“Fine isn’t the goal,” she said matter-of-factly.“Winning is.”
Unless it was with her.
There was nowinningwhen it came to dealing with Victoria Blackwood.Only surviving.
“You know I only want to help,” she said softly.“We’ve come this far…”
I bit back a sigh.“I know you do, Mum.And I try to listen.”
Her smile curved, faint and satisfied, like I’d just passed a test I didn’t know I was taking.“Good.Then you’ll appreciate what I’ve come to tell you.”
Ah, the real reason she was here.It never seemed to be just to see me race.
“I ran into Oliver Johnson this afternoon.Remember him from school?”
I blinked.“Ollie?”Ollie and I had been classmates growing up, and then we’d raced together a bit as teens, before he joined F2.He was everywhere lately, his face plastered across F1 media.The rising podcaster and the charming face behindThe Home Stretch, F1’s largest podcast.His career had exploded over the past two seasons.
And apparently, so had my mother’s interest.
“You know he’s runningThe Home Stretchpodcast,” she continued airily.I went to tell her that yes, I obviously knew, but my mother had already launched herself into her next thought.“We ran into each other earlier today.He had nothing but lovely things to say about you.”
“Yes, well, that’s nice, Mu—”
“Anyway, we were talking, and he was telling me how he would love to catch up with you, so I told him that you would have dinner with him tonight.”
“It’s the night before a race!”This was crazy, even for my mother.“Mum, are you out of your mind?”
“Well, you have to eat, don’t you?”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“And why not do it with someone successful and charming?He’s always been fond of you.And he also happens to be single.”
I let out a quiet, disbelieving laugh.“You once told me his mother was the most pretentious person you’d ever met.”
She flicked her wrist dismissively, gold bracelets catching the light.“You can’t fault a person for their parents, Lillian.”
And thank God for that, I thought.
“You know he once glued my math book shut, and right before finals too.”
Her lips pursed into that familiar half-smile.“Oh, Lily, boys will be bo—”
“Dear God, Mum, please do not finish that sentence.”
She waved me off, likely annoyed with mymelodramatics.“He’s grown into quite a young man.Exactly the sort of person you should be seen with.”
There it was, that real agenda.Ollie’s grandfather had been a famous driver back in the seventies and was now the chairman of several charities.Their name carried weight in the racing world.
“So,” I said slowly, “is this PR, or matchmaking?”
“Dinner with Oliver will be mutually beneficial.”She looked down at her nails, inspecting them for a moment.“He’ll get some insider knowledge for his podcast, and you’ll get valuable visibility.You’re at a new team now.This sort of press will be good for you, and Ollie is a safe choice to do it.”
Each word pricked more than it should have, finding soft spots I thought I’d armored against years ago.
“My results speak for themselves, Mum.I don’t need a man to validate them.Plus, what about this morality clause?Wouldn’t want the dinner looking like I’m on a date…” I added that last part with perhaps a bit too much sarcasm.
“Darling, you’re missing the point.”Mum waved her hand dismissively, as though brushing away my concerns like they were merely crumbs from a lap.“You’re allowed to have romantic relationships, but with the right person.Oliver isn’t a rival.Plus, he has a massive platform.Your sponsors will love it.”
