He scowls. “She knows it’s only for a few days, and she said it’s okay if I want to see him. That it’s my decision.” He says this last part defiantly, his chin up, and I have a feeling this isn’t all she said. “And that’s what I want.”
“Okay,” I say. “I just want to make sure you’re—”
“Stop. That’s enough, okay? He’s my dad, not yours,” he says, and there’s a heat to his words. “You don’t know what it’s like.”
I know he doesn’t mean it that way, but it still feels like a kick to the stomach, and I drop my eyes to the floor, unable to look at him. Even so I can feel him recoil, equally surprised by what he’s said.
“I’m sorry,” he says quickly. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“It’s fine.”
He sighs. “It’s just…it’s really nice to see him again, you know?”
“I know,” I say, walking over and sitting down beside him. I fall back against the cushions, suddenly weary.
“He wants to come to the boat race on Monday.”
“He’ll still be in town?” I ask, and when Teddy nods I tighten my jaw. “Just be careful, okay? You’ve always been really trusting—it’s one of the best things about you. But now that you have all this money…”
“Honestly, Al. I swear that’s not why he’s here.”
I’m still not sure I can believe this, still not sure I can bend my imagination far enough—or generously enough—to allow for the possibility that he just happened to be in town so soon after the son he hasn’t seen in six years won a hundred and forty million dollars. But pressing the point obviously isn’t getting me anywhere. So I nod.
“Just be careful,” I say again. “You have something that people want now, and a lot of them will be happy to take advantage of you.”
“I know,” he agrees, but I can tell how badly he wants to believe otherwise, how determined he is to refuse this way of thinking.
“Well,” I say, “if he’s planning to come to the boat race, that means we should probably finish building the boat.”
“That might help.”
“All Uncle Jake and I did was draw up the plans and cut the pieces. So this is where you come in.”
“Armed with tape.”
“Exactly.”
“How about we work on it tonight?”
“I can’t,” I say, shaking my head. “I have dinner plans.”
Teddy raises his eyebrows. “With that guy?”
“What guy?” I say, though we both know exactly who he’s talking about.
“The one you were making out with last night,” he says, and though his tone is teasing, there’s something serious in his eyes.
My face goes prickly. I didn’t realize he saw us. “We weren’t making out. He just kissed me good night.”
“That was more than a good-night kiss.”
I sit there for a few seconds, thinking about my kiss withhim,reminding myself that it didn’t mean anything, that he said so himself. I clear my throat, anxious to change the subject. “No, actually, my aunt and uncle are taking us out, if you want to join.”
“How come?”
“Because,” I say with a small smile, “I got into Stanford.”
Teddy half-turns to face me. “You did? And you didn’t tell me?”
