Diving Deep (UK Crush #2)

Chapter 13

"So the place we're going today isn't the house where you grew up?" I asked as we sped along the M25. The beautiful late summer countryside streamed by, illuminating Teddy's face in flashes of sunshine as we passed between stands of trees.

    "No. I was raised in Hounslow. It's a suburb of London." He responded.

    "Oh! That's where Bend It Like Beckham was set," I exclaimed with a smile. "Love that movie!"

    "You should be on Jeopardy!," Teddy commented with a smile.

    "Yeah, but those pesky sports and science questions would slay me," I responded. "It's not all movies and music questions on that show. Besides, they don't have Jeopardy! in England, only in America."

    "We'll be in America next year, when you're going to Hamilton," he responded. "Remember?"

    "Dude, I have to get in first! Don't jinx me. I'm terrified," I admitted.

    "No need," he said, flashing a smile my way. "I watched your YouTube videos, and you are spectacular, my darling. Getting that scholarship won't be a problem for you."

    I looked over at him. "You watched my YouTube videos? Which ones?"

    "All of them." He smiled at me again.

    "All of them?" I repeated. "There must be dozens. My piano teacher, Mr. Steinmetz, was crazy about videotaping us and putting the clips on YouTube. I think he put up everything I did from when I was, like, nine, until I left for college when I was sixteen!"

    "Yup. In the early ones you couldn't even reach the pedals. You were absolutely adorable," Teddy said, wrinkling his nose at me.

    "It's a little embarrassing. I really should ask if he'd take them down," I said, looking out the window. Teddy just shook his head at me.

    "So what's the name of where we're going today?" I asked, changing the subject.

    "Well, it's in Hertfordshire," he said. "The actual name of the village wouldn't mean anything, the house is way out in the country. It's the only thing they'd let me buy for them, so I really made it count. At first they weren't going to let me even buy them the house, but I insisted, and they finally agreed after I told them to think of it as an investment in their retirement." He smiled. "And we have a pretty large family, in spite of the fact I'm an only child, so it's a nice place for everyone to gather. Plus, it has a rather large in ground pool, which is pretty rare for England, so it's really a lot of fun for the little ones. And on a scorcher like today a lot of adults will probably be enjoying it too. Did you bring your suit?"

    "Of course, I never pass up a chance to swim." I gave him a sideways look. "What would you say if I told you I brought the yellow bikini?"

    He quickly glanced over at me. "Really?" He swallowed. "That's fine. I mean, there's nothing wrong with it. I bought it so you could wear it, you know--"

    I had to take him off the hook. "I'm kidding. I have tons of suits. I'd never wear that to a family gathering, especially to one where I'm meeting your people for the first time."

    He looked over at me again. "So, um, what suit did you bring, then? The blue tankini?"

    I shook my head. "As you pointed out to me the first time you saw it, it's just as revealing, though in a whole different way. Not the message I want to send to your family. I have some bikinis that aren't very revealing, if you can believe it, not very cleavage-y, quite sedate, actually, but will allow me to get some color, so I'm not quite so pasty looking."

    Teddy leaned toward me, being careful to keep an eye on the road. He tilted his head, indicating that I should move toward him. I leaned as far as my seat belt would allow, but apparently it still wasn't far enough. "Sod it," he finally said, and pulled over with a squeal of tires. He unbuckled his seatbelt and pretty much lunged across the center console to grab me and give me a huge, happy kiss, cheerful noises and all, ending with a joyful laugh against my mouth which made me laugh too as I held the back of his head.

    "What was that for?" I asked as he sat back, buckled up and put the car in gear. He looked over and smiled at me, as happy as I'd ever seen him. He shrugged.

    "I don't know," he said helplessly. "Do I need a reason? I'm just so incredibly happy.

    "Oh, and you don't look pasty, which sounds nasty. Don't ever say that. Your skin is the most gorgeous, perfect color ever invented by a benevolent deity. It just glows."

    "Well, thank you," I said, not knowing what else to say. I knew I was still awkward about compliments. The Japanese in me still had a knee jerk reaction to them, to automatically want to deny them and denigrate myself. There had to be a graceful, happy medium, I just hadn't found it yet.

    Thirty minutes later found us pulling into a circular gravel driveway already filled with cars, a driveway fronting a beautiful house which fell just short of being called a mansion by being old and ivy-covered, by looking cozy and homey rather than grand and ostentatious.

    "Teddy, this is gorgeous! Absolutely stunning." I turned to him. "I was afraid it was going to be one of those modern white monstrosities that was all angles and columns, and I was going to have to admire it and make up things to like about it." I grabbed his hand and kissed it. "I should've known you wouldn't let me down."

    "I'm so glad you like it," he said, kissing my hand back. "I should've known you wouldn't let me down by wanting it to be one of those white, angular monstrosities," he said, smiling at me. "Ready?"

    I took a deep breath. "Now that we're here, I'm kind of nervous. What if they hate me? We're going to be here for four whole days, right? That's a long time for people to judge me."

    He got out of his side and came over to open my door, reaching for my hand and pulling me out. He shut the door and leaned on me, pushing me up against the car, and kissed me, hard, right in the middle of the driveway where anyone looking could see.

    "They're going to love you," he said softly, kissing my nose. "You're perfect, and I'll personally beat the shit out of anyone who says any different, I don't care if we are related by blood." He grinned at me. "Kidding," he said. "They're all very nice people, even weird Uncle Kenneth." He went to get the bags out of the trunk.