Chapter 6 #4
“I was so relieved when he said he would prefer me to Mark. Don’t you think we should just tell him?”
“Erik, you know it’s about more than just Antoine…I said I want you to try being single for a while.”
“Ingrid…” He tucked her hair behind her ear, then stroked her face. She loved it when he did that, and he loved doing it. “Ok, we aren’t having this discussion again tonight. Plus, I’ve used up all my self-control.” He grinned as he pushed her back on the bed and kissed her.
An alarm was going off. Ingrid reached over a naked, sleeping Erik to the bedside table. It was his. She turned it off and hit him with the pillow.
“Why are you waking me up at 4 am?”
“Hmm,” he responded half-asleep.
“Erik!”
“What?”
He pulled her into him.
“Why is your alarm set for 4 am?”
“I told you that I go to the circuit early.”
He started kissing her.
“Surely not this early?”
“Well, I go on the sim for quali days.” Kissing her again. “I’m sure we have time for a quickie.”
At that, Ingrid stopped complaining about time. She let him in, and it was anything but quick. He had learned how to control himself with her and inside her. He quickly pulled out.
“Ah fuck,” he said. “I wish I could start every day like that.”
Ingrid lay back. She wanted to, too. However, she wasn’t going to tell him. She still didn’t trust that this was real.
He went to the bathroom, then came back and kissed her more intensely than he’d done all weekend.
“I don’t want to leave you here.”
“We both have work to do.” She sat up, put her hand on his chest, and said, “I’ll see you there.” Then kissed him goodbye.
It was just before 5 am, and she couldn’t decide whether to go back to sleep or not. Oliver had sent her a voice note, so she played it while she made a cup of tea:
Oh Sister! I think I’m going to have to come up with a name for you and your boys!
Fleetwood Pac? Ingrid’s Army? I’ll think of something.
First, we had Mark. Then, you were snapped with Nico.
Plus, another one with Erik! The Erik one is gold.
I’m afraid you can’t hide it from the world now.
I know what you were trying to do, but your body language gives it away.
Check your socials. Please let me have fun with this?
I’ll create an anonymous account and everything.
You’re the new Brat Pack of the Paddock.
Maybe I’ll go with that. Tell Erik I say hi. Love you!
Ingrid hadn’t looked at social media yesterday, so she opened it up, and there were all the photos.
She saw what Oliver meant about the photo with Erik.
Someone had caught it at just the right moment, from just the right angle, so it looked like more than just friends.
All her work was undone. At least she had Daniela with her today to help with the situation.
???
That morning, the team’s PR asked Erik directly if he was dating Ingrid.
“Why?” He asked nonchalantly.
Someone showed him the photo.
“I don’t see why people are asking that? Or why it’s anyone’s business?”
“Erik, we’ve received three media enquiries about it this morning.
Tabloid-type stuff, but still media enquiries.
She’s Antoine’s coach. The photo makes it look like you’re involved.
If you are involved, then it’s a story. Plus, the TV graphic would change to say ‘Hamadou’s coach and Svensson’s partner’. ”
Erik burst out laughing at the team’s long-suffering media manager, Julia.
“This is not funny, Erik. If you’re dating her, people will start saying you’re sharing race strategies together or something.”
“Jules, the most she shares with me is ‘don’t crash’. Antoine lets slip more information than she ever does.”
“So, you’re dating?”
“I wish, but no,” he said. “You can spread it around that she’s become good friends with our whole group. We often eat dinner together. There should even be a photo from the other night with Mark and Gaetan.”
“Ok, so you’ll let me know when you’re officially dating?”
“I’ll let you know.” He winked at her.
After FP3, he thought he would find Ingrid in the smoking area. She was just about to head back, but caught his eye and went to light another cigarette. He leaned against the wall next to her. Erik’s mechanic, André, was there, so he said hello and introduced them.
“Did you watch Mark?”
“Yes, I’m worried,” he replied. “We’ll see if he calms down in quali. This isn’t the kind of circuit you play games with.”
They kept silent. André finished his smoke and said goodbye.
“You know, I got asked the funniest question by my media team this morning.”
He had turned around and placed his hands against the wall on either side of her. Those blue eyes and dark red lips so close to his.
“Really? What?”
She looked intensely at him, and he wished he could touch her.
“If we were dating?”
“That damn photo.” She sighed. “What did you tell them?”
“The truth, I wish that we were, but that we aren’t. I also said to Julia that she should spread it around that you’re friends with all of us.”
“Why didn’t I think of that? I should have asked one of your media managers to do it!”
