22. JULES
JULES
‘Seven times?’ Ash shrieks, a little shrill considering how little I’ve slept. She’s so gobsmacked she forgets to stay close to the wall and almost gets mowed over by Matteo D’Ambrosio as he weaves through the snug passageway on a scooter.
‘Keep your voice down,’ I hiss, ‘everyone knows everyone here.’
‘Ending your dry spell with a bang – literally. I can’t remember the last time Abs and I had sex more than once in a night. He’s lucky if he gets it seven times in six months! What about you, Mins?’
‘Seven’s a stretch, but you’re missing the point here.’ She glances around to check no one she recognises is eavesdropping, and I walk into her with an oof. ‘It’s not about the number, it’s the fact that it was with Mr 305.’
I gape at the back of her head. ‘Jesus, have you given him a codename?’
‘Well you can’t throw his real name around in here.’
I don’t know if it’s because I’m feeling especially delicate but the paddock seems a world away from when I did the track walk with Tom. Insufferably so. People are everywhere, which is surprising considering only team personnel, media Minnies and VIPs are allowed.
‘Anyway, the point is— This way, gals,’ Minnie adds when Ash starts striding towards the harbour, ‘Jules shagged Mr 305.’ She hisses it even though it’s in code. Rubbish code. Passersby are going to think I like my men bald and grabby. ‘Last I checked, you hated him.’
‘I did— I do! It’s just…’ Oh I don’t know what to think. ‘It didn’t mean anything.’
When I glance at the girls in turn, they both deadpan.
‘Seven times would suggest otherwise,’ Ash says, slowing to join a coffee cart queue.
‘It was… amazing. There’s nothing more to it.’
‘I’ll say,’ snorts Ash, and I whack her with my bag, but not hard because it’s Hermès.
‘How does he feel about your date with Sundowner?’ Minnie presses as we surge forward.
Sundowner? Is she talking about Tom? Who made these up? ‘Fine.’ I shrug. ‘Why wouldn’t he be?’
I do think I caught something immediately after I told Tiago. A slight… hesitation? Before I could make sense of it, it was gone and his hand was between my legs and I’m pretty sure my overstimulated brain made it up.
‘Are you going to shag again?’ Minnie asks.
Kill me now. ‘No. I don’t know. I last saw him two hours ago; I’ve barely had time to shower let alone map out what’s next.
’ Why do I sound so defensive? I have nothing to be defensive about.
A one-night stand doesn’t need to mean anything.
Though it was without a doubt the best sex of my life.
Of course it had to be with Tiago, someone completely unsuitable and bad for me.
It probably meant nothing to him, a standard Friday night.
Minnie raises her eyebrows like I’ve confirmed something and I don’t like it and I’m tired.
‘Maybe I should’ve put a romance clause in that contract,’ Ash giggles.
‘It’s not romance, Ash.’
‘You two do spend a lot of time together…’ Minnie ponders.
‘It’s just business.’
‘Hey look, there’s Emily Ratajkowski!’ Ash whispers feverishly. ‘Get that content, Julesy.’
I whip out my phone, and my exhausted arse (literally) bolts after her, hearing, ‘Do it for the vlog!’ called behind me like a proud parent. Why do I do the things I do?
Once I’ve sufficiently embarrassed myself, we resume walking to the Pagari garage so I can interview Jack before qualifying.
My F1 content’s performing insanely well.
Motorsport fans are following along, commenting about which race I’m going to feature next.
They have real power, with my engagement spiking on any post that merely hints about the sport.
Public conversations are shifting too – ‘Jules and Tom’ pairing searches have increased exponentially; F1 fan accounts are posting about sightings of me and my fashion; a couple of Tom’s brands have reached out.
This plan may feel like a struggle day-to-day, but it’s working.
I’m slowly becoming part of the F1 discourse.
‘Wait, Jules!’ Ash hurriedly gives her coffee to Minnie. ‘Give us your stuff and stride away. Do one of those walking shots in front of the boats. The scenery’s cracking.’
That girl’s wasted in law.
‘I could totally take Nyla’s job,’ she says when she hands my bag back.
‘That’s not very Brown Girl Power of you,’ I note.
‘You’re right. You don’t offer daily roasts like my chambers anyway. I’m out.’
‘You get daily roasts? Would you even want that?’
‘Who wouldn’t want that? Leg of lamb on a Tuesday lunchtime? Please and thank you.’
That does sound appealing.
‘So this Monaco race weekend vlog you’re making will be your first vlog featuring T—Sundowner. Is that right?’ says Minnie, keen to get back to topic. ‘Is this you announcing him as your boyfriend?’
Ash huffs. ‘People already know she’s with Sundowner, silly. All the gossip creators think they’re just being private, which makes sense because he’s a private dude.’
‘I’m not hard launching him.’ I scrunch my nose up at the thought. At this rate, our relationship would begin in October and end in December. ‘I’m just feeding them little bits to keep fuelling interest.’
Minnie adjusts her hair in the breeze. ‘Will you speed things up after your date?’
‘Maybe I don’t need to,’ I consider. ‘With him being so private, maybe drips and drabs over the next few months are all I need. Maybe it’s even better, with people having to look harder for the story.’
Minnie’s lips curve down, considering.
‘I wonder if he’s happy to go seven times.’ Ash raises her eyebrows.
‘I think that’s a 305 phenomenon,’ Minnie says, and I hard agree.
Tom’s a vanilla man if ever I’ve seen one. There’d be no upside down play, that’s for sure.
A flash of orange catches my eye as we head down the pit lane ramp.
Tiago’s race suit is peeled to his waist, hair damp, water bottle in hand, with Isa towing behind.
My stomach gives an alarming jolt. It’s probably just the somatic memory of last night.
Could he possibly look even better now? Seeming fresh and awake despite everything we did. My core aches as it reignites.
He doesn’t spot me until we’re practically eye-to-eye. ‘Hey,’ he says. His smile lights up his entire face and my breath catches.