He took a breath. “Yes, you can. If it was Vince, I’ll go back and bloody his nose. Anyone who speaks to you like that is out of line.”
“It wasn’t Vince. It was someone on the road. A misunderstanding about umbrella girls versus groupies and whether I was available for sex.” Her cheeks flamed.
“Groupie? I don’t know that word.” He understood enough to know it was derogatory.
“Helmet chaser.” Her mouth twisted. Vince had called her that too. It was so far from the truth that it was ridiculous. She’d never looked twice at the other racers. From the first moment, she and Isaac had been drawn to one another, and it had nothing to do with racing. They just suited one another.
“I’m sorry that happened to you.” He swallowed, trying not to show his hurt that she hadn’t confided in him yet again. Other than her late grandmother, she hadn’t mentioned kindness in her past and he’d inferred she hadn’t had many people to trust in her life. It might take time. “You could have come to me.” He kept his voice soft, non-threatening. She needed to learn that his love wasn’t conditional.
“You were minutes from the starting grid. I couldn’t. Then, I didn’t want to cause trouble.” She bit her lip. “It wasn’t worth making a fuss over me.”
He took her icy hands in his. “Yes, it was. You are important. If someone is inappropriate, say so. A race is never more important. It’s just a race. You are always worth it. Always.” It was the truth. “I love you. I’d do anything to keep you safe.” He wanted her to look up and see that he was serious.
When she looked up, trust in her eyes, he bent his head and claimed her lips; he could have drowned in her kiss. She pulled him so far under that he lost his bearings. All he wanted was to bring her closer. He’d never felt this way about someone before. Her happiness meant as much as his own, if not more. When at last he broke off the kiss, her eyes were no longer filled with tears and all trace of her meltdown was gone.
...
That night, they cleaned out Isaac’s room, taking his clothing, bedding, towels, and books. There was nothing left to take after the race weekend. Looking around his empty room made his heart ache. He’d lived here all of his adult life and it felt wrong to leave under these conditions, sneaking out in the night after a fight. He and Vince had spent so many years as training partners and best friends that it was a shame this was how things had ended. He’d miss the comradeship of being brothers, but he didn’t regret standing up to Vince. With a last glance, Isaac closed the door and strode out with the final boxes.
He left his dirt bike and home riding gear in the track shed. He would still practice on the dirt track at least twice a week. After all, he’d helped make it. He would just be sure to come when Vince was out on his road bike or occupied in the home gym. The thing about having trained together for so long was that Vince’s schedule was predictable. Isaac was too angry to consider training together, and he wouldn’t forget Vince’s cutting remarks. His brother had crossed a line, and there was no going back.
Before the flight to Jerez, Isaac contacted the airline and requested that his business-class ticket and Anna’s economy-class one be exchanged for two premium seats with extra legroom so they could sit together. Avoiding his brother was a bonus. He sent a quick message to Angel, mentioning an argument with Vince, without going into specifics. As his team boss, he needed to be in the loop. In the future, Isaac and Anna would have business-class tickets together.
The next two race weekends flew by in a flash, with Isaac renting a condo on a month-by-month basis near Cervera. Anna left the Inn and moved into his rental with him. At two months, it was early in their relationship for such an important step, but they were always together. It made no sense for Anna to pay for somewhere she never slept. Since they no longer needed to worry about Vince’s feelings, they could spend as much time together as they wanted.
Anna insisted on chipping in for a share of the rent and food, and Isaac let her, even if he had more than enough money. All his years of living with Vince and living a moderate lifestyle meant he’d saved millions, but being a partner meant sharing responsibilities.
Vince was stone silent whenever they were in the same place, and neither of them was willing to make the first move to reconcile. Without an apology to Anna, it didn’t matter. Their argument didn’t affect them on the track as Vince finished first in both races while Isaac had been third in Jerez and second in Le Mans.
Le Mans had been another wet race, but one with mixed conditions from the start—Vince’s specialty was judging tires and when to switch bikes. The entire field of riders had followed his lead, changing bikes during the fourth lap. The steady rain had been solid enough to leave puddles and wet patches on the track, but hadn’t become the torrential downpour of Indonesia. With such a physically demanding race and challenging conditions, only sixteen of the twenty-eight riders had finished.
The eighth race, in Italy, too flew by with Fabiano winning his home race in Mugello for Ducati. Vince finished second and Isaac third. Luka Catala remained in third overall behind the brothers in the championship.
The most troublesome part of the weekends for Isaac came at the press conferences. With the brothers dominating the championship as they neared the summer break, their rivalry was the media focus, and it was obvious that their relationship was strained.
The extra camera crew following everyone in the racing paddock didn’t help. They were making a MotoGP series for Amazon Prime, and the rivalry between the brothers made for an interesting angle for their story. In fact, it had become one of their overarching themes. Or, so the director said when he requested additional access to the Vasquez family in Cervera. While uncomfortable, the league wanted it, citing good publicity, and Isaac couldn’t refuse.
Isaac wasn’t sure how faithful the new camera crew would be to actual events, and it bothered him that their cameras seemed everywhere—a constant barrage of attention. His mind flashed back to his birthday and the camera at the restaurant and the crew in Cervera weeks ago. What had they caught on film? They couldn’t know the real reason he and his brother weren’t speaking. There hadn’t been a camera at his mother’s. Their story would be skewed.
Despite his efforts to seem civil in public, he and Vince weren’t speaking. After they’d snubbed each other in parc ferme and been glacial on the podium for the last three races, their rift was common knowledge.
At the pre-race conference in Barcelona, Isaac watched Vince work the cameras and reporters with ease. His easy-going manner impressed Isaac, and he had to give his brother grudging respect for dealing with the press this way for all theseyears. Isaac found it nerve-wracking to have to answer all their questions while remaining calm and respectful. This was the first time he’d been a contender in the championship, and the status came with considerable pressure and attention.
The last time he’d been fighting for a title was his final year in Moto2, ten years ago. While important to the Moto2 teams, that championship had been nothing like this one. The media had manufactured most of this championship rivalry, but that didn’t mean Isaac didn’t feel the demand to succeed.
Vince maintained smiles and a pleasant demeanor whenever the cameras were near, even if he avoided speaking to Isaac. Isaac struggled to look as smooth on camera. The situation reminded him of an occurrence that had garnered a bit of media attention years ago. After a serious on-track racing incident, Vince and his former rival, who’d retired, hadn’t gotten along for seven years. Despite mutual respect for each other’s racing abilities, the two men had never been friends, and Vince had become an expert on giving diplomatic answers that gave him the high ground. This experience served him well amidst the current hostility.
Isaac fumbled for composure when the reporter’s words brought him back to the present.
“We understand that as brothers and close friends, you and Isaac have spent hours every day training together. Recently, your brother moved out of the home you shared. Has this affected your training regime? If so, how?” The Spanish reporter waited for Vince’s answer.
Vince glanced at Anna standing at the side of the room. She kept her chin high as she stood at Angel’s side in Isaac’s team colors.
“It’s not my fault if my little brother can’t keep up anymore and has placed less priority on training than I do,” said Vince, hisvoice sharp. His eyes met Isaac’s. “Perhaps that’s why he’s never won a race.”
Isaac ground down on his molars and kept his face neutral. That had been a low blow.
A different reporter waded into the fray. “If Isaac can’t keep up, how is he your closest championship rival this year?”
