Chapter 32
LAWSON
“Grand first half of the season, lads.” The room rumbles with applause and Mitch throws up a hand, settling the excited team members. “Collins. Keep climbing those podiums and you’ll be adding a second title to your name.”
Hands pat my best friend’s shoulders, shaking him as everyone cheers. The corner of my mouth tips up and he winks with a bright smile. I look back to the front of the room to see Mitch’s bright eyes settle on me. “Moore. You’ve really impressed me this season.”
I scoff. “Last time I checked, I’m not anywhere near claiming the championship.”
“No, you may not be, but even so, this will be a season to remember.” My eyebrows furrow and he chuckles. “You came into this year with more than just the weight of the season on your shoulders. Most of which would have sent even the best of drivers crumbling under the pressure. But not you.”
He props his hands on the table top. “The world already knew you were one of the best drivers out on the grid, but now? Now, they know you are equally, if not more so, one of the best men off the track. You helped everyone see that the drivers in this sport are more than just the arrogant athletes who act as if they are untouchable.”
“Hey,” Jace calls out defensively. “I don’t think I’m untouchable. Touch is actually one of my love languages.”
Mitch rolls his eyes, quickly smothering the smile trying to break free on his face at the unrelenting antics of his driver. When his attention settles back on me, I see nothing but pride reflected in his unwavering gaze.
“You not only showed the world what an incredible driver you are, but also what kind of man you are outside of racing. Something not a lot of people thought you’d be able to or even want to do.
Yet, I have seen and heard nothing but positive feedback on everything you’ve done these last few months. ”
Jace leans forward, looking around the table and not so subtly whispers, “My sister helped do that.” I roll my eyes as a few stifled snickers spread around me.
Mitch shakes his head. “She may have helped, but this was all you, Moore. Even if it killed you a bit each time you shared a ‘what I eat in a day’ video.”
I groan and the room erupts with laughs, Mitch joining in this time. I raise an eyebrow at my best friend next to me. “Now that was all your sister’s doing.”
“I know. I’ve seen the drafts. You don’t have the patience it takes to cinematically capture a simple plate of avocado toast.”
“Oh fuck off.” I push at his shoulder and turn back to our team principal.
“There’s still a lot of work to do before this season’s over and anything can happen. But I’m confident in this team. Confident in the both of you. This is our year.”
“Hell yeah it is.” Jace bumps his elbow into mine and I smirk.
“Enjoy this break, but be ready to come back and hit the ground running. We’ve got a championship to win.”
Everyone begins to filter out of the large conference room, but Jace and I stay seated.
“Want me to stay for this next part?”
I shake my head. “Nah. I know you’re itching to be home.”
“More like I’m itching to make sure my heavily pregnant wife doesn’t do something irrational. Like climbing onto a stool to reach the snacks she asked me to put out of reach in the first place.”
“Didn’t you get her one of those grabby things so she didn’t have to bend over to pick up anything off the ground?”
He shoots out of his chair. “Oh no. My Goldfish.”
I chuckle as he sprints out of the room, yelling that he’ll see me later. I turn to the man who once again, holds my future in his hands. “That was quite the speech. Practice it on the flight over?”
Mitch shakes his head. “Nope. It all came from right here.” He taps his chest over his heart. I bark out a laugh and he smirks. “But seriously. You’ve really stepped up this season. I’m proud to have you on this team.”
“You think it’s enough?”
“To guarantee a renewed contract?”
I nod, nerves suddenly dancing over my skin.
What if it’s not enough? What if I’m not enough?
You’re more than enough. Her soft voice chases away the negative ones trying to drag me under. Leaning forward, I brace my arms on the table.
“Listen. I’ve worked my arse off to be where I am today.
Hell, I’ve pushed myself harder these past few months doing all of this.
None of this comes easily to me. You were right, most of the time it does kill me slightly to openly share parts of my life with the world.
Being that vulnerable isn’t how I’m built. ”
“Which is why what you’ve accomplished is so impressive, Lawson.”
“Jace was right though. This was all because of Sydney. You would have made an entirely different speech if it weren’t for her helping me every step of the way.”
“She’s a great girl.”
“She’s the best. In so many ways.”
He tilts his head. “So I’m guessing this isn’t so much a fake relationship anymore?”
“I don’t think it was fake to begin with. The way I’ve felt about her? You can’t pretend it doesn’t exist.”
“She’s good for you.”
