Page 33 of Too Fast To Fall
“I’m not coming in.” He was laser focused. So locked in. This was his best race in recent history. He wasn’t going to messit up with another pit stop. What if the crew was slow? Or a wheel gun jammed? It’d be another disaster. And as much as thepress wanted to talk about Gus right now, he was sure they would jump at the chance to put him in the hot seat again.
“Emilio, we really don’t think this is a good idea. You’re risking a puncture. Then you’ll have nothing to show for it.”
He drew a deep breath in through his nose, mulling it for a fraction of a second. “I’m staying out. Just let me hold off Lockford.”
Now Piper had a sense of what might really be going on here. Emilio wasn’t coming in because he was ahead of Brett Lockford,the driver who’d won in Miami and was currently dating Victoria.
Was he letting his ego get in the way? Was he trying to prove to his ex he was the better man? She feared he might be doingexactly that. And she really didn’t want him to let his pride ruin his race.
“Three laps, Emilio. There’s still time for a fresh set. Come in for softs. You’ll lose a place, but that will still be netone in grid position. And you can try for fastest lap.”
Emilio was so tired of the world weighing in on his choices. Everyone had been telling him for months that he never should’vespoken out against Vermillion. But he’d trusted his gut then, and he was going to trust it now. If his tires went south onhim, he’d live with the repercussions. At least he would’ve tried something different. Daring. “Sorry, Tom. I’m staying out.Please let me drive.”
“Okay, Emilio. Okay.”
Piper couldn’t sit anymore, so she paced in front of the TV. Even Gus looked nervous as he watched Piper have her little breakdown.Everything the announcer said made her a little more sick to her stomach.
“We’ve got two more laps to go here in Imola. It looks like nobody’s stopping Kenji Matsumoto from taking the win, but thebigger drama is a bit farther back in the field. Emilio Baquero is the only driver who’s only made one pit stop. How are thosetires staying together? Logic says they should be in tatters and that car should be in the wall.”
One more lap. You can do it.
Emilio reminded himself of what Piper had said—everything you need is already inside you.
He questioned most advice. Most motivational speeches. So much of it was built on lofty ideas that had nothing to do withthe reality of any given situation. But that bit of wisdom did make sense to him. Could it be as simple as that?
He was about to find out.
Piper was trying not to hyperventilate when Isabel showed up out of nowhere.
“If Emilio actually pulls this off, he’ll be a legend,” she said. “Otherwise, it’ll be a total nightmare.” She pinched hernose. “I can’t look.”
Piper gnawed on her nails. “I can’tnotlook.”
“We’re about to have a new first-time winner at Imola this year, and he hails from the land of the rising sun,” the announcersaid. “Kenji Matsumoto crosses the line and wins the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Second place goes to Preston Hubbard and thirdis Florian Laurent. It looks like fourth will be Xander Bishop, but we’re all waiting to see if his teammate and last year’sworld champion can eke a few more hundred meters out of those tires, and oh, my word, it looks like he can! Emilio Baquerocrosses the line in fifth place, his highest finish of the season and a real change of form for the Spanish driver! It’s asad, sad day for Brett Lockford. He won’t be happy with sixth.”
Piper screamed. So did Isabel. Then they hugged and hopped around, up and down in place. Gus barked loudly.
“Gus, Gus. It’s okay.” Piper came to a stop and raised his face to hers, letting him give her a little kiss. “We’re just happy.”
“Come down to the garage with me?” Isabel asked. “Emilio doesn’t have any guests this weekend. I’m sure he’d love to see youand Gus after his amazing finish.”
You and Gus?More like just Gus, but Piper eagerly nodded, then followed Isabel to the garage. They waited near the exit since they didn’twant to get in the way of the crew. Emilio emerged a few moments later. The top half of his race suit unzipped and hangingfrom his hips. His fireproof shirt was snug against his frame. His hair was swept back from his face, damp from perspiration.Piper had never seen anyone so shamelessly sexy.
“Congratulations!” Isabel delivered a quick hug. “I need one second with Xander, then I’ll take you to the media pen.”
That left Piper, Emilio and Gus alone. The paddock was virtually empty with everyone off to watch the podium ceremony. Piperwished she had the same privilege as Isabel. She desperately wanted to wrap her arms around Emilio while overcome with enthusiasm.“Congratulations. You were amazing. I can’t believe you pushed your tires like that.”
He unleashed an unguarded smile she’d never seen up close before. It was like a sunrise. The promise of a new day. He rakedhis epic, sweaty hair back from his face. “Thank you. My engineer wasn’t happy with me, but I had to try. Get out of my slump.”He crouched down and Gus eagerly accepted ear scratches.
It confounded her how someone as talented and capable as Emilio could ever doubt himself, but there it was. “Sometimes theonly person who needs to believe in you is you.”
He peered up at her and narrowed his eyes, then straightened to his full height. “Where do you get these sayings?”
Piper grinned. “My dad. He’s big on encouragement.”
“Maybe I need to meet him. Ask for some advice.”
Piper laughed quietly. The thought of her life and Emilio’s life colliding like that? Pure fantasy, but nice. Her dad wouldloveEmilio. She was sure of it. “Can I give you a congratulatory hug?”
