Page 80 of She's the Star

“Tell us,” I demand.

“It’s uhh…a sex scandal, I guess.” He glances at Teddy. “About an hour ago, someone leaked photographs of Teddy taken in the restroom of a bar in New Orleans with two guys. They’re mostly undressed and clearly hooking up. There isn’t any video—at least not yet—but the pictures are graphic enough to require some strategically placed stickers. It’s enough to distract the gossip rags—and the legitimate press. We’ve already fielded a dozen calls asking for a comment or a statement from you.”

“You’re serious? There are multiple pictures?”

Brian nods again.

It isn’t out of character, but other than the girl who looked like me, Teddy has been discreet since Maddy was born so the timing of these photos is suspicious.

“What do you need from me?” I ask.

“Nothing. Just thought you’d want to know.”

“Thanks.” I stand and walk over to the edge of the pool as Brian heads back into the house and Nolan trails after me.

I put my hands on my hips and Teddy’s smile quickly slides off his face.

“Damn it.” He grimaces, straightens, and stumbles backward until he reaches the opposite side of the pool while Maddy splashes wildly, spraying water into his face. He shakes his head and says, “The pictures weren’t supposed to leak until after I got to Minneapolis.”

“They were taken on purpose?” Nolan asks. He moves closer to me, like he is lending support, which is sweet but unnecessary. I’m not upset. I’m shocked. Teddy said he was sorry about exposing our relationship to Annabelle, but I didn’t expect him to do anything about it.

“I did a shitty thing when I told Annabelle about your relationship. I’m used to people thinking I’m an asshole, but this time, I went too far.” He shifts Maddy so she’s splashing away from him. “How else was I going to distract them other than giving them a juicier story?”

I blink still not fully grasping his plan. “You staged a threesome as a distraction?”

“Staged is a bit of a dramatic interpretation.” He makes a face. “More like planned. And it sounds like it worked. Is the story taking off? Is Brian getting calls? Is everyone talking about me instead of you?”

“I mean, yes, but you didn’t have to do that. We’re weathering things just fine without you orchestrating a scandal.”

“I stressed you out. I forced you to give an interview you didn’t want to give. You want to keep your private life private.” He crosses the pool. “Listen, I know you think I’m a dumbass. I don’t even blame you for it. I’ve wronged you in lots of ways.” He wades closer. “I owe you. More than I can repay. And now I owe Nolan, too.” He shrugs. “It isn’t like I care about a couple of mostly naked pictures.”

“Seriously?”

Teddy shrugs again. “Ultimately, this isn’t a big deal, because let’s face it, getting photographed with two guys isn’t even in the top ten of most shocking things I’ve done. Plus, Clint and Benton are trying to grow their following, so this is free publicity for them.”

I can’t stop myself from asking, “Their following?”

“They make sex tapes and the competition is fierce. They’re doing well, but this will launch them in a big way.”

My mouth drops open. “There’s video?”

“Of course not. We weren’t making a sex tape—I’m not an idiot.” He glances at Nolan, pauses, and then adds, “Not that there is anything wrong with sex tapes. Your dad is actually the one who gave me this idea.”

My jaw drops and Nolan sputters. “He what?”

“He contacted me. I almost died when my assistant told me that Russell Gage wanted to talk to me.” He waves his free hand around. “Anyway, he suggested that sex tapes can be a useful tactic for distraction. I heard what he was saying, and I heard what he wasn’t saying, but it turns out I have limits to what I’m willing to do publicly. At least on purpose.” He grunts. “Not that I’m judging. I just couldn’t go full sex tape when I was sober.”

“I don’t…” Nolan shakes his head. “I’m so sorry. He shouldn’t have done that.”

I take a deep breath. This was a better option than a botched kidnapping, but not by much. Between Russell and Teddy, I’m not sure we’re ever going to get any peace.

“Nothing to be sorry about. The man’s a genius.” Teddy grins and lifts Maddy so I can grab her as he continues, “I’ve been going about this wrong for years. He’s the most popular actor of the past four decades. He has a billion children, a dozen ex-wives, multiple sex tapes, and no one cares. People still love him. Do you know why?” He flings his arms outward. “Because he’s charming. And likable. And he never hides or shies away from who he is.”

Teddy pulls himself out of the pool. “I’m charming and likable, too, but I’ve always pretended like I’m embarrassed about who I am. I’m sick of pretending. I like sex and I’ll absolutely hook up in a bathroom if I can.”

Nolan tips his head down and pinches his nose between his fingers. It’s safe to say he’s annoyed. After my initial surprise, I feel surprisingly calm. Maybe I’m finally becoming numb to Teddy’s particular brand of mayhem.

“Are you mad?” Teddy asks hesitantly, his gaze darting between Nolan and me.

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