Page 53 of Drop Shot (On the Court #2)

“I’ll let you know when I know something. It might be days,” he warns. “I’m not sure how quickly they’ll come to a decision. You’re welcome to hang out here for a while. I’m sure the media will be trying to nab you on your way out so it might be better to wait.”

Elias nods in understanding. “We’ll stick around for a bit.”

Jackson waves and heads off while Elias and I head toward one of the more private rooms in the venue space. It’s a shared space, but no media is allowed—only players and their teams.

“Are we ever going to let our families know this started out fake?” I ask, curious since we haven’t spoken on that fact.

He snorts. “Not a chance. My mom would smack me upside the head and your dad would hate me forever. Besides, does it really matter if they know the truth of our origins? We still got to this spot in the end.”

“No, I’d rather not tell them.”

I don’t want my family to ever think less of Elias because of this arrangement.

“Good.” He presses a kiss to the top of my head. “But Noah does know it was fake and now it’s real.”

I punch his stomach lightly. “I can’t believe you told him!”

He laughs, his eyes lighting up and I’m glad to see that he’s not wallowing, at least for the moment. “I had to—I was falling for you and confused about my feelings. I needed someone to talk to.”

I shake my head. “I can’t believe you.”

But secretly, I’m pleased that he was torn up enough about me to need to talk to Noah.

I think we’re both shocked when we find Noah, Sabrina, Maddie, and Ebba all waiting for us when we finally reach the common area.

“Was I too short?” Elias asks Noah. “I wanted to be to the point, but not come across too full of myself.”

“You did great.” Noah crosses his arms over his chest. “They need to do something about Trager. His sexist comments haven’t been okay for a long time. I want to be mad at you for punching him, but the truth is, if he said shit about Sabrina, I would’ve done worse.”

Sabrina rolls her eyes. “As if I wouldn’t have punched him first.”

Ebba pulls her brother in for a hug and when she lets him go, she wraps her arms around me. “He loves you so much,” she whispers in my ear. “And I love seeing him like this.”

I’m so relieved that Ebba has been so cool about our relationship the entire time. I couldn’t bear it if my friend didn’t approve of me seeing her brother.

“Do you think I’m totally screwed?” Elias asks Noah and my stomach drops. I know it’s a very real consideration, but I don’t like the idea of Elias suffering a ban because of me.

Noah’s expression turns thoughtful. “I don’t think so. I’m sure you’ll receive some kind of punishment, but I don’t think you’ll be banned.”

The group of us settle on the couches in the room and Maddie finally pipes in with a question aimed at Elias. “So, you punched the guy and now you’re in trouble?”

“Yeah, pretty much.” Elias gives my knee a squeeze and I smile over at him.

I’m still in disbelief that this man learned how to do wing eyeliner solely so he could do it for me.

It’s such a simple thing, but it’s the fact that he not only took the time to learn but put so much effort into it.

Going as far as to make sure he got my exact liner to practice with.

“Well, that’s silly,” Maddie sighs, crossing her arms over her chest. “He was already ugly so really you’re doing the guy a favor.”

“Maddie!” Sabrina bursts into laughter. “That’s not nice.”

“So?” She shrugs. “You told me not to lie and he’s ugly.”

I cover my face to hide my laughter. I don’t see Maddie much, but when I do, she’s always amusing.

“Who’s ugly?” The question comes from Fisher who appears around the corner with a coffee in hand. He’s dressed simply in a pair of shorts, t-shirt, and backwards cap. But the way Ebba’s jaw drop you’d think he was wearing a tux or even naked. Her eyes rake him over quickly before she looks away.

“Trager,” Maddie answers. “He has a punchable face so I understand Elias.”

Fisher snickers and takes the only empty spot which happens to be beside Ebba. When his knee grazes her leg, she jerks away.

It’s laughable how obvious they are while thinking we’re all clueless dummies.

“Have you heard anything?” Noah asks his coach and friend.

Fisher removes his cap and runs his fingers through his hair before setting it back down. “No, not yet. I’d be shocked if we heard anything today. With matches starting soon, I would say it’s safe to say Elias won’t be allowed to play the US Open.”

Tension has Elias stiffening at my side, but it leaves him in an exhale. “I expected that.”

The group of us hang out for a while longer before Jackson shows up and sends us away, saying what Fisher already did—we’re not finding out anything today.

I know that has to be hard for Elias to hear, but he nods in understanding and takes my hand.

Back at the hotel, a while later we ready ourselves for bed. Both of us have been trying our best to avoid social media. There’s nothing we can do to change what’s been said and done. We have to ride this out.

Elias reaches for me and I roll over, laying my head on his bare chest. His fingers glide gently through my hair.

“What are you thinking about?” I ask. His heart is a steady thump against my ear.

“Are you still going to love me if I’m not a famous tennis player?”

I think he’s joking at first and laugh, but when he doesn’t react, I realize he’s serious. I sit up, hands planted on his chest and stare down at him. My hair forms a curtain around us.

“Elias—the fact you’re a professional tennis player is probably dead last on my list of reasons I love you.

” I trace my finger down the slope of his nose.

“I love you for so many other reasons—like the way you love your family, and the way you look out for me, and how you remember tiny things like my comment about my eyeliner but make it a big thing by learning how to do it. You are special. Tennis is just your job.”

I’m surprised when a single tear tracks down his cheek. “Thank you. I needed to hear that.”

I wipe the tear away and he leans his head into my palm, pressing a kiss to the sensitive skin there.

“I’m so lucky to get to love you.”

“I love you so much, Whimsy. I think I loved you before I knew that’s what it was.”

I settle back down in my previous spot with my head on his chest. He wraps his arms around me and holds me.

It’s the most at peace I’ve ever felt in my life.