Free The Accidental TV Star by Emily Evans

don’t know.”
    Dolores was heading for the front door by now, and Garrett called out to stop her. “Marissa can’t swim. I should teach her, right?”
    Dolores put her hand on her hip and jangled her keys. “You go let Mr. Garrett teach you. You need to know how.”
    I got up. Dolores had kids and, knowing how my mom could lecture, I wanted to head her off. “Okay, okay.” I went to my room to change. I made a quick call to my mom and told her about Scoop Out .
    “Oh, Marissa, I know that seems like a dream come true, but they make those poor contestants appear to be people they aren’t. They’ll label you and you’ll lose yourself, forever known as whatever name they give you. You should come home.”
    “Thanks for the advice, Mom, but I’m going to try this.”
    “My customers have given various crazy opportunities a shot. Things don’t work out. You need a stable secure job back here.”
    I put on my green polka dot bikini, and threw a Trallwyn High T-shirt over the top while listening to her warnings. “Well, I’m going for it, Mom, but I’ll keep what you say in mind.”
    “Okay, and catch that flight home anytime. We’re here waiting for you.”
    “Thanks, Mom.”
    I clicked off and went outside without telling Mom about the swimming. No need to make her worry from a distance. Swimming. Garrett. I couldn’t believe Garrett wanted to help me with this.
     
    ***
     
    Garrett wore a grey T-shirt over his board shorts and he tugged it off as he walked over to the pool. My heart slammed against my chest. I’d seen him without a shirt a million times. I had the poster on my wall, but up close was different.
    “What? Like the view?”
    I loved the view. I loved his brogue.
    “Marissa?” He cocked an eyebrow, waiting for my snarky response.
    Some opportunities in life you can’t miss. I walked over and put my hand on his chest. He was warm, solid. I traced an inch of his skin and then made my hand drop. “You’re warmer than the poster on my wall.”
    His eyes went from shocked to glittery. A flush rose on his cheeks. “Marissa.” This time his accent drew out all the syllables of my name.
    I turned away and walked over to the steps at the shallow end. “Come teach me.”
    He followed me. “You have a poster of me?”
    “Who doesn’t?” I went down three steps and the cool water covered my knees.
    Garrett’s expression turned serious the deeper I went. “You have two options in the water: float or move. You’re too wound up to float, so I’ll teach you to move.”
    “I’m relaxed.” I wanted to flirt with him some more, but I didn’t want to get distracted and drown. I had to calm my pulse and get serious.
    Garrett shook his head and moved in front of me. “Give me your hands.”
    I put mine in his warm strong grip and he walked backwards, leading me in. The water swirled around me, cool and refreshing in the warm California sunshine. He stopped when the water was chest high on me. “Today I want you to learn to tread water and get to the side. Copy me.” He released my hands, backed up a step and waved his arms toward himself in a ‘come to me’ gesture.
    I copied him, pulling the water through my arms, stirring it up like cake batter. “I want to do laps.”
    “We’ll get there. I’m going to hold your upper arms while you kick.” His big hands closed over my upper arms. His fingers brushed my skin. “Soft,” he said, then shook his head and firmed his grip. He held me while I ran in motion under the water. “Good. Why haven’t you learned before?”
    “My mom wouldn’t allow it.”
    “Stop now. Touch the bottom and lean your head back until your ears are under.”
    I straightened until my bare feet found purchase on the rough pool bottom, then leaned back to get my hair wet. I wasn’t nervous about being in the water; I didn’t know if that was because we were still in the shallow end or because this was something I’d done sunbathing. The only thing that made