Page 102 of Overtake
So happy my baby girl has found someone worthy! I’ve always encouraged her to follow her heart!
But the last text is from Nico and makes me smile.
Dinner tonight? Very intimate—you+me+a large security detail. I want to show you my favorite place in la Ciudad de México.
My heart goes all warm and mushy. A proper date. Like normal people who aren’t being dissected by media and fans. I don’t remember the last time I had one
Well, as normal as we can get in Mexico City, because F1 teams have been robbed at gunpoint going between the track and the hotel. We can’t travel without extra armed security. That’ll put a crimp in our dating style.
Another notification pops up. Kelley’s given an “exclusive” interview about how she “always knew” Nico would be perfect for her daughter.
Vile.
Cin texts.
Saw Kelley’s latest. Want me to accidentally spill something on her at the track? I’m thinking hot coffee.
Save it for if she crashes our date tonight.
DATE??? Details woman!
Before I can reply we park at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Bowie catches up with me as I’m heading for Nitro hospitality. “Team meeting in five minutes.” He waves vaguely at my face. “Try to look less obviously thinking about sex.”
“I’m not?—”
“You’re grinning at your phone like a teenager.” But he’s smiling too. “Just keep the heart eyes out of engineering briefings for Asuka’s sake.”
I snort and reply to Nico:
Yes to dinner.
Then I follow Bowie.
The team’s already assembled when we reach the conference room. Engineers and strategists huddle over data while Dad reviews everything with Asuka.
“Right.” Bowie clears his throat. “Firstly, let’s ignore the eight hundred pound elephant in the room because it’s none of our business and irrelevant to our business.”
Several engineers hide smiles. Zara suddenly becomes very interested in her screen.
Dad raps his knuckles on the table. “Let me remind you that all of you signed a non-disclosure agreement, which also covers the private lives of team personnel. None of you will discuss Petra’s or Reece’s personal lives with the media or other teams. None of you. Not a single word.”
It’s a rare edict from Dad and it lands like said elephant, solid and unquestionable. The message is clear: overstep and you will be bounced from PNW Nitro.
Asuka takes over the meeting. “About Mexico City’s altitude challenges. The thinner air will affect downforce. We’ve adjusted the rear wing profile to compensate, but...” She pauses, eyeing the team. “Anyone giggling about rear ends gets laps around the track.”
She means it. I should know. I’ve run on her command more than once.
“The suspension modifications from Austin proved interesting,” Zara adds, all business despite her smirk. “We’ve incorporated some of those lessons into?—”
My phone buzzes. It’s a text from Nico.
Dress casual. Unless u want the media madness that u looking hot AF will cause.
“Petra?” Dad’s arched brows are a warning. “With us?”
“Always.” I slip the phone away, catching Reece’s knowing smirk. “Suspension modifications. Go on.”
“As I was saying...” Zara pulls up new diagrams. “The differential settings showed promise, even under extreme conditions.”
