Page 84 of Long Shot

Nodding, Taylor waved goodbye as the door shut. It was easier said than done. But maybe now was the best time to find out.

The sun was beating down on New York City the next morning. Even in the car to the Billie Jean King Center, Taylor could feel the heat radiating in. It wasn’t going to let up anytime soon.

When the SUV pulled up to the Center, the driver came around the side and opened Taylor’s door.

“Thanks.” Taylor muttered over the camera flashes of the paparazzi waiting outside. She gripped her racket bag in her hands, her knuckles turning white. From the moment her eyes had opened that morning, Taylor was a ball of nerves. Facing off against Mac wasn’t going to be fun. One way or another, one of them would come off that court having lost the U.S. Open.

A cacophony of people called out her name, hoping to ask a question before the big match. But Taylor simply waved to them and headed into the player entrance. Inside, an entourage of people stood to say hello.

She greeted each of them – some of them organizers, others sponsors. When she was finished, Kim stood in the hallway leading to the locker rooms.

“Hi.” Taylor nodded, clenching her jaw.

Kim sighed. “Get changed, meet me in the training room. Barbara and Mackenzie are already here.”

With about an hour before the match, Taylor had enough time to get dressed, warm-up for thirty minutes, and walk onto the court. Already in a bad mood, Taylor ignored Kim and walked to the locker room.

Taylor’s heart pounded at the thought of seeing Mac.Will we speak? Should I ignore her? I can’t deal with any of this until after the match.

She arrived before the locker room door. Swallowing her nerves, Taylor pushed the door open. Immediately, she heard Mac rifling through her bag.

It felt like a cruel trick that the organizers of the tournament had put their lockers in the same aisle, forcing them to be within a few feet of each other during the prep for their final match.

Taylor clenched her jaw and walked to her locker. Mac’s head whipped up when she turned. Not a single word was uttered for the first few minutes. But after a while, Taylor’s leg shook with anxiety.

She turned to face Mac, leaning against her locker.

Noticing the silence, Mac turned around and furrowed her brow. “What?”

Taylor bit her lip. “Maybe I should like… start the match here or whatever. But honestly, you’re not just any other opponent.”

“Taylor, really this isn’t…” Mac shook her head.

Taylor nodded. “It is necessary, actually. I owe you an apology and I won’t walk onto that court without saying it.”

Rolling her eyes, Mac tossed her bag on the ground. “Go ahead.”

“I’m sorry. I never should have reopened this wound for either of us. I knew you still had feelings for me and that I still had them for you. I’m sorry for the way I dropped you when we were teenagers. It was cruel and unfair to you.” Taylor’s lips twitched as her eyes grew pink. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

Mac stared at her for a long minute, trying to figure out what was going on. “Are you going to throw this match?”

Taylor scoffed. “Can’t I just apologize with no ulterior motive?”

Mac shook her head. “Not historically.”

Taylor grabbed her bag and finished packing it. “No, I’m not going to throw this match. Kim would kill me. And it wouldn’t be as fun.”

Stepping closer to the center of the bench, Mac nodded. “Good. Because I want to kick your ass fair and square.”

With a laugh, Mac gripped her bag and headed for the door. But she stopped in her tracks and looked back at Taylor. “By the way, I forgive you. I did a long time ago. And my offer still stands.”

Before Taylor could find a response, Mac pushed open the locker room door and disappeared into the hallway.

Like the weight of a thousand suns was lifted off her chest, Taylor gulped in air. She shook her head and tried to find herself. The next thirty minutes of warm up made Taylor’s mind clear up. With each inhale, she felt her body aligning.

By the time she was standing in the dark tunnel leading to the court at the center of Arthur Ashe Stadium, a smile was playing on her cheeks.

Kim walked up beside her, “Ready?”

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