Chapter 4 #2
“I can’t help that”
“Night Rookie”
???
Erik got to the circuit early as per usual. He had his meetings. All was in order. The sprint race should go in his favour. He wasn’t sure about qualifying later with the weather. Mark arrived just after he was done.
“Did I see a certain coach leaving your room last night?”
“No.”
“I’m fairly sure that I did…”
“Ok, but nothing is happening. She won’t allow it. I’m fucking frustrated, mate.”
“Not even a bit of oral or a hand job?”
“Gross, don’t talk about her like that!”
“Wow, this is serious,” he responded. “You know you’re giving away buttons to push with you.”
“And you know that it would never impact my driving,” he retorted.
“Does Antoine know?”
“No, and he’s the whole reason why it isn’t happening.”
“Interesting dilemma…” Mark looked as if he were thinking about something. “Well, I’m here if you need to talk to someone.”
Once the helmet was on, Erik stopped thinking about it.
He stayed in the lead for the whole sprint and kept his car out of a chaotic race.
Ingrid did come to mind once as he was approaching the final laps.
A vision of her sitting on the floor beside him.
She was in another garage, though, cheering on his best friend who was about to get a third-place finish in the Sprint.
He saw them hugging as Antoine got out of the car, and he was jealous of his friend. He wanted to be the one to do that.
Antoine, Erik, and Mark were walking back together from the media room after the sprint race.
“Well done, mate,” Mark said, ruffling his head. “It seems I was wrong about this coach idea of yours.”
“I told you!” Antoine responded.
Mark gave a look toward Erik as if he were about to cause trouble.
“I’m just happy you’re getting back up there; always knew you could do it!” Erik quickly jumped in.
Antoine felt good to be sharing this with his friends.
It had been almost a year since he had a podium finish, and even then, it was because Callipel had received a five-second time penalty after the fact.
It was only a sprint race, but it was something.
There were a few hours before real qualifying. Antoine had to focus on that.
He was back to do debriefings and prepare for qualifying. The weather had cleared up completely now. The track conditions were unknown.
“Bonnie, do you think you and Ingrid could talk me through together?” He asked.
“Of course, number three!” She smiled. “Again, so proud of you!”
Antoine found Ingrid in the hospitality area, looking at her phone.
“I hope you aren’t obsessing over that Instagram thing we told you about!”
“No, no.” She smiled up at him. “Just looking at all the love for you after the sprint race.”
“I thought you and Bonnie could do a session together with me?”
“That’s a great idea! I don’t know why I never thought of it. I suppose I just thought Bonnie was always so busy, and I didn’t want to distract her from her work.”
So, a tradition started of Antoine, Ingrid, and Bonnie having a quick strategy session together.
After the success of the sprint race, Antoine couldn’t get his car further than P5 in qualifying.
Antoine:
“Merde! I don’t know what happened.”
Bonnie:
“It’s ok, Ant, it was still a good quali. We just focus on tomorrow.”
Antoine didn’t know where the pace had gone. He needed Ingrid to calm him down. It was the first person he went to once he was free of the technical stuff.
“I don’t know what happened.”
“Did you do your best?”
“Yes!”
“Do you feel like the car had more pace in it over one lap?”
“Not really…”
“Antoine, you’ve been doing this for years. You know how this goes. Some days you just can’t go any faster on a lap.” Ingrid put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “So calm down. We still have a race tomorrow.”
“You’re right, I can fight back tomorrow.”
“That’s more like it. See you back at the hotel?”
“Yes, although I’ll probably be late, so tomorrow morning?”
“Ok, I’ll see you then. Remember, still have a race tomorrow and trust in Bonnie.” She smiled and left.
Antoine went off to do his media duties in a calmer, more upbeat mood.
???
Ingrid got back to her room and into her comfy clothes.
Even though she had reassured Antoine, she felt like she had failed him in some way.
It wasn’t a complete disaster, but after the high of the sprint race, it did feel like a letdown.
Oliver had sent her a voice note, so she played it as she poured herself a glass of wine:
Oh my god, Sister, you are the hottest new thing in F1.
It is so funny! It’s also hilarious to see you on TV being called Dr Ingrid Hansdotter, Antoine Hamadou’s coach.
Are all these drivers as hot in real life as they are on TV?
If so, then perhaps I might apply for a job with one of the F1 teams. Farfar would love that.
Also, what is happening with you and Erik Svensson?
