Game on, Love (Pitch and Pits #1)

36

Oliver

BY THE TIME I unlocked my hotel room, it was almost 3 am. I had spent most of Friday travelling, between flights and layover times, it had been a long day, but I knew each second of it would be worth it.

I had been planning this for weeks. Between training camp beginning last week and her spending some much-needed time with her brothers, we’d barely spent any time together, and video calls had been our lifeline. Even though we were about to travel and work together come next month, I wanted to do this for her.

And there was the added thing of ticking off another item on our list. The list that had only taken a life of its own. Long forgotten was the bet, as we both came up with even more things we wanted the other to try. I think somewhere along the line, we both realised that it was more than just something that we’d started to help her; but instead turned it into our way of doing something we loved with the other. But every time I looked at it, I couldn’t help but remember the look on her face when she talked about me visiting her on a weekend she was working so she could show me her world.

A part of me still felt bad that I had yet to tell her about visiting Silverstone before and knowing about the basics beforehand, but I’d planned to make that right later today.

By the time morning rolled around, I texted Rihaan asking about her schedule. He had been here since Thursday, considering it was the championship-deciding weekend, and Vedant had come into the weekend on equal points with Axel.

A part of me was surprised at how easy that shift had been between us, as the night her brothers had spent grilling the two of us, he was the one who had the most questions. Even though I think he caught on quicker and earlier than both of us realised.

While a part of me wasn’t surprised at all. Rihaan had his issues, having really low lows, and even higher highs and he obviously saw the difference we made in each other’s lives. I knew that when it came down to the wire, it wouldn’t have mattered that we hadn’t told him from the start, or that he was still trying his best to work on his relationship with his sister, because I knew he’d be the guy who had always been there for me, no matter what.

My phone buzzed just as I finished getting ready.

Rihaan: We’re about to leave.

Rihaan: How long will you be?

Me: I need to grab a bite first. Haven’t had anything proper since yesterday.

Rihaan: What about the food on the plane?

Me: Roasted Duck.

Rihaan: LOL

Rihaan: The poor bird had already died, Ollie. It wasn’t gonna jump off your plate and chase you around as revenge.

I replied with a middle finger emoji before pocketing my phone and leaving the room. The dickhead knew my issues with ducks and was responsible for the said issue, but once it got brought up, he left no chance to make fun of it. Entering the lift, my phone buzzed in my pocket again. I didn’t need to look at it to know it had something to do with ducks.

I knew it was overly dramatic, but when you’re a kid, and a frantic duck chases you around for over a mile because your idiot of a best friend was nagging it on and was better at ducking it—you develop issues.

Pun intended.

Walking in the paddock, I dropped Rihaan another text—who had replied to my earlier texts with multiple duck emoji’s—to tell her about the news and waited for the call that I knew was coming.

It was nearly 5:30 in the morning back in the UK, but seeing it had been our new normal for the past couple of days, she wouldn’t have thought twice before ringing me.

And just in time, my phone rang in my hand as I found a quiet spot.

Picking up on the second ring, her face filled my frame, and I could feel the pure happiness pouring out of her as she spoke. “Hey, you!”

“Morning, Gorgeous,” I replied, keeping my tone casual.

“Rihaan just told me the news. Congratulations!”

I grinned to myself. “I was just about to tell you myself.”

Her grin faltered for a second, and a frown overtook her face. “Oliver, where are you?”

“What do you mean?” I pressed my lips together as her eyes blinked up from her phone and back to me.

“I thought I saw…” She frowned, and unable to take it any longer, I flipped my phone to the front camera and angled it to show her my view, which was the line of motor homes down the paddock with the unmistakable buzz before turning it back around on me.

Her face held pure shock, her jaw dropping as she realised. “You’re here!?”

“Surprise,” I said, my grin widening as she stood up and started moving.

“But when you called yesterday, you were still at training camp!”

“I took a flight right after that,” I admitted, shrugging. “It’s a good thing we had only call each other in the morning, and text in between during race weekends because I spent the whole of yesterday between flights and layovers and was completely relying on the plane WiFi.”

Her expression softened, her disbelief giving way to something warmer as I felt a rush in my chest. Spotting her nearing me, I waited for her to find me.

