Chasing Daisy

devastated if Will goes home to England without saying goodbye. The next race is in Istanbul in two weeks’ time and that feels like a lifetime away.
    When Will finally makes an appearance to the sound of rapturous applause, I can’t keep the smile from my face or the spring from my step. My heart is soaring, and then I’m distracted because everywhere I go I’m acutely aware of Will’s presence in the room as he mingles with the sponsors and the rest of the team. I keep trying to manoeuvre myself in his direction, but there’s always another glass to fill and, in the interim, he moves off.
    At one point, I find myself amongst Catalina and her Spanish posse. She holds out her glass for me to top up, but doesn’t acknowledge me or say thank you. She’s barely come out of the directors’ suite all weekend. I notice Alberta beside her and attend to her glass, too. I didn’t realise she was here. My champagne bottle is almost empty so I hurry back into the kitchen and return to the hospitality area with a fresh one.
    ‘Fill her up, bun tart.’
    I almost bump into Luis standing just outside the kitchen. He’s changed out of his racing overalls into jeans and a T-shirt.
    ‘I see your girlfriend’s here,’ I say wryly, pouring fizzing liquid into his glass.
    He raises one eyebrow at me. ‘She’s ignored me all weekend.’
    ‘Oh dear,’ I reply. ‘It’s not really your day today, is it? What with losing to Will and all that . . . How did that happen, anyway?’
    ‘Were you asleep?’ he asks.
    ‘No, I watched most of it.’
    ‘Well, he had a much better car today. Simple as that.’
    ‘What was wrong with yours?’
    ‘Too much oversteer.’
    ‘Oversteer? Is that the same as understeer?’
    ‘Er, no, otherwise it would be called understeer, wouldn’t it.’
    ‘She’s not talking cars again, is she?’
    I spin around at the sound of Will’s voice. I feel light-headed as he grins, his blue eyes sparkling.
    ‘Want me to help you with that?’ He points at the almost-full bottle of champagne I’m wielding.
    ‘Do you want some?’ I check.
    ‘Please.’ He holds out his glass and I tilt the bottle, willing my hands to keep steady as the fluid hits the flute. The bubbles threaten to spill over the top and I hold my breath, but they subside again so I top up the glass with a little more.
    ‘I’m gonna switch to beer.’ Luis excuses himself, nudging me as he goes past. I look back at Will. He’ll leave, too, now. I just know it.
    And he does. He walks away without saying a word. Dammit!
    Hang on, he’s coming back again. With a champagne glass!
    ‘What’s that?’ I ask.
    ‘It’s called a glass. They come in quite useful if you work in catering.’
    I smack him on his arm and smile. ‘I know that, you jerk. What are you doing with it?’
    He hands me his almost-full glass. ‘Hold that.’ I do as he says. Then he takes the bottle of champagne from me and tops up the empty flute. He puts the champagne bottle down on a nearby tabletop and hands me the fresh glass, removing the other one I’m holding.
    ‘Cheers.’ He takes a sip and leans back on the tabletop.
    ‘Cheers,’ I say warily, before adding, ‘I can’t really stand here, drinking.’
    ‘Why not?’
    ‘I should be working.’
    ‘There are enough of you. God,’ he says, looking around the room, ‘it’s like a beehive in here.’
    I cast my eyes around the room and see all of the front-of-house staff, and even a couple of caterers, hard at work. The guests can barely walk two feet without coming face to face with a bottle of champagne or a tray of canapés.
    ‘Well done, by the way. Congratulations,’ I say.
    ‘Thanks.’
    ‘You managed to sort out that understeer problem, then.’
    He smirks at me. ‘So where are we going tonight?’
    ‘Tonight?’ My eyes widen. ‘Did you change your flight?’
    He nods.
    ‘Brilliant!’ Oh my God, I’m so happy I could hug him! Calm down, Daisy, otherwise he might get a restraining order. ‘Well, I think we’re heading to Las Ramblas again.’ I try to keep a straight face.
    ‘Cool. What time?’
    ‘We have to finish cleaning up here, so maybe eight o’clock? Are you going back to the hotel, soon?’
    ‘Yeah, in half an hour or so.’
    ‘I’ll come and get you if you like?’
    ‘Okay.’ He takes a sip of his drink and looks around the room.
    ‘I should get back to work.’ I pick up the champagne bottle and put my half-full glass down on the table.
    ‘See you