Match Point Page 7

  “Of course I don’t. It’s my job to believe exactly that. So just stay another half an hour. Anyway, I want to introduce you to Lisa Sevonny. She’s been handling publicity for some of the men’s pro circuit players and I think it might be time you and she had a chat. This could be a good time to start investing in some publicity, get your image up now so we can increase your sponsorship attraction in time for the US Open.”

  “Whoa, hold up, mister! Aren’t you getting a bit ahead of yourself there? I’ve only just made it through the first of three of these tournaments and I’ve still got to get my ranking back up to somewhere halfway reasonable.”

  “And that’s why I’m here. Yes, I’m your coach, but I’m looking into the future, not just at your game, but at your status as a player. I want playing tennis to be as financially viable for you as possible. I know you hate dealing with the boring old money side of things, but let’s face it, my sweet, if you’re not floating, we’re both sinking.”

  “True.” Jodi tipped her head in acknowledgment. She paused to consider Jason’s proposition. “Okay, let’s go meet the lady. What’s her name again?”

  “Lisa Sevonny. And there she is, I’m going to grab her. Stay here. You’ll like her. Everyone does.”

  Jodi didn’t get a chance to ask him why that was before he suddenly whisked off across the room. Minutes later he came back, pulling a gorgeously tall, dark-haired woman in an immaculate suit by the hand.

  She smiled warmly at Jodi, her eyes twinkling. “I can usually make it across a crowd without a caveman giving me a tow, but I guess not this time!”

  “Jodi, this is Lisa. Lisa, Jodi.” Jason waved his hand between them, making the introductions. “Now if you’ll both excuse me, I’ve got to speak with one of the organizers about picking up the trophy,” he said and headed back into the crowd.

  “It’s lovely to meet you, Jodi. Great match today.” Lisa’s eyes swept Jodi up and down, lowering her lashes. She touched Jodi lightly on the arm. “I very much enjoyed watching you out there on the court.”

  “Uh, thanks.” Was this woman flirting with her? “It’s nice to meet you too.”

  Lisa lowered her voice and leaned in a little closer.

  “I was glad you won. I’m going to look forward to watching more of you this season.”

  Jodi smiled. “I’m glad I won too!”

  Lisa laughed. She accepted a glass of white wine from the passing waiter. “Would you like one?” she asked Jodi.

  “Sure, I think I could handle a glass tonight.” Jodi took a glass, sipping the cool dry wine slowly.

  “So, Jason tells me you might be looking for a bit of publicity help?” Lisa said, leaning in slightly. Her glossy hair swung lightly over her shoulder and Jodi caught the delicate scent of frangipani. “I’d definitely love to work with you,” Lisa continued, “it would be easy to raise your profile with a few well-timed interviews and appearances. The crowds already love you and we’ve obviously got a great visual to deal with.” Her dark eyes once again appreciatively swept Jodi up and down.

  Suddenly, Jodi felt too warm in her long-sleeved shirt. The air-conditioning was working overtime as usual, but under the steady gaze of this confident and charming woman, Jodi felt the room was too hot and she was overdressed.

  Jodi pushed up her sleeves, trying to get some air on her skin. “I guess I am looking for that. I haven’t had much time to think about it, really. Jase just suggested it and voilà! Here you are. But it sounds about right.”

  “Oh, well that is springing it on you a bit! Why don’t I give you my card and we can chat about it some more when you’ve had some time to think it over. I’m happy to email some suggestions, if you like? I can get your email from Jason and put some ideas down for you.”

  “That’d be great thanks,” Jodi took the card and absentmindedly ran her thumb along the edge of the cardboard. “Sorry if I sound a bit vague. Things are only just coming together and I don’t have too much of a plan in that department,” Jodi said, shrugging apologetically.

  “That’s okay, I totally understand. Perhaps we could discuss it all over a drink sometime. Maybe somewhere a little less hectic?”

  Jodi hesitated. It was just a drink and this was business. “Sure, that would be good.”

  “Do you…” Lisa paused as if she was not sure she should continue. “I mean, are you free tonight? In a case like yours, the old adage, strike while the iron’s hot, certainly rings true.”

