Chapter 20
twenty
MAYAKOBA, MEXICO
The boat came to a stop at a polished wooden dock that gleamed in the sunshine.
“Welcome to paradise,” a uniformed butler announced as he helped Avery off the boat and onto the dock. Teddy followed behind her, his white linen shirt still looking fresh and unwrinkled despite a two-hour flight.
James, next to disembark, whistled as he lifted his sunglasses on top of his head and looked admiringly at their pristine pool deck.
“Not too shabby. This will definitely do for a few days.” He held out his fist to give Stacy a fist bump as she hopped off the boat onto the dock with her usual pep, her blonde hair pulled up into a high ponytail.
“If you’ll follow me,” the butler gestured to the villa looming ahead, past the sparkling pool, row of four lounge chairs outfitted with sumptuous pool towels, and an ice bucket containing topo chicos and cervezas ready to be enjoyed.
All of her family vacations had basically been a variation on this theme: tropical beach, private villa, staff to attend to your every need.
But as she looked around at her travel companions, Avery realized that they weren’t jaded like her, and were very much impressed by the set-up.
She swallowed away the speck of guilt she felt in her throat about how she grew up compared to her travel companions.
The four of them followed the butler into an expansive kitchen and dining area.
“Chef Matteo prepared his signature guacamole along with ceviche. Please enjoy while we bring in the luggage.”
Avery wasted no time, helping herself to a healthy serving of ceviche on a fresh tortilla chip. The fresh fish, tangy citrus, and salt tasted like heaven. Like vacation.
“Excuse me, which bags would you like in which bedroom?” the butler asked, re-entering the kitchen with a rolling luggage cart.
Avery coughed in surprise, nearly choking on a chip. She’d been so wrapped up in Teddy, and then in rearranging her travel plans to come on this trip that bedroom arrangements hadn’t even crossed her mind.
Stacey knew they’d spent the night together after Cody’s party. But, James, on the other hand, was still in the dark.
Sweat pooled at the base of her spine. Would Teddy want James to know they had hooked up?
Does Teddy want to share a room with me?
She kicked herself for not thinking about this earlier.
Avery looked over at Teddy, her eyes wide. It was his call, since he was the one footing the bill for the week.
“I’ll take the primary suite downstairs. You can put my black suitcase in there,” Teddy said authoritatively. “The blue one can go in the other bedroom down here on this floor and the rest go upstairs.”
The “blue one” was hers.
Avery felt her heart shrink two sizes, but tried not to let it show on her face.
So, we won’t share a room. Maybe the other night was a one-time thing for him? Or maybe he’s worried about what James will think? Or maybe he figured I needed some private space to work in during the week? I did tell him I was going to work remotely while we’re here.
Or maybe there isn’t much closet space in the primary suite?
Well, that last one is a stretch.
He had put her in the room next to his, a whole flight of stairs away from James’ and Stacey’s upstairs. That has to count for something. Perhaps the proximity was so that they could easily have a discreet late-night rendezvous.
“I’m going upstairs to claim the best room, sorry not sorry James, and change into my swimsuit while you guys stuff your faces like you’ve never seen an avocado before,” Stacey teased.
Avery shrugged. Teddy looked up at his trainer from where he was hovering over the guacamole bowl, like a school boy who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
He scratched his face. “Guilty as charged.”
There was a chip crumb on the corner of Teddy’s bottom lip, right next to his scar. She resisted the urge to go over and wipe it away with her thumb, or better yet, wipe it away with her tongue.
“Teddy, only a couple more of those,” Stacey wagged her finger at him. “We can go over the work-out and nutrition plan for the week after dinner tonight. Don’t worry I’ve accounted for a couple of cheat meals.”
“You got it, coach,” he nodded. “Ok, team, you heard the woman. This afternoon is for relaxation. Bathing suits on. I want to check out the beach club.”
“Good call. I hear it’s insane,” James said and he trotted up the stairs after Stacey, leaving Avery alone with Teddy in the kitchen.
