Not So Snow White (32 page)

Vivian's delay gave Tess all the time she needed to flip the locks and keep Max right where he was. "We need an exit strategy."

"We need to get out there and keep those animals from—"

"Trust me," Tess said. "They have all the photos they need already. And if we all go piling out of this car, we're only going to
increase the drama quotient. They're not going to give up their cameras and blocking them in here is only going to set everybody on edge."

"Open the doors, Tess."

She ignored the warning tone. "Have the driver move along into the courtyard, then let Mercedes get out and shuttle Gaby and Ranee inside. She has the least recognizable profile of any of us, they won't know who she is. Once their picture-taking opp
ortunity is over, they'll leave.
" She looked at Max. "Then we can get out, go inside like normal people, and you can have a talk with both Gaby and the young man who dared to take her out for the afternoon."

"Brilliant," Mercedes said, while Aurora and Vivian nodded in agreement. She pressed the intercom and directed the driver to pull around.

"Your experience in these matters is invaluable, Tess," Aurora said, patting her knee.

"Glad somebody thinks so." She held Max's gaze as she popped the locks. And she could tell it cost him dearly to sit by while Mercedes slid out of the car and made her way through the small cache of photographers who were busily snapping the young couple as a grinning Ranee got out, waved to the camera guys, who kept their distance seeing as their quarry was being receptive, and went around to open Gaby's door.

"Did you see?" Aurora said, beaming at Max. "A young gentleman."

"A young gentleman asks permission." Max's hands were fists on his knees. "He doesn't sneak his date out the back door."

"Desperate times
,"
Tess murmured, catching Vivian's wink.

"He's so proud to be seen with her," Aurora went on in a wistful tone. "He's keeping them all at bay, as well."

Mercedes walked up and Gaby had a moment where she
saw the limo and froze. It was hard to make out her expression, given the big black sunglasses she wore, but she smiled a moment later and waved one last time at the picture-taking pack, before letting Mercedes usher them past the doorman and on inside
.
Two of the photographers tried to follow them in, but whatever Mercedes said to the doorman worked, as he kept them firmly on the other side of the revolving door.

Max was all but clawing at the door by the time the photographers boarded car and bikes and drove off, They'd barely cleared the courtyard gate before he was out of the limo like a shot.

Tess was hot on his heels, knowing Aurora and Vivian would catch up. She wanted to do whatever she could for Gaby. And for Ranee, for that matter.

"Where a
r
e they?" he demanded of the concierge, who met them just inside the door. He was well trained enough to personally and discreetly deliver the quartet to the nearby room where Mercedes, Gaby, and Ranee awaited them.

"Sir," Ranee said, stepping forward the instant Max and Tess entered the room. He put his hand out. "I need to apologize."

Good job, Tess thought, wondering if he'd come to that conclusion on his own, or whether Mercedes had given him a Glass Slipper crash course. How to Save Your Ass in One Easy Handshake.

Max was momentarily nonplussed by the unexpected gesture, which gave Gaby a chance to step in.

"Don't be mad at him, Max. I talked him into it. He wanted to meet you first and ask you, but—"

Max turned on her. "But what?"

She had the grace to flush, even as her chin came up. "I told him you'd be completely unreasonable about all this and I can see that I'm right."

"You should have talked to me. I understand you talked to
Aurora. We would have worked something out after the tournament was over."

Tess heard the hurt in his voice and had to curl her fingers inward not to reach for his hand
.
The instinctive need surprised her.

"I couldn't wait, Max. Ranee lost in the doubles quarters; he's leaving tomorrow." She glanced over at the handsome young tennis player. "I didn't know when we'd ever get the chance again."

Vivian sighed. "The trials of young love," she said wistfully.

Max shot her a look, then turned back to Gaby. "You scared us all. We had no idea where you were, and wouldn't have known who you were with if Vivian hadn't looked on the security cameras—"

Gaby looked stricken. "I'm really sorry," she said to the godmothers. "I know it was wrong and I shouldn't have taken advantage—"

"No, you shouldn't have," both Max and Aurora said at the same time.

Now Gaby's chin dropped and she looked truly chastened for the first time since returning. "I'm really sorry," she said in a little voice. "I just wanted an hour or two on my own. I didn't mean to make it such a big deal."

