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“So cute!” Inez exclaimed. “From childhood sweethearts to possible Olympic champions. You two are serious couple goals. When’s the big day?”

“The big day?” I repeated.

Inez gave a nervous giggle. “Your wedding! Have you picked out a dress yet? I know everyone’s dying to see what you choose.”

Our wedding was just some stupid party. February 22, the day of the Olympic ice dance final—thatwas our big day.

“Not yet,” Heath answered when I failed to. “We’ve been focusing on the Games. Once that’s over, I’m sure we’ll have more to share.”

“What about after the Games?” Inez asked. “Will you be taking time off from skating to start a family?”

Heath’s smile turned coy. “We’ll have to see about—”

“What the hell kind of question is that?”

Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha are interviewed by rookie NBC correspondent Inez Acton at the 2010 Winter Olympics. As the subject turns to their romantic relationship, Katarina is visibly rankled. Finally, she can’t take it anymore.

“What the hell kind of question is that?” she snaps.

Inez pales. The studio audience gasps.

Inez Acton:That was my first-ever on-air interview. And my last.

“I’m an Olympic athlete,” Katarina continues, “and all you want to ask about is my wedding dress and when I’m going to start popping out babies?”

“I’m—” Inez fumbles with her notecards. “I’m sorry, I—”

Kirk Lockwood:I watched the whole thing live back in my hotel room. If I hadn’t been on strict vocal rest, I would’ve been screaming at the television.

Francesca Gaskell:Okay, the questions were a little on the personal side. But Kat didn’t have to go off like that. I felt so bad for the poor reporter!

“I don’t even want kids,” Katarina says. Heath stiffens, fingers digging into the American flag patch on the sleeve of Katarina’s jacket. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

Inez Acton:Olympic athletes, female ones especially, are expected to follow a certain script. To be respectful and humble andsograteful to be representing their countries.

“I’m not some pretty little ice princess or blushing bride.” Katarina leans forward—away from Heath, who still hasn’t said a word. “And I don’t want to be. I want to win.”

Inez Acton:Kat Shaw shredded that script and set it on fire. I looked at her and thought: that’s the kind of woman I wish I could be. I know I wasn’t the only one.

Chapter 57

After the interview, Heath and I had less than two hours before our morning practice session. Not enough time to go back to sleep but, as it turned out, plenty of time to argue.

“Well.” I sat on my bed. The flimsy metal frame screeched in protest. “That was—”

“You don’t want kids?” Heath said.

I laughed. The wrong response, but I couldn’t believethathad been his takeaway from our train wreck of a TV appearance.

“Youdowant kids?” I asked.

Heath frowned and turned toward the windows. The shades were still pulled down since we’d left so early, but slivers of sunrise wrapped around the edges.

“I don’t know,” he said. “It just seems like something we should have discussed privately before you announced it on live television.”

I hadn’t thought we needed to discuss it. Heath knew me better than anyone, so he should have known there wasn’t a single maternal thing about me.

We had discussed moving back to Illinois; Lee’s death meant the house was wholly mine, and we had the funds to fix it up however we wanted. I’d imagined hanging our gold medals above the parlor fireplace. I’d imagined gutting Lee’s toxic waste dump of a room and turning it into a state-of-the-art home gym. I hadn’t imagined anyone there apart from the two of us—and definitely not a squalling infant.