He seems too decent to be a top athlete. I’m using him more than I’ve ever used my exes, and the only thing making it slightly ok is if he’s the man Minnie says he is. Difficult behind closed doors, a poor team player, obstinate to a fault, lacking in loyalty, and zero integrity. I haven’t seen any evidence, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. I’m seeing him in social settings, after all.
Tonight’s proven I can’t compete with the machine around him, and I definitely can’t be where Étienne’s fee-fi-fo-fumm-ing around the place. I’m closer but not close enough.
As I pull my phone out of my pocket in the taxi back to the hotel, I hate myself with every fibre of my being. I can’t believe it’s come to this, but I’m out of options. Minnie’s right: Tom’s not like the others. Things do have to be different.
BRB, off to make a deal with the devil.
Chapter 14
TIAGO
MIAMI
‘This is insane!’ Isa abruptly stops. ‘You have five seconds to tell me why we’re going in circles around this creepy-ass stadium in the middle of the night.’
‘It’s only 9pm.’
‘Cinco segundos,Tiago.’
For the fifteenth time: ‘I don’t know why we’re here either!’
‘You’re terrible at keeping secrets. You know something, and if you don’t tell me what it is, I’m calling our driver back right now and?—’
‘Fine! Fine.’ I truly don’t know why we’re in the Crandon Park Tennis Centre either, but I know more than I’m letting on. I wanted it to be a surprise because I’m not totally sure how she’ll react, but if it’s between her yelling and me trying to find this side path in the eerie dark by myself, it’s not a tough choice. ‘Promise you won’t freak out.’
By the light of my phone torch, she crosses her arms in answer.
‘We’re going to a marketing meeting with Jules Butler.’
She turns her ear toward me. ‘Say what?’
I try again, slower. ‘Jules Butler is my?—’
‘What did you do?’ Her eyes flare.‘What did you do?’
‘Nothing! Is it so hard to believe she chose me?’
‘After I saw you bite each other’s heads off in Australia? Yes! Tell me the truth.’
It was worth a shot. ‘She’s doing it out of the goodness of her heart.’
Isa gives me a bored look. ‘I have the power to share your DMs on the family group chat.’
I go very still. ‘You wouldn’t dare.’
She juts her chin out, unblinking. ‘Try. Me.’
Urghwhatever. ‘I told Jules… I told Jules I’d get her close to Tom Webber – via an informal, non-team route. Unauthorised access, you could call it.’
‘But you don’t know Tom Webber.’
‘Shh! She could be here.’ I look around but I can’t see shit. Jules could be lurking behind a palm tree and I’d have no idea.
‘Oh, and foil your amazing plan?’ Isa says. ‘I bet you’ve never even spoken to Tom Webber outside of that time with Jules.’
‘That’s not true.’ I frown, racking my brain. ‘I said hi once. I think he heard.’
Isa drags her face down.‘Oh my god oh my god oh my god.’
