Page 89 of Match Point

‘I found that article,’ I admit, frowning at him. ‘That was before that final, wasn’t it?’

‘He did that interview before Aidan passed away.’ He nods. ‘It published just after. He felt consumed by guilt. Imagine how it looked: telling everyone that he was the one to watch, not Aidan. It was brotherly banter – but it looked bad. He swore never to do an interview again after that; he couldn’t trust journalists not to twist his words. His dad assured him that it was just one piece. It would be forgotten. Then, he beat the world number one in the Australian Open and that interview was fished out because there wasn’t anything else for reporters to go on. His quotes were pulled from context and flashed everywhere. He thought everyone in the audience would have read it.’

‘That must have been horrible for him.’

‘But he kept fighting,’ Neil says, waggling his finger at me. ‘He kept going after that. He was bruised and volatile on court – a fucking nightmare sometimes, to be honest – but he didn’t want to give up. His dad kept him focused and then he met the love of his life.’

‘Rachel,’ I say, twirling the stem of the glass round in my fingers.

‘When she left him, it was the last straw. He broke,’ Neil says, with a sorrowful sigh. ‘He was all over the place. He couldn’t focus, he lost his confidence, he hated everyone. Then he had to take quite a lot of time off because of an injury, and I remember thinking that he wouldn’t come back to the game and maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. But he did. Tennis, it’s all he knows. Of course, by that point, he and Brian were a disaster. Neither of them were listening to each other. It didn’t work anymore.’

‘That’s when Kieran sacked him?’

‘It was the year Kieran got through to the semi-finals of the US Open. I was there as a commentator, and I remember watching him play and thinking, “He’s not completely out of it yet.” I knew if he could get a grip on his mental state, he had the talent to win. And over the years he’s proven to me that he has the motivation to get there, but then whenever he’d get close, he’d bow to the pressure. He’d pretend he wasn’t serious. Go out drinking, lose his temper, piss off the umpires. He kept his expectations low.’

‘Then he’s not disappointing anyone if he loses, least of all himself.’

‘Exactly, Flora. This year, he’s back on form. It’s fantastic. I couldn’t be prouder.’

I watch him carefully. ‘Neil, why are you telling me all this? Why am I here?’

He picks up his glass, takes a sip and places it back down again. ‘That overview proves to you that Kieran has had his fair share of downs, as well as a smattering of ups in his career. The one most damaging was Rachel leaving him for Chris. Beneath that brooding exterior, Kieran is sensitive. She broke his heart and he stopped believing he could win.’

‘What has that got to do with me?’

His eyes fixed on me, he lifts his chin. ‘What happens when Wimbledon is over? Where does this thing between you two go from there?’

‘Neil, we haven’t talked about that. We’ve known each other for three weeks.’

‘That’s my point. But the tournament will come to an end, and Kieran is showing to everyone right now that he’s not done with the tour. God, Flora, the way he’s playing right now, he might actually win this thing. You think Chris Courtney wasn’t thinking that last night when he pushed him to the brink?’ He leans forward and jabs his finger against the table to accentuate his point. ‘Kieran’s career is taking off again. He does well here, he does well everywhere. He’s not retiring anymore, I can tell you that much.’

I shift in my seat. ‘I still don’t understand what this has to do with me.’

He leans back, folding his arms. ‘Do you know what the life of a tennis player is like?’

‘Busy?’

He snorts. ‘You got that right. Constantly on the move, travelling the world. It’s a difficult life and maintaining a relationship is hard. Especially a new one. Trust me. I’ve been married three times.’

‘Neil, I don’t really—’

‘He likes you, Flora,’ he states, his relaxed smile fading as his mouth becomes a hard, straight line. ‘I’ve seen him with girls he’s dated before, but this is different.’ I blush furiously, taking another gulp of my drink. ‘So let me tell you what happens next. You two have this whirlwind romance because you’re in this perfect Wimbledon bubble, and then as time goes on, reality sets in. It doesn’t work out and Kieran loses the best shot he’s had in his career at achieving all the dreams he’s had since he was a kid.’

A lump forms in my throat. ‘So what are you saying?’

‘I’m saying that when it comes to matters of the heart, it’s human to be selfish. But maybe you need to consider what it will ultimately cost him.’

‘Why are you so certain that he wouldn’t win no matter what’s going on?’

‘Because unlike you, I know Kieran very well,’ he asserts. ‘He pays me a lot of money to be the person to tell him what’s good for him and what’s not.’

‘But you’re not that person to me,’ I remind him coldly.

He looks surprised at my comeback, before an icy smile crosses his lips. ‘No, but perhaps I can offer you some advice as… a friend. Sometimes, Flora, it’s best to step back before anyone gets really hurt.’

He takes a moment to pull out his phone and read a message that’s just come through, his brow furrowing in concentration.

‘I’m afraid I have to go,’ he says, sliding off his seat. ‘Feel free to stay here a bit longer and enjoy the view. The staff saw you coming in with me, so they won’t mind.’ He hesitates, clearing his throat. ‘To be clear, Flora, none of this is personal. It’s… business.’

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