Chapter 7 Skylar #2
“I’ve been looking for my tablet,” Pike says, pulling it away from her.
“Alternatively, they could do a piece on you for normal snowboarders. If you can do it, they can do it.”
Oh, gross. Analia would advise me to smile and nod, but I can’t. And what kind of pretend girlfriend would I be if I didn’t support my boyfriend?
“Using disabled people for inspiration is ableist,” I say. “So I don’t love the idea. Also, referring to nondisabled people as ‘normal’—well, it’s also offensive.”
Laurie blinks over her champagne flute. Shit. I overstepped. This is what I’d say to my parents. I’m supposed to be different here. But I’m not a puppet. Even though I hate my pain, I still have disability pride.
“I agree,” Pike says gruffly. “Enough about snowboarding. Let’s eat.”
“Honey—”
“You made chicken scampi, right? I’m sure Skylar’s going to love it as much as I do.”
“Can I help with anything?” I ask.
“Oh no, you’re our guest. Brandon can set the table.”
But when we reach the dining room, he backs me into a corner.
His cane clatters softly against the wall.
Before I can say anything, he plants his hands over my head, bracketing me in.
His hard body angles toward me, and he lowers his forehead until it’s almost pressed to mine.
My awareness narrows to him and him alone.
His clean scent—crisp air and fresh water, like snow still lingers in his rich brown hair—settles between us and sends my pulse spiraling out of control.
“What are you doing?” I whisper.
“We need to talk without her overhearing. Is this okay?” He’s not technically touching me, but his breath brushes my lips, teasingly close. My knees weaken, and I grip the wall behind me for balance.
“Y-Yes,” I stammer.
This proximity is intoxicating. One slight movement, and I could taste him.
“Was the knee thing okay?” His deep voice is a soft murmur. “You were rubbing my back—it felt natural—I’m sorry.”
“It was my fault.” I have to look down. His smoldering eyes are too intense. But then my focus shifts to his lips. Worse. I fixate on the strong chest in front of me. “Let’s…do what feels natural.”
Did I really abandon my own PDA rule? This could get me into trouble.
“It’s easier,” I say. “No innuendo touches, though. No—no mouth kisses. Got it?”
“No problem.”
“And I wasn’t trying to offend your mom by talking back. I was…trying to give her flaws.”
“Speaking up when someone’s wrong isn’t a flaw.” He exhales a slow breath. “I’m sorry I was ableist about your job. I’m still learning.”
I dare to look up at him. His gaze pins me to the wall.
“Learning is good.” I swallow, feeling my neck and cheeks flush. “Pike?”
He edges closer.
“I need…”
“Yes?”
I’m one breath away from closing my eyes and inhaling deeply. “A little space.”
“Oh. My bad.” His hand brushes my waist as he backs away.
I press a hand to my heart. Does Pike have any idea how all-consuming his presence is? His eyes alone felt like a brand on my suddenly sensitive skin.
As I peel myself off the wall, Laurie returns with a knowing smile, and I have to look away, my face burning.
I don’t have to make that much up. I lie about my family, though, and say we’re close. People want a snapshot when they’re meeting you, but only from the happy reels. I mostly focus on my nine-year-old niece, Jasmine.
“Has Pike met her?” Laurie asks.
“Not yet. You’re our first family intro.”
Pike shoots me a look like, Good one. Maybe I’m better at this than I thought.
“I still don’t know how you met,” she says. “Did you recognize him? He looks different now, doesn’t he? Without his hair.”
“We have mutual friends. Luis. The gaming group,” Pike says quickly. “We’d seen each other there before.”
I have no idea what he’s talking about. I’m itching to check in with Analia and Emy.
“But we officially met at Element Ridge,” he adds.
A subtle smirk graces Laurie’s lips. “Were you starstruck?”
What now? Am I supposed to be starstruck? “Absolutely,” I say. “Very starstruck.” Maybe she meant starry-eyed?
“We hadn’t gotten a chance to talk at Game Night,” Pike says, “so it was exciting to run into each other at the shop.” He sounds like he’s lost all confidence.
Time to help him sell this. “I was too nervous to approach him. I never thought he’d be into me.”
“Because he’s famous?”
I choke on my water. Famous? Excuse me?
Pike’s foot finds mine under the table. His eyes plead with me.
“Of…course,” I say. “That’s why I started dating him. I mean! Not dating. The reason I first noticed him. Can’t forget a famous face. At Game Night, no less. Why would a famous person be into me?”
“Nonsense.” Pike’s foot squashes mine. “I didn’t think you’d be interested in me,” he says, the liar. “I’m so glad we got to know each other through our support group.”
Laurie is freaking beaming. “I bet you thought all those medals had gone to his head.”
“Oh, they’ve gone to his head all right.” I push his foot away.