And just like they always did, her eyes connected with mine the next second as she faltered, like she realised that I hadn’t been messing with her and I was here. Walking up to her, I captured the moment in my head. She was in a denim jumpsuit, her hair framing her face perfectly as it broke into a radiant smile.

“You’re actually here,” She said, shaking her head as my chest filled with warmth at the sound of her voice.

“You said you wanted me to show your world,” I said, smirking and she punched my arm lightly as I wrapped them around her. Leaning down, I couldn’t help but say the one thing that my heart had felt since the moment I was gone. “And I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” She replied, as she tipped up on her toes to place her lips on mine, and just like that, everything tilted on its axis for a moment like it had been missing a piece and there had been a moment of imbalance, the tiredness from my travel, the ache in my chest from missing her; all vanished in a second before everything fell back into its place.

Right next to her.

Pulling back, her emotions were a mix of pure excitement and joy, but there was a tinge of pride creeping up on her as she whispered. “Congrats on making the squad, King. I’m proud of you.”

My heart raced at her words before filling me with a feeling I had felt for her for weeks now.

I wanted to say it, wanted her to hear it, but I also wanted it to be right.

While there was never a right way of telling someone you loved them, it was knowing that she would want to hear them when it was about her.

Because I loved her, because of her.

And not just because she had rooted herself in my life in a way I had never imagined someone could, not just because she had breathed life back into me when I didn’t even know I was gasping for air, not because of how everything made more sense because I was with her.

No matter how much it consumed me, I wanted to show her before I made sure I told her.

So, I swallowed the words, letting them settle back into the corners of my mind as I smiled. “Thank you.”

And when her eyes lit up at my acceptance of her words, I knew I had made the right choice. I hadn’t replaced her feelings with mine, and for now that was enough.

She linked our hands together before truly showing me her world.

TAKING A DETOUR, SHE pulled me to step out of the paddock to give me the true fan experience she had promised me. As we walked around the circuit, the energy was completely different from the one in the paddock. Everywhere you looked, there were fans in team merchandise, some chilling by the bright, massive screens as they displayed the junior format races, some mingling by the food stalls, while some interacting with the different booths that held interviews and activities for fans to get involved in. The space had a buzz to it, and I was beginning to understand why she was so in love with this aspect of the sport.

It wasn’t just about the different sessions that ran throughout the day; there was a sense of community bringing them in and that tied them together.

After having a go at the simulator and competing in some reflex tests, Raina led me straight toward a section that was a lot quieter, but it was where the real magic was displayed.

From old cars lined with relics of the sporting history, and some classic ones that were part of iconic race wins, to several championship-winning cars, including Vedant’s car from last year, they were all gleaming under the sunshine as she admired them like she was falling back in love with the sport for the first time.

“This one’s from 1998,” Raina said, pointing to a car that was covered in that iconic Ascari red. “One of the greatest seasons, and the season that made my Mum fall in love with the sport.”

I ran my hand down her back, and she looked up at me with a smile. “You know, it’s actually designed by the same engineer who designed the new generation of cars. They have just evolved over the years.”

“That’s cool,” I replied genuinely, and she grinned.

We spent a little longer admiring the cars before we turned to the main piece of the exhibition: the championship trophy.

We stood there for a moment, watching the trophy glint under the lights, and I felt her straighten up.

“You okay?” I asked as the tension settled further into her posture.

“Just thinking about tomorrow,” She sighed.

“You worried?”

She nodded. “They’ve had a history of going lethal with each other. Neither wants to give up space, but both expect it from each other. I have no idea how they’ve kept it clean for this long, but those two going on the last race on points is like the ultimate test, and either way, I’ll have to see one of them lose when they both deserve it.”

Tightening my hold on her, I gave her an understanding look. I knew that even though they all had called it a truce, she wasn’t going to pick between her friend and her brother because it wasn’t fair to either of them, and I knew that all of us loved her a little more because of it.

THE PADDOCK WAS A BLUR of energy once the qualifying session wrapped up. Mechanics running around with used tyres, drivers and media personnel walking up down the pit lane as they finished up the interviews, while the chatter of reporters and photographers added to the frenzy.

