Chapter 10 #2
Willing to talk about professional future, but not personal. Noted.
“Did you tag me in your gelato picture, or do we need to take a selfie in front of that neon ice cream cone to prove we are in a relationship?” Teddy asked, regaining his wits. He pointed to the photo-op wall on the side of the building.
“Let’s do both. I guess there is no point in being subtle,” she said. “The gossip rags are already having a field day. Did you see the coverage we got last night?”
“No, I haven’t. I try to avoid anything media-related and let it all go through James. Too—”
Avery cut him off. “Too distracting. Of course, I should know that much about you by now,” she added, offering him a small smile of understanding.
“I can guess what the rags will say about us tomorrow, though,” Teddy volunteered, “Teddy Bear sweetens the deal for A-list Avery?”
Avery groaned. “That’s so lame it might work. Or how about, ‘The Latest Scoop on F1’s It Couple?’”
“Is Teddy too Vanilla for Avery’s Rich Taste Buds?” he offered.
She chuckled, feeling a genuine lightness she hadn’t felt in weeks.
The sun was setting, bathing the beautiful old buildings in a golden hour glow, the perfect light for a photo session, reminding Avery that they still had to document their time together.
“Come on, let’s take that selfie,” Avery paused their silly game and pointed to a mural that was clearly painted with Instagram tourists in mind.
Teddy nodded in agreement and followed her to the side of the shop.
“One, two, three, gelato!” Avery said cheerfully, maneuvering the angle of her phone trying to get the artwork and both their faces in the frame.
“Here, I’m taller, let me do it.” Teddy took his phone out of his pocket and held it above them to get the shot. Avery’s internal temperature rose a degree seeing his toned bicep as his arm lightly flexed right in front of her face holding up the camera.
“Has Avery Silver melted Teddy's heart?” she picked up their game right where that left off as soon as Teddy’s phone was back in his pocket.
Teddy and Avery continued to one-up each other with more ridiculous headlines until their gelatos started to melt. Avery dabbed at the tears in the corners of her eyes. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had made her laugh so hard she cried.
“Are you sure you don't want a bite of this before I toss it?” she asked.
“I’m sure,” Teddy said as the gold in his eyes shimmered. He cocked his head, “But I have thoroughly enjoyed watching you devour it.”
A shiver that was both hot and cold raced up Avery’s spine. She smirked back at him, leaning into the moment, as she walked to the nearby garbage can.
What now? Sure, he’d flirted even when it wasn’t strictly necessary. But now that they’d gotten their requisite photos done and finished their gelatos, would he bounce? She knew he had a tight schedule.
“Let’s go sit on that bench?” Teddy suggested.
She exhaled the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding and found seats on the bench in the center of the piazza.
“I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time,” he smiled ear to ear.
Avery’s breath caught. Ohh, so that’s his real smile. It was the first time she’d seen it—it was different than his practiced one—it reached all the way to his eyes, where the corners crinkled.
“I was just thinking the same thing,” Avery returned his genuine smile with her own grin stretched across her face.
“Let’s do this again sometime?” he asked, gently biting his lower lip, as if he was uncertain what her response would be, but hopeful it would be a yes.
She felt her core heat another degree, but she turned her lips into a wry smile, trying to keep the conversation light, to linger in the laughter they shared, “Yes, I think that we will have to do something like this again, since the whole world thinks we are in a hot-and-heavy romantic relationship.”
“Right, of course,” Teddy rubbed the back of his neck, “What I meant to say was, this was fun. I don’t know what I was expecting exactly from our fake dates, but I definitely was not expecting to laugh so hard.”
“Hey!” Avery put her hands on her hips. “I’m offended. Hanging out with me is always a good time! Ask Stacey.” She nodded, “But I get it, I know you were just doing this for the optics. I hope it didn’t ruin you for the race with all this fun and sugar.”
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Avery wished she had leaned into their moment of sincerity instead of making light of it with self-deprecating jokes. She was worth his time, she knew that logically, but she needed her heart to believe it.
“Quite the contrary. I didn’t realize how much I needed to clear my head and take a break, even for an hour or two. I think it might help me focus more this weekend.” Teddy said earnestly, looking straight at her.
She felt a heaviness in her chest as she realized that Teddy’s playful side was so quick to disappear.
She looked up to meet his gaze, searching for the funny guy who had made her laugh until she cried. But he had been tucked away for the day it seemed.
“I’m glad I could help. And I had a good time too,” she said.
He looked at his watch. “I could sit here with you all day, but I have to go record a podcast. Skynews waits for no one.” Teddy looked at her apologetically.
“No need to apologize. I’m here to help you get the job done, remember. But I wouldn’t hate it if the gala happens to come up in conversation during the episode.” No harm in putting it out there.
“I’ll see what I can do,” he said with a wink that accentuated his long, dark lashes. “I’ll see you soon?” he asked, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
Was it her imagination or did Avery see a flash of disappointment on Teddy’s face? Maybe he was equally bummed to see their conversation return to business and racing so quickly.
“Of course, see you at the track.” He gave her a peck on the cheek that left a warm, tingly impression where his lips touched her skin ever so briefly.
Avery watched him go, his steps purposeful and quick as he headed to his engagement – all business. Bringing the conversation back to our arrangement when he mentioned seeing me again didn’t quash our burgeoning friendship, dare I say flirtation, did it? I certainly hope not.