“She’s made me into the man you just praised. Without her, I would still be one of those arrogant drivers who think he’s untouchable.”
He chuckles, rubbing a hand through his salt and pepper hair. “I’ve never thought of you to be that way—well, maybe the arrogance part—but now everyone else sees who you really are too. So to answer your question. Yes. All those reels, dog photos, thirst traps—”
“Please don’t ever say ‘thirst traps’ again.”
“Yeah, I didn’t like it either.” We share a laugh and the corner of his lips tip up. “You did it. You’re not going anywhere, Moore.”
My body tenses. “I’m staying?”
He nods once. “Seat’s yours if you want it.”
“Of course I fucking want it.” I laugh, suddenly feeling a weight lifted off my shoulders.
“Good. We’re still drafting up the papers but you should hear something soon.”
I blow out a breath. “Thank you, Mitch. For everything.”
He shakes his head. “This was all you, Lawson. I should be the one giving the thanks. I don’t know what I would have done if I had to find someone who could get past your defensive skills.”
“You can’t.”
“I know.” He smirks, pointing a single finger at me. “There’s that arrogance.”
“Didn’t think all of me was going to change, did you?”
“I wouldn’t have dreamed of it. Enjoy your break, Lawson. You earned it.”
With that, he walks out of the room and I collapse back into my chair. Laying my head back against the headrest, I close my eyes and let out a shaky breath.
I did it.
No. We did it.
If it wasn’t for the sunshine girl with bright blue eyes who’s always seen the parts of me even I was blind to, I wouldn’t be here right now. I wouldn’t have the future I was so desperately hoping wouldn’t slip out of reach.
I owe more than just my career to Sydney Collins.
I owe her everything.
My heart.
My love.
My soul.
I’m going to spend the rest of my life making sure she knows just how much she means to me. That she’s the air I need to breathe. The light that keeps me from drowning in the shadows. The sole beat of my heart and ruler of all my thoughts.
She has always been mine, will always be mine.
In the before, during, and after.
From showing me that I’m not alone when everything around me seemed to crumble.
To standing by my side and holding me up with her unwavering strength when all I wanted was to crash under the waves.
To giving me a reason for pushing through it all.
For a future where I finally know I’m worthy of love. Of her love.
Mitch said this was all me. But he’s wrong.
Because there is no me without her.
“Thinking about how you can burn this place to the ground without getting caught?”
My lips tip up and I roll my head towards the door. She takes a step into the room and moves around the table until she’s standing between my spread legs. “Because I’ve seen a bunch of different episodes on arson. I think between them all, we can find a way to pull it off.”
“Should I be worried that you’re so easily ready to help me commit a crime?”
She shrugs, running her nails through my hair. “Where you go, I go. That includes the slammer.”
I laugh under my breath. “Don’t think prison allows that kind of thing.”
“Well, we will just have to make sure we don’t get caught then, huh?” She smiles and settles on my lap when I pull her down. “So if you aren’t thinking about committing the perfect crime—”
“I wasn’t.”
“Then what were you thinking about?”
I lift my hand and cup the side of her face. “I was thinking about you.”
Humming, she loops her arms around my neck. “I knew you were obsessed with me.”
“Obsessed is an understatement.” I sigh and lean into her touch. “Sorry for making you wait, I was just about to head out.”
She shrugs. “It’s okay. I was able to finish the book I started on the plane. But when I saw Jace leave, I thought I’d come in and track my man down.”
“Well, you found me.”
She laughs as her fingers fidget with the back of my silver chain. “I did. I always will. Now, tell me what you were so intently thinking of.”
“I was thinking about how I couldn’t have made it through any of this if it weren’t for you.”
She rolls her eyes. “Oh, shut up. You totally could—”
“No. I couldn’t.” She stares at me and I sigh, tightening my hold on her. “I couldn’t have done any of this without you, sunshine. Ignoring the fact that I loathe social media—”
“You are such a baby. It is not that bad.”
“It can be.”
“Maybe when it’s used in the wrong hands, yeah.
But it can also be an incredible resource.
A lot of people forget that it’s more than just a platform to share cute outfits or the next big trending product.
You can learn from it. I follow plenty of marketing agencies on there that teach you how to utilize social media to better your company’s reach. ”
“You don’t have to sell me on the benefits of it.”
“I’m not.” I lift a single brow and she sighs dramatically. “Okay, fine. Maybe I am.”
“Well you don’t have to.”