“I wouldn’t expect anything less, Wanker.”
Anker was already on the phone. “Bloom and Company florists? Oh, hold on a minute. Hey, Clarke, don’t forget to give Roxanne Windsor’s address to the nurses’ station.” He returned to the phone. “Sorry about that, I want to order some flowers. What kind? All the kinds you’ve got. How many? Whatever you’ve got in the shop. I mean, all of it.”
Chapter Forty-two
Ceci and Clarke
Ceci
The high-pitched screech of the turbo engines firing up was the only thing that could puncture the steady hum of so many voices in the paddock—the engineers, mechanics, team principals, press, and fans. The air was cutting and caustic with the smell of oil and rubber that scorched the nose and left a bitter sting at the back of the throat.
It was the final race of the season—Suzuka, Japan.
Ceci smiled at Pixel, grateful both she and Aunt Delilah were able to fly out for it.
“It really does suit you,” Pixel said, admiring the scarf Ceci wore about her neck.
Pixel gave a pointed look at her friend.
“Just say it, already,” Ceci huffed.
“I was waiting for you to.”
Ceci had felt compelled to wear it, even if Clarke didn’t see her in it. She should have worn it before. It just felt right after what she’d learned about him planting all those forget-me-nots. My God, it looked like there were over a mile of them. How long had it taken him? On his knees, digging the earth for each and every one. Athos had told her he was out there hour after hour, day after day. She felt an ache she couldn’t name. She only knew it felt like a hand had clutched both her heart and breath and was pulling. She couldn’t escape the feeling that hand might steal both.
Of course, it would be forget-me-nots because Sir Galahad remembered everything. But Ceci couldn’t decide whether that was a good thing or not.
Pixel sighed. “Okay, moving on. You made up your mind yet? If you do decide to go back to driving, be prepared for them to offer you a healthy bump in salary to keep you. Especially since you’ve earned them another trophy this year.”
The drivers’ trophy was still in contention, but the constructors’ trophy for the team was a lock—Blue Jet Lightning would win it again this year.
Ceci shrugged.
“And Clarke?”
“I miss him. But I just don’t see how we get past what happened or the things that were said. And even if we could, can you really see me with a guy whose public persona is that immaculate, whose image is so pristine, who always has to do the right thing and at the right time and in the right way so as never to offend anyone?”
“I don’t know if that’s fair. From some of the things you’ve told me, it sounds like he’s loosened up some, lowered that knight’s shield in a manner of speaking.”
What Pixel said was true. Thinking of it sent a warm glow to Ceci’s cheeks but it also left a cold hard pit deep in her gut. Because she didn’t know if it was enough. And if it was? She was afraid it might be too little, too late.
Ceci felt someone tap her on the back. She turned to see Lorenzo Romano, team principal for the F3 team Bolt Racing.
“Congrats on another Constructors’.”
She smiled. “Thanks.”
He lowered his voice. “This is on the down-low. I know neither of us would want this going public before it was a sure thing. But is it true you’re thinking of going back to driving?”
Ceci blinked. “How—”
Shaking his head, he held up his hand. “I’m not going to go there. I promised I wouldn’t say. But will you come to us first if you do? I mean, given you can get back into tip-top form. We’re going to need anotherdriver, and if you still got what you had when you left, hell, we’d love to see you on our team.”
“I haven’t decided yet. When I do, I’ll let you know.”
“If you do, it’ll be big news. There are some drivers who also went on to become team principals, but they all took a one-way trip. Not one of them has ever gone back. Then again, none of them were as young as you, and as we all know, you like doing things your own way.”
“Well, well, well,” said Pixel after he’d gone.