  Jodi tried to get a read on Lisa. It would be good to take advantage of her win at today’s tournament. DuPont would like to see her raking up some positive publicity as well, given the renewed sponsorship contract she had just signed.

  “Well, I’ve probably had enough wine for tonight, and I promised Jase I’d stick around here for a little bit longer and mingle, but if you don’t mind waiting, I could definitely handle a soda later.”

  “Great, how about I meet you right here by the fountain in thirty minutes or so?” Lisa’s smile stretched sweetly across her oval face, showing off her perfectly white teeth.

  “Done.”

  * * *

  Miranda checked her watch and realized she had been chatting away with Gabriela for almost an hour. It was a relief to find a real friend at an event like this, rather than having to make awkward small talk with mostly competitive strangers.

  “I guess I’d better go find Jodi and Jason, Gab. I don’t know if there’s any protocol for who I’m supposed to suck up to at events like this, but I should probably check in. I’ll come and find you later.”

  “Let’s sneak off later and go get a proper drink someplace less snobby!” Gabriela gave her a quick hug, and Miranda chuckled.

  “I’d love to, but I’m meeting Enid tonight. Let’s catch up another time.”

  Miranda edged around the crowd, keeping an eye out for her team; she carefully avoided bumping into planter boxes and jostling waitstaff as she kept her drink upright.

  “Miranda! Over here!” Jason waved her over from beside an open window.

  “Phew! It’s hot in here.” She fanned herself and sipped her soda water. “Aren’t you hot in that jacket?”

  “Yes, I’m dying, but now I’m too sweaty to take it off,” he said, grimacing. “I guess they’re having trouble with the air-con.”

  “Where’s Jodi?” Miranda asked, scanning the crowd. “I haven’t really spoken to her since the match. I want to congratulate her.”

  “Last time I saw her she was over by the fountain feature thingy,” Jason replied, craning his neck to look over the crowd. “Yeah, look,” he pointed, “there she is.”

  Miranda watched as a familiar woman walked up to Jodi and seemed to ask her a question. Jodi nodded and swung her bag over her shoulder, and they walked together toward the door.

  “It looks like she’s leaving.”

  Jason shrugged, raising his eyebrows. “Looks like it.”

  Miranda watched them walk out the door together, the woman’s hand on Jodi’s shoulder. She wondered at the odd tightening she felt in her gut.

  “Who was that woman?” she asked, trying to sound casual.

  “Lisa Sevonny. She’s—”

  “She’s that tennis publicist lady,” Miranda cut him off. “I recognize her. My God, she’s even better looking in person.”

  “She is pretty easy on the eye, isn’t she! I told Jodi she should speak with her about a publicity campaign. We need to get her profile going now. Strengthen the fan base and get the crowds really jumping behind her again.”

  “Yeah.” Miranda felt strangely heavy. “Good one.”

  * * *

  “Let’s go sit out on the balcony,” Miranda suggested to Enid as they paid for their drinks at the bar. “I think it’ll be quieter out there. This place isn’t usually so busy!”

  “It wasn’t so busy in the nineties. I’m guessing you haven’t been here in a while,” Enid teased.

  Miranda looked around at the throng of people, crowded around benches
, milling by the bar and hanging out by the pool tables. I must be really out of touch, she thought, realizing the once quiet and somewhat quirky little bar had been discovered by the hip crowds of Sacramento. She had loved to come here as a college student, picking a table out on the balcony and losing herself in a book for the afternoon. There would be no quiet reading in this bar anymore, that was for sure.

  Miranda headed for the balcony, ducking out through the open French doors; Enid followed closely behind her.

  Out on the balcony Miranda scanned the crowded space for an empty table, pulling up short as her eyes came to rest on Jodi, her dark head bent in close across the table with Lisa Sevonny.

  “Hey! What’re you doing?” Enid exclaimed, bumping into Miranda. “I’ve spilled my drink all down my arm.”

  “Shit, I’m sorry!” Miranda turned to help her friend, dabbing the wine off her arm with her napkin. “Um, maybe we should go back inside after all.”

  “What? No way, it’s too loud in there. Look, there’s a table right down the side in the corner.” Enid pointed to a table past Jodi at the far end of the balcony.

