“Is doubles really that different?”
Gary gave him a look that silently asked, You’re not too bright, are you? and walked over to stand beside him. “It’s not always as lucrative or as well known. That’s the problem. Peter won’t wanna give up having the chance for a top-ten-ranked player again. But there’s still money in doubles and opportunities. She needs both.
Beyond the glass, they both watched as Kat demonstrated some footwork in slow motion and then made the girls do it with her. Gary nodded as they watched. “She should be doing this for a living, between playing. This should be her career, right here. She’s not made for announcing, for journalism, for being a big spokesperson. She’s meant to be in the trenches.”
Despite the gruff attitude and weird outfits, Michael realized he liked Gary. Liked him for Kat, for her career. “Will she listen and try doubles out?”
“Well, that’s the funny thing about doubles… you need a partner. I’ll be hunting. But we already discovered one thing.”
“What’s that?”
Gary turned and pinned him with a gaze as intently as a moth being pinned to a corkboard. “She plays better when she’s aiming at a warm body.”
Michael had a feeling, for some reason, Gary wasn’t just talking about tennis. He nodded, said good-bye, then headed for the door.
“You gonna be that warm body?”
Michael just glanced over his shoulder, gave the man a wave, and kept going. He had practice to get to… and a bitching out to hear from the coaches.
Trey stared at Michael’s face so long Michael wondered if it had rearranged itself like a Picasso painting or something. “What? Fucking what?”
Trey grinned, rubbing a towel over his head. They’d suffered through practice, though it wasn’t a tough one, and he’d been given a pass from any contact due to the bruise. The coaches wanted the team doctor to give him the okay before contact. He had an appointment with the guy after he showered and changed.
“You’re just looking a little rough, that’s all. Car accident?” When Michael blinked, Trey added, “The airbags. They pack a punch.”
“Maybe he got his ass kicked for moving in on someone else’s woman.” Matt Peterson walked by, towel barely held on at his hips. If there were any guy who didn’t mind walking around totally naked, junk on display for the world, it was Matt. The man defined the word show-off. “You know how the ladies love Lambert.”
Michael stayed quiet, drying his own hair roughly. When he accidentally jammed his fist against his cheek in his haste, he nearly moaned. God, that hurt. Why was it he could be plowed over by a guy forty pounds heavier than him and pop back up like it didn’t happen, but a simple bruise on his cheekbone made him want to curl into the fetal position?
“We leave in the morning.” Stephen walked by and flicked Michael’s cheek without warning, which made him suck in a breath and deliberate between swinging his own towel out to snap Harrison’s balls, or just finding the closest gun to shoot him. “Dinner tonight, my place?”
Trey agreed, as did Matt.
Michael started to agree, then thought better of it. “Yeah, I don’t think so, sorry.”
“Oh, come on, your cheek can’t hurt that bad. You can still chew,” Matt said, looking disgusted.
“I don’t think it has anything to do with his cheek.” Stephen’s grin grew slowly, maddeningly. “And has everything to do with a certain tennis skirt he wants his hands under.”
“Shut up,” Michael bit out, then turned to start getting dressed at his locker.
“Bring her.”
He looked over his shoulder at Stephen. “Right. Good call. Bring her into a sausage fest. Sounds great. Pass.”
“I meant, everyone should invite their partner of choice. I’m sure I don’t have to beg you to bring Cassie, do I, Owens?”
“You know I never need an excuse to bring Cassie anywhere.”
Michael mimed choking on vomit because it was expected to razz your friends when they acted like a lovesick puppy in the locker room.
“Man, remember the good old days when we could all have a nice dinner together, just the guys, and shoot the shit without women being there? Don’t you ever miss the freedom?” Matt asked wistfully.
Stephen and Trey looked at each other and grinned. “Nope.”
“She hasn’t met anyone yet, and I don’t want her to be overwhelmed.” He thought for a moment, then edited, “Hold up, she’s met Aileen, and they hit it off. Invite Killian and Aileen, and you’ve got a deal,” Michael decided.
Killian walked by at that moment, and Trey snagged his arm. “Dinner tonight, Harrison’s place. Bring Aileen.”
“Can’t. We’ve got Charlie.”
“You can bring him,” Stephen said automatically.
“Appreciate it, but we’ve already promised him a Marvel marathon tonight before he goes back with his mom tomorrow morning. Thanks though.” Killian smiled in appreciation. “Have fun.”