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“So, what did you say to her?” Connor leaned in as he took a bite of his salad.

Taylor twirled her pasta on her fork. “I just told her I knew it was coming and that it wasn’t worth my time.”

Connor winced. “Ouch.” He watched her face carefully as they talked.

Shrugging, Taylor sighed. “I know. Probably should’ve cooled it but Kim is just so on my back. And if Mac doesn’t wantto do this with me, I just can’t keep getting hurt like this. I wasfinewith bathroom hookups and noncommitments before she came back.”

Pursing his lips, Connor almost interrupted. But he stopped short.

Lowering her gaze, Taylor glared at him. “What?”

Connor rolled his eyes. “Weren’t you the one who invited her back in?”

Taylor tried to defend herself. “Yeah but she agreed to be casual. I told her I wasn’t coming out.”

“But you knew she still had a thing for you? Hell, you still have a thing for her.” Connor pierced romaine onto his fork and took a big bite of the caesar salad. It was his manager’s turn to pick the restaurant. The only thing sexier than sushi was a deluxe Italian meal that neither of them could fully enjoy because their tournaments were two weeks away.

Taylor pushed her food around. Of course she knew he was right. It was her fear all along, that she was roping Mac back into something she hadn’t even gotten over herself. But the Princess of Tennis wasn’t about to disappoint her entire family and lose her career.

After a few seconds of silence, Connor shrugged. “So, where are you now?”

Taylor bit her lip. “Kim wants to attack Mackenzie in the press. Not anything… problematic. Just to say I’m the obvious winner and she doesn’t stand a chance.”

Connor nodded, raising his eyebrows. “What do you think about that?”

“I don’t know.” Taylor looked around the room. She had been to this place once or twice. It was an upscale place on the West Side with lots of privacy. She continued, “It would kill the rumors.”

Connor’s eyes softened. “And?”

Taylor felt her throat tighten, her eyes filling with tears. “I don’t think I can stomach hurting her any more than I already have. All of this has been my fault.”

“I think it’s more complicated than that.” Connor held his hand out on the table.

Grabbing it, Taylor sighed. “Yeah, I was basically a kid. But if I had been bold then, and just came out… it would be ten years over by now. And I could be with her.”

Connor shrugged. “We can’t know any of that. Did you tell Kim you won’t do it?”

“I told her I’d think about it.” Taylor picked up her fork, a smirk growing on her face. “She’s going to be pissed.”

29

Mac

Mac skidded across the rubber. “Shit.”

From across the court, Babs shook her head. “Bennett, you’ve got to get there.”

“I know.” Mac hung her head as she caught her breath. She rested her hands on her hips as she looked up to the clear, August sky. As her head tipped back, she could feel the sweat dripping from her hair down her back.

Babs waved her to the net. “We’ve got two weeks until your home Grand Slam. What’s happening?”

Mac shook her head. “I don’t know. My body is just on a delay.”

Babs gripped the net’s headband and leaned in. “Some people are motivated by a breakup and others… not so much.”

Mac’s forehead wrinkled before she could stop herself. “How did you know?” As far as Mac knew, Babs had no idea that she’d been seeing anyone.

Babs laughed. “Because I’ve been you.”