I felt like I was on a boat, fighting to keep focused on the horizon so I didn’t get seasick, because the way he said it made me want to believe him. But I knew better. I had to stay vigilant, because Ben had figured out how to make me feel at ease, and I wasn’t about to open up and let him pick through my brain again. Getting me to confess to my traumas on camera would all but guarantee a juicy show, which was exactly what he needed.
“I want to point out that we currently have that interview scheduled for theendof the week,” Neil said.
Ben nodded. “That’s not normal, I get it. Listen, I’ve been the subject of what feels like thousands of these types of interviews, so doing it this way makes sense to me. The interviewer and the subject are in a much better place for intimacy after spending time together doing all the other stuff.”
Ben caught me frowning at the word “intimacy.”
“Remember, Quinn and I have a lot to cover,” he added. “We’re basically strangers.”
He shot me a pointed look.
“But you did some research, right?” Mel asked hopefully.
Ben gave her his get-out-of-jail-free smile, which if the TMZ reports were accurate, was something that occasionally worked on the men and women in blue.
“Sure, something like that.”
Mel glanced at me and we shared a moment of worry.
“Are you guys going to talk about that photo that leaked from the last Olympics? The hugging one?” Hailey asked. “I’m sure people want to know the details.”
Ben laughed. “Nothing to tell. We were at a, uh, gathering of athletes outside in the dark and this one tripped. I grabbed her andkept her from face-planting, that’s it. Now, would I also add that perhaps Miss Albright drank a few too many Feldschlösschens that night? Not on the record, I wouldn’t. But if that’s implied...” He shrugged adorably.
Neil and Hailey laughed, but Mel didn’t. She knew I hated beer. I appreciated that Ben was putting distance between us, but I needed to pull him aside and tell him not to fictionalize my life if he was going to be so careless about the details. A gold medal winner overdrinking was just celebrating. A loser doing the same thing was drowning her sorrows.
“Can we finalize the rest of the schedule?” I asked, glancing around the table. “I want to make sure that my training isn’t interrupted, but I also understand that you guys have shots you need to get.”
“Right, let’s dive into the specifics,” Ben said as he pulled out his phone. “Okay, so we’re going to be doing a tour of the arena with you, like a behind-the-scenes look at a day in the life that our viewers eat up. Mel forwarded us a list of folks here at the rink who we can interview. Easy stuff, I think we can grab that on Tuesday after you finish your morning practice.” Ben paused to look at Neil. “Make sure you add the Zamboni guy, Frank, to the list. I met him this morning and he’s a trip.”
Neil nodded toward Hailey. “Write that down.”
Her face went crimson at his bossy tone.Oof. The week was shaping up to have plenty of minefields.
“We’ll obviously want to record a few practice sessions,” Ben continued. “Do you have a preference which day?”
“Never?” I said with a laugh, even though I meant it.
“I was thinking we could do it later in the week as well. I’d also like to chat out on the ice, after your session is over.” He pointed atNeil. “The good news is this one played hockey for the Buckeyes, so we can get up close and personal out there.”
“Not too close, I hope,” I joked.
Not that it mattered. I was used to camera angles so close that they captured the hairs in my nose.
“Please, you’re perfect,” Hailey said as her eyes traced around my face. “Do you evenhavepores?”
There were a few topics I hated discussing on the record, and the way I looked was one of them. I noticed that reporters never asked the handsome male skaters about their skincare routines, or if their fellow skaters got jealous about the attention they received. Stars on the red carpet were starting to push back on those types of questions, but I wasn’t in a position to make waves. While my mom considered her beauty the be-all and end-all, I preferred to focus on my skills.
“Ha, give my primer all the credit,” I finally answered.
By this time of day I knew that most of my makeup had all rubbed off. For everything that my mom had stolen from me over the years, from my self-confidence to a positive body image, I would always credit her for my clear skin and symmetrical features.
“Kim said something about going to a dance class, and the gym with Quinn, and a costume fitting as well?” Mel asked, bringing us back to the topic up for debate.
Ben nodded. “Yup, I know the gym session is an easy get, but what about the costume stuff?”
Mel and I exchanged a look, because my costumes were currently getting tweaked. We’d made a few adjustments to my short program costume thanks to unofficial feedback from judges during Nationals, who seemed scandalized by my new selections.
I’d spent my early career skating in long sleeves and flutteryskirts that hit below my butt, in various shades of pink, white, yellow, and baby blue. This time around I was as close to naked as the rules allowed, with flesh-colored illusion mesh and crystals doing the heavy lifting to keep my kibbles and bits covered. My “Bulletproof” costume was black with fierce oxblood accents that looked like it had shattered onto me, and my “Movement” one was a gold number that seemed like it was fighting to cling to my body as I performed. I’d always be a shiny girlie for competitions, so the Swarovski gems were still in full effect on both costumes.
