Page 137 of Away We Go

ThiswinningFormula 1 season.

I let out a shout that is half-excitement, half-pure relief that it is ending. With another win under my belt.

“That’s P1, Nicky. Well done, mate, on a dominant season. It’s been a pleasure working with you,” Paul's voice comes in loud and proud over the team radio.

My race engineer knows better than anyone the struggles that have gone on behind the scenes to get to this point today. And I’m thrilled we could bring home the win for the entire team.

“Thanks, mate,” I reply, feeling breathless after the fifty-eight laps I’d just completed. Although I’d wrapped up the Championship title in Las Vegas, it was still important for us all to finish the season on a high. This win clinched the Constructors title for the team, meaning they all end as winners—with huge bonuses, to go with it.

I pull my car up behind the giant number one sign and sit back to soak it in. Last week in Las Vegas, I couldn’t bring myself to get out of the car, knowing I’d be forced to celebrate with a level of enthusiasm I’d lost when Cherry walked out that hotel room door.

If I’d known she was watching me from in the crowd, I’d have done cartwheels out of the car just to get to her.

“Congrats, Nicky.” Nate taps my helmet and offers me his hand. I take it and pull myself up into a one-armed hug with my competitor and closest rival. Despite what the press loves to report about us, we don’t hate each other. In fact, when we’re not battling it out on the racetrack, I consider him a friend.

“Thanks, mate.”

I take off my helmet and wave to the crowd before walking with Nate to get through the formalities. My hair is damp and curling at the ends from sweat and I long for a shower and a cold beer. With all the ceremonies and press interviews I have ahead of me, I know both will be a fair way away.

“What’s planned for the break?” Nate asks as we both guzzle down a bottle of water. It’s strange to have these sorts of conversations, with one hundred thousand people cheering for us in the stands and millions of others watching us at home.

“I’ll be with Cherry.” My mouth stretches into a wide smile. I don’t even try to hide it. It’s the same smile that’s been gracing my face ever since she showed up and told me she loved me.

His answering smile is subdued. “I’m happy for you, Nicky. Cherry is amazing.”

He doesn’t have to tell me that. I’ve known this to be true for a very long time.

“Yeah, I know.” I look at him closely. “How are you? You know? After the whole Victoriathing?”

Being the type of friends we are, we don’t discuss our relationships or emotions, and so I haven’t spoken to my friend about the disastrous end to his relationship with his on-again, off-again girlfriend. All I know is that having spent five long weeks apart from Cherry, I can sympathise with his heartbreak.

“Eh,” he shrugs. “I’ll be alright.”

I make a mental note to check in with him more, before thumping him on the shoulder and striding away from him towards where theVortex Motorsteam is waiting to celebrate with me. Where Cherry is waiting to celebrate with me.

My mechanics sweep me up into a crushing group hug and I sink into them, letting this win be for and about them.

“We did it!” I shout as they each pull me in for an individual hug. It’s a ritual we do after every race and it feels bigger now after this win. The win that is the pinnacle of all the other wins.

“You were amazing,” Cherry whispers to me when I finally reach her at the end of a very long line.

This time, the hug I receive is accompanied by her coconut scent and the softness of the body of the woman I’m so deeply in love with.

“Let’s blow this all off and go home,” I whisper into her ear, not even a bit joking. I’ve had years of podium celebrations, and not enough one-on-one time with this woman in my arms.

She leans back and smiles, flashing her dimple. As it does whenever I’m close to her, my breath stalls in my lungs and I have to force myself to remember to breathe.

It’s strange. I’ve known Cherry her whole life and I’ve loved her for that long as well. But the way I feel for her now? It’s like every part of my body was put on earth just to love her.

She doesn’t know it yet, but this woman has the power to wreck me.

“You can’t leave,” she laughs, brushing her lips against mine and pulling away when I try to deepen the kiss. Cherry isn’t overly thrilled to have our PDA captured for all the world to see. “You need to go up there and accept that trophy. Then we’re going out to celebrate with the team. And then we can go home together.”

The mental time maths suggests it will be many, many hours until I’m alone with her. I groan, fixing her with a frustrated stare.

“Do we really need to go out with the team?”

She waves to the crowd of people next to us, all still whooping it up like they’d personally won the race.

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