  Unable to think of a reason why they shouldn’t take it, Miranda headed for the table. Should she stop and say hello to Jodi? She couldn’t imagine why she suddenly felt so nervous. You’re being ridiculous, Miranda, she told herself. Just stop and say hi and move on. It’s no big deal.

  As she approached the table, Jodi looked up. Her eyes widened in surprise.

  “Hi,” Miranda said brightly, smiling awkwardly. “I guess we all had the same idea tonight.” She paused, not quite sure where to go next, feeling like they were intruding on a private moment. “Uh, this is my friend Enid. Enid this is Jodi, and…”

  “Lisa Sevonny,” Lisa chimed in.

  Enid stepped forward. “I’d shake hands but this one just made me spill my drink down my arm so I’m not sure you’d appreciate the stickiness!”

  Lisa laughed and stuck out her hand anyway. “I don’t mind. Hello to you both.”

  “Lisa’s a publicist,” Jodi said abruptly. “We’ve been discussing some of the finer points of publicity campaigns. Lisa, this is Miranda, my new assistant coach.”

  “Pleasure to meet you both.” Lisa smiled widely. Miranda’s stomach felt tight and she edged backward, bumping a little against the table behind her.

  “And congratulations on today, Jodi,” Enid said. “I hear you played brilliantly.”

  Miranda elbowed Enid, nudging her away from the table. “Anyway, we’re, uh, just heading to that table over there.” Miranda gestured to the empty table at the back of the balcony, spilling a little of her drink onto their table as she did so.

  “Oh, God, sorry, second time tonight!” Miranda’s cheeks flamed and she dabbed at the table with a napkin, painfully aware of Jodi’s dark eyes on her as she cleaned up the spill. “We’d better sit down before I cause any more accidents. Nice to meet you, Lisa. See you tomorrow, Jodi.”

  Enid nodded goodbye and followed Miranda to the free table.

  “Miranda?” She leaned forward as they sat down, trying to catch her friend’s eye. “What just happened there?”

  Miranda gazed out over the view, shredding the corner of her napkin absentmindedly as she avoided Enid’s searching gaze.

  “Nothing,” she said, jutting out her chin with a shrug, “what do you mean?”

  “You were all weird. You’re never weird. What was that about?”

  Miranda finally pulled her mouth in a tight line. “I don’t really know. I just feel a bit awkward around her.”

  “Around who? Lisa?”

  “Jodi. She’s nice enough and everything, in fact, sometimes she’s really nice, but other times she’s all cold and proper and I don’t really know what to make of her. It seems to be fine if we just focus on playing tennis, but outside of that she’s a bit hard to get to know, I guess.”

  “Yeah, right.” Enid paused, her own eyes traveling over the view before them. “It sounds like you might have a little crush on her,” she said with a smirk.

  “I do not have a crush on her,” Miranda whispered fiercely across the table, “and can you please lower your voice? She’ll hear you!”

  “She can’t hear me. She’s five tables away and we’re talking quietly. Miranda Veronica Ciccone. I do believe you’ve got a crush on your boss.”

  “She’s not my boss and I do not have a crush.” Miranda thumped her fist on the table.

  “Whatever you say, my darling.” Enid continued to smirk infuriatingly.

  Miranda balled up her napkin in frustration and jammed it into the ash tray. “Let’s talk about something else.”

  “Okay. Like the weather? Shall we talk about what lovely weather we’re having? That’s a very neutral subject.”

  “Yes. Let’s talk about the lovely weather. I hope it rains. Just on you.” Miranda said churlishly, and then suddenly chortled. “Sorry, E., I’m a bit all over the place today. I think I’m just tired. Cheers?”

  Enid clinked her glass against Miranda’s, still fighting back her smirk, and they settled back to enjoy the evening.

  Miranda tried to focus her attention on her friend. But when she stole a glance over at Jodi’s table an hour or so later she was surprised to find it occupied by different people. Jodi hadn’t said goodbye. Miranda registered a flash of hurt, and immediately dismissed it. It wasn’t as if they were friends.

  Chapter Six

  “Please fasten your seat belts and observe the No Smoking sign for the duration of this flight.” The hostess’s voice crackled over the loudspeaker. “We hope you have a comfortable flight. As this is a short flight, we will only be coming through the cabin once with food and drinks, so we appreciate you having the correct change.”

