CHAPTER 26

Aspen and DJ were up by two in the second set and had nineteen points, so as long as they held on to the serve, they’d win and move on to the semifinals. Considering where Aspen was just a few weeks ago, Kendra felt like this might be considered a miracle. She’d accompanied Aspen to that first doctor’s appointment, and yes, the doctor had said that he wouldn’t even call it a sprain and more like she just strained her ankle from overwork after rolling it because the tear was non-existent, according to him, but that hadn’t assuaged Kendra’s worries about the woman practicing and playing so soon after the injury that had looked like the end of Aspen’s season and maybe her chances at being one of two US teams in the Olympics next year.

And Kendra was supposed to be unbiased, there to represent the network, offer reports about matches, player injuries, tactics, and more, leaving her personal opinions about which team she wanted to win at home, but now that she was – at least, in some way – involved with Aspen, she really couldn’t. She would even consider herself involved with DJ, too, just very differently. She’d attended several of their practices now, and she’d played with them, running drills and making suggestions based on what she knew of the game after playing it herself, but mostly, after having watched match after match for close to fifteen years now as part of her job.

While not part of her job technically, Kendra understood how certain players moved on the court, where their strengths and weaknesses were, when their body language showed there was a problem, and probably a million other little things that could help a team like Aspen and DJ win a match. She’d never thought of it like that because she’d never gotten this close to a player on the tour, and she wasn’t sure if it was strictly fair or legal to help them, but it wasn’t like she revealed anything that couldn’t already be seen on game tape or in an interview that aired on a major television network, so she thought she was okay where ethics were concerned.

Well, maybe not right now, though, because she was actively cheering Aspen on as she lined up to serve what would, hopefully, be their twentieth point. Aspen swung hard and put the spin on the ball that Kendra had suggested, not thinking anything of it when she’d mentioned it, mainly just making a comment to Aspen that her serve tended to be pretty easy to pass, so if she could focus on that along with everything else, they’d be even better.

She remembered that from the Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings days. Those two were practically perfect in all areas, but the one thing they were just basic with was their serves until they started to put real focus on making it tougher to get their ball back over the net. She’d mentioned it in passing, but Aspen and DJ had both picked up on it, thinking that it would be a good idea to put more time into developing that part of their game. And now, here Aspen was, using the new serve that Kendra had helped her with. It landed on the other side of the net just inbounds, with the other team scratching their heads at how they’d let it fall between them.

Kendra applauded with everyone else because it was now set, match point, and this would get Aspen and DJ into the final. She might have cheered louder than everyone else in the stands, but she didn’t care anymore. She was proud of Aspen, who had battled back from a swollen ankle that Kendra had seen for herself both in a picture that Aspen had sent her prior to leaving Italy, and then in person, when it had looked a little bit better. She’d been surprised Aspen had been able to walk, let alone play on that foot, but she had, and the first day she’d been able to get back out on the sand, Aspen had been there, putting in the work.

As Aspen served an easy floater just to make sure it went in, Kendra thought about how she hadn’t missed playing volleyball in a while now. Waking up every morning, she used to think about very few things other than how much she missed playing competitively. She would picture herself standing back, ready to serve on that day of her eighteenth birthday, when she’d passed out instead; she’d think of the last moment that she remembered in the last game she’d played in high school, and her heart would ache because that had been all she’d ever wanted to do. When most girls talked about going to school to be a doctor, teacher, nurse, lawyer, or something else entirely, she’d talked only of playing professional beach volleyball. She’d grown up on the sand, and that had been where she’d wanted to spend her life. She remembered wishing that she’d hurt her knee or shoulder or something like that instead, because that would’ve meant that there was a chance that she could come back, but that hadn’t been her luck.

Recently, though, being with Aspen, playing alongside her and DJ, even though it wasn’t competitive and never would be, had gotten her to forget that ache and wish that she was right out there with them, serving, passing, setting, blocking, and swinging for that big kill. She’d always miss the fact that she never even got a chance, but she realized that watching Aspen, being proud of her, caring about her more than she’d cared about a girlfriend she’d had for two years, had helped her deal with what she’d not had.

“Aspen, you’re heading into the final. How are you and DJ feeling?”

