“No one has ear defenders like these. You’re the only princess at Coulter Racing.”
She throws her arms around his neck and squeezes him.The energy in the room is now soft at the edges as he closes his eyes and smiles.
“Let’s clean your teeth,” Sasha says, spying my teary-eyed mum. My dad looks like he’s going to weep like he did when England won the Rugby World Cup.
Sasha shoos Tabi towards the bathroom.
“You’re a good man, Niki,” Dad says as he grabs Niki’s hands and shakes them hard.
“Don’t let him get away, Rosie,” Mum adds, nodding.
Sasha sips her gin as Jacs shares stories of funny racing moments.
“They let his car go, but the pit crew hadn’t given him his steering wheel, so he kept shouting, ‘Steering wheel’ as he got closer to the track,” Jacs says as she recounts the famous Kimi Räikkönen moment.
“It sounds more fun than my job of clearing up poo.” Sasha giggles.
“It has its moments.”
My parents are babysitting Tabi tonight so Sasha and I can have fun at the hotel bar. I check my phone, as Niki said he’d join us after discussing strategy with Senna and Tawny.
Still no message.
“Have you dated many racing drivers?” Sasha asks Jacs quietly. “From what I’ve seen of Rosie and Niki, they must be fun to date.”
I chuckle, remembering her face when I told her about private jet sex. Niki and I have shared a few nights since, but that one will remain my favourite for some time.
“One brief, awful date,” she says. “But I’m not doing that again. They’re the worst. They travel constantly, and all they talk about is the next race. They’re arrogant, too. They have towin, on and off the track, and if you’re with one, everyone knows your business unless you spend your time hidden away. I couldn’t. Drivers suck.”
“Oh,” Sasha replies with a strained laugh.
“Except my sister. Connor’s okay, too. Niki seems good now. When he raced, he could be a selfish arse. His dad missed Senna’s graduation because Niki needed him at a race.” My mouth drops, and Jacs sucks in a breath. “But he’s better now.”
I force a smile, but I can’t stop thinking about the driving version of Niki that’s repeatedly mentioned. Niki hasn’t raced since he met me, so maybe that’s why he’s not been a selfish arse.
“What are we talking about?” Senna asks as she joins us. Marco, Billy, and Tawny are with her. Sasha’s eyes bug out as she gulps her drink.
“How drivers are arseholes,” Jacs replies.
Sasha chokes, and I hold my breath, waiting for a confrontation.
But Tawny belly laughs as Marco whispers to Billy, “She’s talking about you.”
Billy winks at Sasha. “Don’t listen to her. We’re the best. We’re speed demons on the track and between the sheets.”
Tawny snaps at Billy, “That isn’t the flex you think it is. No one wants a one-minute wonder.”
Billy tilts his head towards Tawny. “You wish you could have one minute with me. Isn’t that right, Princess?”
Tawny rolls her eyes, but her cheeks flush. “One minute of you boring me because all you talk about is that time I beat you. You’ll insist I cheated because your ego can’t let you admit I’m better than you.”
“You did cheat. Besides, you may have won that race, but I’m winning the war.”
“Kids, please,” Marco says, holding his hands up. “At least drivers are better than mechanics.”
“What? We make you look good,” Jacs states. “Without us, you’d be crying in the pit lane.”
“You’re not the mechanic I’m referring to,” Marco says with a pointed stare. “You know who I mean.”