  Jodi fastened her seat belt, tuning out the voice. She had heard these announcements perhaps a hundred times. She raised the window shade, squinting out from behind her sunglasses at the bright blue sky and the glistening black tarmac. In an hour, they’d be in Los Angeles, heading for the Carson Classic Tournament.

  She felt Miranda shift in the seat next to her. Miranda had her headphones on and her eyes closed, clearly also attempting to tune out the bustle of the airplane. It had been a whirlwind of a week. They had practiced every day, testing out the new backhand ideas and working on Jodi’s serve. Miranda was an excellent rally partner, Jodi had to admit. She was keeping up on the court, which was surprising for someone who wasn’t actually playing at competition level. She must have been good as a junior, Jodi decided. Would it be too personal to ask her why she had quit?

  Miranda shifted again and her arm brushed against Jodi’s over their shared armrest. Jodi left her arm where it was, immediately overly conscious of the light pressure. Careful not to move her arm away, Jodi relaxed into her seat, and gazed out the window, as the plane slowly taxied to the runway, preparing for takeoff.

  Her thoughts drifted back to Saturday night and she found herself going over the night for the umpteenth time this week. It had ended awkwardly with Lisa. Jodi had begun to sense that Lisa was indeed coming on to her as they sat on the balcony, chatting about tennis and potential publicity ideas. Jodi had felt confused. It was flattering to have a woman as obviously gorgeous as Lisa flirting with her, but she couldn’t quite join in the game. Bumping into Miranda had shocked her. Of course, Jodi hadn’t been expecting to see Miranda there at the bar, but she also hadn’t been expecting the flush of desire she had felt, seeing her looking so cool in snug black jeans and a thin black tank top. The lines and curves of Miranda’s body were accentuated by the perfect fit of her clothes; her bare, bronzed skin hinting at what might continue beneath them.

  Jodi was used to seeing Miranda in her tennis shorts and sports tees, her hair pulled under a cap. On the court Miranda looked functional and professional and Jodi had been mostly too caught up in her practice to really focus on much except the ball coming back to her. Of course she had noticed the beautifully toned body—how could she not—but
they had a job to do on the courts and Jodi was well practiced at avoiding distractions. But she had been unprepared for the raw appeal of the young woman standing before her in the bar on Saturday night. Miranda looked like just the sort of woman Jodi would have wanted to dance with, to buy a drink for, had she been out with friends. Jodi had immediately felt flustered and caught off guard.

  Jodi had almost asked Miranda a hundred times during the week about her relationship with her “friend” Enid, but found she couldn’t bring herself to mention it in casual conversation. Out of the corner of her eye, she had watched Miranda talking and laughing intimately with the petite and vivacious Enid, even as she listened distractedly to Lisa talk. Heads bent together across the table Miranda and Enid made a striking couple: Miranda with her short blond bob tucked carelessly behind her ears, showing off her slim, tanned neck, and Enid with her shock of black curls. Jodi decided Jason was wrong. Miranda definitely knew “more than good friends.” She had found it harder and harder to concentrate on the conversation at her table, until Lisa had reached across the table and taken her hand.

  “I think we’ll make a good team, Jodi,” she said.

  Jodi didn’t know what to say. She wanted to edge her hand away but felt that might be rude. Instead, she smiled uncomfortably and nodded, leaving her hand awkwardly in Lisa’s.

  “Gosh,” Jodi yawned, using a stretch as a way to subtly free her hand. “It’s getting late and I think I’ve just about hit my limit for today. It’s been a huge day.”

  “Of course.” Lisa’s perfectly manicured eyebrows pulled together in concern. “You must be exhausted. I’m so sorry, I’ve just been chatting on and on here.”

  “No, no, it’s been lovely, really. It’s probably a good idea for me to get going though. How about I call you during the week to get the ball rolling on some of these ideas?”

  “That’d be great, Jodi.”

  They gathered up their bags and Lisa looked over at Miranda and Enid. “Did you want to say goodbye to your coach?” she asked Jodi.

  “Nah, it’s okay. I’ll see her tomorrow.” Jodi was anxious to avoid the confusing feelings of another conversation with Miranda and her potential girlfriend.