Chapter 1
Chapter One
Athena
Curled in the cosy, sage green pinstriped armchair, I look out the small sash window. Spring is in the air, though there is still a morning frost which tops the quiet fields opposite my home. Sipping on a white chocolate mocha, extra sauce, extra whipped cream, I lick the remnants from my lips.
I live just on the outskirts of the Cotswolds in a quaint and pretty cottage, tucked deep in a quiet village. It’s cosy—just how I like it—and cluttered with all kinds of stuff, but it was all me. Every room is mismatched, down to the tea towels that hang in my tiny kitchen.
Turning my head to the side, my lips lift at the corners as I let my amber eyes settle on the snow globes that sit pretty on my fireplace.
I have a thing for them. Quite the obsession, actually.
I always try to grab a new one from wherever I visited, but if I were being honest, the collection was looking a little light.
I’d stopped travelling and ended up walking around antique shops looking for lonely snow globes.
A twist deep inside my chest pulls my attention from my snow globes but I ignore it. I revel in the silence and finish my hot, fancy and very overpriced drink before I begin my day.
Sighing, I close the lid of my laptop down and spin in my chair to look at my childhood best friend, Edel. She’s sitting crossed legged on my bed. Blonde, beautiful, loyal… the list is endless.
“You stressing?” she asks, tapping her fingers on the duvet cover.
“What makes you think that?” My lips pull into a smile and she shakes her head.
“What do you know about F1?”
Her question catches me off guard, but I recover well. “Erm...” I think for a moment. “Cars go vroom vroom around a track for a while.”
“And you thought writing a Formula One romance book would be the way to go…” She sniggers and her shoulders lift and fall as she laughs.
“It was your idea.” I scrunch my nose. “And yeah, fast cars and hot men… What more could we want?”
“True.” She winks then lets out a heavy sigh. “As if you’re leaving me.”
“I know, but we’re going to try and wing it that you fly out for some of the races. I’m waiting Maria to get back to me with what dates work with Royce’s management.”
“How do you think it’s going to go with you and Royce?”
“Shockingly bad,” I admit, picking a piece of skin from around my nail bed.
“Athena.” Her eyes land on mine and I hate to look at her. “You can’t think like that. You’re the Opal Bloom, bestselling author…”
I hold my finger up at her, eyes widening slightly as I silence her. “Was, a bestselling author… not anymore.” I chew on my bottom lip and let my eyes fall into my lap.
“None of that, it’s just a lull,” she reassures me.
I know she is trying to help but the anxiety swarms in my stomach. Sighing, my shoulders drop and I twist and glance across my bedroom.
“This is going to be amazing, Athena. You’re going to have a blast over the next nine months, and you get to see places you would maybe never have gone to if your agent didn’t get you this gig.”
“I suppose,” I reply, my tone dreary.
“If you do not cheer up, I will take your place.”
“Please do.” I half laugh, half whine.
“As much as I would love that, no can do. I have a job. This is all you, baby girl.” She winks at me and I smile.
“It’s going to be awesome, right?”
“Right.” She nods heavily.
“And Royce isn’t going to be that much of a dickhead, is he?”
“Who knows?” She comes back at me with a truth. “He is focused on his career, that’s all he cares about. Stay out of his way, watch him and the sport, and take your notes. You’ll be fine.”
“I thought he was with that Rue girl.”
She raises a brow at me like she is surprised I know that.
“I read it in the news somewhere from one of the Formula One sites I follow,” I mutter, “and I may have tumbled onto his socials, then somehow found Rue and her bookshop.”
“Oh, you Insta-stalked.” Her lips twitch into a smirk.
“Yup.” My eyes drop to my lap. Guilty.
“Well, I don’t think they’re together now. I thought it was a more a mutual attraction, but it fizzled out.” She waves her hand in disregard.
Now it’s my turn to raise a brow.
“It’s on that paddock hotties gossip blast; they always have the hot goss on there.” She readjusts herself, legs hanging over the bed.
“Maybe I should sign up.” I shrug.
“Maybe...” She trails off before continuing, “But you may end up on there if you’re following Royce around.”
“It’ll be a pretty boring blast,” I admit, grabbing my phone and searching the name.
“What if this turns into a beautiful love story?” She swoons.
“It won’t.” I shut that down quickly.
“Okay,” she says, sarcasm lacing her tone.
I give her a roll of my eyes and try and prepare for the next step in my new adventure.