Page 141 of Overtake
“No? Just you wait.”
Nico gives hera look. “Plan to watch my gear box in São Paolo.”
“Big talk, Bunny Boy.” Petra’s always up for a challenge. More replays show midfield battles and exciting racing. She nods at the screen. “That’s how it should be done.”
The footage cuts to Nico smooching her in parc fermé.
“What? The snogging?” Wyn smirks.
Nico laughs. “Don’t make me shove you off the podium, Pritchard.”
Then they’re led out for the awards ceremony. All proceeds as usual. Handshakes, trophies awarded, the Spanish and German national anthems play. Champagne’s uncorked and they shower each other and the WolfBett team members standing below the podium.
The champagne feels especially celebratory today. Maybe because the politics and drama of the last month have finally given way to racing. When Petra soaks Nico with her bottle, her laughter is pure joy.
The crowd below chants something that sounds suspiciously like“¡Bésala! ¡Bésala! ¡Bésala!”
Wyn elbows him. “I think the fans want you to kiss her, man.”
Well. Can’t disappoint the fans.
Nico pulls her close and her lips taste like champagne and victory. The crowd goes wild. Petra laughs against his mouth. She’s soaked and giddy and beautiful.
And perfect.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX | WEDNESDAY
Nicoand I are holding hands as we head into the sprawling white pit building in Las Vegas. I never held any of my previous boyfriends’ hands, but this feels nice in a way I didn’t expect and wouldn’t have thought I’d like. Then again, this is Nico. He’s nothing like any bloke I’ve ever been with, so the feeling tracks.
We’re in Vegas for the Grand Prix, but FuegoFrío sponsors both of us and asked that we do a hot lap together before the race weekend.
Nicolina and Sebastian are with us. They flew in from Seattle last night, and they’ll watch from the Paddock Club terrace.
“I still can’t believe the FIA made you do community service,” she says.
Seb zips his jacket. Mornings in November are pretty bloody cold in the Nevada desert, even with the sun warming the street circuit’s asphalt. “There are worse things than teaching kids to drive fast.”
Nico nods. “True. Even if the stewards are sadists for sentencing two rivals to work together.”
I laugh. “I think it turned out well enough.”
He smirks. “Barely.”
“You lying wanker.” I drop his hand and shove him like I used to when we were kids, and he laughs.
“You finished teaching in São Paulo?” Seb drapes his arm around Nicolina’s shoulder. “Or are there more sessions here?”
I shake my head. “No, we’re done, though I’m a bit sad about that. The lessons in Brazil were so much more fun without Graham’s cameras in our faces.”
We escort them upstairs and into the F1 Experiences suite. It’s opened early to accommodate the film crew. We head to the terrace and all lean against the railing.
Nicolina squints at the track where a matte blue Mercedes coupe is surrounded by production crew. “Speaking of Graham Pritchard, what’s new with the espionage scandal thing? He left WolfBett, right?”
“Sí.”Nico nods. “And the teams have implemented new security protocols.”
“The media have finally started focusingmostlyon racing instead of bullshit and my skincare regimen.”
