Chapter Forty-Three Juliette
FORTY-THREE JULIETTE
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 last night. 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. After you are a Grand Slam champion.”
“Luca isn’t some 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.”
Even if Antony believes that, Juliette knows it isn’t actually true.
That mistake led to weeks of misery. “No, you want what is best for our careers. Why do you think Octavia fired you?” Antony flinches.
Juliette knows it is a low blow, but she continues on.
“You are trying to control every aspect of my life and I will not let you come in between me and my happiness. Not anymore.”
Antony stands suddenly. His eyes widen, shock and fear scrawled across his face. “Anymore?”
Juliette takes a deep breath. Then she stands and crosses the short living room to her father.
“I know it’s hard to hear, but I need balance.
I love tennis. And I will always be grateful for everything you’ve sacrificed for me, but I get to make my own choices.
I have to be okay with making those choices and embracing this change. ”
“And you choose to skip your drug test?” Antony’s brows rise. “That ‘change’ would mean throwing away a year of your tennis career, maybe more, facing backlash from the media. Not to mention the cut to your lifestyle.”
Juliette sighs. “As I said, I don’t want to do that, but there is nothing I can do about the missed drug test now.
I don’t regret not going to New York, but I know to be more diligent with my life.
I can take care of scheduling and changing time slots and following the rules.
But I can’t live in fear of what people will say about me. ”
“But, Juliette, you have so much of your life to fall in love. Your tennis career isn’t guarenteed.”
“Tennis and love aren’t mutually exclusive. Luca has helped me begin to grow, and my career will be more sustainable if I’m happy. ”
Antony stares at her as if he’s seeing her clearly for the first time. Then he deflates, as if there is nothing more he can say. He shakes his head. “Fine. Do as you will. I suppose you’re an adult.”
Juliette wants to laugh. Suppose? “Thank you for understanding,” she says instead.
Antony’s eyes narrow as he tries to parse if Juliette is being sarcastic or not.
Juliette sucks in a deep breath. “Speaking of understanding… I’d like you to just be my dad.”
“What?” Antony recoils, stumbling back to sit on the couch.
“I don’t want you to be my coach anymore,” Juliette says, twisting her fingers together. “I want to have a proper father-daughter relationship going forward. I still want you to be in my box and be there for all the big moments in my career, but as my dad, not as a coach.”
For a beat, there is only silence. But Antony doesn’t appear angry.
A sadness blooms over his face. “I thought we did have a proper father-daughter relationship?” he asks softly.
“It’s always been easier with you, we’re so similar.
I thought I learned from my mistakes with Octavia and changed.
My goal has always been for you, for all of you girls, to achieve your dreams.”
Juliette winces. “It’s become too tangled.
And I’ve been feeling resentful of you. I don’t want to continue down this path and realize in a few years that we hate each other.
You’ve done so much for my career and I have achieved my dreams. And I think I need someone else to help me reach the next level so I can keep moving forward.
So, I’ve spoken to Karoline Kitzinger, and she’s agreed to be my coach at the beginning of next season. ”
“You’ve already moved forward with her?” Antony inhales sharply.
“I’m taking control of my life and my career.
” Juliette tries to swallow through her tight throat.
Antony stares at her, face impassive, and she braces herself for his anger.
She should be used to it by now, but her stomach still twists with nausea.
“And I want you to be happy for me. Happy that I’ve found a love like you and Mom have.
I don’t want you to see Luca as my rival, but rather as someone who is making me, as a person, better. ”
Antony’s gaze falls to the floor. “You really love her like that?” he asks.
Juliette breathes out heavily. “Yes.” Sometimes that love swells within her so much she thinks she’ll fly away and somehow that thought doesn’t scare her at all.
“Then, I am happy for you, Juliette.” He looks up, dark eyes glossy. “I never realized that was something you would want. It’s been difficult to hear, but thank you for telling me anyway. I guess I’ve been so busy focusing on your career that I haven’t seen you. You really have grown up.”
