“Like exclusive friends with benefits?”
I almost grimaced at admitting the truth to her, the embarrassment threatening to swallow me entirely. “If the benefits also included having somebody around that my parents could trust, that wasn’t direct competition, to give me some freedom from their worrying more about me.”
“They worrythat much?” she questioned. “That you need a babysitter?”
I hesitated, my parents’ warning lingering in the back of my mind.
“Don’t trust these girls,”Mom would say. “They will sell you out faster and easier than you realize.”But at some point, I didn’t want to live in secrecy. Didn’t want to live with my past buried away.
“I know. It’s so embarrassing. But after I was diagnosed, they got even more protective. But Mom was always bad after her time playing.”
Every sharp feature of Inés’s face softened, falling into a frown lined with concern. Those dark eyes turned into melted chocolate, the bedroom feeling smaller and hotter than ever. I fought the urge to push away, to run and refuse to say anything more. But instead, I took a deep breath, and let the feeling settle, let it anchor me towards her.
To trust somebody, I had to take a risk. I’d done it with Henrik when I’d told him the truth and when we agreed to the arrangement. And I could do it again with Inés, who’d let me into her world a little more at brunch, who’d hidden away from a storm in the guesthouse with me, and who’d run into the ocean with me.
A long silence ate up what was left of the oxygen in the room, her eyes on mine. And then her hand stretched out towards me. She started with the very tips of her fingers, nudging softly against mine, a soft electric current buzzing under my skin at the touch. And then they interlaced, her hand squeezing tightly around mine.
“And, with Henrik?” she said, her voice so soft. “They were better?”
I swallowed away the emotion that had surfaced, nodding my head. “They’ve known him since I was a kid, so he was somebody they could trust. But I told Calvin I needed more space from them. They worry so much, it doesn’t help me anymore. After everything with Wimbledon, Calvin wanted me to take a few days off from tennis. And what coach Calvin says, goes.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You took part in a charity tennis doubles competition.”
I almost winked at her, desperate to move the conversation away. “A girl’s gotta have a little fun.”
Her hand squeezed mine again, and I wanted to hate the effect it had on my frantic heartbeat, soothing it to a calming thump.
“You’ll tell me, right?” she said. “If it all becomes too much?”
I nodded, smiling. “Yes, but you won’t be first on my list. I promised Calvin he’d be first, only so we can call my therapist second.”
“Is the third spot open?”
“I’m sure I can CC you on the email blast.”
Eventually, our desserts arrived, both of us placing our picnic on the bed. Inés gleefully dug into her lava cake, relaxing back as we switched on the movie channel and watched whatever was playing.
I looked over at her, watching as she took a sip from her glass, her glossy hair skimming the top of her shoulders. As if sensing my attention, her dark gaze slid to me.
“What?” she asked, a crease between her brows.
“Nothing,” I said quickly, turning my attention back to the screen.
Inés didn’t let it go, of course. “Is there something on my face?” She nudged my foot with hers.
“No, you look perfect,” I insisted, immediately realizing my mistake as the words escaped me. “I mean, there’s nothing, you look fine.”
My skin, burning red.
I forced the most casual tone I could. “I was thinking about tomorrow’s match.” The lie came easy, maybe because it wasn’t too far from the truth. Watching her lose today, it was a reminder that you could give a match your all and still walk away unsuccessful.
Inés snorted, scooping another bite of her chocolate cake, alternating between both desserts. “You’re an awful liar. It’s one of the reasons you’re so easy to read when we play.”
I swatted at her arm, nearly sending her glass of wine flying. “I am not.”
“I think you are.” She smirked, leaning closer, her voice dropping like she was sharing some secret. “But don’t worry, I won’t reveal your tell to anyone.”
A smile tugged at my lips despite myself. She had this infuriating way of getting under my skin and making me laugh all at once. “You’re impossible.”
