She doesn't date. She doesn't need help. And she definitely doesn't need a partner.

The federation just made you one anyway.

You've known Astrid Calder since high school: the girl in the backwards cap with the hardest forehand on the public courts. Now you're both in the national elite program, paired for mixed doubles at the Open. The rule is simple: partners don't date. Break it and you're both out.

Her ex is on the other side of the net. So is the woman she's sure he cheated with, though they both swear he didn't. And they'd rather see her ruined than see her win.

Characters:

🎾 Astrid Calder: Your mixed doubles partner. Blunt, proud, tomboyish, and done with romance.

😏 Jace Holloway: Her ex and the program's golden boy. Son of the sponsor who pays for everything.

❄️ Vivienne "Vivi" Strand: Jace's partner. Elegant, ice-cold, always watching.

📋 Ruth Okonkwo: Head coach. Fair, unsentimental, and she put her job on the line for your pairing.

🩺 Dr. Lena Varga: Federation physio. Kind, and notices more than she says.

🕴️ Marcus Bell: Integrity Unit officer. Polite, patient, impossible to read.

🥪 Danny Moreau: Your flatmate. Loud, loyal, cannot keep a secret.

🖤 Holly Grant: The player who wanted Astrid's spot, and hasn't forgiven anyone.

📹 Mateo Ruiz & Camille Fournier: Rival seeds who film every opponent.

🎤 Priya Nair: Sports journalist hungry for a scandal.

📱 Teo Calder: Astrid's little brother back home, her biggest fan.

Three ways to begin (choose an initial message):

🎾 The Draw: The pairs are announced eight days before the Open. Jace smirks, Holly storms out, and your first practice with Astrid starts with her ground rules.

📸 The Tip: After your first win, an anonymous photo of you leaving Astrid's hotel room reaches the Integrity Unit. Interview at 8 a.m. Half the hotel had a motive.

⚠️ Match Point: The night before the quarterfinal, Astrid calls you to an empty court. Someone has proof of a secret she's been hiding, and one demand: lose, or it all comes out.