JADE
Glad the shoulder is healing up well for you – that's a relief! Do take it easy at the gym, ice after, deal? Hoping to see your beautiful face later, but I need you to know there’s no pressure, ok? X
APRIL
Stop worrying and go start work in your cute little uniform. I’ll let you know how I manage at the gym – for professional reasons, of course ;) Chat to you later babe X
April sent the message, grinning wider than the Cheshire Cat. Then panicked. She’d never had a girlfriend or partner before, so she had never used a term of endearment either. What if thatwasn’t the right one for Jade? Should she have used a different one to what Jade had used for April?Get a grip! You have training and match-prep to get on with!
Chapter 21
Jade
By the time evening arrived and Jade clocked off, it felt like she’d run all over the city.
Her day started with a few minor injuries before lunch. She’d even managed to get a proper break and eat something substantial. Then her afternoon quickly got busier due to a light drizzle of rain. It wasn’t heavy enough to call an end to play straight away, but by the time the decision was made, the grass surface had started to get a little dangerous.
One of the male players had sprinted from one side of the court to the other to reach a returned ball from his opponent but had skidded and landed awkwardly on his right hip. The game had been called after that point due to rain, which allowed himto receive medical treatment without forfeiting the match. Jade had been called from the hotel as the onsite physical therapists were busy with other players.
She then received a call to make her way to another hotel to treat a player who had hurt their neck, avoiding a body shot in their match earlier that day. The player had gone on to win and wanted it checked before their next match later that week.
It was late by the time Jade made it to her room. She’d already worked two hours later than the day before. She had been messaging April for the past 15 minutes, so she knew she was in her own room resting for her first match of the tournament the next day. Jade desperately wanted to see her after the day she had. Could she?Shouldshe?
What if her dad or her coach is in the room with her?
She decided to keep her work top on under her hoody to use April’s injury as an excuse to being there in case she wasn’t alone in her room when she arrived unannounced at her door. She grabbed her ID and headed for the stairs. She needed the time rather than the extra cardio given how busy she had been with work.
Only a few minutes later, she stood outside April’s door.Time for some fun.
JADE
Knock, knock x
IVY
Cute, Ok, who’s there? X
JADE
You tell me - check your door X
Barely a few seconds later, and April’s hotel room door flew open. And there she stood. Jade felt the breath leave her lungs as those icy blues took her in.
“Oh my god, getinhere!” April whispered; her voice a mixture of panic laced with excitement. “What are you doing here?”
Jade laughed as she entered the room and quickly closed the door behind her. “I’m just back from work now and didn’t want it to be late when we called with your first match tomorrow, so I thought I’d drop by super quick instead. I hope that’s ok?”
April moved in and threw her arms around Jade’s shoulders as Jade wrapped her arms around April’s waist, pulling each other close as their lips crashed together. When they finally broke their kiss but held their embrace, resting their foreheads together, they each let out a sigh.
“Of course it’s ok babe,” April said softly.
“I have to admit, you’re the only person I like calling me that,” Jade said.
“Good, I like being the only person whogetsto call you that,” April pulled Jade in for another kiss before relaxing their embrace enough to see each other. Worry flashed across April’s eyes as she continued. “What would you have done if my dad had been here with me? Or Jon? Orboth?”
“I have my work ID with me and my work top under my hoody. I would have just said I was doing a follow-up ahead of your match tomorrow. You know, try to earn some brownie points in advance of him knowing about us.” Jade smirked and received an eyeroll and a laugh in return.
“You really had it all thought out, huh?”
