Fifty thousand dollars was a powerful motivator. I could skate and sing. The worst that could happen might be that someone would ask me to shut up. I’d sing quietly.
There were large trash bins in the area where I’d chosen to practice. I held on to one as I got up from the curb. My legs felt like spaghetti. I would have fallen if it wasn’t for the trash bin.
Maybe I was wrong about the whole thing. Maybe this would be a good challenge for me to sit out.
“Having any luck?”
Miguel’s voice startled me. I felt the skates slip out from under me and panicked, flailing around like an octopus. I would’ve fallen on my rear end, but Miguel caught me before I hit the ground.
“Thanks.” I was a little breathless. Our faces were very close together, and his arms were around me. “You always seem to show up at the right time.”
“Just another part of my service, ma’am.”
“I don’t know how I can ever repay you, sir.”
“We’ll think of some way, Zoe.” He slowly bent his head and kissed me.
I couldn’t believe it. No fancy dress. No brilliant conversation. Just him and me, the skates and the smelly trash bin. I was glad he already had his arms around me or I would’ve been on the concrete for sure.
“Now what?” I was so glad that I’d taken a shower before I came down.
He helped me stand up. “Can you sing, skate, and pass out food at the same time?”
At that moment, I wasn’t sure I could talk and walk at the same time. I felt like crying with relief. Miguel more than likes me, too!
“I’m not sure I can skate—without singing or carrying food.”
“Just hold on to me and ease into it.”
I held his hands as I moved my feet around on the concrete. I was hoping it would start feeling natural, the way it does when you get on a bicycle again or drive a stick.
“Can you do it on your own now?”
Not as well as I can when I’m holding your hands. “It’s getting there.”
He let go of me and the skates took off down a tiny hill, back to the trash bins. He put his hands on my waist. As I started to fall, he caught me again, my head on his shoulder, his arms around me. We were both laughing.
“Maybe we should forget the roller-skating challenge tomorrow,” I whispered.
“It might be for the best.”
He was about to kiss me again when a loud voice called out, “Zoe Chase! This is your backstage moment to let the world see the real you!”
TEN
I straightened up right away. Miguel was slow to release me, obviously not as distressed by the booming voice.
A camera was thrust in my face. Alex was there, and so were two interviewers I remembered seeing in Charlotte, wondering when it was going to be my turn. It was my turn now.
Miguel was pushed out of the spotlight.
Yes. This was my backstage moment—in roller skates—standing next to the trash bin I didn’t dare let go of if I didn’t want to fall. It was pathetic.
“Could we go inside?” I asked. “Wouldn’t it look better if I were inside?”
“Not at all,” Alex responded. “That’s why we call this the backstage moment. So people following the race can get a feeling for the real you.”
That’s just great.
“Tell us about you, Zoe,” one of the interviewers said. “The world is waiting to hear all about you!”
I started talking about myself hesitantly. I was so unprepared. I tried to keep it simple.
“We hear you have a boyfriend.” The second interviewer cut me off and glanced at Miguel. “Is this him over here?”
Miguel frowned and waved his hand.
“Come on!” the interviewer encouraged him. “Help us make Zoe’s backstage moment better!”
“No, thanks.” Miguel smiled at me. “She’s doing fine on her own.”
“Obviously the shy type.” Alex grinned. “But we have someone who isn’t so shy. Someone we found at home in Mobile. Can you guess who that is, Zoe?”
“No.” I bit my lip. “Not really.”
“It’s your ex. Tommy Elgin, a financial wizard from the Azalea City!”
Tommy Lee? Oh no!
Tommy Lee and I had gone out together for many years. He was pretty much the only man I’d dated since college. Our families had expected us to get married.
Our relationship was good—until I’d quit my job and started the food truck. He hated the idea of me being in the food service industry and had started seeing another woman. We parted on very bad terms.
And there was Tommy Lee on a video, talking about me and how obsessed I was with my business. He said it had ruined my life. It was terrible.
“Okay. Can we just cut that?” I asked. “I’m not with him anymore. He’s not backstage with Zoe Chase.”
“But this is the juicy part,” the interviewer insisted with malicious glee.
He was enjoying himself way too much.
“If you want to talk to someone who is part of my backstage, you should talk to my team. They’re the ones who really know me. We’re in the Biscuit Bowl together all the time. No one knows me better.”
Alex signaled the interviewer to turn off Tommy Lee’s rant. “What have you got for me, Zoe?”
I thought quickly. “Uncle Saul is part of my team. He lives with an albino alligator in the swamp.”
“Yeah?” He seemed interested.
“Yes. He used to have his own restaurant in Mobile, too. He’d be a good person to talk to about backstage Zoe Chase.”
The three men mulled it over. Please, please get away from Tommy Lee.
“Okay,” Alex decided. “He sounds interesting. And it would be better from here anyway. Where is he?”
“At the bar, probably. He’ll be glad to talk to you. You can ask him anything you like about me.”
“All right.” Alex made his let’s end this movement with his hand. “Let’s find Uncle Saul. See you later, Zoe Chase!”
Miguel helped me up to the room I was sharing with Delia. I didn’t wait to take off the skates because I wanted to get upstairs before something else embarrassing happened.
I took out my key and let myself into the hotel room. “I guess I didn’t realize what we’d be in for during the race. I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay. I knew there’d be some odd things going on. I don’t mind.”
“Thanks. I hope you weren’t too embarrassed. At least they didn’t call you my boyfriend on TV.”
“I’ve had people call me a lot worse.”
We both laughed at that.
“Maybe we should get those skates off. I delivered your supplies to the Biscuit Bowl before I came to find you. The power is back on.”
“That’s great news. Thanks.” I sat on the edge of the bed. Delia was still out.
Crème Brûlée walked over to me and meowed for me to pick him up. He’d never try something as big as jumping up on the bed next to me. I lifted him, and he cuddled next to me, purring.
“I guess you already know my history.” He knelt in front of me and untied my skate laces. “I’m not a stranger to bad publicity.”
“I know.” Should I have admitted that I knew almost everything about him?
“Then you know about my wife—and the scandal, as my grandmother calls it.”
“Yes. I know you ran for district attorney and you were accused of breaking the law.”