And Mara was not. It went unsaid. Mara had made one snide comment about Kirby four years ago but had kept her mouth shut since. She was undeniably the face of American cross-country skiing to anyone who actually paid attention to it.
And everyone who actually paid attention to cross-country skiing also thought Kirby had allowed herself to be distracted by lowbrow television endeavors for four years.
“We would prefer if the focus was on rooting against other countries,” Chandler continued. “Rather than beating each other.”
That was ridiculous. Theywerecompetitors. In the one event they raced together, one of them would place higher than the other. That fact didn’t change because they were both competing under the American flag.
“We’ll be nice,” Mara said. “Or I will be. Kirby can make the choices that are best for her career.” Mara very deliberately tugged her gloves on. “I’d like to start skiing now.”
“Very well. Thank you for your time, ladies.” Chandler gave Mara one last smile before spinning on his heels and leaving without a glance in Kirby’s direction.
She was used to that. Used to being dismissed. But she was also good at making people regret it.
CHAPTER
THREE
Mara and Kirbyhit the course at the same time. Coach Karlsson waved them on and told them how far behind the rest of the team they were.
Mara wanted to vomit.
That meeting had been bad enough. Finding out about an interview with Janette Collins was even worse. And now Mara had to ski with Kirby. And no one else. It was like her worst nightmares had collided.
She poled hard to drop Kirby, hoping she would get the hint.
She didn’t.
“Okay, bestie, what did you think of all that nonsense?” Kirby asked, catching Mara and matching her tempo.
Mara wasn’t used to chatting while she skied. She didn’t intend to start now. She pushed ahead again, going faster than they were supposed to for a warm-up.
Kirby didn’t let that stop her. She put in a burst of speed to catch up. “No, seriously. What’s your plan with that interview and feature about us?”
“What do you mean?”
The Olympics were entertainment for the television networks. They wanted to make money, and one of the waysto do that was highlighting human interest stories. To tell the viewing public, most of whom didn’t care at all about winter sports, about the athletes who sacrificed so much to do what they loved. It was what Mara had adored about the Olympics as a child, watching them like a soap opera on TV.
But those stories weren’t all real. They were crafted and condensed and packaged for entertainment value.
Her story, her life—theirlives—would be packaged for entertainment value.
“We don’t have to do what old Chandler Wendleton says.Wecould have a plan. We could be on the same page. Don’t you think?” Kirby shrugged like that would be so easy.
But nothing was easy for Mara. Every interview, every video, every team interaction—they were hard. Always had been. And Kirby just made them harder.
Kirby had made the dig at Mara about not having friends as soon as the cameras were rolling in the locker room like it was aReal Housewivesreunion. Her insult hadn’t been about racing. It wasn’t normal trash talk. Mara didn’t have experience in front of cameras like Kirby. She didn’t literally create drama for money.
There was no way they would ever be on the same page. There would never be equal footing when it came to their media acumen.
When Mara didn’t answer fast enough, Kirby said, “It can be for both our benefits. We don’t have to tell the story they want us to tell. We’re really going to pretend to be best buddies? I mean, surely you don’t like this any more than I do. Four years ago, you?—”
“You have no idea what story I want to tell, Bonham,” Mara said quickly. She didn’t want to talk about four years ago.
She glanced at Kirby and caught her jaw ticking. Mara snapped her gaze away and focused on the snowy trail.
“Fine. But we can help each other here. It doesn’t have to be combative.”
“I’mnot combative.” Mara stabbed her poles into the snow with way more force than necessary.
