Page 23 of She's the Star

“I’m not saying you can’t wait by the pool. I’m simply saying you might be waiting for a long time.”

Now he puts his hands on his hips, his pose mirroring hers. “Why are you always busting my ass?”

She shrugs, like it’s obvious, but otherwise doesn’t respond.

He sighs and turns his attention to me. “Want to join me by the pool? We can get to know each other.”

I can think of many things I’d like to do more than get to know Teddy Lance, but he is Maddy’s father, so I follow him anyway.

When we get outside, the humidity is off the charts, but the sun is high in the sky, and other than a few puddles, everything is dry. Teddy kicks off his shoes, rolls up his jeans, and sits down at the edge of the pool. Not sure what else to do, I lower myself onto the concrete next to him.

“I love the sun,” he says as he leans back on his hands and tips his face up toward the sky. “And the water.” He swirls it lazily with his feet. “I used to swim. Competitively. When I was a kid.”

He’s making small talk. Or just reminiscing. It’s hard to tell. I can’t quite get a read on him. “That’s cool. I learned how to swim when I was little, but it was always a casual thing for me.”

“I was decent at it. Not amazing, but good enough to compete.” He leans farther back onto his hands, the picture of ease. “What were you good at when you were a kid?”

It’s a pointed question, and it almost feels like a challenge. A challenge I can’t win. I wasn’t a particularly gifted child, so it takes me a second to come up with an answer, and even when I do, it doesn’t make me sound very impressive. “Uhhh…running, I guess.”

“You were fast?”

“Not particularly. But I liked it. I still do.”

“Hmm. I’ve always hated running. Too boring.” He shifts forward and dips his fingers into the water. “It’s funny—I hadn’t been in a pool in years before Maddy was born. It seemed like an easy activity to do with her. And, luckily, she really likes the water, so we go swimming almost every time I come over. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy the peacefulness of it.”

I’m not sure if he’s aware of the swimming lesson debacle, so I don’t mention it. Instead, I say, “Amber did tell me Maddy loves the water, but I haven’t taken her in the pool yet.”

“I’m usually the one to take her in,” he says. “Did she tell you that?” He sounds defensive, and I’m not sure what to do about it, so I simply shake my head. He frowns, then shifts forward even more and drags his fingers through the water. “What did Amber tell you about me?”

“I just started a couple of days ago. She hasn’t…uh…mentioned you. Yet.”

“Of course not.” He exhales and flips water across the pool with the backs of his fingers. It’s a casual move, but it doesn’t mask his disappointment. “But you know about me?”

The easy answer is yes. “You’re Maddy’s father, and you and Amber used to date,” I say carefully.

He snorts and practically folds himself in half so that his arms are submerged to the middle of his biceps. He hasn’t stopped moving since we sat down. Is he nervous?

“You know more about me than that,” he says. “The whole world knows more about me than that. Everyone knows if Amber had to pick a man to father her child, I’d be near the bottom of her list. Maybe even at the bottom. Maddy was a surprise, and if I’m being honest, I still can’t believe Amber let me within twenty feet of her that night in Paris. I fully expected to be rejected when I came onto her.” He sighs. “If she hadn’t gotten pregnant, I think she would have gone back to ignoring me. Once Maddy was born, she decided to tolerate me, but that’s it.”

I can’t believe he revealed those things so bluntly. Does he go around sharing personal, intimate details about himself with everyone? It’s no wonder he’s constantly in the tabloids.

Does he like the scrutiny?

“You visit Maddy regularly?” I ask, desperate to redirect the conversation.

“I do. That’s what I’m trying to explain to you. Amber lets me see Maddy, but only on her terms.” He straightens his legs, and his toes pop out of the water. “She doesn’t trust me.”

“Should she?” I ask, more than a little confused about what response he expects from me.

He laughs outright. “Probably not. I’m not saying she’s wrong— I’m just trying to give you the whole picture. You clearly weren’t prepared to meet me.” He pulls his arms out of the water and stands in a fluid motion. “I trust Amber more than I’ve ever trusted anyone, and I want to make amends with her.” He pulls off his shirt and tosses it onto one of the lounge chairs. “I think I’m going to swim.”

He kicks off his jeans and, without another word, dives into the pool. Then he starts swimming laps like I’m not even there.

I have no interest in watching him, so I rise to my feet and reenter the house. I can’t help wondering exactly what he was trying to explain to me. Or why I’m now so curious about the relationship between him and Amber.

SEVEN

AMBER

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