Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
“How are you feeling today?” Rory asked, coming inside Aisling’s bedroom the next morning.
Aisling yawned. Stretched her arms. “Would you believe I’m itching to get outside?”
“No way.”
“Way. I’m actually kind of bored of my book, and I’m craving fresh air.”
“Well, the air certainly is a lot fresher after yesterday’s rain.” Rory studied her. “And if you’re wanting fresh air then I have a suggestion.”
Uh oh. “What suggestion?” she asked suspiciously.
“Tennis.”
“Tennis? Uh, I don’t think so.”
“Aw, come on. It’s fun! And a great way to get fit.”
“Since when have you been into fitness?”
“Since I realised last night I’ll have to wear a wedding dress sometime in the next six to twelve months, and I’d like to look good in my photos.”
“Okay then. I hope that means—”
“Of course you’ll be my bridesmaid, so you’ll have to help me stay on the straight and narrow and get fit too.”
She sighed. “That’s what I was trying to do in the gym the other day,” she confessed. “And I can’t help but feel like an idiot, especially when Andy was there. I bet he’s never fallen off an exercise bike in his life.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. Remember, this is the man who managed to snap a tendon while out running. I’m sure that can’t have been very pleasant. It may well have been embarrassing.”
Oh. She hadn’t thought about it like that. “How would you cope if you snapped a tendon while out running?” she mused.
“That’s something you can ask when you join us at tennis.”
Her eyes widened. “Is Andy going?”
“That’s what he said last night.”
“But I don’t want to see him. I definitely don’t want to play with him. I think I said some pretty dumb things, and—”
“And he probably won’t even remember it,” her sister soothed. “Come on. You just said you wanted to be outside and here I am giving you the perfect opportunity to be outside and get fit.” She grinned. “Who knows? You might even be able to get some of your searing questions answered by him.”
“What searing questions?”
“Like what happened with his ex.”
“What? No. I can’t ask that.”
“Well, I could take a leaf out of your book and ask for you. That’s what a good sister would do, right?”
“Not a good sister. A bad one.”
Rory laughed. “Oh, I really do think this is kind of fun. What was good for the goose is definitely good for the gander.”
“Now I really don’t want to go play tennis,” Aisling complained.
“Now I really do. So chop chop. Get your tennis clothes on. Or at least your leggings and a t-shirt and sneakers.”
“But—”
“No, don’t give me buts. We’re going to have fun, and you’re going to forget that Andy is anything but a lovely Irish lad who is single, available, and a Christian. So, what do you have to say about that?”
Nothing that her sister wanted to hear, apparently. “Fine. I’ll come.”
A short time later, having changed and breakfasted, she followed her sister down the stairs. Mam was on the registration desk today, and given there weren’t many people checking in or out, the hotel was fairly quiet. Which made today a perfect tennis day.
The winds last night seemed to have blown most of the clouds away, leaving a beautiful blue sky.
She followed, her pace slowing as Rory greeted Aidan with a kiss, then gave the man Aidan stood with a smile.
This was a terrible idea. But then, if she stayed frozen in her embarrassment, she was letting everyone know that Andy affected her more than she liked or wanted them to know.
So the best thing would be to pretend nothing had happened yesterday.
Which, she said firmly to herself, it hadn’t.
“Aisling, hey.” Aidan hugged her gently. “How are you feeling today?”
“Much better, thanks.”
“I’m glad.”
Her gaze shifted to the other man. The other man who looked a little embarrassed too. Although why he had anything to be embarrassed about she did not know. “Hi Andy.” Smile harder, like you’re not ashamed. She pushed up her cheek muscles. There.
“It’s good to see you.”
She nodded. No neck twinges today. “You too.” How was that for laidback? “So, do runners make good tennis players?”
He half smiled. “They do when running for the ball.”
“So you’re saying we should not make you run for the ball?”
“I’m happy either way.”
“He’s a sportsman, so I just bet he’s happy to be doing something physically active,” Aidan said.
Andy’s mouth curved. “I might resemble that comment.”
Aidan tossed a tennis ball in the air as Rory led the way to the short path that led to the tennis courts. “So, how are we going to play? Girls against boys?”
Rory glanced at Aisling who shrugged. “If you think you’re up for the challenge.”
“It’s going to be a challenge, is it?” Andy asked.
“A total challenge.” Aisling smirked. “Like a total challenge for you to keep your cool when we annihilate you.”
“Is that right?”
