“We’ve spent a lot of time together,” said Isaac, choosing his words with care, “But it’s not unwanted. If anything, I’m monopolizing her time.”
“You’re sure?” said Vince, his dark eyes riveted on Isaac.
“Yeah. We like hanging out. I’m good,” said Isaac, a little puzzled by Vince’s concern. Sure, he and Anna stayed up late some nights, but they couldn’t seem to leave each other alone.The sex continued to be fantastic. Vince should understand that part, even if the relationship part was foreign territory.
“I just mean, women out here on the road are a distraction. She could affect your racing.”
“I won’t let her have a negative impact. In fact, I’m racing better than ever,” said Isaac, getting annoyed with the discussion. Since when did he discuss his love life with his brother? It was none of Vince’s business what he did with his time.
“I also wouldn’t want you to get too attached. After all, she could be gone anytime,” said Vince. “This is seasonal work.”
That had better not be a threat. Vince had gotten her hired. Would he have her fired? Instead of saying that, Isaac said, “You don’t have to worry about me.” He didn’t want to argue and kept the edge from his voice. The sooner they changed the subject, the better. He rotated his head, his neck cracking. Vince chose not to have a special person in his life and had always preached about the single life, but for the first time, Isaac felt a pang of sympathy for his brother. Vince had let no one get close to him, and until now, neither had Isaac.
“Of course, I worry. You’re my brother.” Vince grabbed an energy drink from the fridge and held one up for Isaac, who shook his head. Vince drank half in a few long gulps. Setting down the can, he said, “Hey, I noticed you’ve been taking a slightly wider line into turn six this season, like I suggested. How’s that feel on the bike? Last year, that helped me get an exceptional drive out of that corner as well as turn ten.”
The abrupt change of subject back to a more typical conversation lifted the tension that had settled like unwanted fog in the confined space. Isaac struggled to let it go, but they soon fell back into their comfortable conversation area. Racing. They compared notes on a couple more corners before Isaac left to change for FP4 and Q2.
On the track, he fell into a rhythm, trying out his chosen tire selection for the race tomorrow, letting the tires get worn, and testing their responsiveness. Overall, he was pleased with the result. Returning to the box, he took on fluids and stayed in the zone, putting on his headphones to block out the bustle around him and to remain focused.
Before he knew it, it was time for qualifying, and he removed his headphones and switched to earplugs. Anna handed him his helmet, which he took with a small smile. They weren’t fooling anyone who didn’t know about their new relationship status, but in the garage, they’d kept everything professional. She could have been any other team member. They’d keep it that way in public until after the race tomorrow. No matter the race result, he resolved to kiss her in front of everyone afterward.
His brother wasn’t an expert on romance. Isaac was determined to do this his way. Vince be damned.
CHAPTER 9
Anna
Anna clutched the umbrella with both hands, her arms shaking slightly with the effort to keep it steady. The Indonesia sky had become ominous, grayer than the forecasted sunshine had indicated. She tore her gaze from the worrisome sight and stood to the side, smiling for all she was worth. The roaming TV cameras weren’t for her, and she didn’t change her gaze for them. She didn’t interrupt Isaac or attempt to speak to him while he was in race mode. Several riders on the starting grid had similar pre-race routines, while a couple of others talked and joked with people around them.
Four separate camera crews wandered between the riders, perhaps looking for someone to interview as they conducted their pre-race shows. Celebrities with special passes moved through the crowd, often stopping to chat with each other. She spotted Keanu Reeves in a ball cap and sunglasses.
Vince ignored all reporters, and none of them tried speaking to Isaac, at least not that he noticed. Twice she shook her head and signaled that they should move on rather than disturb him. They had better luck at the back of the grid with some of the newer riders. As the clock wound down, the cameras moved off to the side and out of the way. When there was one minute left on the timer, everyone except the riders left the grid.
Visors came down, and the riders got ready for their warm-up lap. Even as she left, her focus remained on Isaac. How would he do today?
This week, he’d qualified seventh and now sat on the third row. Yesterday after the fast-paced qualifying session, as soon as he’d finished debriefing with Angel, he’d hauled her back to his trailer. They’d had sex. Not the patient, slow kind they’d had until now, but fast and urgent. It had left her trembling with aftershocks from the intense orgasms. They hadn’t even made it to the bedroom. Qualifying had lit a fire within him. Her stomach fluttered. Would the race do the same?
Those that had cleared the grid joined the rest of the team in the box, huddling around the largest screen to watch the race. Anna sucked in her breath when the riders returned to the grid after their single lap, everyone tense and focused. This was it. Miguel squeezed her forearm, anticipating the start. She shot him a nervous smile.
The green and red flags waved, then left the track.
As a collective group, the team held their breath, leaving the garage silent and filled with pent-up nervous energy. Nobody wanted to miss this. Starting lights showed at the top of the screen, then blinked out, and the riders shot forward. She didn’t care about the other riders. She concentrated on following Isaac’s movement, tracking how his bike leaped ahead of the others on his row.
Vince got the holeshot, which she’d learned meant going around the first corner in the lead, but more importantly, Isaac had gotten a clean start, shooting up the inside of the track. He slotted into third as the initial positions settled into the race and the riders flowed through the first half of the lap, while the crowd cheered.
Anna couldn’t take her eyes off the TV. Conversation and movement resumed around her, though everyone watchedwhile they worked. Those responsible for Isaac’s pit board communication checked their headsets, got the portable sign ready, and headed for the wall, ready to keep him updated about his track position. Isaac had mentioned that it was easy to lose track of how many laps remained and how many riders had passed—the pit board helped. Several of the more experienced crew kept tabs on the weather and the circling dark clouds.
“Get the second bike ready with rain tires,” said Angel in Spanish. He looked at Anna when her head swiveled with a jolt, on slight delay as she translated. “Just in case, mi carino. Don’t worry, our Isaac is tremendous in rainy conditions.” His tone was reassuring.
In the background, the noise of the power tools whined as the crew jumped to follow Angel’s directions.
She’d been told about Isaac and the rain before by Catarina, so she sent a quick text to her in the garage next door.“Rain makes it even more dangerous, doesn’t it?”Her lip trembled as she sent her message.
“Isaac is good at this. Trust him. He’s killing it out there, btw.”Catarina’s text eased Anna’s tension a little. He had experience and was a world-class racer. His team was full of experts. A little rain wouldn’t be a problem. Probably.
Lap after lap, the riders circled the track. Swapping positions and making daring passes left Anna breathless with fear and excitement. She loved knowing who the other riders were, not that she could identify them all with their helmets off, but she’d learned the teams, their names, and their numbers. Vince had run away with the race, and so far, the rain had held off, though the wind had picked up and the air temperature dropped. Now that she was off the grid, she wore a blue team jacket with Isaac’s name on the back. Still, she shivered.
With three laps left, Isaac remained in third. Anna glanced at the menacing clouds as drops of rain appeared in pit lane andspotted the camera lens tracking the riders on the course. She clutched her pencil so tightly it hurt her hand, hoping for no more rain.
