Page 68 of Formula Chance

Brienne motions to a waiting limousine, its driver standing by to let us in. She starts to walk down the steps, and I hesitate a moment before turning back to my dad. I lean in and kiss his cheek. “Thank you, Dad. I love you.”

“Go make things right. Knock ’em dead.” I turn around and start to trot down the steps as he calls out, “I love you too.”

Once seated in the car, I suffer an overwhelming shyness with this powerhouse of a woman. I fiddle with my coat zipper, unsure if I’m irritated, confused or humiliated. Brienne sits quietly, surfing on her phone, and I don’t know if I’m supposed to talk. The way she ignores me could mean she’s deeply involved in something far more important, or…

She could be testing my backbone.

Finally, I blurt, “Why are you doing this?”

She glances at me, her expression unreadable. “Because Nash called me yesterday.”

My breath catches. “What?”

“He told me everything,” Brienne says smoothly, angling slightly in the seat to face me. “He said you resigned and that Hendrik and Matthieu have been making your life hell since you joined the team. Oh, and he also said he’s quitting if you’re not brought back.”

My heart nearly leaps from my chest. “He… said that?”

“Yes. And I’m not about to let Nash Sinclair quit Titans Racing because of some bruised egos and bad leadership. So, no, you’re not quitting. End of story.”

I press my fingers to my temples, my thoughts spinning. I’m not sure what it says about me that I seem to be happier that Nash stood up for me rather than Brienne paving a path to get my job back. Nash has kept a barrier between us, but laying his career on the line for me is quite a statement.

But I have to put the subject of us on the back burner. “There are people on the team who don’t want to work with me. Hendrik implied they don’t believe in my abilities. I screwed up in Melbourne—”

“You didn’t screw up,” Brienne interrupts, her tone sharp. “I don’t know much about racing, but I’m learning. I talked to Luca after, and he explained many things to me. He said you made a risky call, and it didn’t pay off. That happens in this sport. You’ll make other risky calls, and some of them will win us races. He said that’s the nature of the job. Am I wrong?”

I stare at her, my chest tight. “No. You’re not wrong. But I had hoped to get a few more races under my belt before a risk blew up in my face.”

“Well, I’m sorry fate didn’t accommodate you,” she drawls with enough sarcasm that I blush. “You’re going to have to toughen up. You have all the skills, experience and knowledge. Now you need the thick skin.”

“I do have a thick skin,” I say, defending myself. “I tried to handle it on my own and—”

“See, that right there is a problem. Being tough and having a thick skin doesn’t mean you make yourself an island. This is still a team, and you should have gone to Luca with your concerns. He would have mediated it.”

“That felt like weakness,” I murmur.

“I’m telling you, it’s not.” Brienne glances out the window and then back to me. “Let me ask you something. If you had seen anyone working for Titans Racing struggling with their job in any form or capacity, what would you do?”

“I’d try to fix it if it was in my wheelhouse and if not, I would have involved the person who could fix it.”

“Right,” she says with a pointed look. “You never would’ve expected that person to just give up and walk away. You would have pushed to find a solution.”

I groan, letting my head hit the back of the cushion. “God. I feel so stupid when you put it like that.”

Brienne’s expression softens. “Look… you’re in a high-pressure job and as a woman, you’re going to face a steeper stair climb than a man in the same exact situation. That’s just the way it is. But I need you to figure out how to succeed rather than give up. Are you that person? Can you be that type of strategist for my team?”

“Yes. I can,” I say firmly. To say I’m having an epiphany is an understatement.

“Good.” She nods, satisfied. “We’re agreed. You’re going to stop letting other people dictate your worth. You’ve earned this position. I expect you to bust your ass to keep it.”

There are still many unknowns before me, but one thing is for sure… I’d just as soon die than let this woman down.

CHAPTER 24

Bex

When we arriveat the Guildford headquarters, the receptionist does not look shocked to see Brienne Norcross walking in, which tells me I’m the only one surprised by her visit.

“Everyone is in conference room one,” the young woman says to us as we approach the curved desk.

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