Chapter Twenty-Eight #2
“I like to visit whenever I have a break. Less now that I’m traveling so much,” she lamented.
“But it’s always a joy to come back here, to see the smiles on their faces.
” Her eyes glistened with genuine affection.
“These kids, they’re warriors, you know?
They fight battles every day that most adults can’t even comprehend.
And if I can bring them a moment of happiness, then it’s all worth it. ”
“Who knew Georgia Dubois had such a soft side? This is truly incredible, Georgia.”
I watched her interact with another little girl, her warmth and kindness shining through in every interaction. In the paddock Georgia was so fiercely guarded, and I loved seeing this more relaxed, warm part of her shine.
Over the next two hours, we signed countless posters, hats, and pictures, listening to their stories and answering questions about racing. Some of them dreamt of becoming professional drivers themselves, while others were simply in awe of how fast our cars went.
“Alright, Luca, last one and then we can head off.” Georgia was smiling, but I could see a hint of sadness on her face. She really did love it here.
As the little boy approached, I bent down, giving him a wide smile as he announced, “I want to be a racer just like you, Luca!”
“Oh, yeah?” I chuckled, grabbing his Hermes hat.
“Yeah! You’re my favorite racer ever! I’m going to win Monza, too. My dad’s Italian and he said you’re one of the best racers Italy has ever had, even better than your dad! My dad isn’t a racer, he’s just an accountant.”
I perked up, flashing him a grin. “Your dad says I’m the best racer on the grid, huh?”
“Oh no, he says Georgia’s the best on the grid.” The boy said the words with such sincerity and honesty that I couldn’t help but throw my head back in a laugh as his mother, embarrassed, hushed her son. Georgia let out a snicker behind me.
“Well, I can’t argue with your dad there!” I finished signing the cap and handed it back to his mother, before signing a Hermes cap for the boy’s father as well.
“Thank you,” the boy’s mother whispered. “He always talks about how he wants to be like Luca Rossi when he grows up.” Staring into her eyes, I kept waiting for the just kidding but as the woman continued to stare back at me, I knew that she was serious.
“Keep chasing your dreams, hmm?” I said, ruffling his hair one more time. “And one day you might just find yourself standing on that Monza podium.” The little boy nodded, waltzing off to get a photo in the model Valkyrie car. I turned back to Georgia, who was gathering her things.
“Want to walk to the paddock? I need to grab a few things,” she asked.
“Yeah, I’d love a walk.”
As we pushed through the heavy glass doors, the cool evening breeze greeted us. It felt nice to be outside, especially on such a beautiful day.
“So, did you like today?” she asked.
“It was really fun, Georgia. I haven’t felt that relaxed in a long time, to be honest. Who knew I was someone’s favorite racer?”
“I did,” she said firmly, her voice overflowing with sincerity. “I did.”
“You keep your work here so private. You should tell people about this charity. It’s so good for the kids.”
Georgia shook her head. “I don’t do it for fame, Luca. I do it because I love it. Because working with these children, it’s an honor. They’ve been through enough, and I don’t want to use them for my PR gain.”
“Like you’re using me?” I’d meant it to be a joke, although Georgia’s expression told me I was about as funny as a comedian at a funeral.
“Sorry, too soon,” I added, appreciating Georgia’s forgiving laugh.
“You know, there’s a balance between showing off versus showing who you are.
This charity, these kids, this is something you love to do.
Celebrities are always talking about their charities, and yes, I’m sure in a big part to make themselves look good, but think of the good it does for the charity.
The money and awareness it would raise could really help make a difference.
” Her expression softened, and she looked at me with a mix of gratitude and contemplation, but she said nothing, and I knew that was the end of the subject for today.
As we walked through the streets of Monaco, the sun began to set, casting a warm, golden glow over the bustling city.
We walked the next half-mile in mostly silence before finally arriving at the Valkyrie garage.
Since it was Tuesday, the paddock was mostly empty, barring some mechanics and logistics people setting up.
The drivers and fans weren’t expected until Wednesday and Thursday.
I followed Georgia into her driver’s room, loosening my sweater, when I froze. “Um, Georgia, why is there a hamster in here?”
“Oh, that?” she shrugged casually. “That’s just a little gift I got Edward.”
“Georgia Dubois, you know Edward hates hamsters, rats—all rodents!”
“Exactly.” She pulled out a Wilmington garage mechanic outfit from her closet, unrolling it in front of her.
“I’m sorry,” I chuckled in disbelief, “are you going to dress up as a mechanic, sneak into the Wilmington garage, and prank Edward?”
Who was this Georgia standing in front of me?
“Oh no, we’re going to dress up as mechanics and sneak into the Wilmington garage,” she laughed, pulling out a second outfit. “You guys are always pranking each other, figured it was my turn.”
“Absolutely not!” I scoffed in disbelief. “You’re out of your mind. I can’t sneak into my old team!”
“Wow, and to think you once called me boring.” She tsked, nodding her head in disappointment.
Little Miss Goody Two-shoes Dubois did not just call me boring.
“Come on, Luca. Don’t turn into a coward on me now.” Georgia really did know how to push my buttons.
“Fine.”
