"All of them?" The coach's partner asked. Parker nodded her head to Nick's question getting him to start dialing a number into his cell phone.
Beside him Gary's only comment was, "And Günter's back in Tampa." Emily figured they would eventually clue her into what the big deal was as the group examined every racquet in the bag.
The ride back to Emily's apartment was traveled in silence once they were done talking to the police detective assigned to the case. Bobbie looked in the rearview mirror a couple of times when the traffic slowed to see Emily holding a sleeping Parker. When their eyes met, Emily held up crossed fingers and smiled. Having an ex-lover try to murder the current one was a new experience for her. I didn't know I was worth fighting over to this extreme.
After a shower Parker went in to take a nap alone since Bobbie and Emily were going to walk up the street to pick up some food at the restaurant down the street. Emily had invited the King sisters and Natasha over for dinner after they swore eating on the floor wouldn't be a problem for them. They were a half a block away on their way back when the two women noticed a car drive up and two men get out.
Both of the athletic looking guys retrieved large black bags out of the trunk of their car then consulted a slip of paper as if looking for an address. Before they had a chance to start walking the street looking for it, Emily and Bobbie arrived.
"Can I help you?" Emily shifted the bag of food in her arms and kept a good distance from the two strangers.
"Please, if you could tell me where this address is?" The tall blonde man had a heavy German accent and held the paper in his hand for Emily to take.
"That's an easy one, since it's mine. Is there something you want?" Emily handed him his paper back and waited for an answer.
"We have a delivery for Parker King, and Gary said this is where we could find her." Emily recognized the shape of the bags as similar to the one Parker carried her gear in and smiled figuring Parker would like whatever might be in them.
"Racquets, I'm guessing?"
"Yes, ma'am. A few of the ones that were cut today and some extras our boss thought she would like to try. The company flew Gunter in on a special flight to take care of everything, so hopefully he'll be finished with the rest of them by tonight." The front door of the building opened and Parker came out wearing the sweat pants and t-shirt she had left on the bed that morning. Looking better rested and wearing shoes she stepped beside Emily and gave her a kiss.
"Who's their boss?" Emily pointed to the two men dressed similar to Parker.
"One of the vice presidents for the company that makes Head rackets," answered Parker before moving to shake hands with the two delivery guys. With their greetings out of the way, one of the blondes started opening cans of balls and dropping them into a practice basket he had pulled out of the trunk. Emily was about to ask what he was doing when Parker unzipped one of the bags on the sidewalk and pulled out a slew of racquets.
For the next hour Emily and the guests she had invited sat on the steps of her building watching Parker play tennis in the street. Methodically Parker took each racquet out of the bags and tried them until there were six standing against Emily's legs.
Parker picked up one of the new ones her sponsor had sent over and popped open a last can of balls. With a smile on her face she called out to Bobbie, "Want to play with me?"
"Ooh, Bobbie, I'd be careful, I'm familiar with that look she gets. You may be in trouble." Natasha laughed when Emily's friend gulped beside her.
"Try to remember I don't do this for a living. Ok?"
"I'll do my best." Parker winked at Emily before tossing up the first ball. Some of the little boys that had been watching ran after the ball when Bobbie swung at it and missed. Emily's new neighbors along the block had gotten a kick watching a more personal Open played so they could watch out their windows.
Gray snorted some beer out of her nose when an elderly woman had asked Emily if she was planning on dating Becky Hammon from the New York Liberty next to let her know so she could make it down to the playground to watch. The volleyball player was trying to decide if the old lady's question or Emily's blush was funnier.
"Thanks guys, tell Wilson I appreciate the prompt service." Parker shook hands with the two tennis players that had delivered her racquets.
"His name's Wilson and he works for Head?" asked Emily. Parker cuffed her softly in the back of her head before taking one bag upstairs. Gary and Nick grabbed the other one happy that had turned out all right including having all the tools Parker would need for the rest of the tournament.
Upstairs Emily and Natasha worked in the kitchen heating up the food that had sat forgotten on the stoop when Parker had started to play. Emily took notes on how much to order the next time she had the idea to invite a pack of ravenous athletes to her house for dinner. After the kisses and hugs goodbye at the stoop, Kimmie and Gray offered to get Bobbie and Natasha back to their doorsteps for the night, and the guys flagged a passing cab so Emily took her player upstairs for a hot bath.
"You must've sweat off five pounds out there, and picked up another six in dirt." Parker didn't take Emily's fussing too seriously since the blonde was kneeling next to the tub naked. She stepped in and kneeled between Parker's legs so she could wash her hair. "Move one leg up for me, sweetheart."
Parker draped half of her left leg out of the tub to give Emily room to get closer. When Emily did, Parker sucked in the nipple right in front of her getting Emily to forget what she was doing for a moment.
"You taste so good," said Parker from around her now perky friend.
"Oh no, you can stop right there. I know you don't have to play tomorrow, but you are going to bathe and going to bed. As much as I love watching your cute butt running around the court, I like those short matches much better. I have a feeling you do to." Emily heard and felt Parker release her with a 'pop.'
"You're no fun."
"I just want to take care of you." Emily rinsed the suds out of Parker's hair and finished the task with a kiss.
"And I thank you for it," said Parker with a smile. When Parker was dry and in another t-shirt and shorts, Emily propped her up against the headboard of the bed and fed her dessert.
Parker could hear Emily cleaning the dishes they had used, but the smaller woman had given her strict orders to stay in bed and out of the kitchen. She was hoping it really was because Emily wanted her to rest and not because she didn't know what to say after what had happened earlier in the afternoon. Emily cuddled up to her as soon as she had turned out the lights and slipped into a short nightgown.