AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m just going to explain each part so it’s easier for you to understand what I’m saying,” I explain before holding my finger on the bottom of the racket.
“Okay, so we’re going down to infant-level tennis. Got it.” His arms cross over his chest, his forearms popping with large veins.
“So, there are three main parts of a tennis racket. First, the bottom half is the handle.” My hands grip the lower part of the racket, hoping he’ll understand. “The handle is composed of four parts. The butt is this round thing at the very tip of the racket. The grip is right above, then the bevel which has the collar right above it. Next is the shaft.” My hand grabs the opening between the two metal parts in the middle of the racket. “This is the throat. Lastly is the top half, which is the head.” My fingers grab the hard net at the top.
Xavier holds a hand up to stop the next words from coming out of my mouth.
“Wait, so you’re telling me that the components of a tennis racket all have sexual innuendos as names?” His grin is brighter than the sun at this point.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Come on, Vio. You just said head, throat, butt, tip, and shaft in the same explanation.”
“So?” I’m trying to stay professional.
“Nothing. I just realized that I love the sport even more than before. I think I want to become a professional tennis player after that explanation. Why didn’t I take tennis lessons sooner?”
I give him a serious face; I have never found a thirty-three-year-old man to be as childish as him. But I would be lying if I said I didn’t like it.
“Well, hopefully, it will make you remember the names of the racket purely from the fascination you have with sexual innuendos,” I tell him while rolling my eyes. “Moving on.”
“Oh my God, I just realized those three components all hit a ball.” He topples over in laughter while I roll my eyes yet again. No wonder Xavier Valente could never hit a tennis ball with the head of a racket.
Chapter15
Violetta
Xavier throws the ball into the air and then swings the racket downward again. Letting out a sigh, I decide to walk over and help him out. It’s been about thirty minutes since his breakout of laughter, which quickly led to me laughing. There’s just something about this man’s laugh that’s so infectious you can’t help but giggle with him.
His grip is way better than before, and we have avoided him hitting himself in the face. But he hasn’t been able to hit a single ball.
I step into him a little, taking his wrist into my hand. “You’re hitting downward, meaning that the racket is going to miss the ball when serving.” Tilting his wrist upward, I adjust the racket facing toward the sky. Pulling the racket back, he leans into me as I help him swing the racket upward. “See, that’s how you will be able to hit it.”
Stepping away from him, I pick up a bright green tennis ball. Holding it in one hand and his hand in the other. I throw the ball into the air and guide the racket in his grip toward the ball.
The ball collides with the netting and bounces over the net.
“See, it’s not as hard as you think.”
His face is just inches from mine. Helping him guide the racket in the right direction puts me close to him, and I feel his breath on my cheek. He’s looking me in the eye, the smile he had just a second ago wiped off his face.
Quickly realizing the situation, I step away and clear my throat. Getting myself together, I crouch down for another ball scattered among the others and hand it to him.
“Do exactly what I just showed you, but this time without my help.” I smile in encouragement.
I know he can do this. It’s just a matter of him using everything I’ve taught him.
Xavier lets out a deep breath before throwing the ball into the air. His gaze meets the green globe as the racket swings upward. The ball collides, making a thwack sound as it flies over the net, landing perfectly in the opponent’s court.
It’s as if everything goes in slow motion. Xavier throws the racket in the air, and his hands fly up in victory. His steps come closer to me, quickly turning into a run, and he picks me up into the air.
I squeal at the movement when he twirls me around and laughs out in happiness. Xavier sets me down and jogs off happily, yelling.
“I’m officially a professional tennis player!”
I laugh as he skips his way to the beach with what I’m guessing is a wide grin on his face.
The high dies down soon after as the sun starts to take a toll, and that’s when I know it’s time to pick up and go inside. Efficiently picking up the tennis balls, I plop them into the basket and place it on the bench. Picking up my thermo, I silently chug water until there’s nothing left. The tennis rackets scattered on the floor catch my attention, but before I can walk over and pick them up, I feel a buzzing sound in my bag.
