Page 110 of Backhanded Compliments

“Oh.”

“He’ll be at the US Open, so we’ll try again there,” Livia says.

Juliette sighs dramatically. “I guess I can wait until then.”

Livia chuckles, lifting her head. “Are you gonna talk to me about Luca?”

“Are you going to tell me how you knew which room was hers?” Juliette counters, and Livia hesitates.

“Erm, I would, but it was rather illegal.”

“Livia!”

She, at least, has the grace to look chagrined. “Look, I needed to find you and you weren’t in your room. So, I might have hacked the hotel guest list to figure out which room they gave to Luca.”

“Livia!” Juliette drops her head into her hands. Of course her little sister hacked the hotel system. At this point, she probably should have guessed. Or maybe learned to stop asking.

Livia shrugs. “It was important.”

Juliette can only groan.

FORTY-THREEJULIETTE

Juliette meets her father in the lobby of the hotel.

“Good to see you haven’t been kidnapped,” Antony says as he brushes past Juliette to the elevators.

Juliette follows her father up to the new room Livia booked herself when the final was moved to the next day. Her sister is nowhere to be found, probably with her new boyfriend or editing a slew of posts to ensure as much damage control as possible should news of her missed drug test leak.

When they enter the freshly cleaned room, Antony surprises Juliette by not exploding the moment the door clicks closed. He drops his bag by the couch and sits in the desk chair, hands folded in front of him, as if they’re simply discussing the latest football scores.

“I would like you to explain yourself,” he says.

Juliette has been preparing for this for hours. Making calls and turning her speech over and over in her head. She takes her time sitting in the love seat opposite Antony, curling her legs beneath her to get comfortable.

“I am in love with Luca Kacic,” she says, because that is truly the only explanation she can offer.

Antony’s calm facade breaks apart. “You are in love with Luca Kacic,” he repeats, each word slower than the last, as if he can’t believe he’s saying them.

“Yes,” Juliette says, “and I decided that staying here and making amends with her was more important than going to New York lastnight. I always intended to catch a flight in the morning and get there before our afternoon practice.”

Antony huffs. “And that is an acceptable excuse for missing a drug test?”

Juliette considers the question. It feels like a trap, and maybe it is. Antony has always been adept at weaving Juliette into a spiderweb of words. “No. But it was a random one. Of course, it is my fault that I didn’t change the time slot I was available, or the location I was in, and I recognize that.”

“Oh, so you recognize that you’ve jeopardized your entire career for some girl?” Antony’s voice raises, and Juliette can almost see the lecture forming behind his eyes. “There is time for love later.Afteryou are a Grand Slam champion.”

“Luca isn’tsome girl.She is my soulmate. And I know you don’t understand that.” Antony recoils as if Juliette has slapped him. “I’m happy you and Mom worked out despite not being soulmates. My whole life, I wanted to be like you guys and choose who I loved. I didn’t want to be tied to someone without any choice.”

Antony opens his mouth, but Juliette holds up her hand.

“But I have chosen Luca. I do love her, and her well-being matters to me. I would choose her even if she weren’t my soulmate.”

“But your career—”

“Will never be as important as loving and being loved,” Juliette says calmly. She watches her father take this in and try to process it.

“After everything I’ve done for you, you want to throw it away?” A vein throbs at Antony’s temple. “I only want what is best for you, Juliette.”

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