Page 114 of Away We Go

She waves her hands. “Now that you’re with Nicky, everywhere you go, you’re a WAG. And not just any WAG. Nicky is a four-time, soon-to-be five-time world champion. All eyes are always on him. That means all eyes are always on you. And this,” she tugs at one of my braids and my eyes sting. “This just won’t do.”

We stand in silence while I digest her subtle insults. While she’s happy for us to be a couple, she needs me to step up and be…worthy of him?

“Why don’t you take some time? Look around the paddock. Maybe even chat with Vanessa and Francesca. They’ve been doing this for a while and they know how to dress. How to behave.”

Vanessa and Francesca are both professional models and long-time girlfriends of two of the drivers on the grid. I’ve metthem several times this year, and while they’re both lovely, they are both also intimidating in their chicness.

That is what Frieda wants to turn me into?

I give her a flat look and nod. “Sure, thing. I’ll do that.”

Her sigh is relieved, like this—me being a mess—has been weighing on her. “Great. And let me know if you want to go shopping. Or go get a haircut.”

The minute she turns away, I pull my hair out of my braids, running my fingers through the waves to tame them. I’d thought it would look cute, the two plaits idea, but now I know better.

Instead of looking like an elegant WAG, I’d turned up looking like a kindergartener.

“Such an idiot,” I murmur, biting my tongue and batting my eyelashes. There’s no faster way to make myself look like an immature child than to blubber at work.

“Cherry?” James is in front of me, his eyebrows slashed on top of his fierce frown as he looks between me and the disappearing Frieda. “Is everything alright?”

My smile trembles on my lips. “Sure. Everything is great.”

“What did she say to you?” He sounds so concerned; my eyes smart with tears again. Tears I’d just got under control.

“Nothing much,” I force through gritted teeth. “Just girlie stuff.”

His frown deepens. “Do you want me to get Nicky?”

“No!” That is the absolute worst thing he can do. “Really, I’m fine,” I tell him in a softer tone.

“But—”

“Really, James,” I squeeze his arm. “It’s all good.”

I turn away and look for an escape. Spotting the stairs up to the VIP area and hopefully Serena, I make my way over to them,keeping my gaze focussed on the ground. Just in case there’s someone else lurking, waiting to make me feel bad about myself.

“Cherry, hey.” Serena waves to me from her spot in the front row and I rush to her, feeling like a released hostage rushing to safety.

“What’s wrong?” she asks as I sit next to her.

I shake my head. “Do you think I need a makeover?”

Her mouth drops open. “What?”

“I know I’m not the trendiest person on the grid, but do I look bad?” My voice wavers and I hate that I’ve let Frieda get to me like this. It’s like all the work I’ve done to fix the self-confidence Troy destroyed has disappeared in a poof.

“Of course not.” She shakes her head, two red spots sprouting on her cheeks. “Who said that?”

“No one.” There’s no way I’m bringing Frieda’s name into this. That would only cause problems for Nicky. And at the end of the day, she’s only trying to help him. By changing me.

“Cherry, you are drop-dead gorgeous. You’d look amazing in a garbage bag. Never think otherwise.”

I try to soak in what she’s saying; to let her words override Frieda’s. “Okay.”

“Are you sure?”

Nodding, I look out to see Vanessa and Francesca walking down the pit lane like it’s a runway. They are both dressed head-to-toe in designer clothes with their hair professionally styled and their smiles carefully curated.

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