Page 63 of Falling Fast
‘I’m so sorry.’ I cringe as I close the door behind him. ‘He normally behaves like a sane person.’
‘He’s just looking out for you.’ Leif smiles. ‘Has he always been so protective?’
I hesitate because the answer to that is complicated. ‘Not always, but I guess with our parents being abroad, he thinks he needs to act like my dad now.’
‘Then I’m glad I passed his test. You look beautiful, by the way.’
‘Thanks.’ I try to smile back, but my muscles feel stiff with tension. ‘Are you hungry? I made dinner.’
‘Famished.’ He follows me through to the lounge/kitchen where my new light is much too bright and I’m too embarrassed to start the music again. As romantic settings go … it’s really not. Suddenly I kind of wish we could cancel tonight.
‘I’m sorry I was late,’ Leif says as I take a bottle of white wine out of the fridge. ‘Bastian wanted to talk aboutcontracts. Then Nathan joined in on Teams. I thought I was never going to get out of there.’
The pop of the cork sounds much too loud. ‘You mean, another contract with Rask?’
‘Yes. Bastian’s keen to sign me for next year, but there are other options.’
‘I guess you still can’t talk about it?’ I leave the question hanging.
‘I wish I could, but it’s confidential. There are just so many factors to think about. Like us.’ He moves closer, coming to stand by my shoulder as I pour the wine. ‘Ava, I meant what I said to your brother. Even if I moved to a different team, it wouldn’t change how I feel about you.’ He pauses. ‘If it meant being based in a different country, I’d still come back here all the time. We could still be together.’
I smile, some of my tension ebbing away at both the wordsandthe implication behind them. Personally, I think he’s being overly optimistic. I don’t see how a couple can work for competitors and maintain a relationship, but it looks like that won’t matter. The majority of teams are based in the UK. If Leif is hinting about moving abroad, hemustmean Quezada. All I need to do is ace my interview and we can carry on as we are.
‘I’m not worried about that,’ I say. ‘Besides, there might be other opportunities for me too, away from Rask. I’m still only there on a trial basis.’
‘But Vienna’s definitely going to want to keep you. She’s always telling people how amazing you are.’
I feel a rush of professional pride, closely followed by guilt. ‘All I’m saying is that we both have our careers to think about.And I’m sure neither of us would want to hold each other back, so … don’t let me influence your decision.’
‘Maybe I want to let you influence me a little.’ He takes hold of one of my hands, caressing the palm with his thumb. ‘But that’s enough work talk. Tonight is about me and you.’
‘Right.’ I agree, though I can feel my body stiffening again. It’s not him, it’s just that this evening isn’t going remotely as I planned, and being out of control is making me spiral. ‘Actually, Leif … I’m sorry, but I can’t do this.’ I pull my hand away. ‘I had everything ready, but then my brother turned up and I’m not in the right place any more.’
‘Hey.’ Leif’s gaze turns very intense suddenly. ‘It’s OK. I’m not expecting anything here. I’m just happy to spend time with you. We can eat dinner and talk and watch old races, whatever you want.’
‘You’d be OK with that?’ I tilt my head suspiciously.
‘Totally. I don’t want you to do anything you’re not ready for.’
I rise up on my toes, straighten his tie and kiss him. ‘Thank you.’
Rask are excited to announce that our team captains for today’s football match are none other than Leif Olsen and Corey Hammond! Grandstand tickets are sold out, but we still have a limited number of standing places available. If you’re in the Huntingdon area, why not stop by?
@RaskRacing, 2 August
TWENTY
THE F1 SUMMER BREAK started a few days ago, after Silverstone, meaning no work is allowed to be done on car development or analysis for at least a whole fortnight. The technical side of Rask has shut down completely and the factory is eerily silent. Communications, however, is a different story. Between keeping on top of my day job and organizing a charity event, I’ve never worked harder or talked more.
Fortunately, today is finally kick-off. To help me, I’ve made the to-do list to end all to-do lists. I’d call it a thing of beauty, but I’m too stressed. It’s not that I think I’ve actually forgotten anything; it’s just that today means so much to Leif – and me too, now I’ve learned more about what the charity does. I had no idea how many challenges there were facing the care system – young people being sent long distances away from their families, then being expected to stand on their own two feet the very day they turn eighteen – but Hazel Muir and her staff go above and beyond to help them. Because of that, I want this to be the best charity football match in the history of charity football matches.
That’s why I’m here at 8 a.m., wearing a neon vest overmy denim capris and pastel-blue crop top, even though the gates don’t open until 1 p.m. I have a lot to supervise if I’m going to turn the local amateur football club, which consists of a field and clubhouse surrounded by six-foot-tall hedges, into a large-scale event. Fifty Portaloos have just arrived, along with two temporary grandstands that are currently being erected on each side of the pitch. The weather looks like it’s going to stay fine (meaning I can scrap my wet-weather contingency plan), and I have the football kits – blue for Leif’s team, red for Corey’s, in a subtle nod to the Rask colours – and a trophy safe in my car. The giant marquee should also arrive soon, followed by the food vans and charity stalls for people who don’t like football but still want to enjoy the festival atmosphere. Emika and Charlotte have offered to scan tickets at the gates, and Yuto and a few other volunteers will be running a stall of Rask merchandise that Vienna has agreed to donate. After that, we’ll just need our players and a referee (the club volunteered one of theirs), as well as some spectators.
We sold out of advance purchase tickets within a week, which means we’ll fill the grandstands, and there’ll be some standing room tickets available at the gate. Security has been a little expensive, but now that I’ve posted about Leif and Corey playing today, I don’t want there to be a sudden stampede of F1 fans. That minor worry aside, however, it’s all looking good. We’re on target to make several thousand pounds for the charity, and we’ll hopefully create a lot of goodwill in the local community.
I’m looking towards the gates, wondering whether it’s time to put up the entrance banner I’ve made, when a familiar red-and-white sports car turns into the field.
‘Hey!’ I hurry over to meet Leif. ‘I told you not to bother coming until noon.’
