“Throw your stuff in the trunk and I’ll get the seat warmers on. I think it’s even colder this morning!” Helen said, starting up the Jag.
“Where’s your club, Helen?” Riley asked as Helen exited the parking garage and drove down busy Manhattan.
“Queens; it’s about thirty minutes depending on traffic and with any luck we’ll be playing indoors today. It’s the National Tennis Center,” Helen replied, grinning.
“No shit, Flushing Meadows?” Riley said, amazed.
“Yes,” Helen laughed. “And Kate and Jo will meet us there for lunch later.”
Riley’s eyes lit up when Helen mentioned Joanna would be joining them.
“Riley, why didn’t you play tennis in college? You know you would have been good enough to get a ride. Why didn’t you?” Helen asked.
Riley looked out of the window, not wanting to answer. She could feel Helen’s eyes on her, pressing for an answer.
“Um, I kind of got into some trouble when I was in college. I wasn’t exactly a model student. I ran track for a while but was kicked off,” Riley admitted sheepishly. “The tennis coach wanted me but said she couldn’t accept me.”
“Well, how bad could it have been? It’s not like you have a criminal record, right? I mean, nothing showed on the background check when we hired you,” Helen said.
“That’s because you only run felony checks and the company you use only checks the states you list in your application,” Riley said dryly.
Helen raised her eyebrows, glancing at Riley as she drove. “And how exactly do you know that?”
“There’s an outfit that researches companies’ background checks for a fee and…” Riley trailed off, feeling like she was incriminating herself the more she divulged to Helen.
“So I guess the golden question here, Riley, is why did you need to know that?” Helen said coolly.
“I’d rather plead the fifth, Ms. Klein.”
“And I’d rather you tell me this instant, Ms. Carrington,” Helen replied.
Shit, Riley thought. “Well, I thought I’d try to get hired at The Morrison Group. I really didn’t think I had a chance with Armstrong, Klein, Dixon but I was worried about the background check. I have a couple of misdemeanors from my early twenties.”
“What for, Riley?” Helen asked.
“Couple of bar fights and a DUI. The woman I got into a fight with pressed charges. Rae and Tracy helped me and the DUI was dropped down to a reckless driving offense and the assault and battery charge was dropped to misdemeanor disturbing the peace. I did community service and paid a fine,” Riley said, ashamed.
“I see, and what about squaring off with Cheryl last week?”
“Well, she did start it, but I won’t be doing that again anytime soon after the walloping I got from Joanna. Rae was really disappointed too. I felt horrible after everything they’ve done to help me!” Riley replied sullenly. “I just got so angry.”
“You have a wild streak in you, don’t you, Riley? You just need someone to rein you in before you get into any real trouble,” Helen declared, smiling.
“Are you going to tell Joanna?” Riley asked sheepishly.
“Of course, she needs to know, but nobody’s going to judge you, Riley. Heavens, we all have a few skeletons in our closets we’re not proud of,” Helen replied. “Are you having a good time? You think New York suits you?” she asked, trying to lighten the mood. “I know we all had a wonderful day yesterday.”
“Oh, yes, everything was great and Joanna’s dad is so nice. Where was her mother yesterday? Doctor Armstrong said they would both be in LA for Christmas.”
“Her mother is in Costa Rica with my parents!” Helen announced. “They go every year. Derrick sometimes goes for a week or two but he’s still working and honestly I think the time they spend apart from each other is good for them.” Helen smiled. “Her parents and mine have known each other for a lot of years and have been doing the Costa Rica thing for at least ten years now.”
“That’s cool; hey, that’s where the Mets play, isn’t it?” Riley asked, pointing to a large stadium.
“Yep, we’re nearly there. Riley, let me explain the format. We usually play doubles and rotate after three games. The women for the most part are all great here but I just want to give you a heads up about Beverly Watson. If she’s here today, she will probably want to play you at singles when she sees how good you are. She’s a real piece of work so don’t get sucked in. She will probably piss you off, she does most people, but just keep your cool, okay?”