Pike laughs so nervously I can’t believe his mom doesn’t catch on. But she laughs, too, like we’re all in on the same joke.
“He’s always been humble. I think it’s hard to stay that way when you’re one of the world’s best—you should meet some of his friends—but I raised him not to take things for granted, like his father did.”
“Mom—”
“Let me brag about you. This is the first girl I’ve met.” She covers my hand with hers. “I don’t mean all those women he was photographed with. Everyone always speculated, ‘When will Brandon Pike finally settle down?’ but I knew he just hadn’t met the right person yet!”
“The right person. Absolutely.” I don’t even know what I’m saying. “Excuse me.”
I run to my coat, grab my phone, and lock myself in the bathroom.
“Okay, Google,” I whisper to my phone. “Search famous Brandon Pike.”
And there he is.
The Olympian I ignored on default.
Brandon Tyler Pike is an American professional snowboarder known for creating many of the tricks now standard in halfpipe competitions. He is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, four-time X Games gold medalist, multiple World Cup medalist, and five-time ESPY Award winner.
I gape at my phone.
At twenty-five, Pike was considered the top contender for another Olympic gold until an accident ended his career.
He was critically injured attempting a frontside triple cork 1440 during qualifiers.
Pike suffered compression fractures in his spine, spondylolisthesis, a broken femur, a shattered pelvis, a sacral fracture, multiple knee injuries, torn ligaments, and a broken wrist.
After critical care, he went to a private clinic in California, then returned to his hometown, Rochester, NY, for long-term rehabilitation. He has declined media requests since his accident, but sources report that he works at a local ski shop and is permanently disabled.
The article goes on, but I stop reading. My mind spins uncontrollably. This…this is not what I signed up for. I’m fake dating a guy in my support group, not some…Olympic gold medalist?
“Skylar.” Pike knocks, his voice hushed. “I can explain.”
I ignore him. Analia and Emy have bombarded our chat with over five hundred messages since I put my phone away.
HE’S FUCKING FAMOUS, I write.
“Skylar, please, can I come in for a sec?”
“I’ll be out in a minute!”
Help! I write. I’m hiding in the bathroom. I just found out.
did u find out his net worth is 6 mil? Emy says.
I didn’t even know snowboarders made money.
does he have a secret twin? Emy continues. can he promote my reels?
Analia asks, Are you having a good time?
I slump against the sink. A good time may be stretching it, but I’m not having an awful time. My pressure’s bad. Almost ready to call it quits early. Laurie is way less ableist than my mom. Food is good. Pike keeps touching me.
Do we like this? Analia asks.
I don’t know what I think anymore. I tell them how I’m accidentally talking back to his mom and how his presence makes me nervous. In a hot guy nervous way, I clarify. And now he’s famous!? Why wouldn’t he tell me?
He did say you had to meet his expectations, Analia says. Maybe he’s keeping that in his pocket. If things go south, he could tell the paparazzi you’re a stalker who was so desperate to date him, you pretended to be his girlfriend. Or something. IDK.
Pike doesn’t seem like that kind of asshole. But he didn’t tell me who he was for a reason. Could he get away with that? I have screenshots too.
My heart races even as I type it. Famous people do have a better shot at controlling the narrative.
If he decided to spin this story to the media, I’d be left to defend myself against a horde of strangers who might believe anything he said.
I’d just be some nobody trying to take him down. An easy target.
Fame and money come with power, Analia says. Tread carefully until you figure out his angle.
from the articles we read, Emy says, his sex life is busier than a hotel on spring break. u could use that to ur advantage.
Emy, I warn.
what! apparently, he’s more available than a 24-hour diner. look.
She sends a link: Brandon Pike + women.
My dry eyelids scrape like sandpaper as I skim the search results. Most include words like scandal and heartbreak, showing Pike with stunning women on his arm. There are ridiculous titles like Snow Heartthrob’s Lovemaking Is an Olympic Sport of Its Own.
HOLY SHIT, I write. This explains the supermodel comment.
right? Emy says. not necessarily a bad thing, tho. son probably has some skills.
With the way he practically pinned me against the wall earlier, it’s hard not to imagine some of those skills.
My skin grows hot just thinking about it.
But that fantasy quickly vanishes when I remember why I’m here.
If he’s been lying about who he is, I can’t help but worry that he might use it against me somehow.
My performance has to be perfect until we’re alone.
I go back to the photo of Brandon Pike the pro snowboarder. He has unruly long hair, wavy bangs that fall across his face, and an irresistible, cocky grin.
I barely recognize him.
“Okay,” I say after I’ve skimmed another dozen articles. “You don’t know anything about snowboarding anyway. It’s fine. It’s just dinner. Just one more date.”
I take my evening dose of meds, fix my lipstick, and strut out of the bathroom.
I can do this.