The Other Side

Chapter 2

Charli didn’t need to be a genius to figure out what he was saying. She sighed and reached across the table, touching Andy’s hand. Andy pulled his hand away and Charli sat back, hurt and angry.

“I’m not cheating on you, Andy. I’ve never cheated on you.”

“Are you sure about that?”

Charli snarled at Kimberly, who was sitting with her arms folded, her expression saying she didn’t believe a word Charli was saying. She also noticed Kimberly was leaning a little towards Andy, their shoulders touching.

“How long have you been Andy’s agent?” She demanded. “Four years? I’ve been with him for ten, known him for thirteen. I have never cheated.” She looked back at Andy. “I have forgiven but never cheated.”

Kimberly gasped. Andy’s jaw tightened. Charli could see him keeping his temper barely in check. He didn’t like it when his faults were pointed out to him. He didn’t like it when someone had a go at him.

“I told you I never strayed.” He said tightly.

“So the girls who sent you explicit messages and pictures were to the wrong number?” Charli snorted. “I don’t think so.”

Andy’s face went red.

“You have no right to go on my phone.” He growled.

“And you shouldn’t have been texting those girls in the first place. When I entered a relationship with you I knew your tennis was important for you. I was fine with that. What I didn’t accept was this new you where you’re willing to be nasty to other players to put them off, acting like you’re single and bedding any girl whose top was low enough and who gave you a smile.”

“You’d better be careful what you’re saying.” Kimberly warned. Her eyes were angry.

“I beg your pardon?” Charli raised her eyebrows at the other woman. “You’re threatening me? He’s the one who’s cheated and I’ve forgiven him over and over because I love him. But I never said this relationship was an open one unless I missed that memo.”

Kimberly glared at her and Charli matched it with one of her own. At five-two and one-twenty pounds, short blonde hair and dark eyes, Kimberly’s innocent-looking appearance hid the fact that she was cold, calculating and willing to do anything to get her charge to win. Charli had suspected drugs in the past but she had no proof. Although the way Andy had suddenly bulked up should be proof.

Andy leaned forward, leaning his arms on the table.

“I love you, Charli.” He said simply. If it had been any other time Charli might have believed him. “I have never looked at anyone else. But it upsets me when I’m doing all this for us so we can have a future together and you cheat with my rivals.”

Charli groaned.

“How many more times do I need to say it before it sinks in? We spoke, I blew him off. That’s the only time I’ve ever met him.”

“Like I’m going to believe that.”

Charli could feel her anger about to get out of control. She gritted her teeth.

“Considering you’ve cheated so much, I’m not surprised you’re insecure about me. But you should at least trust me.” She pointed at Kimberly, who was smirking and enjoying the scene. “She’s supposed to be your agent, not your girlfriend. That’s my title. But seeing as you two are dead set on making me look the guilty party, I’m going.”

She stood and picked up her purse and jacket. She squeaked when Andy’s arm shot out and he grabbed at her wrist, holding on tight.

“I never said you could go.” He growled.

Charli pinched the outside of his hand and Andy pulled his hand away with a flinch. Charli rubbed at her wrist. There would be bruises there later.

“I’m your girlfriend but you don’t give me orders.” She slipped on her jacket, taking her hair out from under the collar. “As far as I’m concerned the pair of you can go to hell.”

She stormed away, keeping her head high and trying not to run. Behind her she could hear Kimberly laugh.

*****

Mark sat at a corner table and watched Charli’s table, observing the interaction between her, Andy and an attractive blonde woman in her thirties. He could feel the tension from his seat right across the room and he was sure that something was going to explode.

He hadn’t been able to get Charli out of his head since he caught sight of her. She was beautiful and there was something about her that had Mark more than intrigued. He could also see that she was a nice girl and Mark couldn’t understand why someone like her was in a relationship with a guy like Henson. They seemed to be completely mismatched.

It also puzzled him that Kimberly was there as well. The woman was known in the tennis world as being aggressive, both as a former player and as an agent. She had been linked to drugs in the past but nobody had any proof that she was actually involved. That didn’t stop her from using tricks get her clients to the top by any means necessary.

She had only one client in the last six months and that was Henson but she was certainly making money off him. Mark wondered what incentives she was giving Henson to make him win. Judging by the way she was leaning on him and goading Charli, it was s*xual.

Charli stood up and got ready to leave. Anger came off her in waves. Mark decided to make his move. Leaving a generous tip for the waitress, who had been flirting with him since he came in, he hurried out without being noticed. What he was about to do was just as underhanded as Henson but Mark wanted to mess with the kid. He wanted to level the playing field.

If he could mess with Henson’s head believing his girl was cheating on him that might put him off his game.

Mark felt bad that he was about to use Charli to his own means; she didn’t deserve to be involved in any of this. But he wasn’t thinking that clearly.

He just wanted to get back at the bas*ard.

Mark hung around outside the restaurant, waiting for Charli to come out. When she did, she stormed out, almost banging the door open. She turned towards him and Mark started walking. He timed it right and guessed that Charli was too upset to notice where she was going.

It still hurt when she collided with him, her fists hitting him in the chest. She wobbled on her heels and Mark caught her before she collapsed onto the ground.

“Whoa, easy there!”