Page 101 of Break Point
I knew it was only a matter of time before Elliot, my former coach, landed a top player like Theo. And I don’t blame him for that. I’m the one who screwed it all up.
“Oh, so we’re swinging now?” I tease, lifting my glass to my lips for a slow sip. Theo laughs and takes a swig of his water. “I had no idea you were that kind of adventurous.”
“So you admit it?” His tone shifts into something more businesslike. “You’ve been in contact with Tim?”
“I haven’t done such a thing,” I reply truthfully. My team has been in touch with Tim, not me. I’m just having fun teasing Theo. It’s always entertaining to get him riled up about anything.
“Come on, Belén,” he whispers, stepping closer and brushing a strand of hair from my face with his fingertips. It doesn’t make me uncomfortable; this is Theo, after all, but I’d prefer he didn’t touch me. He’s trying to flirt his way into information, and we both know it. “It’d make it easier for me to say yes to Elliot,” he adds.
“Elliot’s all yours,” I drawl, taking a playful step back.
But he takes a step forward.
“Are you sure you’re not hoping to patch things up with him? Elliot’s one of the best out there, and I need stability. I’m tired of all the chatter about Tim looking to expand his horizons.”
“I’m sure. And just ahead-up,” I say, doing my best Theo impersonation. He catches it. “Elliot gets turned off by rackets being banged against the court. He doesn’t have much patience for people like you and me.”
“Color me intrigued,” he says. “You and me? I like the sound of that.”
I roll my eyes and push his chest away with a playful hand. I could use the distance. From afar, this conversation probably looks way too intimate, especially with the media hovering around. “You know, short-fused. Explosive.”
“Ah, so the rumors are true?” he smirks.
“That he left me after the racket thrashing? Yes. That it was solely because of that? Unfortunately … no.” I sigh, pressing my lips into a tight line and glancing away, ashamed. “Let’s just say that wasla gota que derramó el vaso.”
The more time passes, the more embarrassed I feel about the racket incident. But there’s nothing I can do to take it back. I have to live with the consequences and try to keep the hungry, wrathful demons lurking around me at bay.
The thought of Henry stepping into Elliot’s shoes for good is tempting, but I know that’s not part of his plan, and I won’t ask him to give up his future for me. Besides, things between us are getting complicated, and I’m more convinced than ever that accepting Tim as my coach is the right call for my career. Especially if Theo is so eager to hand him over.
“I don’t know what you just said, but it was sexy as fuck.”
Theo’s such a flirt. He can’t helphimself.
“It’s just a saying,” I say with a grin. “Like the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
“I see.” He clears his throat. “Okay, so you want to do the full swap?”
He laughs.
“What’s so funny?”
“Never mind,” he says with a chuckle. “So we have a deal? I get Elliot. You get Tim?”
“Deal.”
We shake on it, but Theo doesn’t let go of my hand. Instead, he tugs me closer until I’m flush against his chest. And then he has the audacity to kiss the corner of my lips, cheeky and unbothered, like it’s all just part of the game.
“Down, boy …” The warning in my voice should be enough.
“A transactional kiss,” he says with a shrug, lips curved with zero shame.
Classic Theo. Of course he went for it. And of course, he picked the most public moment possible.
“You just broke two out of our three rules,” I say, my annoyance bubbling, though I keep my voice even. It’s not worth making a scene.
Rule number one: No PDA. Being seen complicates things, especially if it gets leaked to the media. It’s the type of distraction neither of us needs.
Rule number two: No interactions at crucial tournaments. We only fooled around during minor stops on the tour when we happened to run into each other. We never crossed paths during the Grand Slams. Not because of the rule, but because I met Liam during my debut last year, and by then, Theo and I were already over.
