“No one can hear us,” I say, the point seemingly proved by the huge, thunderous crash of machinery from the constructioncrew nearby.I jump suddenly, jittery and anxious.I wish to hell we were somewhere private.
“I need to tell you some things,” he says as we continue walking.“I went to see Stavros.”
I halt and a small gasp escapes my mouth.I turn my head to face him.“When?Is that where you went after Brazil?”
“Yes,” he says gravely, nodding for me to keep walking.“I went to see him in Greece.”
“Oh, Matt.How did it go?Are you okay?How is he?”
“It actually went well, considering.And yes, I’m okay.”
“And Stavros?”
“He’s getting there.He looked okay.Still some visible healing,” he says slowly.“God, he was so um...forgiving.It was really humbling.”
“How do you feel?I have so many questions,” I say, indicating that he should wave at some supporters who have spotted us on the track.He does a quick salute in their direction.
“I feel stupid that I didn’t go earlier.You know, Stavros was ignoring me on purpose to force me to come see him,” he explains, shaking his head in disbelief.“No text in months and now he’s texting every five minutes.He’s got plenty of advice for the race about my tire management.”
I laugh at this.“You must feel so relieved.”
“I feel like this weight has left my chest,” he says, tapping his front with his hands.“I don’t know if it’s going to help on the track, but something has shifted.Plus, more than anything, I think I might have got my best friend back.”
“Oh,” I sigh.“I’m so proud of you for going.”
“Yeah, that’s what Stavros said too.”He lets out a light laugh.“Turns out people can forgive if they care enough.”
“I wish you’d told me last night.”
“Sorry.I was kind of distracted last night,” he jokes, letting his hand brush mine as we stroll down the tarmac.
I quiet, wondering if he’s talking about us now, but I don’t want to ask.Matt doesn’t make me wait long.“I saw you in the bar with Jack,” he says.
“Oh, shit,” I say quickly, stopping immediately to turn to him.
“You’re really bad at pretending we’re just chatting,” Matt laughs, turning me by the shoulders and giving me a light push to walk.
“Quit trying to shock me, then!”I protest.
“Eyes on the track, driver.They can see us, even if they can’t hear us.”
A murmur of excited voices from people heading out for the night, the muffled sound of music coming from the clubs, and the dinging and trilling of slot machines fill the air.Just a few meters to either side of us, the clang of workers fixing the grandstands and the distant roar of road cars taking their detours a few feet across.
I want to jump in and reassure him, for what it’s worth, that I did not invite that meeting.Jack found me as though he’d been following me, honestly, mere minutes after I’d sat down.
“It really, truly wasn’t what you think,” I whimper.
“I know that,” he says calmly, evenly.“I heard you both.”
“Oh?”Oh!“Really?”
“I was behind a plant pot.”He looks at me and gives a shy smirk.“It doesn’t matter.I get why you talked to him.I know how he deceived you.We all need people to let off steam with.People we think we can trust.”
“I...”I want to run, hide.Oh god.What did I say?I rack my brain trying to recall a conversation during which I was so focused on saying nothing printable that I can barely remember anything else.“He’s awful.”
“A soulless snake?”Matt says, laughing.
“I’m so sorry,” I say again.“Matt, I need to be totally honest with you.So maybe it all makes more sense even if you don’t forgive me completely.”