“It’s so cute how new to this world you are. I think we should all call you ‘Rookie’ from now on.”
“Ha. Ha. Very funny,” she replied. “I should get back to Antoine. A bit of nerves today.”
Ingrid ducked under the arms that had been trapping her. She turned back, put her hand on his chest, kissed his cheek, and said, “Don’t crash.”
Erik stood there for a bit longer. He wasn’t going to worry about Mark for the rest of the day. The weather was good. He was happy. The car was good. Ingrid seemed happy. He did want to go see her do a paddock walk with Daniela, though, so he went back to the paddock.
Erik was leaning against the garage entrance as Daniela and Ingrid took photos with the fans.
Since their first walk together, it was the new thing.
Daniela was a famous tennis player, so she obviously always drew attention, but now people wanted both Daniela and Ingrid together. Mark came out to join him.
“Quite the pair,” he said.
“At least it takes the attention off of us for a bit,” Erik added.
Antoine went over to join Daniela and Ingrid, and the fans went crazy.
Antoine was popular everywhere he went. He was so good with fans and always took the time to speak to them.
They also loved him and Daniela as a couple.
There was a part of Erik that was jealous of that aspect of Antoine’s life.
He had tried so many times but hadn’t found what Antoine had.
He felt Ingrid was someone who could be that for him.
“Ok, ready to do this?” Mark asked.
“Yes.”
Erik, Mark, Antoine, and Nico made it to Q3.
In Q2, Mark had been driving erratically and almost had an incident with Antoine.
Erik saw on one of the replays that Antoine had been swearing on the radio that Mark was going to kill someone.
Erik thought he was overreacting a bit. They ended quali with Mark on pole, Erik, Nico, and Antoine behind in that order.
Antoine came up to Erik a little later.
“Do you see what I mean about Mark?”
“I’ll have to watch replays.”
“Mate, he almost crashed into me in Q2!”
“Just calm down, speak to Ingrid or whatever helps you,” Erik said. “I’ll watch the replays.”
Antoine went stalking off. Mark was being called to the stewards’ room anyway. No penalty. Erik would still watch the replays.
Erik:
“Know it isn’t safe to come to my room, but on the sim tonight. Do you want to watch? 506”
Ingrid:
“Just finishing wine with Dani then I’ll be up.”
Erik was watching qualifying highlights when there was a knock on the door.
“It’s me, can I come in?”
Shit, it’s Antoine.
“Coming.”
“I hope you don’t mind; I brought Ingrid with me.”
She looked at him helplessly.
“The Mark thing is bothering him,” she said. “First, I have to confirm, Antoine, that you’re opening up our usual confidentiality to what’s discussed in this room this evening?”
“Yes, yes, now let’s get on with it.”
“I was already watching the highlights. If I didn’t know him, I’d just say he was a shit driver. You know he was called to the stewards?”
“Yes, and no penalty.”
“It isn’t his hand. I got the onboards and zoomed in on that.”
“Have you noticed anything different about him lately?” Ingrid asked.
“Apart from that little stunt he pulled with you, no,” Erik said.
“You aren’t objective on that,” Antoine said, looking at both of them. “Yes, don’t think I don’t know you have a thing for Ingrid. I’ve known you too long, mon ami.”
“Oh, stop you two. Someone doesn’t become reckless in the space of two weeks unless something has happened. I can’t say I noticed anything in the last race, but I was watching you, Antoine.”
“Remember, he clipped Nico’s front wing, and they spun out?” Erik said.
“Oh yes…” Ingrid paused. “What’s his personal life like?”
“He doesn’t really have one beyond us, except for his London party crowd. He’s dated a few women on and off, kept the guys private.”
“Ok, we aren’t going to solve him in one night.
Antoine, we believe you. The fact is that you can’t control the situation before tomorrow.
You can only control how you race. Steer clear of him, literally.
It’s your race. We’ll find a way to deal with it after.
Go journal it out, and we’ll go through our routine in the morning.
” She turned to Erik, “You’ll also steer clear of it, literally, please. You’re right next to him.”
“You’re right, Ingie, I’ll do that,” Antoine said calmly. “Are you coming back down or staying here?”
Erik and Ingrid looked at each other.
“Don’t look so shocked. I saw the photo too. Daniela thinks it’s cute, and so do I. Just be more careful.”
Antoine left them. Ingrid burst out laughing.
“Do you always start laughing in awkward situations?”
“Yes.”
She started laughing again.
“Let me order room service. Do you want some comfortable clothes to wear? I don’t have anything that would really fit you, but you can try.”