Page 62 of Long Shot

Mac’s forehead wrinkled. “I need a second.”

Babs feigned a hem and a haw. “No, you don’t. Let’s go.”

Laughing through the breaths, Mac followed Babs to the bench press. The weights had already been set. Mac laid down on the worn fabric of the McEnroe weight room’s singular bench press.

Despite winning a bunch of money so far this season, Babs insisted that Mac continue training at the facility until the season ended. And Mac couldn’t agree more. There was no point changing her routine and risking an injury or a loss at the BJK Cup.

She got under the bar and placed her hands on the cold metal. The smell of iron filled her nose as she gripped it. Just as Mac lifted the bar off the rack, Babs hovered her hands underneath the bar, ready to grab it if Mac dropped.

But the weights were set lighter than Mac’s personal best. After running six miles, Babs knew better than to make Mac lift heavy. Instead, the goal was to get Mac’s arms used to endurance training.

Mac pushed a few reps out easily. As she did, the door to the weight room swung open. Pushing up on the bar, Mac held at the top. But a speck of blonde appeared in the corner of her eye.

No fucking way.Mac lifted her head to look at the figure. It was Taylor.

The bar dropped onto Mac, having completely lost track of herself.

Babs gripped the weight and pulled it up to the rack. “Jesus, Mac.”

Mac tried to catch her breath, leaning back on the bench. After a second, she sat up and waved at Babs. “Sorry.”

Leaning down, Babs whispered. “You’re going to have to play it cooler than that. She can’t know that she gets under your skin.”

Mac nodded, keeping her face as serious as she could. But it was funny. It was less that Taylor got under her skin, and more that they got under each other's sheets. She let her eyes wander to Taylor who walked over to the stair master, Kim following behind her.

Mac tried to suppress her laugh. Kim had never looked more miserable in her life.

“See how she likes it down here with the plebians.” Babs gave Mac a pat on the back. “Take five, get some water.” Clearing her throat, Babs walked across the gym.

Mac took a drink from her water bottle as Taylor watched Babs approach through the wall of mirrors.

Babs walked right up to Kim and shook her hand. “It’s good to see you, Parker.”

Kim nodded, a fake smile taking over her face. “You too, Barbara. Your player has done well this season.”

“We’ve waited in the wings for her time.” Babs looked back at Mac. She turned her attention to Taylor, who walked on the stair climber. “And you’re playing as strong as ever, Taylor. No one knows when you’re going to slow down.”

Taylor laughed, the sound making Mac’s heart ache. “Hopefully, never.”

Babs said her goodbyes and walked back to her player. “Let’s get to the courts.”

Mac nodded and followed her lead, watching Taylor’s ass as she passed by. She felt like she might start drooling on the spot.

Once they had left the weight room and made it into the hallway, Mac turned to Babs. “Why did you do that?”

Babs wrapped her arm around Mac’s shoulders as they walked. “The match starts in the locker room. Kimberly needs toknow that we don’t fear her. It’s all fun and games for us.” They walked a few more steps before Babs continued. “Besides, that bitch outed me back in the day and I love making her be nice to me.”

Mac laughed. “Did she really? I thought you did that press conference just because”

Babs shrugged. “I was tired of hiding myself, for sure. But my team told me that Kim caught me holding my “roommate’s” hand – who was already out. We could have tried to fight it again, convince the world I was in love with some random dude. But I was close to retiring anyway.”

Just before they reached the courts, Mac bit her lip. “What happened to her?”

“Oof,” Babs wiggled her eyebrows. “Very few people can handle that kind of scrutiny, especially if they don’t live in this world.” She gestured to the facility around them. There was regret on her face, something like sadness.

Before Mac could comfort her, Babs gave her a shove onto the courts. “We have work to do.”

Mac worked out with Babs until the late afternoon. But she had somewhere to be.

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