Chasing Daisy

could easily swipe pole position in the last lap. And then my head starts to spin and I feel dizzy again. Think of something else, think of something else, think of something else . . .
    ‘YAY!’ Applause breaks out in the garages.
    ‘Who? What?’ I ask, glancing up at the television screens.
    ‘Luis!’ Holly shrieks with delight. ‘He’s on pole!’
    My face breaks into a grin. ‘Where’s Will?’
    ‘Hang on,’ she says, eyes glued to the screen. I look up just in time to see Will beat Luis’s lap time.
    ‘Pole!’ Holly and I shout at the same time. So that relegates Luis down to second. Another stellar one/two start tomorrow.
    The cars roar down the pit lane and turn into the garages. Happiness bubbles over inside me as I watch Will leap out of his car to back slaps from his team-mates. He rips off his helmet and is grinning as he pushes his damp hair back, then he glances my way, before turning his attention to Simon.
    ‘Simon is going to be so pleased,’ Holly says, watching as the team boss pats Will on his arm. ‘As long as Will and Luis don’t take each other out again tomorrow,’ she adds darkly.
    I glance through to Luis’s garage to see him having an intense discussion with his engineer, then I hear Simon’s voice behind me. ‘Maybe you should go the whole hog and grow a beard, if that’s the result you’re going to get.’
    Simon and Will are at the nearby catering table. Will shakes his head good-naturedly as he helps himself to a glass of orange squash.
    ‘Ah, Holly, there you are,’ Simon says. ‘Did you manage to sort out that thing for me?’
    ‘Er, yeah.’ She looks uncomfortable as she follows him out of the garages.
    I turn to Will. He scratches his stubble and raises his eyebrows. ‘Guess I’d better shave before the race tomorrow.’
    ‘Don’t,’ I whisper, checking no one is in earshot. ‘I think you look really sexy like that.’
    He chuckles and looks down at a platter of biscuits.
    ‘Still no goddamn custard creams, bun tart!’
    I spin around to see Luis.
    ‘My mother would be so disappointed in you.’ He squeezes himself between Will and I. ‘What were you two gossiping about?’
    ‘Nothing,’ we both say in unison.
    ‘Doesn’t look like nothing to me,’ he says.
    ‘Well, if you must know,’ I reply, ‘we were talking about Will not having a shave this morning.’
    ‘Yeah, what’s with that?’ Luis studies him.
    Will shrugs. ‘Just didn’t get around to it.’
    ‘No girlfriend here to keep you in check, hey?’
    Will glares at him and stalks out of the garage.
    I give Luis a look.
    ‘What’s up with him?’ he asks innocently.
    ‘You don’t want to know.’ I make to leave, but Luis pulls me back.
    ‘Hey, where are you going?’
    ‘Back to work.’
    ‘Stay and chat to me a minute.’
    I pause. ‘Okay, what do you want to chat about?’
    ‘What’s going on with you two?’ He nods towards the door that Will has just walked out of.
    ‘Nothing,’ I snap, then change the subject. ‘I just saw Simon grab Holly.’
    ‘What, literally?’
    ‘No, no, he just wanted to talk to her in private.’
    ‘Bet she’s pissed off Catalina’s here.’
    ‘She is.’ I glance at the door. I wonder if I can catch up with Will before he retires to his room again? ‘I’d better get on,’ I tell Luis. But when I walk out into the bright sunlight, Will is nowhere to be seen.

 
Chapter 16
     
    Holly and I are in the lobby, waiting for the lads to come down. I don’t want to go out tonight, but I heard Will is attending some charity event anyway, so I need something to take my mind off him.
    The lift beeps to announce its arrival. ‘Here they are,’ Holly says. ‘Hurry up! You take longer than us to get ready!’ she shouts as they pile out of the ornately carved golden lift doors. I start when I see Will with them, wearing a slim-fitting, expensive-looking black suit with a white shirt.
    ‘What are you doing?’ I ask in surprise. ‘Aren’t you going to some event tonight?’
    ‘Yeah, I am. I’m just waiting for Simon.’
    ‘Oh.’ The disappointment is even more immense after that little spark of hope.
    ‘Nice dress,’ he comments.
    ‘Thanks,’ I answer absent-mindedly. I’m wearing a red dress with a hemline that falls just above my knee. Everyone starts to move outside to the waiting cars. I stay where I am, reluctant to leave Will.
    ‘Hey,’ he says quietly, ‘we still need to talk.’
    ‘Mmm.’ I look at him, then