Leonard and I have been sitting at the table in one of the empty conference rooms, looking over my simulator times and other results. Ever since I started at the driver academy, we’ve become better friends than I would have ever imagined. He texts me at least twice a week to make sure I’m doing alright, and, whenever we both have time, he calls me to discuss my performance. It’s usually longer conversations, moving from racing topics to anything else I need to get off my chest, like stupid Christian Crovetto’s behavior. I also attempt to get to know him better, but he keeps his personal life private from me. He’ll occasionally share how his workout routine is going, but never how his girlfriend or family members are doing.
Gabriel is still working, and Adrian and James have avoided me all day. I pretend like it doesn’t bother me so they don’t worry if they see me, but it hurts. Fighting with my brother hurts. Having my best friend hardly communicate with me hurts. I wish I knew what’s going on in all of their heads, but I can’t, not until they talk to me.
“What do you struggle with the most in the simulator? Staying focused or endurance?” Leonard asks, staring at the paper with my results.
His question pulls me back out of my thoughts, and I look into his comforting brown eyes. There is something about having Leonard as a mentor that completes my life. After Grandfather died, I never thought there would be anyone who’d fill that position again. Adrian is my big brother, and someone I could have imagined taking the spot, but I think he didn’t want to ‘replace’ Grandpa.
Leonard doesn’t look at it this way. He merely wants to be for me what Carlos has become for Adrian over the past few months. I can’t help but smile at him as the realization settles in my chest. Who would have thought Leonard and I would become this close?
“I struggle the most with controlling my nervosity before I sit down. Then, once I start, everything’s fine, but I’m scared it will influence my results when it matters most,” I explain, and Leonard leans toward me, a smile on his usually serious face.
“I know you’d like to control everything, Val, but nerves are one thing we can’t. You may get used to them, but they will be there either way. They remind you that you care,” he says, and I tug on a loose thread from my pants.
“I don’t like that I can’t control them.” Or anything else really.
Leonard chuckles, his full lips pulling back to reveal his set of white, straight teeth. I’ve never focused on this man long enough to appreciate how handsome he is, but since we’ve been spending more time together, I can’t help but notice it. I’ve never seen anyone wear a nose piercing as well as he does.
“Listen, if your biggest struggle is how nervous you get, you’ll be fine. You may not be able to overcome it, but you can use your breath to ease the effects. Deep breaths will slow your heart rate, allow your mind to focus on something else, and bring much-needed oxygen to your brain. Okay?” he asks, poking my leg when I shake my head. “Come on, you know I’m right.”
“I don’t think there’s been a time when you haven’t been, which is the annoying part,” I say, and a genuine laugh falls from his lips. I made Leonard Tick laugh… Man, I fucking love that.
“You flatter me, maybe a little too much. I should go call my brother. He has a way of humbling me,” Leonard jokes, and it’s my turn to laugh then. “Anyway, to get back to the serious topic, how is your neck strengthening going? You told me you struggle with it,” he says, switching the subject to get back to business.
“It’s been going great. Your tips have really helped me,” I reply before going into detail about my improvements.
Leonard and I talk for a while longer, discussing everything about my time at the academy, excluding Christian because I don’t feel like giving that asshole any attention today.
Eventually, he gives my shoulder a squeeze and leaves to get some rest before tomorrow. I text Gabriel to see if he’s ready to go back to the hotel yet, but he lets me know he’ll need a little longer to take care of something. It’s a vague response, but I don’t pry. He’ll tell me about it if he wants to later.
Cameron, on the other hand, is sleeping in his pit box while his engineers work on the car. Seeing an evil opportunity, I creep toward him, trying to be as quiet as possible. His mouth is slightly opened, letting out the snoring sound instead of muffling it.
I take out my phone, capturing this innocent and hilarious moment. A tap on the shoulder pulls me from my concentration trance, and I look over my shoulder to see Leni, Cameron’s performance coach, holding something up for me.
“Here, put this on. It’ll scare him,” she says with a mischievous grin, and I take the mask from her. It’s a photo of my brother mid-sneeze, and I almost fall over from laughter. Where the hell did they get this from?
I place the elastic band around my head, forcing myself to keep it together while leaning toward Cameron until my face is merely a few centimeters from his. It takes everything out of me not to ruin this because Leni is filming now.
“Cameron, it’s Adrian, wakey wakey,” I say with a soft voice.
He moves his head a bit, crossing his arms in front of his chest as his mouth parts wider. So I try again.
“Cameron, wake up, mate. I need to tell you something,” I whisper, running the back of my index finger over his cheek.
His eyes flutter open before they go wide and he screams. It is the most high-pitch sound I’ve ever heard in my life, and I cover my ears to spare them.
“Oh, you’re so dead,” Cameron calls out when I lift the mask off my face, and I run away screaming, but he catches me, holding me against him.
He places his mouth on my shoulder, blowing air against it to make a farting noise and send awful shivers down my spine. I burst into laughter, but he doesn’t release me yet.
“You’re pranking me now? Mean,” he complains but joins my amusement with a chuckle.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” I squeal, trying to calm down at the same time. “I won’t do it again,” I promise, and he lets go of me, spinning me around so I can see his amused grin. Damn, I love this man.
“Do you have any idea how terrifying it is to wake up to your brother’s face?” he asks, his Australian accent thick.
The mention of my brother temporarily sends a sting through me, but I disregard it to laugh at his words.
“I do know,” I reply, placing my hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry,” I repeat, and he wipes away the tear of laughter that escaped my eye.
“Don’t worry, I will get my revenge someday,” he says, and my eyes widen, but he doesn’t say anything more as his arm wraps around my shoulders. “Have you eaten yet?” Cameron asks, pulling me closer to press a kiss to the top of my head. A warmth spreads through me, the familiarity of his touch comforting.
“Not yet. I was waiting for Gabriel, but he seems to be busy,” I say as I check my phone for a message but find nothing.
“Then I’m taking you to dinner. You can text him to join us when he’s done, but it’s late enough already, and you need to eat.” I don’t even try to argue with him as he leads me out of his pit box and toward his rental car.
On our way to the restaurant, I text Gabriel to let him know where we’re going. He responds a lot quicker than I was expecting him to.
Gabriel: I don’t think I’ll make it to dinner but enjoy. I will see you at the hotel, ma chérie. Je t’aime.
I smile at my phone before answering.
Valentina: I love you the same.
