sure she was his date, if such a word applied here. And as such, his doubles partner. How was he going to take being saddled with Jennifer? But there wasn’t much either of them could do at this point to avoid it.
“Thanks,” she said, returning Muffy’s smile. “I’d like that.” She turned toward the blond and took the hand that was extended for a quick shake.
“You’re the girl at the skydiving field,” Astrid said, eyes narrowing speculatively. This was Reid’s date, the woman who had been with him that day. Jennifer’s heart fell. This must be the woman he was being faithful to, if her theory was correct. “I must say you look so much better without mud on your nose.”
They all laughed, but Jennifer had a hard time keeping a smile. This woman wanted Reid. She could sense it, and she didn’t like it. What was more, Astrid felt the same way about her.
She sat at the side of the court and watched them play. Tall and graceful, Astrid moved like a ballerina and she played beautifully. Her pale blue eyes turned toward Reid every time she made a shot, watching for his praise. Jennifer bit her lip and looked away, wishing the two of them didn’t look so good together.
Reid and Dan both played with energy and skill. Muffy lived up to her name, but she tried hard and laughed a lot. Jennifer knew she could be a friend, given the opportunity. Astrid was another story.
“Your turn!” Muffy’s cheeks were rosy, and her breath was coming fast. “And don’t be in a big hurry to give that racquet back to me.”
Jennifer joined the others. Dan still wasn’t comfortable with her, but she ignored that and played hard. Tennis was one game she’d always been pretty good at, and she soon had Dan appreciating her expertise.
“Hey,” he called after a particularly good volley, “I thought you ‘weren’t real good’ at tennis.”
She nodded pertly. “You thought a lot of things.”
He saluted her with his racquet as he passed. “I’m glad I was wrong on all counts.”
She turned and stopped him, looking earnest. “I’m sorry I led you on. It wasn’t fair.”
He shrugged, obviously ready to forget the whole incident. “Who knows? We may have a chance to win this thing yet!”
She grinned, glad for the opportunity to win back his good feelings. She was sorry she’d made such a mess of things when they’d first met. If he was a good friend of Reid’s, he’d be a friend of hers, too.
She rocketed a backhand shot right past Reid and jumped in delight. He shook his head in mock disgust, but he was obviously pleased with her. “What have we got here, a young Chris Evert in disguise?” he teased.
“Not quite,” she shot back. “I just rise to meet the challenge of my competition.”
They all laughed, but Jennifer took her success a little too much to heart and put all her muscle into an overhead that went straight into Astrid’s stomach, knocking the wind out of her.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” Jennifer cried, rushing forward. She felt immediately contrite, wondering if she’d subconsciously done it on purpose. From the look in her eyes Astrid wondered, too.
But she soon recovered, and the rest of the game went on without mishap, leaving Dan and Jennifer the winners and Reid and Astrid obligated to buy the first round of drinks.
They sat in the afternoon sun on a terrace overlooking the ocean and drank tall, icy drinks with just enough alcohol in them to add a bit of zing. Once the subject of their game had been exhausted, the conversation tended to exclude Jennifer, which was only natural. The others spoke of mutual friends and remembered outings and parties Jennifer had missed, and planned a golf date and a sailing expedition that would take place long after she was gone.
She certainly wasn’t left out intentionally, but it occurred to her that she would never be a part of the group, because she never had been when she’d lived here. Somehow she’d hoped things might have changed.
“Thanks,” she said, returning Muffy’s smile. “I’d like that.” She turned toward the blond and took the hand that was extended for a quick shake.
“You’re the girl at the skydiving field,” Astrid said, eyes narrowing speculatively. This was Reid’s date, the woman who had been with him that day. Jennifer’s heart fell. This must be the woman he was being faithful to, if her theory was correct. “I must say you look so much better without mud on your nose.”
They all laughed, but Jennifer had a hard time keeping a smile. This woman wanted Reid. She could sense it, and she didn’t like it. What was more, Astrid felt the same way about her.
She sat at the side of the court and watched them play. Tall and graceful, Astrid moved like a ballerina and she played beautifully. Her pale blue eyes turned toward Reid every time she made a shot, watching for his praise. Jennifer bit her lip and looked away, wishing the two of them didn’t look so good together.
Reid and Dan both played with energy and skill. Muffy lived up to her name, but she tried hard and laughed a lot. Jennifer knew she could be a friend, given the opportunity. Astrid was another story.
“Your turn!” Muffy’s cheeks were rosy, and her breath was coming fast. “And don’t be in a big hurry to give that racquet back to me.”
Jennifer joined the others. Dan still wasn’t comfortable with her, but she ignored that and played hard. Tennis was one game she’d always been pretty good at, and she soon had Dan appreciating her expertise.
“Hey,” he called after a particularly good volley, “I thought you ‘weren’t real good’ at tennis.”
She nodded pertly. “You thought a lot of things.”
He saluted her with his racquet as he passed. “I’m glad I was wrong on all counts.”
She turned and stopped him, looking earnest. “I’m sorry I led you on. It wasn’t fair.”
He shrugged, obviously ready to forget the whole incident. “Who knows? We may have a chance to win this thing yet!”
She grinned, glad for the opportunity to win back his good feelings. She was sorry she’d made such a mess of things when they’d first met. If he was a good friend of Reid’s, he’d be a friend of hers, too.
She rocketed a backhand shot right past Reid and jumped in delight. He shook his head in mock disgust, but he was obviously pleased with her. “What have we got here, a young Chris Evert in disguise?” he teased.
“Not quite,” she shot back. “I just rise to meet the challenge of my competition.”
They all laughed, but Jennifer took her success a little too much to heart and put all her muscle into an overhead that went straight into Astrid’s stomach, knocking the wind out of her.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” Jennifer cried, rushing forward. She felt immediately contrite, wondering if she’d subconsciously done it on purpose. From the look in her eyes Astrid wondered, too.
But she soon recovered, and the rest of the game went on without mishap, leaving Dan and Jennifer the winners and Reid and Astrid obligated to buy the first round of drinks.
They sat in the afternoon sun on a terrace overlooking the ocean and drank tall, icy drinks with just enough alcohol in them to add a bit of zing. Once the subject of their game had been exhausted, the conversation tended to exclude Jennifer, which was only natural. The others spoke of mutual friends and remembered outings and parties Jennifer had missed, and planned a golf date and a sailing expedition that would take place long after she was gone.
She certainly wasn’t left out intentionally, but it occurred to her that she would never be a part of the group, because she never had been when she’d lived here. Somehow she’d hoped things might have changed.
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