Page 82 of Red Flag
I wanted to save him and burst it.
I wanted to save myself.
The interviewer asked about the called-off race and the storm, before their race day lives, while a photographer took some shots of Nix’s champagne-dripping hair. Clara’sCiclatitop was damp at the front from hugging him. I hadn’t seen the embrace, but I wasn’t stupid.
“So, Clara, how long have you two been together?”
She looked up at Nix with a smile. “Nearly four months. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind.”
He nodded. “Since the beginning of the season.”
“What’s it like working together?”
“I always swore I wouldn’t mix business and pleasure,” Nix said and his eyes swung to mine. “But who can resist?”
I pretended that my notes were the most fascinating thing. When really, I was doodling nonsense in deep, thick, dark lines. The tip of my pen almost tore through the page. My iPad was not enough. I needed to feel the grooves and destruction of my anger.
Once the interview was done,Lucacame to me and whispered, “They’re absolutely gross.”
I laughed, but it was disjointed as I packed away my laptop. The circuit wasn’t empty, but it was darkening and far quieter than usual.Lucaand I would have to find a way home as the coach had already left.
The love birds would probably go together.
Clara went to grab her things from her locker andLucawent to find us transport, leaving me with the person I wanted to avoid most.
I was rushing to put my stuff away, ramming my notebook and pencil case in my bag chaotically.
Why wouldn’t the clasp just clip into place? I had bought this bag specifically to fit everything inside. My laptop, tablet, pencil case, notebook…
“Disappointed?”
I jumped at Nix’s voice so close. I didn’t turn around to him. Didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.
“In what?” I snapped. I pulled out nearly all of my possessions to arrange properly and get thegoddamnthing to close.
“That Frank didn’t win,” he said.
I did turn, hearing the pens of my pencil case clatter to the floor behind me. “Why would I be disappointed in that?”
“Didn’t you want him to win?”
“No,” I scoffed. I wasn’t a traitor. My blood basically ran redand greenat this point. “I wanted you to win.”
“What, so he’d be free for the evening for your date?”
I blinked, not understanding how he had takenthatfromthat. “There’s clearly something I’m missing here. Or no, I’ll be blatant. You obviously do care about thenonexistentdate. You’ve been busy anyway.”
“With an interview you arranged.”
“I’ll tell you what,” I said and leaned into his ear. “I’ll tell him I’ll only go on a date with himwhen he wins. Shouldn’t be hard seeing as he’s won three of the nine races so far.”
Nix gave me a dull look and stepped back asLucareturned, grinning and stretching, saying he was relieved to finally be out of the leathers. Neither of us looked away from each other as he spoke.
But whenLucastepped closer to pat Nix on the back, I turnedto pick up what had fallen from my bag.
“Was a good day for aDay in the Lifeinterview,”Lucachuckled, seemingly oblivious to what he had walked into. “It makes you look like you win every race.”
“I will,” he said, voice full of grit. If I looked around, I knew I’d see his ticking jaw and angry gaze on me.
