Page 16 of Breakpoint
Chris was even annoyed she hadn’t done many events or gone out and posted on her social media at some of the hottest spots around Miami. “Dani, we gotta keep your presence up. I have this pop star that you could do a club appearance with on South Beach.” But she shot it down, knowing that Jaz would be pissed, and probably lock Dani out of her compound, if she went out and came back hungover for practice.
Thankfully, they were getting out of Jaz’s house tonight. The black SUV hummed along I-95, pulsing towards Miami. The miles ticked by, marked by the monotonous blur of palm trees and billboards advertising everything from alligators to injury lawyers. Jaz stared out the window, seemingly fascinated by the passing scenery. She guessed Jaz would do anything to avoid making eye contact and banal conversation with her. That left Dani to doom scroll on her phone, liking random things popping up in her social media feed.
They were on their way to an event for their shared racket sponsor. Jaz bristled when Kira mentioned them doing ittogether, but she gritted her teeth and nodded to Kira, giving it the okay. Dani was annoyed but let it go. If Jaz was trying, then she was going to try not to be annoyed at Jaz’s annoyance.
Besides, Dani loved sponsorship events. Normally it was a chance for high-quality wine (or champagne) while she smiled and took pics with the executives who wanted to be close to a sports pro.
But when they pulled up to a nondescript building in a part of town that looked like it had seen better days, Dani wondered if she was being led to her death. As they entered the venue, the noise of excited children filled the air. Dani looked around and didn’t see a single camera, no executive in a suit, andno alcohol.
Nothing but screaming school-aged black and brown kids. This was hardly the glamorous, champagne-soaked sponsorship event she was accustomed to. Instead of schmoozing with CEOs and B-list celebrities, she was surrounded by walls adorned with colorful, hand-painted murals and clamoring sticky-fingered children.
Dani looked around, wondering what the hell they were doing here. “Where are we?”
“The local boys’ and girls’ youth club,” Jaz stated flatly, like it was the most obvious thing.
Dani wasn’t great with kids. She never really babysat in her teens like some of her friends and didn’t have any younger siblings to play with. She was always around adults and traveling with her parents until she went to boarding school. “This doesn’t look like any sponsorship event I’ve ever been to? Where are the cameras? The wealthy donors and company executives seeking autographs?”
Jaz’s usual steely expression softened slightly as she surveyed the kids already swinging their brand-new rackets. “I don’t do those.If sponsors want me to show up, they need to make it worthwhile and be something I care about. This I care about. Less cocktail party, more about the community.”
“Okay.” Dani looked around, still not understanding their role. “So what are we going to do then?”
“We’re going to play with the kids and then give free tennis gear to underprivileged kids.” Dani must have misheard. Did she just hear Jaz say they were going toplaywith kids? Dani couldn’t imagine the word play, besides playing tennis, was even in Jaz Mason’s vocabulary.
But Jaz walked away and did just that.
A young boy, likely no older than eight, approached Jaz shyly, holding out a tattered tennis racket for her to sign. A warmth flooded Jaz’s usually cool brown eyes. She knelt, her movements surprisingly gentle, and took the racket, signing her name, her signature a stark contrast to the faded strings. Then she went to the table and handed him a brand-new racket. His eyes lit up, and he smiled so big that Dani thought she could see all of his teeth.
The boy, emboldened, started chattering, peppering her with questions about her famous serve. And Jaz, the ice queen, the unapproachable champion,listened. She answered his questions with a patience Dani had never witnessed, her voice low and encouraging.
Next, a little girl with braids in her hair tugged on Jaz’s shirt, holding a brand-new racket, one of the ones they were handing out. Jaz took it and signed it, a slow, genuine smile spreading across her face, illuminating her features in a way Dani had never seen before. The Jaz Mason she knew never cracked a smile. Jazpatiently showed the girl how to grip the racket, adjusting her small hands, offering pointers with a gentle enthusiasm and laughter that belied her typically stoic demeanor. Her smile was so wide that Dani realized for the first time she had a small dimple in her left cheek.
It was like a switch had flipped and Jaz was no longer an asshole.
Dani had seen her smile, perhaps, a handful of times, usually a fleeting, almost imperceptible curl of her lips after a brilliant winning shot. Dani had never seenthissmile before, not on the court, not in interviews, never. But today, something was different. It wasn’t the tight, strained smile of someone posing for a forced photo, but a softer, radiant smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes.
Dani watched, mesmerized. The way Jaz’s usually rigid posture relaxed, the way she effortlessly connected with these kids, inspiring them, making them feel seen and heard. There was one word to describe Jaz in this moment, and it was gorgeous. It was as if a hidden, vibrant layer had been peeled back, revealing a side of Jaz that no one, not even Dani, knew existed. She was surprisingly delightful and damn near funny with these kids. The woman known for her intimidating glare and aloofness with everyone was now laughing, her eyes sparkling with joy as she high-fived a little boy who had just received a new pair of tennis shoes.
Seeing Jaz laugh for the first time, a real full-bodied laugh that displayed her luscious lips, sent a strange feeling, a fluttering warmth, spreading through Dani’s chest.Holy fuck, where did that come from?
Her rational brain always found Jaz good-looking, even in her teens when she was just discovering her sexuality. She had eyes, andthe woman was objectively attractive. But everything else about Jaz shut Dani’s libido down at every turn. Her personality and overall aloofness were the opposite of appealing.
But as she watched Jaz, being so carefree, surrounded by a halo of adoring children, the warmth intensified, blossoming into something she couldn’t quite name. Was this attraction? Was she feeling her doubles’ partner?
How cliche!
Nothing of the fact this was JazfuckingMason, a royal pain to everyone she came in contact with. Or so she had thought. Dani made her way through the crowd to stand beside Jaz, who was running footwork drills with the kids, and offered a tentative smile. Dani even gave a few pointers to the kids who struggled a bit. Thankfully, she was dressed in her normal professional tennis attire of leggings, shoes, and an athletic top with her sponsor’s name on it.
Being here and seeing Jaz like this gave Dani the confidence to stand closer into Jaz’s personal space than she normally would. She bumped Jaz’s arm with her own. “You’re really good with kids.”
“It’s easy. They’re real and don’t ask much of you besides your attention and honesty. It’s refreshing given the world we live in.” Her voice was softer than Dani had ever heard it. She turned and nodded her head towards the kids, her eyes sparkling with an unfamiliar light that stopped Dani in her tracks. “They’re pretty amazing, aren’t they?”
In that moment, surrounded by the happy chaos of these kids, something shifted withinDani. About the event and Jaz. “Yes, this is actually a lot of fun.” Jaz gave her a smile back that was so radiant that Dani felt it tingle down her spine.
As they walked back to their SUV Dani had a little pep in her step. It was fulfilling in a way she had never imagined. Not only from the energy of the hundreds of kids, but the new carefree side of Jaz that she was witness to. Dani was determined not to go backwards. She had to jump now while Jaz was still in a good mood and before she could be met with Jaz’s silent treatment.
As soon as the door was closed and they were situated in the backseat, Dani pounced. “How come you only do sponsorship events like these?”
Jaz turned to her and opened and closed her mouth like she was debating whether to respond. She blew out a raspberry and decided to engage. “I learned how to play tennis at places like that. My brother Brandon, whom you’ve met a few times, and I only got rackets because of an event like that, where someone was giving them out for free. Rackets are expensive and cost like $150-200 each! I think Brandon just wanted something free, but he fell in love with tennis, became really good at it, and essentially taught me everything I know. So I think it’s important for me to return the favor so the next Jaz Mason can be born.”
