Page 75 of Match Point

He stands still, his head bowed slightly in deep thought, as I pull away to go to the bathroom and brush my teeth. When I return, he’s chopping up some fruit. I lean against the counter in my pyjama cami top and shorts, sipping my coffee, my stomach filling with fluttering butterflies as I watch him make his smoothie, loving the way he knows his way around my kitchen.

‘I have five minutes before the car arrives,’ he tells me hastily. ‘Want to go out into the garden for a bit?’

I lead the way and we place our drinks down on the small outside table, wiping down the garden chairs and sitting next to each other. He leans back, closing his eyes and as I watch him relax with the sun beating down on his face, the early birds providing our background music, I realise that this idyllic scenario is doing nothing to help put an end to my runaway daydreams about our future.

‘I could get used to this.’ He sighs, putting his hands behind his head, his biceps straining against the sleeves of his T-shirt.

I lift my eyes to the sky. Seriously, God? You’re letting him say shit like that when I’m trying to be SENSIBLE here?!

‘Me too,’ I murmur, looking out at my tiny garden.

I’d put a bit of work into it recently, sprucing it up a bit so it looked nice for the photographs that were going to the letting agency. It’s small, but it had actually taken quite a few hours of googling and hard work to make it look presentable. It’s worth it, though. The sunflowers and sweet peas I’d planted along the raised borders are blooming. I’m very proud of them – although now I’ve seen the floral displays at Wimbledon, they don’t seem all that impressive in comparison.

‘It’s so peaceful here,’ he comments. ‘You forget you’re in a city.’

‘Mm.’ I take a sip of my drink. ‘Do you ever get much time off?’

‘We get some weeks away from the tour,’ he says, opening his eyes and looking straight ahead, ‘but I’m always doing some kind of training. It’s always hanging over you, the tournaments, the strategy, your losses.’

‘Your wins,’ I add pointedly.

He sighs heavily. ‘It’s one hell of a career, and I’m lucky to have had it. But there’s not much time for anything else.’

‘But you love it, right?’

A muscle flinches in his jaw. ‘I love tennis. The tour… it’s tiring.’

We sit in silence for a beat, before he clears his throat and sits up. Swivelling in his seat, he rests his elbows on his knees as he leans towards me. ‘I have a question to ask you.’

‘Okay.’

‘Are you busy tonight?’

‘You want another game of darts? It’s fine if you do, but tell me now because then I’ll spend the day practising so I can kick your butt.’

He chuckles. ‘I’d honestly prefer that, but no, I don’t want to play darts with you. Actually I was hoping you’d come with me to the players’ event tonight. It’s at this posh hotel in Kingston and it’s hosted by the All England tennis club chairman. I thought… I wondered if you’d like to come. With me.’

My heart jumps into my throat. ‘Seriously?’

‘Yeah, I mean, I can’t guarantee it will be all that fun, lots of mingling and small talk. Definitely not as fun as playing darts down the pub, but I thought, you know, with you as my date, it would make things a lot better. And there will be free Champagne.’ He hesitates, his eyes falling to the ground nervously. ‘But if you don’t want to, it’s really not—’

‘I’d love to.’

He brightens. ‘Yeah?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Great. That’s… great.’ He breaks into a relieved smile, sending shivers of happiness down my spine. A thought seems to flit across his brain and he furrows his brow. ‘It’s black tie. Do you have a dress? Sorry, short notice.’

‘It’s fine. I’ll get something new,’ I say coolly, desperately trying to contain the delirious excitement he’s set off in my body that makes my chest tighten and my skin tingle. I want to scream and jump up and down, dancing on the spot. Instead, I gaze out at my sunflowers. ‘It’s a nice excuse to go shopping. I’ll message Iris and see if she can help.’

His phone goes and he checks the screen. ‘Car’s outside. I better go.’

Getting up from his seat, he moves round to stand behind me, leaning down and wrapping his arms around me, resting his chin on my shoulder.

‘If you’re buying something new for the occasion, then I’d like to pay for it,’ he offers. ‘It’s the least I can do when I’ve dropped this on you last minute.’

‘No, Kieran, that’s not necessary.’

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