Page 28 of Risky Match
“You don’t have to wait for me to leave.” He winks.
“I’m sure Dr. Anastasia would object to that.”
He frowns. “Why would Natalie care?”
“Most women wouldn’t appreciate another woman taking a bath in their boyfriend’s room.”
Blake laughs, “Natalie is my sports psychologist. She’s helping me stay in the right mindset and avoid another failure at Wimbledon.”
“Isn’t it unusual for doctors to date their patients?” I ask.
“What gave you the idea we’re dating? Don’t tell me you’re jealous.” He smirks.
“Of course, not. Something she said made me think you two were together.”
“Natalie’s wife, Cecilia, would strongly object, so that’s not happening.”
Oops. I completely misread the situation, and I just made it worse. Now, Blake has a mischievous sparkle in his eye as if he likes the idea that I’m jealous.
I pivot. “Thanks again for letting us stay. I need to check on Chef Fausto.”
“Why not let Erin handle that?”
“Fausto speaks Italian, and I’m the only one on our team who can translate. Do you or anyone on your team speak Italian?”
“No.”
I smile inwardly. Perfect. People rarely pay attention to servers or kitchen staff and talk freely in their presence. Conversations will flow even more freely given that Fausto is Italian. While his English is perfect, he won’t be sharing that fact with anyone in the house. That means he can eavesdrop without anyone knowing he understands every word.
“That’s too bad,” I say.
“Did you grow up speaking Italian?”
“English is the primary language in Catalinius, but we’re near the coast of France and Italy. My parents insisted my nanny teach me both languages when I was very young. I went to uni in Paris, so my French ended up stronger, but I’m fluent in both.”
“I wish I’d learned more than Italian growing up. It would come in handy at times like these. How will we tell Fausto what we need to eat?”
“I’d be happy to help with that. What would you like him to prepare for you?”
“I’m sure my diet is much like yours—whole grains, lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats. I avoid processed foods as much as possible.”
“That makes sense. Are you allergic to any foods?”
“No. But please tell him I don’t eat raw fish or raw meat. I’m not willing to risk food poisoning during a tournament.”
“A lot of tennis players love sushi as part of their match-day routine, but I agree with you. I’ll let him know.”
I walk down the stairs wondering what types of food Fausto knows how to cook. He’s a big, burly man who looks like he lives on fish and chips, pizza, and burgers. Hopefully, healthy meals are in his repertoire. If not, his career as a chef will be short-lived, and his cover will be blown.
9
BLAKE
Josh and I warm up on the practice court while we wait for Bri. I’m not thrilled about spending time on doubles practice, but I don’t really have a choice. If we’re not in sync, we’ll fail miserably and embarrass ourselves.
The joint session is cutting into my regular workout time. I want to keep it short, then work on my singles strategy.
I’m just starting to sweat when Bri appears, making me miss what should have been a perfectly placed drop shot. Instead of falling just over the net, it clips the top and drops back onto my side.