She could try to have a conversation with Teddy now to get on the same page about how they wanted to play things in front of Stacey and James.
She wanted to be honest, but also come off as confident and not too needy.
She needed to protect herself so that even if Teddy wasn’t interested in a repeat of their night in Austin, they could make it through the rest of the season amicably.
The idea of his rejection stung, but it would be better to know now than fall any harder for him.
However, before she formed the words in her mouth, Teddy’s phone rang.
“This is Teddy,” he answered the call. Brandon, he mouthed silently to her. “Yes, I have a minute,” he walked into his bedroom and closed the door.
I guess I’ll go change into my swimsuit too. She headed for her own, solo, bedroom.
* * *
Avery relaxed on the most comfortable daybed she had ever lounged on.
Maybe she’d close her eyes and let herself take a little cat-nap in the sunshine.
James had snapped the obligatory photo of Avery and Teddy under a neon sign that read “Manana trabajo, hoy aquí me quedo” or “Tomorrow I work, today I stay here.” James had done it as soon they’d walked into the beach club and posted it, fulfilling their fake dating obligations for the day.
The constant documenting of their time together was beginning to get on her nerves.
She didn’t say yes to this trip because of the opportunity to sell their fake relationship.
I did it for the chance to get to know Teddy, to blow-off some steam.
Were the fans entitled to know where and how Teddy spent his week off?
She’d never felt quite this level of interest and fame before.
It gave her a whole new appreciation for Travis Kelce.
At least with the photo behind them, the whole crew could take advantage of the rest of the afternoon in the sun.
They started with a mezcal tasting at the bar, leaving Avery with the humming of a light buzz.
She wasn’t drunk, but the alcohol was helping the tension in her shoulders melt away.
Though her body was in paradise, her mind was still working, making a mental to-do list for the gala.
Even in vacation mode, she wasn’t one to totally forget her responsibilities.
“Fresh coconut?” Avery’s thoughts were interrupted by a server in an off-white linen uniform offering her a coconut with a straw.
“We’ll take two please,” Stacey, who was lying next to her on an identical lounge chair, answered for both of them.
“Shot of rum with that, ladies?” the server offered.
“No, gracias,” Stacey answered first
“Wait, I will take the rum,” Avery interjected. Maybe another drink would push the remaining nagging work thoughts from her brain.
Stacey looked at her. “Good for you, girlfriend. It really doesn’t get any better than this,” she shrugged, “You do you.”
“It certainly doesn’t suck,” Avery said, lifting her giant coconut up for a toast.
Their coconuts made a satisfying thunk sound as they touched.
“Now that I have you alone-ish, it’s time to Spill. The. Beans,” Stacey demanded. “You hooked up with Teddy! I need to know EVERYTHING. Just don’t get too graphic. I still have to work with him.”
Avery thought back to her night with Teddy—the ticklish sensation as he kissed her ever-so-lightly on the inside of her thighs, the way his hair fell forward when he was above her.
Want pulsed through her at the memories.
Ya, that’s exactly the stuff Stacey doesn’t want to know.
She smiled, keeping those wanton scenes to herself was its own kind of secret pleasure.
“Gaaah, it was amazing. Like SO good. The perfect night. And then…” Avery paused, her heart sinking.
She looked toward Teddy, who was standing in the water in one of the club’s four rectangular pools on the sand facing the ocean while he chatted with James.
She yearned for him, but not only physically.
She craved to get in his brain too, to know whether his resistance to a real girlfriend was still there.
How could she explain that to Stacey, her fun-loving, live-in-the-moment friend?
“And then he invited you to come on a week-long luxury trip to Mexico?” Stacey teased. “How concerning for you.”
Avery swatted Stacey on the arm. She didn’t quite have the words to describe how her feelings for Teddy were evolving, her concern that he didn’t feel the same way. Stacey wouldn’t relate to the fraught internal conversation that Avery had been having with herself for the last two days.
“Joking aside, what are you overthinking?” Stacey’s eyes softened.
“You know me too well,” Avery admitted. She sat up, ready to dive in and over-analyze the status of her romantic relationship with her main confidante.
