Chapter 4
JESSICA
I stare in disbelief at the bouquet of red roses that has been delivered to our bus.
“Are you sure these are for me?” I ask the delivery guy.
“You are Jessica Edwards, yes?” he asks. I nod.
“Then, they’re all yours.” He turns and leaves to deliver the rest of the mail from his golf cart.
It’s incredible experiencing the world of F1 and how we essentially have everything we need inside the paddock, including a mail service.
I take the roses with me inside the trailer, which houses all the Star News staff. I go into my bunk and look for a card. Tucked into the bouquet, I find a small, folded card.
Hopefully the next time I run into you, you’ll end up falling into my arms
? L
Oh my god. I can’t believe him.
First, how cliquey can he be?
Red roses, check.
A cheesy line about me falling for him, check.
A small letter to show that, of course, I know who the superstar is, check.
It’s not like I get lots of roses from other guys with names starting with L, or any other letter for that matter, but still.
I sigh and look at the flowers.
Should I toss them in the trash?
Go find a vase to put them in?
Will the others wonder who sent them?
Maybe they’ll think I have a boyfriend back home who misses me.
I decide that a perfectly fine bouquet of red roses shouldn’t end up in the garbage, at least not on the first day, and I go looking for something that resembles a vase.
I put the flowers in a water carafe and shake my head, not quite understanding Luke Hastings.
He seemed so annoyed with me, oozing ego and attitude. He was pissed and angry at us or something else, I don’t know, but he didn’t exactly explain his behaviour either, so how can I know?
Then there were the intriguing eyes and interest, mixed with a mutual attraction.
When he looked at me with those beautiful eyes, I felt exposed. As if he could see right through my big girl act.
Still, I’m proud that I stood my ground. Part of me thinks Luke liked that, too. If not, why send me flowers?
Sending flowers seems like such a personal gesture, like there’s an underlying message I can’t quite decode.
I feel confused about his intentions, yet strangely intrigued by the possibility that there might be more beneath the surface of Luke Hastings.
◆◆◆
The day after the whole run-over-and-roses incident, I’m interviewing an F2 driver who just finished his practice session.
F2 is the league directly below F1, where every driver aspires to move up to F1.
I sense someone watching me and catch Luke out of the corner of my eye. He has a commanding presence that attracts attention.
Our run-in yesterday left me feeling a mix of emotions.
Angry. Exposed. Vulnerable.
Luke also stirred other feelings deep inside me.
Desire. Temptation. Lust.
Those feelings need to be sent back where they came from.
He might be an attractive man, but his attitude and ego definitely tarnish that image.
I look back at the driver I’m talking to, Alex Griffin, who’s starting his season strong.
“Alex, how does it feel to come out on top after the first free practice this weekend?” He smiles and gives an elaborate answer about the great team effort of all the mechanics and everyone standing behind him and this car.
Even though the drivers are alone in their seats, they have a whole team behind them, so they often take the opportunity to acknowledge the team effort.
“Are you confident that you can bring home the win here in Baku this weekend?” I ask and bring the mic over to him.
“Yes. You never know, a lot can happen during qualifying and the race. But I’m confident in our car and the results we are seeing.” I smile at him and thank him for his time.
Luke is still standing off to my side, watching our exchange, but I ignore him and turn back to my team.
“You did it! Your first interview, and you did so good!” Steve says, before hugging me, making me feel giddy from the entire experience.
This is everything I wanted: to cover a sport I’m passionate about and to travel the world while doing it with an awesome team.
When Andrew suggested I interview with Alex, I thought he was joking. He looked at me and said, “the best way to learn is to dive right in.”
I couldn’t pass up that opportunity, even if it felt scary at first. This is the first step towards overcoming my self-doubt and challenging myself to get out of my comfort zone.
Starting with a friendly driver like Alex made for a good experience. He’s media-trained and polite, so interviewing him felt comfortable.
Steve goes back to his camera station to wipe off the lenses, while I sit down at the small desk we have set up at our workstation in the paddock.
I take out my notepad and check how long we have until the F1 qualifying.
“Did you get my roses?” I hear Luke before I see him.
He comes up and stands directly in front of my desk.
If I thought he was tall yesterday, it can’t compare to having him right in front of me now that I’m sitting down and he’s standing up.
I jot down some notes in my notebook, buying time to find the courage to face Luke before closing the book and looking up at him.
“I did, thank you,” I say with a tight-lipped smile. It was sweet of him, but it also left me feeling confused.
When he ran into us, he didn’t seem sorry at all, and then he pulled the whole roses charade.
I’m sure Steve didn’t get any roses, which makes me wonder if Luke likes to charm women until he’s had enough and moves on.
As handsome as he is, I’m here to be professional and do my job.
Lusting after a hotshot driver with a big ego isn’t part of that plan, no matter how beautiful his eyes are.
“Why do I get the feeling that you didn’t really appreciate the roses? Are you more of a tulip girl? Maybe sunflowers?” He asks, and a smirk spreads across his sinful mouth.
That smile usually wins over all the ladies, I’m sure, and I won’t lie and say that his good looks and almost sweet gestures don’t affect me, but I’m not here to be Luke Hastings’ five-minute entertainment.
“Look, Luke, I appreciate the roses, which I hope are a form of apology for rushing into us, but honestly, it wasn’t necessary, and I’m here to do my job, so please let me do just that, and maybe I’ll see you around for an interview later in the season.”
For someone like Luke, charming the ladies is just part of the everyday routine. I don’t intend to be on the receiving end of charming smiles and flirting when I know I could get burned badly.
Besides, I’m here for my internship in this paddock, not to fraternize with any drivers. If I want to be taken seriously in this industry, I need to make a name for myself.
With this in mind, I straighten in my chair and decide that I will succeed, even if the challenges involve handsome men with sinful smiles.
He seems to enjoy a challenge, always seeking excitement in the chaos.
However, I’m focused on chasing my dream, not playing games or getting distracted. He’s someone I’ll have to turn down politely so he can move on, because my priority is clear.
I won’t let anything derail me from what truly matters.