Losing at Love

by Jennifer Iacopelli

“I am sorry it had to be that way.”

  Pushing off the fence and letting herself back in the gate, Indy let out a small laugh. “No, Caroline. No you’re not.”

  Chapter 14

  June 22nd

  The gathered crowd gave out a collective “ahhh” before applauding politely. English tennis fans were notorious for their sportsmanship, but even they were having a hard time staying engaged in the match and Jasmine didn’t blame them one bit. The last round of qualifying for Wimbledon was usually an exciting one, a fitting prologue to the two weeks of world-class tennis about to be played.

  She’d been pretty confident after the first two rounds as she and Natalie breezed by two decent enough doubles pairs, but they’d run into a brick wall when the qualifying final pitted them against Camille Mercier and Agathe Lambert, a veteran doubles team from France who’d been off the court for a while after Agathe had a baby. Now just Jasmine and Natalie Grogan were standing in their way to the main doubles draw, where some unlucky ranked team would have to face them in the first round. They’d fallen behind from the very beginning, dropping the first set 6-0 and now they were just one point away from losing the match.

  “Match point,” the chair umpire said.

  “Cover the alley, I’m going out wide,” Natalie said as they met at the center of the court, bumping fists before she headed to the baseline and Jasmine went into the service box.

  Jasmine bent at the knees and at the waist, making sure to keep herself out of the trajectory of Natalie’s serve and then upon the ball, making contact with the grass across the court. She bounced up to the balls of her feet, ready to react to the return, but none came.

  “Out,” the line judge called and Jasmine got set again. Natalie only had one second serve, soft and safe, basically a meatball on a platter to any halfway decent player. She watched as Camille stepped up into the court, deliberately shortening her reaction time. With a serve that soft, she could afford to move in and it would give her a huge advantage of any shot she got off, making it nearly impossible for Jasmine or Natalie to get to the return.

  The soft thwack of the ball hitting Natalie’s racket had Jasmine tensing briefly and then she sprung into action, watching as Camille wound up and fired a forehand directly at her. She pulled her elbows in and hit a short volley back to Agathe and a net battle began, short and quick strokes, wrists and hands flying fast, back and forth four, five, six, seven times and then a passing shot from Agathe, before Jasmine spun to her left, her back to her opponents, and blocked the final volley back, between where the two veterans had placed themselves on the court.

  Both Camille and Agathe bounced their rackets against the heels of their hands in appreciation and the crowd, who’d been expecting the match to end, gave a roar of approval. Jasmine sucked some air into her lungs before turning and high-fiving Natalie.

  “Wow,” the younger girl said, “that was incredible.”

  “Thanks,” Jasmine said, a huge smile on her face. It faded as she glanced up into the stands and saw Dom standing there, Paolo at his side, but no Teddy. She hadn’t really expected him to show up and he hadn’t been there for the start of the match, but she hoped he might just be running late.

  “40-30,” the chair umpire said. “Match point.”

  When Natalie missed her first serve again, Jasmine did her best, but the return on the second was too much, a cross court missile out of her reach for a winner.

  “Game, set and match, Miss Mercier and Mrs. Lambert.”

  They all met at the net, shaking hands, including the chair umpire as well, before gathering their things and heading for the locker room. There would be no women’s doubles for them at Wimbledon this year. Back down to the junior ranks, at least for now. She couldn’t help but consider what would have happened if she and Indy had been playing together. They’d had a lot more training time together and Indy’s serve would have been too much for both Mercier and Lambert. And it meant they wouldn’t be avoiding each other like the plague.

  They both showered and dressed quickly and silently. Losing sucked, but talking about losing sucked even more.

  “I wanted to thank you,” Natalie said, just as they were both ready to leave. “This was a lot of fun.”

  Jasmine nodded. “It was. I’m glad Penny suggested it.”

  “She did?” Natalie’s eyes grew wide.

  “Yeah, when Indy had to withdraw. Didn’t she tell you?”

  “I thought maybe you asked her to ask me and I thought how cool that would be to play with you and maybe qualify for the doubles. My dad didn’t think it was a great idea at first, but I convinced him it would be. You’re an awesome player and I knew I’d learn a lot. Maybe we could play together again some time?”

