Page 114 of Match Point

“A better way?” Tristan asked. “Like, a baby parachuting onto your front lawn whileDanger Zoneby Kenny Loggins plays?”

I laughed. “Sure. That’s better than the actual birthing process.”

“I bet we can brainstorm some better methods,” Tristan said.

“Fired out of a T-shirt cannon,” Dominic suggested.

Gabriel ran a hand through his curly hair. “Amazon Prime. Two day delivery.”

“Nice one.”

“How about grown in the garden, like cabbage patch dolls,” Tristan quipped. “No baby bump or cravings or morning sickness. Just watering the soil every morning for nine months.”

“Everymorning?” I asked. “That’s a lot of work. Can I give it extra water so I only have to do it every other day?”

“Perhaps motherhood is not for you after all,” Dominic said with a laugh.

“I think you would be a wonderful mother,” Gabriel said, caressing my cheek. “If you choose to be.”

I smiled over at him. “I appreciate the sentiment.”

My phone rang. I was tempted to ignore it, but I could see the screen on the bedside table, and it was my agent calling. “Hi, Hammy,” I said. “Do you know what time it is?”

“I keep my phone on Melbourne time, even when I’m across the pond,” he replied with a little extra twang in his Australian accent. “Besides, I had a feeling you’d be up celebrating with your boyfriend.”

“Which one?” Tristan said loudly.

Hammy laughed on the other end. “I’ve got news. I heard back from that prospect in Trenton. The job is yours.”

I gasped. “Really?”

“And I negotiated a ten percent higher salary than they typically offer,” he went on. “It’s not every day they land a former number one ranked player.”

I let out a squeal of excitement that made all three of my men stand up. “I owe you, Hammy! You’re getting a bonus.”

“Make it a big one, and we’re even,” he replied. “I’ll forward you the details. Sleep well, love.”

“What was that about?” Dominic said. He was sitting upright now, a corner of the comforter barely maintaining his modesty.

“Is it a broadcasting job?” Tristan asked. “Did NBC get over the whole coaching fiasco?”

“It’s not, and I wouldn’t accept that job even if it was,” I said. “I enjoyed broadcasting for a few tournaments, but it’s not what I want to do long term.”

“Then what is?” Dominic asked.

“Tristan actually hinted at it by mentioning the coaching fiasco. I realized that Ilovedthose three weeks where we were working together. That’s what I want to do. I’m certain of it, now.”

“Coaching?” Gabriel’s eyes widened. “For whom? I saw that Coco girl fired her coach…”

“Is it a male player?” Dominic asked. “Because I don’t think I can handle adding afourthman to our little coffee table relationship.”

“Nothing as stressful as coaching someone on tour,” I explained. “And don’t worry—three men are plenty for me.”

Gabriel’s frown deepened. “I do not understand. If you are not coaching a player…”

“Three months ago, I got a call from a tennis academy in Los Angeles. They offered me a job.”

There was silence for five long seconds.

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