“Of course, he’s my baby too,” she says and I try to focus, willing my arms not to shake. Maggie grabs hold of my ankles, keeping her arms straight just like she was instructed to do. “I’m going to stand above your waist,” she says, letting me know her next step.
“Take your time, I can do this all day,” I joke, sweat dripping off my face and onto the mat.
“Rowan, stop.” She laughs, gripping my ankles harder. “Okay, gonna attempt one leg,” she says, lifting her right foot and placing it on my left shoulder.
I falter at first, but then I adjust my arms and hold the plank. “I’m good, keep going,” I say. Slowly, she brings her other foot back as well, wobbling a bit.
“Holy shit, we’re doing it,” she squeals, holding the plank above me. We stay like that for ten seconds until my arms start to shake and I’m certain I need to stop.
“I need to tap out,” I say, gritting through the burn. Maggie slowly places her feet back on the ground and lets go of my ankles. I collapse on the mat and breathe hard.
“Great job everyone, truly fantastic progress,” the instructor says as I turn over and lay on my back.
“One more breathing exercise for everyone, lay on your back and hold your partner’s hand, be in the moment with one another.”
Maggie drops down next to me, her skin flushed and sweatdripping down every pore. She’s more beautiful than ever and I look over at her with a dopey grin on my face. She smiles back and finds my hand, threading my fingers through hers. I squeeze once and close my eyes,focusing on my breath.
A few days later,after trying out more bonding activities—going on morning runs together, baking, and even playing charades and co-op video games—we’re back on the courts and meeting with Anthony.
He has us starting with some warm-up drills again, same as last time which we execute perfectly. And yet when Anthony brings a partner on the court and we begin the match, our communication is still off. Even though we establish early on who’s covering what area of the court, we still step on each other’s toes.
At the end of practice, Anthony pulls us aside. “I see the improvements, you two are talking more. You’re just not quite there yet. Keep doing what you’re doing, practice more and try not to play as many ground strokes. Don’t be afraid to move away from the baseline and come closer to the net. Work on your volleys for next time, alright?”
Both of us nod, deflated once more.
“Maybe I’m not cut out for doubles,” I mumble, wiping my face and packing up my equipment.
“Of course you are,” Maggie says hotly. I look up, startled at the fire in her voice. “You can do anything you put your mind to. We’re going to conquer this and we’re going to win that damn exhibition game. Especially against Elena,” she mutters.
“I appreciate the support, but I don’t know, maybe I should give up the idea of doubles.”
“Absolutely not,” she says, walking up and placing her hands on my slumped shoulders. “You’re doing just fine. I’m the one fucking up the most and messing up. But after the exhibition, you’re going to find a better partner and you’re going to acethis. Mark my words,” she says, getting a determined look on her face. I can’t help but believe her that everything will turn out just fine.
“What if I don’t want another partner?” I blurt out, immediately clamping my mouth shut.
“What do you mean?” she says, brushing her thumbs over my collarbone.
I swallow and close my eyes, letting my forehead press against hers. “What if I only want to play with you?” I ask quietly.
Maggie inhales sharply and her hands tighten their hold on me. “Rowan…” she says, trailing off.
I open my eyes and pull back. I’m asking too much of her. And it’s not the right question anyway. What I really want to ask is if she’ll be mine. No more hiding, no more list. Just us. Together.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that. I know it’s not what you want,” I say, putting some distance between us and grabbing my bag. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself from saying more. From justifying that—to me, playing doubles with her is the same as spending the rest of our lives together. But if we can’t even figure out how to play together for a charity game, then what hope do I have left?
I swallow against the sinking hole in my chest and back away. “I’ll meet you at the car after showering.”
CHAPTER 21
Rowan
Two Years Ago - London
There’s justsomething about London that makes me feel like more than a tourist. Maybe it’s the people and how much they get into the championship.
Everywhere I go—the pub, the hotel lobby, the airport, people recognize me. They wish me good luck, they ask me to sign their hats. I’ve never thought of myself as famous, but I guess the job does come with some perks.
The grass courts at Wimbledon are my absolute favorite. Maggie and I practiced all morning in preparation for the quarter-final tomorrow. We’ve spent the last two weeks together, visiting some of our favorite places in London and participating in the four rounds in our singles categories. The journey won’t be over until the end of the week, when we can hopefully make it through the semi-finals and win the championship in the final.