“God, if she’s that bad, why do you put up with her?” Riley asked, smiling.
“Well, for one thing she’s the club champion and a hell of a tennis player. She was even on the tour for a year or so and was seeded in the top fifty for a while. I beat her a couple of years ago and she was livid!” Helen smiled. “I guess I have a confession, Riley. I wanted to bring you here to play her. I think you’ll give her a run for her money!”
Riley smiled as Helen parked her car at the famous tennis center. Riley started snapping pictures with her phone. “This is so cool; do you go to the open?” she asked.
“Of course, the firm has a box, we’ll take you this year. C’mon, I’ll introduce you to some of the women,” Helen said, pleased with Riley’s enthusiasm.
Riley was enjoying the tennis and she and Helen were quite the doubles team, winning most of their games. Helen pointed out Beverly Watson and her partner Mary to Riley, as they would be playing them next.
“Hello, Beverly, Mary, this is Riley Carrington, an associate of mine who is visiting from LA. She has a good game,” Helen said, introducing Riley to the women.
“Fine, I’ll serve, I need a little competition today. Hard to break a sweat playing at this level,” Beverly said curtly.
Riley saw Mary roll her eyes at Beverly’s comment and she began to see what Helen had been talking about. Beverly and Mary took the first game with Beverly sailing a serve by Helen at eighty-nine miles per hour according to the serve meter behind her.
“Nice serve, Beverly!” Helen acknowledged.
Riley walked back to the service line, preparing to serve. “Mary has no backhand, so keep it on her right and I’ll cover cross court,” Riley whispered. “And Beverly here is leaving the left side wide open, so I’ll try to slide one down that side.”
Helen nodded and smiled at Riley’s strategizing. She wanted nothing more than to beat these two. Riley served an ace to Beverly’s left side, making the women all turn to the speed meter, which read ninety-three.
“Shit, nice serve, Riley!” Helen grinned.
“Nice, Riley,” Mary acknowledged.
“What did you say your name was, Riley?” Beverly asked. “What kind of a name is Riley? Sounds more like a car than a girl’s name!”
Riley ignored Beverly’s question and served again. Riley and Helen won the second game and Mary stepped up to serve.
“Try to get a couple close, would you, Mare?” Beverly asked Mary indignantly.
Riley and Helen won the game to the disgust of Beverly, who was openly blaming her partner for it.
“All right, West Coast, let’s go, you and me, singles, one set,” Beverly challenged rudely.
“Riley, you don’t have to do this, maybe it’s not such a good idea,” Helen said, starting to have second thoughts.
“Oh, no, this is so on!” Riley smiled, determined.
Riley and Beverly took the number one court and started their set. Helen played on with the other women rotating around, but she was distracted when she heard various unpleasant exchanges and bickering about calls going on over on court one.
“I have to go and see what’s going on,” Helen said to her current partner, excusing herself from the next game. “Riley can be a little feisty and I want to make sure they don’t kill each other over there!”
Other women halted their own play and gravitated to watch the exchange on court one as Riley and Beverly each held their serves after ei
ght games. Beverly reveled in the audience and took every opportunity to dig at Riley.
“I think that little ninety-three miles an hour serve was a lucky fluke, Riley. Why don’t you do it again if you have it in you?” Beverly taunted from across the court.
“Don’t let her get to you, Riley,” Helen said under her breath. The bleachers on court one filled with women from the club who were all now watching Riley and Beverly compete.
“Now that I’m warmed up, I hope you have some game left, Riley!” Beverly sneered.
I’ll show that bitch some fucking game, Riley thought to herself angrily as she bounced the ball to serve.
Riley served right at Beverly’s head, the ball having no chance to land inside the service court. Beverly dodged the ball by a hair, ducking to the left.
“What the hell was that, Carrington?” Beverly hissed angrily.
“Sorry, that one got away from me!” Riley said insincerely.
A few audible gasps and giggles could be heard from some of the women who had gathered to watch the contest. Riley served again and put her second serve past Beverly, who had moved in expecting a softer second serve. It whistled by Beverly to the approval of the spectators, who began to clap and root for Riley.
