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But I knowexactlywho it is long before I look up.
Teddy is glancing around the suite, at the plush rugs and the velvet couch and the gilded frames of the paintings. It gives me a chance to study him. He chose to travel in comfort—basketball shorts, sneakers, and a cotton T-shirt. His short brown hair is tousled, like he’s been running a hand through it. A duffel bag is slung over one shoulder, and he’s rolling a suitcase behind him.
Something swoops in my stomach when we make eye contact.
I stand and offer him a smile. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“You’re here.”
“Yep.” The corners of his eyes crinkle.
“Flight was okay?”
“Yeah, we just had the one crash.”
I roll my eyes. Guess I’m the only uncertain one in the room. Teddy looks completely at ease.
“Great.”
Suzan stands. “Nice to see you again, Teddy.”
“You too. Suzan, right?”
My manager nods. “I’ve got your room key right here. Hannah dropped it off earlier.” She shuffles through some papers on the table, then procures a plastic rectangle that she hands to him. “It’s 617, just down the hall.”
“Thanks. I guess I’ll go get settled.” He gives Suzan a smile, and she nods. Then, Teddy glances at me. “As long as that’s good with you, boss.”
I don’t quite manage to bury the smile that wants to appear. Just like the question I shouldn’t say, but it leaps out. “Do you want to go get dinner? Once you’re settled?”
“Yeah. Sure. I’ll meet you out in the hall? In thirty?”
“Okay,” I agree.
He smiles before he leaves.
“Interesting,” Suzan muses as the door shuts behind Teddy. “Did you and Devon go out to dinner often?”
I give her a flat stare in response. “We’re good for the night, right?”
“Yes.” She gathers up the papers and folders on the table, preparing to head to her room. “Hannah will be by in the morning. You have a photo shoot for that German magazine at ten.”
“Got it.”
“Do you want me to arrange anything for your dinner plans?”
“No, I’ll handle it.”
“All right.” Suzan hesitates, hands filled with schedules and forms and plans. But she leaves without saying anything else.
I head into the adjoining room to shower, then am faced with the dilemma of what to wear. My costumes for performances and dresses meant for press appearances are obviously out. Aside from those, I spend most of my time on tour in some variation of leggings and sweatshirts.
This isnota date, and I definitely don’t want Teddy to think I consider it one. He has a girlfriend. I have no idea if he knows I’m supposedly dating Kyle, since it didn’t come up during my trip to Brookfield.
Even if we were both single, it wouldn’t matter. The way Teddy affects me might not have changed, but neither have the reasons we didn’t work eight years ago.
Ellie doesn’t follow my career. I could probably get through this whole tour without her hearing about my new guitarist. I’m a solo act—everyone else onstage is there to make me shine. But I need to tell her. I just have to figure out how. Not doing so would make this feel wrong. Both my dad and Lily know Teddy is a sore subject for Ellie; neither of them will tell her he’s here.
