Page 144 of First in Line

Elated by my decision, he covers my mouth with his and pulls me in so tightly I can barely breathe.

When he pushes himself away, it seems the heat of the moment has taken a backseat to the emotionality of it.

We stare at one another in silence, and all I can see in his mismatched eyes is love, along with adoration and devotion.

How did I ever get lucky enough to end up with this mantwice? He might as well be a god walking among us, yet it’s me he wants. Again.

“I’ll get to show you my house,” he says with keenness.

“You have a house?”

“Of course I do. Do you think I live in hotels year-round?”

“I don’t know. You never mentioned a house before.”

“I own eight houses and apartments that I use throughout the year. But the one I’ll take you to is my main residence. The one I go to whenever I have time.”

“And where is it?”

His knuckles tenderly travel from my temple to my jaw. “You know where it is, Evie.”

It’s as if my heart has migrated to my throat, its beats so intense I feel them there. My voice comes out as a whisper when I ask, “Tuscany?”

He nods once. “It’s the house I bought for you, princess. For us.”

This time, I’m the one who moves in to kiss him. And when I endeavor to straddle him, he gladly helps me, his strong hands gripping my hips.

I don’t know how I ever thought I could resist him. Maybe I’m still the naive girl I used to be. I should have known whenI stepped into that hotel to give him the divorce papers, months ago, that this would be the unavoidable outcome.

His destiny might be to race cars, but mine is to be with him. And no matter how hard I tried to fight it, I can’t escape it.

I don’t want to anymore.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-SIX

Jackson

It’s been a month since I found out I was going to be a dad, and I don’t think I’ve come down from that high yet. The prospect scared me at first because of our current situation. It’s not ideal, but like I told Evie, we can make it work.

She hasn’t been feeling her best since we moved here, and I’ve tried as much as I could to cheer her up. But nothing has really been working, probably because I don’t have enough free time to fully invest myself in her. But since we’ve decided to keep the baby, something has switched in her behavior.

Just like me, she’s looking forward to it. She won’t be alone at home anymore, which is great. I know she’s made a couple of friends in the past nine months, but she hasn’t formed any meaningful bonds yet. Having a baby will help with that, because she’ll meet other moms-to-be during her prenatal classes, or her checkups, or later on, at daycare or preschool.

But of course, the greatest outcome of all this will be becoming parents. Together. I’ll be there for them as much as I can, but I’m not too worried about my busy schedule. Evie will be a great mom. I have no doubts about it.

As I drive my car to the pole position, I look up for her on the terrace on the right. This weekend is the Belgian Grand Prix, which means the track is only ten minutes away from where we live. So, of course, she’s come to watch me race every day. Today’s weather isn’t great, though. The sky is dark and heavy with clouds, and it’s been raining steadily all morning.

It’s not a problem because I know this track by heart. It’s the one I’ve run the most, since the Altron facility is right down the road. I could probably race it with my eyes closed, granted I’m alone on it.

I find Evie just as I pull up to my spot, looking down at me from the balcony, protected from the rain by the canopy. When I wave at her, she waves back, smiling. In my mirrors, I see the others settle into their positions. I stretch my neck and adjust my grip on the wheel, preparing myself for lights out. This one will be easy.

And when it’s over, I’ll take my wife on a surprise trip to Tuscany for a few days of celebrations. I found us a perfect rental that overlooks the rolling hills in the heart of a beautiful vineyard. It’s been negotiated and approved by the team manager. It will be like a glimpse into our future. A reminder of what awaits us in a couple of years.

Driving an open-wheel car has become so natural to me in the past four years that it’s hard to believe I ever struggled with it. Especially when I fly through the tracks with ease like this. This circuit is essentially my backyard, and I’m not letting anyone get ahead of me. The soaked asphalt means any car ahead would worsen my visibility, spraying misty water in its wake. I’m so used to this track in the rain that I’m far ahead of everyone. I know exactly how fast I can go and how far I can push my car before it becomes dangerous.

Strategically, I decide to be the first one to make a pit stop. That will allow me to pass them all when it’s their turn to changetheir tires. As soon as the mechanics are done, I’m off again and back on the main track.