Incredibly pleased with herself, Georgia grabbed her mechanic’s outfit, slipping it on over her polo and jeans as I did the same. Grabbing the hamster cage, which was now disguised by a small blanket, we made our way out of the garage and towards Wilmington.
When we approached, Georgia casually waved at the security guard standing by the entrance to the offices.
Before he could recognize us, we quickly opened the doors and snuck through.
I glanced over at Georgia, who seemed surprisingly composed, and I almost felt embarrassed that I was the nervous one.
Spotting Edward’s room, I scanned the empty hallway, knowing most people would be out since it was starting to get close to dinner time. I nodded to Georgia that the coast was clear and she hopped into the room with me hot on her heels.
“I feel like it shouldn’t be so easy to break into another team’s garage,” Georgia chuckled as she looked for a spot to place the hamster. Before I could answer, I heard Edward’s voice down the hallway.
“Fuck!” I whispered to Georgia.
“Quick! In here.” She ran towards the closet, and we piled inside, Georgia silently shushing the hamster like it, too, was part of this fiasco. As soon as the closet door closed, I heard Edward’s footsteps as he entered the room.
“See you tomorrow!” he called out.
A crash made us jump. Georgia’s shoulder pressed against my chest, the hamster cage wedged awkwardly between us. Her breath was warm on my collarbone, and I glanced down at her in the dim space, her lips parted in silent laughter.
“Damn it. Where is this thing?” Edward grumbled, and I silently prayed that whatever he’d lost wasn’t in our hiding place.
I flashed Georgia an annoyed look, but she just continued to smile as she shook her head at Edward’s mumbling commentary to himself.
She nervously licked her lips before wrapping her hands around my arm for balance, gripping the cage tightly.
Here I was, trapped inside my best friend’s closet holding a hamster doing what was probably one of the most ridiculous pranks yet, and all my body could think about was how soft Georgia’s hands felt wrapped around my muscles.
Finally, Edward let out a triumphant “Aha!” followed by the sound of the door shutting behind him. Georgia burst out of the closet, stifling a cackle.
“Fucking hilarious,” she whispered, carefully placing the hamster cage on Edward’s desk, along with a note. “Right, ready?”
I shot her one last disbelieving nod before opening the door, peeking through the small crack. “Coast is clear, let’s get out before someone catches us.” Georgia followed me out of the room and down the hallway, both of us taking care to keep our steps light as we silently walked past the offices.
The moment I stepped outside, I grabbed Georgia’s hand and started running towards the Valkyrie entrance. Georgia let out a squeak but kept up with the pace. We ignored the strange looks from her mechanics as we sprinted our way to Georgia’s driver’s room.
“Edward is going to kill us. I cannot believe you convinced me to do that!”
Georgia shimmied out of the mechanic’s uniform, shoving it into her closet, before motioning for me to do the same.
“Edward is never going to know, and even if he does, he deserves it for all of those pranks he’s pulled on Henri over the years.” She grinned. With her dimples making an appearance on her already flushed cheeks, Georgia looked beautiful as she basked in the satisfaction of her prank.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’ve been holding out on me, tricking me into thinking that I was hanging out with the boring Dubois twin.”
“Just like you tricked me into thinking I was going to win that karting race?”
I stepped closer, crowding her gently against the doorframe. One arm braced above her head. With the other, I reached up, trailing my fingers lightly under her jaw.
“There’s a lot more to you than meets the eye, isn’t there?” I whispered. Our bodies were flush against each other as I towered over her.
Her breath hitched as our eyes locked. Slowly, I leaned in, and her lips parted slightly, like she was daring me to close the gap.
After Monza, I’d gotten another taste of her, and over the last week, kissing Georgia again was all I’d thought about.
I edged closer, my lips just barely ghosting hers, when I heard the unforgivably loud ring of my phone, breaking the spell that had taken hold of us.
She cleared her throat, cheeks flushed, motioning towards the phone. “You, um, gonna get that?”
Of course, it was Edward calling. “Ed, what’s up?” His tone was seething with annoyance. “A hamster? Weird, why would your team principal get you a hamster?” It was nearly impossible to hold in my laughter as I listened to Edward’s franticness on the other side of the line.
I pressed the speaker button on my phone as Edward’s voice boomed through. “I grabbed my wallet from my driver’s room, got to my car and realized I’d forgotten my keys. I walked back in and then all of a sudden there was a hamster in my room!”
“Well, you’ve always wanted a pet.”
“I’m going to fucking kill my team principal. He left me some ridiculous note, too,” he grumbled.
“Keep me posted on what Arthur says, yeah?”
I probably should have felt worse, but considering he’d once told security that I was an intruder after I’d forgotten my pass at the hotel, I figured this served him right.
As soon as I hung up the phone, Georgia was doubled over in a fit of laughter, tears streaming. “Fuck, he’s going to be so mad.”
“Nah, he’s a good sport!” I said finally, watching Georgia chortle away, speedily checking her messages to make sure Edward hadn’t texted her. “Look, I gotta go back to the garage, but I’ll see you at your podcast event?”
“See you then, Luca.”
I turned to leave.
“Oh, and Luca, not a word of this to Henri!”
I nodded, although when I felt a large pillow hit the back of my head, I knew she didn’t believe me, which was fair.
If I had it my way, the entire world was going to know about the Georgia I had met today.