Heart of a Champion (Love on the Limit #1)

1. Sophia

1

Sophia

October – End of season – Queensland Raceway, QLD

This is the calm before the storm, before controlled chaos is unleashed. Walking down pit lane, I wave and exchange encouraging words with the teams as they enjoy this time of the weekend. Before the fans arrive and they fill the stands. Before the stress and pressure of racing starts.

My phone buzzes and I fish it out from my back pocket to see two messages, one from my mum and the other from my boyfriend of two years, Perry.

Message 1:

Can’t get to you this weekend. Chat soon.

Message 2:

Good luck this weekend! I love you, honey. xo

Followed by far too many emojis.

I reply to Mum.

Thank you, but it’s not me who’s racing. I love you too.

She replies straight away.

It’s a team effort, duh. LOL.

Again, multiple and way, way too many crying, laughing emojis.

My eyes roll light-heartedly with a chuckle as I respond.

Of course. Perry isn’t able to meet up this weekend. Do you want me to come home? No hot dates I’ll be imposing on?

You are welcome home any time. I’m always here. Dates?! Please. Men my age infuriate me. Vomit emoji.

Go sh, what is it about the overuse of emojis by parents?

Okay, I’ll cut short my hotel booking when I get there tonight and head to yours after Sunday’s race.

Looking forward to it! Love you. xo

Love you too, Mum. xo

I look back at the first text from Perry and reply:

No problem. I’ll head to Mum’s after this weekend’s race. Chat to you soon. xo

It isn’t unusual for Perry to not be able to make it to visit me due to our conflicting schedules and locations. He’s an Engineer for a car racing team while I’m a Technical Coordinator for a motorcycle racing team. Normally, races overlap on the same weekends and across the country from each other.

I pass by Shelby, a sports photographer and a close friend of Perry’s. We all had plans to meet up this weekend all together.

“Hey, Shelby!” I sing out, still on the move, squinting slightly under the hot Queensland sun beating down. “Perry can’t make it this weekend. Let’s rain check until he’s free,” I say with a wave.

“Too easy, Sophia!” He waves as I am a steady blur walking by him, trying to avoid the beaming sun that pierces against my skin.

Reaching my pit box, I marvel at the bikes sitting in the middle of the garage. Sleek, beautiful, loud, two-wheeled machines that always take my breath away. Dave and Riley are standing nearby and raise their heads to me. I fist bump them and join in their conversation. Dave, my favourite colleague, and Riley, our reigning champion rider, are discussing some new adjustments we have made to his bike based on his feedback from his last race. He nods his head in agreement and asks a few follow-up questions between Dave and I to answer.

“Heeeey, Riiilleeeyyyyyy!” A loud, goofy voice cuts through our discussion.

“Hey! Javi!” Riley moves around me to shake the loud goof’s hand. “Eavesdropping on our winning strategies? Quick! Hide your laptop,” Riley jokes to Dave with a nod, who slams it shut and holds it against his chest. We all laugh at Dave’s failed attempt of giving a tough guy face.

“Always have to keep my ears to the ground, mate! Try and catch up to you leading in the points,” Javi replies, a massive smile plastered on his face. I turn around so I am facing him, arms folded across my waist. He eyes me through his brown, curly mop of hair. “I’ll have Sophia slip me some notes next time I see her floating around the pits.” He winks at me. While he seems to have no issues finding girls to follow him around, I know this is a wink to carry on the teasing with Riley, not hitting on me.

I mime zipping my lip. They continue some back and forth, ending when Javi needs to head to his own pit box for a debrief with his engineers.