Page 59 of Formula Dreams
You’d think I’d be used to it by now, or that I’d come to some sort of peace in that this is the result of an addiction and not her true nature.But I guess when it’s your mother—the one person who should have your back no matter what—it’s a pain that can’t be eased.
I can’t let that linger over me though.I don’t want to spoil whatever this might be with Francesca.
On the drive, the sting fades a little, replaced by flashes of the afternoon at Crown Velocity.Lex and I managed to work side by side without snapping at each other—running data checks in the sim room, trading quiet observations over sector splits, then a light training session in the gym that ended with him trying to best my plank time.He lost by twenty seconds, muttered a line about “core freak,” and I caught myself almost laughing for real.
Almost.
The easy rhythm between us felt strange at first, like sliding into a well-worn seat you’d forgotten was comfortable.I didn’t realize how much I missed having him as a friend until I’d burned it all down and was left with the silence.Now, having even a piece of that back has me feeling lighter.
In the gym, between sets, he paused and said, “By the way… thanks for making it right with Posey at the gala.”
I shook my head.“I didn’t make it right.”
“You did,” he countered, grabbing a towel.“Posey has a kind and forgiving heart.She said you were genuine, and that’s good enough for her.She’s good with you.”
That sat with me for a second before I asked, “And you?”
Lex’s mouth tipped into a wry half smile.“I’m better than I was just two days ago.”
Not exactly a sweeping reconciliation, but clearly, my talk with Posey helped.
My thoughts turn to Francesca.This thing between us is supposed to be simple—sex, no strings—but instead of showing up at her flat just to take her to bed, I’ve got something else planned.Something she’ll actually remember.
A date.
If I’m honest, I’m not sure I’ve ever really done one before.Not like this.Not with the intent to give someone an experience they’d actually want, outside of a hotel room and four walls.And for reasons I can’t fully explain, that strikes me as significant.
Francesca’s already outside when I pull up and I’m almost disappointed.I had thought part of the ritual of picking a girl up for a date included going to her door to get her.But the smile she gives makes me think that perhaps she’s too excited for our night together and doesn’t want to waste time with formalities.Her long hair is loose around her shoulders, and she’s in jeans and a fitted leather jacket that make her look like she belongs on a podium and a motorbike at the same time.
“You’re very cloak-and-dagger about this,” she says as she slides into the passenger seat.
“I told you,” I say, easing into gear.“It’s going to be fun.”
Her smile tilts.“You’re not going to push me into a lake, are you?”
“Tempting,” I say, “but no.”
We head out of Guildford and into the countryside, streetlights thinning to nothing until it’s just the hum of the engine and hedgerows rushing past in the dark.Twenty minutes later, I pull through a set of gates into a small driver development facility—one that’s used for off-season testing by all the British teams.Floodlights spill across an empty stretch of tarmac, the faint glow of a track marshal’s booth visible at pit entry.
Her eyes widen as she takes it in.“You brought me to a racetrack?”
I kill the engine, watching her reaction.“Figured you might enjoy driving without anyone measuring every sector time you put down.”
She turns toward me, and it’s not the usual competitive spark I see in her.It’s softer and it makes my heart squeeze in reaction.“Thank you.This is amazing.”
The true gratitude in her tone humbles me a little.The women I know would want expensive dinners, jewelry.
Not Francesca.She wants fun.
The marshal waves us through with a casual salute, and soon we’re climbing into a stripped-out coupe—a low-slung beast in matte graphite.Its wide stance and flared arches give it the kind of predatory look that makes you think twice before getting in.The interior is nothing but bare metal and exposed welds, the dash replaced with a digital display the size of a paperback.Racing harnesses hang where seat belts should be, and a half cage arcs overhead promising to protect us.It’s a car built for one thing and one thing only—speed.
Francesca tugs her helmet into place, fingers fumbling with the chin strap until I step in.
“Hold still,” I say, the pads of my thumbs brushing the soft curve of her jaw as I tighten it.Her eyes meet mine through the visor opening, and for one reckless second, I almost lean in.Instead, I settle for a small tug on the strap and a quiet, “There.Perfect.”
She grins, a spark of challenge in it.“You going to baby me the whole lap or just before we start?”
I smirk.“Depends.You scream easy?”
