Page 115 of Match Point

“You’re moving to California?” Dominic asked. He managed to keep the concern out of his voice, but his green eyes betrayed how worried he was.

“Their job offer sounded great to me. I realized coaching at an academy is what I want to do. But Idon’twant to move to the west coast. I’m an Atlantic kind of girl. So I had Hammy put some feelers out closer to home. It’s taken three months, but I finally got a bite from the Lafayette Tennis Academy. I will be starting there in May.”

“The Lafayette Tennis Academy in Trenton?” Dominic asked.

“Where we all attended and met?” Tristan added.

“And,” Gabriel said, “where Miranda received her first real kiss from a young French boy?”

“I kissed her first,” Tristan argued.

“Yes, which is why I made sure to clarify her firstrealkiss,” Gabriel replied smugly.

“Boys,” I snapped. “Yes, that is the academy where I will be working. I signed a three-year contract.”

Dominic lurched forward and wrapped me in a big hug. “You terrified me for a few seconds there,” he whispered. “I didn’t realize how much I don’t want to lose you.”

“I never would have moved to California,” I whispered back. “I need all of you just as much as you need me.”

Gabriel joined the hug, and then Tristan wrapped his arms around all three of us. We knelt there on the bed, hugging for what felt like minutes.

“Think you can get me a job there?” Tristan finally asked.

“At the Academy? You would want to coach?”

“I’ve considered it,” he replied. “I want to find out. I’ve always been good with kids.”

“You would have to move to America,” Gabriel pointed out.

Tristan shrugged. “I was planning on that anyway.”

Gabriel broke out into a huge smile. “Perhaps now is a good time to mention that I have been looking at real estate in the New Jersey area.”

“Really?” I asked. “When were you two going to tell me?”

“Right now,” Gabriel said. “I am telling you now.”

“I guess I don’t mind you two moving into my territory,” Dominic said. “As long as you agree to be my doubles partner.”

Gabriel’s face drew serious. “We will discuss the terms of our partnership at a later time.”

“That’s not a no!”

“We should celebrate!” Tristan said. “I think I have a bottle of champagne left…”

“Actually, I have a better way for us to celebrate,” I said, making eye contact with Gabriel, then Dominic. They both nodded. “We’ve all discussed it. Do you have them, Gabriel?”

Gabriel reached over to his bag beside the bed and pulled out two pairs of handcuffs. “Right here.”

Tristan bit his lip. “I’ve never tied a girl up before, but I’m down if you are.”

“Actually,” I said, “the handcuffs are foryou. Today is all about you, and I know just how to treat you right.”

His eyes widened, but he grinned. “Well, all right then.”

He leaned back in bed and we handcuffed each arm to a different bedpost. He looked nervous, but excited as I leaned over him, giving him a long kiss.

“We’re going to put something on TV to set the mood,” I said, reaching for the remote.

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