She smiles hesitantly. “Will you still coach me until the end of the year?” Juliette asks, biting her lip. The last possible hiccup.
Antony smiles and nods. “Yes. And if Kitzinger doesn’t work out, I’ll always be ready to coach you again.”
She laughs as relief washes over her. She grabs her tennis bag off the floor. “So, shall we catch the next flight to New York?”
Antony stands with a nod. Then he surprises her by looping his arm over her shoulders. “I love you, Jules.”
Juliette’s eyes burn and she bites back tears. “Love you too, Dad.”
As they taxi to the airport, Juliette’s chest feels lighter than it has in months.
Everything she’s wanted to say is off her chest. Even so, there is a responsibility lying on her shoulders.
She has control over her life and her choices.
Still, the weight is welcome. She loves to embrace a challenge.
LUCA
Luca meets Vladimir in one of the secluded booths in the breakfast bar of the hotel. She has her hood up in an effort to stay incognito, but she lowers it as she slides in across from him.
“Good morning, Luca,” Vladimir says coolly. He doesn’t look up from the muffin he’s buttering.
“Hi, Vladimir,” Luca murmurs, twisting her fingers together. “I’m so sorry,” she blurts out, unable to hold on to the words any longer.
Vladimir pauses and looks up. “I know,” he says. Slowly, he sets down the butter knife and muffin. He looks tired, as if he didn’t get much sleep either. “Tell me what happened out there. I’ve never seen you like that.”
Luca bites her lip, unsure of how to explain. So, she simply lays it all out on the table. She tells Vladimir about Juliette and their relationship and how Juliette broke up with her. How seeing her made her focus slip and she spiraled.
“It’s no excuse for my behavior, and I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have acted like that.”
Vladimir shrugs. “No, you shouldn’t have, but no use dwelling on it now. Did Juliette apologize? Are you two okay?”
Luca nods, biting down her smile.
“Good. Being happy is important, Luca,” Vladimir says, reaching across the table and curling his fingers around Luca’s wrist, over her wrap. “And I only want you to be happy. You are not alone. I apologize for leaving yesterday. I knew you weren’t okay, and I shouldn’t have left you alone.”
Luca blinks. “It’s okay.”
“It’s not, Luca. We’re basically family, and someone doesn’t just leave their family because they’re having a bad day. I know you. I have for years. I let my own feelings get in the way and I made a mistake.” Vladimir squeezes her wrist, and Luca tries to swallow past the lump in her throat.
“Okay,” Luca says, unsure of what else she can say without bursting into tears. “We’re okay.”
Vladimir smiles and lets go of Luca’s wrist. “Are you all right to play the rest of the final? You have a lot of work to do,” he says, and the tension eases out of Luca.
Vladimir has always known how much he means to Luca, not only as a coach but also as a friend and father figure.
And he knows when to change the subject because some things can be left unsaid.
“I know,” Luca says, but she does feel ready. For the first time in weeks, her hands are steady as she pulls out her phone and opens the spreadsheet she made on all of the players she’s ever played.
Vladimir peels the wrapper off his muffin. “Let’s go through your strategy again.”
Luca steals one of Vladimir’s strawberries and launches into her plan of attack.
As Luca walks back on court for the final’s restart, she looks at her box. Vladimir is front and center, as usual. But her gaze drops to the empty seat next to him. One day, Juliette might sit there. Her heart skips and she can’t help but start to smile at the image.
Even though Luca is down 5–1 in the first set, she feels renewed, like the match just started.
And while Octavia wins the first set, Luca doesn’t see the next two sets as a burden.
As she stands on the baseline, ready to serve in the first game of the second set, she feels as light as a feather.
Even if she loses, Juliette still loves her. And that is worth more than a trophy.
Luca wins 2–6, 6–3, 6–4, and while Juliette isn’t in Ohio anymore, she knows she’s watching—hopefully with pride and only a little bit of annoyance that Luca beat her sister—as Luca lifts the Cincinnati trophy.