Chapter 16 – Jasper
“So, how is married life?”
“Fuck off, David,” I state back, but I know that I’m smiling just the same.
“You know that Lars has done nothing but moan about you and Otis. It’s been two weeks, and apparently you’re still happy in the training sessions.”
“Yeah, well…” I start, but it’s not a statement I can argue with. That day in Bahrain, I hadn’t intended on telling Lars about me and Otis, but when he started to give Otis a hard time, I had to defend him. The look on his face was priceless.
“I know, you’re happy,” David replies. “It’s good to see.”
“I am, at the moment,” I reply.
“At the moment?”
“There’s part of me that still thinks this is going to end in a ball of fire. That Otis is going to wake up one day and say fuck this,” I respond.
“You’re kidding, right? The last few days he’s been a complete royal pain in the arse. What called you home so urgently anyway?”
“Surprise for Otis?” I explain.
“A surprise that took, what a week?”
“Yeah, a surprise I wasn’t even sure I was going to be able to pull off. I even had to get Vincent involved without it looking weird.”
“Oh, I’m intrigued now,” David states.
“Well you’re just going to have to wait until the end of the race.”
“I will be there. Wish I was on the track instead of the sidelines,” David says, and I can hear the sadness in his voice.
“You know, Vincent would give you back your seat in a heartbeat.”
“I know, but Otis belongs in that car. He’s going to break some records this year. He managed to get pole yesterday. The press are even more interested in him now.”
“I thought that might happen. I’m worried about how he’ll cope with the added pressure. I haven’t had a chance to see him. I only got back yesterday and wanted to get back onto Australia time as soon as I could.”
“He’s going to be so happy to see you,” David replies.
“I think he’ll be much happier with the surprise,” I mumble.
“I doubt that,” David responds, “I think he’s also craving a scene. Marcus has been a shit. Winding him up.”
“I think Marcus is jealous,” I tell David, and I can’t blame him. If the tables were reversed, I would be the same. Otis is everything a sub should be.
“Oh I have seen glimpses. Don’t get me wrong, Richard is perfect for me. But I can see why you like Otis,” David replies.
“What the fuck has Marcus been doing?”
“Nothing. I’ve caught him talking to Otis in a voice that might be more commanding than normal, and I was almost thinking that Otis has been playing along too, but…”
“But what, David?” Not liking that I’m hearing this from David and not Otis.
“One night Otis told him to stop. That you were his Dom and he needed to back the fuck up. I can’t remember what was being said, but he was quite forceful. Marcus backed down after that. Part of me thinks Marcus was testing his loyalty to you.”
“Otis can be very demanding,” I confirm.
“Otis the Dom?” And I can see David smiling. “But I really don’t see you submitting to him.”
“Demanding yes, Dom no. He likes submitting to me, and fuck, he does it Iike no one else. I thought you were good. But nope.”
“Oh fuck off,” David retorts. “I was new to submitting.”
“So is Otis,” I tell him.
“You know that I hate you right now,” David says.
“No you don’t. I taught you how to be the best Dom and you have a beautiful husband to thank me for.”
David opens his mouth to argue but knows that he can’t, because I know I’m right.
David was a great sub, but there was always that edge to him.
I could feel even all those years ago that he wanted to fight back.
Wanted to take control of me. I have no doubt in my mind that David is an excellent Dom.
“Anyway,” David starts changing the subject, “the race is going to be starting soon. Where are you going to watch it?”
“Oh, hell no. I’m not watching the race,” I say.
“What? You have to,” David states.
“Not happening. I watched some of the testing in Bahrain. There is no way in hell I’m watching the race. I thought I would be okay. Last year I had no issue watching you and Lars race, but when it’s your boyfriend behind the wheel it makes it that much harder to watch.”
“Sorry to say but I don’t think that’s going to be an option for you. The whole team is there.”
“Oh, I know, which is why the surprise is my get out of jail free card. Vincent knows,” I explain.
“So where are you going to be?”
“Back at the hotel, but I will be back here for the last few laps. Watch him beat Lars and get his first win.”
“Jasper.” David says my name and there is a different edge to his voice than what there was a moment ago.
“What?”
“This isn’t going to go up in a ball of fire. Both me and Marcus agree we have never seen you like this, and Marcus has been there when I haven’t. He told me what you were like after Clive. I wish I had been there for you.”
