Page 182 of Green Flag
But I could remember how I’d learned to ride an electric motorbike before a bicycle, how the adrenaline pumping in my veins at the races had started before I joined school. The need to be on the track was inherited.
Pedro hadn’t made me love the sport. My dad did.
When we got to the VIP bar, Dad held me as tightly as I had hugged him. “I heard the finished version of your song. For the documentary. I wanted to tell you to go back to university.”
“Past tense?”
He nodded and kissed my forehead with a soft smile that lifted his face and made him the father of my childhood. “I can’t now. You are so knowledgeable, Everly. Everything you do makes me so proud of you. That tour… You are excellent. You work so hard. It would be a great loss to Ciclati for you to leave. ToStormSprint.” He breathed in deeply. “Without Livie, weneed someone to train the grid girls. And there is no one more qualified for the job than you. But you need to do what is best for you. Whether that’s your music or staying here, that’s your decision. I can’t make it for you and…” He looked away, blinking rapidly. “I should have been there more. I should have guided you instead of coming down with an iron fist when it was too late.”
I nodded, a lump growing in my throat.
And I hugged him, throwing my arms into his solid chest, uncaring for the whole of VIP watching.
“It’s okay,” I croaked as he rubbed my back. “But could I… could I get back to you on staying?”
Training the grid girls was a role absolutely made for me. Now that I was more of a people person anyway.
But, he was right, I needed to decide forme.
What Luca and I had would last whatever choice I made. He would support me throughout everything. He already had.
“Of course,” Dad said and cleared his throat before turning to Livie, who sat at the bar, pretending to ignore our interaction. “Would you like to join us for the race?”
Livie looked up, sucking on her straw with a smile in her eyes. “It’s so weird not to be working,” she said and patted the stool beside her. “Like… I’m a bit tipsy. On a Saturday.”
“And we get to celebrate on a Saturday too,” I laughed, taking the seat she’d offered. “It’s weird to have a night out planned on a weekend and not a Sunday.”
Dad tsked. “It’s more structured here. No karaoke for you. It’s an event at the hotel.”
“No karaoke?” I scoffed. “I will find a booth and a microphone, Father. Don’t you worry.”
While Dad and Livie got another round, I vanished to say good luck to Luca, who picked me up and spun me around the pit box, kissing me deeply before spanking me on my way. It wasprobably the only chance he’d get of acting however he wanted in our relationship in a pit box without my father present.
Livie declined to join me, and when I asked if she and Nix were okay, she shrugged, telling me he’d pissed her off, but it wasn’t anything to worry about.
They were meant to be together. I didn’t doubt they’d bounce right back.
The race was one big cheer. There were fewer laps than the races at StormSprint, but slower bikes, though it whizzed by too fast. Watching a race for nothing but pure enjoyment was weird with my dad. He winced, booed and cheered when Nix came second and beamed with pride at Luca coming fifth.
It was like he was my dad again.
“You enjoyed that,” I said. “Maybe you should come and watch MotoBike more often.”
Livie looked up, as curious as me.
But he screwed up his nose. “Definitely not. Though…”
“Though?” Livie asked.
“I’ve been thinking of taking early retirement,” he said, looking at me. “My family are growing up and…”
“What?” Livie and I both asked so loudly that the group beside us looked over.
“I’m tired,” he said. “I made a mistake last year. Don refused to let me leave, thinking it would back up the media storm that we were negligent and… he wouldn’t let me. But how can he deny me at the end of this year?”
I blinked. That meant… if he couldn’t get out of his contract, of course Luca wouldn’t have been able to. It would have backed up everything the media were pushing.
“Shit,” I said, still in disbelief. “You really would quit?”