  “I’d like that.”

  “Oh good. I was afraid you were pissed at me.”

  “Why would I be pissed at you?”

  “After what went down a couple of days ago.”

  “Natalie, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “When I didn’t sign with Jack Harrison. I mean I still wanted to sign with him, but my dad freaked like he was going to try and get with me or something. Caroline’s good too, I guess. I know how close you all are and I thought maybe you wouldn’t want to play with me after that.”

  “We’re not nearly as close as everyone makes us out to be,” she muttered and as the words tumbled out of her mouth she realized how true they were. She and Penny weren’t friends, not really. They just happened to train under the same coach. Indy was…who knows what she was these days, things had been so insanely awkward, Jasmine didn’t even know where to start with that. Jack had never been her friend; he was always away when they were growing up, and Teddy had checked out mentally since Amy Fitzpatrick had waltzed back into OBX. The truth was Jasmine was the odd man out and maybe always had been.

  Jasmine pulled her racket bag over her shoulder. “Guess I’ll see you around then.”

  “Yeah.” She turned and started toward the locker room door, but she only got a couple of steps before she heard, “Wait, do you want to play doubles in the juniors?”

  That stopped her in her tracks. She hadn’t talked to Indy about junior’s doubles, but maybe a little naively, she’d assumed that they would be playing together if Indy lost in the first week of the women’s singles tournament. She turned around and faced Natalie. The girl was biting her lip and her eyes were big again, this time with hope.

  “Yeah, that’d be great.”

  “Awesome,” Natalie said, bouncing up to her toes, making her even taller than usual, towering over Jasmine. “We’re totally going to win!”

  “We’d have a good shot,” Jasmine said. It was the truth. A little practice and they’d be just fine going up against even the best of what juniors doubles had to offer.

  “I can’t wait to tell my dad. He’s gonna be so excited,” Natalie said, pulling her phone out of her bag before nearly skipping toward the locker room door.

  “Hey, wait. Do you have plans for tonight?”

  “No.”

  “You’re not going to the Player’s Gala?”

  Natalie shrugged. “I’m only a junior.”

  “So am I,” Jasmine said, her brow furrowing. “I got an invite.”

  “You’re John and Lisa Randazzo’s daughter. Duh.”

  Rolling her eyes a little, Jasmine nodded. “Right, duh. Anyway, do you want to come? I have a plus one.”

  A huge smile spread across Natalie’s face and she actually bounced a little on her toes. “Sounds like fun.”

  “Great. Give me your phone,” she said, holding out her hand. Natalie handed it over and she typed in Alex’s address. “Come by Alex’s house at around seven and we can get ready together.”

  ~

  When Jasmine stepped through the front door of the townhouse, it was already a mad house. Jack and Paolo were watching a soccer match in the library, the volume up almost all the way but still not drowning out their commentary in both
English and Italian. Dom, who’d left the courts right after her match saying that they’d debrief tomorrow, was chatting with Alex across the foyer in the kitchen. An older blonde woman Jasmine assumed was Alex’s mother was sitting at the kitchen table listening intently. Teddy came flying down the stairs, holding at least five shirts, shouting for Jack’s opinion.

  He didn’t even acknowledge her presence as she flew past her into the library.

  “Hi Ted,” she responded softly, knowing he wouldn’t hear.

  She took the stairs two at a time, though she wasn’t quite sure why she was in such a rush. Indy, no doubt, would be in their room and things would be just as awkward as they’d been for the last few days.

  Penny was just coming out of Alex’s bedroom. Her hair was pulled up into a smooth chignon at the back of her neck, thin straps held the cream colored silk dress on her shoulders, a deep v-neck exposing a lot more than Jasmine was used to seeing from Penny. The dress was fitted at the waist and over the hips, flaring just slightly at the bottom. That famous necklace Alex had given her hung between her breasts. Girls like Penny Harrison shouldn’t be allowed to exist in real life.

  “Penny, I hope you and Alex don’t mind, I invited Natalie over to get ready with us. She was kind of bummed about the loss, so I thought the party might cheer her up.”

