I look down at the headline.
My chest tightens further, and I start to find it hard to catch my breath.Keyla puts a hand firmly on my shoulder and it helps to ground me.“But I said those things,” I say.“It was the day of the announcement.He put his phone away.Took his press pass off...”
I’m so stupid.
“We can still deny,” she says plainly.“I’ve seen worse.I had to deal with the sexting episode with the previous team principal.Chloe, this is a walk in the park.”
I shake my head.“I don’t think I can deny.”
“Fine.Then we wait it out.Wait for something else to grab the headlines.You play cool, Chloe.”
“Okay.Really?I shouldn’t say anything to the team?”
“Not today.We need to put on a show of unity for the cameras.You and Matt can maybe talk to the press together and laugh it off.Barry and you should have breakfast this morning.”
“Have you spoken to Barry?”
There is silence on the phone for a beat.
“We’ll get you through this,” she says.“Someone in F1 will do something worse or more dramatic in a matter of days.Hours, probably.”She chortles.
“Okay,” I say, nodding.
“I’m serious.The real problem here—the long-term one—is internal.”There is a pause as she takes in a deep breath.“And I can help you, but only to a point, with that part.”
“Have you spoken with Matt?”I ask, my voice shaky again.
“We’re on him,” she replies.I can’t ask her what he’s said.I can’t debase myself by whimpering down the phone and asking if he’s mad at me.I can’t do any of that.
“Good,” I say, after I steady my voice.“Okay.I’m going to get dressed.Call me when you know next steps.”
I hang up, and Keyla smiles softly at me.“They have a plan?”
“She is working so fast.”
“There’s a lot of women in this sport who will work fast for you,” she says.“And hard.”
I push away the overwhelming feeling of shame and try to focus on what she’s saying.
“You can’t crumble now, Chloe.”
“I won’t.”
“Good,” she says, staring at me, willing me to hear her.
I nod furiously.I have hardly spoken to her about any of this.She’s always so wise, and if I weren’t so ashamed about what’s been going on with Matt, I would have seen more of her.
Oh, Matt.Is he ever going to forgive me?
I take a breath, suddenly galvanized.I shower, turn my hair up into a damp topknot.Keyla chooses for me a pair of black jeans and an Arden polo from the wardrobe.
“How am I supposed to be with the team, Keyla?”I ask.
“Honestly,” she says, “they will have read it this morning over their cornflakes and then moved on to the next thing.”
“Liar,” I retort.
She laughs, pulling her hat back on, readying herself to slip out unnoticed.We can’t have another scandal on our hands.“Say nothing, just as your PR team advised, Chloe.You can’t control it anyway.And, honey.”She looks at me.“You survived your first scandal?You’ve really made it.”
