“Those are needed every time we change the setting.” Mari waved around the inn. “I need Jim to get outside shots of this inn, the signage, maybe a few shots around town, and the view of the mountain. We should get some inside shots, too, to show where you’re living, eating, exercising . . . you know, to orient people and give them a peek into where you are.”
“So am I off the hook for a while?” Wyatt wanted to check on Ryder and maybe take a walk around the town to get himself oriented, too.
“Not exactly. We need your gorgeous face in the shots or it will be too boring for viewers. They’ll want to see and hear your reaction to the surroundings,” Mari began, one brow cocked, “such as they are.”
Just then Emma strode through the lobby with a clipboard and a baggy purse. Apparently “baggy” summed up her sense of style. Naturally she didn’t meet his gaze, choosing instead to look at Mari. “Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt, but I’m headed out to grab a few things. If you need anything while I’m out, Andy is around and can help you.”
She smiled when she said Andy’s name, just as she’d smiled at the guy earlier when he’d arrived. Wyatt wondered if they were more than boss and employee. Then he wondered why he cared.
“We’re good,” he answered before checking with the others.
She nodded and continued outside. He watched her through the parlor window as she skipped down the porch steps and jogged toward her car. Efficient, focused, and completely disinterested in him.
Mari snapped her fingers, drawing his attention, and speared him with an impatient stare. “Let’s focus so we can get something more than unpacking accomplished today.”
Snippy much? He’d better not get on her bad side. Unlike with past PR, he couldn’t afford for this video to show him in anything less than a good light. Some guys might’ve loved the reputation he’d previously—if somewhat undeservedly—earned, but at heart, Wyatt didn’t think of himself as a superficial adrenaline junkie. He wanted admiration for his skill and dedication, not for his looks or the women in his life. And his mother would be less patient with those antics these days.
In a backwards way, Ryder’s accident had given Wyatt a chance to start over. It mattered to him that he be seen as a positive role model this time around.
“So what are we doing first?” Wyatt leaned forward to give Mari his full attention.
“While I’ve got you alone, let’s get some of the history that we’ve privately discussed on film. Buddy’s set to go, so are you ready?”
She’d made it sound like he’d had a choice, which he knew he didn’t. “Sure.”
Mari nodded at Buddy and then asked Wyatt, “Your brother’s accident derailed your own career for a while. Can you tell us a bit about that time?”
He hated talking about it. Thinking about it, really. The helplessness, the panic, the ongoing worry. He’d rather someone pull his teeth out than have to publicly share his feelings, but he’d committed to this film for Ryder, his mom, and himself. He couldn’t back down now.
“From the moment Ryder was loaded onto the medevac until he finally left the hospital four months later, my mom and I were by his side. I worked with him every day of his intensive rehabilitation that first year, praying he’d regain full use of his right side and his speech.”
“It seems that you got your wish, for the most part.”
“He’s worked hard and made amazing progress. He’s an inspiration to me and should be to others.” Of course, Ryder wasn’t the same person that he’d been before the accident. His mood swings still blew hot and cold, hypersensitivity to light forced him to wear sunglasses often, and he compensated for his slurring by speaking more slowly than normal and over-enunciating. Although Ryder had been lucky not only to survive the crash but also to regain most of his faculties, Wyatt sometimes wondered if Ryder cared about anything anymore. His brother could be invested in something one minute then lapse into apathy or anger the next.
Mari crossed her legs and smiled, attempting to appear laidback. Ha! As if a robot could be human. “Most people will consider your decision to switch from slopestyle to freeriding unusual, given that slopestyle not only offers a higher profile but is also what you know. Did your experience with Ryder have anything to do with that decision?”
“Yes.” How much should he reveal? Not everything. Not his own doubts. “Watching him take on overwhelming obstacles only made me admire him more than ever. I want to be worthy of his respect, so I decided to tackle a new challenge in a show of solidarity. Of course, nothing I’ll be facing will be anywhere near as difficult as what he’s going through. His future is still uncertain. Now I’m also facing uncertainty. Hopefully, together we’ll both discover that, even if life is different today, it can still be good. Maybe I’ll fail, but like Ryder, I’ll grow, too.”