Chapter 10 #3
“Oh, I wasn’t aware that I was still your girlfriend after the way you behaved.”
“I wasn’t aware that we broke up. Please, can we switch to a video call?”
She agreed for the first time in days.
“I like your new hair.”
“Erik, what is this about?”
“I’m trying to have an adult conversation with my girlfriend who isn’t here with me this week.”
“Back to that. In general, when you kick your girlfriend and her brother out of your place and blame her for something without discussing it, then you can consider the relationship over. Especially when a few days later, you’re dancing suggestively with another girl.”
Erik ran his hand through his thick hair as he felt the guilt wash over him. Ingrid was right about everything.
“I’m sorry about all of that. The girl, by the way, was all over me, and the camera angle makes it look much worse than it was. I left shortly afterwards.”
“Ok, I understand. You can’t believe everything you see on social media anyway.”
She sat back, looking more relaxed.
“Are we ever going to move past this Mark thing?”
“I don’t know, Erik. Could you explain to me what you were thinking when you attacked me like that?”
He lay back on his pillow and started spilling everything out to her about Mark being one of his oldest friends, the fear he had of losing his own racing career, the fact that he thought she could have done something to save Mark from himself, and how he blamed himself for not listening to her and Antoine sooner or seeing the signs.
“I know you were stressed out and upset, but you can’t use me as a punching bag. You have to talk to me.”
The punching bag comment struck a nerve.
“Please don’t ever think I would use you as a punching bag,” he said in a very serious tone. “I just wish I had spoken to you about all of this sooner. Am I forgiven?”
“Yes, for now.”
“Are you still my girlfriend?” He asked, and he knew he was giving her the puppy dog eyes she couldn’t resist.
“Yes, for now.”
“Come to the race this weekend? I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages.”
“You’re seeing me right now.”
“You know what I mean…”
“Ha! And whose fault was that?” She said sardonically.
“Ja, ja, I’m taking the blame for that.”
“I think a week or two apart would be good for us. You can learn how to communicate.”
“Oh, there’s no way I can spend two weeks apart from you! It has already been too long.”
They said goodnight, and Erik felt complete again. Determined not to fumble this relationship, he sought out Daniela after practice.
“Dani! Just the person I was looking for. How’s the shoulder?”
“Getting better, thanks! I should be ready to go back on tour in about two weeks. How are you doing? Spoken to Ingrid yet?” She knew that he had.
“I was actually going to ask you about that. We’ve talked. I don’t want to push her, but I don’t want to lose her either. Did Antoine tell you that I was looking to buy an apartment for us before we had that fight?”
“Yes, he did. And honestly, I think you should slow it down now. Let her guide you on how fast she wants to go. You really messed it up.”
“So, if she’s said now, a week or two apart, I should listen to that?”
“Yes, give her time. Be patient.”
Erik wasn’t used to being patient. He raced for a living. It was going to be impossible for him to slow down.
???
In the meantime, Ingrid decided to reconnect with some of her London life again.
Taking Sir Lewis for walks in between client calls, cooking actual meals that didn’t require a driver’s diet in mind or weren’t cooked by a hotel chef.
She also called her friend Claire to see if they could go to dinner on Free Practice day, so she wouldn’t be thinking about Erik.
“Oh, darling, it’s so lovely to see you!” Claire said, kissing her on both cheeks.
“I’m so glad you were available for dinner at the last minute.”
Two days’ notice was very last-minute for Claire, especially for a Friday.
Her social diary was always packed. Both of them were Oxbridge-educated.
Claire had been up at Oxford for a degree in literature, and Ingrid had completed her PhD at Cambridge.
However, they came from very different worlds.
Claire was part of London’s high society set – the ones you would regularly see on Tatler’s social pages.
She had become one of Ingrid’s clients when she got stuck writing her second novel. After that, they became good friends.
“Not last minute at all, I’m writing my third novel and could do with a break. I’m actually surprised to find you here in London! Shouldn’t you be jet-setting around with the F1 crowd?”
“Oh god, please don’t think I have become one of those girls.”
“No, it would never suit you,” she said frankly. “But do tell me about how things are going?”
“I’m secretly loving working in F1.” Ingrid smiled sheepishly. “Not all the flying around and hotel rooms, but the camaraderie and witnessing in real time your client’s progress.”
“Oh, that sounds wonderful! Do you think you would do it full-time?”