Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Creed
When we land in Zandvoort, my heart jackhammers in my chest. I always get anxious before race weekend, but this is different.
Last week, I was made aware that they had found someone to fill the social media spot.
Of course, I knew about the job, I made it for Ana?s, but after everything went down I didn’t expect her to take it.
“Okay, so you have dinner with a couple of the team principals tonight.” Colby begins reading out my itinerary, “Then, it’s press day before team briefing.”
“Yup,” I mutter, not really paying attention.
“Then, obviously into race weekend, we fly into Italy Monday evening, ready for Monza.”
“Okay.” I wave to the reporters before getting into the waiting car.
“Anything else?” I ask as Colby slides in next to me. “That’s all for the moment.” He swipes off his tablet and places it on his lap.
“When are we announcing Cowan?” I ask, looking down at my phone and filtering through emails.
“After Monza.”
“Right.” I begin tapping on my phone, writing a response. “We need to let Kai know.”
“A letter is being drafted, and a meeting is meant to be scheduled for next Thursday,” Colby mutters, tapping the screen on his tablet.
“Can we get confirmation on that please?”
“Sure thing,” He begins writing an email
“Better to actually have it in place then assume.” I nod and he agrees.
We pull up to the Hotel NH Collection and the car rolls to a halt. The driver reaches for our bags, and Colby and I walk into the lobby. We’re greeted quickly and shown to our rooms. Colby is two doors down, Nora is next door, and I am assuming Ana?s is most likely with her. My stomach twists.
“I’ll see you in the morning.” I lift my chin at Colby as I step into my room.
Once the door is closed, I rest my head on the back of it and close my eyes. This was going to take some getting used to.
I hate that I let things escalate.
Sighing, I drag my case in and hang up my shirts and jeans.
Walking into the large bathroom, I peel my clothes from me and step under the steaming shower.
I felt irritable and I could do without dinner tonight, but it’s what we do.
There’s always a meet up before race weekend.
Luke chose the restaurant for tonight, Strandpaviljoen Thalassa.
I’ve been there once before and if I remember rightly, it was very nice.
Dressed with time to kill, I move to the hotel bar and order myself a draft. I spot the team principal and one of the drivers for Team Ruinous. Holding my glass up, I give them a nod of my head when he walks over to me and shakes my hand firmly.
“Creed, it’s good to see you.” His French accent is strong.
“Right back at you, Gabriel. How are you?”
“I’m very good, thank you. Nice break?” He steps back and his eyes drop to the stool beside me. I give him the go ahead to sit down and he does.
“It was lovely, very chilled. I went to Monaco.” I smile as I sip my drink.
“Very nice, I went back home to Bordeaux. It was good to be back on home soil.” He laughs softly and I laugh with him.
“I bet.” I order another draft for Gabriel who thanks me.
“How is Ajax doing?” Ruinous signed a rookie this year and he is still trying to find his feet. It’s a lot of pressure on their shoulders.
“Getting there. I am hoping for a better season next year,” he admits, a grimace pulling on his face.
“And Wilde, this is his second season, isn’t it?”
“Third.” He nods. “He is doing really well. Very impressed.”
“So you should be.”
“What are these rumours I hear that Cowan is moving to Saint Onyx?”
Chuckling softly, I drop my head and shake it softly.
“There exactly that, Gabriel.” My eyes flick to him. “Just rumours.”
“Aha.” He points his finger at me and laughs. “Are you coming to the dinner?” He finishes his beer and slips off the bar stool.
“I am, indeed.” I wave the barman over to pay the bill.
“Care to join me in the taxi?” I push to my feet and round the stool.
“Why the hell not?” I pat him on the back as we begin to walk. I have a lot of time for Gabriel. I get on with all of the teams. There are some on the track I don’t particularly like, but off the track we’re all great friends.
Back into my room, I feel exhausted. Slumping on my bed, I open my laptop and see the list of things Colby has sent me to do. Scrubbing my face, I type a response to his sarcastic email and hit send. I would deal with the rest in the morning before briefing.
I know the tension is going to be high. I was asked by five people tonight about Cowan, each one I shut down swiftly.
If I am hearing it, the drivers are going to be hearing it. I don’t need this right before a race weekend when I need both drivers in the points if we’re even going to stand a chance at winning Constructors’.
Closing the lid of my laptop, I reach for me phone and open up her profile. She’s dumped photos from her trip that I find myself swiping through them, a smile pulling at the corners of my lips. Then I see the latest one. Glassy blue eyes, tear-stained cheeks with the caption,
Saying goodbye never gets any easier, thank you Monaco for the amazing memories.
I can’t help but wonder if I was included in those memories. I see a photo that she snapped of us sitting on the yacht, my silhouette is in it, but she has somehow managed to blur it around the edges. The caption is just emojis. , , . My heart races a little quicker under my skin.
I tap on her profile picture, but nothing happens. Furrowing my brow, I drop Colby a message.
Help. Trying to look at someone’s story on socials, but when I click where I normally would, nothing comes up.
He types back instantly.
Because there is nothing to look at, dumbass.
I roll my eyes and swipe out of my phone.
He texts again.
It just means they’ve not added anything on their story.
Locking my phone, I put it on charge and find the remote as I aimlessly flick through the channels. I don’t remember much else after that.