Helen got up immediately and approached Riley, leading her to the back of the court, while Beverly taunted her more from her side of the court.
“Riley, what the hell was that? What did I tell you?” Helen asked angrily. “If you do that again, I won’t have any hesitation taking you into the locker room and blistering your backside. I don’t care who is in there, do you understand? Stop playing into her hands and calm down. Oh, and by the way Joanna just arrived, so show her what you got, okay, kiddo?” Helen softened, seeing the grin on Riley’s face.
“Had your little pep talk and better now?” Beverly snipped.
“Serve, Watson!” Riley replied, focusing again.
“Oh, my God, what’s happening here?” Joanna asked.
“Uh, well, Riley and Beverly are going head to head,” Helen said innocently.
“Oh, and I suppose you had nothing to do with it!” Kate scolded.
“Helen, is this a good idea? You know Riley and you know Beverly. What were you thinking?” Joanna said, concerned. “What’s the score anyway?”
“Four–four, Riley really is doing great!” Helen smiled.
Beverly served to Riley, who returned a beautiful crosscourt shot, winning the point.
“Lucky Carrington, it slipped off my racket!” Beverly sneered.
“Wow, Riley is certainly poised, considering Beverly won’t shut up!” Joanna remarked.
“Well, if you would have been here five minutes ago, you would have seen Riley just about take Beverly’s head off with a wild serve that wasn’t an accident. I told her to calm down; it seemed to work. Oh, and that I’d drag her to the locker room and paddle her behind if she did it again!” Helen informed Joanna dryly.
“Well, your advice seems to be working. She’s about to break serve if she can get this one!” Joanna smiled.
Beverly sailed a hard serve out the back of the service court.
“Out,” Riley announced, readying herself for the second serve.
“What, open your eyes, Carrington, it hit the line,” Beverly replied angrily.
“Christ, it was out by a mile!” Helen stated.
There were mutters from the spectators, mostly calling the ball out.
“It was out, serve!” Riley demanded.
Beverly served again and Riley won the game and broke serve with a delicate drop shot just over the net. Joanna and Helen were delighted along with the majority of the forty or so women who were now watching.
Riley wasted no time serving, putting the ball down the middle, catching Beverly off guard.
“Out!” Beverly announced.
“What, you have got to be f-ing kidding me!” Riley replied angrily, but not actually using the f-word.
“Shit, this is getting out of hand. Marie, can’t you do something about this, that was a crap call!” Helen said, addressing the club president.
“Alright, that’s enough bickering, you two, I’m calling the rest of this set,” Marie said, getting up and taking the umpire chair on the other side of the court to the applause of the crowd. “Okay, Riley’s serve, five games to four, love, love second service.”
Beverly battled but Riley bested her and won the set to the delight of the audience. Riley approached the net, ready to shake hands with Beverly.
“We’re not done, that was only one set,” Beverly announced.
“Oh, come on, Watson, she beat you fair and square, one set!” Kate ranted from the sideline.
“I’ll tell you what, Carrington, we’ll do best of three sets. Whoever wins puts the lunch tab for the entire club on their account,” Beverly challenged, not wanting to admit defeat just yet.
“I would love to, Watson, but I don’t have that kind of equity or an account. Sorry!” Riley said to the disappointment of the women who were watching the exchange.
“I’ll back Riley, my account, but let’s be clear here, Beverly, best of three. If Riley wins the next set, we’re done, Riley wins?” Helen said, throwing down the gauntlet.
“Well, of course!” Beverly sneered. “My serve, I believe!”
Riley smiled, glancing over at Joanna, who was chewing her knuckles nervously.
“Okay, Riley leads one set to love, Beverly’s serve.” Marie announced from the chair to the delight of the club members, some of them now enjoying cocktails in the bleachers.
