Page 21 of Kiss & Collide
“Yourclothes. You look hot. I told you that stylist knew what she was doing.”
That stylist had taken one look at the pile of clothes in his hotel room and declared it a total loss. Overnight, the closet had been repopulated with expensive jeans and jackets, fancy dress shirts, Italian shoes, and high-end suits. The T-shirts alone had probably cost more than his entire old wardrobe. He couldn’t really see much difference, but Violet seemed to think the T-shirt and designer track jacket he’d worn to the press conference were a huge success.
“It’s just clothes, Violet. All that really matters is what I’m about to do out there.”
Qualifying was about to get underway, his first behind the wheel for Pinnacle. He wasn’t quite sure how to identify what he was feeling. Excitement? Dread? Considering how quickly he’d come on board, no one in the Pinnacle garage expected much of him today. Show up and don’t crash the car. But he’d set a personal goal for himself—do better than Dieter. Then everyone would know he wasn’t there to keep the seat warm for the rest of the season. He was there to compete, and he’d do it to the limits the Pinnacle car would allow. So far, his simulator sessions hadn’t been promising, but he’d do the best he could with the car he was driving, just like he always did.
“Just clothes,” Violet scoffed. “Check out the comments.”
“Violet—”
She pushed her phone into his chest. “Justlook.”
He sighed and took it from her, scrolling down.
Who is this?? Where has he been all my life??
Chase Navarro is
I have a new favorite driver!
Social media was the worst.
“Great. Nice to know they’re already fans before they’ve even seen me race.”
“You havegotto get better at this. Of course the racing is the most important part, but believe me, this part matters, too.”
She took her phone back, scrolling through the comments and smiling to herself, so he took a moment to surreptitiously check her out as he secured the closures at his neck. Most of the staff in the paddock was wearing Pinnacle team gear—gray polos and T-shirts. Not Violet. Skin-tight black pants, black heels, and a black drapey shirt strategically fastened on her shouldersin a way that left her arms bare. Her only concession to the fact that they were spending the day in the sun was the big black sunglasses currently holding her hair off her face. She probably wouldn’t be caught dead in a Pinnacle polo shirt. Which was fine, because she looked hot as fuck like this.
“What’d you do with Reece?” he asked, glancing around the garage. Everybody on the team was busy getting ready for his first qualifying stint, but their team principal was nowhere to be seen.
“He’s over in hospitality getting loaded with some reps from Rally Fuel.”
“Probably the best place for him,” Chase muttered.
Violet glanced up at him. “I’ll do my best to keep him corralled.”
“Appreciate it. I have enough to deal with without that distraction.”
“Hey, Chase.”
He turned around. Speaking of fucking distractions …
“Hey, Liam.”
They’d crossed paths plenty of times before now, but since Chase had been an F2 bottom-feeder and Liam had been a Formula One rising star, Liam usually pretended not to see him. Which was fine. It wasn’t like he had anything to say to the fucker anyway.
“Congratulations on Pinnacle,” Liam said in a flat, unreadable tone of voice.
“Thanks,” Chase said, equally neutral.
Liam was suited up in his yellow Solaris race suit, sponsor logos splashed all over it. This was his third season in Formula One. He’d come in second overall in the driver’s championship to Will Hawley last season, but Solaris had redesigned the car for this season, and it had hit the track full of gremlins theyhad yet to shake out, so Liam wasn’t nearly as high in the rankings this year. Chase was petty enough to admit he was enjoying watching him struggle.
Beside him, Violet was looking from him to Liam and back again.
“Hi!” she finally interjected, sticking her hand out. “I’m Violet Harper. Pinnacle PR.”
Liam smiled broadly at her and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Violet. I’ve seen you around, right?”
