CHAPTER 14 #4
Instead, I have color high in my cheeks.
My blond hair is loose and crumpled, exactly as you’d expect after our activities.
There are a few spots on my neck and chest, but they’re a sign of Aurelio, of his care and passion.
And when I smile at myself in the mirror, I look like an Amy I wouldn’t mind being all the time.
When I leave the bathroom a few minutes later, Aurelio is dressed in a green Nike sweatshirt and sweatpants. His hair is also adorably rumpled. I shiver in the blast of A/C, considering the spandex tank top and tennis skirt I arrived in. I can’t imagine putting them back on now.
Aurelio watches me ponder the pile of athleisure. “Here.” He rummages through the dresser where he’s unpacked a few essentials. “How about this?” He holds out a t-shirt with the Italian Tennis team logo and a pair of shorts. Then, he reconsiders, unsure. “If you’re staying?” A loaded question.
“I’ll stay,” I answer shyly. I take the little stack from him. “Thanks.” They smell like Aurelio and are loose in all the best ways for sleeping. A wave of exhaustion hits me once I’m in them, my body close to crashing from the events of the day. I offer a hand to Aurelio. “Let’s go to bed.”
He must be feeling it, too, because he quickly accepts. Once we’re lying next to each other under the covers, I’m hit with a realization. “I’ve never slept over before.” Aurelio turns his head to look at me, and I do the same. His foot nudges mine. “What if I’m terrible at it?”
“I don’t think this is something you can be terrible at.” Aurelio tries not to laugh at me. “We will just sleep.”
I squint at him accusingly. “Do you snore? Or grind your teeth? Or sleepwalk?”
He shrugs. “Not that I know of.” He reaches out to tuck one of the wayward strands of hair behind my ear. “Hopefully, if I do, my good qualities will outweigh anything I do in my sleep.”
He’s teasing, but I scan his face carefully, trying to imagine his bad qualities.
All I see is the man who dried my tears, who danced with me under the stars, who drew me a healing bath, who wants me to meet his family.
“Your goodness outweighs most things, Aurelio,” I whisper to him.
“I think this is the happiest I’ve ever been. ”
Now he studies my face. Closely. “That is very sad.”
I stiffen, inching away from him. “Right. Sure.” I hurry. “Sorry, I—”
“No, no,” he hushes me. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. I want you to have so many moments of happiness that you cannot pick one. I want your life to be full of as much joy as possible. I’m sad that this moment of good stands out so much.”
It stings a little, but I know he’s right. “And you have so many moments of happiness you can’t pick one?” I ask, curious. “Do you mean with your parents, your nona, Bianca?”
He nods against his pillow. “Sì. And Antonio. My peers at the Italian National team. My friends from when I was a boy. And you, mia dolce. Recently, most of my happy memories have been with you.”
I roll onto my back, thinking about it. What are the happiest moments of my life? Winning big tournaments? Those are valuable because my hard work paid off. But what about memories I shared with other people?
“I had a trainer named Suzy,” I admit, still looking at the ceiling. “She left earlier this year after being with my father and I for decades. I considered her family. There are a lot of good memories with her.”
Aurelio reaches out, closing the gap between us. He hooks an arm around my waist, and I lean my head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he says again. “I didn’t mean to make you feel badly.”
“No.” I still can’t look at him, embarrassed. I pluck at the seam in his shoulder. “You’re right. I didn’t even know what I was missing.”
“I didn’t cherish my memories either,” Aurelio confesses. “Not until my mother died. But once people are gone, all you have of them is your memories together. I don’t think anyone on their deathbed regrets spending time with people they care about.”
“I’ve been getting closer with Fernanda.” I feel like I’m in high school, telling my boyfriend that I’ve been accepted into a new clique. “And her friends. They’re fun. I don’t think I ever knew how important it was to have girlfriends. It’s nice to talk about tennis and clothes and relationships.”
“Ugh, Fernanda!” Aurelio rubs an exhausted hand over his eyes.
Now, I have to look at him. I prop myself up. “I thought you liked Fernanda?”
“I like her fine,” he explains. “But if I have to listen to Francisco talk about her one more time—”
I practically bounce up and down with excitement. “I told Fernanda he was into her—”
Aurelio throws out his hands. “Into her? He’s in love with her! He has been for years!”
I put a hand on his chest, excited to tell him the gossip. “She had no idea. I mentioned it to her a few nights ago, and she was shocked.”
Aurelio looks at me in disbelief. “But he’s so obvious about it!” He immediately goes into wingman mode for his fellow Italian. “Did she seem open to the idea?”
I laugh. “She thinks he’s beautiful. I believe she called him an “Italian God” and then almost hyperventilated.”
Aurelio grins. “We have to get them together. Then we can go on double dates!” He’s so excited when he says the words, but then he remembers that we’re supposed to be a secret. His grin falters a bit.
We haven’t felt like a secret all night.
“I’ll tell Beck after Wimbledon is over,” I promise him. “I’ve been thinking about it for weeks. There’s a long break before the next major, so it seems like a good time.”
Aurelio sighs in relief. “Good. I am glad we have a plan.”
“And I can’t sit in your box for the final this time, but I’ll meet your family afterward if you still want me to.” The words come out awkwardly, but sincerely.
He squeezes me gently. “Yes, I would like that. They can meet my girlfriend, first-time Wimbledon champion.”
I smile weakly in response, but his words haunt me the rest of the night. What other option do I have but to win this time around?