the velocity. No letting up or getting cute, just keep at her.”
“Good.” He took a bite of his grapefruit. “She’s expecting an aggressive game, but honestly, I don’t think she can handle it. No one attacks her like you do.”
