“What’s the timeframe for this article?” he asked, seeming all business while sliding his tall frame into one of the chairs. “You mentioned working around my schedule. Are you looking to meet more than once?”
“Yes.” I set my bag along the back of the chair. “I need to have the interview completed within four weeks. We can meet around practices, games, whatever works best for you.”
Daphene thought it would be best if we conducted shorter, more frequent conversations that occurred over a few weeks. It would allow Nate to feel more in control of the process and less stressed about what he should and shouldn’t say. With game day so close, he needed his focus to be on the field.
He rested his arms on the table. “Walk me through this. Explain to me exactly what this looks like. Are you going to follow me around like those HBO guys?”
“No,” I said quickly. “More like meeting up once a week for a friendly, focused conversation. The goal of this article isn’t to intrude on your personal life. It’s to understand you. The fans want to know more about you as a person. Not just the guy who can throw a ball around.”
He smirked. “Is that what I do? Throw a ball around?”
I laughed. “You know what I mean.”
He leaned back and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I don’t like people knowing too much about my personal life. So, what’s the point?”
Joe’s warning about Nate being a private person seeped into my brain. I would not allow any concern he might have had to stand in my way. This assignment was too important to me.
“This interview will give you an opportunity to show the world who you really are. It’s your chance to show the fans and the critics you are so much more than just a headline filled with stats.”
He pressed his lips together. “Becca, forgive me, but you’re not known for asking soft questions. You press and don’t go easy on people. I’m not saying that I don’t trust you, but it makes me cautious, and I have to take that into consideration.”
He was right. I didn’t pull any punches. I made a career for myself by not letting players off the hook too easily. And while I didn’t usually wear my ‘kid gloves,’ it was essential that he trusted me. I had to play things right down the middle.
I shifted forward. “You have my word that I will be as fair and honest as I can while respecting boundaries. This is a chance for you to talk about what this season means to you. The stuff fans don’t usually get to hear.”
He smiled a little. “That sounds more like counseling than interviewing.”
I laughed. “I can assure you I’m not qualified to be a counselor.”
I could feel the weight of his hesitation. His instinct to protect himself. Nate kept things close to the vest. In a way, I couldn’t blame him. When you played at his level, every word he spoke became a soundbite. Everything he did was dissected and picked apart.
“If we do this, it’s on my terms.”
I nodded, trying not to act too excited. “Okay. What are your terms?”
He exhaled and leaned back in his chair. “One interview a week at a neutral location of my choosing.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I guess that could work.”
“I would like to review everything before it goes to print, and no ‘gotcha’ questions.”
That was reasonable. “Deal. When can we start?”
His eyes narrowed, like he wasn’t expecting me to agree so fast. “Let’s meet in one of the pressrooms here. I’ll make sure we have a room where we can meet in private, if that’s okay with you.”
I opened my notebook and started scribbling down some notes. “Would you be open to video footage?”
“Let’s get through the first interview and go from there.”
This wasn’t ideal, but he was meeting me halfway, so I needed to go along with it. “Okay, that’s fair. When did you want to meet?”
He looked at the clock on the wall. “Practice ends early on Thursday. You can meet me here at four.”
“Four it is,” I said, jotting it down in my calendar.
Nate watched me, like he was trying to figure me out.
I set my pen down, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “What?”
