Except there is.At least we seemed to be fooling him.
“Yeah, of course,” Chloe said. She didn’t sound too concerned, but her shoulders were drawn back, a hand holding on to her bag strap.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure it will die away. The sponsors are fine with the extra PR, and we can start practicing in more closed sessions. I should’ve thought better of it,” Calvin resolved. “There’s been a lot of media attention recently, more than usual, but a lot of it has been tabloid fodder.”
“There’s more?” Chloe asked.
“Just stories like you acting badly in hotels or losing team members.” He sighed. “It’s been more annoying than anything, since we know it’s not true. But since it’s having this reaction, I’m going to get Dani onto it.”
“Yeah, please,” she said, the concern still across her face, spurring my own anxiety on. What if this didn’t die away?
Maybe it would be better to stop...
She’d even said that she didn’t want this to get messy. Maybe it was better to end things before it did, before she got hurt.
“Go get ready for your matches,” Calvin instructed, his head nodding towards the changing room. “I’ll see you out here.”
Silently, we headed inside and looked around the busy room.Chloe nudged her arm into my side, indicating for me to follow. We walked a few rows up, finding a private space in the crowded area.
“Are you okay?” I asked as we sat side by side on the bench. Her focus was on the floor, as if she was running through countless scenarios in her head, calculating every outcome.
Her gaze caught mine, her expression turning soft as she nodded her head once. “Fine.”
“They don’t know anything,” I said. My hand slid up the bench, my fingers grazing hers, as if to give her the space to pull back at the touch. I was surprised when instead of pulling away, she pulled me closer, our fingers interlacing.
Her eyes on mine, she said, “I don’t care.”
My brows furrowed. “Of course you care.”
“No, I don’t,” she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I wouldn’t if they knew I was dating a man. Why would I care if they knew I was dating you?”
I struggled to respond, caught off guard by her reaction. “Because people do? Even when they shouldn’t. Sponsors, your family...”
Her lips curled into a small, bittersweet smile, a sad laugh slipping out. “Yeah, and if they won’t support me because I’m seeing you, then fuck them.” She squeezed my hand again. Her grip was firm and grounding. “This isourrelationship, however it works out. The only people who get a say in it are us.”
I was struck by her conviction, the raw honesty in her words. It wasn’t just defiance; it was something deeper. Something that made my chest ache in a way I hadn’t expected.
Chloe shrugged. “This can’t be a surprise; you’re pretty open about your sexuality.”
“I know,” I said, the feeling of pride still growing. Maybe I was too used to being somebody’s secret, that insecurity rearing its head again. It had never really been a secret, even with my parents. “I assumed this was new for you.”
“It is, and it isn’t. I knew where I stood. I knew I was bisexual and I knew I was attracted to you.” I swear my body turned two degrees warmer under her gaze. A confidence washed over her. Different from on the court, when she was winning. This wasn’t cockiness; it was self-assurance. A calm certainty in who she was and what she wanted.
It was magnetic, and I felt myself leaning in, drawn to her.
“But that doesn’t mean people get to own me. It’s my life, and just because I’m in the public eye, they don’t get every single shred of me. I am happy to sit with fans, take photos and talk about tennis. I love doing that, I feel lucky to have that support. But they can’t fuck with the people in my life.”
“You’re amazing,” I said, my head tilting. The need to kiss her was intoxicating. I had to stop myself from leaning in closer. But it felt good, to know we weren’t hiding this because she was afraid. Only because it was ours.
Chloe grinned, that cockiness returning. “Oh, don’t worry, I am well aware.”
Her eyes twinkled playfully back at me, those light-pink lips looking more and more tempting. My eyes left her for a second, scanning the locker room behind her.
Empty.
The second glance was the final straw. I closed the brief gap between us, my lips pressing against hers.How did she always taste so sweet? Like jam and summer fruit.
I forced myself to pull away, and found her lips curled into a perfect smile, those beautiful eyes clearer than ever before, and I pulled off my friendship bracelet.