Riley and Beverly didn’t disappoint, entertaining the women’s tennis club with a heated exchange of high-class tennis. Serving with the games at two to three, Riley delivered a rocket to Beverly forehand and came in to the net. Beverly was able to handle the serve and lob a long shot over Riley’s head to the back of the court. Riley chased it down and took the return shot in the air, getting the ball back over the net but landing awkwardly, turning her ankle and falling to the ground.
“Ow, shit!” Riley yelled, feeling the sharp pain in her ankle.
Joanna and Helen immediately ran over to Riley, who was attempting to get up, embarrassed that she had fallen. All the women looked on, concerned, and Beverly just put her hands on her hips, waiting.
“Riley, hold on, are you okay?” Helen inquired, concerned.
“Yes, I’m fine,” Riley said, grimacing and limping around trying to dissipate the pain.
“Like hell you are!” Joanna said, alarmed, leading her to a chair on the sideline. “Sit down!”
“Look, it’s fine, really, I just need to walk it off,” Riley pleaded.
Joanna ignored her and removed Riley’s shoe and sock, examining her ankle. “No way, it’s already starting to swell, you’re done!”
“Joanna, I just turned it, it’s fine. I have some tape in my bag, and I want to finish this!” Riley told Joanna.
Helen just looked on as Marie handed Joanna some tape. “You sure you can continue, Riley?”
“Yes, of course, it’s nothing!”
Not happy that she wanted to continue, Joanna taped up Riley’s ankle.
Riley got up and walked around a little. “I’m fine. Let’s play!”
Joanna gave Helen a concerned look. “She’s too competitive for her own good!”
Riley served again and Beverly used the whole court to make Riley run back and forth across the court, making her wince with pain. Riley’s anger was returning at Beverly’s strategy, but she managed to win the game, firing a hard shot right at Beverly. Riley moved gingerly to the back of the court, ready to receive Beverly’s serve.
“Time!” Helen announced from the sideline, getting up and approaching Riley. “Let’s call it a day, kiddo, it’s not worth you getting hurt more. You already beat her,” she said, motioning to Marie in the umpire chair to end it.
“No, I…” Riley stammered.
“Did one heck of a job!” Marie said, finishing Riley�
��s sentence.
The women started to stand up and applaud. Riley limped to the net again despite her disappointment to shake Beverly’s hand.
“I’m not shaking your damn hand, Riley,” Beverly said, silencing the women who were all looking on in shock. “And Helen’s not picking up your tab. You can forget the free lunch, ladies, because I didn’t win here today. Since Riley’s coming back, can we take a raincheck?”
“Yes!” the ladies said and clapped in agreement.
“Thanks,” Riley said as Beverly slapped her on the shoulder and headed for the locker room.
“Wow, Watson is human, who knew?” Kate smiled at Riley. “C’mon, champagne is waiting!”
“Wait a minute, you two. Riley, let’s get that ankle unwrapped,” Joanna directed at Riley, motioning to a chair.
“It’s fine, really, I don’t need…”
“Riley, Riley, when are you gonna learn not to argue with Jo?” Helen smiled, helping her limp to the chair.
“Shit, Riley, this looks bad, we may have to get you an x-ray. I’ll call dad,” Joanna said after examining Riley’s ankle.
“No, I just turned it, Joanna, a little ice and it will be fine. Can we just go eat? I’m starving,” Riley reasoned.
“I guess another hour or so won’t make a difference at this point, but don’t put your weight on it. We’ll get you some ice inside,” Joanna said, helping Riley into the clubhouse restaurant.
“Oh, way to work it, babe, sure you didn’t do that on purpose?” Kate whispered, teasing Riley as she sat down next to her at the table. Joanna propped Riley’s foot up on a chair and wrapped a bag of ice around it.
“Trust me, this is not the kind of attention I’m looking for!” Riley winked back at Kate, making her giggle.
“If that swelling does not go down, we’re getting it x-rayed, no arguments, capisce?” Joanna said sternly as a bottle of champagne arrived at the table.
“From the ladies over there, miss,” the waiter said, pointing to a group of ladies at another table who were looking over.
“Cheers, thanks!” Riley said, acknowledging the women.
Reining in Riley Page 13