"The paparazzi chased you, anything could have happened," Max said.

Ranee stepped in then, angling his body in front of Gaby. "Blame it on me. I pushed her. She was only trying to see me and"—he took Gaby's hand in his—"we should have talked to you first, sir. I know it looks bad," he went on, his accent deepening as he spoke faster. "But I don't usually act like this, either. It's just, your sister
…
she's a really wonderful girl and I like her very much. But I would never do anything to harm her, please believe me."

Aurora and Vivian, die-hard romantics both, sighed a little at his impassioned speech. Mercedes looked to be reserving judgment.

"I come from an important family. I have handled the European press my entire life," he went on. "I know how they are, what they want. I bargained with them and they let us have our space for a little spin in trade for a few photos at the end. They waited until we were at the hotel. I wouldn't put her in jeopardy in a car chase." He looked at Gaby and his expression all but melted.

Even Tess found her
self sighing a little, She glanced at Max, wholly expecting to find him on the verge of throttling the punk, as he'd called him. Only to find him looking at the young couple's joined hands like he'd been poleaxed or something. Which, she supposed, he was. He really didn't know how to handle this. Any of this.

Without thinking, just needing to support him somehow, she slid her arm through his and stepped in for the first time since entering the room. "We appreciate your need for personal time," she said, realizing exactly how that was going to sound and not caring. Gaby
had pushed when it came to want
ing Tess in her life as a coach. Maybe Max needed another little nudge to keep her in his. "And I know you didn't mean to scare us so badly, Can we all agree that you realize the potential severity of the situation you created and that, in the future, any and all plans to see each other will be cleared with your brother?"

Gaby and Ranee, still clutching hands, quickly nodded in agreement.

Mercedes stepped up then. "And I think a formal apology for ruining tea, in writing, from you both," she added with a pointed look at Ranee, "would also be in order."

"Yes," Gaby said, cheeks flushing again.

"Absolutely
,"
Ranee agreed.

Everyone, including Tess, shifted toward Max, waiting for his response. There was a long pause whe
re it seemed everyone held their
collective breath. Then, finally, he said, "The rain has stopped and I believe you and Tess have scheduled practice time." His tone was terse, without much room for conciliation. "In case you've forgotten, you're playing in the semifinals of your first grand-slam event tomorrow. You might want to put a little thought to match preparation."

She looked down at her feet. "I know. I will." She looked up through lashes suddenly wet with unshed tears. "I'm really sorry, Max," she said softly. She glanced at Tess. "I really am. I thought
…
I mean, you went out all the time, and still managed to play well—" She broke off, suddenly looking stricken all over again. "Don't blame her, Max," she said. "I didn't mean that. She didn't influence—"

Tess shushed her. But Max had gone rigid the moment Gaby had gone there. Tess slid her arm free. "Why don't we take one of the limos and head over to the grounds now, find out what the plans are. I need to check on Bobby's rescheduled match time, too."

Aurora stepped in. "That sounds like a wonderful plan, dear. Let us know what you find out and we can meet up with you later."

Ranee cleared his throat. "Would it be okay if I walked Gaby out to the limo?"

Gaby's eyes lit up. But the collective impassive responses from all five adults quickly dashed her hopes. She turned to Ranee. "I think it's best if I just leave now with Tess. Thank you for the ride." Her normally confident and bold voice softened a little. "I hope we can again someday."

Ranee shifted on his feet and Tess found her respect for the young man growing as he grappled with what he wanted to do,
and what he knew he must do, in the face of the group staring him down.

"I enjoyed the pleasure of your company, Gabrielle." He lifted her hand and pressed a very quick kiss on the back of it.
"
Adieu."

With that, he turned and stuck a somewhat shakier hand out to Max. "Again, I apologize. I hope you can forgive my impulsiveness. With your permission, I would like to see your sister again, when our schedules permit."

Max's jaw flexed, but
after a moment, he said, "We'll
see."

Ranee seemed to understand that at times retreat was the better part of valor, and after a short handshake and another quick smile at Gaby, bid a hasty retreat.

