Page 58 of Heart Match

‘Oh, shit,’ she says. ‘Ok. First things first. I advise you to get over your shock, do what you have to, but do it fast. Then go check the photos on Instagram. And then, my friend, you’re going to have a lot explaining to do.’

‘I don’t have an Instagram profile.’

I’m pretty sure right now she rolled her eyes, but she doesn’t say anything.

‘I will send you my login and password, you can check it from my profile.’

‘Ok,’ I agree without discussing, I still don’t know what I’m doing.

‘Call me back when you can.’

‘Yeah, bye.’

I go to the kitchen sink and splash cold water on my face, take a few slow deep breaths, but when I finally manage to open Naomi’s Instagram and find UK Gossip Today’s profile, I’m still in shock. Even more after I see the most recent post.

It’s there. I’m there. The first photo is the two of us holding hands in front of Sketch. I swipe to the left, and there’s more. It’s me running alongside Luc by the Thames, me at Fresh Me Up having breakfast with Luc on Sunday, the two of us entering the building as Luc holds the front door open for me. Luc, Luc, Luc. Lucas Lamaire.

It gets worse when I read the caption.

UK Gossip Today’s Instagram

Has Lucas Lamaire found a new match for his heart? The current number two tennis player in the world was seen in London on different occasions with the same brunette. The four-time Grand Slam champion hasn’t been seen with a woman in public since he and his last girlfriend, the Spanish tennis player Malia Ferdinand, broke up two years ago. Lamaire is currently in London pursuing the most renowned championship in the tennis world: Wimbledon. Today he’s playing for a spot in the semi-finals on Friday. If he wins, he’ll play against Andrej Dordevic. Who’s the hottie who’s been getting Lamaire’s attention? Is it a match before the match?

What in the fuck? Why do I feel like the world’s stupidest person alive? Why do I feel like the whole world has just seen me naked on social media? Why can’t I breathe?

There are so many things wrong about this Instagram post, about today, about this very moment. Over 30,000 people have liked the post, and almost the same amount have left a comment. There are people trying to guess who I am, others are saying how they wish they were me, ‘lucky girl,’ and others are mean comments I’d rather not mention.

Fuckfuckfuck.

I don’t know what’s worse—the betrayal or the violation of privacy.

I lean forward and press my forehead on the hard stone of the kitchen island. I close my eyes and stay there, because I don’t know what else to do apart from giving myself time to let it all sink in. But the world has other plans for me today. My phone starts vibrating non-stop. There are messages from Mum asking what’s going on. Nate has sent me links and screenshots of different news sources, including ESPN.

Today at 6:05 pm

Nate: Keeping secrets aren’t you?

It’s everywhere! There are calls from Dad and Lexi, and even from some of my co-workers, including Caleb and Haley.

The only person I want to talk to is unreachable, because I just found out he happens to be playing a tennis match at Wimbledon right now. The realisation that that’s what he has been doing this whole time since he arrived hits me hard.

How did I get here?

A wave of moments come flushing in my mind all at once. Him giving his phone number to Lesley must have been an autograph and how Andi looked at the two of us together. The way he’s always hiding his face under his cap, his athletic body and the calluses on his hand, the way he’s always amused when we talk about tennis, or the way he acted when I asked his name. The private dinner at Sketch, how he’s often wearing sports clothes. His temporary stay. The whole team behind him.

How could I have been so blind?

I don’t feel like talking to anyone, instead, I make things worse by checking the news. Things escalate when I decide to google his name. Photos of the two of us come up first, then news about the matches he played in the past week, and then photos of his ex. His gorgeous ex, Malia Ferdinand.

I settle for checking his Wikipedia profile. Another bad idea.

Lucas Dominique Lamaire

French tennis player

Lucas Dominique Lamaire is a French tennis player. He is currently ranked No. 2 in the world by the Association of Tennis Professionals, after winning the most recent French Open.

Born: November 6, 1993 (age 27 years), Reims, France

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