“Are you alright?” the blonde asked.
“Peachy,” I replied, tugging out her hair tie and handing it back to her before flicking my long locks over my shoulder. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”
I deliberately kept my attention fixed anywhere but on Kristian as we were welcomed by a team of PR assistants and shown through to where the conference was being held. As usual, the room was filled with folding seats. At the head was a long table, lined with microphones and a chair behind each. Sophia took her seat, and I sat beside her, Kristian taking the third spot. Sound technicians flurried around us, attaching yet another microphone to each of our collars and running tests on all the equipment to make sure everything was in working order.
It wasn’t long until journalists began to flood the room and cameras flashed. I sucked in a breath, preparing for what promised to be a challenging press conference. Sports journalists were always bloodthirsty in their attempts to get the inside scoop, but I knew that would be increased tenfold now the news of Harold had been announced. I glanced at Kristian, and sensing my gaze, his attention flickered to me.
“Good luck,” I muttered under my breath. “Something tells me you’re going to need it.”
He chuckled. “We’ll see.”
Before I had a chance to reply, the room was quietened down, and we were introduced. When the first hand was raised, I prepared for the onslaught.
“Jerry Wolfe, Sport Daily Magazine. Kristian Wright, you have a big job on your hands taking the helm of the McLaren F1 team and stepping up into the team principal role for the first time as a replacement for Harold Warner.”
There was a pause as Kristian sat forward in his seat. “Is that a question or?”
I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek to prevent myself from laughing. Kristian didn’t take any prisoners with the press it seemed, and I wassoon board with that.
Jerry floundered for words. “When you received your promotion, did Frank Matthews give you any advice?”
“Don’t defraud the company for millions?”
This time I couldn’t hold back my amusement, but thankfully neither did the rest of the room, the crowd erupting into muttering and laughing. The rumours of Kristian’s straight shooting were not exaggerated. I doubted I was alone in my expectation that we would hedge around the reasons for Harold’s swift departure from the team.
“Sorry, I kid. I realise the circumstances in which I have arrived within the McLaren team could certainly have been better, but I feel my brief from Frank is clear: improve the team’s performance and maintain the success we have already achieved. The damage Harold’s actions have inflicted on the team cannot be undone. That’s not what Frank wants us to be remembered for.”
Another journalist leapt to his feet. “Mr Wright. Geoff Wegner, Sporting News. There has been a lengthy and highly scrutinised internal investigation into Harold Warner’s indiscretions. Warner has placed the McLaren Racing team at the centre of thespotlight. What can you tell us about the investigation that took place?”
All eyes, including mine, were on Kristian and yet he seemed entirely unfazed. He rested his sexy hands upon the table.
“The controversy came to light in early February and the authorities launched an independent investigation into Warner’s activities. McLaren have handled the matter professionally given the difficult circumstances and have supported the police investigation throughout.”
“And your feelings on the matter?” Geoff shouted.
“I’m not at liberty to discuss much out of respect for McLaren. Whilst I am open about the reasons for Harold’s departure from the team, I’m not going to air all the private discussions that have occurred, nor my own opinion. It’s not an F1 issue, nor an FIA issue – it’s a company issue and that would be the same in any major organisation. I think it’s time to draw a line under this and move on. We are here to go racing as an F1 team and to focus on what’s happening on track, the drivers and performances of the cars – that is where the spotlight should be.”
The room was quiet for a moment as everyone took in Kristian’s answer. The reason Frank had brought him in became suddenly clear – he was a professional press schmoozer. I’d expected the conference to be messy and to be fielding uncomfortable questions from all sides, but Kristian had shut them all down swiftly and professionally. I was impressed.
“Can someone please ask us some questions about racing now?” Kristian asked with a smile, and the room rippled with laughter once again.
The rest of the conference passed without a hitch. Kristian had successfully put the Harold Warner issue to bed and to my surprise, the journalists obeyed his requests. Every question I had answered had been about the upcoming season or my feelings towards the car and its performance. As we were ushered back out towards the exit, I fell in step beside the team principal. He was typing away furiously on his phone once more.
“That was impressive,” I murmured.
“It’s my job,” he replied coolly, not breaking his concentration for a moment. “Though I recognise that’s high praise coming from you, so thank you.”
I pursed my lips, feigning irritation. “Don’t get used to it.”
Kristian didn’t reply and we all waited in the lobby for our driver to collect us and return us back to the McLaren head office. As we were called forward, I spotted the larger, seven–seater MPV awaiting us and smirked. Someone was rather keen to avoid any more inappropriate touching, and it definitely wasn’t me. I’d gotten under Kristian’s skin – I was sure of it – and that just excited me further.
We clambered into the car, Kristian choosing one of the seats on the opposite side of the vehicle to Sophia and me. We belted ourselves in and the car began to trundle away, back towards the McLaren office.
With Kristian absorbed in his phone – as he always was, it seemed – I pretended to look out of my window, sneaking glances at him from the corner of my eye. The more I looked, the more I liked. Every time I gazed at him, he seemed more handsome than the last – with a strong jawline, straight nose, great teeth… I realised having a fling with my boss was pretty cliché, but at that moment I truly didn’t care. Just as I was imagining what lay beneath his smart office attire, my phone and Sophia’s pinged in unison. I didn’t have a chance to look away before Kristian’s attention turned to me. He seemedsurprised for a moment to find me already looking at him and I capitalised on his confusion by smiling flirtatiously.
“I’ve, uh, put an appointment in both your calendars,” he said, coughing into his fist. “Well give the cars a practice run around Silverstone first thing.”
“Sounds good to me,” I replied, turning to stare out of my window once more.
