I had no problem wearing either one out on the ice in front of the world, but I knew that being in a confined space with Ben watching as I tried them on would feel like foreplay. Like I was modeling lingerie for my boyfriend with my chaperones looking on.
“Lucky break, because we’re heading to Quinn’s final fitting on Thursday.” Mel turned to me. “Is it okay with you if they tag along?”
We all knew that the only answer was yes.
“Sure, why not?”
“Perfect,” Ben said with a satisfied nod. He tapped on his phone. “I’ll add that to our schedule for the day. Whew, we’re gonna have a busy week!”
I shifted in my chair but managed to keep my performance smile plastered on my face. As challenging as the background with Ben was, I had the added stress of making the public understand I was in a better place now. That my history didn’t define my future.
That I was a winner andnothingcould bring me down.
“The last thing we need to hash out is the home visit,” Ben said, sliding his eyes to me.
Okay, maybe one thing could.
Chapter Ten
We stood in the rink parking lot debating our food options. The last place I expected to wind up after finishing our schedule for the week was picking a dinner restaurant withThe Scoreteam, but they’d all cajoled me into joining them. Neil mentioned a couple of beef-and-grease spots, but Ben finally suggested our town’s lone vegetarian restaurant, Dalla Terra.
“You don’t eat meat on certain days, right?” Ben asked me.
I never talked about my dietary preferences in the press, so I wasn’t sure how he’d uncovered it. But then I remembered my extended food rant that night in Switzerland. I’d told him things thatno oneknew. It was yet another bit of my soul that I’d sliced off and handed to him, and now I was going to pay for it with cameras watching.
I sidestepped his question. “Dalla Terra is amazing. It’s classic Italian food with a vegetarian twist.”
“You’re speaking my language,” Ben said with a hand over his heart. “My Nona Rossi used to make a killer eggplant parm.”
It was impossible to forget that Ben was a second-generation Italian American, since it came up in almost every interview. Heeven had a tiny Italy flag tattooed on his ankle, the tell in the photo I’d posted of us then quickly deleted. I had a feeling he’d lobbied hard to go to the Games given the location.
“Eh,” Neil grimaced. “Vegetables for dinner? I don’t know...”
“Then go to Burgerville by yourself,” Hailey said a little too forcefully. “It’s not like we can mess with Quinn’s meal planning, you know? And she doesn’t strike me as a loaded tots kind of person.”
“Yeah, you’re free to go wherever,” Ben added. “You can take the rental if Quinn drives us.”
Neil glanced at the three of us. “Okay,fine, I’ll go eat like a bird with the rest of you.”
“No complaining,” Hailey scolded, wagging her finger at him like an old-timey schoolmarm. “I’m not in the mood to listen to you bitch.”
“I don’t complain, I express strong opinions,” he replied. “I’m not allowed to have opinions?”
Ben ignored their bickering. “Where are we parked? I’m starving, let’s go.”
The restaurant was busy, but the minute they spotted Ben they cleared a spot for us that was meant for three. Our knees were inches away from one another’s beneath the rustic table.
“Should we get a couple of bottles of organic wine?” Neil asked as he scanned the drink menu. “Our per diem isn’t even close to maxed out yet. The dollar goes a lot further in rural Colorado than in Manhattan.”
“You guys can, I’m good with water,” Ben replied.
I was happy he’d opted out first, since the rare nights I was able to be social I was usually the one refusing alcohol. Ben’s struggles with drinking had made plenty of headlines over the years. I wondered if him staying dry was part of his plan to get hired, or was ita bigger life directive. Whatever the case, it was a personal decision and I wasn’t about to ask him for details.
Orders were placed, and then it was time for the awkward small talk. I prepared for the spotlight, only to discover that I was going to be a supporting player for the night.
“Whatever happened with that hurdler chick?” Neil asked as he took a massive scoop of sun-dried tomato hummus. “You guys wound up hanging out for a while after you interviewed her for that first trial episode you did, right?”
I could’ve sworn I saw Ben flinch at the question. “Oh, that was nothing.”
