Free Break Point by Danielle LaBue

compete.”
    Summer likened Leslie’s taunting to a well-placed drop shot in the middle of high-paced tennis match. Her words hung there, begging to be slammed back in her face. Fortunately Summer was known for her incredible timing and strategy, and she liked to believe she was just as adept in a verbal show down as any on the tennis court. The key was outsmarting the opponent.
    Jake patted Summer on the shoulder as he looked over at Leslie. “You should really see her play. I don’t know much about tennis but I know enough to recognize an amazing athlete when I see one.”
    “Well at least you’re good at something.” Leslie shook her head in disgust. “I feel sorry for you, Summer. Very tragic.”
    And there it was, the ball looming in front of her waiting for a wallop. Squaring her shoulders, she tossed her long ponytail behind her. “I don’t know Leslie. I don’t think it’s any more tragic than your moustache.”
    Winner.
    Jake snagged the five dollar bill from the table and held it up in front of her. “Summer, what happened to the music? I thought you were in charge of that.”
    Summer pushed herself up from the chair and snagged the money from his hand. “I’ll be at the juke box, if anyone needs me,” she informed. “And if I don’t see you again, Leslie. Have a safe broom ride home.” She tucked the bill into her cleavage because she thought it was a cool thing to do.
    A fist pu mp would have been too obvious.
    ***
    “Well, isn’t she a little tart.” Leslie declared. “You like her, don’t you?”
    Jake and every other man in the room watched as Summer squeezed her way through the crowd. “She’s nice enough. Was it necessary to be so mean?”
    She shrugged. “Probably not, but I think Al’s worried about the two of you.”
    He turned back to Leslie, lowering his voice as he leaned across the table. “Why would he be worried? He’s the bad guy. I’m supposed to worry about him.”
    “That’s not what I mean,” she replied, a devious smile on her face. “There is a lot of down time in twenty-four hours, and everyone knows how you like to stay occupied.”
    Leslie loved to tease him about his sex drive, a subject she knew a fair amount about. He didn’t mind. It was nice to joke and let his guard down a moment with the one person he knew he could trust. “I’m worried about you, Leslie. He doesn’t suspect anything does he?”
    “I probably wouldn’t be sitting here if he did.” She touched the rim of her glass with her finger. “I actually think him knowing I’m with the FBI works in our favor. I’ve got him thinking I’m the queen of insider trading. He trusts me for now. And as far as I can tell, he trusts you too.”
    “Only took three years.” Jake replied. “By the way, I see Diggs and Barker at the bar. Two hours from the Tampa field office seems a long way to come for a beer.”
    “You know how they love to get out from behind their desks.”
    “They’re checking in on me.”
    “They’re backing you up.” she corrected. “Who knows what could happen on a night out with Al.”
    She was right. He could use all the help he could get.
    “You’ve done a great job so far,” she said. “You made a heartless cretin feel sorry for you. I think he actually feels bad he ended your career.”
    “Not as bad as I feel.” He finished the rest of his beer in one gulp. There was something about talking of his former life that begged him to pickle himself in alcohol. But his misery was the exact reason why he was inspired to follow his other dream. He finished school, earning a PhD in five years and became one of the most respected consultants in organized crime in the country. Some orders had come from the White House itself. Now his sights were square on Big Al. “Thank you for going out on a limb for me. Shel.”
    “You think she knows more than she’s saying?”
    Jake followed Leslie’s gaze across the bar to where Summer stood next to her father. “I