Page 28 of Jump Start

“For when you get up.” Thomas smiled at me and pointed to a cup of coffee on the bedside table. “Made with high-quality instant beans. Should do until you get downstairs.” His smile and sweet little gesture warmed my heart.

“Thank you,” I replied as I sat up in bed to meet him for another kiss. I placed my hand on his bicep, his fire-resistant racing shirt felt smooth under my hand.

“Anytime.” He smiled as he reluctantly left the bed and headed towards the door.

“Alright, well good luck then, see you when I’m looking at you.” I blew another kiss his way as he nodded and left theroom. I lay down again and contemplated going back to sleep but decided to sip my coffee and check in with the news instead.

I smiled to myself; I couldn’t quite believe I was here. With Thomas. I was feeling grateful for the change, something new and exciting.

***

A few hours later, I made my way down to the Echidna Racing garage, with my team pass lanyard dangling around my neck. I smiled to myself as I walked through the paddock. Never in a million years would I have considered myself a race fan but here I was after a few short months. My world had been turned upside down.

I reached the entry to find hordes of fans blocking the gate. I edged my way through but struggled to get where I needed, until Chris caught my eye and ushered me in. “Allenwright, wonderful to see you!” He kissed me on the cheek and led me to a table towards the back wall.

“Have a seat here if you like, I’ll get you a headset so you can hear Thomas on the radio.”

I sat down and rested my sunglasses on my head, aware of the gazes of a few younger female fans trying to work out why I had been let in by the team owner.

Holly was there, working her magic on social media, and I knew Will would be around somewhere. Thomas’s whereabouts were still up for debate. Perhaps he wasin the briefing room. For someone with little to no experience or interest in motorsport, I was certainly beginning to find the whole experience quite thrilling. From the loud engine noises to the crowds of people yelling out at their favourite driver, wheel nuts being frantically taken off with a speed socket (yes, I knew what that was now), and the thumping background music of the garage next door. The cacophony of noises shook the walls of the Echidna Racing garage, making it all feel dramatic and exciting. I felt part of something much louder and larger than myself.

My sudden appreciation of motorsport was rudely interrupted by a man in a purple race suit holding a helmet on his hip.

“Don’t look so happy to be here, Harps.” Thomas’s dry voice snapped me out of my daydream, and I sat up straight on the stool and frowned at him.

“Who said I wasn’t happy to be here?”

“Your face did.” His retort was quick and sarcastic.

Outwardly, Thomas seemed calm, but I knew he would be nervous. This weekend’s race would be essential for keeping him in contention for top three in the championship, so the pressure was on. It was nothing he couldn’t handle, though.

I put my hand out for him to grab and jumped off the stool. “Aren’t you supposed to be driving a car or something?” I asked as he slid the helmet over his face.

“No, I just wear this shit for fun.” Lifting his visor so I could see only his eyes and eyebrows, he winked at me and leant to my level. I gave him a quick kiss on his helmet where I estimated his mouth to be.

Tony signalled for Thomas to get ready, and he went to standby his car where a sports reporter was waiting for him. I’d hoped, since being with me, that his opinion on the media would soften slightly, but his body language towards the journalist suggested otherwise. I rolled my eyes and returned to the stool I was sitting on. As the drivers made their way to the grid, the hordes of people with VIP passes littered the rows of cars trying to get glimpses of their favourite driver. I hadn’t been a part of a grid lineup before, so I hovered behind Chris as he oversaw the Echidna team.

“Keep near me, Allenwright, or you’ll get a camera in your face.” Not doing as I was told, I spotted Thomas’s car a few metres away, snuck over to the driver’s side, and stuck my head in the cockpit.

“Got a moment for a few questions from your favourite journalist?”

He snorted as he took a sip of water through a straw in his helmet. “Jump in, honey. I’ll give you the ride of your life.”

I bit my lip. “You already did that last night.”

I could see his face going red under his helmet.

“Well good luck and all that, I suppose,” I muttered under my breath. He grabbed my hand and briefly placed it on his heart, which was beating steady. In these conditions? I had no idea how.

I planted another kiss on the side of his helmet, then stood back to let his engineers secure him properly into the car.

I was excited to be spending my first official outing with Thomas as his girlfriend and at such a beautiful racing precinct but about twenty-five minutes into the race, I felt a sharp pain in my stomach, sudden and unexpected. I stood up to stretch in case that would help. It certainly did not. With a quick intakeof breath, accompanied by another sharp pain, I realised it was time for me to go back to the hotel room. I tried to discreetly exit the garage without being seen when Holly bailed me up almost immediately.

“Harps! Where are you going? We’re not done yet!”

I scanned behind her to make sure I had a clear run for it. “I have to go. I’m not feeling well at all,” I said, my eyes wide with impending terror.

Holly immediately stepped aside, and I rushed past her, towards the hotel. I felt her eyes on my back. I was grateful to her for giving me space straight away.

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