“I’m feeling good. And my ankle is fine, by the way. I’m guessing, that was going to be your next question.”

Kendra smiled at her.

“And I’m good, too,” DJ added, but Kendra still had the microphone in front of Aspen.

“What was that, DJ?” she asked and moved it over to her.

“I’m good, too, if you’re asking.”

“I was,” Kendra said, realizing that she was going to have to talk to these two about behaving in their interviews now. “You were great out there. Strong blocks today. I think you had five in all.”

“Six,” DJ corrected. “I had good reads today. That strategic advisor, whom Aspen and I have been working with, really should get a raise.”

“Oh, I was under the impression that she was volunteering her strategic advisor services.”

“So was I,” Aspen said with a little laugh. “But, yeah, we’ll have to work out a way to pay her back because she let us know that Emma had been struggling with her cut shots and would probably lean a little too much on her line today.”

“And that helped you two win the match?”

“I think so, yeah,” Aspen replied. “DJ killed it at the net today, giving me very little to do behind her, and our serves were good. I think, if we keep working on that part of our game, we’re going to get even better.”

“I’m sure that’s not what the rest of the teams on tour want to hear. And you’ve got another tournament right around the corner. You leave from here and head to Rio right after the final, right?”

“We do, yeah. It’s an important one because it could help our qualifying case for the Olympics, so we’re hoping to come out on top this time, when we didn’t in Italy because of my injury and the great US team we went up against,” Aspen replied.

“Well, good luck. I’m sure everyone at home is rooting for you.”

“Thanks,” Aspen said, and her hand moved to Kendra’s lower back for a moment before she removed it and she and DJ walked off.

Kendra was sure no one would’ve thought anything of it. Everyone who had seen her interview athletes knew that she was friendly with some of them. And she interviewed Aspen and DJ more than any of the other women on the tour. No one probably even noticed. She likely wouldn’t have herself because it wasn’t the first time someone had given her a small touch to say goodbye or thank you, but she had noticed because it was Aspen, and whenever they touched these days, Kendra wanted more.

◆◆◆

“Oh. Hey, DJ,” Kendra spoke when DJ opened the hotel room door she’d just knocked on.

“Disappointed?” DJ asked with a lifted eyebrow. “She’s in the shower. Be out in a minute, probably. Come on in.”

“Not disappointed. And thanks.” Kendra walked into the room. “Are you going to have dinner with us tonight?”

“No, a few of us are going to a bar to have drinks and play some pool. I invited you and Aspen. She said she’d ask you when you got here.” DJ closed the door behind her.

“Who’s going to be there?”

“Mostly players. I think maybe some of their friends and family, too, for the local ones. Not sure who else, exactly, outside of Mark, Chase, Patrice– And before you even make a joke – I’m not into him anymore. Patrice invited Aspen and me. I didn’t even know Chase would be there until after I said yes and bumped into Mark, who told me they’d be there.”

“I was told to leave you alone about Chase, so I am.”

“Do you want to go?” DJ asked.

“I don’t know. Does Aspen?”

“Does Aspen what?”

Kendra looked past DJ then and saw the now-open bathroom door and a very wet Aspen Ashley standing there in only a towel.

“Oh, hey. Are you early, or am I late getting ready?” Aspen asked.

“Sorry. What?” Kendra spoke.

DJ laughed and asked, “Do you want to go or not, Aspen?”

“Does Kendra?”

“Oh, my God! You two are annoying. I’m leaving. If you want to join me, I dropped you a pin, Aspen. Check your messages. I’ll see you later. And I won’t be late, so…” She turned to Aspen. “Just keep that in mind.”

“Shut up,” Aspen said, looking at least half-serious from what Kendra could see.

“Okay. See you later, Kendra. Have fun with little Miss Attitude here.”

“I don’t have an attitude. She’s kidding,” Aspen said, looking around DJ and at Kendra. “Also, hello.”

“You said hi already.”

“Yeah… I’m gone,” DJ said and pulled open the door to leave.

“Do you want to go? I’m kind of exhausted, so not really up for it, but you can cancel our plans to hang out and go with her, if you want,” Kendra offered.

