“Well what if you were fighting Arthur?” I asked. “Right across the ring, the one man who could ground you was your biggest competition?”
Bradley grimaced. “You think I could take him in a fight? He’d pummel me to the ground, professional boxer or no. I wouldn’t stand a chance.”
That pulled a laugh out of me. “I know. It’s just…I want this so bad. But I know if I win then Sebastian loses. That’s not easy, you know?”
“I know. But he’s a big boy, right? He can handle it. And so can you.”
“I’m not so sure,” I mumbled. Bradley pulled me to my feet without asking me if I was ready.
“Y’know what? I’d be honoured if I could go toe-to-toe with my boyfriend in an art gallery, or if he decided to step into the ring to fight me. I’m not saying it would be easy for either of us. But if you both want to win, but would both be thrilled to see theother win, then I think you’re in the best position on that grid. Absolutely no one else on that grid will have that privilege.”
“When did you get so wise?” I snarked, and Bradley messed up my hair with one hand as he gestured to the door with the other.
“Ask Arthur. Because he’ll tell you I was a brainless idiot when we met.”
I stepped back into the warm glow of the restaurant feeling just a little lighter.
Sebastian
The smell of gasoline burned my nostrils, but it was a good smell. It signalled to me that I was close to doing my favourite thing in the world. The paddock was buzzing with anticipation for the three-way fight for the title, and it was within touching distance. Despite it all, I felt troubled. Theo and I had been racing against each other all season without too many issues, but with a championship on the line, I was uneasy. Could I forgive the man I loved if he beat me in today’s race? Undoubtedly. But would I be able to look him in the eye for the next couple of months, be the man he wanted me to be? I wasn’t so sure.
Qualification was over, and the race was fast approaching. Max Burnham had qualified in first place, but I was in second and almost alongside him on the grid. Theo was in third and therefore would sit directly behind Max. With so few points between us, any one of us could clinch the title. So, to avoid the pressure, I was hiding at the very back of the garage andlistening to the mechanics work on the car. Even the most hardened of sports journalists knew not to enter the garage without permission from the team.
“You’re needed for media, Mr García,” said a young lady with an iPhone in her hand as she stepped into my field of vision.
“Is it rude to tell you to fuck off?” I asked, more harshly than I normally would. I tried to twist my voice up at the end, to make it sound like a joke, but her face crumpled. “Lo siento. Sorry. That was cruel of me. What is your name?”
“Maria,” she said, her lips quirking up into a countenance of a smile.
“My grandmother’s name is Maria. She is too old to travel to watch my races, but she watches at home. I bought her a big TV.”
Maria sat down next to me, on a stack of used tyres that wobbled precariously. “Bet she’s well proud of having a grandson like you.”
“She tells me every chance she gets,” I replied. “I won’t talk to the media, I need a little while to prepare. But I will do whatever silly trend you need from me.”
Maria grinned and within a couple of minutes had me miming to whatever TikTok trend had swept the globe since I last checked. I was a terrible mimer, but I had been reassured that my social media videos often went viral, even more so after my relationship with Theo had been made so public.
“Thanks for that, Mr García,” said Maria.
“Please, call me Sebastian. Mr García makes me sound like my father.”
“Really? And I was just calling you Daddy,” said a very familiar voice from behind me. Before I could turn hand face him, a pair of arms in ZX Computing-branded overalls had wrapped themselves around my shoulders. Maria took a quick snap before I could stop her, and I pressed a quick kiss to Theo’s hand.
“Please don’t publish that,” I said to Maria.
“Oh, I’ll keep it for my private collection,” she winked. “I’ll leave you two to it.”
Theo’s arms loosened for a second, but only so he could walk around and face me. His fingers laced up at the back of my neck and he pulled me in for a kiss.
“You OK?” he asked.
“If I say no, will you think I’m stupid?” I asked.
“Not at all. I’ll think you’re sensible.”
I smiled and kissed Theo on the lips, quickly. “Are we going to get in trouble for you being in my team garage?”
“Are you going to tell anyone? I don’t think anyone has noticed,” said Theo, gesturing around. I looked around the garage, where every single mechanic had dropped tools to look at us.
