JACK
‘You thought you couldrentan 8C,’ I say, throwing Minnie a doubtful look over the central console. ‘Like Avis have ten of these lying around.’
‘How was I to know?’ She brings her knees up to rest on the dashboard, then immediately removes them like it burned her. I pretend I didn’t see and purse my lips. Her innocence makes me regret, for the hundredth time, that I was such a gentleman back there.
‘By looking at her.’ I slow down for a red light even though we’re the only car on the road.
‘I couldn’t see – it’s dark!’
‘She’s a supercar. Only eight hundred were made. You’re sitting on carbon fibre seats. In fact, most of the car is carbon fibre. She’s lightning fast.’
Minnie scoffs. ‘Lightning fast. I’m no professional driver, but in my lay-person’s opinion, the handling was clunky, the centre of gravity felt off, my foot kept getting jammed under the brake pedal, and despite working it hard, it wasn’t very responsive.’
It. She called this beauty anitlike she’s talking about a pigeon. Sacrilege aside, fuck me she knows her stuff. Onehundred-and-one regrets. ‘Alright, Jeremy Clarkson, remind me not to introduce you to my cars.’
That earns me a giggle. ‘Would Luca have minded you being naughty in his car?’
The light turns green and I ease on the throttle, revving as little as possible to avoid waking up the whole region. She’s a noisy one – but that’s how I like them. ‘Not a chance. He would’ve loved it. Probably did way worse in mine.’
Minnie screws her nose up. ‘Delightful. Why are you driving his car anyway? Did he… leave it to you?’
‘Nah, she’s not mine. He had a villa in Forte dei Marmi with some of his cars, and his family made it very clear they want me to stay as much as possible, so I go when I can. It’s about a three-hour drive from here.’
‘It’s lovely they still want you around.’
‘He didn’t have any siblings; I’m the closest thing he had to a brother. I think… they like the idea of him being remembered.’ Why am I saying all these deep things tonight? She makes opening up so damn addictive.
‘Do you think… the crash affected your driving?’ she asks cautiously, like she’s afraid of overstepping.
‘Not at all. We’re taught from the beginning: catastrophic weather? Get back in the car. See a bad accident? Get back in the car. Turn into a fireball? Get back in the car next week. Break every bone in your body? Get back in the car as soon as you’re better. That’s the job. The minute you let fear cloud your judgement, your career’s over.
‘If anything, the crash made me more ambitious. I need to reach the heights he should’ve – for both of us.’
‘You think he would’ve been a World Champion?’
‘There wasn’t a record he wouldn’t have smashed.’
‘I’m sorry I didn’t follow F1 when you guys were starting out. He sounds like one hell of a driver.’
I appreciate her saying that. It makes me sure his parents have nothing to worry about. ‘He was.’
‘Who first got you into racing?’ she asks.
‘My grandad.’
‘Was he a racer?’
‘No, but he was obsessed with cars – still is. He’s a mechanic by trade, and he has this encyclopaedic memory of old cars. Someone you know buys a limited edition 1966 Ferrari 275? He knows the exact one. Can tell you everything about it – design, production, speed, who owned it, if it competed.
‘Karting was less for him, though. You need more than love to race – it sucks up every minute and penny you have. Home was… difficult for me, so I think he saw it as a way to make sure I didn’t get lost.’
It’s a heavy thing to admit, and she takes it with silent thoughtfulness. I don’t know why I mentioned home; I don’t talk about it with anyone besides Georgie anymore. I learned the value of privacy a long time ago.
Thankfully she doesn’t pry. ‘Could he not have looked after you in Italy?’
‘My grandma didn’t let him. I get it now – my parents needed help, and financially it didn’t make sense.’ But understanding doesn’t make it hurt less. Still, if I were in her position, I’d probably agree it’d be dumb to put everything on the line for a twelve-year-old with a one-in-a-million shot of making it. If I got injured or decided I wanted to quit and be a normal teenager, where would my family have been? It was a massive gamble. Even so, my relationship with them has never been the same.
‘I bet he’s so proud of you,’ says Minnie.