I’ve seen you smile like that before. Ok, ok, as a good brother, I know I should be congratulating you on your job, so here’s your congratulations.
Mum and Pappa say hello and send their love.
Your dog is driving me nuts, but only because he misses you.
Give those drivers a kiss from me, or you, he chuckled. Love you, twin.
Ingrid loved her brother, but the twin connection was too strong on an intuitive level. She knew he’d pick up on the Erik thing. There was a knock on her door.
“It’s me, can I come in?” Antoine said. Ingrid was relieved that it wasn’t Erik.
She opened the door. He looked tired and restless.
“You ok?”
“Ouais, just needed to talk about today.” He sat down on the couch.
“Ant, it really wasn’t as bad as you think.”
“It wasn’t?”
“What were the positives you can take from today?”
“The sprint.”
“Ok, focus on that. What did it feel like?”
“It was good to be up there again. I felt like that’s where I belong. You know, with Erik and Mark, and with Nico. We’ve always been at the same level.”
“What’s holding you back from being there again?”
“This fucking car.”
“You know we have this saying in English: a bad workman blames his tools. I’m not really sure it can apply here because you do have to rely on your tools, but a part of that is your mindset.”
Ingrid’s phone started ringing. Antoine picked it up and handed it to her. It was Erik. She was glad she had the forethought to save him as ‘E’.
“You can answer.” He shrugged.
“No, it’s just a friend; I can call them back later.
I think what you need right now is to journal out all your thoughts and get some sleep.
You look tired. Remember to think positively.
You’re still in P5 and can come back from there.
It’s only the second race of the season; it isn’t the end of the world. ”
She hugged him as he left. Picking up her phone from the bed, she called Erik back.
“You know that was a close call? Antoine was here.”
“Sorry. I didn’t see you when I got back to the hotel. I feel like I haven’t seen you the whole day, except on TV.” He laughed. “I didn’t know you were a Dr or Norwegian.”
“You never asked. How did you see?”
“I was watching the race because I was bored. I knew Mark was far behind me because that broken hand of his acts up in the rain. Do you dye your hair?”
“Yes. I really don’t know why this interests you.”
“I’m getting to know you. What’s your natural colour?”
“About the same as yours. Erik, is there a point to this conversation?”
“When I saw you hugging Antoine after the race, I was jealous.”
Ingrid had noticed Erik looking at her after the race. She had wanted to hug him too.
“I can’t help you with that. You know the terms.”
“Do you want to come up?”
“No, I shouldn’t.”
Ingrid thought about it. She really wanted to. As Erik had said, she hadn’t seen him the whole day. He had missed her absence, but so had she.
“Room 504”
Erik was in tracksuit pants and a team T-shirt. Ingrid hugged him.
“I’m sorry about pole.”
“It’s ok, I can take him at turn 1,” he said into her hair. “Why did you change your mind?”
“I don’t know.”
“We aren’t acting very single.”
“It’s situational, Erik. You’re going to forget about all of this the minute race weekend is over.”
He kissed her head.
“Maybe not.”
“You will. Trust me, I know.”
“Can I stay the night?”
“Absolutely fucking not.”
She let go of him and walked away. Ingrid knew she shouldn’t have invited him over. Her self-control was slipping.
“Oh, come on, Rookie, it’s one night,” he pleaded. “I’ll be gone before anyone sees.”
“Yes, but I would know.”
Erik walked after her and pulled her back into an embrace.
Ingrid could feel him hard against her. Just being in his arms turned her on.
She wasn’t sure if it was the secretiveness or him.
He pushed her against the wall of the bedroom, and she returned his vigorous kiss.
Lifting her up with ease, she wrapped her legs around him. Then she let go and slid down the wall.
“Erik, go back to your room before we do something that fucks this all up.”
“Give me a second, I can’t go out looking like this.”
He pointed downwards. Ingrid couldn’t help but laugh.
“It isn’t funny!”
“Sorry, it’s just the way you said it!” She put her hand over her mouth as if to stifle another laugh.
“Ok, that’s killed it.” He took her in his arms. “You’re a V?lva.”
“What’s that?”
“The Norse name for a sorceress who could perform healing, see the future, and, like you seem to do to me, cast curses. I thought you would know this.”
“I’m only half Norwegian, on my father’s side. My mother is British.”
“Explains the posh accent…”
“I don’t have an accent, and the only one casting curses over anyone is you!” She tapped him playfully. “But really, you should go. Big day tomorrow.”
“They’re always big days.” He kissed her on the head and left.