Esteban’s sudden appearance felt like salvation for Ted. More precisely: his approach. The moment Ted saw the man, he immediately jumped to his feet, adjusted his thick, Coke bottle glasses, and started walking toward the pool. He didn’t care one bit why this unwelcome figure was back at the complex yet again, just like he had popped up several times over the past few days. There was only one thing on his mind: Viktoria.
Dajana and Pauline had already left the pool—most likely to pick up their school-aged children. But the German beauty was still there. She lay comfortably on the sun lounger, eyes closed, as if she were just waiting for a brave, clever, razor-sharp man to approach her, seduce her… and take her to bed.
What?!
Ted stopped in his tracks. Take her to bed? And then what exactly? Do nothing? Maybe just undress her and then stare at her longingly? Or maybe not even that—just drool over her like some teenager?
He came to a full stop. He couldn’t get any closer like this. He would definitely end up saying or doing something utterly ridiculous.
From somewhere behind him, as if he were in a soundproof bubble, he could vaguely hear Carlos loudly scraping his chair back, the beer bottle clinking on the glass table, followed by him and Esteban greeting each other with great enthusiasm. It didn’t even occur to Ted to turn around. Half-dazed with excitement, he mechanically stepped across the grass toward the pool. With every step, as his heel touched the ground, a pulsing sensation shot through him—as if he were a rag doll with a spine, being moved forward by some invisible force.
Viktoria sat up in alarm when she noticed Ted marching toward her with such determination. His expression frightened her. She looked around, confused, trying to figure out what could have upset this already unstable man so much. They hadn’t left a mess. There was no water puddled around the pool, no music playing. The three smoothie cups were neatly lined up on the table, ready to be taken home. She didn’t get it. Was it maybe their earlier laughter that had pushed him over the edge?
Ted was just a few steps away from reaching her. Viktoria made up her mind: she didn’t want to find out what had triggered this short-fused man. In one swift motion, she grabbed the cups with four fingers, jumped off the sun lounger, and yanked up the thin beach towel she had been lying on. She slipped on her flip-flops and walked away as fast as she could. Oh, no way! She wasn’t about to subject herself to one of Ted’s outbursts. She hadn’t lost her mind to willingly stick around and hear whatever madness he was about to unload after a perfectly pleasant morning.
“Viktoria,” she heard Ted’s hesitant voice behind her.
The German mother had absolutely no intention of turning around. The fact that his voice was actually quite gentle this time meant nothing. It could easily be a sneaky trap. Ted was capable of anything—especially when he was in the mood to pick a fight. He wouldn’t rest until he provoked a heated argument. He would poke and prod until the other person exploded. And Viktoria had no intention of granting him that satisfaction.
“Hey…” Ted called after her, almost pleading.
Viktoria stopped in her tracks. She took a deep breath and slowly, very reluctantly turned around, making sure to show just how little she wanted to do this. In her mind, she decided: the very first unpleasant word, and she would leave him standing there.
She looked him straight in the eye, almost daring him: Well? What do you want?
“I brought you a cold ginger beer,” Ted said, extending his arm toward her with a goofy grin on his face. “I heard you like it…”