Chasing Daisy

moves out of the way as the mechanics help manoeuvre the cars back onto the white boxes. Luis leaps out to many slaps on the back. In Will’s garage, it’s more reserved.
    ‘Hey!’
    I turn back to see Luis standing in front of me, holding his helmet in his hand. His black hair is damp.
    ‘Well done!’ I pat him on the arm and beam, feeling genuinely happy for him.
    ‘Thanks!’ He’s still grinning. ‘You watched it?’
    ‘We did.’ I fold my arms across my chest. Luis glances through to Will’s garage where Laura is speaking intimately into Will’s ear. At that moment, Will looks up and his eyes flit between Luis and I, his brow furrowing. He returns his attention to Laura and shakes his head, seemingly with irritation, as though he couldn’t hear what she was saying. She steps backwards in frustration, then leans in again to repeat herself.
    Luis and I turn back to each other. ‘I’m going to go take a shower,’ he says, giving me a knowing look. ‘Catch you later, bun tarts!’ He smacks Holly on her bum and she squeals as he walks off.
    I glance again into Will’s garage, but he has his back to me. ‘Come on, we should go,’ I say to Holly.
    ‘Sure. Let’s just grab the cool boxes.’
    That evening, we get ready at the track. We’re all going to a bar on the harbour, and Holly is expecting big things from me after my drinking session with Luis last night.
    Speaking of whom, I spy him jogging down the stairs into the hospitality area. He comes over.
    ‘Are you coming out tonight?’ I ask.
    ‘Where are you going?’
    ‘Some bar on the harbour. Bars, Stars . . . something like that.’
    ‘Stars ’N’ Bars?’
    ‘That’s the one.’
    ‘Yeah, cool. I’ve got to go to some drinks do on a yacht, but I may catch you there later.’
    I feel a tinge of regret as I remember Will saying he’d try to get me an invite to a yacht party. There’s no chance of that, now.
    Later that night, we’re all at Stars ’N’ Bars, an American sports bar with a view overlooking the harbour. It’s absolutely jam-packed, but we’ve monopolised a section of the bar. I find myself looking at my watch, wondering if and when Luis will turn up. When he finally does at ten o’clock, flanked by a member of team security, I can’t stop smiling.
    ‘You’ve cheered up,’ he comments. ‘Had a few?’ He indicates the wine glass in my hand.
    ‘Might’ve done,’ I answer. ‘You’ve brought a friend with you tonight?’ I nod behind him to the security guard, who’s trying to look inconspicuous standing against the wall.
    Luis rolls his eyes. ‘Simon insisted. You know, pole position, Monaco . . .’
    ‘I didn’t think it was likely to be your idea. How was the yacht?’
    ‘Good.’ He nods.
    ‘Spot any famous people?’
    ‘No, tomorrow’s the best day for that. Make sure you do the grid walk.’
    Pete comes over. ‘Shouldn’t you be in bed, mate?’ he shouts.
    ‘Fuck that!’ Luis shouts back.
    ‘In that case, cheers!’ Pete hands a bottle of beer over and they chink bottles.
    ‘Where are the others?’ I ask.
    ‘Will went back to the hotel.’ Luis takes a swig of his beer and looks around the bar.
    ‘With Laura?’ I find myself asking, but, of course, I know the answer.
    ‘Yep,’ he replies.
    ‘ Enculé !’ I shout at the top of my voice.
    He’s laughing when Holly returns from the ladies’ room.
    ‘Luis!’ she squeals, enveloping him in a drunken embrace. ‘How are you?’
    ‘Fine, thanks!’ Although he looks decidedly uncomfortable with Holly hanging around his neck.
    ‘How was the yacht?’ she shouts, letting go of her grip on him.
    ‘Big!’ he replies.
    ‘Was Catalina there with Simon?
    ’ He narrows his eyes as he answers, ‘Yes.’
    I notice a hardness come over her features as she looks away. Out of the blue, she turns back and plasters a big, false smile on her face.
    ‘I’m going to the bar!’ she shouts and pushes past us.
    I feel dizzy as realisation comes crashing down on me. I knew something was up. I knew it. And now I know with whom.
    Luis is watching me with a strange expression on his face.
    ‘You know, don’t you?’ I ask him bluntly.
    ‘About what?’
    ‘Simon.’
    ‘What do you mean, Simon?’
    ‘Don’t play dumb with me. I saw the look you gave Holly when she asked if Catalina was on the yacht with him.’
    ‘Wait, before we go any further, what do you know?’ He pulls me to one side, away from the mechanics, and clocks me straight