Page 92 of Burn
I’d stood on that stage after the race, spraying champagne into the crowd. All I could think of was celebrating with her. Taking her in my arms and kissing her. Holding her tight, and never letting go.
I don’t care what Jack, Lucas, or the world says. I’ve wanted Lily for years, and pride and a sense of decency kept me from contacting her. Now that she wants me, I’m not letting her go again. Even thinking about her being back in my life gives me a new energy about this weekend’s race, as if everything I’m seeing and experiencing is fresh again.
About a kilometer into our walk, the sun peeks through the thick foliage of pine trees, and I take a deep breath. The scent of rain and fresh-cut grass tickles my nose.
We’re now at turn six, and Jack stops on the steep embankment, waving me over.
“They’ve redone the curbs here,” he says, pointing to the embankment. “It feels steeper than last year.”
Doesn’t everything feel steeper than last year, more difficult, more fraught with potential roadblocks?
This is what I’m best at, though. Overcoming obstacles. Winning when it’s impossible, like when I started from the back of the pack three years ago here in Montreal and ended up third on the podium, keeping me in play for the championship. All the racing analysts on TV said I couldn’t do it, but I did.
I look at the curb and nod, taking it in. Unlike what the race fans see on television, embankments are often steeper than they look—and they can be pitfalls for the drivers. Deadly ones, in some cases.
We continue walking, chatting about various adjustments I need to make at certain corners. Our little group pauses at a new speed bump, which was installed at a chicane to keep drivers from cutting the corner. We all stand on the bump and jump up and down a little, talking about how we’ll handle this in the cars.
Then we round the hairpin and saunter down the straightaway. The rain picks up, pelting us with cool, steady pinpricks. As the pits come into view, my phone buzzes in my pocket. It’s a text from Tanya, and I have to hold my hand over the screen to shield it from the rain.
Please meet me ASAP in the conference room after your track walk.
Chapter Forty
MAX
Fifteen minutes later I open the door to the conference room to find Tanya and Lily sitting there, stone faced. An open laptop is in the middle of the table, and the air in the small room is thick with tension.
“Hallo, ladies,” I say, shaking out my wet hair. “It’s raining cats and dogs out there.”
The two women look up.
“Have a seat,” Tanya says, all business.
I sink into a hard, plastic chair, unable to see what’s on the screen. For some reason, Lily’s not meeting my gaze. This can’t be good.
“What’s up?”
She turns and slides the laptop toward me. There, on the screen, is a giant photo of Lily and me kissing in the lake. I’m unable to contain my shock, and my jaw drops.
“What the hell?”
Lily’s elbow is propped on the table, her hand cradling her forehead.
“Has your father seen this?” I ask her.
She shakes her head. “No. Yes. I don’t know. He’s been calling me nonstop but I haven’t had the guts to answer.”
“Okay, we could do one of two things,” Tanya says, ever the chipper public relations person. “We could deny that’s you. After all, the photo is grainy. You can’t see your faces. It might be difficult to actually prove it’s you, or it could take a few days to confirm it’s the two of you.”
“I have a pretty distinctive nose,” I say, touching the tip.
Lily narrows her eyes at me. “Do you think this is a joke?”
“No,” I growl. “But our private life is our private life. Don’t we get to enjoy a moment together?”
“Not when you’re one of the world’s best paid race-car drivers making out with the team owner,” Lily spits.
Tanya interrupts by putting her hand on Lily’s forearm, a move that I’m sure makes her skin crawl. “We could also embrace it.”