Page 35 of Breakpoint
Dani smiled at her. “That’s so cool. To have that built in person.”
Jaz's eyes turned wistful as she thought about her brother. “He always believed in me and the reason I’m here. For most young players, it’s really hard and expensive to break through in tennis. You need someone to play against consistently. I always had Brandon, who was bigger and faster than me, and we could play every day. We lucked out and always had a place to play at the community center and didn’t have to pay for court time. He even somehow paid for the travel, food, and entry fees to tournaments. I don’t know where he got the money, and he told me to never ask. So many things fell in my favor thanks to him, and I get to live out his dream every day, which is awesome.”
“I’ve seen you together and envy that,” Dani gushed. “I can tell he would run through a wall for you.”
Jaz agreed, “And I would do the same for him. Once I got my first sponsor and things really took off from there, I put him in charge of everything as my coach and manager. I wanted to succeed for both of us.”
“That’s a lot of pressure.” Dani’s voice was softer and tinged with sadness.
“I thrive when the chips are down, and I wasn’t going to let any woman across the net take food off our plates and money out of our pockets. Winning for us became fuel for me. And it’s funny once I became a success, all those things we wanted and scrapped for suddenly became free. Free hotels, transportation, rackets, clothes, and cars.”
“And what’s your fuel now? You have more money and fame than most athletes know what to do with.” Dani reached out and gently touched her arm.
That was an easy answer for Jaz. “The haters who still say I don’t belong. But I know Iamgood enough. And every week my goal is to remind them who the fuck I am. I’ll admit it’s harder for me to get the strength and energy to play every week. My body is slowly breaking down on me. But I know I’m still better than ninety percent of the players on tour. And we as black people are only applauded when we’re exceptional, so every week my fuel is to still be great and win.”
Dani didn’t respond; she just slid her hand down Jaz’s arm to her hand and interlocked their fingers. They both stared down at their hands for a few seconds. She basked in the simple affection and comfort that Dani’s touch gave in the tumultuous waters this conversation had somehow navigated to.
She turned to continue their walk, their clasped hands swinging in between them. The city lights blurred into a hazy halo around them. There was definitely something more happening here. The way her body reacted to Dani’s touch, the flutter in her chestwhen Dani smiled at her, the constant urge to be near her—it all pointed to feelings she’d never experienced before. Not even with Lena.
Ahead, the Washington Monument pierced the darkening sky, a stark white obelisk bathed in the warm glow of strategically placed lights. It reflected perfectly on the still water, creating a breathtaking illusion of an endless, luminous column stretching into the earth’s core.
“We’re almost here,” Dani announced.
Jaz looked around at all the people milling around on the grass. “Where’s here? I thought our date was a walk?”
“Well, I had a bit more planned. I heard in my hotel about these large outdoor movies they do on the grounds of the National Mall. So I thought we could have a picnic and a movie.”
“You…thought up a whole dinner and movie setup?” she asked, a mixture of amusement and genuine surprise in her voice. She and Lena rarely went out on dates; they often ate at the hotel between matches or at home after training.
The giant white inflatable screen stood stark against the darkening sky, a blank canvas waiting for the magic to begin. Jaz had been invited to some of the best restaurants and experiences in the world. Her fame got her into just about any event that she wanted. She was a multi-millionaire, and Dani planned a simple picnic and a free movie in the park. Jaz was grateful, truly, for the normalcy of it all.
“Of course! It’s not arealdate without a movie under the stars, right?” Dani opened up the backpack that she had been carrying and pulled out a blanket and some chilled containers, revealing an array of gourmet cheeses, a quinoa salad, hummus, carrots, celery,olives, and a bottle of sparkling cider. No caviar, no champagne. Just…good food.
“I…wow,” she said, the word conveying a depth of emotion she hadn’t expected. This simple, thoughtful gesture…it astonished her. She could see that no publicist or assistant had orchestrated this. It had been all Dani.
She sat down beside her on the blanket and dug into the food, feeling a rare sense of genuine relaxation wash over her. “This is…amazing, Dani. Seriously.”
Dani beamed, clearly pleased with her reaction. “I figured,” she said, popping an olive into her mouth, “even eighteen-time Grand Slam winners need a break from the fancy stuff sometimes. I know it’s a far cry from the usual flurry of paparazzi at exclusive events.”
“Definitely. Besides, I hate those,” she exclaimed as she reached for a piece of celery.
“I bet you thought I was going to charter a yacht and fly us to a private island for dinner.” Dani smirked.
Jaz shook her head. “No, I didn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because you haven’t won enough to afford that,” Jaz said plainly, like it was the most obvious thing.
Dani’s hand went to her chest in mock fury, but then she smiled. “You’re right, I can’t afford that. I’m going to come out in the negative after this week’s loss, with all the travel and training expenses. But someday?”
“Yeah, someday.” Jaz dipped a carrot into some hummus. “And, thanks for bringing healthy food, always watching my diet.”
“Why are you?” Dani asked around a piece of cheese she had just put into her mouth. “You train nonstop and should be able to eat whatever you please.”
“First, once you pass thirty, it’s harder to eat what you want and stay in shape. Plus, my body is just built differently from most typical tennis players. I have a wider build, with big boobs, a butt and curves. I’m not six feet tall and thin, like you.”
Dani’s hand stopped, the carrot in her fingers frozen in midair. “Your body is gorgeous. Like ridiculously hot. Like even when you were a pain in the ass, I couldn’t help but stare.”
