“Free Practice is just for practice. The real test will begin tomorrow afternoon.”
That’s easy for Thomas to say. He isn’t the one who barely reached P14 by FP2.
How he managed to drag a sandbagged car all the way up to P3, second only to the Red Boars, should be investigated.
“Right.” Julien couldn’t escape the stares and glares of everyone in Ferraro hospitality during team dinner. Thomas tried to cover for him, but the fact is Julien wasn’t good enough in the car today.
After everything, he really is just some nepo-sibling.
How pathetic.
“Hey, Julien!” Rafael’s voice cuts through the crowd of red shirts shuffling towards the back parking lot. Both brothers turn as he jogs up to them. “Could I talk to you real quick?”
Julien doesn’t need another person to tell him he sucks at driving. He sees it in the eyes of the mechanics and engineers. He hears it in the thinly veiled questions from reporters, in the whispers that quiet when he turns. “If it’s about Free Practice?—”
“No, no, it’s about—” Rafael points to his collarbone with his free hand. “I need help. And you offered your help, so here I am. Asking for it.”
“For help?” Julien repeats. “Fromme?”
Rafael is surrounded by people who know the Brazilian driver much better than Julien does. People he feels more comfortable around, who he’d allow to open a door for him or carry his tray.
Julien’s just a stranger, remember?
“Is it something I can help with?” Thomas asks.
“Nah, it’s something Julien offered his expertise in.”Expertise?He can’t mean?—
Let me know.
Rafael raises his eyebrows and Julien’s cheeks flame.
“Go on without me, Thomas. I did tell him I’d help.” Though that particular offer is disappearing with every moment they discuss it in front of hisbrother.
“I can also?—”
“No!”The last thing Julien needs is for Thomas to insert himself into this stupid situation. “It’s alright, I’ve got it.”
Rafael just grins like an idiot. “Don’t worry, we’ll take my car back to the team hotel. See you tomorrow.”
Thomas studies the two of them, worry and confusion evident in his brow, but he finally turns away and follows the crowd out to the parking lot.
Before Rafael can say anything incriminating, Julien drags him off the pedestrian pathway, towards a large tree. “Why would you talk about your dick in front of mybrother?!”
Julien would punch the guy, but Lorenzo would probably fire him if he further-injures their already-injured driver. Especially if he can’t do any better than fourteenth.
He really needs to do better than fourteenth.
“I wanted to float an idea by you before we got to the hotel, but our drivers are nosey bastards.” Rafael watches the team pass by, but no one notices the duo hidden behind the tree.
“So jerking off didn’t go well?”
Rafael shrugs. “It was what it always is. At least with my left hand it could almost feel like someone else.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“It wasn’t actually someone else.” Well, yeah. That’s how it works. “My…friendfound an answer that works for him. Do you know the phrase ‘fuck buddy’?”
Julien snorts. “Yeah, I’m familiar.” Too familiar, but that’s embarrassing to admit out loud.
