grabbing a dress instead of going to see Jack. I mean, we didn’t do anything, but he doesn’t know and…”
“Indy, it’s fine. I get it. You two should come clean soon though. It’s got to be exhausting to keep it all a secret.”
“In London. We decided to tell everyone in London.”
“That’s good. I can’t wait to get out of here. If I have to watch that bitch sink her claws into Teddy again…”
“Wait. What?”
“Amy. She was all over him at breakfast today and he wouldn’t even look at me. It’s like it’s happening all over again.”
“It is.”
“What do you mean?”
“He asked me not to say anything, but this morning, when I came out of my room, Teddy was sneaking out of hers.”
Jasmine felt her heart twist and she tried to muster some shock, but she wasn’t all that surprised. “He’s such an idiot.”
“Well, clearly.”
“No, you don’t get it. You weren’t here when she broke up with him. She basically destroyed him. He didn’t speak to anyone for weeks. Then all of a sudden, he was at a beach party slobbering all over some girl’s face and laughing like nothing happened. Then after the match today, she dragged me along on their breakfast to ‘catch up’ like some third wheel and he just went along with it, like she’s got some kind of spell over him.”
Indy tilted her head. “First loves have a weird kind of power over us like that. You know that better than anyone.”
“I do?”
“Why else did you go to breakfast with them, Jas?”
“Crap.”
Chapter 9
June 18th
Alex was already up and moving around the bedroom when Penny opened her eyes. She could hear him opening and closing drawers in his dresser and digging through the mess on top of his nightstand to find his watch. Just like every morning lately, her first instinct was to point her toes and then rotate her ankle. She waited for the pain, the dull ache that accompanied the movement, but there was nothing, just her ankle twisting in a circle one way and then the other, but no pain, not even a twinge. Spinning her legs out from under the covers and planting her feet firmly on the floor, she waited again, pushing a little at the injury. Nothing. So, she stood up, making sure to keep her weight evenly balanced and then leaned her full body to the injured side. The tiniest of twinges, but then it held strong.
“Alex,” she said, staring at the joint, not sure if she was still dreaming.
“Yeah, love?” he called back distractedly.
“Would you mind if I took up some of your practice time today?”
“What?” He spun around, his hair still sticking up from the night’s sleep. “Are you sure?”
“It feels…” she trailed off, rotating the ankle again to make sure. “It feels good.” Or at least it felt better than it had since she hurt it.
Alex crossed the room and tapped her shoulder, guiding her back to the bed. Kneeling in front of her, he took her leg in his hand, cupping her foot by the heel. His thumb pressed into the joint, increasing the pressure and looking up at her for a reaction. She just shook her head, her smile growing with every moment she didn’t feel pain.
Leaning forward, she took his face in her hands. “I’m training today,” she said before brushing her lips over his.
His hands came up to cover hers and he squeezed gently. “You’re going to stretch and wrap it tight and take it easy, but yeah, you’re gonna train. My mum is going to meet up with you before the final tonight, so no overdoing it and using that as an excuse to get out of it.”
“Me? Never.” she said and he ran a finger up the bottom of her foot, one of her few ticklish spots. She fell back onto the bed and let out a squeal, pulling her foot away. Alex came with her, landing on his side, propping himself up on his elbow.
“Dom’s gonna kill me for letting you work out without him.”
“Dom’s a big boy. He’ll get over it.”
“You promise me you’ll take it
“Indy, it’s fine. I get it. You two should come clean soon though. It’s got to be exhausting to keep it all a secret.”
“In London. We decided to tell everyone in London.”
“That’s good. I can’t wait to get out of here. If I have to watch that bitch sink her claws into Teddy again…”
“Wait. What?”
“Amy. She was all over him at breakfast today and he wouldn’t even look at me. It’s like it’s happening all over again.”
“It is.”
“What do you mean?”
“He asked me not to say anything, but this morning, when I came out of my room, Teddy was sneaking out of hers.”
Jasmine felt her heart twist and she tried to muster some shock, but she wasn’t all that surprised. “He’s such an idiot.”
“Well, clearly.”
“No, you don’t get it. You weren’t here when she broke up with him. She basically destroyed him. He didn’t speak to anyone for weeks. Then all of a sudden, he was at a beach party slobbering all over some girl’s face and laughing like nothing happened. Then after the match today, she dragged me along on their breakfast to ‘catch up’ like some third wheel and he just went along with it, like she’s got some kind of spell over him.”
Indy tilted her head. “First loves have a weird kind of power over us like that. You know that better than anyone.”
“I do?”
“Why else did you go to breakfast with them, Jas?”
“Crap.”
Chapter 9
June 18th
Alex was already up and moving around the bedroom when Penny opened her eyes. She could hear him opening and closing drawers in his dresser and digging through the mess on top of his nightstand to find his watch. Just like every morning lately, her first instinct was to point her toes and then rotate her ankle. She waited for the pain, the dull ache that accompanied the movement, but there was nothing, just her ankle twisting in a circle one way and then the other, but no pain, not even a twinge. Spinning her legs out from under the covers and planting her feet firmly on the floor, she waited again, pushing a little at the injury. Nothing. So, she stood up, making sure to keep her weight evenly balanced and then leaned her full body to the injured side. The tiniest of twinges, but then it held strong.
“Alex,” she said, staring at the joint, not sure if she was still dreaming.
“Yeah, love?” he called back distractedly.
“Would you mind if I took up some of your practice time today?”
“What?” He spun around, his hair still sticking up from the night’s sleep. “Are you sure?”
“It feels…” she trailed off, rotating the ankle again to make sure. “It feels good.” Or at least it felt better than it had since she hurt it.
Alex crossed the room and tapped her shoulder, guiding her back to the bed. Kneeling in front of her, he took her leg in his hand, cupping her foot by the heel. His thumb pressed into the joint, increasing the pressure and looking up at her for a reaction. She just shook her head, her smile growing with every moment she didn’t feel pain.
Leaning forward, she took his face in her hands. “I’m training today,” she said before brushing her lips over his.
His hands came up to cover hers and he squeezed gently. “You’re going to stretch and wrap it tight and take it easy, but yeah, you’re gonna train. My mum is going to meet up with you before the final tonight, so no overdoing it and using that as an excuse to get out of it.”
“Me? Never.” she said and he ran a finger up the bottom of her foot, one of her few ticklish spots. She fell back onto the bed and let out a squeal, pulling her foot away. Alex came with her, landing on his side, propping himself up on his elbow.
“Dom’s gonna kill me for letting you work out without him.”
“Dom’s a big boy. He’ll get over it.”
“You promise me you’ll take it
Similar Books