I am up early and walking over to the paddock. Greeting fellow colleagues, Colby and I walk towards our garage.
“Who were you stalking on socials, then?” He looks at me, but I face forward.
“No one,” I lie through my teeth.
“Liar.” His tone is short.
“I was just looking through some of the drivers’ stories and I wanted to check Cowan’s, but nothing came up.”
Nice save.
“Right.” He rolls his eyes.
Walking up the steps, the doors slide open, and the small dining area is already full.
My gaze sweeps the room, but I can’t see her or Nora.
Royce is sitting in the corner with Kai and as I turn to tell Colby I’ll catch up with him in a bit, he has already moved himself over the other side of the room.
Placing my hand on Royce’s shoulder, I give it a squeeze.
“Morning.” I smile, looking down at his plate. It’s loaded with carbs and protein, with black coffee and a bottle of water. “Hungry?” I smirk.
“Always.” He winks at me, and I give him a pat before I set my sights on Kai.
“Morning, Kai. You okay?” Folding my hands into my pockets he gives me a heavy nod. He has granola and fruit, also with black coffee. “I’ll see you in briefing,” I mutter, dragging my hand from my pocket and clocking the time.
They both wave me off as I walk over to a table and sit myself down. I am greeted by Laura, holding her tablet.
“Morning, Mr Lexington. What can I get for you?”
“Two eggs, poached, on granary toast and a black coffee, please.” She jots it down before turning on her heel and disappearing into the kitchen.
Glenn and Pascal sit down next to me, their laptops in hand as well as their notepads.
“Morning boss.”
“Morning,” I greet them just as my coffee is placed down.
“How are we feeling about this weekend?” Glenn asks and my stomach tickles with nerves.
“Once we get the car out for practice, I’ll feel better,” I admit, as I take a mouthful of coffee.
“I don’t think we’re going to have any issues with the car.” Pascal rolls his lips, his fingers drumming on the table.
“I hope not.” I lift my brows.
“We have worked non-stop over the break, I really do think you’re going to be happy with –it, Creed.”
“I can’t afford for it not to be good, guys. If we even want to stand a chance at finishing in the top three of the constructers, it needs to be better than good.” My tone is sharp, and I see Pascal side eye Glenn before he drags in a breath.
“I’m sorry to be an asshole, but—”
“We get it,” Pascal says as he opens his laptop and begins tapping away. “I’ll get the technicians to show you what we have after briefing. I think you’ll be happy with it in testing, though,” he says through pinched brows.
“As long as it’s sorted before parc fermé, then we have nothing to worry about.” I smile just as my breakfast is placed down in front of me and Glenn and Pascal take that as their cue to leave.
I don’t hang around after I finish and I am glad I don’t because as I walk out into the paddock, I see Nora and Ana?s. Fuck, she looks pretty.
Ducking my head, Colby appears at my side as we walk to briefing.
“How does Royce feel knowing his ex is going to be lurking in the shadows?”
“He doesn’t care. As long as she stays out his way and vice versa, I am sure all will be fine.” I plaster on a smile and pat Colby on the back.
“Hmm, I doubt that,” he grumbles as we step into the room and see everyone sitting there.
“Morning, team.” My voice is loud and upbeat. I sit myself at the head of the table and let Pascal begin his talk.
Kai and Royce seem to be listening, giving the odd nod here and there.
Their race engineers chat amongst themselves and we work out a strategy for tomorrow.
Stick to plan A first— two stop and Royce takes precedence over the race.
Unless things change in qualifying, but I doubt that very much.
Or, if for whatever reason the race doesn’t go our way, then it’s plan B.
They fight till the end.
I don’t like doing it because it causes emotions to run high off the track, but sometimes it has to be done. I am becoming desperate, and I hate it to my very core.
We wrap it up but Glenn, Pascal, the head technicians, and I hang back.
“Okay, let us show you what we’ve been working on,” Lara, says as she loads up her computer screen.
She opens the programme, showing me how the car will run and handle the corners. We lose time on the corners, I know that, but I do think that comes down to driver. My son is an excellent driver, I know it, he knows it, everyone else knows it, but is he the best? No.
He needs to learn, but he is so arrogant and when I try to tell him, it goes straight over his head.
His coach is the only one that can get through to him, but if he has had a bad race and we’re trying to give him constructive criticism, he will shut us out. Lock himself away and will ignore everything and anything we have said.
It’s annoying, but I am hoping it comes with maturity.
Lara explains what she has changed and how she thinks it will help with the way the car is driven. The FIA have approved the changes. She said she had a bit of a battle when it came to the rear wing, but it is a close design to another teams and theirs passed with flying colours, so she fought it.
“Well.” I stand, smiling at Lara. “Thank you for explaining to me. I am looking forward to seeing the car on the track tomorrow at practice.”
She thanks me before I am walking out the office, running my hand around the back of my neck and giving it a squeeze.
“So.” I hear the sound of Pascal running behind me and I turn to look at him. “What do you think?”
My steps falter and I give him the widest shit eating grin as possible.
“I think it’s going to be amazing.” My hand clasps on his shoulder and I give him a reassuring squeeze. “Well done.” I give him a wink. “I’ll see you on track tomorrow.” I see the way his body sags in relief. “Tell the team they done good.”
For the first time in a while, I walk away with excitement buzzing inside of me. I can’t remember the last time I felt that.