"My, my," Vivian said as the door shut behind him. "Not a bad start, Miss Gabrielle, if I do say so myself." Then she stepped forward and slid one arm through Max's and one through Tess's and drew them together. "Spea
king of which…
" Her smile grew. "Where exactly di
d you two get off to this after
noon?"

Tess caught Max's gaze from the co
rn
er of her eye, and she wondered what he was thinking. He'd probably forgotten all about it. Or wanted to. Especially after what Gaby said about mirroring Tess's wilder, youthful behavior. What she had to figure out was whether retreat was the better part of valor for her, as well.

She gave a little laugh, as if she assumed Vivian was teasing, and slid her arm free. "We'd better get to the grounds and make sure we have a dry court."

Gaby was more than willing to let Tess get her out of there and moments later they were headed out to the still waiting limo in the rear courtyard. Mercifully there were no photographers in sight.

It was only after Tess had located Andrea on the grounds
and nailed down the match time for Bobby, then began putting Gaby through her paces on the practice court, that she remembered how she'd started the day. Her meeting with Alan. Her new job.

She looked across the net at Gaby, who would no doubt go on to tackle the world, both on court and off, with panache and power. She thought about Max, probably out there right now wishing like hell he hadn't spent the afternoon rolling around in the back of a private limo with the former bad girl of tennis. And she realized that the commentating job with the network was a blessing in more ways than one. The Fontaines didn't need Tess Hamilton's influence in their lives any longer. Once they got past this weekend, her usefulness here was done.

Funny how she wasn't as excited or settled by that prospect as she should have been.

Chapter 25

M
ax told himself he was too caught up in the match to care. So what if Tess had come in late, then sat on the other side of the godmothers? All three were in attendance today, watching Gaby try to make her way into the finals. He needed to focus on the match, not the confusing pile of emotions that Tess Hamilton stirred up every time she was around.

Maybe it was because Gaby wasn't playing well when it mattered most, or maybe it was because he couldn't forget how Tess had slid her arm through his yesterday, so naturally, standing beside him, supporting him, only to retreat moments later, then slip away completely. Granted, she'd gone off to help Gaby train, but that had been the last he'd seen of her
until now. Yesterday had been…
well, confusing. On so many levels. Between what had begun in the limo and ended with Ranee kissing the back of Gaby's hand
…
he really didn't want to think about it.

Aurora's rings bit into his knee as she leaned closer to him.

"She seems to be a bit scattered. Do you think it's because of yesterday? I'll never forgive myself if taking her to tea—"

"No, Aurora. It's not your fault. You can't be on every day. She's nervous out there and it's affecting her game. She'll settle down." At least he hoped so. The first set was a point away from being over and Gaby was down at five games to two. "She'll come back in the second set, you watch." He prayed his confidence was warranted.

A moment later, however, the first set was over, in her opponent's favor. Max had to work at not glancing down the row at Tess. Gaby didn't even look up at the players' box before heading back to her chair. The bounce in her step was gone, her shoulders slumped. Her body language told the story. "Come on, come on. Don't give up now," he murmured. It didn't help that her opponent was having one of those days where everything she could get her racket on went in by a hair. Gaby was having to hit three winners instead of one to make each point, and coming up short most of the time. It could be demoralizing even on a good day.

The second set began much like the first and Max began to see the writing on the wall. He found himself looking down the row, anyway, meeting Tess's gaze over the heads of the godmothers. It surprised him how badly he needed to see, to feel, Tes
s's unending optimism right now.
If only Gaby would see it and feel it, too.

Tess held his gaze. It was the first time he'd
looked into her eyes since…
well, he couldn't afford to go there right now. They needed to talk. When this thing was over, they would talk. What he wanted to say, he had no idea. But there were things left unsaid between them. There had to be. Because when he looked at her, it didn't feel finished.

She gave him the smallest of nods, and he wondered if she was reading his mind again. Or just reassuring him about Gaby.

He wanted both. But as he returned his attention to the match, he wondered if it wasn't too late. On both fronts. He told himself it was okay. Whatever relationship he thought he might have with her would have probably ended on some spectacular, internationally
scandalous bad note. He didn't r
eally believe that, but it was easier to cling to that notion than the possibility he was letting something important slip through his fingers.

