Her lips flatten. “Notthattruth. I mean that I’ll tell them someone started a rumor, and I’m squashing it.”
“You mean,we’resquashing it,” I add. “If you’re bringing a plus-one, so am I.”
She rolls her eyes again. “Fine.”
“Glad we got this figured out,” I say.
I stay planted on the couch after she stands abruptly. I watch the way her hips sway toward the door. She opens it and sends me a pointed look. “You can leave now.”
“I could, yes.”
But damn, I really don’t want to.
“So…” She wafts her hand out into the open, as if to usher me through the door.
“I kind of like seeing where you live,” I admit. “And this couch…it’s awfully comfy.”
“It is, and I have plans to spend my evening on it.Alone.”
There’s a comeback ready to go in the back of my throat, but the vibrating of my phone catches me off guard. I pull it out of my hoodie pocket, and my flirty mood instantly disappears.
Beau
You left a winning team for some Pit Porn? Can’t say I blame you, but what happens when you get tired of her like you usually do? Toss her aside and still be on a losing team?
My shoulders tense, my phone creaking underneath my tight grip.
I’m not sure what I’m angrier about: the fact that he’s completely disregarding the truth of how corrupted his team is or that he’s referring to Tessa in this way.
I click my screen off, shoot up from the couch, and walk over to the door, completely lost in my thoughts. The pressure of Tessa’s hand on my arm stops me in my tracks. She looks to my phone, then to my face, a clear window of worry in the different hues of brown.
I look at her mouth, craving to shut the world out, if even for a second, but instead, I walk past her and get into my car.
Beau’s text came at the perfect time–even if I fucking hate him.
Chapter Twenty-Five
TESSA
Gia claps her hands excitedly.“This is huge! The sponsorship isn’t just for Rosa Negra Couture, but also for their partner liquor launch too! They want you to be a part of their European debut.”
Rome isn’t paying attention at all. He’s holding a pen horizontally between his thumb and pointer finger and wiggling it like he’s back in elementary school. Noah is hiding a paper football in the palm of his hand, waiting for Gia to turn her head so he can flick it across the table at Beck.
The drivers are required to sit through this meeting because they’re representing the brand.
Well, we will all be representing the brand in Spain, but they’re arguably the most important.
“First, there will be the red carpet and photos, where you are required to wear a piece of Rosa Negra Couture, then you’ll move onto cocktail hour, where there will only be Rosa Tequila available.”
Beck chants quietly from his seat. “Shots, shots, shots.”
Van shushes him.
“Then the product-unveiling moment, maybe a speech or two from the representatives, and mingling before heading back to the hotel for the rest of the week’s festivities.”
Meaning the track walk, qualifying, and the race.
Sponsorships are important, but the race even more so.
