The Singles Game
Page 49

‘Oh, no, just the opposite. The island has a lot of terrific players. I actually teach the team at the local high school. It’s volunteer, of course – they don’t have any money even for uniforms – but the kids are really into it.’
‘Amazing. I would have loved to come see it. This is pretty much my only free hour of the visit, but maybe if I can sneak away later …’
‘That would be awesome! The kids love you so much, and I’m sure they’d be so—’
‘What’s up, gorgeous?’ Marco slid into the chaise longue next to Charlie. His shoulders and waist created a triangle of tanned and muscled perfection. His swim trunks sat low on his pelvis, almost too low, exposing a near-indecent trail of hair that climbed up over his washboard stomach straight to his perfect innie belly button. The trunks were not loose.
‘Hi,’ she said, or at least tried to. Get control of yourself, she thought. The previous night had been the first time she and Marco requested adjoining rooms right at check-in and didn’t care who overheard. Neither of them wanted to spend the night yet – sleep was too important – but it had been refreshing not to have to hide.
Marco shielded his eyes and looked at the young pool boy. ‘Hey, can I get a strawberry banana smoothie with a scoop of protein powder? My coach left a canister of the right brand with the chef, so check with him. Thanks, man.’
The boy’s face flamed red, and he took off in nearly a sprint.
‘He’s really a nice kid. He was just telling me how he volunteers to—’
‘Yes, nice kid. Listen, pretty girl, I saw you have a practice court at eleven, and I was hoping I could switch with you.’
Charlie yanked on her bikini top. There was a little metal plate holding the two cups together, and it was burning hot from the sun. If she wasn’t careful, she’d have double Ts for Trina Turk literally burned into her chest. ‘What time do you have?’
‘I am at four. The last one. But I want to get it over with so I can have some time by the pool today.’
‘Sorry, I can’t do it. With the shoot starting at sundown, I’ll need to be in hair and makeup by then. Maybe someone else can switch?’ Charlie pushed her sunglasses up on her head and stared out over the azure sea. She could barely believe she’d been invited on this shoot. And with Marco? In Anguilla, no less? The whole thing was insane.
‘Oh, come on,’ Marco wheedled. He slid his hand under her bikini top and cupped her in his hand. Instead of feeling good, it pulled the already burning metal doodad against the underside of her breast, where it seared her flesh. She pushed his hand away.
‘Stop! We’re in public,’ she whispered, hating the way she sounded.
‘In case you haven’t noticed, the public is very happy to watch us fool around,’ Marco said with that devilish grin that always made her stomach flip-flop. ‘What do you say? You take four and I’ll get you a massage. My treat.’
The pool boy returned, and Marco accepted the smoothie without saying thank you. He took a long pull on the straw. ‘Good enough,’ he declared.
‘Thank you so much,’ Charlie said to the boy, overcompensating with a huge smile. ‘I think we’re good now.’
‘Yes, Ms Silver,’ he said before once again bolting.
Charlie turned to Marco. ‘I can’t do it. I’ve got the court from eleven to twelve-thirty. Dan is all lined up and Todd will be with us via Skype. After that there’s lunch and then lifting.’ Charlie glanced at her watch. ‘Why don’t you ask Natalya? I saw on the sign-up sheet that she has the court at nine.’
‘Forget it,’ Marco said, obviously irritated. He dropped his smoothie on the side table hard enough that some splashed over the edge and stood up. ‘I’ll see you later. I’ve got a lot to do.’ And without a kiss or a smile or a farewell, he started to walk away.
‘Seriously, Marco? You’re mad because I won’t switch practice times with you?’
She knew he heard her, but he didn’t stop walking. Moments later he disappeared inside the poolside restaurant.
Charlie sighed and placed her earbuds back in. Practice courts at tournaments were hard enough to negotiate – there was a whole stressful system based on a mysterious combination of ranking, seniority, timing of matches, and the aggressiveness of one’s coach in bullying the schedulers – but today wasn’t like that. There was one court at the hotel designated for their use and there were six players invited to the Tennis’s Hottest Players spread featured annually in Vanity Fair’s June issue. They each got ninety minutes of court time and were expected to work out meals and lifting schedules on their own, with the plan that the shoot would take place during ‘magic hour’ that evening, the short window of time just before sunset when the light was at its most perfect.
Charlie turned back to her iPad and surfed some more. She clicked through some Instagram photos of Piper and Ronin at a fund-raising party at Ronin’s hospital. All the other wives were wearing typical DVF wrap dresses in varying prints or black pants with a jewel-colored silky top; Piper was swathed in a leopard-print romper with sky-high studded heels and her hair piled wildly atop her head. She was the only person Charlie had ever met who could pull off fuck-me red lipstick at all times of the day or night without ever looking like a hooker. Charlie smiled and picked up her phone.
Saw your pics from the lupus benefit. Very respectful of the cause. I was impressed.
The three dots flashed for a few seconds before the message came back: an emoticon of a hand giving the finger.
No, seriously, I saw those heels at a peep show joint in Times Square a few months ago. Very chic.
This time, Piper replied with a picture of her own bitmoji holding up her middle finger.
Love you, too. Did I mention I’m in Anguilla? They pronounce it Ang-gee-lah. Just thought you should know.
If you weren’t screwing the hottest guy on the planet, I’d be forced to point out what a huge, raging loser you are.
Yes, well. I am screwing the hottest guy on the planet. Who now calls me his gf, btw.
I am going to have to work extra hard as your maid of honor to upstage the two of you. I might start planning now.
Hahahahah not so fast!
Charlie put her phone down and noticed her heart was pounding. Of course Piper was kidding, but the mere mention of marrying Marco made Charlie nauseated, excited, and anxious all at once. It had only been ten days since they’d gone public, but she supposed you could count the whole year they’d been sleeping together as something …