Her wildly disparate feelings tumbled around in her chest, eventually settling in her belly as she stood in the piazza, leaving her a bit queasy.
She was having real doubts about this arrangement.
Given the physical attraction blossoming between them, the transactional nature of their relationship was starting to leave a sour taste in her mouth, quickly replacing the afternoon’s sweetness.
* * *
As soon as Avery got back to her hotel room, she kicked off her boots, flopped down on her bed and leaned back on the fluffy white hotel pillows. Her cheek still tingled where his lips had touched.
She replayed the time she’d just spent with Teddy in her head, over-analyzing everything he’d said.
It’s a date.
I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.
Let’s do this again sometime?
Would he have asked me out on a real date if I hadn’t reminded him of our agreement to spend time together right as we were wrapping up?
She needed to get a second opinion, and luckily one of her best friends happened to be right down the hall. She stood back up and walked to Stacey’s room.
Stacey answered the door after one knock. “What did Teddy order during your ice cream date?” she asked Avery without asking how she was.
“Hello to you too. I’m doing well, thanks for asking,” Avery deadpanned as she gave Stacey a pointed look, eyebrows raised.
“Sorry, sorry. I’m in the middle of planning Teddy’s meals for the weekend, so I need to know what he ate.” Stacey sat back down in front of her computer at the small hotel room desk, poised to enter whatever data Avery was about to give her.
“Your job is weird,” Avery commented, entering the room and resuming her bed flop position, this time on top of Stacey’s covers.
“But, one scoop of sorbet in a cup. Are you free to talk about him in a non-work way, or should I come back later, once you’ve calculated how many glasses of water vs Gatorade he needs to have tomorrow? ”
“Gatorade?! What year is this, 1995?”
“What concoction should I be drinking then?”
“Here,” Stacey pulled a small packet from a caddy on the desk next to her laptop and tossed it to Avery. “Much lower sugar content but has electrolytes and added magnesium. Not enough calories for a driver during the race, but probably good for your needs.”
Avery turned it over, reading the ingredient list. “Got it, thanks.”
“So, I’m assuming you didn’t knock on my door for nutritional supplements,” Stacey raised her eyebrows, revealing lines across her forehead that were not always visible. “What’s up? How did the dates go last night and today?”
Avery paused. Where to start? There’s so much to unpack. “Well, I certainly enjoyed seeing him do his thing at the game, and we had such a good laugh at the gelateria today. Better than any of my recent real dates, in fact.” Her cheeks burned as she said it.
Stacey’s eyes went wide in surprise. “Okay. This sounds like a conversation that requires my full attention.” She got up from her desk and joined her friend, perching on the edge of the bed by Avery’s feet. “Do you wish they were real dates?”
Avery grabbed a pillow and covered her face. Not sure I’m ready to admit this to Stacey, or to myself.
She lowered the pillow, but held it against her chest like it was a little kid’s comfort item. “Maybe? I mean, have I noticed his gorgeous green-brown eyes, and perfectly sculpted torso, the way he looks effortlessly cool in a race suit? Sure, I have. But doesn’t everyone else?”
“Nope. There’s a difference between recognizing his general good looks and swooning. I have never noticed the color of his eyes before,” she grinned at Avery.
“I thought that these dates would be all business-friendly hello, staged photos, and then back to work for both of us. But it feels so natural and comfortable when we are together. And then today I saw a whole new side of him.” Avery paused.
“Go on,” Stacey said, eyebrows raised.
She clutched her emotional support pillow tighter. “He was playful and flirty. We made up this silly game and we couldn’t stop laughing. It was fun.”
“Well, it sounds like you wouldn’t hate it if these were real dates.”
Avery returned the pillow to its face-covering position.
“Why universe? Why of all people, did I have to develop a massive crush on an F1 driver? I wish I knew how he was feeling, though. Just because we are having fun getting to know each other, it doesn’t mean he has changed his mind about dating anyone during the racing season. ”
“I’ll tell you this much, Teddy laughing and being silly is not nothing, Aves.
” Stacey gave her a pointed look, “I’ve only worked with him for a few months, but I do see him nearly every day, and he’s never let his guard down with me like that.
I know plenty of drivers rely on their trainers to be quasi-therapists, but Teddy is always a professional. ”
Avery felt a flutter in her belly. He’s different with me.
Stacey continued, “Why don’t you tell him how you feel? Or make a move?”
“No, definitely not. It would be way, way too awkward if he turned me down! I need to have a working relationship.”
“Suit yourself. I’ll happily watch from the sidelines as you moon over him until you can’t take it anymore.
And you are welcome to hide behind that pillow for as long as you like, but I do need to get back to work, now that we’ve established you are officially crushing on Teddy Ross,” Stacey teased, patting Avery on the knee before standing back up.
Avery sat up and threw the pillow at Stacey. “I’m glad my ridiculous life is entertaining you. I need to get back to work too.” She stood up from the bed and hugged her friend, “Thanks for listening.”
“Of course, what are friends for?” Stacey hugged back. “I’m here anytime you need to talk. We’ll get these feelings sorted out.”
Avery closed the door behind her and put her head in her hands.
How am I supposed to focus on the gala, now?
I can’t stop thinking about Teddy’s real smile and how being on the receiving end of it made me feel like the sun was shining on me.
All she knew was that she’d do almost anything to coax it out of hiding when she saw him next.