Chapter Nine
Luca
Another horrible practice session.
Just as my head hit my sofa’s pillow, my manager popped his head in. “So, how was it?” Matteo had a large, expectant grin on his face.
“Free practice was fine.”
He narrowed his eyes, giving me a disapproving grunt. Considering he’d never asked me about my free practice sessions before, I knew what he was really asking about.
“Dinner was fine.” Fine was a nice way of putting it. Every offhand jab about my party habits or inherited privilege had been on a loop in my head all day. Somehow, her opinion mattered more than any headline ever could. And I hated that.
Matteo stepped inside, closing the door behind him. “Well, the photos of your fine date look phenomenal.” Before I could protest, he thrust his phone into my hands with a look of triumph. “Look at this photo of the two of you!”
The image that greeted me wasn’t what I expected.
A candid shot of Georgia and me at the restaurant, mid-laugh.
Her head was tilted slightly toward mine, her eyes scrunched with genuine amusement.
And there I was, mirroring her expression, looking more carefree and happier than I had in ages.
In the picture, we looked like a couple deeply in love.
Not like the bickering rivals that we actually were.
“Pretty good, huh?” My manager looked rather pleased with himself.
I shoved the phone back at him. “It’s fine.”
“Georgia and Nora will be stopping by soon,” Matteo added, already halfway out the door. “Smile for the cameras.”
Before I could tell him exactly where he could stick his cameras, I heard her voice.
“Hiya! Is Luca around?” Georgia’s bright tone rang out through the garage, just as calculated as it was casual. “We were just walking past and thought we’d say hi.”
My team principal grunted as he nodded, but before he could summon me over, I waltzed out of my room and into the garage, pulling Georgia into a warm embrace.
Her eyes widened in surprise, but the initial stiffness in her shoulders melted away as she relaxed, returning the hug.
A sudden flood of comfort filled me. For all her icy exterior, Georgia’s hugs were inexplicably full of warmth.
“How did free practice go, amore?”
Georgia brushed imaginary lint from her pants, avoiding eye contact, cheeks tinged a faint pink.
So, she liked the nickname. Noted.
Georgia shrugged. “Car felt good, but the heat was draining. Hoping we get some rain; would make it cooler.”
We chatted awkwardly—small talk, rehearsed smiles—while one of the Hermes social media interns not-so-subtly filmed us from across the garage. A reminder as to why both teams felt it necessary to add this inconvenient stop into our busy schedules as drivers.
Finally tired of awkwardly standing in the way of the mechanics doing actual work, I put my hand on the small of her back and led her further inside, pretending to give her a tour of the garage as the social media intern followed us.
A tour that felt positively ridiculous, considering her brother had raced here for years.
When I opened the door to my driver’s room, Georgia let out a surprised gasp, and I knew exactly what she was thinking. On the other side of this wall was her brother’s room, a room whose disheveled nature rivaled a war zone.
“Not all men are slobs like your brother.” Chuckling, I motioned for her to take a seat on my sofa. She wandered in, trailing a finger along the spotless counter before dropping onto the couch.
“Good to see some men can pick up after themselves.” Probably the best compliment she’d ever given me. “So, now that it’s just us, how did your free practice really go today, Luca?”
Considering lap times were public, she knew exactly how it’d gone.
That I’d managed to barely squeak out a sixth-place finish in the second free practice.
Part of me wondered if she was trying to remind me of my failures.
My father had spent the better part of the afternoon berating me with ideas, I didn’t need them from Georgia as well.
“Well, you can’t win them all.” My joke sounded stiff, and she didn’t say anything.
“I see you and Henri are like a hundredth of a second off each other. No shocker there,” I added, trying to sound breezy as I collapsed onto the far end of the couch.
I kept my eyes on the window, anything but the pity on her face.
“The Hermes car has great pace this weekend. I’m sure you’ll find it in qualifying.”
I thought Georgia was going to add, “if you put in the effort,” but she kept the light smile on her face. No biting remark, no smug grin. Just a steady confidence in her voice that almost sounded like belief.
“Perhaps.” I shrugged.
“You should watch Henri’s free practice laps.
” Georgia immediately held up her hands in protest at my disgust. “I know, I know. Just hear me out. You know that area of the track by the bridge? It’s more elevated than it looks on camera.
The camber is higher than you’d expect. Henri is losing some time because he’s religiously taking the racing line.
” She paused, clearly second-guessing herself, but I nodded for her to continue.
“As you go round, take your car off the line just a bit during qualifying tomorrow. It might help you if you time it right.”
She was nervous. I could see it in the way she wrung her fingers, the tension etched in her shoulders.
Which meant she actually cared what I did with her advice.
Georgia had a sharp eye for detail and a knack for spotting subtle nuances on the track.
In this case, my father was right, I probably did have a lot to learn from Georgia.
I let the words settle, playing the line through my head. It was, to be fair, a clever idea.
“Not a bad idea,” I said finally, and Georgia relaxed enough for a soft smile to slip through. “You watch everyone’s free practice laps?”
