Page 24 of Breakpoint
The on-court post-match interview whizzed by. Jaz let Dani be in the spotlight and do most of the talking. She wantedher to soak up and revel in the moment of her first major tournament win. But it was also because Dani knew Jaz didn’t care for interviews and was picking up the slack for her. It was evidence of the power of a partnership with a true friend. Because that’s what Dani had become.
Chapter 9
The Champions Ball, a glittering affair that followed every major tennis tournament, was in full swing. Crystal chandeliers shimmered, casting a soft glow on the impeccably dressed athletes and dignitaries throughout the room. Dani heard the Wimbledon Ball was the best of the lot, and now she finally got to experience it. She talked to more people and shook more hands tonight than she thought possible, but she guessed that what winning got you. She couldn’t imagine the fanfare after winning a singles title, and Jaz had done this eighteen times!
Still buzzing from their victory earlier in the day, she surveyed the room with a glass of champagne in her hand. The ballroom was filled with tournament officials, sponsors of the event, and sponsors’ hangers-on. She had just left another conversation with a tournament official, congratulating her on the doubles win, who then promptly asked her about her parents. She gave a fake smile with a quick lie that her parents were happy for her success.
She looked towards the door again. She’d been searching for Jaz for the past half hour, eager to celebrate their victory together. Sheand Jaz had done what everyone, including themselves, thought six months ago was impossible. Their on-court chemistry was undeniable, and their partnership was growing. It wasn’t quite the friendship she had with Sascha, but it also wasn’t disdain.
At first, she thought Jaz might have bailed because Dani knew Jaz hated these types of glitzy and meaningless events. But she promised Dani she would be there, and when Jaz said she was going to do something, she always followed through. Dani adjusted the strap of her evening gown as she peered behind the mixed doubles winners who had just entered. Dani had opted for a simple, elegant black dress with tear-drop diamond earrings. She straightened her dark brown curly hair, leaving it cascading down her back in waves. She opted for her favorite open-toe black stilettos that made her calves and ass look amazing.
She grabbed her third glass ofreallygood champagne when she saw her. And her breath caught in her throat.
Jaz was standing near the grand piano, engaged in conversation with one of the tournament officials. Dani barely registered the man’s presence because all she could see was Jaz. She was...breathtaking.
Gone were the familiar tank tops and tennis shorts, replaced by a floor-length emerald green gown that draped over her athletic frame, emphasizing the curves and muscles in a way that made Dani’s mouth go dry, but other parts of her body got wet. The dress, with its delicate straps and subtly plunging neckline, highlighted Jaz’s toned shoulders and the elegant line of her neck. Her black hair was pulled back in its signature bun. A delicate silver necklace rested in the hollow of her chest, drawing Dani’s eye tothe gentle curve of her collarbone and her full chest. The ensemble was both classy and classic, but to Dani, Jaz looked beyond sexy.
It was as if Dani was seeing Jaz for the first time. Because this... this was different. This was a Jaz she had never seen before, a woman radiating a quiet confidence and an undeniable allure that Dani found utterly captivating.
“What the fuck?” she whispered to herself. A server walking by immediately stopped at her words. She waved him off with a quick apology.
A wave of warmth flooded Dani’s cheeks. She realized, with a sudden jolt, that the nervous flutter in her stomach wasn’t just about their victory. It was about Jaz.
Dani had always considered their relationship to be purely professional, a strong bond on the court and an unlikely friendship off it. Built on mutual respect and a shared passion for the game. And objectively, Jaz was good-looking; she could admit that. But she was good friends with Sascha, and she had never looked at her like this or felt for Sascha what she was feeling right now.
But standing across this crowded room, she confronted a truth she hadn’t even known was there: she was attracted to Jaz, deeply and undeniably. It all came crashing down on her like a tsunami. It wasn’t just the dress, which was fucking amazing right now, but everything about the woman she had gotten to know for the last few weeks. They had shared countless hours together, training, traveling, texting, and, most importantly, talking. Trying to build some sort of partnership.
But the Jaz she now knew, in this body, in that dress, was throwing her for a loop. Dani licked her lips in open desire. The roomhad grown warmer as her eyes moved over Jaz’s body carefully. Warmth crept up her neck as she realized she was staring, but she couldn’t peel her eyes away.
When Jaz finally turned, her eyes met Dani’s from across the room. It was a moment suspended in time where they merely looked at each other. A warm smile lit up Jaz’s face. She excused herself from the conversation, not giving a shit that someone was still talking to her and made her way towards Dani. The closer she got, the faster Dani’s heart beat. This new, unfamiliar feeling was both exhilarating and terrifying. Her chest filled with dangerous heat, a tingling that she had never really experienced before.
“You look beautiful,” she whispered in awe and smiled widely in appreciation and because she couldn’t seem to look away. Then immediately wanted to disappear into a hole because she hadn’t meant to say it out loud.
Jaz’s smile softened. But she looked at Dani like a puzzle to be solved. “Thanks. You clean up well, too.” They stood there for a moment, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air.
“I thought you might chicken out.”
Jaz rolled her eyes. “I told you—”
They stated at the same time, “When I say something, I mean it.”
Dani laughed, and Jaz gave her a quick smile, slipping into the comfortable rhythm they’d developed over the past few weeks.
All of a sudden, a figure emerged from the swirling crowd, a short Hispanic woman draped in scarlet silk, her dark hair pulled back in a sleek chignon, highlighting the sharp planes of her face. She was beautiful, undeniably so, but her presence was a shockwavethat disrupted the delicate balance of their moment. Dani had seen her before around the locker room, a physio, maybe.
She came up and stood directly beside Jaz. “Hey Jaz, congrats on the win.”
Jaz blinked, her smile faltering for a fraction of a second before recovering. “Oh hey Lena, thanks.”
Lena lightly touched Jaz’s arm in a way that felt too familiar. The gesture was subtle, almost casual, but the intimacy in it screamed volumes to Dani. Jaz was a stickler about personal space and didn’t really allow anyone to get close. Dani’s eyes squinted as she looked between the two, waiting for an introduction, but her Spidey sense was also tingling.
Jaz, finally realizing her rudeness, made introductions.“Oh shit, Dani, this is Lena. She was my physio before Scott.” Dani relaxed a little, recognizing the closeness was because this person used to train and massage Jaz’s body.
“Nice to meet you, Lena.” Dani reached out to shake her hand.
Lena took her hand. “You too, and congratulations.”
“Thanks.” The three of them stood there in awkward silence.