“I’m confused about where things are going.
I thought our night together was damn near perfect, and the start of something real.
But the next morning, Teddy immediately brought up promoting the gala, and then he was so sure about us having separate rooms when we got here.
..” she knew she was talking fast, but couldn’t bring herself to slow down.
“…at the beach, he took a picture with me for social media and then went off to the pool with James.”
“That is a lot. Try to relax. Take another sip of that drink,” Stacey directed her.
Avery complied and tried to focus on the milky, sweet taste of the coconut before swallowing it down.
“First of all, why are you letting him call all the shots? If you want him, Aves, go for it. If you want to sleep in his room, tell him. You’re not going to get anywhere by being too afraid to ask for what you want,” Stacey lectured.
Avery nodded. Easier said than done.
“And don’t forget, none of us are totally on vacation this week, including Teddy,” Stacey added. “We are still mid-season. So maybe he wanted to make sure he didn’t have to wake you up if he has to get up early. Maybe he is being considerate.”
“That’s all logical,” Avery admitted. “But I just never imagined this scenario, and I still can’t believe I’m here. I’ve never done anything like this before. I don’t quite feel like myself - abandoning my responsibilities as soon as some guy asked me to. I want to know where this is all going.”
Avery looked over at Teddy and James again. A bachelorette party had joined them in the pool, the women’s voices louder than necessary, clearly trying to get the guys’ attention. Avery rolled her eyes. If only those girls knew how much Teddy loathed that type of attention.
As she expected, Teddy quickly removed himself from the situation, stepping out of the pool and wrapping a towel around his waist. She couldn’t believe that only two nights ago she’d seen what was beneath that towel.
Avery stared at his bare torso, his pro-athlete perfect physique stirring her body to life.
He’s so hot, and he’s mine – sort of. She felt her heart swell with something between pride and admiration.
Sure, she knew he might just be escaping the admiring gaggle of flirty girls.
But also, he hadn’t been faking it in bed.
So maybe his disinterest in a bunch of bikini-clad women had something to do with her? Crazier things have happened.
Teddy walked in her direction, still soaking wet.
She scooted over to make room for him and patted the empty space beside her.
He winked at her, picking up his pace. But before he sat down, he leaned over her, pool water dripping from his body and kissed her on the lips.
A deep, romantic kiss. Avery lifted her chin toward him, opening her mouth for his tongue.
There, that’s better. It didn’t feel like he was putting on a show for admiring fans. Maybe, Stacey was right. She could just lean into the moment and not overthink it.
“Well, hello to you too,” she said, smiling at him.
He plopped down next to her where she had made space for him. She rested her head on his shoulder, letting the sides of their bodies gently touch all the way down to their bare, sandy toes.
“Are you having fun?” Teddy asked her.
“Yes, thank you for inviting me. I haven’t felt this relaxed in a very long time. It feels like playing hooky from school. Except a more adult version.”
Teddy laughed. “Good, that’s what I wanted you to say.
I hope Stacey and James are having fun too,” he continued, “I’ve always wanted to be in a position where I could afford to take my team on a trip like this during an off-week.
To thank them for their hard work. Normally when we’re between races and don’t have time to go home, they just hole up at a Marriott. ”
“You should feel very proud of yourself, Teddy.” She pointed at James, who was still in the pool flirting with a blonde from the bachelorette party.
She laughed at everything he said and touched his arm.
“I think it’s safe to say James is having a good time.
And look, even Stacey is still for a moment. I think that’s her version of relaxed.”
Teddy chuckled. “I have to admit, Avery, it feels quite good to be where I am in my career. I’m finally getting somewhere. A win feels within reach if I just give it everything I’ve got.”
She reached out and took his hand. “I think a win is possible. And I’m not just saying that because I’m totally biased, which I am, of course.
But I’ve been around this team since I was a little girl, and this year, and this driver,” she squeezed his hand, “feel special.” If only I could live in the moment and let go of the nagging desire to define our relationship beyond our agreement.