Page 14 of Serve
“Thanks for everything, Sania, including putting Scott on speaker. I needed to hear that.” He felt reassured, knowing she was on his side. He hugged her and made for the door.
“Hey, call me if you need anything. In fact, call me even if you don’t. We have a lot of work to do to get you back on tour, and little time to do it. Take care.”
He shut the door, then pulled his phone out. It buzzed in his pocket a few minutes ago, and he was hoping it was Chip. He was surprised to see Scott’s name. He opened the message, and his fragile sense of security departed.
You ever play against Travis you’d better lose, or the whole world will know your filthy secret
Chapter Eight
Chip
“You’ve been awfully quiet today. What’s up?” Sheila asked. They’d been filling out paperwork all morning, and were in the locker room getting ready to hit the road.
“My Aunt Dixie’s boss, Tyler. He’s that guy we brought in. Remember the car accident in the park?” He replied. She nodded.
“Well, he’s going to be fine. He’s home already, and I’ve been umm…” Chip turned red, and Sheila bit her lip as if she was going to laugh.
“What Chip? What have you two been up to?” She poked him in the ribs, and he burst out laughing.
“Stop that!” He grabbed his sides and glanced away. She giggled, and he knew he had to say something to satisfy her curiosity.
He turned back to her and spoke in a low voice.
“We’ve been hanging out. He wants to teach me how to play tennis in his backyard court. I’m kind of embarrassed. Haven’t picked up a racket since high school. I can’t believe I’m going to learn the game from one of the best athletes in the sport.” He leapt up from the bench and closed his locker. He was practically bouncing up and down with energy.
“So that’s all? You’ve just been ‘hanging out’ with him?” She pressed.
“Yeah, we’ve been spending time together. He’s a famous athlete, travels the world, been on magazine covers and TV. I like him, but I don’t want to read too much into it, you know what I mean?”
“Why wouldn’t he be into you? Just because he’s rich and famous doesn’t mean you’re not worth something to him. Don’t be intimidated by all that stuff. He puts his pants on one leg at a time, just like the rest of us.” She said.
“I mean, yeah, I know he’s human. Every time I see him, I get a little flashback to when I first laid eyes on him. Pulling someone from a wreck changes your perception of a person. I’ll always see him there, laid out on the stretcher.” He didn’t have to say anything more. She understood more than anyone the humanizing effect medical emergencies had on everyone. Didn’t matter if you were a garbage man or a pop star, if you were human, you would still bleed the same.
Chip’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out of his pocket, pleased to see a message from Tyler.
Ready to play with some balls?
Can’t wait to see you
He snickered, then typed a reply, letting him know he’d be there around six. He would make it a point to be there early, if possible.
“Is that him?” Sheila asked.
“Yeah, how did you know?” He asked.
“Lucky guess, or maybe it’s the huge grin on your face.” She punched him on the shoulder, and they headed outside to stock supplies in the ambulance.
“Hit the ball into the box. Don’t try to hit it hard, just make sure it’s in.” Tyler instructed him. The sun was behind Tyler, outlining his body in golden rays. Chip thought he looked like a God, his muscles straining against his tight, form-fitting t-shirt.
He tossed the ball in the air and somehow connected the racket and ball together. Tyler gently batted the ball back to him. They volleyed back and forth, and Chip felt out of shape compared to Tyler.
An hour passed, and the sun was setting behind the house, so Tyler called it a night. His body had held up well, and except for a few bruises, you’d never know he’d been in a car accident recently.
“Are you sure it’s safe to play in your condition?” Chip asked him at the net. He was breathing hard and wondered at Tyler’s superb conditioning.
“Chip, I’ve been a pro since I was seventeen years old. You’re helping a lot just by getting me on the court. It’s fun teaching you, and I need to be hitting a few balls to stay in practice. If this was a professional match, I’d be in agony. All we’re doing is hitting the ball back and forth and teaching you the rules. I feel fine, trust me.” Tyler pulled his t-shirt off, wincing for a moment as he lifted his arms. He let it fall to the bench and crossed over to Chip’s side of the court. He placed his hands on Chip’s shoulders and locked eyes with him.
“Thanks for coming. It might not seem like much to you, but any reason to get me back on the court helps. Of course, it’s like teaching a drunk puppy to play.” He said with a wink.