“You don’t? Learned that tidbit from your da—” She hesitated, choosing to look out the window instead of finishing the sentiment.
“So, why are you helping the enemy win? Francesco paying you more than Valkyrie?” I gave her arm a slight, teasing squeeze.
Georgia smirked. “What can I say? I’d like some actual competition tomorrow. And if you could keep Henri on his toes, that’d be an added bonus too.”
“Who knew Georgia Dubois was so devious?” I laughed, before leaning in closer. “So, since we’re sharing advice… I saw this morning’s press.”
She groaned, rolling her eyes like it physically pained her. “For whatever reason, this morning’s journalists were so focused on my ability to race in the heat, that you’d think I haven’t raced in the US during the summer before.”
“While it’s certainly fun watching you battle it out with the press like a dutiful general, have you considered just joking with them?” I suggested. “They’re so worried about you being able to face the heat, just tell them you eat chilis for breakfast.”
“Wh-who on earth would believe that?” she scoffed.
“It’s not about them believing you, Georgia. It’s a joke.” She looked about ready to combust at my idea. “Find yourself in an uncomfortable situation? Make ‘em laugh. Divert the attention elsewhere.” Georgia looked skeptical but she didn’t dismiss the idea.
Progress.
“Joke with the lions before they eat me, got it.”
“See, just like that.” I grinned, pointing finger-gun-style.
A knock on the door startled both of us. “Georgia, you’re needed back at Valkyrie!” the voice called out.
“Best you head back. I’m sure you’ve got tonssss more practice laps to watch.”
Georgia scoffed, smoothing out her team jacket as she stood up. “Right, yes, see you Sunday for the coffee date. Good luck in qualifying.”
We made our way out of my driver’s room and to the Hermes’ back exit, but before we could exit, a dark chuckle caught my attention.
“Well, well, well. Georgia, collecting consolation prizes, are we? I see the paddock’s most unexpected couple has finally gone official.” I didn’t need to look at the person to know who was behind me. Only one person could master that sarcastic, southern drawl.
Anthony.
Georgia balled her hands into fists at her side, but before she could step forward, I pushed her slightly behind me, squaring up to Anthony.
At six-one, I lorded over the five-six American driver, but to his credit he didn’t back down, continuing to gnaw on his apple as he sized up the two of us.
His confidence reeked of someone who believed they held all the cards, and every part of me wanted to knock him down a few pegs.
“What can I say, Anthony, just couldn’t hide my excitement any longer. Snagged me the best racer on the grid, don’t you think?” I gave Georgia’s hand a quick squeeze in a show of affection.
Anthony ignored me as he stepped closer, his eyes searing into Georgia’s bright blue orbs. “Really hopping from driver to driver, I see.”
I felt Georgia’s entire body bristle beside me, but her voice was ice-cold calm. “Well, much like cars, Anthony, even boyfriends need upgrading.”
He ignored her. “What does éliott think about you having a new boyfriend?” I felt her falter. Not much, but enough to notice. Enough to piss me off with that same anger I’d felt back in Barcelona.
Edward had insisted that her relationship with éliott had been platonic, but something about Georgia’s death grip on her pants told me she’d heard that theory from other people.
Or they’d actually dated. A thought that made my stomach sour more than I appreciated.
“Who do you think set us up?”
The words came sliding out of my mouth, and Georgia immediately gave me a questioning side-eye.
Our press teams were going with a loose story about us ‘falling in love’ during her garage visits to her brother, but I couldn’t help the sly words leave my mouth in an effort to put Anthony in his place.
Anthony raised his brows in mock delight. “The ex set up the new beau? You might want to be careful who you introduce her to, Rossi.”
“For the last fucking time, he was not my—” Before Georgia could finish her thought, I dragged her out of the hallway, leaving Anthony’s smug face behind.
“Gah!” Georgia screamed as soon as we were outside. “It was one fucking time!”
Her cheeks were bright pink, her eyes blazing. But just as quickly, her face shuttered again. Calm, collected. Only the way she wrung her hands betrayed her.
I really wanted to ask about her explosive comment, but now didn’t feel like the time to satisfy my curiosity. “You okay, amore?” I asked gently. “I should have made sure that Anthony wasn’t around.” Georgia shifted uncomfortably, and I could tell she was searching for the right words.
“I knew I’d see more of him when I agreed to this.” She looked down at her feet, then back up at me with something close to vulnerability in her eyes—something she clearly hated.
“Look, I’m only going to say this once, so savor it. Whatever happened between you and Anthony doesn’t matter. He’s a joke. You? You’re going to be a fucking World Champion. Let him rot in mediocrity.”
She nodded before glancing at her phone which had been buzzing since we’d left my driver’s room. “It’s Nora. She’s been ringing me nonstop. Look, I gotta run, but I’ll see you Sunday. Good luck in qualifying tomorrow.”
She started to walk away, but just before she turned the corner, I called after her.
“Oh, and Georgia?”
She glanced back over her shoulder.
“You’re welcome to come test this upgrade anytime!”
She didn’t reply, except for a single middle finger in the air.