I watch his eyelashes as they flutter closed, and then mine do the same thing. And then he’s kissing me. His lips barely brush against mine. My cheek is burning beneath his fingertips. I press my hand to his crisp button-up shirt, my fingers flattening on his chest even though I desperately want to grab him and pull him closer to me. But I’m frozen. Clay Summers is kissing me and we both know this is a really bad idea.
But as he pulls away a few seconds later, it feels like the greatest idea anyone has ever had.
Chapter 17
The room is hot from the professional studio lighting they’ve brought in here to make the place bright enough for film. I hate wearing these long sleeved shirts, but I hate having the lights in my face even more. As soon as I step back into the room, dazed and a little tipsy from that kiss, I’m ushered past people and onto the little stage that’s been set up.
There’s one red armchair for the host and then a long black leather couch for the five of us. It’s weird having Keanna here, but I guess Team Loco’s fans have embraced her as part of the group. This is a pretty impressive setup, with a fake stage and backdrop that looks like a window that overlooks Los Angeles even though we’re in Vegas. I think this is supposed to be for an online website YouTube thing, but they’ve put so much money into this filming that you’d think they were ESPN or something.
A woman with her hair in a bun and a clipboard is rushing around making sure everything is ready. The host of the show, Meghan Hart, flutters into the room all dolled up like she’s ready for the runway instead of the interview stage. Meghan Hart is pretty famous in the motocross world. She started out interviewing racers at her local track when she was a teenager, and then because of her good looks and skill she got picked up by the supercross world. She travels to all of the races just like we do, and she interviews people on camera. Now, I guess she also works for this magazine.
“Hey, guys,” Meghan says. “It’s so great to have you all here.” She shakes everyone’s hand before sitting down in her red chair. I wonder how someone can be so chipper all the time.
The clipboard lady holds up her hand and counts down from three, two, one. Now we’re rolling.
Meghan really is good at her job. She introduces everyone and she talks about the Team Loco training camp initiative, then she spends some time on Keanna. I can tell Keanna is nervous but she does a great job. To anyone watching, she’ll probably look confident and happy. Only the people closest to her can tell that her voice is a little higher pitched than usual, and that she’s sitting straighter than she normally does.
I don’t really get nervous for these things anymore. It is a little intimidating being in front of those massive professional cameras. Doing random Instagram live videos on Jett’s cell phone is a lot easier to handle, but I’ve grown used to it by now. I just can’t stand being asked the same inane questions. How did you get started in motocross? How do you train? What’s your diet and workout routine like?
Who cares? All of that stuff can be found out online yet people always want to ask it in interviews.
I try to smile like Marcus wants me to, and I answer my questions with friendly comments instead of sarcastic ones like I’d prefer. In the back of the room, behind the cameraman and the producers, I can see Marcus standing there, arms folded over his chest, looking both proud and nervous. He’s like the surrogate father of all of us on Team Loco, even though he doesn’t have any biological kids of his own.
Avery stands next to him. She’s twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. I’ve never seen her do that. Normally she’s focused on me, like a hawk planning to attack, when I’m in the middle of an interview. I know her job depends on keeping me in line, so she’s always worried about what I’ll do that might make her life harder. But now, it’s like she’s not even in the room. She’s off in her own world right now, and desperately wish I was in that world, too. But I know I can’t be.
It was stupid, kissing her like that.
Stupid, stupid.
“Speaking of girlfriends,” Meghan Hart says, her voice getting all flirty. “Clay, you are now the only single man of Team Loco.”
I’m pulled back into the moment when I hear my name mentioned. Meghan is watching me, waiting for a reply. I shrug. “I suppose that’s true.”
“Are there any lucky girls in your life right now?”
I glance at Avery. Her lips press into a thin line. It’s like she’s mentally telling me to keep my mouth shut. I turn to Meghan. “Nah. I don’t need a girlfriend.”
“What?” Meghan says, putting a hand to her chest. “Why not? The guys here seem to be so much happier with their girlfriends.”
I shrug. “My life is motocross. I don’t need anything messing that up.”
“Okay, okay,” Meghan says with a laugh. She turns to face the camera. “There you have it, ladies. Clay Summers is single and plans to stay that way.”
I glance back toward Avery, just in time to see her turn and walk out of the room. Shit. I didn’t make her mad, did I? What was I supposed to say on this stupid interview?No, I’m single but there’s a girl I want but I can’t possibly date her?
Maybe she wasn’t mad, I tell myself as Meghan wraps up the interview and the cameras turn off. Maybe she just had to go do something else and that’s why she left.
A stagehand comes up and takes off the mic packs that were clipped to our clothing and Meghan chats with Keanna a bit more.
“It’s annoying how they focus so much on our personal lives,” Aiden says. “Why can’t it just be about the motocross?”
“Tell me about it,” I say, shaking my head.
We’re cleared to go back to our hotel rooms, and I grab some snacks from the food table and tuck a soda under my arm. I want to find Avery and make sure she’s not mad at me. I also need a nap.
“Hey there,” a familiar voice says as from behind me. I turn and see Meghan Hart smiling brightly up at me. She must be wearing an entire Sephora full of makeup. Without the stage lights, she looks really weird and plastic.
“Hi,” I say, popping a grape in my mouth.
