Page 60 of Sparks Fly
“Never better, my man, how about you? Enjoying the break?”
“I am indeed. It is very well needed.”
“Vacation looks good on you.” He winks, and I follow with a laugh.
“Have you been up to much?” I make small talk knowing that once we’re in the thick of this meeting, I won’t get a word in edgeways.
My assistant, Colby, joins the call, as well as Pascal and Glenn.
“Gentleman,” I greet them then blur out the background behind me. They all say their hellos before Tony gets down to the nitty gritty of the call.
He isn’t best pleased and wants us to be better. He sponsored an up-and-coming team and now wants us to win the Constructors’ Championship.
We all agree with him, of course, we’re on the same page. Still, it’s not as simple asjustwinning.
Pascal and Glenn start talking over the new design and the small changes that they have made ready for the start of the season, but Tony doesn’t look impressed.
“Is this car going to win the Constructors’?” His question is direct and blunt.
“There is a good chance,” Pascal says a little too confidently.
“Because at the moment…” Tony pauses. “You’re currently sitting seventh… seventh is not a good look this far in.”
“No, it’s not,” I agree.
I see the looks Pascal and Glenn give me, but I ignore them. Colby is making notes and giving over the top eye rolls every now and then.
“But do I think we have the potential to take it? Yes, I do.”
The silence is loud.
“We all need to work together..” I look at his screen. “Tony, I get you want to be on the winning team, I do, we all do, but you need to give us time. The sooner you accept that it may not happen this season, it’ll be less bitter to swallow.” I watch as Colby chokes on his mouthful of water, Glenn and Pascal sit shocked and Tony narrows his gaze on me.
He isn’t going to like it but honestly, I am in no mood to tiptoe around a situation.
His lips break into a smile as he points down the camera. “You’ve got balls, man. I appreciate the honesty.” He sits back in his chair, hands crossed in front of him on his lap. “Not many would say that.”
I shrug, a little bit of a smirk tugs at the corner of my lips but I stop it when I hear the door click. Eyes lifting, I see her walk into the room. Her gaze catches mine as she gives me a small smile.
“I think that concludes this meeting, don’t you?” Tony says a little louder.
“I do.” Shamelessly, I haven’t taken my eyes off her since she walked in the room and honestly, she looked at me for a measly three seconds.
If that.
I watch the way she checks the coffee machine, then dumps her bag on the breakfast bar before rummaging around to grab her vlog camera and her phone. She isn’t even aware that my eyes are tracking her, but I don’t care.
The sound of the meeting finishing echoes in my ear, my hand automatically reaches up as I close the lid down and push it back across the table.
Elbows perched, I continue to watch her like some lovesick fool.
Pathetic.
What was wrong with me?
“You okay?” she finally looks at me and I blink, snapping out of the hypnotic state she had me in.
“Yeah, tired.” I sit back, reaching my hands above my head and stretching out.
