"I always thought you tended to favor other sorts of magazines for that."

Ashley gave Spencer an innocent look. "What sorts of magazines?"

Ignoring her, Spencer went back to Ashley’s original question. "They’re playing up this ‘rivalry’ business for all it’s worth."

"Bother you?" As Ashley laced their fingers together, she studied them. Often she’d wondered how such an elegant little hand could be so strong… and why it should fit so perfectly with hers.

"A bit," Spencer admitted, enjoying the feel of Ashley’s skin against hers. "It makes it difficult to go into a match thinking of just our match. What about you? I know you’re getting the same kind of pressure."

The waitress brought the wine, giving Ashley a slow smile as she set down the glasses. To Spencer’s amusement, Ashley returned it. She’s a devil, Spencer thought. And she knows it.

"I always look at playing a game at a time, one point at a time." Ashley poured a generous amount of wine in both glasses. "Three matches is a hell of a lot of points."

"But you’d like to win the title?"

Raising her glass, Ashley grinned. "Damn right." She laughed into Spencer’s eyes as she drank. "Of course, Paul’s already making a book of it.”

"I’m surprised he’s not here," Spencer commented, "analyzing every volley."

"He’s coming in tomorrow with the rest of the family."

Spencer’s fingers tightened on the stem of her glass. "The rest of the family?"

"Yeah, Mom and Kyla for sure. Martin and Pete if it can be arranged." The Chianti was heavy and mellow. Ashley relaxed with it. "You’ll like Pete; he’s a cute kid."

Spencer mumbled something into her wine before she swallowed. Paul had been there three years ago, along with Ashley’s mother and sister. The two of them had shared meals then, too, and a bed. So much was the same—terrifyingly so. But there had been so much in between. There’d been no small boy with Ashley’s coloring then. No small boy with that air of perpetual energy to remind her of what she had lost. Spencer felt the emptiness inside her, then the ache, as she did each time she thought of her child.