Page 34 of Falling Fast

AS USUAL, EMIKA IS already at breakfast when I arrive. I’m starting to wonder if she ever sleeps. ‘Hey.’ She looks up as I collapse into the seat opposite. ‘Have you seen the forecast? It’s going to be sweltering.’

‘It already is.’ I gulp down a glass of orange juice and rip open a protein bar. Hopefully it gives me some energy, because right now I’m not sure I can stay awake for the next hour, let alone the whole day.

‘Whoa, bad night?’ She peers at me over her toast. ‘You look exhausted.’

‘I didn’t sleep well.’ I force a smile. ‘Nerves, I guess.’

‘To be honest, I’m a little nervous about today too. The heat’s not ideal.’ She sits back and brushes crumbs off her hands. ‘Hopefully the ice baths will help.’

‘Ice baths?’ My eyebrows shoot up.

‘Come and see.’ She pushes her chair back and stands up. ‘We need to get moving anyway.’

I grab an iced coffee to go, and follow her outside, round the back of the motorhome to where an awning has been set up over a pair of dipping tubs filled with ice and … two F1 drivers. I clap a hand over my mouth to stop myself from bursting out laughing.

‘Morning, gentlemen!’ Emika grins down at them. ‘Don’t mind us. We’re just here for the view.’

‘Morning.’ Corey raises a hand in greeting.

‘Hey.’ Leif opens one eye and then closes it again.

‘Wow.’ I get a grip on my laughter. ‘That looksbrutal.’

‘Because it is.’ Corey dips his head under the surface for a couple of seconds before re-emerging and shaking himself off like a dog. ‘My favourite parts are shrivelling. Meanwhile, my crazy teammate is enjoying himself.’

‘What? I’m comfortable.’ Leif’s mouth twitches into a smile. He looks completely relaxed, like most other people are when they’re sunbathing.

‘Hi, guys.’ Leif’s performance coach, Kelsey – a five-foot fitness fanatic with a blue pixie haircut who I finally met yesterday – emerges from the back of the motorhome.

‘Hey.’ Emika waves towards the tubs. ‘We’ve come to get these two out of your hair.’

‘It’s about time. You should have heard the whining from this one earlier.’ She throws a towel at Corey as he heaves himself up. ‘Milo had to go for a walk because he couldn’t take it any more.’

‘Myperformance coach is doing an errand for me,’ Corey contradicts her indignantly. ‘And not all of us grew up in the Arctic!’

‘Technically Trondheim is below the Arctic Circle,’ Leif corrects him.

‘Just keep reminding them both to drink, will you?’ Kelsey’s expression turns serious. ‘Milo and I have been monitoring their hydration levels and giving them plenty of salts, but these temperatures are dangerous.’

‘We will,’ I assure her.

‘Now get a move on, you two.’ Emika taps her watch. ‘You need to be in the garage for a strategy meeting in ten minutes.’

‘Here.’ I pass Leif a towel as he climbs out of the pool, and I get a full, sudden and unobscured view of his drippingbody. He’s ripped in a way that makes me want to scoop up some of the ice and drop it down the back of my own T-shirt. He’s wearing swimming trunks too, and if that’s how he looks when he’s cold, then … I tear my gaze away before anyone notices the direction of my eye-line.

Kelsey’s right. These temperatures really are dangerous.

‘Thanks.’ He takes the towel and wraps it round his waist while I blushingly check my phone.

‘Nine minutes!’ Emika barks, making shooing motions with her arms. ‘Hurry! If we’re not where we’re supposed to be and there’s a random drug test, you’ll be the ones in trouble. I’m talking penalties!’

Four minutes later, both drivers reappear from the motorhome dressed in shorts, vests and flip flops.

‘No way am I putting on a race suit yet.’ Corey shoots Emika a warning look.

‘I wouldn’t ask you to. Besides, there’s no time. Come on.’

We wave goodbye to Kelsey, who’s busy putting up a sign offering free dips for anyone in need of cooling off, and make our way towards the garage, Corey and Emika striding ahead while Leif and I walk behind.

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