This woman’s such an enigma. ‘What have you had done then?’
‘Just my breasts, a little lip filler, and my nose twice, but that was because of a tennis accident when I was a teenager. I looked like Owen Wilson for a couple of years, and I breathed like a pug.’
It’s my turn to burst into hysterics. ‘So you’re pro plastic surgery?’
‘If it’s for the right reasons, I am. Mine weren’t, really. Not my boobs, at least.’
Why do I have the creeping suspicion this has something to do with Damian Reisner? I don’t want to bring him up and upset her when we’re finally co-existing in harmony. The addendum’s barely ten minutes old – touching a nerve might nuke it.
I change route: ‘Do you ever talk about this stuff with the guys you date? Do they get a chance to know you?’
She looks down at her plate. ‘If they knew me, they wouldn’t like me.’
Isn’t that categorically untrue. She fingers her birria taco, systematically piling the fallen contents back in place. I want to tell herIlike her – not when she’s shoving doors in my face and threatening me with karate, but like this? What’s not to like?
‘That’s not?—’
‘And even if they did, no man can handle an ambitious woman. Not really. Not honestly.’
‘I can.’ It comes out like a reflex. I’m not trying to seduce her or anything, but I don’t want all men lumbered under the umbrella of chickenshit.
Her look’s sceptical. ‘Really.’
‘I love strong women. Every woman in my family’s strong. My mom’s from one of the worst barrios in Bogotá, then she became Miss Colombia, married a billionaire, and now she’s one of the richest women in South America.’
‘Wow, that is inspiring. I think I love her.’
I snort. ‘If you met her, you wouldn’t know she’s from the barrio – until you met her brothers. They’re scary motherfuckers. Their faces are covered in tattoos and they walk around with snakes. And don’t ask me how I know this, but I’m 95% sure one was involved in an armed robbery last year.’
Her eyebrows fly up. I guess they don’t have snake-wearing grocery store robbers in shiny London.
‘How do you like your food?’ I ask.
‘Everything’sdivine. Especially the birria. I could eat twenty more of these.’
That’s my girl. I mean, notmygirl. It’s just… good to hear.
Chapter 26
TIAGO
It might as well be my home crowd out there, they’re going so ballistic. Hispanics sure do take care of their own.
I shake it off. They’re not important right now. What’s important is this team in this garage. I hop up on the tool bench and clap for everyone’s attention.
‘Sorry guys, this’ll just take a minute,’ I call, and slowly my mechanics stop doing their final checks and engineers emerge from the back. It’s not a big garage; my voice can carry over the full thing.
‘Our rivals are pushing ahead,’ I begin, looking around at downcast faces. ‘We’re in front of DFK, but not by much. It’s fucking painful back here.’ Grunts of agreement carry over the sound of mechanics working on my teammate’s car on the far side. I hope they’re listening, this applies to them too. ‘We deserve better.
‘But I’m glad,’ I go on, meeting confusion. I let that sit for a moment. A little theatre, if you will. ‘Because when we finish this Championship, it’s going to be the best rags-to-riches story this sport has ever seen in a single season.’
Still confusion. That’s alright, I’m not finished yet.
‘It’s not like last year. We didn’t have this team, this synergy. We’ve already got points – our first in three years. We just need to build on them. Matty, Jon, Enzo, Conrad, Jarno, all you guys at the back: you’ve beenkilling itwith the pit stops lately. Such awesome teamwork.’ Nods travel around the garage. ‘In Monaco, you beat your best time from last year byone whole second. What even is that?’ Someone whoops. Two mechanics clap.
I look at the tyre technicians. ‘Tyre temperatures have been textbook all weekend. I felt it immediately on the out-lap yesterday. You’re nailing the prep. Keep up the great work.’ The applause gets stronger, and too right. Those guys never get credit and it’s pure wizardry getting the balance perfect.
The aero crew are by the monitors. ‘You guys work through the night most race weekends to rebuild the car. The magic you performed after Friday’s suspension issues was nothing short of legendary. The car felt way more stable in entry yesterday. I know the sacrifice that took, the pressure you were under, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.’
