She appeared twenty minutes later, escorted through the controlled chaos of mechanics and media. Black jeans hugging her legs, white cropped hoodie, oversized sunglasses pushed back into her dark hair like a crown. She looked small against the hulking cars and towering tool chests, but her presence cut through the noise anyway. Heads turned. Whispers rippled. Even Lucas paused mid-conversation with his engineer and lifted a hand in greeting before ducking back inside.
Jax met her at the foot of the stairs leading up to the hospitality deck. He was still in fireproofs, race suit knotted low at his hips,hair damp and messy from the balaclava. Sweat already beaded at his temples from the heat.
“Morning,” he said, voice quieter than he meant it to be.
She smiled—small, a little hesitant, but real. “Morning. This place is… a lot.”
“Yeah.” He glanced around the buzzing garage, then back at her. “Welcome to my version of chaos. You can watch from up there. Private area, best view of the pit lane and the first sector. No one will bother you.”
He paused, rubbing the back of his neck. “I told Mia you were coming to cheer me on. Asked if she could just check on you, make sure you’re not completely lost. So… expect her to drop by at some point.”
Aria’s brows lifted slightly, then she gave a soft laugh. “Okay. That’s actually really thoughtful. I’m sure I will have lots of questions.”
Her eyes flicked to his face, searching. “I don’t want to throw you off. This is your weekend.”
He looked at her—really looked. The way sunlight caught the faint freckles across her nose, the way her lips parted slightly like she was holding back a dozen questions. The flush already creeping up her neck when he held her gaze too long.
“You are already throwing me off,” he admitted, voice rougher than he intended. “In a good way. But we’re not talking about the proposal until Sunday night. After the race. I need to feel this weekend first. Having someone here—not for the cameras, not for optics, but for me. I’ve never done this. Real relationship, fake relationship—doesn’t matter. I need to know if it grounds me… or if it’s just another thing to carry.”
Her brows softened. “You’re worried I’ll be a distraction?”
“I know you are.” He gave a crooked half-smile, the kind that crinkled the corners of his eyes and made them twinkle with quiet mischief. “In the best possible way.”
Her cheeks went scarlet on cue. She laughed—soft, breathless—and ducked her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Okay. Message received.”
“Good.” He jerked his chin toward the stairs. “Go watch. I’ve got laps to run.”
???
Aria
From the hospitality deck, Aria watched Jax disappear into the garage, his broad shoulders cutting through the crowd like he owned the place. The view was killer—pit lane buzzing below, cars gleaming under the harsh sun, mechanics moving like they’d done this a thousand times—but she found herself lingering on the spot where he’d just been. There was something easy about the way he moved through all the chaos, like none of it rattled him. She liked watching that. It made the whole frantic weekend feel a little less overwhelming.
Mia appeared halfway through Practice 1, sliding into the seat beside her with two iced coffees and a grin that said she knew exactly where Aria’s attention had been drifting.
“Here,” Mia said, handing one over. “Figured you could use this. First full weekend in the paddock is no joke.”
Aria took it with a small smile. “Thanks, Mia. Good to see you again.”
“Same.” Mia settled in, sipping hers. “Jax mentioned you were coming. I was like, ‘Wait, Singapore Aria? Nice.’ So… how’d this happen? You two seem to be getting along.”
Aria glanced down at the garage just as Jax climbed out of the car. He pulled off his helmet, shook out his damp hair, and looked up—caught her eye for a second, gave a quick thumbs-up and that easy crinkle-eyed smile. Nothing big. Just friendly. But it made the corner of her mouth lift anyway. Nice to know he’d remembered she was up here.
“It’s really low-key,” she said. “I was in Mexico for a shoot, timing worked out. We talked a bit in Singapore, swapped numbers… When he heard I was around this weekend, he said come watch if I wanted. So here I am. Just hanging out, seeing what it’s like.”
She didn’t mention the dinner. Didn’t mention the proposal she’d laid out like a business plan—fake dating for optics, for jealousy, for a cleaner image. It had sounded smart on paper. Practical. Now, with Mia looking at her like this was already something sweet and real, it felt a little off. Not dishonest exactly… just not the full picture.
Mia’s eyes softened, but there was still that quiet curiosity. “Sounds good to me. He’s been carrying a lot lately. If you’re making things feel a bit easier for him, that’s more than enough.”
Aria gave a small nod, the words settling with a faint twinge. “I hope so. I’m just… trying to be around, you know? Be a friend.”
“You’re doing more than that,” Mia said gently. “Trust me. He’s looked steadier this weekend than he has in months.”
The compliment landed softly, but it made Aria’s smile feel a touch thinner. Steadier. Helpful. Kind things to say. But the steadiness Mia saw was built on an arrangement, not a beginning. She took a quick sip of coffee to cover the small winceinside. Early days, she reminded herself. Nothing to feel bad about yet.
Mia followed her gaze to the garage, then gave a small shrug. “Speaking of—I should head back over to Ascari before they think I’m defecting. Ashworth hospitality gets twitchy if I hang around too long. Spy accusations and all that.”
Aria tilted her head, glad for the change of subject. “Wait—you’re with Ascari?”
