Page 10 of Falling Fast
‘I’d be happy to.’
‘Then go ahead. I’ll make sure to listen.’
‘Great.’ I discreetly let out a long breath. I guess this means I have a job in F1! It’s so incredible it’s going to take a while to sink in. ‘So, when do I start?’
Vienna fixes me with a hard stare. ‘How does right now sound?’
‘I’LL HAVE A CONTRACT ready by the end of the day,’ Vienna says, marching me out of her office and into the larger, open-plan one we passed through earlier. ‘In the meantime,let me introduce you to a few of your new colleagues. Emika – chief press officer. Charlotte, who coordinates digital and print media. Yuto’s in charge of marketing. Emika and Yuto also work as minders for Leif and Corey on race weekends. Like I said, at the moment we all do everything.’
‘Hi,’ I say, though nobody gets a chance to answer before Vienna hustles me on again.
‘In here is Strategy.’ She sticks her head through another door, barking out another quick introduction, before moving on the moment the last name is out of her mouth. All I can do is smile, wave and try to make mental notes as we repeat the same process with the design office, model shop, operations room, engineering office, workshop, canteen, break room and Finance department, but after ten minutes my head is spinning.
‘This place is like a rabbit warren –’ Vienna declares as she bolts off down another corridor – ‘but you get used to it. Give it a week and you’ll be fine.’
‘I actually have another question.’ I pant, as I scurry alongside. ‘You said on the phone that a colleague recommended me?’
‘That’s correct.’ She throws me a quick look and then somehow accelerates. ‘Anyway, last stop for today …’ She stops beside a sign that reads ‘Simulation Room’.
My pulse jumps as we climb some steps into a large, dark space filled with screens of various sizes. I’ve always wanted to see an F1 simulator. Being in the control room is like standing on the deck of a spaceship. The volume of data being continuously recorded and analysed is mind-blowing – there are limitations on the amount of time teams can spend testing on tracks or in a wind tunnel, so simulators are vitalfor training. Even if I hadn’t just got a job, it would have been worth coming in for this. I have a thousand questions, but everyone looks busy.
‘Over here,’ Vienna whispers, leading me towards a balcony. Below I can see a replica of a racing-car chassis, bumping and twisting from side to side as the driver responds to the image of a race track on a huge 180-degree screen.
‘Usually the drivers get Monday off after a race, but since everything’s so hectic at the moment, they had to get straight back to work this morning,’ Vienna explains. ‘Right now they’re preparing for Barcelona. Mostly trying out different ways of approaching the track, seeing which lines to take and how the braking responds. The engineers will be throwing some tricky scenarios at them to see how they cope.’
‘It looks so realistic.’
‘It has to be. This is where the drivers spend most of their time when they’re not on the actual track. Although, from the look of things, they’re just finishing. Good timing.’ She screws her eyes up. ‘I can’t tell if that’s Leif or Corey, though.’
‘It’s not me,’ a voice behind us says, as the car below reaches the chequered flag.
‘Corey? Hi.’ I turn and smile. ‘We met yesterday,’ I explain to Vienna, though I can hardly believe that was only last night. So much has happened since.
‘In Monaco?’ She presses a hand to her forehead. ‘Please tell me he behaved.’
‘He was a perfect gentleman,’ I say, laughing at Corey’s aggrieved expression. ‘Not to mention a pretty good dancer.’
‘Well, that’s a relief.’ Vienna gives him a sceptical look. ‘Ava’s coming to work with us.’
‘Really? That’s awesome! Welcome to the team.’ Corey grins. ‘I’d offer to show you around, but it’s my turn in there.’
He waves in the direction of the simulator and my stomach plunges. Because if Corey’s here, then the other driver, now removing his helmet as he heads up the steps towards us, must be …
‘Leif?’ Vienna calls out. ‘Come and meet the newest member of the communications team!’
I lift my chin, trying to summon up some enthusiasm, but I’m seized with a powerful urge to run out of the room.
‘Hi.’ I offer a tight smile because Leif looks about as thrilled to see me now as he did last night, which is to say not at all. Judging by his stony expression, I wonder if he even recognizes me? I reintroduce myself. ‘I’m Ava.’
‘I know.’ He stops in front of me and plants his feet wide apart.
I feel my hackles go up all over again. So I guess his objectionable behaviour last night wasn’t just a one-off. He remembers me and he’sstillbeing an asshole, which is why he can’t be bothered with basic manners. Although, I have to admit, it’s kind of a relief. It makes it easier to forget any feelings of attraction I might have experienced and go back to straightforwardly disliking him in return.
‘Right.’ I keep pasting a fake, close-lipped smile on to my face and thrust a hand out. Suddenly I’m determined to make him acknowledge me properly. ‘Nice to see you again.’
He looks down at my hand for a long moment, his shoulders visibly stiffening before he puts his helmet aside and peels off one of his leather gloves to take it. ‘You too.’
I glance down at our joined hands. It shouldn’t be a surprise that his is warm after an intense simulator session,but the way it sends electricity up my arm definitely is.Shit. That wasn’t supposed to happen.