  With a smile and a shrug, Penny said, “Why would we mind? Of course she’s welcome. I’m sorry about the match. I heard you played amazing though. One of your net points made SportsCenter back home.”

  “Really?” Jasmine said, laughing. “That’s pretty awesome. Thanks.”

  “No problem. I’ll send Natalie up when she gets here.”

  The click clack of Penny’s heels echoed down the stairs as Jasmine slipped into the room she shared with Indy and she sighed in relief. It was empty, Indy most likely still in the shower. She set her bag down and went straight to the closet where she’d hung her garment bag. She’d packed a few dresses, knowing she’d want options for nights like this.

  The first was a short floaty strapless number, sweetheart neckline, cinched in just under her breasts with several layers of gauzy fabric that would fall unevenly around her knees. The dress behind it was a cream color similar to the one Penny had on, so she moved past it to the last one, a bright pink wrap dress with short cap sleeves and a black satin belt that would hold it together. Pink was her favorite color.

  “That one, definitely.”

  Natalie stepped into the room, a bag in hand, tossing it onto Indy’s bed.

  “You think?” Jasmine asked, holding up the first dress. “Or this.”

  “The pink. You’ll look super hot.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Jasmine said, taking it from the garment bag and laying it out on her bed, yanking her shirt over her head. “Can you get the door?”

  Before Natalie could shut it, Teddy slid inside. “Whoa, sorry,” he said, spinning around and facing the wall. “I just needed you to tie my tie for me in that awesome knot you know, the one with the layers.”

  “The Eldredge knot?” Natalie asked, as Jasmine slipped her dress on.

  “You know it?” Teddy asked and Jasmine turned around just in time to see Teddy’s eyes flicker down Natalie’s long, lean frame, so much like Indy’s except mocha where Indy was milk.

  “My dad loves that stupid knot. He taught me when I was little. Come here,” she said, crooking a finger in his direction. Teddy obeyed immediately, sliding the tie under his collar and stepping closer to her, not having to bend at all for Natalie to reach up and pop the collar of his white dress shirt with a thin blue pinstripe.

  Jasmine looked away, tying the silk belt around her waist and adjusting it in the mirror above the dresser. She didn’t need to watch Teddy turn on the charm with yet another unsuspecting female, but her eyes spied them in the mirror, Natalie’s hands expertly weaving the silk of his tie into a layered knot below his Adam’s apple.

  She blinked and focused her eyes down at the dresser, grabbing her makeup bag and trying to concentrate on her eyeshadow options.

  “Thanks,” Teddy said, and she couldn’t help it, her eyes were drawn back up just in time to see him squeeze Natalie’s elbow lightly. “Save me a dance tonight, okay?”

  “Okay,” Natalie said and then Teddy was gone. “He’s nice.”

  “Yeah, he’s great.” When he’s actually talking to you and actually being a friend instead of only coming to you when he needs his stupid tie tied, she added silently, grabbing her foundation and forgetting about the eye makeup. Her hand wouldn’t be steady enough yet anyway.

  Just as she was about to swipe some concealer under her eyes, Indy moved into the room, wrapped in a cotton bathrobe, a towel still around her hair. “Hi,” she said to Natalie, looking to Jasmine for an explanation.

  “I’m Natalie.”

  “Yeah, I know. Um, I’m Indy.”

  Natalie nodded. “Yeah, I know.”

  “I’ll uh, let me just grab my dress and I’ll let you guys get ready,” Indy said, shaking out a little pile of gold fabric she dug out from the corner of her suitcase and taking her makeup bag as well.

  Natalie turned and grimaced. “Are you sure it’s okay that I’m here?”

  “It’s more than okay,” Jasmine said, shaking her head. “Come on, the cars’ll be here soon. Let’s just get ready. It’s going to be a fun night.”

  ~

  The Wimbledon Pre-Party was mainly just a press event. There was a red carpet and a ton of photographers, but mostly it was just a chance for everyone to mill around and chat before the tournament got started in just a couple of days. The three cars that carried the coiffed inhabitants of Alex Russell’s townhouse pulled up to the party just late enough to be fashionable and not obnoxious. Most of tennis’s elite was already inside, but the photographers had stayed and as soon as Alex and Penny hit the carpet, it was obvious why. Tennis’s golden couple was even more in demand in London than they’d been in Paris. They posed separately, but the crowd of photographers jeered until Alex stepped up to his girlfriend, wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

  “Such a shame that’s off the market,” Natalie sighed next to her and Jasmine snorted.

