Page 51 of Racing Hearts
I poured her a cup of coffee, trying to ignore the way her eyes kept flitting back to Luca. Such a flirt.
After handing her the cup, I sat down next to Luca, closer this time. Possessive, petty, but I didn’t care. He might be a fake boyfriend, but for now, he wasmyfake boyfriend. Lily gave me a quick, bemused smirk.
“Luca, I finally listened to the podcast,” she said, taking a sip. “It was very funny. Although, I think Nora might murder you for the ending. Not exactly the part of the relationship they want to be made public.”
Luca chuckled, pleased with himself. “Glad you enjoyed it.”
“So, Lily, I appreciate the visit, but seven thirty is a little early, even for you.” Lily was a notorious early riser. She loved to watch the sunrise before a race, claimed it gave her serenity before a Grand Prix.
She shrugged. “I know. I couldn’t fall back asleep this morning. I just feel like the last few weeks haven’t gone as well as I’d hoped, and I’m nervous for today.”
Lily was a phenomenal driver and incredibly talented, but managing a Formula 1 car at the young age of twenty was hard for anyone, man or woman. I often reminded Lily that she shouldn’t compare herself to me. I’d won F3 and F2, and then I’d gone on to race open-wheeler cars in Japan and America.
Experience came with age, and I knew my teammate would get there.
“You know this, but I’ll say it again. It takes time to get used to a Formula 1 car. Isabelle picked you for a reason. All you need to do this weekend is put your head down and drive with that hunger that got you a racing seat.” Lily’s mouth curved upwards, her eyes brightening as she took a sip of coffee.
If my job as a driver didn’t succeed, there was potential in a job as a therapist.
“Wisdom comes with age, as my father always says,” Luca added. “I’ve no doubt that you have several World Driver Championship wins ahead of you, Lily.Probablymore than this one will win.” He ruffled my hair, and I swatted his hand away, scoffing.
“Anddefinitelymore than Luca.” He feigned a look of hurt.
Lily stayed for another twenty minutes, finishing her cup of coffee, before returning to her room to get ready for the day. As soon as she left, I heard a ding on my phone, a text from Lily lighting up the screen.
Lily:
Why have you not had some angry hate sex with this fine man yet?
Lily:
Or was that what I was interrupting this morning?
Georgia:
A classy lady never tells.
I set my phone down, but the smile stayed. Across from me, Luca raised an eyebrow.
“You gonna tell me what that was about?”
“Not a chance, Rossi. Now get dressed. I’ve got a race to win.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Luca
“Luca, are you listening to me? Race starts in one minute. Get your head together,” my race engineer griped into the radio.
“Ready,” I huffed back in the affirmative. At least as ready as one could be before the biggest race of their season.
The radio beeped in again. “Right, you’re in second behind Georgia. Keep diligent with your tires, you’ll be able to pass her soon enough.”
“Roger.”
My car idled on the second spot of the grid, and I looked up towards the five lights as my lungs filled with fumes from my engine. This was it. If I was going to win a race this season, this was my chance.
“Good luck getting around Georgia.” My father’s tone this morning felt like a knife in my back, but I tried to push it out of my mind as I glanced at the starting lights.
