For 24-year-old tennis player Naya Morgan, all that glittered certainly wasn't gold. In her relentless pursuit of victory, she had strayed far from the joy of simply playing the game she loved.
Naya's life takes an unexpected turn when she crosses p...
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"If I show you, promise me you won't say anything until I give it to Jude," Naya said as she held a black gift bag in her hands.
"I promise I won't say anything?" Jobe said as he leaned in closer, intrigued by what Naya was about to reveal. His curiosity piqued, he waited eagerly for her to unveil the contents of the bag.
Naya smiled nervously, pulling out a black leather jewelry box and lifting the lid to reveal an Audemars Piguet watch inside.
"I picked it up while I was in Paris," she explained as Jobe's eyes widened in surprise as he gazed at the luxurious watch.
"Wow, that's incredible, Naya. Jude is going to love it," he said, impressed by her thoughtful and rather pricey gesture.
Naya sighed with relief, grateful that Jobe approved of her gift choice. "You don't think it's too much?" Naya asked, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
It was during times like these the fact that Naya and Jude weren't in a relationship became apparent. The last thing she wanted to do was overstep or put Jude on the spot.
"No, but I do think we should head downstairs to dinner because I'm starving," Jobe said as he put on his sunglasses, a toothpick hanging from his lips, while he watched Naya grab her purse and room card so they could head downstairs.
Naya nodded, grateful for Jobe's easy distraction from the weight of her gift. She followed him out of the room, the black gift bag now empty in her hand.
As they made their way to the hotel restaurant, Naya couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness about giving Jude the watch.
Jude's gift was pushed to the back of her mind as her eyes landed on his ex girlfriend Anais.
"Jobe, why is your brother's ex here?" Naya asked, trying to keep from frowning as she stole glances at Anais walking arm in arm with another girl she hadn't seen before as they made their way into the grand dining room.
"She must've come along with Jermaine and his girlfriend," although it wasn't just cause for Anais to be in attendance, Jobe knew that was more than likely how she ended up all the way in Germany to watch Jude play.
"Are you okay?" Jobe asked Naya as he noticed her subtle reaction to Anais' presence. Naya forced a smile and replied, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just surprised to see her here, that's all."
Jobe nodded understandingly, knowing that the situation must be awkward for Naya. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and said, "Well, fuck everyone else and stay with me."
Taking the seat beside Jobe, Naya shook off the uneasy feeling that crept up on her whenever Anais was around. She focused on Jobe's comforting presence and tried to push the thought of Anais out of her mind.
As the dinner progressed, Naya found herself engrossed in conversation with Jobe, laughing at his jokes and enjoying his company.
Despite the rather suffocating presence of Jude's ex, Naya liked seeing him at ease around the people that knew him best. At the table sat family, a few friends from back home and some of his teammates.