  “That level of hotness really should be illegal,” she agreed with Natalie’s assessment. “Come on, we’re next.”

  “Allow me?” Teddy said, offering Natalie his arm, who took it without hesitation, her sky blue dress in an odd twist of fate, perfectly matching the pinstripe in Teddy’s shirt.

  Jasmine didn’t even have a chance to feel that usual pang in her stomach as a warm hand slid from her shoulder to her elbow, tucking her arm into the crook of his. “You look beautiful,” Paolo said and she felt the blood rush to her head, the sound of his voice making her shiver.

  “Thank you,” she said, following his lead as he started down the carpet, guiding her closer to the photographer’s pool where Indy, blonde hair hanging in loose curls, that scrap of gold fabric actually a tube dress, was currently getting her picture taken while Jack stood off to the side.

  “I wanted to ride in the car with you, but you were stolen away by your friend.”

  “She’s excited to be here,” Jasmine explained.

  “She should be and so should you. Come on, time to get your picture taken.”

  “Only if you go with me,” she said, smiling up at him from beneath her lashes.

  “Naturalmente,” Paolo said, leading her in front of the cameras.

  The party was in full swing when they got inside, small groups standing at tables chatting, some people dancing, others sitting down munching on the free food.

  “Come on,” Natalie said, grabbing Jasmine’s hand as the DJ cued up some house music, the bass pounding through her chest. “Are you two coming?” she called back to Paolo and Teddy who glanced at each other and then followed them out to the dance floor.

  Jasmine let her new doubles partner twirl her in a circle before raising her hands over her head and lett
ing her hips swirl in time to the music. It felt good to just let go for a moment, so she threw her head back and laughed. She’d worry about tennis tomorrow. Tonight was going to be fun.

  The music was bad Euro techno trash, crap Jasmine wouldn’t normally listen to, even if they paid her, but bouncing around the dance floor with Natalie, joined after a song by Paolo and Teddy, was a blast. She sometimes caught a glimpse of Penny and Alex, who’d squirreled themselves away in a corner being absolutely disgustingly perfect, as usual. Jack and Indy had pretty much embraced the idea that people knew about them and from what she could tell, they were working the room together, looking like two Abercrombie models who had escaped from the pages of the catalogue.

  Eventually, the music shifted into something she recognized, a rap song from the 90s about clearing your throat that her mom liked to jam to while cooking.

  “I love this song,” Jasmine shouted to Natalie, but as the music shifted, so did the dancing and she felt two strong hands at her hips, fingers spreading across the material of her dress.

  “Va bene?” Paolo growled into her ear and she nodded, stepping back into him a little, leading her body weight to settle against his chest, their lower bodies finding a slow, grinding rhythm.

  Jasmine could remember being a little girl, maybe ten or eleven, and watching Dirty Dancing for the first time, wondering why anyone would dance like that with a boy, pressing sweaty bodies together to music that she didn’t really understand. A few years later, she wondered whether she ever would dance with a boy like that. And now here she was, with Paolo’s hand holding her loosely at the curve of her hipbone, the other trailing down her arm and as she pushed back against him harder, feeling just how much he wanted her. It wasn’t scary or intimidating; it was sexy as hell and it made her feel powerful.

  Just a few feet away, Teddy and Natalie were dancing as well, but it wasn’t anything like what she was experiencing. She didn’t want to see it anyway, so she turned and faced Paolo, meeting his blue eyes with her brown.

  “Do you want to go?” he asked, his hands meeting at the small of her back. She knew what he meant. Did she want to leave with him? Go back to Alex’s house? Find the closest flat surface and lose themselves in each other. Jasmine felt her throat tighten. She’d never done anything like that before, not really. The closest she’d come was with Teddy a few months ago and they’d definitely kept their clothes on. She opened her mouth, no idea what she was going to say, but then she felt someone tugging at her hand. Natalie was dragging her away from Paolo as the song ended.