Chasing Daisy

Catalina.
    ‘Luis, hi,’ Simon says, standing up to shake Luis’s hand. I notice Pierre, the ex-test driver who replaced you know who, seated next to Catalina. He’s French, has floppy light-brown hair and is shorter than me by a couple of inches.
    ‘Daisy, hi!’ Simon jolts slightly as he reaches across to shake my hand. He’s clearly surprised to see me here, which makes me feel even more out of my comfort zone. I glance down at Catalina to see her mouth drop open as she places me as a front-of-house girl. Her eyes flit from Luis to me and back again and a nasty expression falls over her features. I realise that she probably thinks I’m one of his Screwdrivers and, needless to say, that does not sit well with me.
    ‘Take a seat, take a seat,’ Simon insists, indicating the last two chairs at the table. Luis pulls out one for me and I sit down next to Norm Gelltron.
    ‘And so here you are again!’ Norm booms, as a waitress comes over to take our drinks order.
    ‘Shall we order food, too?’ Simon suggests to a buzz of agreement.
    ‘Sorry,’ I apologise to Norm as Luis and I quickly scan the menu. Clearly we’ve arrived late and everyone is hungry. I’m not going to be able to relax for the life of me. I order a grilled seafood dish and decide to stick to still water, a bottle of which is already on the table.
    ‘I’m surprised to see you here,’ Catalina comments, turning her nose up at me. ‘Yes, I’ll have some of that.’ She nods at the water bottle I’ve just reached for, but I have to stand up and lean across the table to fill her glass. ‘That’s better,’ she says, giving me an evil smile. I look confused. ‘I recognise you now you’re being the waitress.’
    I don’t really know how to respond to that, but several people around the table shift uncomfortably in their seats. I’m angry, but I try to keep my emotions in check. I can’t make a scene here.
    ‘Have you spoken to my cousin recently?’ Catalina turns her attention to Luis.
    ‘No,’ he replies bluntly.
    ‘Luis got up close and personal with my beautiful cousin, Alberta, earlier in the season,’ she tells the sponsors around the table.
    ‘Cat . . .’ Simon warns, clearly embarrassed.
    ‘What, darling?’ she asks, playing innocent.
    ‘Aah, here come the starters,’ he says, breathing a sigh of relief.
    I am absolutely fuming. That bitch! How dare she try to humiliate me in front of everyone! At this moment, I strongly believe she deserves everything she gets. I can’t wait to get back to the hotel to tell Holly.
    The conversation carries on around me for a while as everyone tucks into their starters.
    ‘Can you spare a prawn?’ Catalina asks Simon, eyeing his plate.
    ‘Sure,’ he replies, pushing it towards her.
    ‘Oh, no, actually, I can’t,’ she says suddenly, glancing around the table as she pushes his plate back. A few raised eyebrows, but no one says anything, much to her dismay as I imagine she was just seeking attention.
    ‘All set for the race tomorrow, Luis?’ one of the sponsors asks him.
    ‘Sure am.’
    He was quickest in practice last night.
    ‘Must have something to do with the beard, eh, Daisy?’ Norm booms as a waiter appears to clear the table.
    ‘Beard? What’s this about?’ Catalina enquires.
    ‘Daisy’s grandmother shaved off his beard. Ever since then he’s had fire behind his wheels.’
    ‘How strange.’ Catalina sniffs, turning to Simon. ‘Didn’t you say Will drove better when he hadn’t shaved?’
    I tense up as Simon nods.
    ‘For Luis it seems to be the other way around,’ she comments, amused. ‘Oh, isn’t it a tragedy about Will. . .’
    Lots of ‘yes, yes, oh, yeses’ around the table. Pierre has the good grace to look awkward.
    ‘His poor girlfriend . . . Oh, what a lovely girl. He had such good taste in women.’ Catalina gives me a look that says, ‘unlike Luis’, and I’m about to stand up and throw a glass of water in her face when I feel Luis’s hand on my thigh, trying to calm me down. The waiters bring out our main course and everyone digs in, but I can barely swallow, I’m so angry.
    ‘So what about you, then?’ Norm turns to Luis and me. ‘Are you two an item?’
    ‘Hell, no,’ I snap.
    ‘That’s some reaction.’ He frowns and points his steak knife in Luis’s direction. ‘I would have thought this guy here would be a damn good catch for a girl like you.’
    ‘What do you mean, a girl like me?’ Right, I’ve had enough. If