“Save it for the track, dickwad,” I retort, rolling my eyes at him and smiling.
This new fitness routine our trainer, Hamish, has us doing for our season break is brutal, but damn, I am looking as cut as ever. I check my arms out in the mirror as I have a brief rest before jumping on the treadmill.
Cole and Fleur finally enter the facility and wave to greet us.
“You’re late!” I yell out as I run on the treadmill.
Cole throws his hands up. “Sorry, my fault. Fleur’s already given me hell for it. Otto threw up all over the carpet in the motorhome, needed to clean it up.” Otto is his new, American Staffordshire Terrier puppy who has followed them in, trying to nip at Riley’s ankle as he performs his chins ups.
“Otto better not barf in my car on the way back,” Fleur threatens with a pointed finger in his face. No one can stay mad at the black puppy who has now been able to latch onto Riley’s shoelace.
Cole and Fleur have been friends longer than Riley and I. Where I met Riley in the local comps when we were fifteen, Cole and Fleur met when they were recruited at a youth training academy at twelve. We all clicked once we started competing against each other when we got here to the Australian top level, three years ago. Our competitiveness pushes each other forward and to do better. Be better athletes. This newly finished season, we were all in the top four places in the championship. It was a tight championship that came down to the last race with Riley to be the first of us to grasp a championship win.
“How’s things going with the new Aprilia team, Fleur?” Riley asks once he finishes his chin ups, taking his shoelace out of Otto’s mouth and playfully roughhousing with him.
Fleur has started on some free weights between us all. “Great! Testing was productive. Ironed out some of the chatter on the bike we were experiencing from end of the season, so next season will be exciting.”
“She’s going to crush it!” Cole says and holds his fist up for her to bump it back with a dumbbell in her hand.
“Thanks, man,” she replies. “How was your testing with half of Riley’s stolen team?”
Riley groans at the reminder while I laugh. “Testing was great. Really positive. They have settled well into the team, like they have been there for years.”
Sophia has been distracted during testing. She really only speaks with Dave, Micah, or Rayna, and keeps to herself at the back of the pits on her laptop. Doesn’t talk with anyone else in the pit box. I have seen her duck away and avoid people from other teams before they see her.
“Have you heard the latest whispers about Sophia and her ex, the douchey car engineer?” Cole asks.
Fleur shakes her head. “No. No participating in paddock gossip like you are around a water cooler. How about you pick up a weight and at least pretend you are doing the program?”
“I’m just saying…” Cole starts up again.
I start to open my mouth to get him to stop, but Fleur beats me to it and shuts him down with a look.Good on you, Fleur. Keep him in line.
“Okay, okay,” Cole complies and picks up some dumbbells, too.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I smile asFatherdisplays on the screen. He rarely calls without texting first to make sure I am free, so I wonder if he has bad news. Stepping away from the knuckle heads to outside of the training facility, I answer the phone. “Hey, Dad. How’s it going?”
“Heya, Jav. Good, thanks. How are you going?” His voice is calm over the line. Nothing is wrong.
“Yeah, all good here, thanks. What’s happening?” I ask, trying to find some shade in the parking lot and out of the November Queensland sun.
“Nothing too much. Mum and I have decided to do that big cruise finally,” he replies.
Mum has been going on about a cruise for years. Sounds like she’s finally worn Dad down. “That’s great! Mum’s going to be so happy.”
“Yeah, it just means we will miss most of your races this year. I’m really sorry.” He and Mum are my biggest supporters, and not having them there will suck, but they deserve this trip. They have worked hard for it.
“No problem at all. Hopefully, you’ll get reception on the sea so you can still watch the races.”
“Oh, shit! I didn’t even think about no reception! I’ll have to look into it.” I know he is scratching his head at the situation.
“Don’t stress, Dad. You’ll be able to catch up when you’re back. Make sure you send me your agenda. I’ll try to see where I might be able to fly out and catch up with you when we have breaks here and you hit land,” I offer.
“That would be great. We would love that.” His relief floods through the phone.
We chat some more about where they will be cruising to and an arrangement to catch up before they ship off. I’ll have to buy them something pirate themed as a gag gift. I’m really happy they are doing this for themselves. They have been working so hard all their lives and it’s about time they did something to enjoy retirement. I smile to myself and head back in to continue my torture.
9
