Chapter 46
EVANGELINE
Most of the emails in my inbox have been junk, but this one catches my attention. Panic percolates in my gut and adrenaline surges through me as I sit up in bed.
Have we been discovered? What the hell kind of subject line is this? With a shuddering breath, I force myself to keep it together and tap on the email.
I scan the list of names:
Kenji and Ren Diallo
Shelby and Mia Young
Evangeline Bennett and Aurelia Miller-Bennett
Flynn and Beatrix Turner
I suck in a sharp inhale when I read the last two names on the list.
Alaric and Luca Steele
“Are you all right?”
I shriek, my head whipping up.
Alaric is standing inside the bedroom, only a few feet from the bed. When did he get here?
I lift a hand to my chest and will my breathing to steady. “Have you seen this?” I ask, handing him my phone.
Brow furrowed, he scans the contents of the message. “Who in their right mind thinks this is what fans are interested in?”
I press my lips together. Honestly, if the attention my friends get on social media and out in public is any indication, this is exactly the kind of content people crave.
Formula 1 is highly competitive and difficult to break into.
There isn’t a single driver on the grid who wasn’t karting before they were even big enough to graduate out of a booster seat in the States.
It’s an expensive endeavor, requiring families to invest an abundant amount of time and resources to help their kids advance through the formulas in hopes of making it to the pinnacle of motorsport.
With two sibling pairs on the grid, the interest make sense. Bea handles Flynn’s social media, and while Auri and I may not be in the spotlight, the F1 world knows and respects my sister greatly. Then there’s Luca, whose dad’s career served as his foot in the door to Formula 1.
Not that he’d ever admit to that. His entire personality is making sure people know he earned his seat on the grid on his own merit. I honestly can’t imagine he’ll want to participate in something like this.
“They’re offering me extra compensation,” I murmur, toying with the hem of the duvet.
“As they should be,” Alaric harps, still scowling at my phone. “This is above and beyond the scope of your job requirements for Granata.”
As much as I’m loath to admit it, the two-thousand-dollar payout for a couple of hours of work is a huge incentive.
I can apply it all to one of my credit cards and get that much closer to paying it off.
Several of my friends would be participating, too.
Plus, I’ve barely seen my sister since the start of the season.
That’s not atypical for us—Auri suffers from migraines and has POTS.
She keeps an incredibly strict schedule in season to ensure she has more good days than bad.
My only real hangup is that I’ll have to come face to face with my ex. While sitting on the same panel as his dad. Who I’m secretly dating. And quite possibly falling in love with.
Groaning, I bury my face in the covers.
The mattress shifts, and then Alaric’s big, warm hand smooths over my hair. He patiently waits for me to calm my nervous system, and after a few minutes, I puff out my cheeks and blow out a slow breath, then sit up again.
“What are you thinking?” he asks, cupping the side of my face.
I lean into his touch like I always do. It’s not lost on me how even the simplest gesture from this man settles me. His proximity alone calms me, his touch a balm.
I really think I could spend the rest of my life loving and being loved by this man.
He drags his thumb over my cheek, the friction there sending awareness through me. Like maybe this isn’t the first time he’s done it, and I snap back to reality.
“The money is good,” I say. “I wouldn’t be anxious on stage since every person on the invitation aside from Luca is a friend or family member.”
Ducking closer, he says, “Am I included among your friends?”
I grip his wrist, grinning. “You know what I mean.” I interlace our fingers and kiss his knuckles.
“If Auri is interested, then I’ll do it.
That influx of cash would mean fewer lives over the next couple of weeks.
Between this interview and what I have planned for the rest of the month, I could be back to my regular schedule before we head to the Americas. ”
He hits me with a mischievous grin. “And then you’d have more time to hang out with your friends,” he teases.
I give his shoulder a little shove, laughing. “I only want more time with you.”
With an arm draped around me, he pulls me into his chest. He rests his chin on my head, then blows out a slow, steady breath that centers me as much as it does him.
“Since my job comes with media requirements, I’m assuming my invitation to this panel is more of an obligation. Same for Luca and the other drivers. Check with your sister and keep me posted.” He kisses the top of my head. “I’ll be there regardless, and I’ll support your decision either way.”