“I could see her bringing a guy to act as wingman, maybe even two.”
“Oh, you mean a buffer.”
“Yeah, a buffer. What did you think I meant?”
Athos sighed, looking pensively out the window. “I think it safe to say Ceci Rivers can expect the placid gentleman rather than the jungle cat or raging lion.”
Chapter Eight
Ceci
You’ll give me one season, Roxanne?” Ceci asked, grabbing a pair of jeans from her dresser and tossing them on her bed.
“If you agree to do this, yes. Not this upcoming season, but next.”
If there was anyone who could polish Anker’s tarnished image, it was PR extraordinaire, Roxanne Windsor. Not only was she the best in the business, she appeared to have been inoculated against the Anker virus that sank its teeth into most women. She was immune to his peculiar brand of charm. And that fact seemed to command his respect.
“I’m still pissed that you didn’t keep up your end of the bargain at the auction.”
“I’m sorry about that, but as I told you the woman who was set to outbid you stepped out for less than a minute to answer an important call.”
That wasn’t all Ceci was pissed about. She’d bought this ranch-style home in Montana a year ago. It was a place she could come to in between the F1 seasons and get away from all things Formula 1. Now, not only was she going to have to spend the day with Sir Stick Up His Ass, this date would be the first of many. But it was a deal Ceci couldn’t refuse.
It wasn’t just that she needed Anker to win. She needed to stand by him the way he’d always stood by her. He’d always backed her when she had to go up against the Blue Jet Lightning owners. And as odd as it might sound to people who didn’t really know either of them, they were sort of kindred spirits. They both knew what it was like to grow up without a mother or father standing by their side.
“After today’s date,” Roxanne said, “you can wait until the season starts. Then one date for every race.”
“Okay,” she groaned.
If I went back to driving, I wouldn’t have to deal with this bullshit.
Yeah, but there’d still be bullshit, it would just be different bullshit.
Ceci sighed after ending the call.
It was obvious what Roxanne was getting out of the deal. Some press and attention for her client. And since the auction she’d gotten it. Going out on a date with the team principal for Clarke’s biggest rival was just the kind of thing that caused a stir.
Ceci understood Roxanne’s angle. What she couldn’t figure out was Clarke’s. She couldn’t imagine him wanting the kind of press Roxanne was looking for. So why would he agree to it?
She tossed her cell on her bed and grabbed her jeans.
“This journalist definitely nailed it,” Pixel shouted from the living room. Ceci heard her giggling. “Raging lion. Jungle cat.”
Ceci could murder that journalist. She’d had enough of that man appearing every night in her dreams. At least as long as he wore that mask, she could pretend it wasn’t him. She didn’t want him to suddenly appear sans mask as a raging lion or jungle cat.
Ceci yelled back, “Sir Stick Up His Ass is neither of those things.”
“Well, he did a good job of looking like one when he was up on that stage. Still no mention of how he got that black eye. So it seems neither he nor Roxanne have told the press.”
Ceci plunked down on her bed to put on her boots. “Of course they haven’t. They’re not about to tell the world Clarke’s not only been taken down by Blue Jet Lightning’s lead driver on the track, but the team principal off it.”
Ceci thought back to that episode in the men’s room. Most women would like to think he’d done the gallant thing—stepped in to protect her. That’s definitely how Aunt Delilah would interpret it, given her romantic tendencies. But Ceci knew he wasn’t protecting her, he was protecting himself—his precious image.
The consummate gentleman seen with Ceci Rivers, the Snake Charmer, in the men’s room of The Royal Horseguards in London. Unthinkable! Impropriety on steroids!
He just had to jump into something that was none of his business. It had been up to her to take care of that cretin, and she would have if Sir Stick hadn’t gotten in the way.
She entered the living room where Pixel sat on the sofa.
