Chapter 23
Quinton smiled at me. “Alright. In that case, I won’t hold back.”
I looked at him. “Is it a one–set match?
“Best of three,” he said, pulling out his tennis racket. “I might go all out today, but don’t worry–it’s not my usual style. Hope I don’t scare you.”
I nodded lightly. “What a coincidence. Same here.”
Perhaps because we had placed a bet and were about to compete, a small crowd of eight gathered in the area to watch.
The downside of keen hearing was that I could catch every comment whispered around me.
“Quinton’s at it again, flirting with women. He’s actually pretty good at tennis, but he lowers his level on purpose just to impress them.”
“That woman looks so skinny. Judging by her outfit, she’s probably just a training partner. This club must be hiring for looks rather than skill now! What a downgrade. It’s a tennis club, not a bar.”
“Don’t say that. A pretty face isn’t a bad thing. At least it’s pleasant to watch during a match.”
“What’s the bet?”
“A watch and lunch. No doubt she’s having that lunch with Quinton.”
“If it were me, I’d lose on purpose too. Why else would someone with a face like that be here?”
I rolled my shoulders and put on my wrist guards before serving. After a few exchanges, Quinton’s initial ease gave way to visible tension. The court grew silent
He was clearly stronger on his forehand than his backhand. Since I relied on my backhand, he faltered when trying to mirror me, missing the ball entirely.
The quiet around us deepened.
Quinton’s expression darkened slightly..
“Impressive!” Liam’s voice carried through the silence. I didn’t look back. If Liam was here, perhaps Gideon was as well.
I served again for the second set. It didn’t take long before Quinton lost the second set too.
I looked at him. “Do you want to play the third set, Mr. Wallace?”
Quinton chuckled, setting his racket down. “No, I’m good. Hannah really wasn’t kidding when she said you were the best training partner. Your skills are way beyond a 2.0!”
212
He walked over, handed me his watch, and gave me a once–over. “A bet’s a bet.”
I took the watch and put it into my bag.
Truthfully, I wasn’t certain I could win the third set. My stamina wasn’t where it needed to be yet, and giving my all in a third set might not have worked out in my favor. That was why I fought so hard to secure the first two sets. Even if I lost the third, I would still win overall. But I didn’t want
to lose
The murmurs in the crowd had quieted significantly
“She’s incredible. I admit I was being a bit loud earlier.”
“Look at her footwork and how she kept pressing forward. She’s clearly not a novice. This is supposed to be a 2.0? She’s at least a 3.0”
“It’s hard to gauge, but she’s so aggressive and powerful. And to think she looks so delicate.”
Quinton asked softly, “So, what about lunch tomorrow? After all, you did take such an expensive watch from me.”
I looked up at him. “If I remember correctly, that was the bet.”
“Yes, but I was thinking-”
“Sorry, I don’t dine with clients. It’s my rule,” I said, meeting his gaze.
Quinton frowned, clearly displeased, but he quickly replaced it with a smile. “Alright, fair enough. Let’s rest for ten minutes and then continue playing–just for fun this time. No need to be so
intense.”
I nodded and returned to the bench. Only then did glance at the doorway. Most of the crowd had dispersed, and Liam was gone.
Since I hadn’t turned around earlier, I didn’t know if Liam had come alone or if Gideon had been with him.
After four hours of matches, Hannah called me into her office. Quinton followed
“Hannah, I’d like to book Ms. Sutton for another training session,” Quinton said.
Hannah gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry Mr. Wallace, but Jules‘ next available slot has already been booked by a major client.”