By the time it had started to die down, I was sitting in the open space outside of the Hillcrest Motor home, Rihaan and Dev next to me as we waited for Raina and Vedant. Raina had been still wrapping up her work, having to start a little later due to my sudden appearance, but now was stood in my direct eyesight as she spoke to Axel.

He had put his car on pole position, while Vedant, who was still in his debrief, had qualified in P3.

“QUACK!” Rihaan whisper-yelled in my ear making me jump, and I looked at him in dismay. I could feel the stares that had turned in our direction as he laughed out loud, and my own grin formed on my lips just as Dev stood up and walked off. After everything that had gone down, I’d kept my conversations minimal with him and neither of us wanted to change that.

“What the fuck?” I asked, and Rihaan raised his brows.

“I have been speaking to you for the last five minutes, but it’s like you’re staring at her like you’ve never seen her before,” His voice was laced with amusement as he shook his head.

Before I could reply, a shadow fell over us, making both of us look up. Raina looked at us with an amused expression, but I could spot the exhaustion creeping in as her gaze flicked between me and her brother.

“Should I even ask?” She sighed, but her tone was teasing and soft.

Rihaan leaned back in his chair, his grin widening. “You’ve made my best friend sappy, Rai. He’s been staring at you like a lovesick puppy for the last five minutes.”

Raina tilted her head, the amusement only rising in her eyes as she focused on me. “Is that so?”

I lifted a shoulder before tugging on her hand, and like she was expecting it, she landed on my lap easily, and I wrapped an arm around her. “I wouldn’t say like a puppy. But you walked out of the media pen, I saw you… and I chose not to look away.”

Rihaan groaned before he straightened up. “And I’m officially out of here before I vomit.”

When both of us ignored him as we maintained our eye contact, he walked off as he muttered about not knowing how he’d survive next years with us, but that only made me grin instead.

“So? What’s the verdict?”

Reaching up, I tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, my fingers gently brushing against her soft skin. “I love it.”

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes glimmering, and for a moment, everything else disappeared. “Really?”

I nodded, my voice a whisper, as I added. “Being here with you, the track, seeing it all properly has been different. And watching you light up and be in your element has made it all perfect.”

Her eyes softened, her breath catching slightly as she soaked up my words. “It’s the energy here, everyone is excited for tomorrow…”

I shook my head. “I’ve been in the paddock before. Twice actually, but for me, you were the one that has made it feel right.”

“When and where ?” Her eyes were so wide I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Silverstone. Last year and the year before that.”

“But then why did you…” She whispered, her brows turning down in a frown. “The bet…”

Time to come clean.

“Vedant had only taught me the basics so I could understand what was happening when he invited me the first year and also thought that it was ridiculous that I lived with him and had no clue what happened during a race, but I had no idea about the rest of it before you,” I said, honestly.

“You could’ve told me that before.”

“If I had, would you have accepted my help?”

She sighed, shaking her head. “No.”

“My point.”

She released a breath before dropping her head on top of mine. Her fingers traced the back of my neck as she watched the paddock before she stilled.

Confused, I waited for her to say something, and as she slowly looked at me with seriousness, I stilled, too.

“What?”

“So you made a bet with me knowing you were at an advantage?” She sounded genuinely upset that I knew if I let the laugh creeping up my throat slip past my lips, I would actually become the puppy Rihaan called me after I got first-class tickets to the dog house.

Choosing my words carefully, I replied. “I only made that bet so I could help you.”

“And take me out on a date.” She shot back, leaning back in my hold.

“Told you, I’m great at multitasking.” I winked, pulling her closer to me. “And I did both.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“I’m your idiot,” I said, the words slipping without hesitation, and she laughed, leaning her forehead on mine.

“That was so cheesy,” She whispered.

“You loved it.”

“I did.”

The sound of the paddock was still there, but it was like a memory fading away as I pulled back slightly to look at her. “And I love you.”

She stilled under me, her lips parting slightly like they always did when I caught her off guard. I held her softening gaze before a flicker of emotions crossed them as her hands moved to my chest, gently resting there as if grounding herself. “I love you too.”

