My stomach dropped at yet another unexpected reveal. “Did word get out about them or something?”
“No, not at all. I mean because their tenure is safer than mine. They’re employees.”
Once again we were reminded that we were each facing future-defining battles.
“They’d be stupid not to hire you.”
“I happen to agree,” he chuckled. “But I guess we’ll have to see.”
We both fell silent again.
“Are you feeling ready?” Ben asked. “In a good headspace?”
I sat up a little straighter. Despite all the rest of the bullshit I was about to face, I’d still managed to protect my peace.
“I am. I feel phenomenal. I’m ready.”
Another beat.
“I know you are,” Ben replied, his face shifting back to the warmth I was now so familiar with. “And I can’t wait to watch you win.”
Chapter Thirty-One
It was no surprise that Mel had insisted we have a watch party at her house for my episode ofThe Score. She’d invited Sarah and Zoey over as well, and tricked out her finished basement with all the pillows, cozy blankets, and snacks we could want, like we were thirteen-year-olds at a sleepover. My guess was that she was providing as much physical comfort as possible, just in case things went sideways with the show.
Despite Ben’s assurances that I’d be happy with it, the trailers had gotten under my skin. The only bright spot was that my mom had texted me to complain about the way she looked in it, probably because they showed clips of her fuming at me in Switzerland. I had to assume that someone in the edit bay was on my side, because they zoomed way in and shedidlook like her Botox needed a touch-up in the old footage.
Mel settled on the couch next to me. “I told Danny that the door is locked and I want zero interruptions until it’s over. Not a peep unless someone is bleeding.” She reached over to give my hand a squeeze. “It’s going to be great. Stop worrying.”
Zoey was nestled in on the other side of me. She held up her phone. “Lotsof interest on social media. With all the shipping going on between you and Ben they’re all going to be watching for signs of flirting. Which, duh. It was constant.”
I hid a smile and gave her a little kick in the thigh. “Stop.”
“Sorry, but I saw it, too,” Sarah said as she grabbed a blanket and plopped down next to Zoey.
“We all did,” Mel said. She reached for the tray on the table in front of her and held it out. “Crudité? You guys better have some because all my boys are in an anti-veg stage right now and I can’t eat all of it by myself.”
“Oh, and I made kale chips.” Sarah jumped off the couch and ran to her bag to grab the Tupperware container.
I snorted out a laugh. “In any other universe a watch party has alcohol and greasy food. We havevegetables.”
“No, hold on,” Zoey said. “My mom sent her famous ginger chews, which are basically candy.”
She pointed to the stack of parchment-wrapped squares on the table and I immediately grabbed one. Mrs. Chen encouraged us to eat them when we had a sour stomach, which was all but guaranteed for me as I watched the show.
“Everyone ready?” Mel asked as she reached for the remote. “Let’s go.”
My entire body tensed as the theme song came on and the host intro videos flashed on the screen. The announcer intoned, “with special correspondent Bennett Martino” as his handsome face came up and we all hooted in unison.
“Lookin’ good, Martino!” Mel cheered.
When he smiled it felt like it was just for me, and in a way it was. What we were about to watch was his gift to me.
The program began like always, with all the hosts gathered on a blue-and-white set to give their impressions about the story to come. My heart thudded in my chest with sympathetic nervousness for Ben even though it wasn’t live.
“He’s so damn good,” Sarah said as Ben fielded questions from the other hosts. “What a natural.”
It was like he was born to be in front of a camera. He was obviously hot as hell in person, but good looks didn’t always translate to the screen, which was where charisma came in.
