Page 37 of Best Year Ever
“Are you looking for someone?” a host asks when she spots us.
“Yes, we’re here for the private lunch for Rori Reilly’s group?” I say, making sure to soften my voice when I mention her name so the whole dining room doesn’t hear.
The host nods, and after checking our names off what must be a list of invitees, she leads us to the room.
When we enter, about a dozen heads turn our way. I recognize no one—not that I would. I’m sure they’re all tennis people. Reinforcing that, I notice that they’re all dressed fairly casual, and many have obviously athletic builds. Hopefully this means most of them are her friends and support team, which will make it a more relaxed setting.
Rori approaches as soon as she sees us, her hair now down, bouncing around her shoulders. She’s wearing a navy shirt and shorts set that has the Triumph logo, with the shirt short enough that a slip of her toned stomach is showing. The sunshine poursthrough the windows banking the room, lighting her up as she walks to us.
Totally radiant.
“So glad you came to the match today,” she says excitedly in my direction, before turning to Carter and holding out her hand. “Hi, I’m Rori.”
“Carter,” he says as he shakes her hand. “Great match! It was actually my first live tennis match.”
Rori’s eyes light up at his comment. “Oh, that’s so cool. Glad it was a win then.” She winks at him and then reconnects her eyes with mine.
“Let me introduce you around. It’s friends from the tour and my team, so a fun group,” she says, confirming my observation.
We make the rounds with Rori, small talk in full effect. My heart sinks a bit with the realization that with so many people here, there’s no way that I’m going to be able to get real time with her.
Rori keeps tabs on me though, I notice. She’s constantly checking my reaction to comments from other people in the group as we mingle. I wonder if she knows she’s doing that.
After about ten minutes, our server comes in and indicates the starters will come out soon.
“Let’s all take our seats to make her life easier,” Rori’s coach says after the server leaves the room.
Everyone wanders to the long table that is close to the windows, set for sixteen. When the dust settles, Carter’s in the seat opposite Rori, facing her, and I sit next to him. On Rori’s two sides are her friend Maggie and another player whose name I don’t remember.
Almost immediately, Carter and Maggie start chatting about something, their loud enthusiastic voices filling the room. Seeing the band Sleep Token on tour, I think. While they’re pre-occupied, Rori once again looks at me as if she’s checking that I’m alright. This time I lock eyes with her and grin.
She smiles in return. “Thank you again for coming,” shemouths soundlessly, before turning back to listen to Maggie and Carter’s conversation.
The group gels nicely throughout the meal. Energy high and conversation flowing.
The only thing putting a damper on the lunch is that Rori and I have no way to speak the way we normally would to each other. No one here knows how well we know each other, the extent of our friendship, or, of course, that we’ve fucked.
I don’t know if she feels awkward, but I do a bit. Everything out of my mouth is carefully filtered to not reveal something that she might want to stay private. In turn, she keeps looking like she’s going to say something to me but then stops herself. So she’s probably feeling similar.
We don’t know how to be together in this kind of situation, clearly.
Way too quickly, the meal is over. Everyone stands up and starts gathering their things. Maggie tells Rori that she will drive her back to the player hotel, and Rori’s head pivots towards me.
“Let me say goodbye to these guys first,” she says to Maggie. “I’ll meet you at the car in a few minutes.”
My chest feels tight. Saying goodbye to Rori in front of Carter and the other people milling about isn’t exactly ideal. I’d love to see if we can spend more time together tonight, but Carter is ready to hit the road back to Orlando. He’s been a trooper letting me run the show today, and he needs to meet his girlfriend in a few hours, so I feel obligated to start the trek home.
Rori approaches Carter first. “So nice to meet you,” she says as they give each other a quick half-hug goodbye.
“You too,” he says. “You need to come to a Waves game this season.”
“I’d love that,” she says as she turns to me. I open my arms and she steps into my embrace, her head tucking under my chin. I hold her tight, wanting to prolong the moment as much as possible.
Soon the hug is risking being too long for this company, however, so we slowly break apart.
“Text you later,” I say in her ear before she’s too far away.
“You better,” she whispers back.