Much as his sister was doing out there on the court. How much were they both going to regret this? On her first try Gaby had made it further than they'd ever expected, even in their wildest of dreams. But he also knew she didn't want to go out like this. If she had to lose, she'd want it to be on her terms, having made her opponent fight to the last breath to beat her. "Come on, Gabs. Fight, dammit," he muttered beneath his breath.

Aurora leaned closer again. "She is a fighter, Max. Don't you worry. She gets her determination from you."

He glanced down briefly, but Aurora's gaze was rooted firmly on the match. He looked down the row again, this time catching Tess unaware. He watched her for several long moments, leaning forward in her seat, attention riveted on the court, fists clenched and pressing against her knees as she all but willed Gaby back into the match.

He returned his attention to the game. And thought maybe both Fontaine siblings were about to be guilty of letting something important go without a fight.

To Gaby's credit, she did try to rally in the second set, but she was going for her shots too hard, pushing them just wide, or just long, in her determination to get herself back into this match. Her opponent wasn't going for winners at this point, but just keeping the ball in play long enough for Gaby to beat herself.

Max felt his heart sink lower, one notch at a time, as each
point went in her opponent's favor. He didn't blame her escapade yesterday. He blamed himself. Maybe he should have balanced Gaby's time better, let her have more freedom. Maybe he should have balanced his own life better, as well.

Maybe the distraction of Tess, or the distraction of Ranee, of budding relationships in general, was to blame for today's result. But did that really matter? It was to be expected, he told himself. It was part of growing up. For him and his sister. On Gaby's part, she'd outdone herself here and had nothing to be ashamed of. He'd never cared about winning, just about playing. And then, only because of Gaby's love for the game. But Gaby had always held herself to both standards.

She'd be a nightmare of emotions later, humiliated by her inability to play her own game, to come up with the shots when she needed them most. Which led him to wonder how he'd feel later. When it was time to pack up and leave Wexley House behind, head home, regroup, start turning thoughts toward
the upcoming hard-court season.
Without Tess.

Suddenly a murmur rippled through the crowd and Max realized he'd let his thoughts wander to the point of losing track of the game. He jerked his attention back to the court in time to see Gaby's opponent march to the net to question a call. The chair umpire initially refused to climb down and check the mark, which was on the far side of the court from him, The young Russian continued to harangue him and eventually, to many whistles and catcalls from the crow
d, he relented and climbed down.

Upon inspecting the offending mark on Gaby's side of the net, he let the ruling stand. The ball was wide. Second service. The crowd roared its approval of the call and Gaby's opponent stalked back to her spot on the baseline and prepared to serve again. If her expression was anything to judge by, it would be a blistering second serve.

Instead, she hit wide again. Only this time there was no arguing the point. It was clearly wide. She'd just double-faulted, and for the first time, Gaby had an edge. A very, very slight one. But an emotional one, perhaps, as well. The next serve didn't get it in until the second try and it was clear the previous point was still very much on
her mind. Gaby's opponent was r
attled.

Which she proved by playing very tentatively on the next point, as well. Gaby took full advantage. She won that point, and the next, finally earning a chance to break serve. Max pumped his fists and willed her on. She still had a long way to go to get fully back into this match, but he'd take any sign of e
n
couragement.

A second later it was game to Gaby. They all leaped to their feet and Max caught Tess's gaze. Eyes shining, she was grinning and pumping her fists. Her enthusiasm was infectious and he let himself feel it, take it on. When he looked back at Gaby and caught her glancing up at the box before she went to the line for her own service game, he gave her two thumbs-up and mouthed "go get her."

Had Gaby looked worried, or too serious, he'd have worried. Instead, her mouth quirked just a little at the corners before she turned to the ball girl to request balls to serve with. That was the look he wanted. Cocky, confident, like the world was her oyster. She had nothing to lose, everything to gain. And right now, she just wanted to stay out there a little bit longer. And have some fun.

Gaby took the next two service games. And in less than twenty minutes, she had the crowd on their feet as she brought the second set even, with the threat of pushing it to a deciding third set. Her opponent had lost her edge and her mental game had deserted her. She was still fighting hard, but Gaby was finally giving back as good as she got.

