I hesitate.“We have problems with—”
“The downforce,” he says, finishing my sentence.“But you got bigger problems than that.”
“So you can help us?”
“Why would I want to leave all this to go back to that?”he says, lighting another cigarette.His knee jiggles up and down.“Besides, these cars are complex, and all the parts ofthe car are interconnected.Without access to the actual data I don’t really have a good idea of what’s truly happening.”
“I can give you full access.”
“Oh really,” he says, not hiding his skepticism.“Why do you want to hire a drunk?”
“But you’re ah...sober now, right?”I ask, grimacing, as I glance at Matt for help.
“Oh...I get it.”Jasper laughs, slapping his knee as he does.The laughter turns slowly into a cough and then he cocks his head to the side.
“Barry’s got no money left.”
Matt cackles unhelpfully, and tips his head toward me, grinning as though the jig is up and we’ve been caught out.
“I mean, I wouldn’t say that, exactly.I just got off his private jet,” I say, forcing out a little light banter as I rack my brain for a way to put this delicately.
“You can’t afford anyone else.”
“Look.Jasper.You love racing.You didn’t want to go, and everyone knew that.For what it’s worth, I’m sorry about what happened,” Matt says, clearing his throat as he glances around the beach house.“And couldn’t you use the money?”
“Youreallycan’t afford anyone else,” he repeats, laughing, as though everything has fallen into place now.
“But you are one of the best,” I push, trying to appeal to his sense of pride, since I cannot deny the money issue.I glance at Matt, who is suddenly deep in thought, chewing the inside of his cheek as he examines his hands.
“Once upon a time,” Jasper says, stubbing his cigarette out again, a trail of smoke filling the breezy room.
“Please, Jasper.I can beg,” I say, holding my hands together in prayer.
“Don’t you want to win?”Matt says quietly.“Don’t you want to come back and win?And show them all?”
Jasper and Matt lock eyes, and I hold my breath, hoping like hell Matt has found a way in.
“I know what it’s like to not get support when you’re struggling.I know how shit it feels.I know how all the promises of family and loyalty fall away when you’re not performing at your peak.When what you need is a bit of fucking sympathy.”
Jasper seems to take this in, his eyes narrowing on Matt.“I tell you what, I don’t have a lot on today.”
I nod, looking out at the view, wondering if he ever has a lot on.
“Why don’t you load up the tablet there with all the aero data, and I’ll take a look.”
“You got it, but I’ll definitely need you to sign an NDA,” I say.
“Fine.But I said I’ll take a look.Nothing more,” he says slowly.He picks up his tobacco and rolls another cigarette.
“How long will you need?”Matt asks, glancing down to the stretch of white-sand beach beyond Jasper’s rickety fence.
Jasper stretches his neck side to side, and then cracks his knuckles.“You’re not in a hurry, are you?”
The heat of the afternoon sun on my skin is divine.
Matt is in the water, and I’m on the sand, borrowed beach towel stretched out and a chocolate brown bikini hugging my body.My phone died about an hour ago, and I havemade a decision not to plug the bastard in.I deserve these few hours to relax.
“You don’t want to swim?”Matt shouts over at me from the ocean.