Her voice was softer, filled with a vulnerability I hadn’t seen her wear before, and it made my heart ache.

Pulling her closer, I placed a kiss on her lips. At first it was slow, like both of us were trying to savour the taste of the words that we’d never said before. Words that only ever felt right with the other. She kissed me back in the same gentle way but in a way that told me she had been waiting for this moment as much as I had. And when we both felt the weight of those very same words truly sink in, I felt her heart race under my touch, before it deepened.

And when we pulled back, there was a similar haze to us, like nothing around us mattered.

Because it didn’t.

She was here with me, in my arms, a shine in her eyes that told she was in the moment as much as I was, her slightly swollen lips that had the traces of the words we shared, and nothing had ever felt this right before.

Raina

THE SUNLIGHT HAD BARELY started to creep in through the heavy curtains of the hotel room, when my alarm went off, the piercing noise instantly making me cringe as it cut through the quiet.

Stretching out my arm, I tried to grab my phone, but I was held back in place by the arm draped across my body. Tilting slightly in his hold, I grabbed it by my fingers to make sure the alarm didn’t go off again.

I knew he was awake by now. He had tightened his hold on me the second I tried to twist away. But as I turned my face to him, he kept his eyes closed, one arm slung lazily over his head, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm; his hair messed up in a way that told the truth of last night.

I stared at him, my eyes trailing over him. His lips slowly tipped up, like he was aware of it, but he was thoroughly enjoying every second of it.

It had been a week since I had shared a bed with him, having moved out from what was my old room to his room just before he left for training camp, but without realising, I’d only made life more difficult for me because now each time I went to bed, his distinct smell was spread across the room, and I went to bed wanting to wake up next to him even more.

Video calls had become our new normal, but between his schedule and working things out with my brothers… it hadn’t been the easiest ride, but when was it ever? When it came to things with Oliver, they had taken it surprisingly well. I suppose it helped that they had known him for years and they trusted him like he was family, but at the same time, as we navigated through the new truths we had discovered, they just wanted to make sure that I knew that I had them.

I think the hardest pill for all of us to swallow was that it wasn’t just the four of us anymore.

We had another brother.

Ishaan Patel. He was a couple of months younger than me, recently graduated as a software engineer and lived in London.

I only knew this because of a quick social media search and well, a little dive-in never hurt anyone… except that it did. Even though I had turned off my viewing settings to private to make sure he didn’t know that I was doing this, when his profile had loaded and I found out we had a mutual contact—Kaira of all people, I had dropped my phone like a hot potato and then proceeded to piss off the rest of my brothers after I had involuntarily screamed at the same time and made them all run up the stairs because they thought I was dying.

On top of that, They all had said they didn’t want to know about him, neither of them feeling ready, but my phone had landed screen up, and well… when it falls in your lap, and whatnot. And I did mean brothers. Because even though Dev had been living with Dad because of the promises he made to Ma, he just needed space as he figured the rest of it out. So, now that I had moved a floor up, the guest room which only ever really was for him prior, was once again his.

The feather-light touch on my back sends chills down my body while breaking my line of thought.

“Hey,” Oliver’s voice was as soft as his touch, and a smile makes its way to my face.

“Hi,” I whispered back, not wanting to break the moment as he pulled me into him further.

“What had you lost in thought this early in the morning?”

Tilting my head to meet his eyes, I replied honestly. “That I’ve missed you.”

His eyes softened as he kissed my temple. “I’ve missed you too, my love.”

“And how I can’t wait to wake up next to you every morning.”

“Me too,” He replied before leaning closer. “And if I have to fly around the world with you or for you to make it happen, then I will happily do it. For the rest of my life.”

My heart warmed at his words as I ran my hand through his hair before placing a kiss on his lips.

Cupping the side of my face, he pulled me closer and just like that, the rest of my thoughts faded away like none of it mattered. Because knowing I had him, right next to me, holding my hand; I knew I’d get through any of it.

I had gone through life alone before, had learned what it was like to do it myself; but, Oliver had made me realise that sharing it with someone who cared, someone who was willing to live it with me, even when it hurt was the connection I had been searching for all along.

The End