By the time they got to the tiebreaker, the tension in the
stands was palpable. Max was clutching Aurora's hand, as she was Vivian's next to her, and so on, all the way down to Tess. Then, on the next point, a bad call sent Gaby stalking to the net. The crowd groaned, then held its collective breath, Max's heart began to sink again.
Not now. Not now.

But rather than lose her temper, and possibly her focus, she calmly but directly challenged the call. The umpire slid out of the chair and checked the mark, but ruled in her opponent's favor.

"Come on," Max urged. "Don't let this get to you."

Gaby nodded, then turned back to her end of the court, which was just below them. She glanced up at the box, and winked at Tess. Aurora let out a surprised laugh next to him, but Max just sat there with his mouth temporarily hanging open. A quick glance at Tess showed her grinning right back at Gaby. Like they'd planned this or something. Which, of course, they couldn't have. But something passed between them in that moment that only the two of them fully understood.

Gaby turned and proceeded to send a missile of a second serve over the net, pulling her opponent out wide for the return, which Gaby then neatly sent zipping down the opposite sideline, well out of reach. The crowd roared. Gaby just smiled, pumped her fist, se
nt a look to the chair umpire…
then prepared to serve again.

But her opponent didn't fold this time, nor quietly go away. She'd been here before, had the court experience, and more important, the grand-slam experience. She got her head back in the game and began to give Gaby the tiebreaker of her life. Both players battled fiercely
.
This was exactly what Max had wanted to see all along. The rallies went on longer than usual, both players trying to push the other to make the first mistake. His stomach was in knots as they traded points back and forth, neither player able to close out the set.

In the end, it was Gaby who made the fatal error, clipping the tape on a short ball, and watching it fall back on her side of the net, giving her opponent the first match point of th
e game. After more than two hou
rs on the court, with the play careening from listless to some of the finest grass-court play of the tournament
…
it all came down to this.

Max held his breath, as did everyone else in the stands.

An instant later it was over. Game, set, match. To the Russian.

Gaby's Cinderella run at Wimbledon had officially come to an end.

Eyes stinging with emotion, he watched her run to the net to shake her opponent's hand. They skipped that and hugged each other, as the entire stadium stood and cheered. This was what they'd come to see, two gladiators battling it out. There was no shame in this defeat. And though he knew Gaby was disappointed, when she looked up at the players' box and gave a little shrug, there was still that little quirk at the corner of her mouth. She knew she'd done her best. Maybe not the entire match, but she'd come back, she'd fought hard. And she'd simply been outplayed.

"She fought hard, Max," Aurora told him, a soothing pat on his knee as the crowd bustled around them. "You should be proud of her."

"Oh, I am, I am." He watched as she packed her gear and waved to the crowd one last time before leaving Centre Court. The place erupted in cheers. She'd clearly won their hearts. And Max knew they'd both be back here again. Maybe next year, maybe the one after that. But they'd be back.

He stood and helped Aurora and Vivian move past him to exit the box in front of him. Mercedes followed. He needed to get down to the press room. All the players gave a mandatory press conference after each match, win or lose. He wanted to be there for Gaby, lend moral support if nothing else.

Tess came up, then. "She played her game, Max. She played he
r game.'' There was pride in her
eyes, as well as disappointment. Tess didn't like to lose any more than his sister did, but there was fight there, too. And determination.

"Yes, she did." Maybe it was time he played his, too.

Tess started to move past him and descend the steps to the waiting security personnel who would escort her inside. Max put his hand on her arm, stopping her. She looked up, eyebrows lifted in question.

Had she really been naked and in his arms yesterday? He shut those images out. "I have to go down to the press room, but—"

"I was going to go back to the locker room. Talk to her, make sure she's okay before she faces the vultures. If you don't mind, that is."

He appreciated that she'd asked, but hated the sudden formality between them. "Of course it's okay. You're her coach, after all."

She just looked at him, that combination of exasperation and amusement he'd come to expect—and enjoy—clear on her face. And right then he knew he couldn't let her go. Gaby needed her. And maybe more important, he needed her.

"You can be really proud of her, Max." She started to slip free of his hold and move past him.