Chapter 19 #2
“We wouldn’t expect anything less,” Liam assures. “But I believe this is a great opportunity for Travis, Max, and Amato Racing, as well as our company, naturally.”
“Naturally,” I repeat.
Over the next thirty minutes we’re served a light breakfast while Liam hashes out potential terms and conditions for this new sponsorship opportunity. Though I pay attention and respond at the appropriate times, I can’t help but to think what Travis will think of all of this.
Liam seems to think there’s chemistry between Max and I that also extends to him and Travis. I have no idea what he’s seeing, and I try not to think this guy’s business instincts are as poor as his ability to read people.
What I do know is that Travis and Norm expected this to be a done deal. Yet, once again I’ve walked into almost a sure thing and walked away with nothing. Not a signed contract, an offer on the table, or an increased number to take to Travis.
These are the lamentations that spiral through my brain as Liam and Randy rise from their seats, shaking hands with Max then myself before exiting after wishing Max luck on this weekend’s race.
“What the hell was that about?” I hiss at Max as soon as we’re alone.
He doesn’t react in surprise or even confusion.
His reaction is worse.
Those pink lips of his spread into a smile that makes my stomach muscles tighten, and the spark in his eyes rivals the sun’s glare on the marina water twenty-five stories below us.
“I believe I was just offered a potential sponsorship deal. Were you not present at the table?” He waves an arm in the direction of the table.
“No, you tried to steal an opportunity out from underneath my brother,” I accuse. I’ve run it through my mind. I don’t know how, but Max must’ve known what I was doing here with Liam and Randy and intentionally interrupted to mix things up.
He braces a hand against his chest in mock offense. “I would never.”
“Psshh,” is all I respond.
“You don’t believe me?”
“Why would I? You clearly wanted to sabotage me.”
“Or I saved you.”
My eyebrows almost touch my forehead. “What did you say?”
“You were flailing a little.” He shrugs. “Not your fault. Not many people knew about Waltz & Collins’ deal with Skyland last year. They wanted to announce it at the end of the season and we both know what happened there,” he explains casually.
“How did you know?”
“Skyland was bragging about it last season after Miami’s Grand Prix. We’d gone out to a night club—”
“Of course,” I grumble.
“And he was bragging about this new lifestyle brand his agent brought to him. He mentioned how they agreed to a seven-figure deal and had paid fifty percent upfront.”
That makes my eyes bulge. “That’s insane. No wonder Randy was hesitant.”
I’m intrigued but also pissed that I didn’t have this information beforehand. I should’ve dug deeper and asked more questions. I wonder if Norm even knew, but I doubt it. I think he would’ve shared that information with me if he’d known.
I know for a fact Travis wasn’t aware. Now, I’m not sure if he would want to work with a company that signed Skyland last year. And this time around they’re interested in signing both him and Max, which is going to take a lot of convincing for Travis.
“I think they’re coming out on top this time around,” Max says, sounding genuine.
I cock my head to the side.
“Instead of one Amato driver who turned out to be complete rubbish, they’ll get two this time around. One of whom is going to be the champion this year.”
I cock an eyebrow. “Obviously, they realize Travis is on track to repeat,” I reply, knowing he wasn’t referring to my brother. “But what do you get out of it?”
“I thought you would’ve already figured that out by now, princess.”
Warmth washes over me, and I hate the way my eyelids instantly lower. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him not to call me that, but I can’t push the demand through my lips.
“Right,” I say. “You get to force yourself into a deal that was Travis’ to take, getting in the way.”
He chuckles and steps closer.
“You’ve almost got me figured out.”
“You’re not that complicated.”
It’s his turn to cock his head to the side. “Have you figured out that you owe me?”
My eyes bulge. “Owe you?”
He nods sharply. “I saved you from waffling and coming across as unknowledgeable. Which means you owe me.”
“I don’t owe you shi—”
“I’ll take my payment in the form of dinner,” he says over my outrage.
“Take your dinner and shove it up—”
“My room number is four-oh-five. I prefer the lower floors,” he continues. “Is there anything you don’t eat?”
“I …” Words fail me for two seconds. “I’m not coming to your hotel room.”
He frowns. “I can assure you it’s clean and large enough to accommodate our date.”
“We don’t have a date,” I whisper-hiss so that he gets the point.
“Oh no? Then I can share with Travis how you and I shared a lovely breakfast with Liam and Randy about our sponsorship deal that you were completely in favor of?”
“Are you trying to blackmail me into a dinner?”
He cocks his head. “I would never.”
“You’re full of shit.”
“I’ve been told worse,” he retorts. “Seven o’clock sound good?”
“I’m not—”
“I have to go. Practice today. You know how busy race weekend gets.” He steps beside me, pausing and lowering his lips to my ears. “Seven o’clock. Don’t be late.”
He leaves me in a stupor long enough that when I come out of it, he’s gone. The only thing left of his presence is the way my ear tingles from having had him so close that his breath brushed across my skin.