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‘I beat you in three sets.’
‘Now I know this is a fantasy.’
Noah’s fingers twist around mine. ‘It sounds great, though, doesn’t it?’
‘Yeah,’ I reply. ‘It does.’
‘It’s bursitis,’ the doctor says later that night. ‘Rest, rest and more rest. It might take one or two days, or one or two weeks to heal, there’s no way to know. You were good to get it iced immediately.’
Noah looks at my father. ‘What does that mean for the tournament?’
‘We wait and see what happens,’ Papa replies. ‘We’ll have to make a call by tomorrow . . .’
‘It’s already feeling better,’ I assure everyone but mostly myself. ‘Honestly.’
The doctor stands and gathers his bag. ‘If you develop a fever, or chills, go to the hospital. Otherwise, you can take an anti-inflammatory to ease the pain and rest it for at least a few days.’
‘You can’t do anything else? Cortisone shot?’ Victor asks. ‘Numb it up and Gabi will play all night.’
The doctor hesitates and looks at Gabriel. ‘I understand how important this sport is to you, Mr Madani, but it’s important to take injuries like this seriously.’
We don’t have a few days. We have thirty-two hours at best before I’m expected on the court. I scrub my hands over my face and sink further into the lounge.
‘Right,’ Victor says. ‘I’m ordering Chinese. Nothing bad has ever happened while eating Chinese food. Noah, are you staying?’
Noah looks at me and then nods. ‘Thanks. For a little while at least. But then I should go home to Margie. Someone was trying to get into our house earlier today, and I think she’s a bit rattled by the whole thing.’
‘What!’ I say, sitting up. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
Noah shrugs. ‘You were busy, Gabriel, and it’s fine. It was probably a reporter. I can handle it on my own.’
Noah’s right. Of course he can. ‘I didn’t want to drag you into this.’
‘Well, I’ve been dragged. Willingly,’ he replies in a tone that implies not to argue.
‘Right—chicken with cashews or Mongolian beef?’ Victor calls from the kitchen. ‘Oh hell, I’ll get both. And two fried rices, and a bag of prawn chips.’
29
Noah
Idon’t hear from Gabriel the following morning, though I do send him a message before I go to work; it’s simply<3 gotta work. Thinking of you.
I’m an incredible sap. Who would have thought two weeks ago I’d be in love! Going serious with my tennis superstar boyfriend! Working a new job!
My shift at the Rosewood starts at ten-thirty, just before the lunchtime rush. Bella swings into the office as I’m about to loop my apron over my head.
‘Hey, stunner, time for a photo.’ She grabs the polaroid camera from the top of the bookcase. ‘Against the wall.’
I run my hand through my hair, taming it, before posing awkwardly. A second later, the polaroid spits out a photo. Bella grabs a Sharpie and writes NOAH in big black letters on the polaroid.
‘You’re official now,’ she says as she pins the photo up on the board. ‘And assigned to the main bar. It’s gonna be a busy one.’
Bella’s not wrong: it’s a busy shift. There’s a steady stream of customers throughout the day, and I think I make approximately one million mimosas. At two o’clock I scoff down a sandwich made by the chefs and check my notifications in the back office.
Hungrygabriel73:My knee feels better today but i still rest it. How are you?
NoAgenda:Just working. It’s so busy—don’t these people have jobs?