“Completely right,” she teased, enjoying this game and its banter. The game of tennis might not have yet started, but this game had well and truly begun.
She joined Rory on one side of the net. “Are you ready to be annihilated?” she dared.
“Ready when you are,” Andy called.
And as Rory tossed the first ball in the air, she was reminded how much fun it was to be with others, to be active and actively participating in life again.
It was too easy to let embarrassment shuffle her to the sidelines, when really she was supposed to be starring in the main event.
So she switched off the distractions and focused on the game.
“Fault,” Andy called.
She gritted her teeth as the ball went out. “Come on, girl, you’ve got this,” she muttered to herself.
Far from crushing the opposition, she and Rory had been receiving an education in the art of playing doubles.
And while Andy had been kind, there had been no mistaking who was the real expert here.
Still, he’d been nice enough to encourage them.
Even though they’d both grown up with a tennis court at hand, and had been playing for years.
She threw up the ball and swung, then missed. “Man. Sorry about that.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Rory said. “It’s only a game.”
And while that might be technically true, this playing tennis against Andy made it feel like it was more than a simple tennis match.
She couldn’t help but notice the way his arms and legs seemed carved in oak.
The man might be lean, but his muscles were defined, as if he’d never even dared breathe the same air in the vicinity of a chocolate bar.
“I really think that we’re at a disadvantage,” she grumbled.
“You think?” Rory said, pushing a lock of damp red hair from out of her eyes. “I don’t know why you thought this was a good idea.”
She knew why. Because playing opposite Andy had to be easier than playing beside him. Catching the occasional whiffs of his scent. Having him smile at her, or pat her on the shoulder like he did with Aidan. “I don’t want to play on his team,” she muttered.
She couldn’t do that because she couldn’t trust herself not to say something dumb. Again.
Eventually the first set concluded, six games to four, in the men’s favour. “Want another round?” Aidan asked.
“Only if I’m playing with you,” Rory crooned.
What? Aisling glanced at her sister quickly. Hadn’t she already told her that she didn’t want to play on Andy’s team? No way did she want the man to think this tennis match was some set up orchestrated by her sister and herself.
But as Rory looked at Aidan with lovey-dovey eyes it seemed she had forgotten. And when Aidan immediately agreed, well, what was a good sister to do but let the two lovebirds play on the same side? “Fine.” She glanced at Andy. “If it’s okay with you.”
“Sure.”
“I didn’t set this up,” she muttered, going to join him.
“I didn’t think you had.”
Ouch. But now she’d said it out loud, it totally sounded like it was something she’d been thinking of. Which didn’t look dodgy at all.
She sighed, and did her best. But it was probably just as well that Andy was as good as he was, saving her from numerous unforced errors.
Because she couldn’t help but be distracted, just as she’d expected.
By his scent. By the lean muscles in his legs.
By the way he encouraged and consoled. By the way he showed patience when she made a mistake.
“Thank you for playing with me,” she said, when her service meant they lost the game. “I’m sorry I’m not a better player.”
“For someone who was feeling rather poorly yesterday, I think it’s amazing just how much you’ve turned around. The fact you can play tennis at all is remarkable.”
She snickered. “That actually sounds a little rude when you think about it.”
His head tilted, then his eyes glinted. “You know I didn’t intend to sound rude.”
“I’m just grateful you’re not so competitive that you get angry with me.”
“It’s just a game, isn’t it?”
She nodded. Just a game.
* * *
Maybe Andy had been out of this dating scene too long, but he couldn’t help wondering just what she was thinking about.
Because this match hadn’t felt like a game.
Maybe he was going crazy, but it almost felt like an opportunity from God.
To build friendships. To relax. To laugh.
And while he hadn’t exactly complained about feeling lonely yesterday, it felt like God was answering an unprayed-prayer with the chance to get to know these three people.
Like He was knitting them closer through activity and conversation.
They collected the stray balls and returned to the hotel, and sat on the outdoor patio sipping drinks. A red setter drew close, and looked up with pleading brown eyes, until Aisling rubbed his ears, introducing the dog as Rover.
“Hello, boy.” Andy held out his hand for Rover to sniff, which he did, thumping his tail.
“Looks like you’ve got another friend.”
The thump of the dog’s tail seemed to suggest that.
“I guess you’re just a natural sportsman, aren’t you?” Aidan said.
His head veered up. “You know about my running days?”
Aisling nodded. “You’re actually almost famous.”