“Why does it matter?” Ben scowled.
Rather than retreating I decided that it wasmyturn to be the interviewer.
“Why are you being so defensive about a simple question?”
I could tell he was trying to lose me, moving into his crouched skating position and picking up speed. But he was at a disadvantage in regular skates. I had no problem keeping up with him.
“Because my life is an open book. You know aboutDancing with the Stars,and my stupid reality show. You’ve seen my billboards for Powerade and Toyota. I’m financially stable, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
I shook my head. “Nope, I don’t care about your bank account. I’m talking about how youliterallyfill your days. Do you even skate anymore?”
Ben’s brow furrowed a little more deeply. “Not as much as I’d like.”
“Okay, so like... you wake up and then you...” I rolled my hand in front of me to encourage him to fill in the details.
Something switched on in him, and I watched him unfurl and then recenter himself like he was getting ready to deliver a talking point on camera. “I hustle. That’s what I do. Okay?”
Mr. Sunshine was really good at keeping his mask on. As much as I wanted to continue chipping away at his walls, I figured I should return the favor and respect his boundaries.
We skated side by side with just the sounds of our blades on the ice filling the silence, until I pulled out my phone to tap into the rink speakers. Loud music would kill the confusing vibes in the air. I scrolled through a few songs that echoed around the rink.
“Hey, can you playMy Heart Will Go On?” Ben called after me.
I made a face as I spun around to him. “Um,no?”
“Come on. You got a problem with Celine?”
“Of course not, she’suhmazing.” I said it with her dramatic accent and hand gesture. “But I’msosick of it since someone always skates to it. That song,Carmen,Bolero, andSwan Lakeall need to die in a fire.”
“But I really want to show you something.” He did backward crossovers in a circle around me. “Consider it payback for me spying on you.”
He did prayer hands under his chin.
“Fine,” I sighed and cued up the song.
The flute opener echoed around us.
“Are you ready for a show?” Ben grinned at me, and I was relieved that the good-time version was back.
He skated to the center of the rink with his arms outstretched dramatically then posed with his hands off to one side, like he had an invisible partner.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Watch.”
As if I could do anything but.
He was in black track pants that were clingier than they needed to be, and I guess stalking me across the ice had warmed him up, because he was only wearing a black short sleeve T-shirt on top.
Biceps peeking out from beneath the sleeves, and thick forearms. Yup. There they were. Fine. Whatever.
Ben went into a basic forward glide with his arms spread as Celine started singing, wearing a gigantic, cheesy smile.
“Oh no,” I said when I realized what he was doing.
“Yup, you’re getting a private performance from the first-place winner at the Little Gems Juniors Winter Classic. I had a partner but I’ll do it for you solo.”
“Hold on,” I said. “You were afigureskater?”
