Chapter 3 – Otis #2
“Oh.” This is not what I expected, but it’s something that I can get behind one hundred percent. Especially if it means I can get closer to Jasper.
“Sorry, was that a weird thing to ask? It’s just, I remember you being the nice kid in school.”
“No, just surprising. Yeah I can keep an eye on him, but I don’t think there are going to be many chances for him to meet someone,” I add.
“That is true, but looking at the current history of the team, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the mechanics is hiding a crush.”
“Marcus.” The sound of Vincent’s voice has us turning, and we both watch as he strides over to us.
“You know, I still want to pinch myself that he’s my boss,” I whisper over to Marcus.
“I can’t believe I met him,” Marcus replies, and I can’t help but smile.
“Marcus,” Vincent starts again. “I’ve been looking for you. I’ve been talking to Jasper and he mentioned that you do something on social media. I’m far too old to understand it all.”
“I used to be an influencer,” Marcus starts, “but the pay wasn’t great. I do have a degree in marketing.”
“So I have been talking to David and Lars, how would you like a job? The pair of them were raving about you,” Vincent starts.
“Excuse me. Did you just offer me a job?” Marcus sputters and looks over to me like I am going to confirm what Vincent said.
“Yeah. We need someone to run our social media platforms etc. Maybe keep an eye out for anything that could be brand damaging for the team.”
“Holy shit.”
And I can’t help but laugh at Marcus’s reaction. He looks completely dumbstruck.
“It would mean flying with the team etc, are you able to do that? Suppose it’s not a big deal if you can’t, but it would be better if you were able to film at the locations we go to.”
“Sorry, Mr Montague…..” Marcus starts, but is interrupted by Vincent saying his name. “What?”
“My name is Vincent. Not Mr Montague. This team is a family. First names only.”
“Fuck, my day is getting weird. Sorry. Vincent. Let me get this straight. You want to give me a job, that means I travel around the world?”
“Yes. I talked with Jasper too, he said you were good. So that is good enough for me,” Vincent adds.
I hope that Marcus accepts. It will be nice to have someone new on the team, like me. Plus, I like talking to him.
“Vincent. I seriously don’t know what to say. Thank you. I would love that.”
“Great. Here,” Vincent hands over a business card. “Call my office on Monday and we will make all the arrangements. You do have a valid passport?”
“Yeah, I do,” Marcus confirms.
“Great. Now I need to go mingle and find Richard. There is more grovelling to be done.”
Before Marcus has the chance to say anything else, Vincent turns on his heels and walks away. Leaving me with a rather stunned looking Marcus.
“Congratulations,” I say over to him, pulling him into a hug without thinking. “Shit, sorry. I’m a hugger.”
“Oh, that’s okay. Me too,” Marcus replies, before looking over his shoulder in the direction that Vincent just left. “I’m not hallucinating? That did happen?”
“You're holding Vincent’s card in your hand. That happened. You’re a member of Montague Racing.”
“Holy shit!” Marcus exclaims.
“I think that you’re going to need to find some new words. For example there is wow, good God, Holy Moly. You really can’t keep saying Holy shit.”
Marcus stares at me, before bursting out laughing, and taking me with him.
“Is this what working with you is going to be like?” Marcus asks.
“Not sure what that statement is supposed to mean? I’m a complete dream to work with.”
“I think you’re going to be a royal pain in the arse.”
“Hey. That’s not fair.” But we are still both laughing. “I think you are going to be a good addition to the team. It will be nice not to be the only newbie.”
“But you’ve worked for the team for years. Didn’t you join after karting and work up the ranks?” Marcus asks.
“Thought you didn’t know it was me?” I ask.
“I said I thought I knew the name, and then only recognised you after your races last year. I might have looked up your history then. Never thinking I would be in the same room as you.”
“You googled me?”
“I needed to see if you were good enough?” Marcus adds, looking a little sheepish.
“My drives at the end of the season last year didn’t give you enough information?” I ask, and I know that I’m teasing him. But I haven’t felt this light hearted in days. Talking with Marcus had stopped me thinking about Jasper. Something that I sorely needed.
“Oh no. You are good. But I always heard that the jump from F2 to F1 is huge,” Marcus starts. “You were brilliant in F2.”
“The jump is huge.” This is a statement that I can’t disagree with. There are more races in F1, and more are close together. The toll on my body next year is going to be massive. “But I think that I can do it.”
“And I get to witness that first hand, holy…” Marcus starts.
“Do not say shit,” I warn, giving him a smile so that he knows that I’m joking.
“Moly,” Marcus finishes, and we both crack up laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Jasper’s voice sounds, making me jump.
“Nothing,” I mutter.
“Really, the pair of you were laughing,” Jasper asks, looking from me to Marcus.
“It’s just,” Marcus starts, “Vincent offered me a job.”
“He did? Oh, that’s amazing. It would explain all the questions he was asking me about twenty minutes ago,” Jasper says, and the smile on his face on hearing his friend’s news makes the damn butterflies appear in my stomach.
“Yeah. I will be travelling with the team, looking after the social media accounts, and I’m not sure what else,” Marcus adds, and the surprise is still clearly evident in his voice.
“Will Nick be okay with you travelling?” Jasper asks.
“Nick?” I voice, and then immediately want to kick myself. This is obviously personal and I shouldn’t be prying.
“We broke up,” Marcus replies.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” The words falling from my mouth instantly. I have only known Marcus, what an hour? And yet it felt like the right words.
“Was it a mutual decision?” Jasper asks, and there is an odd edge to his voice.
“Yeah. Apparently, I could no longer fill his needs,” Marcus says.
“Then it was for the best.”
Okay, this sounds like the end of a business proposition, not a relationship, and I want to ask how long they were going out, but it’s not my place.
“I’m going to get us some drinks,” Jasper says. “We need to celebrate Marcus getting his first ever proper stable job.”
“Hey,” Marcus admonishes, but Jasper is already walking away, while giving Marcus a one finger salute.
“You and Jasper seem close?” I hadn’t meant to say those words out loud. I had been thinking them, and then they were out in the world.
“Jasper’s been a good friend.”
“How did you meet?” Again, my words need to stay inside my brain.
“At a club,” Marcus starts, but has gone sheepish again.
“Well you don’t hear many friendships starting from meeting at a club. More STD’s and one night stands,” I add, trying to lighten the mood.
“Not that type of club,” Marcus starts, and then looks around to see who is close by and actually takes a step closer to me “This isn’t something I normally reveal but considering some of the conversations you’ve heard…
I’m a Dominant. Nick was my sub. He wanted to take things to a place I wasn’t comfortable with, so we ended things. ”
“Oh.”
“You know you really need to find other words. I recommend holy shit,” Marcus adds, giving me a smile.
“Touche,” I reply, returning his smile.
“Jasper helped me when I first joined the club, and we became good friends,” Marcus says.
“Jasper is a sub?” I ask, even though I don’t fully understand the dynamics. I know they submit to their Doms. But my knowledge comes from films or tv and I’m sure, is completely wrong.
“What?” Marcus starts before a small chuckle escapes him. “Jasper isn’t a sub,” Marcus pauses again and looks around. “I shouldn’t tell you, so please keep this quiet. Jasper is a Dom.”
Suddenly, Dave’s words make sense to me, ‘You aren’t Jasper’s type.
He has unique tastes.’ Yes, his tastes are unique.
I wait for my crush to finally vanish, but it doesn’t happen.
Instead I look around, trying to find Jasper.
I spot him walking back to us with beer bottles in hand, and can’t help wondering how being dominated by Jasper would feel; and those damn butterflies take flight again.