“Me and you should’ve stayed friends. But I loved watching you excel. And I know what you’re saying, but the past can sometimes repeat itself.”
“Look, I’m going to tell you something that helped me once. It’s a quote I saw on TV. The past doesn’t matter, the future no one knows, it’s the present that counts.”
“That’s very thoughtful.”
“Shut up there’s more,” David started. “Do you know why it’s called the present?” He doesn’t stop for me to answer. “Because it’s a gift. Enjoy the gift because tomorrow it will be the past and won’t matter and the future isn’t here yet. Treat each day as a gift, Jasper. That’s what I do.”
I stand there looking at David. This is a side to him that I have never seen. I know that he’s in therapy for everything that he went through, but for him to say something so profound is surprising.
“When did you become so wise?” I say, giving him a smile.
“When I was faced with the possibility of no future,” David replies. To look at him you wouldn’t think that there’s anything wrong. Hard to believe that six months ago he was in a car surrounded by fire.
“I hear you,” I start. “But….”
“But nothing, Jasper. Live for today. If what you have with Otis goes up in flames, there are a few people who have got your back. Otis knows this, so I think you’re fine.”
“That’s true.” I give him a smile. “Look, I have to get back to the hotel. See you all in a few hours. Hopefully with a first and second place for the team.”
Walking back to the hotel, I think about David’s words.
I know that he’s right, and I also know that I hate that I’m still allowing what happened with Clive to impact on what I have with Otis.
He has already proved that he’s different by coming out to a few people.
So why isn’t this enough? But these are going to be thoughts for another day. I need to check on my surprise.
Back at the hotel, I make a beeline for the lift, scanning the lobby as I go.
There are no reporters here at the moment, which is good.
It means the secret is going to stay a secret for a while longer.
Calling the lift, I wait, thinking about how Otis is going to react.
Oh how I wish I could be there with him.
Finally the lift arrives and I push the button for the second floor.
I know that Otis is going to love this, but I hate that it means in a few days that I’m going to leave again, and I won’t be able to get to see him till the team is in Japan in April.
Almost three weeks apart. Yeah, not looking forward to that.
Lars is most likely not going to be impressed either.
But Vincent told me that it was okay. I’m going to need to figure out how to get back sooner, but that will be a problem for another day.
Knocking on the hotel door, I wait for it to be answered.
“Jasper.” Lizzie greets me with a smile before pulling me in for a hug.
“How are you doing?”
“I’m in Australia and flew on a plane. How do you think I’m doing?” Lizzie responds.
“Look, you did amazing on the plane. I was there the whole time, and I will be there when we fly back,” I tell her. “When Otis sees you here, he’s going to lose his shit.”
Spending thirty odd hours flying with Lizzie, I’m now no longer language shy around her, but I also love her even more. The fact that she did this... The admiration I have for her increased a thousand percent.
“How the hell I allowed you to talk me into this I’ll never know,” Lizzie says.
“My charming personality and the fact that you fell in love with me the second we met,” I state.
“Oh how I want to argue with you,” Lizzie says. “But I can’t. Otis chose well with you. Now, come on, the race is about to start.”
“How the hell can you watch it? Any chance I can have one of the pills the doc gave you to help you fly?” I ask.
“No. Those are my pills.” And I don’t want to point out that Lizzie never actually needed to take any. It might be because I tried to keep her distracted through the entire flight, when she wasn’t sleeping.
I got the idea to get Lizzie to Australia while the team was testing.
I knew how much Otis would love for her to be there.
His debut race. Otis had already been making plans for Lizzie to be at Silverstone, which, being in the UK, meant not flying.
But Otis’s debut race was special, too. So, I had gone to Vincent.
He was a little confused why it was me approaching him, but I had just said that Otis and I had become friends over the break, and that I had met his mum and thought that I might be able to get her to Australia.
Vincent had jumped at it. Within what felt like minutes but was more like hours, my flight back to the UK had been booked.
Mine and Lizzie’s return flights had been booked, in first class.
This was my idea. It gave me more privacy and Lizzie more space.
“Shit!” Lizzie exclaims.
“What? Has he crashed?” Lizzie’s outburst brings me out of my thoughts and has me anxiously turning towards the TV.
“No. Look at him. He’s flying,” Lizzie says. “He is already pulling ahead and getting purple sections for fastest lap.”