“To a bar with a bunch of other players after spending the whole day in a tent or on a court with them? No, thanks.” Aspen shook her head. “Nothing against any of them, and I go sometimes, but not tonight. I’m tired and just want to chill. Have you eaten yet? We can order room service, if you want, or get a delivery from somewhere. Oh! There’s this great Indian place close to here, apparently. One of the trainers had it last night and said it was awesome.”

“Not a big fan of Indian food,” Kendra shared.

“Pizza?” Aspen offered. “I know you like pizza.”

“Aspen?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you maybe want to get dressed first?” She pointed at her. “Your towel is starting to slip.”

“Oh.” Aspen wrapped her arms around her chest and held it in place. “Yeah. Just give me a minute. I’ve got clothes in the bathroom.”

“I’ll be here.”

“Okay.”

Aspen disappeared into the bathroom then, so Kendra moved to the bed that she knew was Aspen’s. Aspen had mentioned to her that DJ liked to sleep closer to the bathroom because she got up a lot in the middle of the night, so Aspen got the bed closer to the window when they shared a room. Kendra sat down on the end of it and waited. When Aspen came out, she was wearing a pair of gray sweats and a pink tank top with nothing under it, and Kendra knew that for a fact because she could see her damn nipples. Aspen’s hair was wet and down, and she was running a brush through it.

“So? Food?”

“Sure. Maybe something healthier for you than pizza.”

“I’ll get a salad from wherever we order from. If I’m lucky, they’ll add chicken to it for me.” She sat down next to Kendra on the bed after placing her hairbrush on the desk in front of them. “Want to watch something?”

“On the TV?”

“Or my laptop.”

They hadn’t done that yet, but Kendra suspected they were about to lie down on Aspen’s bed and put the laptop somewhere between them, which would mean they’d have to get extra close together so they could both see.

“I’ll order the food. You set it up,” she said, wanting that closeness.

“How was work?” Aspen asked and stood to pull her computer out of her bag.

“You were there for most of it.”

“You interviewed us for, like, two minutes,” Aspen noted. “I’m assuming that’s not your whole workday.”

“It was fine,” Kendra said. “I had a remote meeting with the HR department about what happened with that producer. They want us to go through more training, even though we didn’t do anything, and he did.”

“The guy that had that affair?” Aspen asked and set her laptop down on the bed.

Kendra moved back to the pillows and leaned against them as she located a close pizza place on her app.

“Yes. The network is being sued. It’s out, too, so if you haven’t seen the news yet, you will soon.”

“Shit.”

“I agree.”

“Hey, um…” Aspen moved to sit down on the side of the bed, facing half toward Kendra and half away from her. “Are there any rules I should know about?”

“Rules?”

“Just, like, with players and stuff.”

Kendra smiled because she knew where Aspen was going with this.

“Like, you as a sideline reporter and players,” Aspen continued to ramble nervously. “You’re not a producer, and the players don’t work for the network.”

“No, there are no overt rules about sideline reporters and athletes since those athletes aren’t employed by the network, like you said. So, while there might be some light gray areas – not even average or dark-gray, because I could end up interviewing someone… I’m dating, maybe, and I’m supposed to be unbiased in my sports reporting – it’s not something that can get me fired.”

Aspen nodded and turned to her fully.

“I was just curious. Did you order the food yet?”

“In the six seconds since I opened the app?” Kendra laughed.

“What? I’m hungry,” Aspen replied and moved to lean back against her own set of pillows before she put the computer on her lap to turn on.

“I’m getting you breadsticks or something. No fatty grease on those. You need something more than a salad.”

“Actually, breadsticks with marinara sound really good right now. Do they have drink options?”

“They have sparkling water. I’ll get you one.”

“Thanks,” Aspen said.

Kendra looked over at her and saw Aspen staring at her.

“Yeah, no problem.” She swallowed hard.

“Kendra?”

“Yes?”

“I leave for Rio tomorrow.”

“I know.”

“But maybe we can talk when I get back?”

Kendra nodded and said, “Not about breadsticks, you mean?”

“No, not about breadsticks.” Aspen leaned forward, and just when Kendra thought she’d kiss her on the lips, she kissed her gently on the cheek instead. “What do you want to watch?”

“Anything, honestly,” she said, a little breathless.